After the Mechs are neutralized in a devastating battle, Logan and Druce consider changing their priorities as they rebuild their lives. But the emotional and physical trauma of recent events begins to catch up with Logan, and she starts to fear that her final battle will be to maintain her own sanity.
The team is broken and breaking more. While some fight to bring back what was lost, others seem to be compromising what they believe. In the face of an uncertain future, each one of them will have to decide what choices they want to define them in the end.
Will Logan be left to fight the greatest battle of her life alone?
I grew up in Southeast Asia. My first experience with America was when I was six years old. Sometimes I amuse my friends by telling them stories of my first impressions of this country (clean bathrooms, Toy Story, Taco Bell, getting lost in department stores).
My family moved to California when I was eleven and completely changed the course of my life. On the outside I'm a well-adjusted American adult, but in all honesty some days I still wake up to the sound of the grass being cut by machetes.
I have traveled a fair amount and lived in four separate countries. I see the world very differently from most people that I know. And because I am an analytical introvert I try to understand everything in my life. I pour this into my writing.
Everything I write is deeply personal to me. People who know me well recognize the shadows of people I've met, experiences I've had, and emotions I've walked through in my writing. My goal is not just to entertain and explore imaginary worlds, but to take the reader on a journey that explores difficult questions and instills some sort of hope.
While all the Creation of Jack books have made me feel things, this one definitely resonated with me emotionally the most. The last third or so made me feel both sad and hopeful at the same time. Yet (and pardon me for soundinga bit sappy) there was so much beauty to the sadness.
Another thing I love about this book (and the series in general) is how it continually builds off the threads of the previous installments. Old antagonists continue to plague the characters, the poor consequences of certain actions are still very present, and much, much more.
The secondary characters really shine in this book. Of course, Jack is still the protagonist of the story, and continues to be a very interesting one. But Prachett, Ueb, and Crafton all get some time in the spotlight as well, with it not feeling forced in the slightest. All three have fascinating arcs and extremely crucial roles in the story. Makes me wonder exactly how far back Dawson planned all this
But by far my favorite part is the plot. I honestly can't disclose anything about it, since the whole thing is a major spoiler, but it's my favorite storyline of the whole series, not to mention possibly my favorite of any indie book ever.
I was originally going to give this 4 stars instead of 5 because I didn't think this installment felt like it was as complete of a story as the others (a lot of it feels like some major set up for book 5). But then I realized that since it's the 4th book in a series it shouldn't necessarily have to stand alone. So 5 stars it is!
While it is always hard to see a good series come to an end, it's completely satisfying to see that series end with a fantastic conclusion. Dawson has been building and developing an excellent cast of characters in a complex science-fiction world from the beginning of the series. It's taken the length of the series to see the extent of the character development, and it has been worth the journey to witness the final resolution for each one. I was relieved to see the ending that I had hoped for, and it was a unique and fitting solution for Jack and her team. I particularly loved the theme of this final volume: that we must move forward no matter how unfair life is and regardless of how we feel. If we're honest with ourselves, it's not hard to see that life often presents us with days that we do not want to face, challenges that we do not feel like overcoming, and obstacles that we would rather avoid. Yet, "if we waited for the ideal circumstances to live our lives, we'd never live them at all." If there's one thing that Jack has taught me, it's to keep moving forward and find a way to live that works for you. The outcome doesn't always have to be perfect, and you don't always have to feel up to the challenge, but you can manage when you stand with the ones you love and work as a team to take life "one day at a time until the end."
This is, without a doubt, one of my all-time favorite series, and the conclusion is beautiful. Dawson takes us through real fear and grief and leads us out stronger and more whole. All the characters shine in this one. Pratchett is just . . . the best. Seriously, he's my new character crush. New things about Ueb come to light that make you fall in love with him, too. Every single character arc is so satisfying and well-earned.
SECOND READING: I love this book. I love it. I love it. I love it.
It starts in such brokenness, gets worse, and then brings you through to healing.
Every character gets to shine in this one. Ueb is more amazing than we ever knew. Pratchett is truly inspiring. Crafton gets a moment of true glory. I could go on and on. This novel rounds out the series' themes of friendship and family in such a satisfying and moving way.
But most of all, in an impossible, horrible situation, Dawson still managed to leave her readers with the final confidence of hope and the conviction that fighting against impossible odds is worthwhile and leads to victory.
FIRST READING: Every book in this series is even better than the last.
Until the End picks up right where Under the Skin left off and then heads in new, fantastic directions. Logan, Druce, and the team deal with their experiences, but things are never easy. They face Mechs, tension with the unmodified human purist group, dementia, and more.
One of my favorite aspects of this series is the team of characters, and never have they been such a team as in Until the End. All they've gone through in books 1-3 pays off in BIG ways.
Another aspect of the series I've loved is Logan and Druce's relationship, and after this book, they're now among my top 5 fictional couples of all time. I love how they work together and love each other as they are, and how they fight side-by-side in all arenas of life.
But what really shines in this story are the themes. Dawson never shies away from wrestling with the real issues in life, and Until the End is such an honest examination of what isn't fair in life and of what it means to keep fighting anyways.
This book is everything I could have hoped for from the culmination of this series, and it's more. I closed the last page satisfied and, what's more, I closed it feeling deeply empowered to continue fighting for and protecting others. This series and Until the End in particular will challenge you to your core and make you feel like a superhero.
In summation, I loved it. If you like stories with rich characters, real themes, and a heavy dose of imagination and tech, you need to read this.
What a fitting and powerful way to round out a fitting and powerful series. I won't say end... because I know things you don't. Jack has become a fixture in my life, as I know she has for many readers. Strong. Kind. Steady. Willing to face down great evil. Each book has progressively broken my heart more and more. If you are a regular reader of the COJ series, just the title alone is enough to break your heart. Under the Skin ended on a bit of a cliff-hanger and Until the End plays off that for sure. Throwing us right into the action in a way that previous installments of the series has not. I find that a typical E.B. Dawson book starts with philosophy, character building, and a few instances of foreshadowing, but mostly it just gives the reader time to stretch and explore the world. This was not the case for Until the End. But don't worry, there is plenty of time for you to seep in the feels. And there are so many of them. E.B. Dawson gives readers a new glimpse into old characters, endears many more of them to your heart, forces them to desolve in tears and then holds them close in a warm hug. This book will not be an easy ride, but it will be worth it. This book bares it's heart to the reader and you can't help but be pulled in.
The plot of the whole series is really well done, following Jack's storyline interspersed with several tangent plots that make for a wild ride. I mean, who wouldn't be intrigued by wormholes that take you to alternating timelines where alien machines are trying to destroy humanity? The slow build of the series makes sense. The science behind it, the characters' journey's to this point, the complicated politics, all of it build to a climactic finish where Jack is forced to confront reality head-on... by herself, when reality as she knows it is being turned upside-down.
Um... I'm having a hard time coming up with words to explain how amazing this book is. It put me through so many emotions: laughter, surprise, anxiety, sadness, confusion and joy. I got to the last page and I didn't want it to be over. 😭 I kept turning pages to see if there was more! A very good story!