Of Kindness and Kilowatts

Nothing is Promised #3

by Susan Kaye Quinn

Humanity is trapped in a loop.
As the world heats, it takes more energy to keep humanity from dying—a feedback loop that makes net-zero carbon increasingly impossible to reach.

Akemi’s job on the Public Utilities Commission has its own daily disasters—making sure the infrastructure of civilization keeps running is the most thankless job on the planet. When a double event hits—heatwave plus viral breakout—keeping the power on is an all-out battle. It doesn’t help that he’s distracted by his elderly father, who was struck down and neuro-compromised by the same virus that killed his mother the year before. Now his father is living in Akemi’s attic. They’d never had a relationship before, and that was a fair description of the state of things now.

Then an old friend’s daughter shows up with a mystery of physics… and a tale of stolen kilowatts and deadly intrigue. He would dismiss it outright, except she’s also the Regional Director of the power grid. Something isn’t right, and the Governor won’t accept excuses when the power goes out.

Sometimes, you’re the right person in the right place, whether you want to be or not.

Of Kindness and Kilowatts is the third of four tightly-connected novels in a new hopepunk series. It’s about our future, how the world is always more complicated than it seems, and how just when it seems like things couldn’t possibly get worse, they invariably do… and that’s when we discover kindness and quantum entanglement are what hold everything together.

Genres: Mystery, Science Fiction, Fiction

194 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2021

About the author

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Susan Kaye Quinn has designed aircraft engines and researched global warming, but now she uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. Her works range from hopeful climate fiction to gritty cyberpunk. Sue believes being gentle and healing is radical and disruptive. Her short fiction can be found in Grist, Solarpunk Magazine, Reckoning, and all her novels and short stories can be found on her website. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast.

SOLARPUNK
collections
Bright Green Futures: 2024 (edited by SKQ)
Halfway to Better

novels
Nothing is Promised series
When You Had Power
You Knew The Price
Of Kindness and Kilowatts
Yet You Cry When It Hurts

short stories
A Moon Goddess to Watch Over Me (Luna Station Quarterly) (hopepunk)
It's in the Blood (Reckoning 8)
Once and Future Kilowatts (Solarpunk Magazine)
Rewilding Indiana (Little Blue Marble)
Seven Sisters (Grist)
The Joy Fund (DreamForge Magazine)

SCI-FI
Singularity Novel Series
The Legacy Human
The Duality Bridge
The Illusory Prophet
The Last Mystic

Stories of Singularity
Restore
Containment
Augment
Awakening
Harvest
Defiance
Resistance

YA SF
Mindjack Series
Open Minds
Closed Hearts
Free Souls
Locked Tight
Cracked Open
Broken Wide
Mindjack Short Story Collection

WATCH the award-winning live-action Mindjack Book Trailer!

STEAMPUNK ROMANCE
Royals of Dharia
Third Daughter
Second Daughter
First Daughter

CYBERPUNK
Debt Collector
LIRIUM (Season One)
WRAITH (Season Two)

WATCH the Debt Collector Book Trailer

ANTHOLOGIES
Synchronic
Telepath Chronicles
AI Chronicles
Dark Beyond The Stars
Future Chronicles
Cyborg Chronicles
CLONES: The Anthology

MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
Faery Swap

WATCH the Faery Swap Book Trailer

CONTACT SUSAN
Susan's Website | Sue on Bluesky | Sue on Mastodon
Susan's Email: sue@twistedspacepub.com

Reviews

[Eule und Buch · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5*
Akemi sieht sich einer ungeheuren Belastung entgegen: Auf der einen Seite muss er die Energieversorgung aufrechterhalten, während Los Angeles gleichzeitig unter einer Hitzewelle und einem Virusausbruch leidet. Zugleich ist sein kranker Vater vor kurzem zu seiner Familie gezogen und seitdem hängt der Haussegen ziemlich schief. In dieser Situation kontaktiert ihn die Tochter einer alten Freundin mit Daten zu angeblichen Geheimexperimenten. Angeblich wird eine neue Art der Energiegewinnung erforscht, welche gleichzeitig vielversprechend und gefährlich klingt. Akemi muss versuchen zu verstehen, womit er es hier zu tun hat, sonst könnte dies schlimme Konsequenzen für die Zukunft der Menschheit haben.
Jeder Band dieser Buchreihe geht einen Schritt in der Hierarchie nach oben und jedes Mal erfahren wir mehr über die Welt und die Energieproblematik. In diesem Teil wurde noch einmal sehr deutlich gemacht, wie eng es für die Menschheit wird, trotz einer grünen Energietechnologie das Netto-Null-Ziel zu erreichen. Während dies gerade im ersten Band für mich viel hoffnungsvoller klang, wurde hier sehr deutlich, wie schmal der Grat tatsächlich ist.
Akemi und seine Familie hatten als Charaktere ziemlich viel Potenzial. Obwohl Akemi mehrere erwachsene Kinder hat und diese auch mit ihren Partnern noch zuhause wohnen, leben doch alle ihre eigenen Leben, wodurch es schwer ist, immer jemanden zu finden, der auf seinen neu eingezogenen, kranken Vater aufpassen kann. Viel schwieriger noch: Der Vater möchte eigentlich auch nicht, dass jemand auf ihn aufpasst, obwohl er klare neurologische Ausfälle hat.
Gut gefallen hat mir in dieser Hinsicht, dass Akemi und sein Vater durch die gemeinsame Liebe zur Physik einen Weg zueinander finden und sich somit durch das Rätsel, welches sich durch alle Bücher zieht, die private Situation der beiden verändert. Ich muss allerdings dennoch sagen, dass die ganze Familie hier viel zu kurz kam. Die Mitglieder waren dafür auch einfach zu viele – mehrere wurden nur namentlich erwähnt und waren eigentlich völlig unwichtig für die Geschichte. Ich hatte das Gefühl, hier hätte eine Fokussierung auf die relevanten Familienmitglieder ein wenig Raum gelassen, um diesen mehr Platz für Entwicklung zu lassen.
Mein größter Kritikpunkt war aber leider eben das Rätsel des Buches. Seit Band 1 wird versucht, herauszufinden, was im Geheimen abläuft und wer hinter den rätselhaften Energieexperimenten steckt. Dies war immer sehr spannend. In diesem Band jedoch geht es an die physische Seite des Ganzen. Und in der Theorie finde ich das auch ziemlich gut. Fast alle Charaktere des Buches sind Physiker und sie werfen mit Theorien um sich, wie die geheimnisvolle neue Energiegewinnung funktionieren könnte. Ich habe die entsprechenden Textstellen sogar einem befreundeten Physiker gezeigt und bis auf kleinere Ungenauigkeiten ist das Fundament hier wohl ziemlich solide. Allerdings sind die besprochenen Theorien weit fortgeschritten und werden selbst im Physikstudium wohl erst sehr spät behandelt. Die meisten Lesenden des Buches müssen sich daher durch seitenweise, für sie unverständliche Physik kämpfen. So zumindest ging es mir und ich muss gestehen, dass ich dabei irgendwann ein wenig abgeschaltet habe. Ich hoffe wirklich, dass der letzte Band nicht vom Verständnis dieser Theorien abhängt!
Fazit:
Auch der dritte Band der Zukunftsschimmer-Reihe führt das Rätsel um die geheimnisvollen Experimente weiter, verliert sich dabei leider ein wenig in fortgeschrittenen Physikexkursen. Dennoch hat mir Akemis private Geschichte sehr gefallen und es war schön zu sehen, wie er und sein Vater durch geteilte Leidenschaften einen Weg zueinander finden.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. One awesome book. A heatwave and a viral outbreak, at the same time. How will humanity cope with this. Will they survive. I was totally caught up with all the action.

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.

Of Kindness and Kilowatts is the third book in this series and continues the story and mystery of the previous books. I like the concept of this series and the way it's set up. Every book has a different main characters, but their stories are interwoven as they all work together to find out what's going on and how to stop an evil genius.

This time the main character is Akami. He's dealing with a heat wave as well as a new virus popping up due to his job at the Public Utilities Commission. That's when Zuri has a meeting with him and tells him of all they uncovered. Now it's time for Akami to continue to uncover more. Zuri and Lucía from the previous books as well as some side characters from previous books are there to help him.

Most of this book focuses on Akami getting up to speed and then joining forces with the other characters and his search to find proof, so he can pass it along to someone else. I really enjoyed the first two books, but felt like this book was less compelling. The story just wasn't as engaging to me in this book. I did like Akami, but felt like I didn't get as good of a feel for his character and family as I did for the main characters in previous books.

This book was also quite heavy on the science and physics, which made it a difficult read to follow at times. The author does a great job making it understandable, but it's still some complicated and tough to grasp matter. I also felt like the impact and resolution was a bit missing. Both in plot development terms as well as character plot lines. There are some interesting new developments plot wise, but at the same time it felt like it lacked the impact from the first two books. Same with the character plot lines. There is this plot line with the character Akami is creating and his troubles with his dad whose living with his family now. Both got ended on a hopeful note, but I would've liked a bit more of the emotional impact and resolution at the end.

I enjoyed seeing the plot line continue and how Akami works together with the main characters form previous books. There isn't as much of Lucía as she's quarantined at home, which is definitely something we can relate to in our current pandemic. I liked seeing more of Zuri and other side characters. And seeing Akami and Zuri's mom interact was fun, there's even a hint of flirting maybe there?

The world building and setting of this series is really well done. I like how realistic it feels. And how it touches upon some of the topics we're currently dealing with already like climate change and the pandemics. This world both paints a terrifying future where climate change is ever further as well as a very hopeful picture of humanity banding together.

To summarize: I enjoyed reading this book and seeing how the overarching plot line continues in this book. There's a new main character in this book and I liked reading about Akami and seeing what he dealt with and how he gets pulled into the big plot line mystery. It also was fun to see recurring characters from previous books again. I did feel that this book was a bit less engaging than the previous ones. It seems to focus more on getting proof and is quite heavy on the science/ physics. There are some interesting developments surrounding the big plot line. I felt the ending missed a bit if impact and story wise, but it does leave me curious for book. I am excited to see how book 4 wraps this all up.

[Susan (The Book Bag) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an amazing series, so timely with the energy and climate crises we are living in right now. Then throw in a bit of a pandemic and this could be our world.

This book focuses on Akemi, as we watch him try to get to the bottom of some evil goings on while also trying to do his job of protecting the people against a heatwave and a virus. We also get a look at his personal life, which I enjoyed.

The middle of the book got a little bit heavy for me, as I didn't understand most of the engineering lingo but for you engineers out there, I'm sure you're going to love it. I totally loved the rest of the book.

Like I've said before, I love that Susan creates worlds that take me out of my comfort zone, educating me to a whole new world. I highly recommend this series! Give it a try!

[ZeilenZauber · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘*‘ Meine Meinung ‘*‘
Sorry, aber der Klappentext verrät dieses Mal einfach zu viel, als dass ich darüber hinwegschauen kann. Es nervt, wenn schon ein Großteil der Handlung im KT verraten wird. So baute sich auch die Spannung nur langsam auf. Schade, da wäre mehr drin gewesen. So lernte ich nur Akemi und die Charaktere, die in seiner Bubble wichtig sind, kennen. Als es dann endlich um die weiteren Nachforschungen zu den Energiediebstählen ging, betrat ich endlich unbekanntes Terrain. All das Wissen, das in den Vorgängerbänden zusammengetragen wurde, wurde erweitert und es fielen wieder Puzzleteile an ihre Plätze. Ich traf auch die eine oder andere Figur wieder und kann das Gesamtbild maximal erahnen. Ich bin gespannt, ob ich auf dem richtigen Weg bin.
Leider ging es in diesem Band häufig um Wissenschaftliches und die Figuren sprachen über Dinge, die mir definitiv zu hoch waren, und die mich dann auch skimmen ließen.
Auch die neuen Mitspieler in der Gesamtstory waren wieder lebendig und facettenreich geschaffen.
Der Schreibstil ist wie schon gewohnt locker-flockig und flüssig lesbar. Okay, bis auf die wissenschaftlichen Passagen.
Auch wenn sich die Lage jetzt allmählich zuspitzt und der Endspurt eingeläutet wurde, vergebe ich wegen meiner Meckerpunkte dieses Mal nur 4 Gigawatt-Sterne.
‘*‘ Klappentext ‘*‘
Die Menschheit ist in einer Schleife gefangen
Während die Welt sich immer weiter aufheizt, benötigen die verbliebenen Menschen immer mehr Energie, um am Leben zu bleiben – ein Teufelskreis, der es zunehmend schwerer macht, Netto-Null-Emissionen zu erreichen.
Akemis Position in der Südkalifornischen Versorgungskommission gleicht einem tagtäglichen Kampf – und die Infrastruktur der Zivilisation aufrechtzuhalten ist der undankbarste Job auf dem Planeten. Als Los Angeles von einem Doppelevent getroffen wird – einer Hitzewelle und einem zeitgleichen Virusausbruch – haben er und sein Team alle Mühe, die Stromversorgung zu sichern. Die geplante Erweiterung eines Solarwerks könnte dabei helfen, doch die ist – gelinde gesagt – kontrovers.
Da wird er von der Tochter einer alten Freundin kontaktiert, die ihm einen Datenschatz über angebliche Geheimexperimente zuspielt. Erst will er dies als Verschwörungstheorie abtun, doch als er in die Materie eintaucht, stößt er auf eine Energieforschung, die so gefährlich wie vielversprechend ist. Ist es das letzte Ass im Ärmel der Menschheit oder etwas, das ihren Untergang noch beschleunigen wird? Diese Frage kann ihm niemand beantworten, also muss Akemi sich selbst auf die Suche nach Antworten begeben.
Manchmal ist man einfach die Person, die zur rechten Zeit am rechten Ort ist, ob man will oder nicht.
Mit Güte und Gigawatt ist das dritte von vier eng verknüpften Hopepunk-Büchern einer Klima-Fiction Reihe, die in der nahen Zukunft spielt. Es zeigt, dass die Welt noch komplizierter ist, als es scheint, und die Dinge, selbst wenn man es nicht mehr für möglich hält, immer noch schlimmer werden können … bis wir entdecken, dass Güte und Quantenverschränkung das sind, was alles zusammenhält.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a awesome book perfect for our time, of global warming and pandemics. It shows one mans struggle to do his job but still find the evil behind those who are willing to put themselves first even if it means others die a horrifying death. There is some science in this book but it will all become clear the further you go. I can not wait for book four and hope the same characters come back and be added too as this book three did for the ones before it. I love the characters they are so genuine and kind, they seem to really care about the people they serve.

[John R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

(First to acknowledge that I know the author, but I bought these books and my opinions are my own.)

Whole I enjoy Kaye Quinn's voice and the plot she's ultimately setting up here, I'm finding -- and the series in total -- less than thrilling. Which, perhaps this is not meant to be that and so the issue is me.

For starters, and especially with this book, they're very short. Very straightforward, and again, lacking in that real engagement of visceral intrique. I think in the regard of this being "hopepunk" and rooted in a sense of community-organized solutions to issues, I can appreciate the rooted approach to how this overarching story is progressing. But I think in that way, then, the genre conventions (cliffhanger chapter endings, the presumption of danger, and authentic repercussions of rogue science) stick out as fighting against the... Let's call it bureaucratic-approach to solving all this.

I enjoyed this book for the deeper dive into the possibilities of the science, of the logistics of maintaining a city's infrastructure during extreme weather/pandemic-level events. To be frank, I could see cutting out all of this espionage stuff and just being a straight speculative eco-fiction about surviving.

Another level of this is the off-stage machinations of the "villains." I'm all for not making "bad guys" cool -- my personal belief being that the iconification of villains being part of why we're in the world we're in -- but it is a little hard to care when the people ostensibly being chased aren't allowed their perspectives to be shared. It doesn't seem like the fourth book will be from any of the main antagonists' perspectives, so ultimately we'll only learn the truth through the lens of those who have been deemed "our heroes." And I feel like without getting into the can of worms regarding the bad-faith arguments on "free speech," not allowing us those perspectives is bound to make those anti-authority folks (like myself) balk at just taking the good guys' word. Especially as the story seems to be building to a resolution (climax seems maybe too far of a reach for what this overarching story is doing) that the "bad guys" are creating something of value to all humanity... I guess I'll have to wait until I read the fourth book to find out.

Lastly, I'll admit my ignorance in dealing with Japanese-American professionals in power, but I found the constant bowing to be strange. If Akemi was more directly Japanese, and not (at least how I read him) to be American-born, then maybe it'd make sense. And if in this world that sign of respect has been meant to have become more prevalent in this globalized, eco-neutral world, then I don't feel (or remember) it being seeded in any of the earlier stories.

That's all a very long rant to then say, I still enjoy Susan Kaye Quinn's writing. I think she does a great job keeping the science that is the heavy thrust of this part of the series "realistic" and just understandable to lay-person know-nothings like me.

I thoroughly recommend the books and the series (as of now!) despite their continued "not quite for me"-ness.

[Anna Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, first up, I feel kind of mean that this is only a 3 star? But it is what it is. [It's a very personal-reason rating though, as in I liked it but not SUPER liked it mainly cos there was too much physics in it haha]

We're moving up the ladder in this series, where the problem of shady bosses in When You Had Power and nasty power outages in You Knew the Price have escalated to reach Southern California's Public Utilities Commissioner, Akemi Sato. Is this threat real? Or is the Regional Director going off the rails? In a pandemic? (Well, a new virus outbreak anyway.)

I feel like Of Kindness and Kilowatts suffers from "second book syndrome" (even though it's the third), where the strong buildup from the first two books have reached a bit of a plateau. There's a lot of physics in this one (which went a little over my head) and they make some cool (and disturbing) discoveries, but the tension isn't as high as the previous one, and it feels more plotty (idk if this is a word, but it now is). But you gotta get through this one to get to the final book, Yet You Cry When It Hurts!

Relationship wise, this one focuses on Akemi and his relationship with his estranged father, Dai - which again was personally not as relatable for me as the themes of found family and community were in the first two books.

Plus points: it has tea! <3

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Sandy S · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars—OF KINDNESS AND KILOWATTS is the third of four instalments in Susan Kaye Quinn’s post apocalyptic, speculative fiction, hope-punk, series of interconnected story lines set in the year 2050. OF KINDNESS AND KILOWATTS should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up shortly after the events of book two YOU KNEW THE PRICE.

As a quick explanation, hope-punk is often about people fighting for a change in a dystopian setting such as a post apocalyptic society.

SOME BACKGROUND: In the past thirty or so years, the world has been ravaged by several pandemics, ecological disasters, and global warming to the point that air quality is questionable, and food stocks are in short supply. The few remaining people have to apply for a ‘family’ and a place to live, often forcing a number of people together in order to thrive. AIs are the norm; implants are used to communicate but someone is siphoning the power, threatening the few who survive.

Told from third person perspective (Akemi) OF KINDNESS AND KILOWATTS picks up immediately after the events of book two. Public Utilities Commissioner Akemi Sato is struggling in both his personal and professional life having lost his mother one year earlier, while his father’s mind slowly deteriorated as a result of the same pandemic but a visit from Zuri Hill-Gray (You Knew the Price 2) pulls Akemi into the search for the truth. As another airborne virus begins to ravage Huntington Beach, Akemi must begin an investigation into the blackouts, power surges, and the people behind a possible act of treason against the American people.

OF KINDNESS AND KILOWATTS reads like a PhD dissertation; a detailed and complex physics lecture, in both science fiction and fact, often overwhelming the story line premise. With the help of Zuri, and her tech-savvy friends, Akemi sets a plan into action to take down the people involved.

[Sharienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the story, hate the 150-page installments.

The good thing about the series is that she doesn't have to reintroduce every character or rehash the plot. Presumably, she wrote it as one reasonably large novel. I really like the pieces all brought together with what seems like effortless storytelling, but we all know that such writings and story craft is the hardest.

It feels like Star Trek, in that there us complicated, uninvented technology that isn't the focus of the story. It is only the premise, not the point. The real-seeming people and their problems and interactions are complex without becoming confusing. That's the best part of the novel's division into books. It introduces a new central character each time and the switch is built into the format. So, the multi-novel, book-selling strategy is well used even if it makes me grind my teeth every time I find another paywall. This final one is the most annoying because I expected to be done at the end of this book.

I'm still willing to continue, though. That's how fun and interesting I'm finding the "series." I am more used to a series that has a complete story per book and the stories are connected by world, character or idea.

Again, it's good, but it's more like an episodic novel than what I consider a series. There's no way could these be read out of order. It's not a rehash every time you start a new episode. So far I have sunk $6 and so it's not even close to the costs of the non-fiction that I typically read.

It's a decent way to pad my book goal on Goodreads.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five stars for the writing and ideas - quite exceptional!
Four stars due to the short length and also it does get quite science-y. However, I accept that in the end the four books are meant to run together, so that explains the length. And the science? Well, if you like science, particularly physics, it's great. If you are even interested in science, then it's not a problem - only in one part, really, and you kind of know what you are getting with this author with a science background.
There is not as much action as the previous books, especially the first which was my favourite. Which is not to say that there is no action, just a lot less, and I guess that if most of the readers are female, we would have identified more with the previous protagonists rather than the male one in this book. The first book had Lucia in great danger, which I could empathise with and it felt very close to me - like watching a great film. In this book, I did find Akemi's background and personal troubles interesting, and best of all, he drank tea. Being English, this matters to me.
Having read previous books from this author, which satisfied my status as an action lover, I felt the lack of action and peril in this book so hope that it will ramp up in the fourth book, hopefully coming soon!

[Rina Pi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es bleibt spannend. Selbst wenn es sehr physikalisch diesmal ist. Ein unerwarteter Twist bzw eine Erkenntnis bringt noch mal Aufregung in die Story. Neue Charaktere lockern die ganze Stimmung auf und zeigen auch die menschlichen Aspekte in einem schon aufgeladenen Umfeld. Wieweit darf man gehen? Was ist ethisch noch vertretbar um den Planeten und die Menschheit zu retten? Die Story ist auf jeden Fall sehr aktuell und zeigt uns in welche Richtung wir uns bewegen. Wir benötigen immer mehr Strom, aber wie soll er hergestellt werden? Und wieweit geht Forschung und Skrupellosigkeit Hand in Hand? Entscheidet ihr: was ist vertretbar? Ich bin sehr gespannt wie die Auflösung sein wird. Es ist jetzt mit der neuen Entwicklung alles offen.

[Rina.P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es bleibt spannend. Selbst wenn es sehr physikalisch diesmal ist. Ein unerwarteter Twist bzw eine Erkenntnis bringt noch mal Aufregung in die Story. Neue Charaktere lockern die ganze Stimmung auf und zeigen auch die menschlichen Aspekte in einem schon aufgeladenen Umfeld. Wieweit darf man gehen? Was ist ethisch noch vertretbar um den Planeten und die Menschheit zu retten? Die Story ist auf jeden Fall sehr aktuell und zeigt uns in welche Richtung wir uns bewegen. Wir benötigen immer mehr Strom, aber wie soll er hergestellt werden? Und wieweit geht Forschung und Skrupellosigkeit Hand in Hand? Entscheidet ihr: was ist vertretbar? Ich bin sehr gespannt wie die Auflösung sein wird. Es ist jetzt mit der neuen Entwicklung alles offen.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

[9 February 2025]
The third novella in the Nothing Is Promised hopepunk series, Of Kindness and Kilowatts follows a commissioner of the US Energy Commission in 2050, who takes over investigation of the theft of energy from the main grid first discovered in the first installment. It's an enjoyable future climate mystery, but it's becoming a little less believable. The bad guys appear to have discovered an unlimited, unpolluting, free source of power and are not sharing it with the world. And our main character -- a high level government official -- does not engage any official investigative agencies, but puts himself at risk to investigate on his own. Not plausible.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Addition to the Series!

I'm always a fan of SKQ books and with good reason! It can be hard for authors to successfully weave science fiction, action, suspense and love of community into a story people will actually want to read, but once again she has delivered.
This book has a lovable protagonist who with the support of other characters in the overall series takes the story in a new direction and adds new understanding to the journey. Highly recommend!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Progress! Zuri (book 2) brings the mystery that Lucia (book 1) brought her to Akimi as the investigation works its way up the power structure. More investigation follows, and between their combined efforts, progress is made. Now it is time to bump it up to the next level and inform the governor. Hopefully, she isn’t involved!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. As I read two other books after this one, and my mind kept going back to this book and how I couldn't wait to read the next one. There was enough action and mystery to keep me glued. I was a little disappointed when it ended that there wasn't more, but book 4 will be coming soon. Well done Susan Kaye Quinn!

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

You should know this future cast sci-fi dives deep into quantum physics cutting edge questions. But, even without the physics to understand, I can follow the story and am gripped by the action. Looking forward to book 4, which doesn't appear to be in the Library : o ( . Going to find it and read it immediately. LOL

[Danielle Vandehaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, this author’s ability to create the depth of character in such a short time is really remarkable. The science fiction is also well thought out and a believable jump from today’s world. I can’t wait for book 4!

[Christinaraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This intriguing story continues as Akemi is drawn into the mystery of what is going on with the power grid. Enjoyed returning to the story as more is discovered. Had to see what Akemi would find out this time around and how it fits into the series. Lots of mystery and suspense going on.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, the third of 4 parts, is shorter than the first two. Kind of a transitional segment that also ends in a cliff hanger, in the middle of things, and on the cusp of a new direction for the next. If you read parts 2 and 3, you'll definitely want to have part 4 on hand.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these books. The first one pulled me in immediately. Waiting patiently for #4.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. The series went down the tubes.

[Jennifer Kubenka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third in the series. More characters I want to know better in a world I want to explore more deeply, but couldn't because the book is so short.

[Tânia Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even so, i kept been surprised by how good the characters are constructed!

[John Latona · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do appreciate the interconnectedness of these stories and how they pretty naturally flow into the next protagonist

[Anett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Auch dieser dritte Band schließt nahtlos an seinen Vorgänger „Von Gier und Verlust“ nahtlos an. Zuri und ihre Mutter treten nun eine Stelle weiter in der Hierarchie nach oben an Akemi heran. Akemi hat eine Position in der Südkalifornischen Versorgungskommission. Und derzeit eigentlich mit einer extremen Hitzewelle und einem gleichzeitigen Virusausbruch beschäftigt.

Trotzdem nimmt er sich die Zeit für Zuri und ist entsetzt, als er hört, dass angebliche Geheimexperimente gemacht werden und deswegen auch Strom abgezapft wird. Erst tut er alles als Verschwörungstheorien ab, aber dann muss er feststellen, dass doch viel mehr dahinter steckt.





Ich hatte das Buch ein wenig liegen lassen, nachdem ich den zweiten band gelesen hatte. Bin jedoch trotzdem recht schnell in die Geschichte wieder hinein gekommen und war gespannt, wie es weiter geht.

Es gab auch hier und da sehr spannende Momente und im Grunde gefällt mir die Story wirklich gut. Allerdings ging es mir hier sehr physikalisch zu und ich muss zugeben, es war zwar gut erklärt, aber mir mitunter viel zu viel. Auch hatte ich den Eindruck, es war ein Zwischenband, der locker an Band zwei anschließen oder mit dem nächsten beginnen könnte. Nicht nur gefühlt werden es weniger Seiten, von Teil zu Teil. Waren es im ersten nur 266, dann im zweiten nur noch 230, sind es jetzt in diesem dritten unglaubliche 134 Seiten. Ich weiß, dass uns mit dem Abschlussband ein Buch mit über 400 Seiten erwartet, also warum wurden dann diese ersten so gesplittet?



Und auch wenn die Story gut durchdacht ist und ich bisher von dieser voll überzeugt war, so war dieser dritte Band für mich doch der schwächste überhaupt. Schade.

[Doro´s Buchgalaxie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Auch in Band drei haben wir das gleiche Schema. Auch hier wird das „Problem“ an einen neuen Charakter weitergeben. Nicht nur das wir noch mehr über die Welt erfahren. Wir tauchen auch viel tiefer in das „Problem“ ein. Es wird teilweise sehr technisch, doch so gut erklärt, dass man dem immer noch folgen kann. Ich persönlich mag die Vorstellung der Weg. Wie alle zusammen leben und das schön zusammen spielt. Anderseits mag ich, denn Gedanken daran nicht wie es alles dazu kommen ist. Eine Hitzewelle ist da und sorgt dafür, dass unser Charakter Entscheidungen treffen muss und gleichzeitig sich um das Problem zu kümmern hat. Auch die anderen Figuren aus Band eins und zwei tauchen hier wieder auf und man merkt, dass wir uns dem Ende nähern. Dieses Band war etwas spannenderen als die ersten Bände, auch immer noch fesselnd und bin gespannt, wohin uns das alles führt.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zum Inhalt steht oben in der Beschreibung ja schon ordentlich was drin und mehr möchte ich Inhaltlich auch gar nicht mehr aufnehmen, sonst würde ich von dem ganzen zu viel Verraten.

Dieser Band war diesmal recht Physik-lastig und zwischendurch bin ich auch nicht ganz mitgekommen, aber trotzdem war es wieder sehr interessant und auch spannend. Die Charaktere, wie sie sich dahinter klemmen, um zu helfen, damit Akemi aufdecken kann, worum er gebeten wurde. Die Tatsache, was dabei raus kommen würde und dann das Ende... das mich so komplett offen lässt und ich nur denke "Warum geht es denn jetzt nicht weiter???? Ich will nicht warten!!"

Spannend, interessant und fesselnd, war auch dieser Band wieder der Reihe. Danke für das Rezensionsexemplar. Hat wieder sehr viel Freude gemacht zu lesen.
Verdiente 4 Schmetterlinge.

[Beate Werum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Auch wenn ich die Reihe mag, ist mir dieser dritte Teil zu Physik lastig. Bisher der für mich schwächste Teil.

Die ausführliche Rezension gibt es unter:
https://meenzerbuuchmeedsche.wordpres...