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Caitlyn Brown #2
Flight of Shadows
Her genetic secret could change humanity forever.
Her DNA grants her the ultimate power.
But all she wants is to disappear.
Looming buildings rise into the sky of a near-future America, shadowing the desperate poverty of the soovie parks, death doctors, and fear bombs. In this world of walled cities, where status matters most, Caitlyn Brown is desperate to remain invisible, wrongly believing what she needs to hide is the deformity on her back. The powerful want her for so much more.
She’s forced to take flight again, relying on the help of Razor, a street-smart illusionist she can’t trust. Her only hope is to reach friends already tracked by government.
With a twisted bounty hunter in full pursuit, she and Razor begin to learn the unthinkable about her past and the unique gifts of her DNA. It leads Caitlyn to a choice between the two men who love her, and whether to keep her freedom or sacrifice herself to change human destiny.
In this lightning-fast chase through an all-too-plausible future, best-selling author Sigmund Brouwer is at his best. Flight of Shadows is a terrifying ride into the heart of compelling moral questions about science and society.
Her DNA grants her the ultimate power.
But all she wants is to disappear.
Looming buildings rise into the sky of a near-future America, shadowing the desperate poverty of the soovie parks, death doctors, and fear bombs. In this world of walled cities, where status matters most, Caitlyn Brown is desperate to remain invisible, wrongly believing what she needs to hide is the deformity on her back. The powerful want her for so much more.
She’s forced to take flight again, relying on the help of Razor, a street-smart illusionist she can’t trust. Her only hope is to reach friends already tracked by government.
With a twisted bounty hunter in full pursuit, she and Razor begin to learn the unthinkable about her past and the unique gifts of her DNA. It leads Caitlyn to a choice between the two men who love her, and whether to keep her freedom or sacrifice herself to change human destiny.
In this lightning-fast chase through an all-too-plausible future, best-selling author Sigmund Brouwer is at his best. Flight of Shadows is a terrifying ride into the heart of compelling moral questions about science and society.
309 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2010
11 people are currently reading
255 people want to read
About the author
Sigmund Brouwer
252 books407 followersSigmund loves going to schools to get kids excited about reading, reaching roughly 80,000 students a year through his Rock&Roll Literacy Show.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
July 16, 2017
In a dystopian world, a woman born with wings runs from a bounty hunter.
In the author's statement at the end, he states the inspiration for the world in the book. That's a good thing, because while he states his inspirations are obvious, they definitely are not.
In the author's statement at the end, he states the inspiration for the world in the book. That's a good thing, because while he states his inspirations are obvious, they definitely are not.
June 7, 2010
I won this book through Goodreads Giveaways.
I gave this book 2.5 stars. This is the second book in the Caitlyn Brown series. It takes place in a world that is divided between the scientists and the religious fanatics. The first book explored more of the religious side called Appalachia, now in this book we get a glimpse of the outside world. The beginning of the book was really interesting to me, and pulled me in. It was from the viewpoint of a scientist who has spent her life doing genetic research, and trying to manipulate genetic DNA. It was disturbing to me the thought process of this woman, and it only want to make me read more.
And then, the book just became an action scene that never ended. I thought it would be a little different from the first, but in the end it was the same. Constant action, flipping from character to character. I think my main issue is that I don't really like Caitlyn, I can't connect with her on any level so in the end I don't care about her. She's just not interesting to me. I did think that the premise of the book was fascinating, a look into the future of what our world could become. Especially in light of stem-cell research and such. But I don't think the book got all the way there. There was too much going on, too many characters to follow, and not enough intriguing characters to keep me really involved.
I think the best part of this book was actually a character called Razor. He was intelligent, crafty and appealing but it's enough for me to continue reading the series.
I gave this book 2.5 stars. This is the second book in the Caitlyn Brown series. It takes place in a world that is divided between the scientists and the religious fanatics. The first book explored more of the religious side called Appalachia, now in this book we get a glimpse of the outside world. The beginning of the book was really interesting to me, and pulled me in. It was from the viewpoint of a scientist who has spent her life doing genetic research, and trying to manipulate genetic DNA. It was disturbing to me the thought process of this woman, and it only want to make me read more.
And then, the book just became an action scene that never ended. I thought it would be a little different from the first, but in the end it was the same. Constant action, flipping from character to character. I think my main issue is that I don't really like Caitlyn, I can't connect with her on any level so in the end I don't care about her. She's just not interesting to me. I did think that the premise of the book was fascinating, a look into the future of what our world could become. Especially in light of stem-cell research and such. But I don't think the book got all the way there. There was too much going on, too many characters to follow, and not enough intriguing characters to keep me really involved.
I think the best part of this book was actually a character called Razor. He was intelligent, crafty and appealing but it's enough for me to continue reading the series.
June 4, 2010
Seriously. Spoilers spoilers spoilers.
I snagged this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program, and I have to admit that I read this cold. I know there’s a prequel book to this one, and I even picked up the prequel with the intention of reading it but I never did. Instead I dove right into Flight of Shadows as soon as it arrived in the mail, and the only real disadvantage there proved to be my feelings of profound indifference to some of the major sympathetic characters. But I loved Flight. I loved the setting, I loved the city, and it grabbed me hard. And kick ass the character Razor is awesome.
Now, Billy has been set up to be Caitlyn’s romantic interest since apparently sometime in the first book, but Razor is introduced in this book and Caitlyn is disturbed by how attracted she is to him and I cannot possibly blame her for that. I’m a very character-focused reader, and Razor interests me-the-reader a hell of a lot more than Billy does. I might’ve cared about Billy if I’d bothered to read the earlier book but, like I said, I didn’t, and I’m frankly never going to; stories about surviving in slick, shadowy cities amid info-espionage and underground elements appeal to me so much more than stories about escaping idyllic pastoral settings held by mal-benevolent theocratic governments that spend their spare time preventing the population from learning how to read. Razor, on the other hand, is the quintessential secondary character who stole the show. I'd happily read a whole series about him, and if Flight had been tweaked as a standalone novel with Razor as the primary character I would have rated it five stars. In the act of writing this review and rereading the story for favorite bits – that being every scene that has Razor in it – I’m seriously considering bumping this up to four stars anyway.
Let me start by explaining the excellence that is Razor’s name. When I first opened this book, I browsed for a bit before starting on page one, and one of the first scenes I flipped to had a cop figuring out an explanation of Razor’s name:
To which I said, KID! Pick yourself a more imaginative pseudonym! And I flipped back to page one in a foul mood because of that ridiculous name, but as Razor is introduced properly into the narrative, and his personality and background is explained, I saw that the name was really true to the character. Razor is constantly describing himself as Fast. Sharp. Dangerous. and he matches that description and repeats to such extent that other characters describe him with that phrase too. And then there’s the alternative reason:
See, Razor had been sold to a pedophile when he was a young child, and the pedophile liked him so much that he castrated him at puberty so that he'd last longer, rather than murder him and pick up a new kid which was his habit in the past. Sometime shortly thereafter, Razor murdered the pedophile and fiddled several computer hacks to make it appear the (very rich) pedophile had adopted him and made him his legal heir. What? I said there’d be spoilers. Razor even took the pedophile’s name. I really like Razor.
Flight is set roughly ten years after Razor was castrated, and in those years he’s become something of an illusionist and master spy. He survives and even thrives by treachery, misdirection, ruthlessness, and street smarts.
And he has the very best one liners:
AND his background history is fascinating. One of the safe-houses he takes Caitlyn to is located in the Underground, where he was born. The people who dwell in the Underground are illegals with no rights and resources, and no means of support. Sometimes they sell their children to people in Above.
I wonder if a third book'll come out set in this world. Could the third book just be about Razor? Please?
Speaking of Caitlyn, the nominal main character, I'm rather curious to see how far her healing ability extends. The healing actions shown are largely superficial and imply more of an ability to accelerate the body's natural way of healing, which would seem to mean it would be beyond her ability to regrow bits that weren't there anymore. (Darn.)
I'm a bit at a loss over the ending of this, however, and the final (emotional) conflict between Caitlyn, Billy, and Razor. Caitlyn had been kidnapped at the climax, you see, by one of the groups who’d been chasing after her through the books. They wanted her as a broodmare for her very valuable genetics and were planning to keep Caitlyn constantly pregnant (as apparently the book's medical technology had deemed that the better option than continually harvesting her eggs and having surrogates carry to term, despite surrogacy being how Caitlyn and her valuable genetics were first created) and when Caitlyn was rescued from that, the first thing she wants to do is pick a husband and start having babies because obviously it’s her moral duty to her genetics to do this. Obviously.
So it’s all between Razor and Billy for the wedding ring, and that all depends on parenting skills:
WELL DUH. BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IN THIS WORLD ahem. Sorry. Because obviously in this world the concept of sperm donors is not to be tolerated. And neither is full and open communication, as Caitlyn never learns that Razor turned her down because he physically cannot father children on her and Razor never learns all the ins and outs and reasons to as why Caitlyn wants babies now and Billy just kind of stands there and says yes to whatever Caitlyn says she wants. God, Caitlyn. Go have your babies with Billy back in the sort of community you just spent all of last book escaping from and more power to you for that. I cherish the hope that in the next book Razor will be instigating a revolution to rescue every orphan in the city ’cause that’s the type of parenting skills he has.
Quotes pulled from edition ISBN 9781400070336.
I snagged this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program, and I have to admit that I read this cold. I know there’s a prequel book to this one, and I even picked up the prequel with the intention of reading it but I never did. Instead I dove right into Flight of Shadows as soon as it arrived in the mail, and the only real disadvantage there proved to be my feelings of profound indifference to some of the major sympathetic characters. But I loved Flight. I loved the setting, I loved the city, and it grabbed me hard. And kick ass the character Razor is awesome.
Now, Billy has been set up to be Caitlyn’s romantic interest since apparently sometime in the first book, but Razor is introduced in this book and Caitlyn is disturbed by how attracted she is to him and I cannot possibly blame her for that. I’m a very character-focused reader, and Razor interests me-the-reader a hell of a lot more than Billy does. I might’ve cared about Billy if I’d bothered to read the earlier book but, like I said, I didn’t, and I’m frankly never going to; stories about surviving in slick, shadowy cities amid info-espionage and underground elements appeal to me so much more than stories about escaping idyllic pastoral settings held by mal-benevolent theocratic governments that spend their spare time preventing the population from learning how to read. Razor, on the other hand, is the quintessential secondary character who stole the show. I'd happily read a whole series about him, and if Flight had been tweaked as a standalone novel with Razor as the primary character I would have rated it five stars. In the act of writing this review and rereading the story for favorite bits – that being every scene that has Razor in it – I’m seriously considering bumping this up to four stars anyway.
Let me start by explaining the excellence that is Razor’s name. When I first opened this book, I browsed for a bit before starting on page one, and one of the first scenes I flipped to had a cop figuring out an explanation of Razor’s name:
Timothy Ray Zornenbach. As in Ray Zor. Razor. (p. 102)
To which I said, KID! Pick yourself a more imaginative pseudonym! And I flipped back to page one in a foul mood because of that ridiculous name, but as Razor is introduced properly into the narrative, and his personality and background is explained, I saw that the name was really true to the character. Razor is constantly describing himself as Fast. Sharp. Dangerous. and he matches that description and repeats to such extent that other characters describe him with that phrase too. And then there’s the alternative reason:
Razor. Not just because he was fast, sharp, and dangerous. But also because self-irony was necessary to keep him from morbid self-pity. Razor. Because of how he’d been altered beyond repair – by the straight razor blade that the old man had used one night after drugging him, leaving him to wake in blood and horror. (p. 300)
See, Razor had been sold to a pedophile when he was a young child, and the pedophile liked him so much that he castrated him at puberty so that he'd last longer, rather than murder him and pick up a new kid which was his habit in the past. Sometime shortly thereafter, Razor murdered the pedophile and fiddled several computer hacks to make it appear the (very rich) pedophile had adopted him and made him his legal heir. What? I said there’d be spoilers. Razor even took the pedophile’s name. I really like Razor.
Flight is set roughly ten years after Razor was castrated, and in those years he’s become something of an illusionist and master spy. He survives and even thrives by treachery, misdirection, ruthlessness, and street smarts.
“Trust me.” Razor had been using the conversation to distract her. That was one of an illusionist’s foundations.
He allowed a flashball to roll into his palm.
He dropped it. (p. 113)
And he has the very best one liners:
“Are you insane? You still not convinced that chances are better with me?” (p. 82)
AND his background history is fascinating. One of the safe-houses he takes Caitlyn to is located in the Underground, where he was born. The people who dwell in the Underground are illegals with no rights and resources, and no means of support. Sometimes they sell their children to people in Above.
“Can you understand, even a little, how much it destroys a family when a child among them loses the lottery? How much they all hate Influentials for putting them in that position? How much they hate themselves for choosing survival over the hell a child must go through to pay for it?” (p. 113)
I wonder if a third book'll come out set in this world. Could the third book just be about Razor? Please?
Speaking of Caitlyn, the nominal main character, I'm rather curious to see how far her healing ability extends. The healing actions shown are largely superficial and imply more of an ability to accelerate the body's natural way of healing, which would seem to mean it would be beyond her ability to regrow bits that weren't there anymore. (Darn.)
I'm a bit at a loss over the ending of this, however, and the final (emotional) conflict between Caitlyn, Billy, and Razor. Caitlyn had been kidnapped at the climax, you see, by one of the groups who’d been chasing after her through the books. They wanted her as a broodmare for her very valuable genetics and were planning to keep Caitlyn constantly pregnant (as apparently the book's medical technology had deemed that the better option than continually harvesting her eggs and having surrogates carry to term, despite surrogacy being how Caitlyn and her valuable genetics were first created) and when Caitlyn was rescued from that, the first thing she wants to do is pick a husband and start having babies because obviously it’s her moral duty to her genetics to do this. Obviously.
So it’s all between Razor and Billy for the wedding ring, and that all depends on parenting skills:
“What I want,” Caitlyn said, “is a father for my children. A good father. And a place to raise them safely.” (…)
“That sounds like good-bye.” He knew that wasn’t true. It might not have been good-bye. It could just as easily been a beginning. But Razor didn’t want to find out. And wouldn’t give her a chance to tell. Better to always believe she might have chosen him.
He kissed her palm, dropped her hand, and stepped back.
“I’m not the kind of guy who would make a good father,” he said. (p. 300-something/ page notation illegible)
WELL DUH. BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IN THIS WORLD ahem. Sorry. Because obviously in this world the concept of sperm donors is not to be tolerated. And neither is full and open communication, as Caitlyn never learns that Razor turned her down because he physically cannot father children on her and Razor never learns all the ins and outs and reasons to as why Caitlyn wants babies now and Billy just kind of stands there and says yes to whatever Caitlyn says she wants. God, Caitlyn. Go have your babies with Billy back in the sort of community you just spent all of last book escaping from and more power to you for that. I cherish the hope that in the next book Razor will be instigating a revolution to rescue every orphan in the city ’cause that’s the type of parenting skills he has.
Quotes pulled from edition ISBN 9781400070336.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2024
Quite the ending ride! Excellent character development that exceeds Broken Angel. I loved the dry witty banter between Agent Pierce and BOTH his partner Holly and the man he's hunting down, Razor.
I also enjoyed Caitlyn's complex emotional journey throughout.
There's also a surprise character I didn't expect that turns the perception of *when* this story takes place that blew my mind. It was quite a good read!
I also enjoyed Caitlyn's complex emotional journey throughout.
There's also a surprise character I didn't expect that turns the perception of *when* this story takes place that blew my mind. It was quite a good read!
August 28, 2025
Fast paced thriller with interesting apocalyptic twists that are tangible to our day. Had potential to have some good spiritual depth, like the first book had, but settled for visceral, with the contemplative only relative to the pertinence of the apocalyptic potential.
September 11, 2019
Whoa. Some of the violence and depravity is a bit more graphic than I prefer. Definitely a page-turner though. Still trying to process it all...
July 11, 2025
bad meh
January 7, 2023
awesome
June 11, 2012
Her genetic secret could change humanity forever.
Her DNA grants her the ultimate power.
But all she wants is to disappear
Looming buildings rise into the sky of near-future America, shadowing the desperate poverty of the soovie parks, death doctors, and fear bombs. In this world of walled cities, where status matters most, Caitlyn Brown is desperate to remain invisible, wrongly believing that what shy needs to hide is the deformity on her back. However, the powers of the city want her for so much more.
Caityln is forced to take flight again and ends up relying on the help of Razor, a street-smart illusionist she cannot seem to trust. Her only hope is to reach friends who are already being tracked by government.
With a twisted bounty hunter in full pursuit, she and Razor begin to learn the unthinkable about her past and the unique gifts of her DNA. It leads Caitlyn to a choice between the two men who love her, and whether to keep her freedom or sacrifice herself for human destiny.
'
Flights of Shadows by Sigmund Brouwer is a fast moving novel that deeply explores the consequences of removing morals from both science and society. As the sequel to Broken Angel, I would highly recommend reading Broken Angel first. While Flight of Shadows would be fine as a standalone novel, the storyline is easier to follow if it is read after Broken Angel. It had been a couple of years since I had read Broken Angel, so it took a little while for me to pick up the storyline.
The plot line of Flight of Shadows moves quickly and is full of unexpected twists and turns. There are unseen enemies, surprising friends, and a very unexpected ending. While I liked the ending of the book, I felt it was kind of cop out. The way out, so to speak, left the problems of the world untouched and seemed to recommend escapism from one's problems. However, I still enjoyed the flow of the story.
The characters were well developed, and the reader learns even more about Caitlyn, Billy, Theo, Jordan, and Carson as the book progresses. New characters, such as Razor, add more dimension and mystery to the story and help keep the plot moving. I liked Razor a lot. He added humor and depth to the novel. I did not like how the author resolved Caitlyn's decision between the two men who loved her. If anything, I think the revelation author made should have caused Caitlyn to choose the other man. I agreed with man she chose, I just did not like how she made the decision.
The themes of Flight of Shadows are very intriguing. While Broken Angel explored the consequences of "if religious extremists in America managed total political control over society, Flight of a Shadows reveals even darker possibilities of a society that reverts to total loss of freedom for all except the wealthy. The novel explores the idea of America becoming a place of extreme poverty with people broken up into the wealthy Influentials in walled cities, with Industrials living in shacks outside and basically enslaved to the Influentials. Below that there are the Illegals who have no status, no money, no work, and are ruled by gangs. Flight of Shadows clearly showed the frightening consequences of when a society is content to stand by while freedoms are denied to some people groups and taken away slowly from everyone.
Flight of Shadows also explores what happens when all moral constraints are removed from science, specifically genetic experimentation with humans.
Overall, Flight of Shadows was a very interesting and intriguing novel, and I would highly recommend it.
I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Press in exchange for an honest review.
Her DNA grants her the ultimate power.
But all she wants is to disappear
Looming buildings rise into the sky of near-future America, shadowing the desperate poverty of the soovie parks, death doctors, and fear bombs. In this world of walled cities, where status matters most, Caitlyn Brown is desperate to remain invisible, wrongly believing that what shy needs to hide is the deformity on her back. However, the powers of the city want her for so much more.
Caityln is forced to take flight again and ends up relying on the help of Razor, a street-smart illusionist she cannot seem to trust. Her only hope is to reach friends who are already being tracked by government.
With a twisted bounty hunter in full pursuit, she and Razor begin to learn the unthinkable about her past and the unique gifts of her DNA. It leads Caitlyn to a choice between the two men who love her, and whether to keep her freedom or sacrifice herself for human destiny.
'
Flights of Shadows by Sigmund Brouwer is a fast moving novel that deeply explores the consequences of removing morals from both science and society. As the sequel to Broken Angel, I would highly recommend reading Broken Angel first. While Flight of Shadows would be fine as a standalone novel, the storyline is easier to follow if it is read after Broken Angel. It had been a couple of years since I had read Broken Angel, so it took a little while for me to pick up the storyline.
The plot line of Flight of Shadows moves quickly and is full of unexpected twists and turns. There are unseen enemies, surprising friends, and a very unexpected ending. While I liked the ending of the book, I felt it was kind of cop out. The way out, so to speak, left the problems of the world untouched and seemed to recommend escapism from one's problems. However, I still enjoyed the flow of the story.
The characters were well developed, and the reader learns even more about Caitlyn, Billy, Theo, Jordan, and Carson as the book progresses. New characters, such as Razor, add more dimension and mystery to the story and help keep the plot moving. I liked Razor a lot. He added humor and depth to the novel. I did not like how the author resolved Caitlyn's decision between the two men who loved her. If anything, I think the revelation author made should have caused Caitlyn to choose the other man. I agreed with man she chose, I just did not like how she made the decision.
The themes of Flight of Shadows are very intriguing. While Broken Angel explored the consequences of "if religious extremists in America managed total political control over society, Flight of a Shadows reveals even darker possibilities of a society that reverts to total loss of freedom for all except the wealthy. The novel explores the idea of America becoming a place of extreme poverty with people broken up into the wealthy Influentials in walled cities, with Industrials living in shacks outside and basically enslaved to the Influentials. Below that there are the Illegals who have no status, no money, no work, and are ruled by gangs. Flight of Shadows clearly showed the frightening consequences of when a society is content to stand by while freedoms are denied to some people groups and taken away slowly from everyone.
Flight of Shadows also explores what happens when all moral constraints are removed from science, specifically genetic experimentation with humans.
Overall, Flight of Shadows was a very interesting and intriguing novel, and I would highly recommend it.
I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Press in exchange for an honest review.
November 22, 2011
Caitlyn Brown is not a typical young woman. She thought that she was deformed but has learned that she has been genetically modified. This modification allows her to extend and retract wings. Although she has made it "outside" she knows that she won't be safe as long as the government is still hunting her. Flight of Shadows by Sigmund Brouwer continues Caitlyn's quest for truth and help.
Flight of Shadows begins with Caitlyn working the night shift at a hotel in what was formerly known as Washington, D.C. This is now a walled city-state and only the "Industrials" (workers with minimal human and society rights usually sporting facial barcodes) and the "Influentials" (extremely wealthy) are found inside. What should have been a routine room cleaning becomes an attempt at subjugation and possible rape and results in proof of Caitlyn's physical modification.
Unfortunately Caitlyn is on her own in the city and she is still being hunted by Casper Pierce (a National Intelligence or NI agent) and Mason Lee (a bounty hunter from Appalachia). Caitlyn knows that they don't necessarily want her alive, they just want to harvest her eggs and possibly some blood. Her genetic modification is much more than just having wings, but only a few people are aware of how different she is compared to other "experiments."
Theo and Billy are outside the city walls, working in a smelting factory and living in a soovie park. Apparently since cars are only owned and used by the "influentials,” the "illegals" (workers or refugees without rights) are residing in cannibalized SUVs, vans and minivans in soovie park ghettos. There's no electricity in most "soovies" and running water is hard to find. If that wasn't bad enough, the sick are always at the mercy of "death doctors" that euthanize the ill and dying while hoards surround the occupied soovie to scavenge the dead's property.
Although Caitlyn suffers greatly, she is fortunate to come across people always willing to help her. In Broken Angel she had Billy and Theo, and now she has Razer, a wealthy street-smart kid that helps her hide and escape detection by the NI. Flight of Shadows reveals more about Billy and Theo and spends a little more time discussing their trials while waiting to reconnect with Caitlyn. Mason Lee is still a bad guy on the hunt for Caitlyn, Billy and Theo. He also hopes to get revenge against Pierce for breaking his arm, forcing him to run and the suffering he incurred as a result of his run from Appalachia.
The caste-like society is more prevalent in Flight of Shadows, and the disparity between the have and have-nots is highly visible. Although the city-states don't govern as tightly as the religious leadership in Appalachia, the rules regarding the various castes are just as rigid and unjust. And like most societies, past and present, those with money are allowed to abuse the system at will. This dystopian future is shocking and abhorrent but regrettably one is able to see the seeds of this future being sown by present actions. Caitlyn does escape in the end and is joyfully united with her father, Billy and Theo. The program that created her is destroyed but will its destruction be permanent or is the government just biding its time before they begin again? Although Flight of Shadows is filled with abject poverty and grave injustices, it ends with hope and a sense of purpose.
Flight of Shadows begins with Caitlyn working the night shift at a hotel in what was formerly known as Washington, D.C. This is now a walled city-state and only the "Industrials" (workers with minimal human and society rights usually sporting facial barcodes) and the "Influentials" (extremely wealthy) are found inside. What should have been a routine room cleaning becomes an attempt at subjugation and possible rape and results in proof of Caitlyn's physical modification.
Unfortunately Caitlyn is on her own in the city and she is still being hunted by Casper Pierce (a National Intelligence or NI agent) and Mason Lee (a bounty hunter from Appalachia). Caitlyn knows that they don't necessarily want her alive, they just want to harvest her eggs and possibly some blood. Her genetic modification is much more than just having wings, but only a few people are aware of how different she is compared to other "experiments."
Theo and Billy are outside the city walls, working in a smelting factory and living in a soovie park. Apparently since cars are only owned and used by the "influentials,” the "illegals" (workers or refugees without rights) are residing in cannibalized SUVs, vans and minivans in soovie park ghettos. There's no electricity in most "soovies" and running water is hard to find. If that wasn't bad enough, the sick are always at the mercy of "death doctors" that euthanize the ill and dying while hoards surround the occupied soovie to scavenge the dead's property.
Although Caitlyn suffers greatly, she is fortunate to come across people always willing to help her. In Broken Angel she had Billy and Theo, and now she has Razer, a wealthy street-smart kid that helps her hide and escape detection by the NI. Flight of Shadows reveals more about Billy and Theo and spends a little more time discussing their trials while waiting to reconnect with Caitlyn. Mason Lee is still a bad guy on the hunt for Caitlyn, Billy and Theo. He also hopes to get revenge against Pierce for breaking his arm, forcing him to run and the suffering he incurred as a result of his run from Appalachia.
The caste-like society is more prevalent in Flight of Shadows, and the disparity between the have and have-nots is highly visible. Although the city-states don't govern as tightly as the religious leadership in Appalachia, the rules regarding the various castes are just as rigid and unjust. And like most societies, past and present, those with money are allowed to abuse the system at will. This dystopian future is shocking and abhorrent but regrettably one is able to see the seeds of this future being sown by present actions. Caitlyn does escape in the end and is joyfully united with her father, Billy and Theo. The program that created her is destroyed but will its destruction be permanent or is the government just biding its time before they begin again? Although Flight of Shadows is filled with abject poverty and grave injustices, it ends with hope and a sense of purpose.
February 24, 2011
Flight of Shadows by Sigmund Brouwer
I like to read a variety of books—mystery, suspense, children’s, fantasy, paranormal, sci-fi, young adult, mainstream and Christian. I chose this book because the description said Christian, young adult, speculative fiction. This is the only Sigmund Brouwer book I have read, but I did not like his style of writing in this novel. He takes whole paragraphs for description and background instead of interweaving and sprinkling it in naturally. Perhaps the sentence structure and group titles (Outsiders, Influentials, Enforcers, etc.) work for this age group, but it didn’t work for me. While the action picked up about half-way through the book, really the only reason I made myself finish reading was hoping the story would get better and give a proper and thorough review.
Maybe if I had read Broken Angel (the prequel to Flight of Shadows) the story would have been easier to follow. As it was, I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters, their actions, and storylines. Caitlyn is the main character and the result of an experiment with genetic DNA codes. She tries to blend in and hide her deformity, trying to decide if it is a blessing or a curse. Jordan and Charmaine are the scientists who originally worked on the Genesis project, the one that performed the DNA experiments. Jordan tried to rescue Caitlyn from being a science experiment, but the two ended up separated and left Caitlyn on her own. Theo and Billy rescued Caitlyn from drowning in one of her attempts to escape a bounty hunter named Mason. Theo and Billy seem to be the only ones who accept Caitlyn unconditionally.
Now on the Outside, Caitlyn is running from Everett—someone who lives in a hotel where she cleaned rooms, from Mason the bounty hunter, Pierce Carson from the NI agency, the military, and Charmaine who wants to continue the DNA research and experiments now that she knows Caitlyn survived. Then there is Razor who seems to help Caitlyn, but you’re never really sure whose side he is on.
I read the story from beginning to end, but was never drawn in. There seemed to be three to four different viewpoints going on, but I don’t think the characters had enough of a distinct voice to be able to follow the transitions smoothly. When the same scene is written from different viewpoints, Brouwer spent too much time retelling descriptions and dialogue. There were some suggestive scenes that I did not expect and did not appreciate finding in what was supposed to be a Christian young adult book. In fact, the author describes everything Mason the bounty hunter did in such a disturbing and gruesome manner that I would not recommend this book to young adults and I would caution adults and Christians both. I do not plan on reading anything else by Sigmund Brouwer.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher to give an honest review.
I like to read a variety of books—mystery, suspense, children’s, fantasy, paranormal, sci-fi, young adult, mainstream and Christian. I chose this book because the description said Christian, young adult, speculative fiction. This is the only Sigmund Brouwer book I have read, but I did not like his style of writing in this novel. He takes whole paragraphs for description and background instead of interweaving and sprinkling it in naturally. Perhaps the sentence structure and group titles (Outsiders, Influentials, Enforcers, etc.) work for this age group, but it didn’t work for me. While the action picked up about half-way through the book, really the only reason I made myself finish reading was hoping the story would get better and give a proper and thorough review.
Maybe if I had read Broken Angel (the prequel to Flight of Shadows) the story would have been easier to follow. As it was, I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters, their actions, and storylines. Caitlyn is the main character and the result of an experiment with genetic DNA codes. She tries to blend in and hide her deformity, trying to decide if it is a blessing or a curse. Jordan and Charmaine are the scientists who originally worked on the Genesis project, the one that performed the DNA experiments. Jordan tried to rescue Caitlyn from being a science experiment, but the two ended up separated and left Caitlyn on her own. Theo and Billy rescued Caitlyn from drowning in one of her attempts to escape a bounty hunter named Mason. Theo and Billy seem to be the only ones who accept Caitlyn unconditionally.
Now on the Outside, Caitlyn is running from Everett—someone who lives in a hotel where she cleaned rooms, from Mason the bounty hunter, Pierce Carson from the NI agency, the military, and Charmaine who wants to continue the DNA research and experiments now that she knows Caitlyn survived. Then there is Razor who seems to help Caitlyn, but you’re never really sure whose side he is on.
I read the story from beginning to end, but was never drawn in. There seemed to be three to four different viewpoints going on, but I don’t think the characters had enough of a distinct voice to be able to follow the transitions smoothly. When the same scene is written from different viewpoints, Brouwer spent too much time retelling descriptions and dialogue. There were some suggestive scenes that I did not expect and did not appreciate finding in what was supposed to be a Christian young adult book. In fact, the author describes everything Mason the bounty hunter did in such a disturbing and gruesome manner that I would not recommend this book to young adults and I would caution adults and Christians both. I do not plan on reading anything else by Sigmund Brouwer.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher to give an honest review.
February 2, 2011
Following the water wars of the future, the U.S. has severed itself into a drastic cast system. Influentials live the lives of the elite behind tall city walls, while Industrials, marked with facial tattoos, lived like indentured slaves with no rights and are allowed only into the cities only to serve during the day and excised to the shanty towns outside the walls at night. Illegals are on the lowest rung, living outside the system entirely and subject to the whims of ragged, violent gangs.
Caitlin Brown, having escaped from a strict religious community wishes to live as an Invisible, hiding the deformity on her back and blending in unseen into the background of this world. She doesn't know that she is being hunted, both by a black-ops government agency and a brutal bounty hunter with a grudge. In order to escape, she may have to rely on the help of Razor, a "sharp, fast, and dangerous" Illegal, who she's not sure if she can even trust.
The idea of this book sounds great, what with genetic manipulation and a dangerous dystopian society, but the construction is not that great. The scenes shift back and forth rapidly between multiple characters, I presume with the intention of heightening tension, but it doesn't leave enough time to get a feel for a character before the scene shifts. It comes across as disjointed at times, and it was not until far into the book that I began to know enough about the characters to have at least the smallest inkling of compassion for them.
The writing itself sometimes even gets in the way of the enjoyment, especially in the first several chapters, where sentences shift from being long and unweildy to being short and choppy. At times the sentence structure was so jarring as to be distracting, though the writing smoothed out some later on.
The book is not all bad, though. While the beginning is definitely a bot rough going, the story does pick up as the pieces begin to fall into place and we can see the whole picture. Also, Razor is definitely a boon, a character who has managed to carve a place for himself in this world and is clever enough to deny the layers of class. He can move effortlessly between the classes, and while Caitlin can't be sure he's trustworthy (nor can we), the mystery of who he is and how he can do what he does is certainly part of his attraction.
It's not my favorite book of all time, and it's not the first I would think of recommending to someone, but it's not terrible either. It's not filled with deep resonating substance, but I came around to mildly enjoying it by the end. So if the storyline appeals to you and your just interested in a little dystopian action, you might enjoy it.
Caitlin Brown, having escaped from a strict religious community wishes to live as an Invisible, hiding the deformity on her back and blending in unseen into the background of this world. She doesn't know that she is being hunted, both by a black-ops government agency and a brutal bounty hunter with a grudge. In order to escape, she may have to rely on the help of Razor, a "sharp, fast, and dangerous" Illegal, who she's not sure if she can even trust.
The idea of this book sounds great, what with genetic manipulation and a dangerous dystopian society, but the construction is not that great. The scenes shift back and forth rapidly between multiple characters, I presume with the intention of heightening tension, but it doesn't leave enough time to get a feel for a character before the scene shifts. It comes across as disjointed at times, and it was not until far into the book that I began to know enough about the characters to have at least the smallest inkling of compassion for them.
The writing itself sometimes even gets in the way of the enjoyment, especially in the first several chapters, where sentences shift from being long and unweildy to being short and choppy. At times the sentence structure was so jarring as to be distracting, though the writing smoothed out some later on.
The book is not all bad, though. While the beginning is definitely a bot rough going, the story does pick up as the pieces begin to fall into place and we can see the whole picture. Also, Razor is definitely a boon, a character who has managed to carve a place for himself in this world and is clever enough to deny the layers of class. He can move effortlessly between the classes, and while Caitlin can't be sure he's trustworthy (nor can we), the mystery of who he is and how he can do what he does is certainly part of his attraction.
It's not my favorite book of all time, and it's not the first I would think of recommending to someone, but it's not terrible either. It's not filled with deep resonating substance, but I came around to mildly enjoying it by the end. So if the storyline appeals to you and your just interested in a little dystopian action, you might enjoy it.
August 11, 2010
This book is a sequel, which I didn’t know until after I was about half way through. Although looking back it makes sense. Obviously I didn’t even notice and was able to jump into the story without any trouble but there are things that you can tell had some history behind them and it would have been nice to know what it was. In this book Caitlyn and some of the other characters have come from Appalachia, which is cut off from the rest of the world, and are now in a whole new world and things work differently then they are used to. It makes for some interesting situations for the characters but it also makes for some lengthy explanations as well. There are spots where someone is explaining to one of the characters (and to us as the reader) how the social hierarchy works or what has happened in world history and at times it sounds a little like a lecture. The story switches between Caitlyn, who has everyone chasing her, and her friends, who have troubles of their own, and all the various people who are chasing Caitlyn so there is a lot of action that keeps the novel moving at a very fast pace. The secondary characters are sort of a mixed bag. Razor and Pierce are interesting and complex but Mason, the bounty hunter chasing her, becomes over the top in his sadistic nature and pushes credulity. Her friends, Billy and Theo, have potential but most of the focus is on Razor here and you don’t get to know they as well as I would like. I wonder if you got a better picture of them in the first book. Caitlyn herself is confused and hurt and dealing with hard issues of freedom, abandonment, love and forgiveness all while she tries to escape and figure out who she should trust and what she should do. She is sympathetic to a point because you can understand that she is put in the middle of something beyond her control and she doesn’t know what to do and she is young, scared and in many ways alone even among her friends. But I don’t think I ever felt for Caitlyn like I wanted to, I was interested but I don’t think I ever cared about her the way I was meant to. The story is interesting and there are a lot of characters, plots, twists, motivations and surprises so you don’t know what is going to happen next, how it will all turn out in the end, or even sometimes who are the good guys who are the bad guys and you keep reading because you really want to know. It was a good, rather dark adventure and reading this one made me interested to go back and see how it all began.
February 20, 2011
From Goodreads: Her genetic secret could change humanity forever.
Her DNA grants her the ultimate power.
But all she wants is to disappear.
Looming buildings rise into the sky of a near-future America, shadowing the desperate poverty of the soovie parks, death doctors, and fear bombs. In this world of walled cities, where status matters most, Caitlyn Brown is desperate to remain invisible, wrongly believing what she needs to hide is the deformity on her back. The powerful want her for so much more.
She’s forced to take flight again, relying on the help of Razor, a street-smart illusionist she can’t trust. Her only hope is to reach friends already tracked by government.
With a twisted bounty hunter in full pursuit, she and Razor begin to learn the unthinkable about her past and the unique gifts of her DNA. It leads Caitlyn to a choice between the two men who love her, and whether to keep her freedom or sacrifice herself to change human destiny.
In this lightning-fast chase through an all-too-plausible future, best-selling author Sigmund Brouwer is at his best. Flight of Shadows is a terrifying ride into the heart of compelling moral questions about science and society.
My Take: Who can pass up a good dystopia? The story moves fast and the reader might find herself with a slight case of whiplash, although not in a bad way. This the second book in the series however, it is not necessary to read the first book in order to follow this one.
As the story progressed, clues were dropped and both the reader and the characters pieced together the truth and solution. Character development is solid. Storyline is fast paced but relatively easy to follow. Plot is scary as crud. This one rises above the usual Science Fiction and provides a new take on the future. Content is a little on the edgy side, although not inappropriate for an older teenager. I would suggest the reader preview the book before handing it off to your 15 year old teenager, unlike me. Fortunately, I feel confident in her moral and ethical development. I don't want my younger kids to read it just yet.
Her DNA grants her the ultimate power.
But all she wants is to disappear.
Looming buildings rise into the sky of a near-future America, shadowing the desperate poverty of the soovie parks, death doctors, and fear bombs. In this world of walled cities, where status matters most, Caitlyn Brown is desperate to remain invisible, wrongly believing what she needs to hide is the deformity on her back. The powerful want her for so much more.
She’s forced to take flight again, relying on the help of Razor, a street-smart illusionist she can’t trust. Her only hope is to reach friends already tracked by government.
With a twisted bounty hunter in full pursuit, she and Razor begin to learn the unthinkable about her past and the unique gifts of her DNA. It leads Caitlyn to a choice between the two men who love her, and whether to keep her freedom or sacrifice herself to change human destiny.
In this lightning-fast chase through an all-too-plausible future, best-selling author Sigmund Brouwer is at his best. Flight of Shadows is a terrifying ride into the heart of compelling moral questions about science and society.
My Take: Who can pass up a good dystopia? The story moves fast and the reader might find herself with a slight case of whiplash, although not in a bad way. This the second book in the series however, it is not necessary to read the first book in order to follow this one.
As the story progressed, clues were dropped and both the reader and the characters pieced together the truth and solution. Character development is solid. Storyline is fast paced but relatively easy to follow. Plot is scary as crud. This one rises above the usual Science Fiction and provides a new take on the future. Content is a little on the edgy side, although not inappropriate for an older teenager. I would suggest the reader preview the book before handing it off to your 15 year old teenager, unlike me. Fortunately, I feel confident in her moral and ethical development. I don't want my younger kids to read it just yet.
January 18, 2012
This book is actually sequel to Broken Angel. Yes I did read the first one, but I really didn't like it. Would give it a 2/5 maybe. Anyways. The first time I read this book was about a year ago. I somewhat enjoyed it then, but I decided to read it again this year, having a hunch I'd appreciate it more. I did. People, this is the perfect love story (at least from my point of view). Before you get put off by it, this book has almost no romance in it at all. (Part of what makes it good.) No, the cool guy and the cool girl don't kiss or get married or anything. (Another part of what makes it good.) Anyways, to expound on other areas of the story. The prose is chop-chop-chop in the style of many sci-fi ish stories by male authors. The wide array of characters is interesting. Pierce is the bit of sunshine, bad-guy-turns-good sort of person whom I extremely enjoy. Mason Lee as the antagonist is disgusting, appalling, and curiously interesting due to his ever-shifitng moral compass. The main character, Caitlyn, isn't overdone as the brave heroine, and isn't needy either. However, it is the aforementioned characters and Razor who attract the most attention. Razor throughout the book is a little selfish - sure, he sticks by Caitlyn, but there's always something in it for him. At the end, he's the one who says goodbye. And that's the other part of what makes it perfect, because at the end he finally grows up and realistically doesn't go off with Caitlyn. (She gets the guy she deserves.) Poor him. Mature and lonely. But it's wonderful. You'll find yourself reading the last pages over and over again if you're anything like me. Theo is funny and naive as always, and the plot is interesting and doesn't overload the reader. Now this isn't getting a 5/5 from me because it is an adult book and some parts to me are a tad boring, but that's because I don't get the significance,. Overall, it's a wonderful ride that did indeed inspire fan art from me.
One more thing if you're still skeptical: Caitlyn has wings.
One more thing if you're still skeptical: Caitlyn has wings.
December 22, 2010
Why I read it: received review copy from Waterbrook Multnomah publisher
The Plot: In a futuristic dystopian society, Caitlyn wants to remain unnoticed. Because of genetic experimentation, she has a deformity on her back. But she's being hunted. Not only by a sadistic bounty hunter, but by a government agency. With the help of a mysterious guy named Razor, she escapes capture, but not for long. This book is a sequel to Broken Angel, but I didn't read that, and although at times I wondered if there was a previous book (I looked it up later), I didn't feel lost or like I was missing anything.
The Characters: Caitlyn is a very strong character, but because she is so withdrawn and slow to trust anyone, it's hard to really get to know and love her. I was very curious about the secondary characters, especially Razor. I wanted to know exactly what had happened to him in the past, and what he was going to do next.
The Setting: A horrible dystopic United States that I hope never comes to pass. I don't think anything like that will, especially in my lifetime, but it didn't sound like a good place to live.
Who Should Read This? Anyone looking for a fast-paced, interesting science fiction novel set in the future. It was published by a Christian publisher, but the religion is very minimal.
Final Thoughts: I really liked this book. The chapters were really short, and moved from character to character, which really helped to move the story along and make sure it never got stagnant. I was worried when I first started reading that it was going to be a little heavy on the science, especially when there was one sentence with three words I didn't know, but it wasn't bad at all (I am so not a science person). I'll definitely read more by this author.
Grade: B
Cover Thoughts: I like the cover, but I wish the writing was a little less prominent. It's hard to notice anything else.
The Plot: In a futuristic dystopian society, Caitlyn wants to remain unnoticed. Because of genetic experimentation, she has a deformity on her back. But she's being hunted. Not only by a sadistic bounty hunter, but by a government agency. With the help of a mysterious guy named Razor, she escapes capture, but not for long. This book is a sequel to Broken Angel, but I didn't read that, and although at times I wondered if there was a previous book (I looked it up later), I didn't feel lost or like I was missing anything.
The Characters: Caitlyn is a very strong character, but because she is so withdrawn and slow to trust anyone, it's hard to really get to know and love her. I was very curious about the secondary characters, especially Razor. I wanted to know exactly what had happened to him in the past, and what he was going to do next.
The Setting: A horrible dystopic United States that I hope never comes to pass. I don't think anything like that will, especially in my lifetime, but it didn't sound like a good place to live.
Who Should Read This? Anyone looking for a fast-paced, interesting science fiction novel set in the future. It was published by a Christian publisher, but the religion is very minimal.
Final Thoughts: I really liked this book. The chapters were really short, and moved from character to character, which really helped to move the story along and make sure it never got stagnant. I was worried when I first started reading that it was going to be a little heavy on the science, especially when there was one sentence with three words I didn't know, but it wasn't bad at all (I am so not a science person). I'll definitely read more by this author.
Grade: B
Cover Thoughts: I like the cover, but I wish the writing was a little less prominent. It's hard to notice anything else.
August 30, 2012
I discovered halfway into Flight of Shadows by Sigmund Brouwer that it was the second book in a series, a sequel to Broken Angel. Though I hadn't read the first book, I was able to pick up pretty quickly on what was happening. However, I would definitely recommend reading the first book before picking up Flight of Shadows.
Flight of Shadows follows Caitlyn Brown's journey through an America divided by caste and plagued by poverty. The story is fast paced and alternates between nearly half a dozen points of view. Between the death doctors, the psychotic bounty hunter, and an additional host of truly evil people, Flight of Shadows becomes a somewhat dark and depressing read. Not a feel-good-happy-go-lucky-sigh-and-close-the-book kind of story. Amidst the darkness, however, there shone little rays of light.
Razor was one of them. "Fast, sharp, and dangerous," a master of illusion, intelligent and crafty, and easily my favorite character in the story.
Billy was another. Big, kind, large-hearted Billy - especially when accompanied by his sidekick Theo. I wish Billy had factored more into the story, though I'm guessing he played a larger role in Broken Angel.
I found I didn't care as much for Caitlyn as I would have liked. As a protagonist, she was interesting and intriguing, but not especially lovable. Perhaps it was just me. I also found it odd that the romance between Caitlyn and at least one of the "two men who love her" was nigh non-existent, though perhaps it was better established in the first book.
All in all, I found Flight of Shadows a fast paced read with plenty of action and intrigue to keep the pages turning! Recommended for an older reader, due to the violence and some more mature content.
Note: In accordance with the Blogging for Books program, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Flight of Shadows follows Caitlyn Brown's journey through an America divided by caste and plagued by poverty. The story is fast paced and alternates between nearly half a dozen points of view. Between the death doctors, the psychotic bounty hunter, and an additional host of truly evil people, Flight of Shadows becomes a somewhat dark and depressing read. Not a feel-good-happy-go-lucky-sigh-and-close-the-book kind of story. Amidst the darkness, however, there shone little rays of light.
Razor was one of them. "Fast, sharp, and dangerous," a master of illusion, intelligent and crafty, and easily my favorite character in the story.
Billy was another. Big, kind, large-hearted Billy - especially when accompanied by his sidekick Theo. I wish Billy had factored more into the story, though I'm guessing he played a larger role in Broken Angel.
I found I didn't care as much for Caitlyn as I would have liked. As a protagonist, she was interesting and intriguing, but not especially lovable. Perhaps it was just me. I also found it odd that the romance between Caitlyn and at least one of the "two men who love her" was nigh non-existent, though perhaps it was better established in the first book.
All in all, I found Flight of Shadows a fast paced read with plenty of action and intrigue to keep the pages turning! Recommended for an older reader, due to the violence and some more mature content.
Note: In accordance with the Blogging for Books program, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 2, 2011
FLIGHT OF SHADOWS is the sequel to Brower’s futuristic thriller BROKEN ANGEL. In this Sci-Fi series, scientists have learned to splice human genetic material together with other life forms to create new hybrids. Most of the experiments have failed, except for one – a girl named Caitlyn Brown. In this second novel, Caitlyn has just escaped from the oppression of a closed culture known as ‘Appalachia’ , where she and her scientist father had retreated for her safety. She soon discovers, however, that life ‘Outside’ is every bit as dangerous. Here, the upper class known as the ‘Influentials’ are all powerful, while anarchy reigns everywhere else. Everyone, it seems, wants a piece of the hybrid ‘freak’ – for Caitlyn is not like other people. She has wings and can fly, as well as other genetic properties that make her very valuable – dead or alive. As she is pursued by the government, the scientific community, money hungry criminals, and a psychopathic predator out for revenge, she comes across an unlikely ally in the person of a street kid named Razor. ‘Fast, sharp and dangerous’ – that’s his motto. Will Razor be able to protect her and ultimately help her find her true freedom?
This novel is a must read for the Sci-fi lover. Thematically, it reminded me of the motion picture ‘Splice’, as well as Frank Peretti’s iconic novel Monster. When scientists take creation into their own hands, bad things can happen. There are some gruesome scenes in the book, although well written and certainly not graphic – just enough detail to let you know that the bad guys (in this case, a rogue bounty hunter named Mason) are really BAD. I loved this book. It’s a futuristic thriller that, in the end, presents a message of hope for the future of mankind.
This novel is a must read for the Sci-fi lover. Thematically, it reminded me of the motion picture ‘Splice’, as well as Frank Peretti’s iconic novel Monster. When scientists take creation into their own hands, bad things can happen. There are some gruesome scenes in the book, although well written and certainly not graphic – just enough detail to let you know that the bad guys (in this case, a rogue bounty hunter named Mason) are really BAD. I loved this book. It’s a futuristic thriller that, in the end, presents a message of hope for the future of mankind.
January 26, 2011
I love science fiction. When Christ found me over 10 years ago, I had a really hard time letting go of some of my old favorite books because they no longer fit with my world view. So, when I come across “Christian” science fiction, I do a little happy dance.
This book, Flight of Shadows, lived up to my expectations, mostly. I did not know going into it that it was the second in a series. I have the first one now checked out from the library and plan on starting in on it this week. Lucky for me, the way that this book is written, it doesn’t matter (much) that I haven’t read the first one. I think that the character development in the first part of the book would have been a lot easier to follow had I read Broken Angel first, but I was still able to get the plot and the characters without it.
The near-future world that Brouwer has created is fascinating. It makes you think about the state of the nation without being obnoxious about it. The explanations of the elements of the world are just that, explanations, without being preachy about what we’re doing wrong.
The characters in the book are well developed and consistent. The plot is a little challenging to get into at first, but it’s well worth it. The overall writing style is tight, staying within the correct perspective of each character and providing just enough detail. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see more where the character’s beliefs lie, but I think that may be more expressed in the first book. I give this book four stars and can’t wait to read more by Sigmund Brouwer. Thank you to WaterBrook Press for sending me this book for review.
This book, Flight of Shadows, lived up to my expectations, mostly. I did not know going into it that it was the second in a series. I have the first one now checked out from the library and plan on starting in on it this week. Lucky for me, the way that this book is written, it doesn’t matter (much) that I haven’t read the first one. I think that the character development in the first part of the book would have been a lot easier to follow had I read Broken Angel first, but I was still able to get the plot and the characters without it.
The near-future world that Brouwer has created is fascinating. It makes you think about the state of the nation without being obnoxious about it. The explanations of the elements of the world are just that, explanations, without being preachy about what we’re doing wrong.
The characters in the book are well developed and consistent. The plot is a little challenging to get into at first, but it’s well worth it. The overall writing style is tight, staying within the correct perspective of each character and providing just enough detail. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see more where the character’s beliefs lie, but I think that may be more expressed in the first book. I give this book four stars and can’t wait to read more by Sigmund Brouwer. Thank you to WaterBrook Press for sending me this book for review.
December 4, 2011
Flight of Shadows is the fast-paced sequel to Broken Angel: A Novel. So fast-paced, in fact, that the whole book only covers a few days. In Flight of Shadows, we learn more about the history that has brought society to this point. The Water Wars, the return to a near-feudal caste system, and why thousands of people are living in soovie parks - large communities of disabled SUVs that are now good for nothing except keeping the rain off.
Caitlyn has escaped to the Outside and safety and made contact with Billy and Theo, but when threatened, they all quickly flee to another city and live in poverty while trying to stay "under the radar". They soon learn that that's not possible.
When Caitlyn is forced to defend herself from a brutal attacker, she sets in motion a chain of events that leaves all of them running for their lives again. She is befriended by Razor, a young man who is a master of disguise and can be found hacking a computer system one moment and braving the horrifying subterrainian community the next.
One of the things that makes a good thriller for me is never being sure who is one which side. Who can the good guys trust? Flight of Shadows is definitely a good thriller. And it's not just Caitlyn who has to watch her back. Most of the main characters in the book are betrayed at some point. Not a good way to live, but it makes for a great story.
I suppose you could read Flight of Shadows as a stand-alone book. The author does give a lot of background. I would recommend reading Broken Angel first, though.
I received this book free from the publisher as part of the Blogging for Books program.
See more reviews at http://www.livinglearninglovinglife.com
Caitlyn has escaped to the Outside and safety and made contact with Billy and Theo, but when threatened, they all quickly flee to another city and live in poverty while trying to stay "under the radar". They soon learn that that's not possible.
When Caitlyn is forced to defend herself from a brutal attacker, she sets in motion a chain of events that leaves all of them running for their lives again. She is befriended by Razor, a young man who is a master of disguise and can be found hacking a computer system one moment and braving the horrifying subterrainian community the next.
One of the things that makes a good thriller for me is never being sure who is one which side. Who can the good guys trust? Flight of Shadows is definitely a good thriller. And it's not just Caitlyn who has to watch her back. Most of the main characters in the book are betrayed at some point. Not a good way to live, but it makes for a great story.
I suppose you could read Flight of Shadows as a stand-alone book. The author does give a lot of background. I would recommend reading Broken Angel first, though.
I received this book free from the publisher as part of the Blogging for Books program.
See more reviews at http://www.livinglearninglovinglife.com
August 16, 2014
This is the second book about a girl named Caitlyn Brown and her flight (literally) from the government agency that created her. In this novel she meets a young man named Razor who helps her escape from the agents after her. But is he helping her out of compassion or does he have his own motivations? All of the great characters from Broken Angel return and the first book comes up a lot so please read them in order.
This is a hard one to review. I really liked it. I really did, but the things I liked about it are the same things that made it so put-down-able. So four instead of five stars.
First short chapters: usually short chapters help me really breeze through a novel but they need to lead into the next one. In this book the chapters are short scenes from one character's perspective. The following Chapter is about another character doing something else somewhere else which leaves a natural stopping point in the story flow.
Second Great Characters: too many great characters means you are always waiting to about every character except the one you're reading about. The ending of the book moves much faster once all of the story lines intersect and the chapters feel more continuous.
Lots of action: each short chapter is so full of action that after three or four chapter I started to feel mentally worn out. It felt like I read a lot but had really only read about nine pages. So it made slow going through this novel.
I recommend using this book as a Work novel. It's slim so it can easily be kept in a purse or briefcase and the action packed short chapters will leave you feeling like you've read a lot on your break or lunch hour.
This is a hard one to review. I really liked it. I really did, but the things I liked about it are the same things that made it so put-down-able. So four instead of five stars.
First short chapters: usually short chapters help me really breeze through a novel but they need to lead into the next one. In this book the chapters are short scenes from one character's perspective. The following Chapter is about another character doing something else somewhere else which leaves a natural stopping point in the story flow.
Second Great Characters: too many great characters means you are always waiting to about every character except the one you're reading about. The ending of the book moves much faster once all of the story lines intersect and the chapters feel more continuous.
Lots of action: each short chapter is so full of action that after three or four chapter I started to feel mentally worn out. It felt like I read a lot but had really only read about nine pages. So it made slow going through this novel.
I recommend using this book as a Work novel. It's slim so it can easily be kept in a purse or briefcase and the action packed short chapters will leave you feeling like you've read a lot on your break or lunch hour.
April 8, 2011
Flight of Shadows by Sigmund Brouwer is the sequel to Broken Angel about Caitlyn Brown. Caitlyn has escaped Appalachia and started a new life working as a maid in a hotel. Billy and Theo are still waiting to meet her so they can seek freedom in the West together. Mason has emerged from his on personal hell with one less eye and even deeper madness and darkness in his soul. Pierce hasn't given up the search for Caitlyn, especially after his failure in Appalachia. If you haven't read Broken Angel, go do it now! You must read it in order to fully enjoy this book and understand the characters' history together. When Caitlyn is threatened on the job, she is forced to expose her secret, which brings her a new ally, Razor, who she's not sure if she can trust, but feels strongly drawn toward. Brouwer has set the players on a chessboard in this book. Caitlyn is the king, who everyone wants to own or protect. Mason is a rook, smashing anything in his path to revenge, Pierce is the bishop moving smoothly through each step of the game, and Razor is the knight whose moves are never expected or in a straight line. Brouwer ratchets up the tension even more in this book, with Caitlyn constantly in danger, and the reader has no idea who to trust. There were many pages I read with my hand over my mouth and forgetting to breathe. I have to admit that I am a bit disappointed that Brouwer has ended the series here, but he did an excellent joy tying up loose ends. With this amount of talent and the ability to create such breathtaking surprises, Brouwer is definitely an author to watch.
November 7, 2012
Flight of Shadows, Sigmund Brouwer's follow-up to Broken Angel, was a very pleasant surprise. I'd read Broken Angel and enjoyed it, but had no idea that a sequel had been written. Reading Flight of Shadows was like stumbling across a group of long lost friends. Finding Caitlyn, Billy, and Theo again, and joining them on this new journey was perfect.
Brouwer's depiction of our near future is indeed dismal, with the worst in humanity on display from politics to religion. But through it all runs a very firm strand of hope. This may be speculative fiction, a story that begs us to look a little deeper at our true nature and how close we all walk the line between good and evil, but it's also a fantastic, fast paced, nail-biting read that keeps you up to all hours of the night.
I dare you not to find a part of yourself that identifies with genetically manipulated Caitlyn, or gentle giant Billy, or even street savy Razor, in some way. It's the sign of a truly gifted writer, that character's become people who live and breathe in our minds. Paper images of our own hidden thoughts and fears that allow us to imagine 'what if'. Alter egos of a sort, that give us the opportunity to explore new worlds and learn the great lessons in life, all while encouraging us to look past the evil in the world and see the hope that is still there for all to receive.
This is definitely speculative fiction at it's best.
Brouwer's depiction of our near future is indeed dismal, with the worst in humanity on display from politics to religion. But through it all runs a very firm strand of hope. This may be speculative fiction, a story that begs us to look a little deeper at our true nature and how close we all walk the line between good and evil, but it's also a fantastic, fast paced, nail-biting read that keeps you up to all hours of the night.
I dare you not to find a part of yourself that identifies with genetically manipulated Caitlyn, or gentle giant Billy, or even street savy Razor, in some way. It's the sign of a truly gifted writer, that character's become people who live and breathe in our minds. Paper images of our own hidden thoughts and fears that allow us to imagine 'what if'. Alter egos of a sort, that give us the opportunity to explore new worlds and learn the great lessons in life, all while encouraging us to look past the evil in the world and see the hope that is still there for all to receive.
This is definitely speculative fiction at it's best.
May 20, 2011
Flight of Shadows is the sequel to Brouwer's 2008 release, Broken Angel. I didn’t realize this was book 2 of a series until after I had already gotten the book. I went ahead and read it any ways. That may be the reason why I felt somewhat lost/confused in the first few chapters. The world is well crafted, but it took me a few chapters to fully understand what was going on.
Flight of Shadows is a fictional story that takes place in the future after a series of wars. This story is about Caitlyn who was genetically engineered. Because of this engineering, she has many people hunting her. She is trying to blend in with the working class of her day--the Invisibles. She just wants to hide in the shadows and keep her gift a secret. She’s not even sure if she can trust the only person wanting to help her.
Even though this is a Christain Fiction, Brouwer refrains from preaching. Instead he relys on the story to tell the horrs of DNA manipulation. He offers this as a warning, the dangers lie in the abuse of cheap illegal immigrant workers, the decline of civil liberties, and the exploitation of science for the pleasures of the privileged few.This is a very interesting story. I would recommend it to Sci-Fi or Fiction Lovers.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah in exchange for my honest review
November 30, 2010
Caitlyn is a "freak" even in this post-apocalyptic society. She is being chased by Mason, an evil man bent on killing her. The ones he works for want what made her "special" or "freakish." The product of a scientific experiment, Caitlyn has been hiding "Outside" for a while making it however she can, but after being caught up in a night battle, finds herself linked with Razor. While initially stand-offish and nervous, Caitlyn partners with Razor for safety. Through their investigation into Caitlyn's past and what makes her special, they form a bond that is almost unbreakable. What does the hump on her back signify? What does the black microfabric hide? Which type of person would you be - Influential, Industrial, Invisible, or Illegal?
I had a hard time getting into this book, and that may be because I haven't read the first one, "Broken Angel." At points the book is very dark and difficult to read, but most post-apocalyptic books are. I did like the characters and will be getting the first installment of this series and then will reread this one. I recommend it to anyone who likes post-apocalyptic books (like "The Road") and also think it would also make an interesting choice for book group discussions.
Posted by bookworm56 at 10:12 AM 0 comments
I had a hard time getting into this book, and that may be because I haven't read the first one, "Broken Angel." At points the book is very dark and difficult to read, but most post-apocalyptic books are. I did like the characters and will be getting the first installment of this series and then will reread this one. I recommend it to anyone who likes post-apocalyptic books (like "The Road") and also think it would also make an interesting choice for book group discussions.
Posted by bookworm56 at 10:12 AM 0 comments
January 13, 2011
Caitlyn Brown is a living genetic experiment, a valuable science project, the hope of mankind, and a girl who just wants to be normal.
In reading this book, I didn't realize at first that it was a sequel. I didn't feel lost, but it did seem that something was missing - interesting backstory seemed glossed over. When I discovered that this is the sequel to *Broken Angel*, it all made sense, and I was drawn into the story enough to want to go back and read the first book in order to learn what I had missed.
*Flight of Shadows* is a fast-paced, gritty story of a dystopian near-future that is all too possible. I think that the author was more driven by exploring his future world than he was by Caitlyn's plight, but I don't think that the book suffers for that.
The story is told in jarring short chapters from differing viewpoints that help build the feeling of suspense and mirrors Caitlyn's feeling of not belonging, and not understanding what is happening outside the sheltered but stifling realm of Appalacia.
*Flight of Shadows* is thought-provoking and engaging. I look forward to more from this author.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for this review.
In reading this book, I didn't realize at first that it was a sequel. I didn't feel lost, but it did seem that something was missing - interesting backstory seemed glossed over. When I discovered that this is the sequel to *Broken Angel*, it all made sense, and I was drawn into the story enough to want to go back and read the first book in order to learn what I had missed.
*Flight of Shadows* is a fast-paced, gritty story of a dystopian near-future that is all too possible. I think that the author was more driven by exploring his future world than he was by Caitlyn's plight, but I don't think that the book suffers for that.
The story is told in jarring short chapters from differing viewpoints that help build the feeling of suspense and mirrors Caitlyn's feeling of not belonging, and not understanding what is happening outside the sheltered but stifling realm of Appalacia.
*Flight of Shadows* is thought-provoking and engaging. I look forward to more from this author.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for this review.
June 13, 2010
I received the book as a Good Reads entry winner.
I finished the book last night and as I was reading the author's information, realized that the book as was sequel. This answers several questions as to why I had a somewhat difficult time understanding some of what was going on.....I look forward to now reading the first book so that I can get a few questions answered.
Overall, though, the book was very good. I really liked the characters in the book and felt a connection with the Caitlyn character. I gave the book four stars, mainly because I could have done without the extremely graphic details of the rat eating! I would like to know more about what was going on in the rest of the country, did most of the country die out during the Water Wars...why was going West so important, was it free of the happenings that were going on on the West Coast after the Water Wars?? Some of the questions may be answered in the first book, I will soon find out!
I finished the book last night and as I was reading the author's information, realized that the book as was sequel. This answers several questions as to why I had a somewhat difficult time understanding some of what was going on.....I look forward to now reading the first book so that I can get a few questions answered.
Overall, though, the book was very good. I really liked the characters in the book and felt a connection with the Caitlyn character. I gave the book four stars, mainly because I could have done without the extremely graphic details of the rat eating! I would like to know more about what was going on in the rest of the country, did most of the country die out during the Water Wars...why was going West so important, was it free of the happenings that were going on on the West Coast after the Water Wars?? Some of the questions may be answered in the first book, I will soon find out!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2010
I won this book through a first reads competition that I entered without realizing that it was the second book in a series, something I try to avoid doing. Despite this, I was really impressed! There were pieces here and there that reminded me I missed the first chunk of the story, but the book stood by itself remarkably well.
The overall story line was interesting enough that I had trouble putting the book down. However, I did feel like the entire book was one continuous action scene. Often the characters are revealed through their thoughts during a fast scene, rather than through dialog in a slower setting. The unending secrecy between characters started to get annoying and redundant.
On a happier note, I loved the futuristic world that the story presented. It's a future that is feasible, which left me wanting to know more about the world and the exact events that lead to it's downfall.
The overall story line was interesting enough that I had trouble putting the book down. However, I did feel like the entire book was one continuous action scene. Often the characters are revealed through their thoughts during a fast scene, rather than through dialog in a slower setting. The unending secrecy between characters started to get annoying and redundant.
On a happier note, I loved the futuristic world that the story presented. It's a future that is feasible, which left me wanting to know more about the world and the exact events that lead to it's downfall.
June 8, 2010
Received this in the mail as a First Reads contest award.
OK, how does this remind me of Maximum Ride, let me count the ways............
That said, I believe there is enough different about this series to make it worthwhile. Yes, Caitlyn Brown bears a remarkable resemblance to Max, even down to the wings, DNA modification, and estranged relationship with her father.
However, the futuristic world where this novel takes place is much different, and one that is worth delving into separate from the main character. There is much to think about here, from religious separatist governments to Water Wars to the layers of Influentials, Industrials, Invisibles and Illegals... All start with "I"... Hmmm...
Anyway, this is well worth the read. Will have to go back and pick up the first book now.
OK, how does this remind me of Maximum Ride, let me count the ways............
That said, I believe there is enough different about this series to make it worthwhile. Yes, Caitlyn Brown bears a remarkable resemblance to Max, even down to the wings, DNA modification, and estranged relationship with her father.
However, the futuristic world where this novel takes place is much different, and one that is worth delving into separate from the main character. There is much to think about here, from religious separatist governments to Water Wars to the layers of Influentials, Industrials, Invisibles and Illegals... All start with "I"... Hmmm...
Anyway, this is well worth the read. Will have to go back and pick up the first book now.
July 3, 2010
I couldn't finish this book. I stopped at chapter 14, page 60. I am going to stop torturing myself by reading books that don't grab me from the beginning. I know, I've said it before. But I really mean it this time. This is more of a guy book, just like the first one was. The first book grabbed me more than this one did. It was also kind of gross and a bit creepy just like the first book. I normally don't like dark books, so why I thought I'd like the sequel to the first book is beyond me. I remember liking the themes of the first book more than the story itself. It's interesting if you like darker, futuristic novels with Big Brother themes and an underlying message. I just don't care for the characters enough to keep going. I didn't even the characters much after reading the first book. Sorry.
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