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Summer Chronicles #1
Phantom Universe
Sold into slavery to pirates at the young age of four, Summer learns to survive the rough seas of subterfuge and thieves through silence. When the boat she's lived on most of her life is destroyed, Summer finds herself washed up on the shore of a new world, a phantom universe full of the bizarre and extraordinary. She meets Gage, the one boy who understands the girl with no speech. But when their lives are put on the line, will Summer finally call out? Or will all be lost in the fathomless depth of silence?
228 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2011
62 people are currently reading
1018 people want to read
About the author
Laura Kreitzer
18 books670 followersLaura Kreitzer is a best-selling fantasy and science fiction author who hails from western Kentucky. Her full-time 9-5 job used to be working in a lab devoted to water dye-tracing investigations at Western Kentucky University, though her passion was always writing. After seven years of dedicating her life to the environment, she made the tough decision to leave the university to pursue her writing career. Now Laura has two series and eight novels published, with several more in the works.
SHADOW OF THE SUN by Laura Kreitzer is both well reviewed & currently a free download:
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SHADOW OF THE SUN by Laura Kreitzer is both well reviewed & currently a free download:
Kindle (http://bit.ly/x5gb7A)
Nook (http://bit.ly/SotSFreeNook)
iTunes (http://bit.ly/KQTN5l)
Smashwords (http://bit.ly/p8MqNd)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
October 7, 2011
It's a fantastical ,heartbreaking ,sometimes very cute ,sometimes very sad , at the same time very exciting story I've ever read. If y'all want to read something different , I highly recommend this series. I can't wait for the second one "forsaken harbor" =) I adore laura kreitzer's writing.
-Yok böyle bir kitap , baştan sona harikaydı . Vampirden ,periden ,böcekten sıkılanlar,zaman makinesi kızımız summer'ın güncelerini zevkle okuyacak. Çocukluğundan beri türlü işkencelere maruz kalan summer'ın zor hayatını yüreğiniz sıkışarak okuyacaksınız. Ama gage ile bulduğu aşklada eriyip biteceksiniz. Aynı ürpertide ki sam ve grace'in aşkı gibi saf ve masum . İkinci kitap hayli heyecanlı olacak. Gage'e rakipmi geliyor =)-
-Yok böyle bir kitap , baştan sona harikaydı . Vampirden ,periden ,böcekten sıkılanlar,zaman makinesi kızımız summer'ın güncelerini zevkle okuyacak. Çocukluğundan beri türlü işkencelere maruz kalan summer'ın zor hayatını yüreğiniz sıkışarak okuyacaksınız. Ama gage ile bulduğu aşklada eriyip biteceksiniz. Aynı ürpertide ki sam ve grace'in aşkı gibi saf ve masum . İkinci kitap hayli heyecanlı olacak. Gage'e rakipmi geliyor =)-
August 18, 2012
I can do better than this. When I'm reading a book and thinking that thought, it's an ominous sign - there's a reason I write programs, not prose. This reads like a first book, and one where the author surrounded herself with indulgent friends and family rather than people who'd help her write a stronger book.
The pacing is steady and the story flows smoothly enough but that's about where I run out of nice things to say.
The writing is weak (I'll come back to that). The characterisation is both shallow and monochromatic - characters are "good" or "bad", no inbetween. Just to pick an example, there's Gage - insert cardboard cut-out, handsome hunk here - who falls devotedly in love with our protagonist, Summer, about a page and a half after first meeting her. If you're waiting for some clue about why he falls for her, or what it is about her that he loves... that makes two of us.
Summer herself, is little more than a pinball. She's bounced from one situation to the next, from friends to foes and back again, but one rarely gets the feeling that she's an active participant in the proceedings. Which is just as well because there's little, tangible conflict in this story. There's a secret society hunting for Summer but they're unsighted for the majority of the book.
There are people who will overlook this books flaws for it's cutesy romance and "serious message" (slavery and torture are bad - who'da thunk it?) but I'd have been happier with a few less moments of "gazing contentedly at Gage" and more of fleshing out the threadbare world building or, you know, crafting a coherent story.
---
Anyhow, about the writing, it wasn't atrociously bad but could have done withsome lots of proof-reading and/or editing.
Strange wording choice...
"That night they sleep under the dazzling stars, and the shining, [apropos of nothing] flirtatious moon."
"... his toothpaste-lacking breath greedy on her neck as he..."
(doing a gag about a lack of dental hygene )
Show, don't tell...
" "Cameron-no!" shouts Gage, the argument escalating."
"He points a finger at Max, the gesture threatening."
Correct spelling, wrong word...
"... and then she takes off down the hallway at a full run. Feeling is the only thing she can think about."
"Though she's more comfortable with Gage than is normal for her, she is still incredibly weary of him. To her, everyone is a stranger and a threat."
The pacing is steady and the story flows smoothly enough but that's about where I run out of nice things to say.
The writing is weak (I'll come back to that). The characterisation is both shallow and monochromatic - characters are "good" or "bad", no inbetween. Just to pick an example, there's Gage - insert cardboard cut-out, handsome hunk here - who falls devotedly in love with our protagonist, Summer, about a page and a half after first meeting her. If you're waiting for some clue about why he falls for her, or what it is about her that he loves... that makes two of us.
Summer herself, is little more than a pinball. She's bounced from one situation to the next, from friends to foes and back again, but one rarely gets the feeling that she's an active participant in the proceedings. Which is just as well because there's little, tangible conflict in this story. There's a secret society hunting for Summer but they're unsighted for the majority of the book.
There are people who will overlook this books flaws for it's cutesy romance and "serious message" (slavery and torture are bad - who'da thunk it?) but I'd have been happier with a few less moments of "gazing contentedly at Gage" and more of fleshing out the threadbare world building or, you know, crafting a coherent story.
---
Anyhow, about the writing, it wasn't atrociously bad but could have done with
Strange wording choice...
"That night they sleep under the dazzling stars, and the shining, [apropos of nothing] flirtatious moon."
"... his toothpaste-lacking breath greedy on her neck as he..."
(doing a gag about a lack of dental hygene )
Show, don't tell...
" "Cameron-no!" shouts Gage, the argument escalating."
"He points a finger at Max, the gesture threatening."
Correct spelling, wrong word...
"... and then she takes off down the hallway at a full run. Feeling is the only thing she can think about."
"Though she's more comfortable with Gage than is normal for her, she is still incredibly weary of him. To her, everyone is a stranger and a threat."
January 4, 2011
Okay, let me take a deep breath here ...
Laura was such a sweetie in letting me read an early copy of Phantom Universe - and what a ride!
Phantom Universe is so unique that I found myself immersed so deeply within its pages, I had to take breaks just to breathe. The story begins with our heroine, Summer, who is taken at the tender age of four to become a slave on a pirate ship. Now before you start whipping out your eye patches and hooks and yelling "ARG", keep in mind this is not your usual pirate story from say the 1700s - this is current and well... not so current. It jumps to the future, and we are told Summmer's story between chapter flipping of when she is four and fifteen.
Laura Kreitzer's words and descriptions are amazingly vivid, keeping me glued to the page in a feverous attempt to learn more. You could almost smell the brine, hear the creaking of the ship, feel the tension ... until you realize it's a sci fi story and suddenly you're inside the world of secret societies and a reoccupied United States now taken over by Canada.
Now since this book is not released yet, I refuse to give spoilers. I will, however, tell you this one little secret. Summer cannot speak, and it's because of this the reader becomes so connected with her. Not only was I thrilled with how well Summer could communicate, but I felt tied to her emotions, giving her story an extra edge.
Phantom Universe does have it's dark moments, touching on subjects such as torture and slavery but it's balanced with plenty of action, love twists,friendship and trust.
I do recommend this for older YA readers because of the situations it touches on.
Laura Kreitzer is a fantastic story teller and I cannot wait for Forsaken Harbor!
Laura was such a sweetie in letting me read an early copy of Phantom Universe - and what a ride!
Phantom Universe is so unique that I found myself immersed so deeply within its pages, I had to take breaks just to breathe. The story begins with our heroine, Summer, who is taken at the tender age of four to become a slave on a pirate ship. Now before you start whipping out your eye patches and hooks and yelling "ARG", keep in mind this is not your usual pirate story from say the 1700s - this is current and well... not so current. It jumps to the future, and we are told Summmer's story between chapter flipping of when she is four and fifteen.
Laura Kreitzer's words and descriptions are amazingly vivid, keeping me glued to the page in a feverous attempt to learn more. You could almost smell the brine, hear the creaking of the ship, feel the tension ... until you realize it's a sci fi story and suddenly you're inside the world of secret societies and a reoccupied United States now taken over by Canada.
Now since this book is not released yet, I refuse to give spoilers. I will, however, tell you this one little secret. Summer cannot speak, and it's because of this the reader becomes so connected with her. Not only was I thrilled with how well Summer could communicate, but I felt tied to her emotions, giving her story an extra edge.
Phantom Universe does have it's dark moments, touching on subjects such as torture and slavery but it's balanced with plenty of action, love twists,friendship and trust.
I do recommend this for older YA readers because of the situations it touches on.
Laura Kreitzer is a fantastic story teller and I cannot wait for Forsaken Harbor!
July 28, 2012
I have so many issues with this book that it would be cruel to this self-proclaimed best-selling author if I explained them all. I'll just say that writing classes and especially editors are not a waste of time or money. Very rarely is it a good idea to self-publish.
It's also a pretty good idea to not make fun of your readers, whether you like them or not. In the acknowledgments at the back of this book, she thanks Jennifer Murgia "for our chats about mean reviewers and how we're going to kill them off in our novels!"
Let me give you an idea of some of the more interesting passages from the book:
-Ch. 8: Jaden uses a stone, a stick, and some dried up leaves. When smoke wafts into the air, she blows gently on it, and the leaves begin to glow before they catch fire. It spreads rapidly and soon they have a full-blown fire going. The flames lick wildly at the oxygen infested air with ravenous fingers. It's highly impressive.
-Ch. 39: Her heart's pounding in her throat between his kiss and the danger in it all. His lips are very soft and eager against hers, his tongue warm in her mouth. Her stomach clenches blissfully.
-Ch. 40: Silence charges through the room like Lucy's horse with a pink handprint on its behind, subduing the light chatter.
-Ch. 40: Summer closes her eyes and shakes her head as memories explode in her mind like sparkling bombs of horrifically vibrant and scintillating colors from a moving car.
-Ch. 50: The noise of something powering up grows louder and louder until it's suddenly cutoff, the silence eerie... Then the strangest sound--like a cat in heat magnified--explodes from down the hallway.
It's also a pretty good idea to not make fun of your readers, whether you like them or not. In the acknowledgments at the back of this book, she thanks Jennifer Murgia "for our chats about mean reviewers and how we're going to kill them off in our novels!"
Let me give you an idea of some of the more interesting passages from the book:
-Ch. 8: Jaden uses a stone, a stick, and some dried up leaves. When smoke wafts into the air, she blows gently on it, and the leaves begin to glow before they catch fire. It spreads rapidly and soon they have a full-blown fire going. The flames lick wildly at the oxygen infested air with ravenous fingers. It's highly impressive.
-Ch. 39: Her heart's pounding in her throat between his kiss and the danger in it all. His lips are very soft and eager against hers, his tongue warm in her mouth. Her stomach clenches blissfully.
-Ch. 40: Silence charges through the room like Lucy's horse with a pink handprint on its behind, subduing the light chatter.
-Ch. 40: Summer closes her eyes and shakes her head as memories explode in her mind like sparkling bombs of horrifically vibrant and scintillating colors from a moving car.
-Ch. 50: The noise of something powering up grows louder and louder until it's suddenly cutoff, the silence eerie... Then the strangest sound--like a cat in heat magnified--explodes from down the hallway.
January 10, 2011
Rarely have I come across an author with a more fertile imagination than Laura Kreitzer. Her strong world building and unparalleled plots are beyond anything I could possible dream up and I can't help but get hooked on her stories. Summer was a heroine unlike any I have read before. Silence is how she has learned to cope with her harsh existence as a slave and perhaps her silence is why her emotions come across so strongly. The immediate connection between she and Gage was overwhelmingly moving and could be felt all the way to the marrow of my bones. Kreitzer's ability to create these heartbreakingly sweet romances within the center of the storyline can only be described as a gift. Phantom Universe was filled with dark moments joined with just enough hope to keep this reader enthralled. My rating should actually be 4 1/2 stars, but that's not an option, so keep that in mind when you see the 4 star rating. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where Summer leads us next.
January 3, 2011
Phantom Universe by Laura Kreitzer is different, richly written and thoroughly engaging. Two things stand out for me, the endearing character of Summer and how fully we experience the world from her perspective. The novel, written in the present tense, has a unique voice, a powerful sense of immediacy, and lusciously heartwarming moments in a cold world.
Kidnapped at four years old, Summer is enslaved and so abused that she doesn’t speak. Unknown to her, she is some kind of experiment gone wrong and the secret society responsible is searching for her with the intention of terminating her. When they come onto the ship on which she had spent most of her life, she manages to escape and finds herself 200 years in the future. The story from there is one of her reorientation into a world where despite hardships, friendship and love blossoms. Throughout the book we see Summer struggle with the mere idea of speaking, and her challenge in the end is whether or not she can overcome the fear that keeps her silent to save the one she loves. The end is very satisfying but leaves you with a deepened sense of mystery, wetting your appetite for more.
I love Laura Kreitzer’s passionate and evocative writing style, her creativity and her exceptional ability to draw very real, interesting characters. Though tiny in form, Summer is strong and smart in mind, fiercely protective of those she considers friends, and still sweet and in some ways innocent, despite her terrible life as a slave. The real beauty of this novel is that it shows how incredibly powerful even small acts of kindness are to someone who has been abused.
I only problem I had was with the concept of a person as a time machine and the blood connection to Summer that supposedly explains the movement of large numbers of people through time. I hope Kreitzer provides some believable explanation in the sequels. I put that reservation aside however, because the story didn’t depend upon you believing that. The guts of the story is really Summer’s inner journey and that is beautifully done.
If you like young adult Dystopian novels with engaging characters and a mix of love, action, and mystery then you’ll love this. It’s a book I’d read again and I give it 5 out of 5.
March 13, 2012
From the very beginning Phantom Universe held my interest. The prologue alone gave just enough information to make you want more.
It’s one of those books where you can’t wait to turn the page.
Summer was kidnapped at the age of four, whipped into silence and sold into slavery to a band of pirates. She puts her trust into Landon, another slave on the ship, after he saved her from an awful occurrence. The first few chapters in part one of this novel are memories of Summer’s that are vital to the story and her character development. We are then introduced to Jaden, a fellow slave from Summer’s past, who was sent there on a mission for the Secret Clock Society to capture her. She tells them exactly what’s going on and helps them escape so they can all free themselves of their slavery. During their escape, Summer goes off on her own and Landon sticks with Jaden to make sure she’s actually true to her word. As she’s running towards the meeting point something explodes behind her and she’s flung over the side of the ship. She takes leave on a dining room table and drifts in the water until she finally hits land and passes out from exhaustion.
She awakes to a smiling Jaden and immediately scans the area for Landon but he’s nowhere to be seen. (I was quite upset that there was no Landon right away but Laura is great at building the suspense.) After they find food and drink they relax on the beach until something begins happening to Summer. Her skin begins glowing, a blinding light bursts from her, and they both collapse on the beach.
When she awakes is when we meet the oh-so handsome Gage. It was love at first sight . . . well for me anyway. He is the hero of this story and Summer’s eventual love interest. He understands Summer in ways that Landon couldn’t and she surprisingly puts her trust into him. This was a very awesome, futuristic world that I loved getting pulled into. I couldn’t get enough of her adventures and CANNOT wait for her adventure to continue!
I’m giving Phantom Universe a 5 star rating because Laura truly brought Summer’s world to life with her very descriptive writing and, quite literally, page-turning adventure
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 8, 2011Phantom Universe appeared to be a great book from the moment I saw it. Everything about it screams originality, and it definitely was. I am happy to say that I adored this book and urge you to read it as well. It’s certainly nothing like what I’ve read before.
The story was so original and breathtaking from the first page on. The story blends genres in a way I haven’t seen before, and it was great to see an author be able to create a world that took me in from page one and didn’t let me go until I was finished with the book. The story does have several flashbacks, and those were just as interesting as the plot which was taking place. This book has pirates, dystopia, time travel, romance, and science fiction… and even more!
The writing was scarily good. Laura Kreitzer has certainly won me over and I will undoubtedly read whatever else she writes. Her writing style is beautiful, and it too is like nothing I’ve seen before. She has an ability to take over my world, just with her words. I’m excited to read both the rest of this series, plus the other books Kreitzer has written, along with whatever else she writes.
Summer was an amazing character. Her inability to speak makes her even more endearing, and didn’t make me feel and disconnection with her at all. She is likeable, and truly a character that I wanted to like. Her friends were all so… endearing. I want to think of a better word to describe them, but words are escaping me while I write this review. The characters are just one thing out of many that Kreizer got perfectly.
I know this review isn’t too eloquent, but it’s because I truly can’t come up with better words to describe my feelings towards this book. It was amazing, and I highly recommend you, yes you, go out and buy a copy today. Then you can wait for the next book, Forsaken Harbor, with me.
The story was so original and breathtaking from the first page on. The story blends genres in a way I haven’t seen before, and it was great to see an author be able to create a world that took me in from page one and didn’t let me go until I was finished with the book. The story does have several flashbacks, and those were just as interesting as the plot which was taking place. This book has pirates, dystopia, time travel, romance, and science fiction… and even more!
The writing was scarily good. Laura Kreitzer has certainly won me over and I will undoubtedly read whatever else she writes. Her writing style is beautiful, and it too is like nothing I’ve seen before. She has an ability to take over my world, just with her words. I’m excited to read both the rest of this series, plus the other books Kreitzer has written, along with whatever else she writes.
Summer was an amazing character. Her inability to speak makes her even more endearing, and didn’t make me feel and disconnection with her at all. She is likeable, and truly a character that I wanted to like. Her friends were all so… endearing. I want to think of a better word to describe them, but words are escaping me while I write this review. The characters are just one thing out of many that Kreizer got perfectly.
I know this review isn’t too eloquent, but it’s because I truly can’t come up with better words to describe my feelings towards this book. It was amazing, and I highly recommend you, yes you, go out and buy a copy today. Then you can wait for the next book, Forsaken Harbor, with me.
July 20, 2014
I was casually scanning the freebies on Amazon one day. It was then that I found Phantom Universe. It had some pretty good reviews and ratings, so I decided to give it a try.
Did I like it? That is tough to answer. As a whole, no. If you only count the last 20%, yes. I saw some glimpses of good writing in the first half of the book, but the story felt like it just dragged along through deep muck.
Then, came the time travel. I thought it was going to be the saving grace. Instead, we get slapped with a sappy, shallow insta-love plot. I am still not sure why the guy is in love with the main character!
However, I stuck with it because there were moments where I thought things were going to get better. (Also, to be truthful, the author seems to be a pretty nice person and, to be shallow, she is kinda cute).
Guess what...The perseverance pays off in the final 20%. Great secret society/good guys on the run/dystopian/action sci-fi happens.
I don't know if this makes it unlikely for me to pick up book 2. I might be willing to try someday because the ending had such promise. I give this one a 2 overall but the ending really rates more like a 3 or 3.5.
I wish I could be more positive, but I can't this time.
Did I like it? That is tough to answer. As a whole, no. If you only count the last 20%, yes. I saw some glimpses of good writing in the first half of the book, but the story felt like it just dragged along through deep muck.
Then, came the time travel. I thought it was going to be the saving grace. Instead, we get slapped with a sappy, shallow insta-love plot. I am still not sure why the guy is in love with the main character!
However, I stuck with it because there were moments where I thought things were going to get better. (Also, to be truthful, the author seems to be a pretty nice person and, to be shallow, she is kinda cute).
Guess what...The perseverance pays off in the final 20%. Great secret society/good guys on the run/dystopian/action sci-fi happens.
I don't know if this makes it unlikely for me to pick up book 2. I might be willing to try someday because the ending had such promise. I give this one a 2 overall but the ending really rates more like a 3 or 3.5.
I wish I could be more positive, but I can't this time.
December 31, 2010
I totally LOVED this book!
I had an uncorrected e-proof of it delievered to my email yesterday and OMG!
It's was an easy read and flowed really nicely. There was not a bunch of fillers, everything in the story had a reason.
I think Summer came a long way through out the story and made wonderful friends that she will need!!!
I'm amazed by Gage....I glad Summer has him and he stood by her even after finding out the truth of her.
And Dr. Zhar SUCKS!!!!!
I had an uncorrected e-proof of it delievered to my email yesterday and OMG!
It's was an easy read and flowed really nicely. There was not a bunch of fillers, everything in the story had a reason.
I think Summer came a long way through out the story and made wonderful friends that she will need!!!
I'm amazed by Gage....I glad Summer has him and he stood by her even after finding out the truth of her.
And Dr. Zhar SUCKS!!!!!
February 12, 2012
Phantom Universe took my breath away. This book is unique, heart-wrenching, romantic, beautiful, and thought invoking. Laura Kreitzer has created an exquisite world, alluring story, and amazing characters. I was completely immersed in the story from page one, and I did not want it to end.
Tortured and beaten as a child, Summer became mute, learning that silence was the best policy to avoid the lash of a whip. She was sold to a slave ship at a young age, and her life became dominated by seafarers and the roll of the waves. She is able to find a companion on the ship, Landon, who is able to understand her, and they quickly become best freinds. However, they are wrenched apart when the ship is destroyed, and Summer finds herself stranded on an island. She is unknowingly thrust into a future world, a phantom universe. She meets Gage, who is unlike any other man she has even come across, and he helps introduce her to this new, wondrous realm. Just as Summer is adjusting to her new life, she learns that she is highly sought after, and some Secret Clock Society would love nothing more than to see her dead. When their lives are put on the line, will Summer finally call out? Or will all be lost in the fathomless depth of silence?
This book was a completely new type of story for me. I have never read a story where the main character is mute, nor one where slavery and torture is a major underlying theme. The moments when Summer recalls beatings or trauma are packed with raw emotions and pain, and my heart went out to her. Kreitzer does an amazing job bringing Summer’s emotions to life. I cannot remember the last time I have felt this strongly or deeply for a character. However, the thing that I respect the most about this story is how Kreitzer brings awareness to slavery and child trafficking. It is a very real thing, even today, and most of what Summer endured is not far from the truth. If anything, it is a softer version of what some children are forced to deal with. I really like how light was shed on this very real, albeit horrible, problem that we as people face. Hopefully some awareness can be raised, even if it is awareness derived from a fictional story. Ms. Kreitzer, I commend you. People, especially children, should never be exposed to this kind of treatment. I pray some kind of solution can be found soon.
Another thing I loved about this story was the emotional connection and depth between the characters. It is just beautiful and refreshing. With the main character being mute, things like emotions and thoughts have to be relayed through something other than words. The understanding between the characters is amazing! Landon and Gage can look at Summer and decipher her thoughts and feelings from just an expression, making the emotional connection and understanding between them astonishingly strong. The fact that a whole conversation could be held where one side basically used gestures and facial expressions and the other party could completely understand is simply brilliant, in my opinion. With articulation, who really knows a person this well? This deep level of understanding is hardly seen in books (or even in real life), and I really enjoyed it.
The characters themselves were fantastic. Summer, despite her past, is strong, and even through her moments of weakness, she is resilient. Throughout the book, I got to see her heal and learn to trust others, and I really found myself invested in her story. It was so easy to feel for her and connect to her. Gage is just…swoon. He is a soldier, strong and fierce, and he can deliver orders to subordinates with a cold, commanding voice. However, he becomes gentle and caring around Summer. I love how patient he was with her, and how he showed her it was okay to trust him and open up emotionally. He is romantic and kind, and I loved the chemistry between the two of them. Even the side characters were terrific, and I liked them all, especially Landon.
Kreitzer has created a beautiful world and awesome characters in Phantom Universe, and I cannot wait to learn more about them and the Secret Clock Society. I was lucky enough to land an ARC of the second book, Forsaken Harbor , which I am currently getting ready to dive into. If you have not read this book yet, you should definitely give it a try. You will not be disappointed!
Tortured and beaten as a child, Summer became mute, learning that silence was the best policy to avoid the lash of a whip. She was sold to a slave ship at a young age, and her life became dominated by seafarers and the roll of the waves. She is able to find a companion on the ship, Landon, who is able to understand her, and they quickly become best freinds. However, they are wrenched apart when the ship is destroyed, and Summer finds herself stranded on an island. She is unknowingly thrust into a future world, a phantom universe. She meets Gage, who is unlike any other man she has even come across, and he helps introduce her to this new, wondrous realm. Just as Summer is adjusting to her new life, she learns that she is highly sought after, and some Secret Clock Society would love nothing more than to see her dead. When their lives are put on the line, will Summer finally call out? Or will all be lost in the fathomless depth of silence?
This book was a completely new type of story for me. I have never read a story where the main character is mute, nor one where slavery and torture is a major underlying theme. The moments when Summer recalls beatings or trauma are packed with raw emotions and pain, and my heart went out to her. Kreitzer does an amazing job bringing Summer’s emotions to life. I cannot remember the last time I have felt this strongly or deeply for a character. However, the thing that I respect the most about this story is how Kreitzer brings awareness to slavery and child trafficking. It is a very real thing, even today, and most of what Summer endured is not far from the truth. If anything, it is a softer version of what some children are forced to deal with. I really like how light was shed on this very real, albeit horrible, problem that we as people face. Hopefully some awareness can be raised, even if it is awareness derived from a fictional story. Ms. Kreitzer, I commend you. People, especially children, should never be exposed to this kind of treatment. I pray some kind of solution can be found soon.
Another thing I loved about this story was the emotional connection and depth between the characters. It is just beautiful and refreshing. With the main character being mute, things like emotions and thoughts have to be relayed through something other than words. The understanding between the characters is amazing! Landon and Gage can look at Summer and decipher her thoughts and feelings from just an expression, making the emotional connection and understanding between them astonishingly strong. The fact that a whole conversation could be held where one side basically used gestures and facial expressions and the other party could completely understand is simply brilliant, in my opinion. With articulation, who really knows a person this well? This deep level of understanding is hardly seen in books (or even in real life), and I really enjoyed it.
The characters themselves were fantastic. Summer, despite her past, is strong, and even through her moments of weakness, she is resilient. Throughout the book, I got to see her heal and learn to trust others, and I really found myself invested in her story. It was so easy to feel for her and connect to her. Gage is just…swoon. He is a soldier, strong and fierce, and he can deliver orders to subordinates with a cold, commanding voice. However, he becomes gentle and caring around Summer. I love how patient he was with her, and how he showed her it was okay to trust him and open up emotionally. He is romantic and kind, and I loved the chemistry between the two of them. Even the side characters were terrific, and I liked them all, especially Landon.
Kreitzer has created a beautiful world and awesome characters in Phantom Universe, and I cannot wait to learn more about them and the Secret Clock Society. I was lucky enough to land an ARC of the second book, Forsaken Harbor , which I am currently getting ready to dive into. If you have not read this book yet, you should definitely give it a try. You will not be disappointed!
January 25, 2011
First, the disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read & review on my kindle, but did not receive any compensation for the review.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed the book. I have never read a Kreitzer book before, though I have heard great things about her other books. I won't get into the plot of PU as there are already a ton of reviews out there for this book, with a lot of detail.
Summer is a very likeable character, as is the entire supporting cast. You hate the bad guys just enough. One thing that drove me nuts, throughout the book, is the repeated talk of all of the trauma, anguish, and torture Summer went through as a slave, and it's very true that she did go through a lot, including an attempted rape, but I really never understood exactly why she stopped talking. I mean, I understand what Kreitzer wrote - every time Summer talked or cried or yelled, she got whipped. But, there have been slaves for hundreds of years, who went through a hell of a lot more than Summer went through; or people today (non-slaves) who have gone through worse abuse at the hands of their own parents or family members, and they didn't stop talking. To me, if she was that badly abused that she'd stop talking, she wouldn't be mouthing words. I can sort of see the accidental giggling -- and definitely the flinching -- but I don't know, that whole thing just really bugged me throughout. And, as always with this type of book, the fact that she just magically met a wonderful guy who starts to fall in love with her, and would do anything for her, and she trusts him with no reason to... another little thing that drove me nuts.
I really wish a little bit more time was spent talking about the pirate ship. I realize this has nothing really to do with the series other than to help you know who Summer is as a character, but that part really interested me. Same with the future world - I wish we had gotten to know that world more, other than just a lot of action that took place in that world.
All of those things aside, however, I am still giving the book 5 stars. My personal rule of thumb is that I only give out "5 star reviews" to books where I really fall in love with one or more characters, and I really loved some of the minor characters in the book, and I really did like Summer & felt for her throughout.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed the book. I have never read a Kreitzer book before, though I have heard great things about her other books. I won't get into the plot of PU as there are already a ton of reviews out there for this book, with a lot of detail.
Summer is a very likeable character, as is the entire supporting cast. You hate the bad guys just enough. One thing that drove me nuts, throughout the book, is the repeated talk of all of the trauma, anguish, and torture Summer went through as a slave, and it's very true that she did go through a lot, including an attempted rape, but I really never understood exactly why she stopped talking. I mean, I understand what Kreitzer wrote - every time Summer talked or cried or yelled, she got whipped. But, there have been slaves for hundreds of years, who went through a hell of a lot more than Summer went through; or people today (non-slaves) who have gone through worse abuse at the hands of their own parents or family members, and they didn't stop talking. To me, if she was that badly abused that she'd stop talking, she wouldn't be mouthing words. I can sort of see the accidental giggling -- and definitely the flinching -- but I don't know, that whole thing just really bugged me throughout. And, as always with this type of book, the fact that she just magically met a wonderful guy who starts to fall in love with her, and would do anything for her, and she trusts him with no reason to... another little thing that drove me nuts.
I really wish a little bit more time was spent talking about the pirate ship. I realize this has nothing really to do with the series other than to help you know who Summer is as a character, but that part really interested me. Same with the future world - I wish we had gotten to know that world more, other than just a lot of action that took place in that world.
All of those things aside, however, I am still giving the book 5 stars. My personal rule of thumb is that I only give out "5 star reviews" to books where I really fall in love with one or more characters, and I really loved some of the minor characters in the book, and I really did like Summer & felt for her throughout.
February 22, 2011
Phantom Universe is one of the most unique and truly amazing books I've read in a long time. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning and kept me engrossed guessing throughout the entire story.
The way this story unfolds is brilliant. Switching from Summer's current life, to her experiences growing up as a slave on a modern day pirate ship gives the reader a real sense of who Summer is any why she doesn't speak. Speaking of the mute Summer, Laura totally pulled off a silent main character brilliantly. The ways that Summer has learned to communicate with the few people that she actually trusts are endearing and original.
The supporting characters in Phantom Universe are amazing. I'm particularly fond of Landon. He *may* own my heart.
Summer will touch your heart in a way that no other character ever has. The things she's endured have made her incredibly strong, though she considers herself weak and insignificant--oh how wrong she is!
The ending of this book is perfect. It sets the reader up nicely for the next book in the series without leaving you flailing and dangling from a cliff.
I'll be waiting on pins and needles for the next book to come out!
The way this story unfolds is brilliant. Switching from Summer's current life, to her experiences growing up as a slave on a modern day pirate ship gives the reader a real sense of who Summer is any why she doesn't speak. Speaking of the mute Summer, Laura totally pulled off a silent main character brilliantly. The ways that Summer has learned to communicate with the few people that she actually trusts are endearing and original.
The supporting characters in Phantom Universe are amazing. I'm particularly fond of Landon. He *may* own my heart.
Summer will touch your heart in a way that no other character ever has. The things she's endured have made her incredibly strong, though she considers herself weak and insignificant--oh how wrong she is!
The ending of this book is perfect. It sets the reader up nicely for the next book in the series without leaving you flailing and dangling from a cliff.
I'll be waiting on pins and needles for the next book to come out!
February 17, 2011
Phantom Universe hooked me from the beginning! It took me on a ride into the future and back to the past at the same time. Summer's story takes you into the mind of a little girl who is strong, brave, and determined to overcome every obstacle that she crosses. She encounters enemies and friends that accompany her on this journey who teach her that despite the ugly that she has seen, there are still good in the world and people that she can trust. Summer's friendship with Landon melts your heart and her relationship with Gage makes that heart race. You find yourself rooting for her every step of the way. Despite the fact that Summer is mute, you are more than aware of her thoughts and feelings and become fully engaged. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and yet I was upset that it went by so quickly. The second installment can't come fast enough! Laura Kreitzer is a new, fresh author with imagination and talent that is captivating and original. Pick up this book and allow her to take you for a ride!
April 19, 2012
This book is awesome. It kept me on my toes all the way through it. It was surprising and original.
I didn't read the description of the book, as usual, just started reading it. So I was delighted to find out that this is a Sci-Fi with really interesting twists and turns along the way. I officially call this book a discovery. And proudly add it to my favorites.
I didn't read the description of the book, as usual, just started reading it. So I was delighted to find out that this is a Sci-Fi with really interesting twists and turns along the way. I officially call this book a discovery. And proudly add it to my favorites.
February 22, 2011
You can order Phantom Universe at Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/PUPaper
May 31, 2020
It just wasn't for me.
I read this book on and off for a while, but I could never get past the beginning despite the author's best efforts to add mystery and action into the story. I could not connect with a main character who is both a child and refuses to speak a word. I also had a hard time visualizing the scenes since I could not tell what era/environment the story is taking place at: Did Summer time travel to the past? The future? Is she onboard a modern-day pirate ship?
But then again, I read this book at a weird time when I became unemployed and worrying a lot about what will happen next. So, I imagine that played a big part distracting me from the book. I may give it another shot in the future.
I read this book on and off for a while, but I could never get past the beginning despite the author's best efforts to add mystery and action into the story. I could not connect with a main character who is both a child and refuses to speak a word. I also had a hard time visualizing the scenes since I could not tell what era/environment the story is taking place at: Did Summer time travel to the past? The future? Is she onboard a modern-day pirate ship?
But then again, I read this book at a weird time when I became unemployed and worrying a lot about what will happen next. So, I imagine that played a big part distracting me from the book. I may give it another shot in the future.
October 6, 2025
Our main character, Summer, has had a rough life. At age four, Dr Mindy Waverly will protect her experiment, or die trying. That experiment turns out to be Summer. Though she succeeded in saving her from the laboratory, she's soon kidnapped and taken to a ship full of pirates, where she spends the next 11 years of her life. Raised by slavers on a ship called the cosmos, she refuses to speak, but has made friends with a man named Landon who taught her to read and write.
Check out my full review here! Posted 10/08/2025
https://mutatedlibrary.wordpress.com/...
Check out my full review here! Posted 10/08/2025
https://mutatedlibrary.wordpress.com/...
July 23, 2018
Rose
Great story! Following Summer as she goes through her trials with those who love and believe in her was an exciting experience. Her love the few she trusts while living through her harsh life was very interesting due to the terrific writing of Laura Kreitzer.
Great story! Following Summer as she goes through her trials with those who love and believe in her was an exciting experience. Her love the few she trusts while living through her harsh life was very interesting due to the terrific writing of Laura Kreitzer.
May 31, 2025
A Nostalgic read - some of the writing is poor and cringey but it is also an older book and reflective of the time and YA status. I love the characters and the main relationship. I never carried on the series as I did not care that much for the secret society plot line
September 28, 2019
A science fiction book
The boo in excellent and extraordinary but I don't like how it goes back and forwards but still it is a great book and for people for suspense and thriller.
The boo in excellent and extraordinary but I don't like how it goes back and forwards but still it is a great book and for people for suspense and thriller.
April 8, 2016
Sara's reviews from Whatthecatread.wordpress.com
Book Review:
I received this book in audio format compliments of Jennifer at Revolutionary Press. You can see my review of the audio book by clicking on the link – here. In that review I promised to give my thoughts on the story itself, and because I am a cat who tries to always keep her promises, I will now share my review on “Phantom Universe” by Laura Kreitzer.
If you enjoy dystopian themed novels then you will certainly enjoy this book. Murr! Kreitzer has created a world that is both exciting and rather disturbing in turn. Imagine if you will the entire North American continent run by Canada. Want to find out how this happens? Read the book!
Most of the story is told in the present, though some chapters are devoted to Summer’s childhood and told through flashbacks. These flashbacks help to explain why Summer is both mute and considerably more mature than most kids her age. There are some truly dark moments in her past and there is one moment in particular that did not sit well with me. If you are sensitive to violence consider this a warning that you might need to skip a page or two.
Kreitzer’s characters are memorable and unique, though I will admit that my favorite is Jayden; she’s got a rather quirky sense of humor that I find charming. Because Summer does not talk, it was interesting to see how everyone interacted with her. Some took on the duel role of being her voice along with being themselves. These moments really allowed characters like Jayden, Landon, and others, to shine and be more than just support for the main character. By the end of the book you want everyone that Summer calls friends to be there with her because each is an extension of her. In this, I feel as though Kreitzer has done a remarkable job of making each character a vital part of the story.
Filled with emotionally charged scenes, wonderful characters, and rich descriptions, Phantom Universe is a great addition to the growing dystopian genre!
Audio Review:
This review is a bit different than the ones usually done here on What the Cat Read. Instead of focusing on the actual storyline of Phantom Universe by Laura Kreitzer, I'll be sharing my thoughts regarding the audio reading of the story instead. If you are interested in an actual review of the story, never fear, I will be posting that sometime tomorrow. Murr!
Now, if the truth is to be told, I wanted to love the audio version of this book, but sadly I found myself disappointed the longer I listened to it.
Karen Savage has a beautiful voice that is both soft and lilting in style. Because of this, while I admit that I enjoyed listening to her, there were several moments where I found myself either adjusting the volume in order to hear her better or nodding off at times. I would not recommend listening to this while driving long distance or in any areas where there is a lot of extraneous background noise. Her voice is very pleasing to the ears, but not that lends itself to audio readings.
As far as character presentation goes, there wasn’t that much distinction between them. Her reading of Jayden and Landon were by far the most unique and consistent of all the characters involved and she did a fair job when it came to providing various accents (Southern, American, etc). But, for the most part, the longer I listened the more everyone blended together and began to sound the same. There were times where I felt that Savage rushed through the reading, which reinforced the blending of unique character voices into one voice and the natural pauses that people take when talking were not consistently there in her reading thus resulting in the dialogue often curtailing into the narrative.
Overall I felt her reading was flat with little to no intensity of emotion. In fact, I had gotten so use to Savage’s reading style that when she got to Summer’s nightmare, I actually jumped in surprise at the change in quality of the reading. Now perhaps some of that had to do with the rapid shift from third person to first person narrative, but some of it was the result of the reading itself. Savage did a great job of conveying the fear that comes with having a nightmare. It was by far one of the few standout moments in the entire reading.
So when all is said and done, while I admitted to liking the sound of Savage’s voice, I would definitely hesitate in buying an audiobook read by her in the future.
Book Review:
I received this book in audio format compliments of Jennifer at Revolutionary Press. You can see my review of the audio book by clicking on the link – here. In that review I promised to give my thoughts on the story itself, and because I am a cat who tries to always keep her promises, I will now share my review on “Phantom Universe” by Laura Kreitzer.
If you enjoy dystopian themed novels then you will certainly enjoy this book. Murr! Kreitzer has created a world that is both exciting and rather disturbing in turn. Imagine if you will the entire North American continent run by Canada. Want to find out how this happens? Read the book!
Most of the story is told in the present, though some chapters are devoted to Summer’s childhood and told through flashbacks. These flashbacks help to explain why Summer is both mute and considerably more mature than most kids her age. There are some truly dark moments in her past and there is one moment in particular that did not sit well with me. If you are sensitive to violence consider this a warning that you might need to skip a page or two.
Kreitzer’s characters are memorable and unique, though I will admit that my favorite is Jayden; she’s got a rather quirky sense of humor that I find charming. Because Summer does not talk, it was interesting to see how everyone interacted with her. Some took on the duel role of being her voice along with being themselves. These moments really allowed characters like Jayden, Landon, and others, to shine and be more than just support for the main character. By the end of the book you want everyone that Summer calls friends to be there with her because each is an extension of her. In this, I feel as though Kreitzer has done a remarkable job of making each character a vital part of the story.
Filled with emotionally charged scenes, wonderful characters, and rich descriptions, Phantom Universe is a great addition to the growing dystopian genre!
Audio Review:
This review is a bit different than the ones usually done here on What the Cat Read. Instead of focusing on the actual storyline of Phantom Universe by Laura Kreitzer, I'll be sharing my thoughts regarding the audio reading of the story instead. If you are interested in an actual review of the story, never fear, I will be posting that sometime tomorrow. Murr!
Now, if the truth is to be told, I wanted to love the audio version of this book, but sadly I found myself disappointed the longer I listened to it.
Karen Savage has a beautiful voice that is both soft and lilting in style. Because of this, while I admit that I enjoyed listening to her, there were several moments where I found myself either adjusting the volume in order to hear her better or nodding off at times. I would not recommend listening to this while driving long distance or in any areas where there is a lot of extraneous background noise. Her voice is very pleasing to the ears, but not that lends itself to audio readings.
As far as character presentation goes, there wasn’t that much distinction between them. Her reading of Jayden and Landon were by far the most unique and consistent of all the characters involved and she did a fair job when it came to providing various accents (Southern, American, etc). But, for the most part, the longer I listened the more everyone blended together and began to sound the same. There were times where I felt that Savage rushed through the reading, which reinforced the blending of unique character voices into one voice and the natural pauses that people take when talking were not consistently there in her reading thus resulting in the dialogue often curtailing into the narrative.
Overall I felt her reading was flat with little to no intensity of emotion. In fact, I had gotten so use to Savage’s reading style that when she got to Summer’s nightmare, I actually jumped in surprise at the change in quality of the reading. Now perhaps some of that had to do with the rapid shift from third person to first person narrative, but some of it was the result of the reading itself. Savage did a great job of conveying the fear that comes with having a nightmare. It was by far one of the few standout moments in the entire reading.
So when all is said and done, while I admitted to liking the sound of Savage’s voice, I would definitely hesitate in buying an audiobook read by her in the future.
March 1, 2012
Before we get into this review, I'm going to take a moment to talk about pirates. I have a long standing love affair with fictional pirates, provided they have good hygiene and don't have scurvy. In fact, I've made it one of my missions in life to educate people on the dangers of scurvy (and good oral hygiene but that's only because I read The Postman when I was young and impressionable and the talk of the survivors dying of "raging oral infections" stuck with me in a BIG WAY! *shudder*). Now, I don't actually know much about scurvy except that you get it if you don't eat enough vitamin C and it makes you lose your teeth. Therefore, the sum of my PSA is "eat oranges, don't get scurvy". Ta-Da! Words to live by, people. Words to live by.
But we were talking about pirates, weren't we? Now, my ideal type of pirates tend to be strong, clean men who often work without their shirts and bathe regularly. Due to the fact that they're usually displaced noblemen with a chip on their shoulders they have access to plenty of oranges and they NEVER get scurvy. The pirates in this book weren't quite in that realm, I must admit. They were a little on the dirty side and, as it turns out, none of them were displaced noblemen. How disappointing.
Admittedly, the pirates played a smallish role in this book. We were also given men who dealt in human slavery (jerks), time travel (err... what?), a dystopian society (err... double what?), and a girl who was taught that talking leads to beatings. The time travel part took me a bit by surprise. I probably could have gleaned it from the cover but... I'm apparently not very observant.
The beginning of the book takes place in 2010 with flashbacks to Summer's life as a young slave. It chronicles how she came to be in the hands of slavers and how her spirit was crushed and she learned to stop talking to protect herself. Then some big stuff happens and suddenly she and a few of her fellow slaves find themselves 200 years in the future in a world that has changed drastically from what they knew. Picked up by a group of young soldiers, one of whom begins falling for Summer almost immediately, they're shuffled off to interment camps for the people who keep popping up from the past.
Part of me can see why Gage falls for Summer so quickly. She's physically fragile, emotionally damaged, and she has no sense of self-worth. He feels a need to protect her and show her that she's more than just a slave girl who was an oddity because she refused to speak. Summer slowly lets down her walls and allows Gage to get close to her. I'm personally a huge fan of insta-attraction and I think it was well done here.
Plot wise, we have a mysterious group who keep popping up to try to capture Summer (for reasons that aren't revealed until close to the end), a futuristic government that doesn't quite know what to do with the multitudes of people suddenly appearing out of thin air, and another group that looks like it's trying to help those displaced in the great time-travel debacle. While I enjoyed parts of the book, I was really taken aback by the time travel. I honestly didn't realize that the first part of the book took place in modern time (I'm sorry, when I hear "pirates" my knee-jerk reaction is that it's the 1800s) and to suddenly have the setting shift dramatically and have to learn the history as to what led to this new world government was a bit jarring. I adjusted to it and I ended up enjoying the book but I did have to shift mental gears halfway through.
Overall interesting, if at times a bit chaotic, you'll enjoy this book if you go into with an open mind. And if you don't think that pirates only plundered the seas in the 1800s. There's huge setup for later books, so don't expect everything to be made clear when you reach the end. Still, I had fun reading it.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Reviewed for Smash Attack Reads!
But we were talking about pirates, weren't we? Now, my ideal type of pirates tend to be strong, clean men who often work without their shirts and bathe regularly. Due to the fact that they're usually displaced noblemen with a chip on their shoulders they have access to plenty of oranges and they NEVER get scurvy. The pirates in this book weren't quite in that realm, I must admit. They were a little on the dirty side and, as it turns out, none of them were displaced noblemen. How disappointing.
Admittedly, the pirates played a smallish role in this book. We were also given men who dealt in human slavery (jerks), time travel (err... what?), a dystopian society (err... double what?), and a girl who was taught that talking leads to beatings. The time travel part took me a bit by surprise. I probably could have gleaned it from the cover but... I'm apparently not very observant.
The beginning of the book takes place in 2010 with flashbacks to Summer's life as a young slave. It chronicles how she came to be in the hands of slavers and how her spirit was crushed and she learned to stop talking to protect herself. Then some big stuff happens and suddenly she and a few of her fellow slaves find themselves 200 years in the future in a world that has changed drastically from what they knew. Picked up by a group of young soldiers, one of whom begins falling for Summer almost immediately, they're shuffled off to interment camps for the people who keep popping up from the past.
Part of me can see why Gage falls for Summer so quickly. She's physically fragile, emotionally damaged, and she has no sense of self-worth. He feels a need to protect her and show her that she's more than just a slave girl who was an oddity because she refused to speak. Summer slowly lets down her walls and allows Gage to get close to her. I'm personally a huge fan of insta-attraction and I think it was well done here.
Plot wise, we have a mysterious group who keep popping up to try to capture Summer (for reasons that aren't revealed until close to the end), a futuristic government that doesn't quite know what to do with the multitudes of people suddenly appearing out of thin air, and another group that looks like it's trying to help those displaced in the great time-travel debacle. While I enjoyed parts of the book, I was really taken aback by the time travel. I honestly didn't realize that the first part of the book took place in modern time (I'm sorry, when I hear "pirates" my knee-jerk reaction is that it's the 1800s) and to suddenly have the setting shift dramatically and have to learn the history as to what led to this new world government was a bit jarring. I adjusted to it and I ended up enjoying the book but I did have to shift mental gears halfway through.
Overall interesting, if at times a bit chaotic, you'll enjoy this book if you go into with an open mind. And if you don't think that pirates only plundered the seas in the 1800s. There's huge setup for later books, so don't expect everything to be made clear when you reach the end. Still, I had fun reading it.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Reviewed for Smash Attack Reads!
December 13, 2011
Lang und breit
Phantom Universe ist ganz anders als die anderen Sci-Fi-, Dystopia- und Fantasy-Bücher, die ich in letzter Zeit gelesen habe. Der Beginn des Buches spielt in etwa in unserer Zeit. Allerdings gibt es dort Piraten, die sich Sklaven halten und Jagd auf Flatscreens und Rum machen. Der zweite Teil der Geschichte findet viele Jahre in der Zukunft statt. Dort hat Kanada die USA überrumpelt und Müll wird zur Entsorgung ins All geschossen. Neben vielfachen technischen Erfindungen gibt es außerdem „Outlander Camps“, in denen die Menschen, die aus der Vergangenheit ganz plötzlich in die Zukunft gereist sind, untergebracht werden.
Die futuristische Entwicklung der Welt war komplex und reizvoll zu erkunden. Es wird erklärt wie genau Kanada die Oberhand gewinnen konnte (hier wird es aber nicht zu politisch, keine Sorge), wie die Eheschließung inzwischen gehandhabt wird und dass jeder einen technischen Minicomputer in den Kopf gepflanzt bekommt, mit dem er geortet werden kann und der sogar Telepathie ermöglicht.
Klingt schon mal abwechslungsreich. War es auch, bis sich plötzlich die Liebesgeschichte angeschlichen hat. Am Anfang fand ich die noch ziemlich süß. Summer, die aus der Vergangenheit in die Zukunft „springt“, verliebt sich dort in den Offizier Gage. Leider hat sich der Handlungsmittelpunkt dabei extrem auf deren Liebelei verschoben. Bald ging es nur noch um Liebesbeweise in Form von Rosen (da Gage sie kitschigerweise „Flower“ nennt) und Eifersucht. Außerdem muss Summer ständig gerettet werden. Immer wieder gerät sie in Situationen, die sie an ihre Zeit als Sklavin auf dem Piratenschiff und die damit verbundene Fast-Vergewaltigung erinnern. Diese ständigen Rettungsaktionen machen Summer leider zu einer sehr schwachen Figur. Sie hat durchaus ihren Reiz mit ihrer Stummheit, ihrer Neugier und ihrem unerschütterlichen Glauben an Feen (auf den übrigens nie weiter eingegangen wird, obwohl er immer wieder Erwähnung findet). Am Ende nimmt sie zwar endlich eine aktive Rolle ein, aber aus ihrem „schwaches Mädchen braucht starken Retter“ Muster kommt sie damit nicht heraus.
Während ich Gage zu Beginn noch genauso mochte wie Summer ihn, verließ mich nach und nach die Begeisterung. Der ausschlaggebende Punkt hierfür war wohl als er Summer verlässt, weil er so unglaublich verwirrt über seine Gefühle und die Situation ist. Dann merkt er aber schnell wie sehr er sich nach Summer sehnt und kehrt zurück, was sie prompt akzeptiert.
Viel lieber war mir da Landon, ein Freund von Summer, der für sie wie ein Bruder ist. Seine Fürsorglichkeit Summer gegenüber war loyal und bewegend.
Hörbucheindruck
Karen Savage hat eine so angenehme Stimme, dass ich mich sofort wohl gefühlt habe. Am Besten hat mir Londons schottischer Akzent gefallen, den sie perfekt imitiert hat. An manchen Stellen redet sie ein wenig zu schnell bzw. klingt es so als hätte man ihre Stimme schneller laufen lassen, um die Hörbuchlänge zu kürzen, aber darüber kann man hinweghören.
Kurz und knapp
Ein Roman, der vor allem in seinem Setting viel Abwechslung und Neues bietet. Die Handlung wandelt sich recht schnell von einem Zeitreiseabenteuer zu einer Liebesgeschichte, die kaum Klischees auslässt. Durch die tolle Vorlesestimme bietet das Buch solide Unterhaltung, so richtig Lust auf die Fortsetzung habe ich aber nicht bekommen.
Phantom Universe ist ganz anders als die anderen Sci-Fi-, Dystopia- und Fantasy-Bücher, die ich in letzter Zeit gelesen habe. Der Beginn des Buches spielt in etwa in unserer Zeit. Allerdings gibt es dort Piraten, die sich Sklaven halten und Jagd auf Flatscreens und Rum machen. Der zweite Teil der Geschichte findet viele Jahre in der Zukunft statt. Dort hat Kanada die USA überrumpelt und Müll wird zur Entsorgung ins All geschossen. Neben vielfachen technischen Erfindungen gibt es außerdem „Outlander Camps“, in denen die Menschen, die aus der Vergangenheit ganz plötzlich in die Zukunft gereist sind, untergebracht werden.
Die futuristische Entwicklung der Welt war komplex und reizvoll zu erkunden. Es wird erklärt wie genau Kanada die Oberhand gewinnen konnte (hier wird es aber nicht zu politisch, keine Sorge), wie die Eheschließung inzwischen gehandhabt wird und dass jeder einen technischen Minicomputer in den Kopf gepflanzt bekommt, mit dem er geortet werden kann und der sogar Telepathie ermöglicht.
Klingt schon mal abwechslungsreich. War es auch, bis sich plötzlich die Liebesgeschichte angeschlichen hat. Am Anfang fand ich die noch ziemlich süß. Summer, die aus der Vergangenheit in die Zukunft „springt“, verliebt sich dort in den Offizier Gage. Leider hat sich der Handlungsmittelpunkt dabei extrem auf deren Liebelei verschoben. Bald ging es nur noch um Liebesbeweise in Form von Rosen (da Gage sie kitschigerweise „Flower“ nennt) und Eifersucht. Außerdem muss Summer ständig gerettet werden. Immer wieder gerät sie in Situationen, die sie an ihre Zeit als Sklavin auf dem Piratenschiff und die damit verbundene Fast-Vergewaltigung erinnern. Diese ständigen Rettungsaktionen machen Summer leider zu einer sehr schwachen Figur. Sie hat durchaus ihren Reiz mit ihrer Stummheit, ihrer Neugier und ihrem unerschütterlichen Glauben an Feen (auf den übrigens nie weiter eingegangen wird, obwohl er immer wieder Erwähnung findet). Am Ende nimmt sie zwar endlich eine aktive Rolle ein, aber aus ihrem „schwaches Mädchen braucht starken Retter“ Muster kommt sie damit nicht heraus.
Während ich Gage zu Beginn noch genauso mochte wie Summer ihn, verließ mich nach und nach die Begeisterung. Der ausschlaggebende Punkt hierfür war wohl als er Summer verlässt, weil er so unglaublich verwirrt über seine Gefühle und die Situation ist. Dann merkt er aber schnell wie sehr er sich nach Summer sehnt und kehrt zurück, was sie prompt akzeptiert.
Viel lieber war mir da Landon, ein Freund von Summer, der für sie wie ein Bruder ist. Seine Fürsorglichkeit Summer gegenüber war loyal und bewegend.
Hörbucheindruck
Karen Savage hat eine so angenehme Stimme, dass ich mich sofort wohl gefühlt habe. Am Besten hat mir Londons schottischer Akzent gefallen, den sie perfekt imitiert hat. An manchen Stellen redet sie ein wenig zu schnell bzw. klingt es so als hätte man ihre Stimme schneller laufen lassen, um die Hörbuchlänge zu kürzen, aber darüber kann man hinweghören.
Kurz und knapp
Ein Roman, der vor allem in seinem Setting viel Abwechslung und Neues bietet. Die Handlung wandelt sich recht schnell von einem Zeitreiseabenteuer zu einer Liebesgeschichte, die kaum Klischees auslässt. Durch die tolle Vorlesestimme bietet das Buch solide Unterhaltung, so richtig Lust auf die Fortsetzung habe ich aber nicht bekommen.
August 21, 2013
The only way to do the review for this book properly is to do it in two parts. The first half was a great story. I was totally hooked and couldn't wait to read more. The second half was a disaster and I couldn't wait for it to end.
January 16, 2011
When I first started reading Phantom UniverseI had no idea what to expect. This is the first book of Laura Kreitzer's that I have read and I must say, I look forward to reading more from her. Phantom Universeis not my typical kind of read. Normally, I look for the more traditional love story. You know, girl falls in love, which is forbidden, they encounter drama and some obstacles, but in the end they find each other and live happily ever after. Well, although Summer does find a romantic interest, her story is anything but typical. I really got wrapped up into Summer's story. I could not believe how much her back-story tugged at my heartstrings. Maybe it was the mother in me and the fact I couldn't imagine being separated from my daughter, not knowing her fate.
I admired Summer's strength and ability to adapt to every situation that she was put in. I found myself looking at my daughter and wondering if she would have the strength to endure all that Summer went through. I am not sure that I would have the strength to endure what Summer went through. While I was reading I wanted to tell her to just talk, tell her story...reach out and be saved! But where would the story be in that, right?
It took me a little while to figure out exactly what had happened to Summer and Jaden when they found themselves being encountered by military patrol, but when I finally got it, it actually didn't seem too far-fetched. I tend to be get a bit disinterested if things get too quirky, but Laura had written the story so well that I was really wrapped up in Summer's story and could imagine every scenario in the book.
I also really enjoyed the supporting characters and would have liked a little more of their stories, especially Landon's. I am really hoping that in the books yet to come Landon's story, as well as the other friends in Summer's life, will be disclosed. I was really looking forward to getting to know Landon a little bit more, he really seemed like an interesting guy, and I couldn't help but wonder how he ended up in the same situation as Summer. If his past was like hers and if maybe he always knew they had a common bond other than slavery. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get more of Landon.
Look for Phantom Universeto be released on February 15, 2011. You can pre-order your copy now from http://laurakreitzer.com/summer-chron... on her personal website. Be sure to look for more from Laura, Foresaken Harbor will be next in this series...sure to not disappoint! Her Timeless series will also be sure to be a good read and I can't wait to break into it!
I admired Summer's strength and ability to adapt to every situation that she was put in. I found myself looking at my daughter and wondering if she would have the strength to endure all that Summer went through. I am not sure that I would have the strength to endure what Summer went through. While I was reading I wanted to tell her to just talk, tell her story...reach out and be saved! But where would the story be in that, right?
It took me a little while to figure out exactly what had happened to Summer and Jaden when they found themselves being encountered by military patrol, but when I finally got it, it actually didn't seem too far-fetched. I tend to be get a bit disinterested if things get too quirky, but Laura had written the story so well that I was really wrapped up in Summer's story and could imagine every scenario in the book.
I also really enjoyed the supporting characters and would have liked a little more of their stories, especially Landon's. I am really hoping that in the books yet to come Landon's story, as well as the other friends in Summer's life, will be disclosed. I was really looking forward to getting to know Landon a little bit more, he really seemed like an interesting guy, and I couldn't help but wonder how he ended up in the same situation as Summer. If his past was like hers and if maybe he always knew they had a common bond other than slavery. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get more of Landon.
Look for Phantom Universeto be released on February 15, 2011. You can pre-order your copy now from http://laurakreitzer.com/summer-chron... on her personal website. Be sure to look for more from Laura, Foresaken Harbor will be next in this series...sure to not disappoint! Her Timeless series will also be sure to be a good read and I can't wait to break into it!
December 18, 2011
It is impossible not to start off this review with my first impression of the book, so I'm just going to give in and do so.... The packaging of this book was just not good. I don't like the cover (it might have changed... mine looks like the above) for starters, and once you open the book the font is so incredibly small that it hurts your eyes to read. It is not even like I am just used to the larger font of YA books, I compared to my school books and Phantom Universe's font is still much smaller. It just made it difficult to read. Also, at the beginning the chapter pages would include "Age Sixteen" or "Age Four" this was helpful at first when time was switching, but after a couple chapters it was all "Age Sixteen", I didn't get why not just note it when it was not sixteen?
Other than the physical technicalities of the book, the actual story was interesting. I found myself sympathizing with Summer, which it is kind of hard not to, since she is so abused and neglected. The reason I thought I would have trouble with this is because she does not speak. Like not at all. But she is not dumb, she is actually very bright (although she hasn't been exposed to many things, so she is ignorant of them) and has normal internal dialogue that helps with the absence of her spoken word.
Speaking about the spoken word... my only other criticism is that some of the dialogue that the other characters says just seems oddly out of place. I get that it takes place in the future and the author was most likely trying to portray the change in lingo, but it just seemed, I don't know... weak? Like the characters would try to be all intimidating and mean but they say something the equivalent of a four year-old thinking "butt head" is the worst thing ever.
Okay, so I know it seems like I have a lot of negative things to say about this book, but I really did enjoy it. I appreciated Summer's development; she is seriously messed up in the beginning, but it makes sense, and I like how she relapses into her original state a few times. It seemed like that would actually happen, she doesn't just go from messed up to perfect.
The actual storyline kept me interested as well, even though at times it seemed a bit ridiculous. I mean seriously, Canadians basically running the world? But it seemed ridiculous to the characters from 2011 too, so it was funny. I liked how there was confusion for the reader and many questions for most of the book, I mean this is the first in a series. The biggest question regarding Summer and her situation is answered towards the end, which was enough to satisfy the reader, but enough to make the reader eager for the second novel.
Other than the physical technicalities of the book, the actual story was interesting. I found myself sympathizing with Summer, which it is kind of hard not to, since she is so abused and neglected. The reason I thought I would have trouble with this is because she does not speak. Like not at all. But she is not dumb, she is actually very bright (although she hasn't been exposed to many things, so she is ignorant of them) and has normal internal dialogue that helps with the absence of her spoken word.
Speaking about the spoken word... my only other criticism is that some of the dialogue that the other characters says just seems oddly out of place. I get that it takes place in the future and the author was most likely trying to portray the change in lingo, but it just seemed, I don't know... weak? Like the characters would try to be all intimidating and mean but they say something the equivalent of a four year-old thinking "butt head" is the worst thing ever.
Okay, so I know it seems like I have a lot of negative things to say about this book, but I really did enjoy it. I appreciated Summer's development; she is seriously messed up in the beginning, but it makes sense, and I like how she relapses into her original state a few times. It seemed like that would actually happen, she doesn't just go from messed up to perfect.
The actual storyline kept me interested as well, even though at times it seemed a bit ridiculous. I mean seriously, Canadians basically running the world? But it seemed ridiculous to the characters from 2011 too, so it was funny. I liked how there was confusion for the reader and many questions for most of the book, I mean this is the first in a series. The biggest question regarding Summer and her situation is answered towards the end, which was enough to satisfy the reader, but enough to make the reader eager for the second novel.
February 9, 2012
The thing that stood out to me the most in this book? Summer. Her life is unlike anything I've read before. Here is a girl who was taken from her only family member at an extremely young age. She was tortured, abused, raised to be a mute and compliant little slave. To say that Summer's experiences hurt me is an understatement. I'm glad that Laura Kreitzer tackled the way that young slaves are treated in the slave trade, that exists even now. Still it is quite tough to read. Just a warning there for younger or more squeamish readers. Summer's life was fascinating for me from the very beginning, because she was so strong despite everything else.
Romance also makes a debut here, and I actually really adored the way that Kreitzer fleshed it out. Summer is a girl who hasn't been able to trust anyone else since she was taken. Now there is a special person in her life who makes her feel whole again. I won't spoil, but it's really sweet. Sure there were times when it seemed a bit overboard, but again, this is in the mind of a girl who just wants someone to treat her right. Gage is all sorts of adorable! I can't wait to see where these two go next.
What lost me a bit was the very intense story line that takes place towards the middle of this story. Phantom Universe isn't just about a girl who is a young slave. It has modern day pirate ships (complete with 21st century heists), the concept of time travel, and even a future society that is dead set on annihilating its refugees. Think concentration camps for people from the past. In all honesty by the time I was nearing the end of Part II, I was slightly confused.
There is a lot going on in this first book, and I'm sure that it is all important to the second one. It seemed really mashed into itself in an effort to fit it all in. I would have liked to know more about the Secret Clock Society. I also was really intrigued by the set of people that Gage was running from, and the "Exodus" that caused them to exist in the first place. I felt unfulfilled at a lot of the unanswered questions. I'm hoping most of this will be resolved in the second book.
To wrap up this rather rambling review, Phantom Universe ultimately turned out to be a book that I really did enjoy. There were a few hiccups here and there, but I'm genuinely excited to get to dive into the next in the series. If nothing else, I believe that Summer will steal your heart. Her story is heart wrenching, but so amazing at the same time. Give this one a shot, I think you'll enjoy it.
Romance also makes a debut here, and I actually really adored the way that Kreitzer fleshed it out. Summer is a girl who hasn't been able to trust anyone else since she was taken. Now there is a special person in her life who makes her feel whole again. I won't spoil, but it's really sweet. Sure there were times when it seemed a bit overboard, but again, this is in the mind of a girl who just wants someone to treat her right. Gage is all sorts of adorable! I can't wait to see where these two go next.
What lost me a bit was the very intense story line that takes place towards the middle of this story. Phantom Universe isn't just about a girl who is a young slave. It has modern day pirate ships (complete with 21st century heists), the concept of time travel, and even a future society that is dead set on annihilating its refugees. Think concentration camps for people from the past. In all honesty by the time I was nearing the end of Part II, I was slightly confused.
There is a lot going on in this first book, and I'm sure that it is all important to the second one. It seemed really mashed into itself in an effort to fit it all in. I would have liked to know more about the Secret Clock Society. I also was really intrigued by the set of people that Gage was running from, and the "Exodus" that caused them to exist in the first place. I felt unfulfilled at a lot of the unanswered questions. I'm hoping most of this will be resolved in the second book.
To wrap up this rather rambling review, Phantom Universe ultimately turned out to be a book that I really did enjoy. There were a few hiccups here and there, but I'm genuinely excited to get to dive into the next in the series. If nothing else, I believe that Summer will steal your heart. Her story is heart wrenching, but so amazing at the same time. Give this one a shot, I think you'll enjoy it.
Read
March 16, 2016Laura Kreitzer was kind enough to send me a very early e-copy of Phantom Universe. I wanted to thank her for letting me read it and review it, so THANKS, LAURA! :)
The story was different from any that I have ever read before and I loved the scenes that were set in the future and the people that Summer met. The book started off really interesting--I loved the rush and anxiety of it. Made you jump into the story very quickly. I love sci-fi/fantasy and dystopian books and Phantom Universe had a bit of it all. There was time travel and a future that was full of interesting yet believable gadgets and I loved how Canada conquered the U.S. in the future. (I'm sure my Canadian friends would love that bit, as well.)
I was confused at times when Summer was a slave on the pirate boat because I kept picturing pirates a la Captain Sparrow that stole big screen TVs. I would have loved to see scenes where they steal from 21st century freighters and how it all worked. Would have been very different and interesting!
I also wish there were more scenes that had to do with the Outlander camps and the different people that had found their way there. It's the first in a trilogy so I know a lot is yet to be answered but I was curious to see why and how the time travel happened.
I also couldn't understand the instant love connection between Summer and Gage. I really liked Gage as a character but I wanted to know more about each of them to see what they saw in each other. And I was personally Team Landon even though I don't think Landon had a chance, especially after Summer laid eyes on Gage. Go figure, me and my random AU pairings.
I liked the general plot of Phantom Universe but it was hard for me to relate to Summer. The issues that are explored with her are difficult to communicate (literally and metaphorically for her) but I felt like I wanted Jaden (my favorite character) to be the focus of the story. That is just my personal opinion, though, because the story would have been a very different one if Jaden was the protagonist.
I liked the friends that Summer met in the Outlander camp and the action in the story--very vivid and fast-paced and exciting.
I really liked the ending because I wasn't expecting it (always a plus!) and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I love the universe in Phantom Universe and Kreitzer's does a great job in world-building. Now, I just need to know what's going to happen to Summer and her friends!
The story was different from any that I have ever read before and I loved the scenes that were set in the future and the people that Summer met. The book started off really interesting--I loved the rush and anxiety of it. Made you jump into the story very quickly. I love sci-fi/fantasy and dystopian books and Phantom Universe had a bit of it all. There was time travel and a future that was full of interesting yet believable gadgets and I loved how Canada conquered the U.S. in the future. (I'm sure my Canadian friends would love that bit, as well.)
I was confused at times when Summer was a slave on the pirate boat because I kept picturing pirates a la Captain Sparrow that stole big screen TVs. I would have loved to see scenes where they steal from 21st century freighters and how it all worked. Would have been very different and interesting!
I also wish there were more scenes that had to do with the Outlander camps and the different people that had found their way there. It's the first in a trilogy so I know a lot is yet to be answered but I was curious to see why and how the time travel happened.
I also couldn't understand the instant love connection between Summer and Gage. I really liked Gage as a character but I wanted to know more about each of them to see what they saw in each other. And I was personally Team Landon even though I don't think Landon had a chance, especially after Summer laid eyes on Gage. Go figure, me and my random AU pairings.
I liked the general plot of Phantom Universe but it was hard for me to relate to Summer. The issues that are explored with her are difficult to communicate (literally and metaphorically for her) but I felt like I wanted Jaden (my favorite character) to be the focus of the story. That is just my personal opinion, though, because the story would have been a very different one if Jaden was the protagonist.
I liked the friends that Summer met in the Outlander camp and the action in the story--very vivid and fast-paced and exciting.
I really liked the ending because I wasn't expecting it (always a plus!) and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I love the universe in Phantom Universe and Kreitzer's does a great job in world-building. Now, I just need to know what's going to happen to Summer and her friends!
February 15, 2011
Phantom Universe was definitely not like anything I had been expecting... it was so much better! It's a series completely different from her Timeless series, but just as engaging and sweet. Laura Kreitzer took a topic not so easily talked about anymore and created a story and character that will have people engrossed all the way through. Once I got started I couldn't stop reading this incredibly thought out story.
Summer Waverly is a girl who has been raised as a slave on a modern day pirate ship since she was four years old. Beaten and tortured into silence, Summer has found a way to communicate with those around her without speaking and has learned to survive in a not so nice world.
Things change, though, when a group of people come looking for Summer, tearing down the ship she's been on nearly her entire life in search of her. And how she finds herself 200 years in the future, she has no idea. But Summer finds herself in a situation where she learns to trust those around her, even Canadian Leaguer Gage Appleton.
Certain chapters were more difficult to get through than others when explaining the experiences that Summer went through as a slave, but I think that proves just how good of a story teller Laura is. She didn't shy away from the scary topics and really put us in Summer's shoes. Whether it was experiecing the harsh realities of her world, or fighting through her fears of retribution if she made a sound, Summer was a strong consistent character that I loved reading about.
The romance between she and Gage was sweet and loving, so adorable. I found myself wanting to read more about them whenever they got to be together. Forget about the mysteries piling up, I want more of the lovey dovey, gooeyness that our military man provided.
My only complaint was that the story had to end. I wanted to read more and learn about the cast of characters that Summer had come to consider friends and family. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, but we have the next book in the series, Forsaken Harbor, to look forward to in July.
So, if you're looking for a little bit of everything: mystery, science-fiction, dystopia, romance; I highly recommend Phantom Universe.
Summer Waverly is a girl who has been raised as a slave on a modern day pirate ship since she was four years old. Beaten and tortured into silence, Summer has found a way to communicate with those around her without speaking and has learned to survive in a not so nice world.
Things change, though, when a group of people come looking for Summer, tearing down the ship she's been on nearly her entire life in search of her. And how she finds herself 200 years in the future, she has no idea. But Summer finds herself in a situation where she learns to trust those around her, even Canadian Leaguer Gage Appleton.
Certain chapters were more difficult to get through than others when explaining the experiences that Summer went through as a slave, but I think that proves just how good of a story teller Laura is. She didn't shy away from the scary topics and really put us in Summer's shoes. Whether it was experiecing the harsh realities of her world, or fighting through her fears of retribution if she made a sound, Summer was a strong consistent character that I loved reading about.
The romance between she and Gage was sweet and loving, so adorable. I found myself wanting to read more about them whenever they got to be together. Forget about the mysteries piling up, I want more of the lovey dovey, gooeyness that our military man provided.
My only complaint was that the story had to end. I wanted to read more and learn about the cast of characters that Summer had come to consider friends and family. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, but we have the next book in the series, Forsaken Harbor, to look forward to in July.
So, if you're looking for a little bit of everything: mystery, science-fiction, dystopia, romance; I highly recommend Phantom Universe.
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