anastasiaf's Reviews (257)

Ended up enjoying it (in spite of a not so great audiobook narrator) - fun, bloody, creature story. Good on caves 

Well that was… interesting.

To anyone who is wondering if they should read the book, I’d say yes, BUT know that we don’t get a good resolution. I’m hoping someone has written good fanfic for a better ending. But I think everything else is pretty solid until there - claustrophobic caving, Everest climbing, mysteries, etc. Know also that part 2 will feel very different from part 1 - part of it is because we get two perspectives, but part of it is more than that, and I think that’s a writing/editing error. 

If you write fanfiction (or if you’re the author and want to release an amended version) please do!!! My preference is

for it to be supernatural, but more expanded, that we get the memorials on Everest and the cave! Maybe a horror trope of seeing someone else about to start on the same journey?

My own notes
- wow I think it took me way too long to figure out who the woman was. Interesting though. 
- claustrophobia of caving I think is done better in books like Luminous Dead and the Maw and Ted the Caver, but still pretty good
- I think I’ve read an Everest climbing book before and a lot of it felt similar, though I guess there are only really 2 paths to Everest so it makes sense 
- the ending is just insane in an awful way - I think that’s why most people have rated it so low 

Well it was certainly unexpected! 

I kind of wish I hadn’t reminded myself of what happened to Haymitch while reading this. I do wish I remember some other peoples names from the other books.

I wish there had been more about him mentoring all these tributes. I wish there was more about the propaganda side of things. The games were good, and brutal, but it felt very long - I actually wish it was less, which I bet is opposite to other people.

I’m surprised Collins didn’t plan making this book when she wrote TBOSBAS, because it’s kind of a nice foil in many ways.

 Curious what others have to say.

It’s a very interesting premise, I just wanted the book to be a lot shorter… I also was hoping for it to feel more like a caving book, but I think the sense of space and scale was lost - not sure if it’s due to the plot or maybe the author's experience with caves. 

I feel like this would be a good tv show - it’s almost fully written like one. I’m considering if I’m going to start the second book

I think this is the second Crichton book I’ve read and I really like his style and pacing.

Interesting discussions about perception and aliens and memories and power.

At one point in the beginning worries it would be boring, but became good again and stayed good.

Uuuuuggghhh the “blah said”, “blah said” “blah said” was so so annoying though… 

Seemed to be going on for a while, interesting but seemed to be going too long

Not feeling this right now, but DEFINITELY will be picking this up again 

Just not for me right now. A little boring and honestly just made me hungry always. 

Do want to try again in future! 

Awful dialogue at the beginning during the fighting… good idea about the hopelessness thiugh
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So house - weird to have such an incredibly serious plot point here
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So weird the big pivot on bad people, and fully away from the aliens until the end. Bored and so loosing the plot (especially when the brother of the Down syndrome guy goes on shooting spree, and before then with Teddy just leaving??) 
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We haven’t heard from Ryan in a long time, and it seems like we’re well in the last 3rd of the book. So is he going to just come and save them randomly? Don’t love this honestly. 

Loooool just after I wrote this, another blue alien arrived. I think it’s Ryan’s one - how though??
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Another unfounded twist, but whatever
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So they didn’t bring Cameron back to Scotland? Weird. 
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In ending notes, author explained reason for killing Cameron and I understood it better. They still should have brought him home…

Weird pacing and plot points, especially when considering the series as a whole. Some of the emotional moments didn’t really hit like they should have. Good enough, but unlikely to revisit.

Crazy how much stuff happened, still interesting story and interested to see how it finishes.

Annoyed that

Ryan is someone saved… but glad as this means that Sophie and Aaran are definitely not going to be romantic (a worry I had)

Is it the kind of series I would recommend to someone? Eh, probably only if they’re looking for a spunky adventure kind of story. It’s perfect for what I wanted right now, so glad to have found it.