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nightstitch96's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Death, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide attempt and Torture
musicalpopcorn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
When giant robots start appearing all over the world, it seems like humanity might come to an end. Can Rose and her team put a stop to the destruction?
This was a good sequel to Sleeping Giants. It was interesting and well written, just like the first book. I enjoyed the newly introduced characters and stories.
I will say that I’m a bit tired of the file premise and could tell the author was starting to feel constrained by it as well. I also didn’t like the voice actor for Eva in the audiobook, but that’s not the author’s fault.
This was a good sequel to Sleeping Giants. It was interesting and well written, just like the first book. I enjoyed the newly introduced characters and stories.
I will say that I’m a bit tired of the file premise and could tell the author was starting to feel constrained by it as well. I also didn’t like the voice actor for Eva in the audiobook, but that’s not the author’s fault.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide attempt
38threads's review
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This took me way too long to read than it should have. My enjoyment from book 1 about giant robots and alien invaders quickly turned into a snooze fest about ethics on global genocide, whether or not the soul exists, and a heavy discussion on genetics that I had trouble following (science major in college). It wasn’t what i was expecting and many of the main characters died half way through which really puts a downer on the whole “dream team” trope. Epilogue was, again, very short and to the point (like the rest of the book could have been) and sucked me in to want to see how the story ends. I’m going to need to take a break but I’ll eventually pick up Only Human and see what comes of this trilogy.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide attempt
mar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Genocide, and Torture
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Kidnapping, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Ableism and Alcohol
epellicci's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Waking Gods picks up ten years after the events of the first book, Sleeping Giants. I was intrigued but at times bored by the slow pacing of the first book in this series so I worried that while interesting, I wouldn't be gripped by Waking Gods. Thankfully, this was not the case. Told once more through interview transcripts, diary entries and mission logs, this book is even more captivating than the last. As the aliens that created Themis arrive on Earth, action and mystery unfolds, drawing Rose, Kara, Vincent, and our nameless Agent into dramatic new situations. The events of Waking Gods are so much bigger, discussing themes of morality, humanity, family, and the desperation to make a difference. My investment in the characters and their relationships only grew as the story unfolded and the tension racked up. I also loved that Neuvel left space for moments of tenderness and normality in the midst of all the action. It allowed the book to maintain a feeling of reality. I have no doubt that the finale to this series will be as adventurous and thoughtful as Waking Gods is, and hopefully, even more moving.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Death
Minor: Suicide attempt and Dysphoria
kimbekaw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Grief and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicide attempt and Torture
josefinceh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
The second book in the Themsis files. Following the employees at the EDC after the discovering and learning to control Themsis, the ancient giant robot with backwards legs. The atmosphere gets tenser when another giant robot appears in the middle of London and standing in silence as the characters try to figure out how to react.
The book really has a lot of good mixed with a lot of "meh". The characters of the story just didn't come across as clearly and honestly lost a lot of their personality, or the traits that had been established in the previous book. This became especially clear with Kara and Vincent whom, I felt, made a pretty much total reset as characters.
It's also worth noting that the recordings format that the books have didn't work as well as in the previous book, especially since there were a lot more characters at play which made some "recordings" a bit confusing and I often mixed up which character said what.
What I was disappointed by: Karas development
I was really frustrated with how Kara was built up to be this really strong character but kinda became a pushover and just there to move the plot forward. She was strongly against both children and marriage and ended up having both (a very frustrating recurring thing in media), the only point to have her around was to bring Eva into the story, and then when the brought Eva in and introduced her to Vincent, Kara's role was over, and so she was killed of.
What I liked: Mr Burns, More about the mystery interviewer, Rose Franklin
let's start with Mr. Burns, probably my favourite and most interesting character of the entire book, I don't really have much to say about him, I just really enjoyed the chapters where he was around.
Mystery Interviewer, I was really surprised that he also was killed of, I do still like that you get some Insight into his life, his son and how he ended up doing what he was doing. Especially liked the part of him basically saying "I don't work for anyone, people just think I'm scary either way"
Rose was also a high point for me, I loved her development as the characters and her understandable struggle with coming back to life not knowing what had happened. I do wish that her talking to Mystery Interviewer from beyond the grave would be a recurring thing, that he would be some support for her even after death.
What I wished for it: Strip it down and focus on fewer things instead of trying to deal with everything that could be important for the next book.
The book really has a lot of good mixed with a lot of "meh". The characters of the story just didn't come across as clearly and honestly lost a lot of their personality, or the traits that had been established in the previous book. This became especially clear with Kara and Vincent whom, I felt, made a pretty much total reset as characters.
It's also worth noting that the recordings format that the books have didn't work as well as in the previous book, especially since there were a lot more characters at play which made some "recordings" a bit confusing and I often mixed up which character said what.
What I was disappointed by: Karas development
What I liked: Mr Burns, More about the mystery interviewer, Rose Franklin
Mystery Interviewer, I was really surprised that he also was killed of, I do still like that you get some Insight into his life, his son and how he ended up doing what he was doing. Especially liked the part of him basically saying "I don't work for anyone, people just think I'm scary either way"
Rose was also a high point for me, I loved her development as the characters and her understandable struggle with coming back to life not knowing what had happened. I do wish that her talking to Mystery Interviewer from beyond the grave would be a recurring thing, that he would be some support for her even after death.
What I wished for it: Strip it down and focus on fewer things instead of trying to deal with everything that could be important for the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Torture, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Body horror and Ableism
Minor: Grief
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