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mellhay's review
4.0
So many things happen in this book! Battle on land with rogue springers, battle from above with other ships coming, battle in space... The information we learn about The Call to come to this place... The new people we meet! Oh man. Scott has packed so much in this book and poor Em's emotions have to be all over the board!
****FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW****
****FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW****
amybraunauthor's review
5.0
My heart hurts so good. This is everything an epic finale should be. Thrills on every page, shocking turns, vulnerable and powerful characters, heartbreak, and battles that had me almost hyperventilating. The story was original and surprising, with beloved characters being forced to make wrenching choices and sacrifices and coming up with unconventional solutions. Mr. Sigler wasn't joking around with this book. It was brutal, and I absolutely loved it. Right from the get-go we're thrown into action and I was reminded why he's one of my favourite authors when it comes to in-your-face, gritty action. I felt like I was there, every little detail drawing me into the scene and making my heart pound. There were at least three major action scenes that were making me go crazy, all leading to a finale that ripped me open. I am going to miss these characters so much––there were reminders of those we lost and new characters I didn't get to spend a lot of time with. But Em... Em I am going to miss more than I can say. She was a terrific character in every way she needed to be, and I'm heartsore with her story ending here. But Sigler mastered this finale, and I can't recommend these books enough. There are lots of Young Adult books out there, but I guarantee you've never read anything like this.
beastreader's review
4.0
This book is a fitting ending in this trilogy. If you have not read the first book than you need to go do so right away. Not only because these books are meant to be read in chronological order but because if you like dystopian novels with strong characters than you need to check this trilogy out.
Em and the rest of the group might be fighting their biggest battle yet. Their friendships will be tested. Additionally, death will come to some. The planet of Omeyocan is another element of what I liked about this trilogy. It is a very unique world. Just when I thought I knew it all, it seemed like I was still discovering things about the planet. Talk about action. There was plenty of it to keep the story flowing at a nice, fast pace. I was not disappointed by the ending. It was a fitting and good one. I can't wait to see what Mr. Sigler comes out with next. This trilogy does deserve a spot up there with the Hunger Games, Maze Runner, and Divergent.
Em and the rest of the group might be fighting their biggest battle yet. Their friendships will be tested. Additionally, death will come to some. The planet of Omeyocan is another element of what I liked about this trilogy. It is a very unique world. Just when I thought I knew it all, it seemed like I was still discovering things about the planet. Talk about action. There was plenty of it to keep the story flowing at a nice, fast pace. I was not disappointed by the ending. It was a fitting and good one. I can't wait to see what Mr. Sigler comes out with next. This trilogy does deserve a spot up there with the Hunger Games, Maze Runner, and Divergent.
malreynolds111's review
4.0
I received an advance copy of this book from net galley in exchange for an honest review.
When I first started this series I had no idea that we would end up here. The entire book could be summed up with the phrase life goes on. and on and on... every time I thought that I had the book figured out something happened to change and it took a whole different turn. I loved it.
When I first started this series I had no idea that we would end up here. The entire book could be summed up with the phrase life goes on. and on and on... every time I thought that I had the book figured out something happened to change and it took a whole different turn. I loved it.
zianeu's review
3.0
The series is at least a 4.
I'm taking a star because of how troubled I was by a certain development (no spoilers).
Otherwise, I love that Sigler pulls no punches, and neither does this trilogy. There isn't a lot of fat on the narrative, and I appreciate that. The plot pulls you on andthe characters have dimension for such a large cast.
I'm taking a star because of how troubled I was by a certain development (no spoilers).
Otherwise, I love that Sigler pulls no punches, and neither does this trilogy. There isn't a lot of fat on the narrative, and I appreciate that. The plot pulls you on andthe characters have dimension for such a large cast.
perilous1's review
2.0
Originally reviewed for YA Books Central: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/21148-alone
2.5 Stars
This third and final book in Scott Sigler’s The Generations Trilogy picks up roughly a year after the second book left off, with Em Savage still the leader of the original “Birthday Children” who fled to the planet they were engineered for—with the “Grownups” who intended to overwrite their minds largely defeated, but still in orbit. The alliance they made with the alien species already on the planet is holding, but tensions are running high. And the day is fast approaching when unknown ships will arrive to contest their existence on Omeyocan…
What I Liked:
This action-packed conclusion raises the stakes far and beyond anything seen in the first two books—with nigh-cinematic combat scenes including jungle, Aztec-inspired streets, and full-scale space battles.
At long last, readers receive the answers they’ve been waiting for throughout the previous installments. Answers regarding how humans reached Omeyocan, what drew them there, and why other species have been fighting over the planet. Lesser issues are addressed as well—including the reasoning behind the symbol-based caste system, and some attempt at explaining why the original Matilda Savage became the self-obsessed monstrosity we’ve come to know in the previous books.
I loved the concept of the null symbol. It fit in exceedingly well with the whole self-made destiny threads, and offered a powerful chosen identity image at the same time. I wish it had come into conception earlier in the series.
The ending proves somewhat satisfying—open-ended enough to allow for a possible future revisit, but leaving off with a solid sense of closure.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
Unfortunately, this reader has enjoyed the series less with each successive book. In part, because the literary efforts toward a game of information keep-away. While this felt generally well done and mysterious in the first book, the second book progressed a lot of immediate plot while holding back too many clues and tidbits about the overarching premise. The result was what felt like excessive revelation-purging in this final book.
To be honest, this book nearly lost me at the halfway point.
I realize it can be argued that everyone’s thoughts are being warped and logical thought processes are in question. But ultimately, this feels like a cop-out. The constant question of how much characters were actually making their own decisions within their own characterization became a continual point of frustration. It also worsened the sense of feeling more distant from the characters than we had in the first two books.
Minor Spoiler: The big twist cause of everything feels a lot like the premise for season 2 episode 2 of the Voltron reboot. I can’t tell you which idea came first, but I can tell you I preferred the show’s handling.
-The eventual love triangle came seemingly out of nowhere, and the romantic elements in general felt flat. After Em has been in a romantic relationship for a year, one might expect more depth to her thoughts in this area. Instead, her emotional development seems to have arrested. She spends an aggravating amount of page-time obsessing over a guy she (technically) hardly knew who has now been dead a year. It was difficult to care about whether she "loved" him more or differently than the guy she's currently in a relationship with. (He’s not coming back, and no other options better suit her among their very limited population.)
-On a similar ‘Em-is-less-sympathetic-each-book’ note, her judgmental behavior toward Spingate went on well past the point of reason. Even after she learns what’s causing the increased aggression in everyone—and she herself nearly commits murder thanks to said cause’s manipulations—she continues to treat and regard Spingate as morally inferior to herself.
-Another element that landed wrong for this reader was the portrayal of religion. The initial incorporation of ancient Aztec aesthetics, words, and vague religious elements was interesting—not something I’d seen done before. The glorifying of violence and human sacrifice fit in unsettlingly well with the premise, and had the grand added advantage of being essentially an extinct religion (and so no more a point of potential offense than the more overdone tapping of the Greek or Roman pantheon.) In this book, however, the concept is introduced of a fusion of three existing religions. The corrupt and abusive sect that Em’s progenitor came from uses leadership titles that strongly imply an inexplicable mix of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. This ended up feeling antithetical--more thrown in rather than well thought out.
The wrap-up was well tied off at most points, a strong resolution without a clear-cut “winner.” If your focus is on sci-fi tinged action, you’ve come to the right place.
2.5 Stars
This third and final book in Scott Sigler’s The Generations Trilogy picks up roughly a year after the second book left off, with Em Savage still the leader of the original “Birthday Children” who fled to the planet they were engineered for—with the “Grownups” who intended to overwrite their minds largely defeated, but still in orbit. The alliance they made with the alien species already on the planet is holding, but tensions are running high. And the day is fast approaching when unknown ships will arrive to contest their existence on Omeyocan…
What I Liked:
This action-packed conclusion raises the stakes far and beyond anything seen in the first two books—with nigh-cinematic combat scenes including jungle, Aztec-inspired streets, and full-scale space battles.
At long last, readers receive the answers they’ve been waiting for throughout the previous installments. Answers regarding how humans reached Omeyocan, what drew them there, and why other species have been fighting over the planet. Lesser issues are addressed as well—including the reasoning behind the symbol-based caste system, and some attempt at explaining why the original Matilda Savage became the self-obsessed monstrosity we’ve come to know in the previous books.
I loved the concept of the null symbol. It fit in exceedingly well with the whole self-made destiny threads, and offered a powerful chosen identity image at the same time. I wish it had come into conception earlier in the series.
The ending proves somewhat satisfying—open-ended enough to allow for a possible future revisit, but leaving off with a solid sense of closure.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
Unfortunately, this reader has enjoyed the series less with each successive book. In part, because the literary efforts toward a game of information keep-away. While this felt generally well done and mysterious in the first book, the second book progressed a lot of immediate plot while holding back too many clues and tidbits about the overarching premise. The result was what felt like excessive revelation-purging in this final book.
To be honest, this book nearly lost me at the halfway point.
Spoiler
Question: If you discovered a will-bending parasitic creature with Darwinian-eugenic tendencies was the cause of all your problems--including the massive hostile army about to march on you—would you: a.) Attempt to slay the parasite in hopes of ending its manipulative hold, or: b.) Run off to engage the hopelessly larger army and pray you somehow made it back alive to deal with said creature. ?I realize it can be argued that everyone’s thoughts are being warped and logical thought processes are in question. But ultimately, this feels like a cop-out. The constant question of how much characters were actually making their own decisions within their own characterization became a continual point of frustration. It also worsened the sense of feeling more distant from the characters than we had in the first two books.
Minor Spoiler: The big twist cause of everything feels a lot like the premise for season 2 episode 2 of the Voltron reboot. I can’t tell you which idea came first, but I can tell you I preferred the show’s handling.
-The eventual love triangle came seemingly out of nowhere, and the romantic elements in general felt flat. After Em has been in a romantic relationship for a year, one might expect more depth to her thoughts in this area. Instead, her emotional development seems to have arrested. She spends an aggravating amount of page-time obsessing over a guy she (technically) hardly knew who has now been dead a year. It was difficult to care about whether she "loved" him more or differently than the guy she's currently in a relationship with. (He’s not coming back, and no other options better suit her among their very limited population.)
-On a similar ‘Em-is-less-sympathetic-each-book’ note, her judgmental behavior toward Spingate went on well past the point of reason. Even after she learns what’s causing the increased aggression in everyone—and she herself nearly commits murder thanks to said cause’s manipulations—she continues to treat and regard Spingate as morally inferior to herself.
-Another element that landed wrong for this reader was the portrayal of religion. The initial incorporation of ancient Aztec aesthetics, words, and vague religious elements was interesting—not something I’d seen done before. The glorifying of violence and human sacrifice fit in unsettlingly well with the premise, and had the grand added advantage of being essentially an extinct religion (and so no more a point of potential offense than the more overdone tapping of the Greek or Roman pantheon.) In this book, however, the concept is introduced of a fusion of three existing religions. The corrupt and abusive sect that Em’s progenitor came from uses leadership titles that strongly imply an inexplicable mix of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. This ended up feeling antithetical--more thrown in rather than well thought out.
The wrap-up was well tied off at most points, a strong resolution without a clear-cut “winner.” If your focus is on sci-fi tinged action, you’ve come to the right place.
skybalon's review
4.0
A perfectly serviceable "Hunger Games" clone. In fact, it might be too much of a clone at certain points and that makes it 4 rather than 5 stars. It is still worth reading if you miss you some Katniss.
maryam162424's review
5.0
Oh this book was phenomenal. I can't stop crying for some reason. I loved this whole trilogy so much, even more than I thought possible. God, how I'm going to miss these characters. Em's character will always be remembered by me, I'm just upset that she had to 'go' at the end of this novel. I'm going to miss her the most. It's so fitting, how she sacrificed herself for the greater good, that's an Em thing for her to do, but I just can't help but be sad about it. I understand why everything happened at the end, I understand why it makes sense, I understand it's one of the only ways all the lives on Xolotl, but just whyyyyyyy. Everything in this book generally was amazing, the light moments readers get to witness between the kids, the fight for freedom, the hard decision these young people need to make. The Birthday Children will always be remembered, including those who are no longer. Thank you Scott Sigler for such an amazing journey.