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ahpotts's review against another edition
3.0
If you want a fast-paced story clearly designed to become a movie, this gripping YA is for you. If you want something with character development and thoughtful story arcs, this one isn’t it. While I appreciated the pacing, I wished that some part of this book wasn’t predictable: imprisoned kids who are actually good? Check. Bad guys in the service of a faceless evil corporation? Check. Secret plot that’s worse than the obvious awful? Check. This will sit nicely as a male protagonist next to Hunger Games or Divergent. It’s too violent to be truly middle grade but reluctant high school readers will probably eat this up.
icameheretoread's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this one. I would have liked it even more without the supernatural elements-it didn't need it. The character of Tristan was awesome and I was on Drake's side from the get go. As a prison escape book, it's pretty great. It's certainly action packed.
shadow_spines's review against another edition
4.0
Also featured on my blog here
For fans of Bourne and CHERUB? Sold! If this book is compared to two of my favourite things ever, then it HAS to be good. Adding to that, I adored the tv series Prison Break so this sounds totally like my kind of book.
We meet Will on his arrival at The Rig, where he has been sent after breaking out of previous juvenile detentions. But stranded on an oil rig in the middle of a shark-infested ocean, it seems unlikely that he will get out of this one. Not to mention the substance which the Warden is secretly harvesting that gives people special abilities. This book is packed full of mystery and suspense, and kept me turning pages till the very end.
Character wise, it did take me a while to warm to Will. He is a loner and a bad boy, and I couldn’t really connect with him. I did feel sorry for Tristan, and I enjoyed watching his friendship with Will grow stronger. As for the other inmates, it had more of a school feel than a prison. I know this is YA so wasn’t as violent or harsh as I expected, but there was a lot of banter and pushing-in-the-halls type feeling.
Although the ending was left open (and I think there is a sequel in the works) , it can be taken as a standalone. I left the book satisfied. I am definitely looking forward to the next one, but I don’t feel the frustration that occurs with most cliffhanger endings. So for that, I thank you Mr Ducie!
There is a lot of a great world building, and yet I come away with lots of questions, about the world before the Rig, and the Alliance outside of it. What are the plans for this blue substance, and where is it all going? The fact that I come away wanting to know more shows that I really did enjoy the story, and I am eager to delve deeper into this world.
Overall The Rig was an action packed thriller that kept me gripped to the very end. I can’t wait to find out more about the world surrounding the Rig, and I am behind Will, Tristan and Irene all the way. Definitely recommended for fans of boarding school novels and thrillers. 4 sofas!
For fans of Bourne and CHERUB? Sold! If this book is compared to two of my favourite things ever, then it HAS to be good. Adding to that, I adored the tv series Prison Break so this sounds totally like my kind of book.
We meet Will on his arrival at The Rig, where he has been sent after breaking out of previous juvenile detentions. But stranded on an oil rig in the middle of a shark-infested ocean, it seems unlikely that he will get out of this one. Not to mention the substance which the Warden is secretly harvesting that gives people special abilities. This book is packed full of mystery and suspense, and kept me turning pages till the very end.
Character wise, it did take me a while to warm to Will. He is a loner and a bad boy, and I couldn’t really connect with him. I did feel sorry for Tristan, and I enjoyed watching his friendship with Will grow stronger. As for the other inmates, it had more of a school feel than a prison. I know this is YA so wasn’t as violent or harsh as I expected, but there was a lot of banter and pushing-in-the-halls type feeling.
Although the ending was left open (and I think there is a sequel in the works) , it can be taken as a standalone. I left the book satisfied. I am definitely looking forward to the next one, but I don’t feel the frustration that occurs with most cliffhanger endings. So for that, I thank you Mr Ducie!
There is a lot of a great world building, and yet I come away with lots of questions, about the world before the Rig, and the Alliance outside of it. What are the plans for this blue substance, and where is it all going? The fact that I come away wanting to know more shows that I really did enjoy the story, and I am eager to delve deeper into this world.
Overall The Rig was an action packed thriller that kept me gripped to the very end. I can’t wait to find out more about the world surrounding the Rig, and I am behind Will, Tristan and Irene all the way. Definitely recommended for fans of boarding school novels and thrillers. 4 sofas!
allonsythornraxx's review
5.0
05/02 - 02/04/2021
DNF @ pg 116
I wanted to keep reading this but my copy is due back at the library, if only there was an audiobook! I was really enjoying this but it's just taking me too long to read, I'll get back to finishing it someday though.
2015
5 ⭐
15 year old William Drake is an expert at breaking out of high-security prisons. But what happens when his talents land him in The Rig, a juvenile detention facility in the Arctic Ocean? With his every movement being watched, the clock is ticking. But he is not alone; Tristan and Irene will be with him on his journey through the iciest parts of hell. But The Rig is shielding a horrible secret. The Rig is not just a prison. The Rig is going to change the world.
In the past Will has escaped high security prisons spread across the world but gets caught within weeks of said escapes. Drake is extraordinarily brave, but with his tracker still clinging to his wrist escape seems impossible. Will knows there is always a way out, there is always a flaw in the system.
Joe Ducie portrays Drake to be a serious type of guy, concentrated on his goal; leaving The Rig, so serious that I often forgot that he was only 15 years old. Ducie's style of writing along with the intense plot definitely makes me want to read any other books he may have written. However Ducie fails to describe his characters very well, by the end of the book I was unable to describe the appearances of even the main character, Drake himself.
DNF @ pg 116
I wanted to keep reading this but my copy is due back at the library, if only there was an audiobook! I was really enjoying this but it's just taking me too long to read, I'll get back to finishing it someday though.
2015
5 ⭐
15 year old William Drake is an expert at breaking out of high-security prisons. But what happens when his talents land him in The Rig, a juvenile detention facility in the Arctic Ocean? With his every movement being watched, the clock is ticking. But he is not alone; Tristan and Irene will be with him on his journey through the iciest parts of hell. But The Rig is shielding a horrible secret. The Rig is not just a prison. The Rig is going to change the world.
In the past Will has escaped high security prisons spread across the world but gets caught within weeks of said escapes. Drake is extraordinarily brave, but with his tracker still clinging to his wrist escape seems impossible. Will knows there is always a way out, there is always a flaw in the system.
Joe Ducie portrays Drake to be a serious type of guy, concentrated on his goal; leaving The Rig, so serious that I often forgot that he was only 15 years old. Ducie's style of writing along with the intense plot definitely makes me want to read any other books he may have written. However Ducie fails to describe his characters very well, by the end of the book I was unable to describe the appearances of even the main character, Drake himself.
_bookishbella's review against another edition
Really different to my usual read and I really enjoyed it! Review to come :)
thatreadingaddiction's review
5.0
This book was really good, and I can't wait to read the next book in this series! I really liked reading about Will Drake's adventure aboard the Rig, and his hopeful planning of getting himself outta there.
There was one part that really bugged me about this book. The part is that there is a character named Irene that Drake meets, and Irene tells Drake to meet her somewhere so she can show him something. Then, after that, there is little to no mention of Irene until later in the story. I mean, yeah Drake was busy with doing other things, but he didn't once think about Irene and what she said. Then, after Drake successfully did something, he then had to think of Irene? Really? Irene should've been on his mind sometime between the message and when he actually decided to go.
There were a lot of good things I liked about this book as well! One of the things I really liked is that Will Drake never really stopped thinking about escaping the Rig. He wanted to get out, and so he became determined to find a way out of the Rig. I like that because it shows that Will Drake wouldn’t give up on finding a way out of his prison. He had a backbone, and not a wishbone. He wanted something, and he went and did something about it instead of sitting around on the Rig waiting for something to happen. Another thing I liked is that Will Drake ends up not leaving his friends behind (you’ll see). That shows that Will Drake is loyal to his friends, and won’t leave them behind.
I hope that you will give this book a try because I think that this book is really good, and I think you may like it as well.
There was one part that really bugged me about this book. The part is that there is a character named Irene that Drake meets, and Irene tells Drake to meet her somewhere so she can show him something. Then, after that, there is little to no mention of Irene until later in the story. I mean, yeah Drake was busy with doing other things, but he didn't once think about Irene and what she said. Then, after Drake successfully did something, he then had to think of Irene? Really? Irene should've been on his mind sometime between the message and when he actually decided to go.
There were a lot of good things I liked about this book as well! One of the things I really liked is that Will Drake never really stopped thinking about escaping the Rig. He wanted to get out, and so he became determined to find a way out of the Rig. I like that because it shows that Will Drake wouldn’t give up on finding a way out of his prison. He had a backbone, and not a wishbone. He wanted something, and he went and did something about it instead of sitting around on the Rig waiting for something to happen. Another thing I liked is that Will Drake ends up not leaving his friends behind (you’ll see). That shows that Will Drake is loyal to his friends, and won’t leave them behind.
I hope that you will give this book a try because I think that this book is really good, and I think you may like it as well.
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