Title: This Shattered World
Author: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Genre: YA SciFi Romance
Series: Starbound #2
Publication Date: 23rd December 2014
Pages: 390
Book Source: Disney Hyperion & NetGalley
Synopsis: The second installment in the epic Starbound trilogy introduces a new pair of star-crossed lovers on two sides of a bloody war.
Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.
Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.
Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.
Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.
I wasn't convinced when we left Lilac and Tarver in These Broken Stars that I'd be quite as sold on new star-crossed lovers. Wrong! Captain Jubilee (Lee) Chase and Flynn Cormac are on opposing sides of the war on Avon, military and rebel, both bad-ass, likable and both fighting for the same thing. Ok Flynn wasn't quite Tarver but he still got my vote ;)
This Shattered World is a darker, harsher tale than it's predecessor with the romance taking a back seat to war, death and madness. The pace and action is full-on from the get go but not at the expense of world-building or character development. What I really liked was the intimacy in seeing both sides of the conflict, the humanity of both.
There is continuity with the corporate corruption touched on in book 1 really getting fleshed out and there's a much greater sense of planet, universe and galactic politics. And yes Tarver and Lilac make a brief but significant appearance.
All up This Shattered World had a different feel to These Broken Stars but I liked it just as much.
Can't wait to see where Amie and Meagan venture next and with who ... maybe Sophia?
This Shattered World is a darker, harsher tale than it's predecessor with the romance taking a back seat to war, death and madness. The pace and action is full-on from the get go but not at the expense of world-building or character development. What I really liked was the intimacy in seeing both sides of the conflict, the humanity of both.
There is continuity with the corporate corruption touched on in book 1 really getting fleshed out and there's a much greater sense of planet, universe and galactic politics. And yes Tarver and Lilac make a brief but significant appearance.
All up This Shattered World had a different feel to These Broken Stars but I liked it just as much.
Can't wait to see where Amie and Meagan venture next and with who ... maybe Sophia?
See my review of THESE BROKEN STARS ~ 4.5 stars
Connect with Amie Kaufman
Connect with Meagan Spooner
Ohhhhhh this sounds good!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Julie, you're a gem :)
DeleteI don't read a lot of SF or YA but good that this one stood up to the first one.
ReplyDeleteI was happy this one didn't suffer from 2nd book syndrome, even though it's not technically a sequel, I think you benefit from reading these in order.
DeleteHm, was it this series the library had? I need to check
ReplyDeleteI know you don't read as much YA but I think you'd probably like this one B :)
DeleteI liked this one but it was definitely much darker than These Broken Stars. I am looking forward to the third book too. I think this series would appeal to people who normally stay away from science fiction. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI agree Christina, dark installment but a 'light' start for first forays into science fiction!
Deletethere's a lot more death, violence and madness in this installment Felicia ...
ReplyDelete