Review - Uglies Graphic Novel: Shay’s Story by Scott Westerfeld, Devin Grayson, and Steven Cummings (4/5 stars)

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction/Graphic Novel
Size: 208 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: March 6th, 2012
ISBN: 978-0345527226
Stand Alone or Series: Companion to the Uglies series
Source: Librarything’s Early Reviewer Program
Rating: 4/5 stars

This is a companion novel to the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld and tells us the story of Shay. I enjoyed the Uglies series and was eager to learn more about Shay since she is more of a plot device than an actual person in the original series.

This book tells the story of what happened as both Shay and Tally approaced their sixteenth year, the year where they get the operation to be Pretty. This shows what Shay’s life was like before she met Tally and why she made the decisions she did.

This was a very well done graphic novel done in a very magna-like style, but read in the traditional front to back American way. The illustration throughout is very manga in style and was easy to follow. The style fits the story well and I enjoyed it.

The book is split into a number of chapters and tells the story of how Shay got to where she is; this is just the first part of the story and goes right up until it’s time for the Pretty operation.

Overall I enjoyed reading this graphic novel; it adds some great background to the Uglies story and really expands it. It also helps you to understand Shay as a character. If you are a fan of the Uglies series I definitely recommend picking this up. Even if you haven’t read the Uglies series this is a well done graphic novel and I would recommend it if you are interested in YA dytopia or science fiction. It’s on the lighter side of the genre but is still a great read.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Graphic Novel Challenge
- Dystopia Reading Challenge
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge

 

Review - Goliath (Leviathan, Book 3) by Scott Westerfeld (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Steampunk
Size: 560 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: September 20th, 2011
ISBN: 978-1416971777
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd (and final) book in the Leviathan series
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5 stars

This is the third and final book in the Leviathan series by Westerfeld. As with the previous books in the series, we have an epic story full of adventure, and some beautiful picturesa to go along with it.

Alek and Deryn continue on their quest to both end World War I and restore Alek to his Austrian throne. Things gets crazy when they stumble upon mad scientist Tesla, who claims that he can end the war with a huge weapon known as Goliath. Deryn is running out of time to confess her love for Alek; although things would be easier on that front if Alek actually knew Deryn was a girl...

I love this world. With the Darwinists (people who make crazy animal machines) and the Clankers (people who use mechanical steampunk technology) you never know what crazy animal or invention you will run into next. This book is full of a ton of airship adventuring, politics, and just a touch of romance.

The deeper question of what should you sacrifice to stop a war is also addressed in detail and it makes for some interesting thinking material as well as a great story.

Alek and Deryn are wonderful characters with a wonderful relationship. They have been through so much together you just can't help but cheer them on through all of their troubles. The consequences of Deryn revealing that she's a girl are profound and I was constantly pulling for them both.

The illustrations throughout are beautiful and intricate, they match the tone of the story perfectly. This illustrations also help to show some of the items in the story that are a bit hard to picture with words alone (because of their complexity).

The plot moved crazy fast and took a number of unexpected turns. There were a couple points in this book where I couldn't even begin to guess how things would turn out. I loved that it kept me guessing.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It wrapped up the series nicely. This is a wonderfully creative world, with likable characters and a plot that keeps the reader engaged and surprised. I just really, really enjoyed reading this. I can't wait to see what Westerfeld comes up with next!

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 100+ Reading Challenge
- Get Steampunked!

Review - Behemoth (Levithan Trilogy, Book 2) by Scott Westerfeld (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Young Adult/Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy/Steampunk
Size: 496 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: October 5, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1416971757
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in Leviathan Trilogy
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5 stars

This was the second book in the Leviathan trilogy by Westerfeld.  I really enjoyed Leviathan and this book was also wonderful.  There is a ton of action and we see a lot more of Alec and Dylan.

This book starts with Alec and Dylan on the Leviathan getting reading to dock in Istanbul.  Tensions are high in Istanbul because of German presence there.  Dylan will get drawn into secret activities.  And when Austria-Hungry declares war with Britain, suddenly Alec finds himself a prisoner of war.  Alec and Dylan soon embark on separate adventures that will take them apart and then eventually draw them back together.  Full of crazy genetically engineered animals and wonderful steampunk machines this book is super creative and fun to read.

This was an absolutely wonderful book.  The things that Westerfeld thinks up for crazy animals and contraptions are fascinating and incredibly creative.  The plot that is woven is complex and full of political subtleties; it never falters and never slows down.  The characters are very likable; you are really cheering Alec and Dylan on throughout and it is hard not to want to learn more about the mysterious Lady Boffin and the leaders of the rebellion in Istabul. 

Keith Thompson's illustration are spectacular and really bring Westerfeld's creations to life for the reader.  I thoroughly enjoyed them and was constantly looking forward to the next fantastical thing upcoming pictures would show me. 

Overall just a very wonderful read.  It is exceedingly well written, creative, has great action scenes, great characters, and a wonderful plot loosely based on events that happened during World War I.  The book ends in a good spot; although I am very eager to see what happens next.  Of course the number one question is: will Alec realize Dylan is really Deryn, a girl disguising herself as a midshipman?  You'll have to read it to find out.  If you like the steampunk theme that this book has you might want to check out Cherie Priest's Clockwork Century series as well.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 100+ Reading Challenge
- Get Steampunked!

 

Leviathan (Leviathan, Book 1) By Scott Westerfeld (4/5 stars)

This is the first book in Westerfeld's Leviathan series; I got this book through the Amazon Vine program to review. Book 2 is going to be called "Behemeth" and is planned for an October 2010 release. Not sure how many books will be in the series total. Overall, I actually liked this book quite a bit better than the "Uglies" series. I liked the character development more and thought the world-building was very well done and believable despite some unbelievable aspects (Darwin discovering how to manipulate DNA right before World War I).

The story alternates between two different characters. The first is Alek; he is a fifteen year old Austrian prince whose parents have been assassinated by Germany to destroy the peace. He is forced to flee his home country as the German's seek to finish the job, by finishing off him. The second character is Deryn, a young British girl who has disguised herself as a boy named Dylan so that she can join the British Air Service instead of staying home acting the part of a young British lady. Through a series of adventures both characters end up embroiled in World War I; and eventually meet up later in the book.

At first Alek bothered me because he was so whiny, but his character actually matured quite a bit as the story progressed. I liked Deryn a lot, she has a lot of spunk and was an all-around fun character to read about. The plot itself plods along at a consistent pace, not too exciting but it never really gets boring either. There are some good action scenes too. The strength of this book was the fascinating world that Westerfeld creates. The Austrian/German Clunkers are giant machines the somewhat resemble John Christopher's Tripods. The British giant engineering beasts are actually somewhat futuristic in their abilities. There is definitely a Steampunk theme to this book.

The illustrations by Keith Thompson are very good. They really help the reader to visualize some of the more bizarre creatures that Westerfeld introduces.

Those people who like a complete story should beware. This book merely shows the beginning of Alek's and Deryn's journeys and has them meet up towards the end of the book. Basically nothing is resolved. The book doesn't leave you at a total cliff-hanger, but it definitely doesn't end in a satisfying way either. I really wished the book had a bit more closure, now I will have to wait until next October to figure out what happens next!

Overall a good book. Should be a great read for all ages. An interesting take on World War I and great world-building. I found the characters to be more interesting and engaging than those from the Uglies series. I can't wait to learn more about the science behind the British creations. Those who are interested in another good Steampunk young adult read should check out Boneshaker by Cherie Priest; this was a great read too.

Specials by Scott Westerfeld (4/5 stars)

This is the third, and final, book in the Uglies trilogy by Scott Westerfeld. I think that this book was the best of the series.

In this book Tally is a Special. She is part of a Special group that Shay leads called the Cutters. Zane is strangely absent in the beginning and Tally sometimes wonders about him but not as much as you would think. The Cutters are on a Special assignment to find out where all of the Pretty curing pills are coming from and eliminate the source of them. The Cutters (as the name suggests) cut themselves to stay "icy"; it helps them to see the world in perfect clarity. The Cutters are finding out that the Pretty cure is something that is much bigger than their own city.

Once again it was interesting how the Specials operation changed many aspects of Tally's personality. All of the neat abilities of the Specials were really fun to read about. This book was the fastest paced of the three; still a really fast and easy read. There was a ton interesting technology introduced in this book. I also think that a lot of the characters grew up some in this book.

This book was the most fun of the three books to read. It was also the most significant as far as discussing more worldly issues. I was still a little disappointed in how the author dumbed things down. I also though the final manifesto was a bit over the top, unnecessary, and cheesy; it was a very juvenile statement from a character who seemed older than that by the end of the book.

Overall this was a good conclusion to a mediocre series. This wasn't a bad series, but I don't think it really deserved all the acclaim that it got. There are other young adult sci-fi series out there that are more deserving of praise. There is now an additional book out to this series called Extras that deals with the same world but different characters. I don't think I will be reading Extraas; it bothers me when an author commits to a trilogy and then extends the series because of good sales.

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld (3.5/5 stars)

This is the second book in the Uglies trilogy by Scott Westerfield. This book was much better than the first novel of the series but still feel a little flat for me.

At the beginning of this book we meet Tally (who has been turned into a Pretty) and Shay getting ready for a costume party. At the party Tally has a strange encounter with someone dressed like Special Circumstances. Tally is trying to get accepted into a group of Pretties called the Crims. Who, as their name suggests, all committed "criminal" acts as Uglies. Zane, the leader of the Crims, suspects that more is just changed during the Pretty operation than their faces. Zane and the other Crims make it a goal to pull off daring stunts in order to "stay bubbly" and be able to see through the Pretty induced mental haze.

This was a much faster paced novel than the previous one. It was very interesting how different Tally's personality was as a Pretty and how she fought internally with the Prettiness. Zane is an interesting character and a good addition to the series. It was fun to read about the exploits of the Crims. In general this was a decent book; full of action and interesting personality changes.

That being said, for me, there was still something a little off about this book. I wasn't that attached to the characters and the action scenes didn't really come alive for me. I am not sure what it is but there is something that stops this novel from becoming wonderful; I think it may be that the writing style is a bit unpolished and simplistic for me. I also think that the author is still dumbing down things too much for his audience.

I will definitely read the next book because this book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger much like the first one.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (3/5 stars)

This is the first book in the Uglies Trilogy by Scott Westerfield. The book follows Tally and Shay, two Uglies who are waiting to turn 16 so that they can get their operations and become Pretties. Pretties are all beautiful and get to live in New Pretty City where life is a party and beautiful all of the time. Everyone becomes a Pretty when they turn 16 without exception. While Tally yearns to become a Pretty Shay wants to escape Uglyville to see what lies outside of the city. Shay is worried about the Pretty operation; what if more than just your appearance changes?

Does the above sound like a shallow premise for a story? Well it is kind of. Although it makes you think a little bit (and I mean a little bit) about what would happen if everyone was perfect and beautiful. Although the story really isn't about that and maybe if it talked more about that it might have some substance.

I realize being 30 I am not the main market for this young adult novel; but it seemed a like surfacey and overused material for me. I think even young girls reading it will figure out what is going by the first chapter of the book. In tone it reminded me a little (tiny) bit of the Tripods Trilogy by John Christopher; except with young girls, and it was all about being pretty and identical, and humans actually have it pretty darn good, and there was a little love story, and I guess it's been about 15 years since I read the Tripods so maybe it wasn't all that similar. I really think it had a similar tone to it though.

By the end of the book I am still not sure if people being turned Pretty is all that horrible. I think you were supposed to think it is the worst thing in the world but I wasn't all that convinced.

All the above being said. The book was simply written, easy to read, a very quick read, and entertaining enough that I finished it. Given all I have heard about these novels I already purchased the next two so...I will probably read the next book in the series even though I am not all that enamored with it. It gets 3 stars for an "It's okay, I guess". It didn't offend me but it didn't work my mind or thrill me either.