This is a very auspicious day, everyone, because it is my first time doing an entire series review!! YAY! I am pretty stoked with this and was excited for the challenge when I signed up for this tour, so without further ado, here I go.
Title: Escapement (Book 1, The Neumarian Chronicles)Author: Ciara Knight
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Blurb:
Ten years after the great war of 2185 the queen's reign is threatened by uprisings and fear. In celebration of my sixteenth birthday it is my duty as princess to sacrifice a slave to be initiated into the ruling council, solidifying my mother's empire. When my own erratic powers surface I'm captured and tried for treason. Slaves hate me, my mother wants me executed, and my only chance of survival rests in the hands of a young man, Ryder Arteres, whose sister I sentenced to death.
Links for Book:
Title: Pendulum (Book 2, The Neumarian Chronicles)Author: Ciara Knight
Publication Date: December 2, 2013
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Blurb:
Haunting memories.
Terrifying dreams.
Crippling lies.
Trapped in a world of deception, my sanity rests with the love of Ryder Arteres and our renegade friends. Six months of scouring the ocean floor in a rebel ship fleeing our homeland delivers us to a possible alliance with the opportunistic European Council. Our only hope is to utilize our forbidden gifts to free our people from slavery, proving our worth. But when a trusted ally turns traitor and a new breed of the queen's weaponry is revealed, I'm forced to face the terror of my past to save our crumbling future.
Terrifying dreams.
Crippling lies.
Trapped in a world of deception, my sanity rests with the love of Ryder Arteres and our renegade friends. Six months of scouring the ocean floor in a rebel ship fleeing our homeland delivers us to a possible alliance with the opportunistic European Council. Our only hope is to utilize our forbidden gifts to free our people from slavery, proving our worth. But when a trusted ally turns traitor and a new breed of the queen's weaponry is revealed, I'm forced to face the terror of my past to save our crumbling future.
Links for Book:
Title: Balance (Book 3, The Neumarian Chronicles)Author: Ciara Knight
Publication Date: April 28, 2014
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Blurb:
Life on a war-ravaged Earth is a dying experience. Finally, after years of tyranny, the rebellion rises. Once I rescue my fiance Ryder Arteres, I, and the rebel general, will fight to free our people. In a war where alliances shift and friends betray one another, will the final battle prove the truth of the prophecy the queen has so feared -- her death -- or will I lose everyone I love?
Links for Book:
Kayla's Thoughts:
I actually am quite glad I decided to review this entire series, as opposed to just the first book, because I would not have been able to adequately review it otherwise. You see, the first book of this series started off a bit rocky for me. In fact, quite rocky, to the point where I probably would have opted for an excerpt from the book instead of a review so as to still promote the book while not putting a preconceived okay review into readers' minds right out of the starting gate. I absolutely believe that people should read this, and I so wanted it to be good. Thankfully, the last two books, while not exceptional or phenomenal, were immensely good. In fact, they made up for my thoughts on the first book.
As each book delves deeper and deeper into the story, getting closer and closer to the ultimate battle that will decide whether good or evil wins, the separate installments become darker and darker in subject matter. Book 1 mainly focuses on the journey to find the rebellion set on destroying the queen, book 2 focuses more on Semara finding herself and searching for allies to aid in the fight, and book 3...well, this is where we get to the heart of the war.
Semara and her friends, who we get to know throughout the entirety of the series, seem to get stronger with each passing paragraph, sentence, and word. They truly do find what they are capable of as each book finishes, especially one of my favorite characters, Raeth. She finds that she is stronger than her disability of only having one leg. She gains so much confidence as the series progresses that her stutter is almost incomprehensible. I am reminded of a sentence in the third book where it is the first she actually says something clear and perfect. I just adored her, and throughout the series wanted her to find the happiness she so deserved. Whether or not she found it you will have to find out.
The storyline was really good once I got past the choppiness of the first book. I truly did suck me in and make me want to read more with every passing page. My only critique concerning book 2 and book 3, mainly book 2, is that sometimes there were conflicting statements in the story. A bit of character amnesia, if that makes sense. Someone would find out information, and then later on they would basically act as if they never had learned it at all. It was a bit off-putting at times, but since it happened very few and far between, it luckily was not too big of a problem.
This world was very interesting and I loved the visual aspects of the books. I also loved that there are definitely some twists and turns as the story moves along, most of which have to do with Semara's true identity and the life she remembers as a child. It just truly impressed me near the end.
As each book delves deeper and deeper into the story, getting closer and closer to the ultimate battle that will decide whether good or evil wins, the separate installments become darker and darker in subject matter. Book 1 mainly focuses on the journey to find the rebellion set on destroying the queen, book 2 focuses more on Semara finding herself and searching for allies to aid in the fight, and book 3...well, this is where we get to the heart of the war.
Semara and her friends, who we get to know throughout the entirety of the series, seem to get stronger with each passing paragraph, sentence, and word. They truly do find what they are capable of as each book finishes, especially one of my favorite characters, Raeth. She finds that she is stronger than her disability of only having one leg. She gains so much confidence as the series progresses that her stutter is almost incomprehensible. I am reminded of a sentence in the third book where it is the first she actually says something clear and perfect. I just adored her, and throughout the series wanted her to find the happiness she so deserved. Whether or not she found it you will have to find out.
The storyline was really good once I got past the choppiness of the first book. I truly did suck me in and make me want to read more with every passing page. My only critique concerning book 2 and book 3, mainly book 2, is that sometimes there were conflicting statements in the story. A bit of character amnesia, if that makes sense. Someone would find out information, and then later on they would basically act as if they never had learned it at all. It was a bit off-putting at times, but since it happened very few and far between, it luckily was not too big of a problem.
This world was very interesting and I loved the visual aspects of the books. I also loved that there are definitely some twists and turns as the story moves along, most of which have to do with Semara's true identity and the life she remembers as a child. It just truly impressed me near the end.
Verdict:
Overall this series was surprisingly a wonderful read. I found myself quite thoroughly enjoying it once I finally got into it, and as time went on, I became invested heavily in the lives of these main characters and even some of the minor ones. I was fearing for their lives at every turn and basically had to contain myself from peeking at the end of the third book to see if anyone I knew would survive or if the queen would win. *Spoiler Alert* I'm not telling. Anyway, I have definitely decided to check out more of this author's works, because I truly am now a fan of her writing and I want to see what else she can whip up.
Author's Bio:
Ciara Knight writes to 'Defy the Dark' with her young adult speculative fiction books. Her most recent Amazon best-seller, Escapement, book 1 of The Neumarian Chronicles, released to acclaimed reviews, securing a Night Owl Top Pick and five stars from InD'Tale Magazine.When not writing, she enjoys reading all types of fiction. Some great literary influences in her life include Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Francine Rivers and J K Rowling.
Her first love, besides her family, reading, and writing, is travel. She's backpacked through Europe, visited orphanages in China, and landed in a helicopter on a glacier in Alaska.
Wow this sounds like a fantastic series to binge read! I love that even though it started off on a bad foot that it really got better from there. I'm glad you kept going even if the first book wasn't that great for you! :) Great review, Kayla!
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to read and review The Neumarian Chornicles. I'm so glad you found yourself engrossed in the story.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you enjoyed the review. I have made it my lifelong mission to never give up on any book, because every story needs a reader.
ReplyDelete