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Book Review: Power of Six (Lorien Legacies #2)

Normally, the sequel of a book sometimes turns out terrible than its first book. It must have been the storyline or the characters that gives the book its downside. Or maybe, readers expects too much from it, that the author sometimes fail to give their readers what they want in the story. Normally, if the first book fails to impress its readers, it is sometimes difficult to cling to the second book. What if the sequel is worst than the first? Then it would be a waste of reader’s time and effort in reading the story, a disappointment to the book and the author.

But Power of Six was different.

Synopsis: I’ve seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he’s a mystery. But to me … he’s one of us. 

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We’re hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another … but our Legacies are developing, and soon we’ll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I’ve been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together? 

They caught Number One in Malaysia. 
Number Two in England. 
And Number Three in Kenya. 
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed. 

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive. 

And I’m ready to fight.

1. I was going to give this book an outstanding rating, but there was one little thing that bothered me when reading the book. I hated John Smith’s part of narration. Two authors wrote this book, and I think one author wrote Marina’s part of the story, while the other did John’s. I enjoyed Marina’s narration, in part because the writing was perfect. It showed her true emotions and personalities. For once, I got mad to her Cepan, fell in love with Hector, and acted like an older sibling to Ella. Her narrations let you dig deeper into her feelings, as though Marina was speaking directly to you. When reading John Smith’s part of narration, I thought it was dull. Nothing in his story seemed to impressed me. His emotions were a bit childish and cheesy, I felt like he didn’t have a good connection to his friends. I enjoyed Six and Sam’s presence in the story though. I wished I could have pushed John Smith’s true persona ever more. 

2. I was very disappointed after reading book one. It had an unfinished ending. More secrets were hidden than the story itself. But more answers were unraveled in book 2. I felt relieved to find out what actually happened during the Mogadorian invasion in Lorien. It was a great foundation to the story. If the history of the invasion was placed in book 1, I think it would have made the first book a thousand times better. But overall, I loved it that the authors introduced that sub-plot earlier in the story, than cramming it in the end.

3. Action-filled sequences, plus a taste of twists and mysteries. I loved it when books were slow in the beginning, then they hasten up as story progresses. That’s what happened to me when reading Power of Six. I loved the final chapters. Not only did they contain vivid action-fights and wonderful writing, but they also contained plots, mysteries, and conclusions to keep the story better. The pacing was very-well done!

4. The characters were excellent! Sarah’s betrayal was shocking. I actually cared most of the characters in  book 2 than in book 1. Well, except John Smith. I still think his narration and character could have been better. If I could choose a protagonist for the series, I would choose Marina, Sam, or Six. I did not expect the antagonist in the end. Book 3 is going to be awesome!

5. Lastly, the plot was amazing! For once, I thought it was going to be dull than book 1. But this book changed all of my expectations. There were more information mentioned about Cepans, the Chests, Pittacus Lore, the alien worlds, and the other Loriens. I wanted to know more about each of their powers. I wanted to know more about their personal stories. I wished the last book is going to be longer. I can’t wait!

Rating 4/5 stars! A must-read if you finished book 1 and was disappointed by it!

thisguywrites:

Book Bucket List 29: Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars (Skyship Academy #1)

I’ve been waiting to read this book ever since I read the synopsis on Goodreads. The dystopian world seemed very different from the other books I’ve read, especially The Hunger Games and Divergent. I wanted to buy this book, but I had to make sure that the story, characters, and plot were worth the money. After reading the first page online, I thought that the beginning was super slow. I had several doubts. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t get pass the first page. I had to set aside this book for a while and wait until the right moment comes. Finally, after several weeks, I went to Barnes & Noble and found myself staring at this book for quite some time.  I told myself, “If I get past the first chapter, then I’m buying this book.”

Five minutes later, I was walking out of the store with excitement on my face, holding the Skyship Academy in my hand.

(Note: It always take a lot of time for me to write a synopsis for my review, so I’ll just copy and paste it from Goodreads)

Synopsis: A devastated Earth’s last hope is found in Pearls: small, mysterious orbs that fall from space and are capable of supplying enough energy to power entire cities. Battling to control the Pearls are the Skyship dwellers—political dissidents who live in massive ships in the Earth’s stratosphere—and the corrupt Surface government.

Jesse Fisher, a Skyship slacker, and Cassius Stevenson, a young Surface operative, cross paths when they both venture into forbidden territory in pursuit of Pearls. Their chance encounter triggers an unexpected reaction, endowing each boy with remarkable—and dangerous—abilities that their respective governments would stop at nothing to possess.

 
Enemies thrust together with a common goal, Jesse and Cassius make their way to the ruins of Seattle to uncover the truth about their new powers, the past they didn’t know they shared, and a shocking secret about the Pearls.

1. After reading The Hunger Games and Divergent, I thought that this book was the most structured and most creative out of the three. While reading the book, I could tell that Nick James took his time on creating this magnificent and futuristic world very carefully.The world was very different and new. The government was corrupt and divided. America is now called the Unified Party, divided into 50 Chosen Cities to protect its citizens from chemical substances caused from the war and bombings. Unless you cannot pay the taxes, you are forced to live outside, the Fringes. There were so many things I wanted to know about this dystopian world. It felt like I was actually living in it. I hope that Nick James would reveal more information about the war, bombings, pearls, the sky-ships, and what happened to other nations.

2. The plot was very fast-paced and easy to read. I wished Nick James could have toned it down a little, but the approach was fantastic. It would have made the story dull if a different style was used.

3. The action, the suspense, the mystery. They were all written in a perfect way. I wished I could create a story in an action-packed, fast-paced way, yet still maintaining the imaginative detail that makes a story real. I salute Nick James for creating, not just a wonderful story, but a very different planet and futuristic Earth.

4. The characters felt real from the start. Each of them had their own stories. Nick James did not just put a character in his book as a placeholder. None of them were ever a supporting character. I love it when authors introduce a character from the book, and 5 chapters later, they become an important part in the story. Nick James did not waste time in his own idea. The story seemed organized and very well planned. I hope they’ll be more characters in the next book, then I’ll be wondering what their roles would be while reading the book.

5. I really did not expect the ending. It was so different. I thought that Nick James would have delve into another story, but it was also creative indeed. I wanted to know more about the planets outside Earth, the history and creation of Pearls, and the wars that happened years ago before this story started. I can’t wait for the sequel, Crimson Rising! 

For Nick James, I think this book deserved a 5/5 stars. Knowing that this was his first published book, the story was excellent.

Check out my Goodreads account and my 2011 reading challenge!

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