Review: Illuminae

 

 

Series: The Illuminae Files_01
Authors: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Edition: Hardcover, 599 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Published October 20, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra — who are barely even talking to each other — are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents — including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more — Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

All I can say is wow. This book is unlike others that I have read so far. This book is beautiful outside and inside (what I meant by that are the jacket and its naked cover). Next week, on the 18th, is the release of Gemina, the 2nd book of the Illuminae Files. Get it. It has illustrations by Marie Lu! 

I first heard, I believe in the same video that I mentioned on my Six of Crows review, by JessetheReader’s video. He was explaining what Illuminae is all about, showed us the naked version, the jacket of the cover, and some pages inside. Like Six of Crows, I had to have it. It has grabbed me. That day after I saw the video, I went to Barnes & Noble, immediately brought it, and read it. 

It follows Kady and Ezra. They were exes. They just broke up on that ironic day where a ship from space blew up the illegal mining colony on Kerenza that they were living in. At the end, Kady went to a science vessel – Hypatia and Ezra to the United Terran Authority’s battle carrier Alexander along with Copernicus. They were trying to reach Heimdall but there is a ship, Lincoln kept trying to prevent that from happening. While they are dealing with Lincoln, they are also dealing with a virus that was spreading around and it made them into zombies and having an AI going crazy on you is not helping either. I do not want to say anymore because it is so easy to spoil and you have to read it to see what I am trying to say (I am trying to figure out how to do a spoiler tag so it would be easier for people to choose to read them or not).

The writing is so well blended. I believe that Amie wrote Kady’s parts while Jay wrote Erza’s. Not sure on other characters, or even AIDAN. You cannot tell the difference on who wrote who. It is steady. One thing I do like about this book, it has profanity cunningly redacted – I am all for cursing but it just works in this book. It is similar to how the government would do with their own reports (they would redact certain information). 

With the format that they use, I was concerned on how they would make the book flow because it is packed with dossiers – emails, IMs, reports from everyone, descriptions of the videos, and goes on. This book is big, yes, however, it is a fast read. Full of action packed. There are twists. Once you think it is going down a certain path… *BAM* A TWIST! I do have a favorite page and it is not easy to pick one. There is so many. It is page 289. The ending, dude. It made me wonder how they would start Gemina.

Since I am deaf so I won’t know otherwise BUT I have heard the audiobook for this book is out of the world, and yes, I did that on purpose. They have mentioned that it sounds like a radio show. Wicked! I may be wrong but I think there is music as well. I am a proud Deaf person, don’t get me wrong but I truly do wish I could listen to this audiobook because it sounds magnificent. 

Movie Rights: the book got picked up by Brad Pitt and Plan B Entertainment. I am so curious about how they would make it work with the format that the book came in. Especially with few designs that are just art. I am very curious on the set designs and the outfits.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

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