kerilynnxo's review against another edition
3.0
Well, let's see. I more or less enjoyed this book. The pacing was good, and I liked some of the characters. I guess. I just had a lot of problems with this book. There was a LOT of repetition. (Not nearly as much as Book #2, though.) Shaun wants to punch people in the face every five seconds. And Coke. So much Coke. I liked the story line, but I feel like you could poke holes in it if you sat down and tried. (Not that I'm in the habit of poking holes into stories - if it entertains, it entertains.) When I read the first book I was impressed with the ability of the author to pull me in even though there was a huge lack of zombies. But after finishing the third book - I feel like maybe I didn't read a zombie series at all. Really. It needed more zombies.
I'm not trying to be that critical though. It was a good book - I wanted to keep reading it. That's all I really ask out of a book anyways. I would recommend - but only to people who like zombie lit.
I'm not trying to be that critical though. It was a good book - I wanted to keep reading it. That's all I really ask out of a book anyways. I would recommend - but only to people who like zombie lit.
bookishsix's review against another edition
3.0
2.75 - spoilers!!!
Well that series went downhill fast. First book was fantastic, second book was good though a few eye rolls from the behavior of the narrator, and third book was just annoying with repetition of story explanations and an “incestuous” relationship that the narrator says we should have seen coming even though the same narrator told us it wasn’t possible in the first book. I mean, I get they aren’t blood related, but they kept referring to each other as brother and sister even after it’s revealed....and that’s uncomfortable
Well that series went downhill fast. First book was fantastic, second book was good though a few eye rolls from the behavior of the narrator, and third book was just annoying with repetition of story explanations and an “incestuous” relationship that the narrator says we should have seen coming even though the same narrator told us it wasn’t possible in the first book. I mean, I get they aren’t blood related, but they kept referring to each other as brother and sister even after it’s revealed....and that’s uncomfortable
crsfoto's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
briar_rose_reads's review against another edition
2.0
I liked "Feed" a lot, even though it had some problems (such as the repetition mentioned by many other reviewers, and extremely one-dimensional villains), and even though Mira Grant is coming from a different political perspective than I am. The way it ended was completely unexpected and, in my opinion, took it to the next level, despite the flaws.
Then came book two. And I liked it, mostly. Shaun was a complete asshole, to everyone, but I understood that, for the same reason I understood Katniss Everdeen's behavior in "Mockingjay." Trauma does things to people, and it usually isn't pretty. But the way that book ended... well, to say I'm disappointed that Grant undid the one truly gutsy thing she'd accomplished in this series is a bit of an understatement.
Still, I figured I'd give "Blackout" a try. And what I found was:
-The plot, always thin, has devolved into something my four-year-old nephew would find nonsensical.
-Not only did Grant undo George's death, she did it for no reason that could ever in a million years actually make sense.
-And, for me, the crowning moment of disgust and disappointment... INCEST! Which we are expected to accept as normal and even sweet! I suppose some people are fine with it since George and Shaun aren't biologically related, but... no. They were raised as brother and sister, they still present themselves and refer to each other as brother and sister.
I find myself now wishing I had stopped after "Feed," that I had never known the rest of the series existed.
Then came book two. And I liked it, mostly. Shaun was a complete asshole, to everyone, but I understood that, for the same reason I understood Katniss Everdeen's behavior in "Mockingjay." Trauma does things to people, and it usually isn't pretty. But the way that book ended... well, to say I'm disappointed that Grant undid the one truly gutsy thing she'd accomplished in this series is a bit of an understatement.
Still, I figured I'd give "Blackout" a try. And what I found was:
-The plot, always thin, has devolved into something my four-year-old nephew would find nonsensical.
-Not only did Grant undo George's death, she did it for no reason that could ever in a million years actually make sense.
-And, for me, the crowning moment of disgust and disappointment... INCEST! Which we are expected to accept as normal and even sweet! I suppose some people are fine with it since George and Shaun aren't biologically related, but... no. They were raised as brother and sister, they still present themselves and refer to each other as brother and sister.
I find myself now wishing I had stopped after "Feed," that I had never known the rest of the series existed.
odinblindeye's review against another edition
4.0
The conclusion of this trilogy was cool, but had some logistical issues and deus ex machina to wrap things up. I'd have liked this series to continue, since the last book felt like the ending was rushed.
baearthur's review against another edition
3.0
Meh - don't love the "twist" in the middle of the book. Not a terribly satisfying end to an otherwise intriguing series.
thepermageek's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book pulled absolutely no punches. I’m not kidding when I say that within the final 200 pages there were prob only a handful (ie: 15) that were dedicated to “down time/transition” scenes. The other 185 pages was breakneck thriller pedal to the metal action!
theflowerwitch's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
annelives's review against another edition
4.0
The last installment had a lot more action and had more science fiction elements than the previous two. Probably why I liked this one best, even with all the improbable Sci-Fi elements. I also like endings and this tied up the series nicely.Of course the first and second, more Feed than Deadline, evoked more emotion, but all three had varying degrees of suspense and horror.
This series is one of the best zombie stories I've read, mainly because while there are zombies they aren't really the story. Most zombie books are crap, so this was a nice change.
I still think all the books could have been shorter, but it was worth it. And the best part is that I did get a kind of happy ending. Sort of. I love happy endings, so I was surprised to find even a sorta kinda one in a book with zombies.
This series is one of the best zombie stories I've read, mainly because while there are zombies they aren't really the story. Most zombie books are crap, so this was a nice change.
I still think all the books could have been shorter, but it was worth it. And the best part is that I did get a kind of happy ending. Sort of. I love happy endings, so I was surprised to find even a sorta kinda one in a book with zombies.
sarsev's review against another edition
3.0
Blackout is a fitting end to the Newsflesh series, and anyone who enjoyed the first two books will undoubtedly enjoy this one - especially if Deadline was your favorite. This installment is similar to deadline, both in tone and in the plot format of the characters traveling from makeshift sanctuary to makeshift sanctuary and accumulating clues along the way.
It's enjoyable. Not as good as Feed, in my opinion (as that was my favorite book in this series), but enjoyable. Somewhere mid-way between three and four stars, if I had to give it a star rating. We see the return of a handful of characters who were essential in the first book but absent in the second, the conspiracies that we all figured were bubbling under the surface come to light, and our crew of primary characters does they best they can to uncover the truth and stay alive, to varrying results on both counts.
Things I Liked
- Resolution to the major storylines in the series. Not every loose end is resolved, but most are.
- The After the End Times crew. Maggie is probably my favorite, but Alaric and Mahir are close seconds.
-.
- The return of characters from Feed who had been absent in Deadline.
- The Epilogue/Final Chapter.
- The science, as always. This series is really, really well researched.
Things I Didn't Like
- The fact that the shifting POV chapters only got headings telling you who was talking about halfway through. Georgia and Shaun's narrative voices are different enough that I could tell who was talking without the labels - but if the labels telling me who was narrating this chapter were going to appear at all, they should have started at the beginning, not just when Shaun and Georgia finally cross paths. This would have avoided some confusion in the first few lines of each new chapter (Like, why is Shaun in the CDC? Oh, wait. He isn't).
- The incest angle. I know they aren't technically related, but they still refer to each other as brother and sister. I feel like this series would have worked just as well, and their codependent relationship would have been just as deep and important without the romantic angle.
-
- The pacing. Much like Deadline, this book struggles from not having something as clear-cut as a presidential campaign to drive the plot forward, so we spend long stretches of time without much movement. (Last book, these stretches took place at Maggie's house and Abbey's lab. Now, they're just in Abbey's lab and the Agora hotel. They have the same effect of slowing down plot momentum).
Overall, it's a good end to the series. If you liked the other two books, particularly the second one, Blackout is definitely worthwhile.
It's enjoyable. Not as good as Feed, in my opinion (as that was my favorite book in this series), but enjoyable. Somewhere mid-way between three and four stars, if I had to give it a star rating. We see the return of a handful of characters who were essential in the first book but absent in the second, the conspiracies that we all figured were bubbling under the surface come to light, and our crew of primary characters does they best they can to uncover the truth and stay alive, to varrying results on both counts.
Things I Liked
- Resolution to the major storylines in the series. Not every loose end is resolved, but most are.
- The After the End Times crew. Maggie is probably my favorite, but Alaric and Mahir are close seconds.
-
Spoiler
The fact that the clone Georgia struggles with her identity. She is not Georgia, but she also is. Her struggle with knowing that she both is and is not herself helped me accept her return, because it managed not to erase the impact of Georgia's death in the first book. Georgia died. This new Georgia is not exactly the same person, and sometimes reacts differently to things. It's an interesting and complicated difference.- The return of characters from Feed who had been absent in Deadline.
- The Epilogue/Final Chapter.
Spoiler
I liked shifting the narration to Mahir. Also, I love that Maggie and Alaric are getting married.- The science, as always. This series is really, really well researched.
Things I Didn't Like
- The fact that the shifting POV chapters only got headings telling you who was talking about halfway through. Georgia and Shaun's narrative voices are different enough that I could tell who was talking without the labels - but if the labels telling me who was narrating this chapter were going to appear at all, they should have started at the beginning, not just when Shaun and Georgia finally cross paths. This would have avoided some confusion in the first few lines of each new chapter (Like, why is Shaun in the CDC? Oh, wait. He isn't).
- The incest angle. I know they aren't technically related, but they still refer to each other as brother and sister. I feel like this series would have worked just as well, and their codependent relationship would have been just as deep and important without the romantic angle.
-
Spoiler
Becks's death. It didn't feel necessary to me, besides maybe for the purpose of upping the body count in regards to our primary characters. But still, it felt pretty senseless.- The pacing. Much like Deadline, this book struggles from not having something as clear-cut as a presidential campaign to drive the plot forward, so we spend long stretches of time without much movement. (Last book, these stretches took place at Maggie's house and Abbey's lab. Now, they're just in Abbey's lab and the Agora hotel. They have the same effect of slowing down plot momentum).
Overall, it's a good end to the series. If you liked the other two books, particularly the second one, Blackout is definitely worthwhile.