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ekpickell's review
3.0
Ok, so I've read 3 books in this series in two days. Each book is like a two hour read for me. It's like Battlestar Gallactica (although not as good) for 13 year olds. I think I keep reading them because I'm kind of getting into Science Fiction lately. The characters are all pretty static and not interesting and they all are tokens of a specific country. On one level it's nice to have varied types of people but it is so contrived that it seems just awkward. That being said, I keep reading these books and I hope these kids can make it past the Kuiper Belt and to Eros. Solid 2.5 for the series thus far.
sangloup's review
5.0
Book Nerd Your Way 2021... Book #28
Now the trouble is both outside and inside that ship. They have to use the Cassini to get through the Kuiper Belt that will definitely kill them without some assistance. But this costs a fair toll one of the Council. And Tensions are high among the crew when a highly charismatic boy starts a division among the crew and pits people agains the council.
Now the trouble is both outside and inside that ship. They have to use the Cassini to get through the Kuiper Belt that will definitely kill them without some assistance. But this costs a fair toll one of the Council. And Tensions are high among the crew when a highly charismatic boy starts a division among the crew and pits people agains the council.
reader_fictions's review
1.0
I never particularly liked this series, and my patience for it has just continued to wane. The only reason I went this far is that I had an ARC of this book, so I felt compelled to read it. These books might be good for reluctant readers perhaps. That is the biggest problem actually. These teens are supposed to be the smartest ones that earth had to offer, and yet they really do not come off as particularly intelligent.
There is a lot of time spent on romantic drama, which was, unfortunately, the most interesting part. And yet, it wasn't very interesting. No good stuff ever happens; people just whine about how they're confused. Ugh! I really don't know which is worse: couples who are absurdly in love/obsession or people who can't make up their mind who they like/what to do about who they like.
These books aren't the worst things I've ever read, but they are pretty boring and there's just nothing special in them. The characterization is lousy, with one-dimensional characters, the comic relief (Roc, the computer) fails, actually irritating the crap out of me instead of lightening the mood, and the dangers do not worry the reader, as it is so obvious that Testa has no intention of killing anyone off. You're writing a dystopian series, dude, so it cannot be all sunshine and kittens!
There is a lot of time spent on romantic drama, which was, unfortunately, the most interesting part. And yet, it wasn't very interesting. No good stuff ever happens; people just whine about how they're confused. Ugh! I really don't know which is worse: couples who are absurdly in love/obsession or people who can't make up their mind who they like/what to do about who they like.
These books aren't the worst things I've ever read, but they are pretty boring and there's just nothing special in them. The characterization is lousy, with one-dimensional characters, the comic relief (Roc, the computer) fails, actually irritating the crap out of me instead of lightening the mood, and the dangers do not worry the reader, as it is so obvious that Testa has no intention of killing anyone off. You're writing a dystopian series, dude, so it cannot be all sunshine and kittens!
prationality's review
4.0
In Web of the Titan the teen crew of the Galahad was faced off with an obstacle no one had thought to take into account: an alien presence. Though it was eventually ruled that what the “Cassini” (as the alien intelligence was dubbed) had been causing to happen–the heightened intelligence and physical prowess in Bon, the fluctuation in the Galahad‘s engine–were unintentional side effects of them trying to help fix what they viewed as problems, lingering questions remained.
Questions that bite the poor Council in the butt this time around.
Previously the problems the Council faced were of the “outside” nature. Though the rest of the crew had voiced various problems, seven months into the journey the crew seemed to be working well together. And then Merit starts his speechifying. Merit is kind of like a Glenn Beck; he has valid concerns and questions to the higher authorities, but he prefers to criticize and draw upon basic human fears to keep an audience’s attention.
I kind of understood where Merit was coming from; rumors being what they will, the Cassini sound like the heaven-sent miracle everyone was waiting for. As Merit said “…as we know [it], they’re in the business of fixing things.” Why wouldn’t they want to fix Bhaktul’s Disease if they had the power to? The rest of his actions, and insinuations however, rankled. He was like a vulture, or the snake in the Garden of Eden. He twisted everything around until no one trusted anyone.
Meanwhile unexplainable malfunctions in the heating system have been causing Gap endless frustrations as he tries everything under the (proverbial) sun to get it working again. Then, too, his feelings have begun to somersault again. He’s three months into a relationship with Hannah, but he can’t help but still feel the stirrings of something for Triana. When a major piece of machinery suddenly goes dead, Gap is left reeling and insecure.
Lita faces her first major medical undertaking since they boarded the ship seven months ago, and Bon has to face his own problems, both with what the Cassini did to him and what he’s going to do about Triana. Triana had many of the same problems she’s had in the last two books–uncertainty about her future with Bon and insecurities about her role as leader. To be truthful I’m a little tired of Triana constantly questioning herself, getting a pep talk in the form of a pre-recorded video from Dr. Zimmerman, and then realizing she can do this. Triana is a great leader, but if every time a crisis happens she begins to severely doubt herself, a time is going to come when she doesn’t find the solution. That time was almost this crisis with Merit.
The discussion about the Cassini was probably the most interesting to me. After a second encounter with them, the Council contemplates the exact nature of the Cassini’s help. And their belief about the solar system.
This book felt a lot more jam-packed than either of the two previous volumes. Between the discussion about the Cassini, Merit’s campaign, relationship dramas and the external threat of the Kuiper Belt, Testa seemed to be crowding the storyline a bit. The resolution to Merit was quick and mostly based on a bluff, and guesswork. Gap’s internal struggles reach an uncomfortable level, and he makes a decision I feel he is going to regret (several, actually); meanwhile Triana worries over Bon liking the connection to the Cassini too much (though I’m not certain where she came by this conclusion), and another crew member becomes special thanks to the Cassini’s involvement.
I feel rather bad for Galahad–on the one hand, Merit’s right, not even a year out and they’ve had three major crisis that nearly killed them all. On the other, these kids were not fully prepared, at all, for anything. Super smart? Yes. More mature than most teens they’re age? Without a doubt. Truly prepared for this mission? I’m starting to have my doubts.
Questions that bite the poor Council in the butt this time around.
Previously the problems the Council faced were of the “outside” nature. Though the rest of the crew had voiced various problems, seven months into the journey the crew seemed to be working well together. And then Merit starts his speechifying. Merit is kind of like a Glenn Beck; he has valid concerns and questions to the higher authorities, but he prefers to criticize and draw upon basic human fears to keep an audience’s attention.
I kind of understood where Merit was coming from; rumors being what they will, the Cassini sound like the heaven-sent miracle everyone was waiting for. As Merit said “…as we know [it], they’re in the business of fixing things.” Why wouldn’t they want to fix Bhaktul’s Disease if they had the power to? The rest of his actions, and insinuations however, rankled. He was like a vulture, or the snake in the Garden of Eden. He twisted everything around until no one trusted anyone.
Meanwhile unexplainable malfunctions in the heating system have been causing Gap endless frustrations as he tries everything under the (proverbial) sun to get it working again. Then, too, his feelings have begun to somersault again. He’s three months into a relationship with Hannah, but he can’t help but still feel the stirrings of something for Triana. When a major piece of machinery suddenly goes dead, Gap is left reeling and insecure.
Lita faces her first major medical undertaking since they boarded the ship seven months ago, and Bon has to face his own problems, both with what the Cassini did to him and what he’s going to do about Triana. Triana had many of the same problems she’s had in the last two books–uncertainty about her future with Bon and insecurities about her role as leader. To be truthful I’m a little tired of Triana constantly questioning herself, getting a pep talk in the form of a pre-recorded video from Dr. Zimmerman, and then realizing she can do this. Triana is a great leader, but if every time a crisis happens she begins to severely doubt herself, a time is going to come when she doesn’t find the solution. That time was almost this crisis with Merit.
The discussion about the Cassini was probably the most interesting to me. After a second encounter with them, the Council contemplates the exact nature of the Cassini’s help. And their belief about the solar system.
This book felt a lot more jam-packed than either of the two previous volumes. Between the discussion about the Cassini, Merit’s campaign, relationship dramas and the external threat of the Kuiper Belt, Testa seemed to be crowding the storyline a bit. The resolution to Merit was quick and mostly based on a bluff, and guesswork. Gap’s internal struggles reach an uncomfortable level, and he makes a decision I feel he is going to regret (several, actually); meanwhile Triana worries over Bon liking the connection to the Cassini too much (though I’m not certain where she came by this conclusion), and another crew member becomes special thanks to the Cassini’s involvement.
I feel rather bad for Galahad–on the one hand, Merit’s right, not even a year out and they’ve had three major crisis that nearly killed them all. On the other, these kids were not fully prepared, at all, for anything. Super smart? Yes. More mature than most teens they’re age? Without a doubt. Truly prepared for this mission? I’m starting to have my doubts.
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