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novelheartbeat's review against another edition
DNF
It causes me physical pain to DNF this book. The cover!! I love it so much! Her eye looks so awesome, and I love the way the font looks. Not to mention that the synopsis sounds amazeballs! This book was one of my most anticipated 2013 releases. That is, until I started seeing the nasty ratings. I heard from many people that the writing quality was middle grade at best. In a way, I'm glad my hopes were squashed down before I picked this up, because I went in with rather low expectations.
I'm afraid I couldn't get past page 90. I wanted so badly to be the black sheep this time, but I'm afraid I share the same opinion as everyone else.
My main issue was the horribly sophomoric writing. This should really have been labeled as MG, not YA. My second issue was all the terms. Freeposts, Kidbons (which I eventually figured out was a bonfire for kids...so original), chaff beacons, and the term 'fletch' (which was used to describe a girl. Hot? Cool? Who knows). Then there was mention of a revolution 19 renegade. What is it? Why the number? What exactly does it entail? It's the title of the book, so I'd think it would warrant an explanation straight off. I hate it when an author uses terms and doesn't explain what they are. It drives me CRAZY. If you give me the gist of it, fine. Or even if I can glean the meaning from context. But when you use it in a sentence and I STILL have no clue what it is...yeah, that's a problem for me.
Re-educated? Is that some sort of brainwashing? Even the main characters didn't know what it was. Wouldn't they think to ask? That would have been the common sense thing to do, when a stranger mentions a term that you've never heard before.
The main reason I wanted to read this book was because of the robots. I thought maybe I could read something else that would be as cool as Partials. But the robots in this book were cheesy. First of all, they were supposed to be super bad guys, but they didn't kill just anyone. No, they had to 'maintain the approved release control group quota' - whatever the hell that means - so they only killed a couple people out of a group. What is the point of that? They were box-like with wheels...I think (I say think because from the shoddy description I don't actually know) they were still supposed to be vaguely human-like, though. It's just that when I think of rolling robots, I think of the dorky police robots in Treasure Planet. Real scary...
Plus every time a robot talked, it was in caps. For some reason, this bothered me. I can't exactly explain why, it just didn't work in the dialogue.
The conversations didn't flow and were too cumbersome to be realistic. When the characters would talk, I kinda zoned out. The characters were all cardboard cutouts, without their own personalities. Plus I found them annoying. Especially Lexi, who kept calling Nick 'rock star.' Seriously, like every page. And there wasn't even a reason for the nickname (that I could see, anyway). Every time she said it, my eye twitched.
Overall, I was bored. Things were happening, but they weren't exciting like they should have been. I just felt 'meh' about the story, the plot, and the characters. Great idea. Not-so-great delivery.
cupcakegirly's review against another edition
5.0
AMAZEBOTS!
What I loved: The synopsis was intriguing and I found myself sucked in from the prologue, THE PROLOGUE! It's not often that a book simultaneously cracks me up and scares the crap out of me at the same time but this one did!
Nick, Cass and Kevin are all strong characters willing to risk their lives to rescue their parents and keep each other safe in the process. Their journey takes them from a peaceful life in the woods into a city run by robots where resistance means "re-education" or worse.
It was refreshing to see that these teens don't back down when they realize the situation is larger than what concerns only them. They work together with their new friends in an effort to do the most good even if it costs them personally.
The mystery surrounding the creator of the bots and the re-education process was interesting and creepy, especially with all the technology we have at our fingertips.
What left me wanting more: Nothing, other than having to wait until Book 2 comes out. I can't wait to find out what happens next!
Favorite Quote:
"Piece of cake," said Kevin. "Nick was the muscle, I was the brains, and Cass played dodgeball."
Final verdict: This is well written, fast paced, action packed and even has mystery and a little romance - something for every reader, including non sci-fi people like me. *smiles*
What I loved: The synopsis was intriguing and I found myself sucked in from the prologue, THE PROLOGUE! It's not often that a book simultaneously cracks me up and scares the crap out of me at the same time but this one did!
Nick, Cass and Kevin are all strong characters willing to risk their lives to rescue their parents and keep each other safe in the process. Their journey takes them from a peaceful life in the woods into a city run by robots where resistance means "re-education" or worse.
It was refreshing to see that these teens don't back down when they realize the situation is larger than what concerns only them. They work together with their new friends in an effort to do the most good even if it costs them personally.
The mystery surrounding the creator of the bots and the re-education process was interesting and creepy, especially with all the technology we have at our fingertips.
What left me wanting more: Nothing, other than having to wait until Book 2 comes out. I can't wait to find out what happens next!
Favorite Quote:
"Piece of cake," said Kevin. "Nick was the muscle, I was the brains, and Cass played dodgeball."
Final verdict: This is well written, fast paced, action packed and even has mystery and a little romance - something for every reader, including non sci-fi people like me. *smiles*
losetimereading's review against another edition
3.0
Revolution 19 is a futuristic dystopian novel that takes place after the robots took over the world. Kevin, Nick & Cass(the three main characters) live in a “free” community in the woods which the survivors from the revolution started to rebuild society. One day the robots suddenly invade the community and the three teens escape. They realize their parents must have been taken to the City, which they have always been told have horrible living conditions and humans are forced to do hard labor. When they arrive though… it’s not what they expect.
The characters in Revolution 19 were just ok. There wasn’t a whole lot of character development so at every moment that it felt like they may potentially die, I found I didn’t really care if they did. Due to the lack of character development I wasn’t able to become emotionally invested in any of them.
One of the things I also had a hard time with was that the city was supposed to be so awful. Honestly I didn’t find that it seemed all that dangerous. You could still basically come and go as you pleased, you had families, went to school, had jobs. Robots basically just served as cops… and you got a bit of a warning if they wanted you to do something. I guess I could see why the citizens may want to leave because it seemed pretty strict with somethings but it really didn’t seem as awful as I believe the author intended you to think it.
One of the reasons I may not have liked it as much as I could have perhaps is that I constantly compared it to Partials. I’m not a huge science fiction reader but I have read(and enjoyed!) Partials and the story is very similar. Unfortunately for this one… Partials is a great deal more action filled with a lot of character development. I thrive on well-rounded characters so without them I felt like it was missing a large part of the story.
Despite all of that, it was a fairly enjoyable read. It was quick paced and easy to get through. I was actually surprised on how quickly I finished. One of the perks is that ends in such a way(abruptly) that you basically need to read the sequel to find out how the story ends. I think the plot holds a lot of potential, I just hope the second novel betters the story.
Overall I gave it a 3. If it sounds interesting to you, pick it up … you may enjoy it. And if this is your first science fiction type of read, I definitely think you may enjoy it because you’d have nothing to compare it to in the genre!
The characters in Revolution 19 were just ok. There wasn’t a whole lot of character development so at every moment that it felt like they may potentially die, I found I didn’t really care if they did. Due to the lack of character development I wasn’t able to become emotionally invested in any of them.
One of the things I also had a hard time with was that the city was supposed to be so awful. Honestly I didn’t find that it seemed all that dangerous. You could still basically come and go as you pleased, you had families, went to school, had jobs. Robots basically just served as cops… and you got a bit of a warning if they wanted you to do something. I guess I could see why the citizens may want to leave because it seemed pretty strict with somethings but it really didn’t seem as awful as I believe the author intended you to think it.
One of the reasons I may not have liked it as much as I could have perhaps is that I constantly compared it to Partials. I’m not a huge science fiction reader but I have read(and enjoyed!) Partials and the story is very similar. Unfortunately for this one… Partials is a great deal more action filled with a lot of character development. I thrive on well-rounded characters so without them I felt like it was missing a large part of the story.
Despite all of that, it was a fairly enjoyable read. It was quick paced and easy to get through. I was actually surprised on how quickly I finished. One of the perks is that ends in such a way(abruptly) that you basically need to read the sequel to find out how the story ends. I think the plot holds a lot of potential, I just hope the second novel betters the story.
Overall I gave it a 3. If it sounds interesting to you, pick it up … you may enjoy it. And if this is your first science fiction type of read, I definitely think you may enjoy it because you’d have nothing to compare it to in the genre!
michelle8731's review against another edition
4.0
I was recommended this book by the HarperCollins EpicReads Team. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it! I'll start out by saying that as far as enjoyment goes, this book is way underrated.
If you enjoyed Terminator Salvation and/or any teen survival movies or books, I think you'd like this book. I really liked the world-building. The concept itself was not necessarily unique, but some of the details were new ideas to me. Basically, humans created robots to fight their wars, but as the robots develop, they are unhappy with their lot and revolt against the humans. The novel begins several years after this event and follows the generation that has only really known the world post-revolution.
The book follows three main characters - siblings - Nick, Cass, and Kevin. In contrast to a lot of other books of the survival nature, there is really no "weak link." Each of the siblings is unique and has different strengths, and I really like that. It gives everyone someone to root for.
My only little complaint about the book is that it's a third-person narrative, which I always find to be harder to connect to. That's not really so much the fault of the book as personal preference however.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys dystopian novels or survival novels (or movies). This book is great for both boys and girls, too!
If you enjoyed Terminator Salvation and/or any teen survival movies or books, I think you'd like this book. I really liked the world-building. The concept itself was not necessarily unique, but some of the details were new ideas to me. Basically, humans created robots to fight their wars, but as the robots develop, they are unhappy with their lot and revolt against the humans. The novel begins several years after this event and follows the generation that has only really known the world post-revolution.
The book follows three main characters - siblings - Nick, Cass, and Kevin. In contrast to a lot of other books of the survival nature, there is really no "weak link." Each of the siblings is unique and has different strengths, and I really like that. It gives everyone someone to root for.
My only little complaint about the book is that it's a third-person narrative, which I always find to be harder to connect to. That's not really so much the fault of the book as personal preference however.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys dystopian novels or survival novels (or movies). This book is great for both boys and girls, too!
siobhan27's review against another edition
3.0
I was very intrigued by this novel. One, because of the cover, and also because it is science fiction and recently I have been really loving this genre. The concept of this story is quite good, one where robots have risen up and taken humans as prisoners in their world. It had the potential to be very political and deal with issues that are very prominent in today's society, but I felt like it fell a little bit short for me.
We start off being introduced to a family that is living in the Wilds, away from what they call The City, where the robots rule. I felt very overwhelmed with the world in the very beginning. There really is no explaining of what anything is or what each character is talking about. It took me a few chapters to get into the swing of things. The action starts very fast and it really doesn't stop throughout the entire book. I felt like it was one action sequence after another with no real character development in between.
I mean the character were funny and a bit sarcastic, especially the siblings but I found that I was searching for something that I could relate to. I wanted to bond with these characters in a way that made my heart race when they were in danger, and when one of them were injured. But unfortunately I did not get to that point. If the book was a bit longer I feel like there would have been more time for character development but alas, I will wait until the next book in the series.
Overall I found the book very entertaining, it kept my interest throughout and I do really want to know what happens, not only to the characters that were met in this book, but also the world that was created. A good read for anyone who loves science fiction with a little bit of dystopia mixed in.
3/5 Stars
We start off being introduced to a family that is living in the Wilds, away from what they call The City, where the robots rule. I felt very overwhelmed with the world in the very beginning. There really is no explaining of what anything is or what each character is talking about. It took me a few chapters to get into the swing of things. The action starts very fast and it really doesn't stop throughout the entire book. I felt like it was one action sequence after another with no real character development in between.
I mean the character were funny and a bit sarcastic, especially the siblings but I found that I was searching for something that I could relate to. I wanted to bond with these characters in a way that made my heart race when they were in danger, and when one of them were injured. But unfortunately I did not get to that point. If the book was a bit longer I feel like there would have been more time for character development but alas, I will wait until the next book in the series.
Overall I found the book very entertaining, it kept my interest throughout and I do really want to know what happens, not only to the characters that were met in this book, but also the world that was created. A good read for anyone who loves science fiction with a little bit of dystopia mixed in.
3/5 Stars
untitledfornow's review against another edition
4.0
I devoured it. Like enough said for me. Looking forward to book 2
torilou's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
deann_f's review against another edition
3.0
Quick, easy read. Intrigued enough to want to read the next book. Felt, maybe, a little underdeveloped.
azura_moonstar8's review against another edition
5.0
Omg this book is freaking amazing!!!!
Review to come! Need to sleep! It's 2:30am! lol
*Update*
Now that I've gotten some sleep... my brain is sort of functioning properly. Revolution 19 was unlike most books I've read in the last little while. There was some action, a bit of romance, and some great plots. Three siblings are left to fight on their own after their Freepost is destroyed by the robots. They get separated from their parents and friends and have to try and save them so they sneak their way into the city where a whole lot of obstacles get in their way.
The writing was really great and I found myself instantly connected with the characters and the story itself. I think reading this book in like 25 hours says something about it, wouldn't you say so?
I do like how Gregg Rosenblum created the world they live in and the way the robots function and how he went into detail about the robot revolution. I actually felt like I was living inside the book with Cass, Kevin, Nick and the rest of the characters. I could feel their emotions as if I were experiencing them myself. By the end of the book, I was on the verge of tears! This almost never happens to me! I really wanna find out if there will be more to this story because I absolutely loved it!
Review to come! Need to sleep! It's 2:30am! lol
*Update*
Now that I've gotten some sleep... my brain is sort of functioning properly. Revolution 19 was unlike most books I've read in the last little while. There was some action, a bit of romance, and some great plots. Three siblings are left to fight on their own after their Freepost is destroyed by the robots. They get separated from their parents and friends and have to try and save them so they sneak their way into the city where a whole lot of obstacles get in their way.
The writing was really great and I found myself instantly connected with the characters and the story itself. I think reading this book in like 25 hours says something about it, wouldn't you say so?
I do like how Gregg Rosenblum created the world they live in and the way the robots function and how he went into detail about the robot revolution. I actually felt like I was living inside the book with Cass, Kevin, Nick and the rest of the characters. I could feel their emotions as if I were experiencing them myself. By the end of the book, I was on the verge of tears! This almost never happens to me! I really wanna find out if there will be more to this story because I absolutely loved it!