farhanac's review
5.0
I received Earth-Sim to review as part of Jade Kerrion’s Earth-Sim Virtural Book Tour.
How much I enjoyed the book: 10/10
How good the book was: 9/10
There’s not really much for me to say about this one so if you want the short review: This is one of the best books I’ve read recently and I am beyond excited for the next instalment!
But if you’re looking for a bit more than that, read on!
The story is unique to anything I’ve previously read and I can’t even emphasise how BIG of a deal that is to me! Once I’d finished reading I was left stunned, wondering what to say and how to categorise what I’d just read. A couple of years ago, I resigned myself to the fact that I will rarely find a book (particularly anything resembling a young adult) capable of actually stunning me; Earth-Sim is one of these rarities.
Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I read early into the wee hours until my eyes were forcing themselves shut. As soon as I’d got the minimal amount of sleep and could keep my eyes at least half-open I was reading again! The plot itself is rather complex and takes place in a world in which Earth exists as a primitive simulation planet in a universe amongst many. In contrast, the writing is not complicated. Jade doesn’t throw in more science than necessary and even then she explains it all without seeming patronising. Personally, this had the effect of allowing me to feel a lot more familiar with the world (or should I say Galaxy? I’ve always been a horrible Physicist!) our protagonists live in.
Whilst I fell for the plot within minutes, I’m not as attached to the characters quite yet. Jem and Kir are sweethearts (I need them to be together!!!!) and I want to love them in the obsessive way that I usually fall for my protagonist but for some reason it hasn’t happened yet.
I don’t really have any negatives about the book to expose (hooray!) though I do have a bone to pick with the cover. I definitely judge a book by its cover and the vagueness I saw with Earth-Sim’s cover did little to stimulate my imagination. There’s nothing “wrong” with it per se, but it doesn’t give an accurate representation of the awesomeness that is to come.
How much I enjoyed the book: 10/10
How good the book was: 9/10
There’s not really much for me to say about this one so if you want the short review: This is one of the best books I’ve read recently and I am beyond excited for the next instalment!
But if you’re looking for a bit more than that, read on!
The story is unique to anything I’ve previously read and I can’t even emphasise how BIG of a deal that is to me! Once I’d finished reading I was left stunned, wondering what to say and how to categorise what I’d just read. A couple of years ago, I resigned myself to the fact that I will rarely find a book (particularly anything resembling a young adult) capable of actually stunning me; Earth-Sim is one of these rarities.
Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I read early into the wee hours until my eyes were forcing themselves shut. As soon as I’d got the minimal amount of sleep and could keep my eyes at least half-open I was reading again! The plot itself is rather complex and takes place in a world in which Earth exists as a primitive simulation planet in a universe amongst many. In contrast, the writing is not complicated. Jade doesn’t throw in more science than necessary and even then she explains it all without seeming patronising. Personally, this had the effect of allowing me to feel a lot more familiar with the world (or should I say Galaxy? I’ve always been a horrible Physicist!) our protagonists live in.
Whilst I fell for the plot within minutes, I’m not as attached to the characters quite yet. Jem and Kir are sweethearts (I need them to be together!!!!) and I want to love them in the obsessive way that I usually fall for my protagonist but for some reason it hasn’t happened yet.
I don’t really have any negatives about the book to expose (hooray!) though I do have a bone to pick with the cover. I definitely judge a book by its cover and the vagueness I saw with Earth-Sim’s cover did little to stimulate my imagination. There’s nothing “wrong” with it per se, but it doesn’t give an accurate representation of the awesomeness that is to come.
hdbblog's review
4.0
Earth-Sim A huge thank you to Jade Kerrion for reminding me of why I love the genre of Science Fiction so much! I loved Earth-Sim from the very first page, mainly because of the intelligent and immersing way that it was written. Suspend disbelief for a minute and imagine that our world is actually controlled by beings much like us. In fact, those beings are growing our world as a school competition. One well placed sneeze, one accidental bump, and our world falls into chaos. This is what Jade Kerrion builds in Earth-Sim.
I need to profess my adoration for both Jem and Kir as characters. They start out as two very different people with varying opinions on what their project really means. However as the book goes on, as they see the impact they have on their world (our world) they grow, compromise, and learn to work together. The layers of character building also deserve applause. Jem is more than what she seems and, although they'll be no spoilers here, it's interesting to discover the underlying motivations behind her decisions. I was a little saddened by the lack of romance, but then again that really wasn't what the story was focused on.
What the story was focused on was written gorgeously. Kerrion uses each chapter to slowly unravel the history of the world, and find wonderfully inventive ways to explain how we ended up where we are now. The emotions in this book are palpable, and I felt for Jem and Kir as they tried to navigate their way through being the parents of a whole planet. It was fascinating to watch history take place as they toyed with the various settings. One could almost believe that there is truth behind this story.
Now a note to the reader, this is actually a very accessible Science Fiction novel. I've read stories so full of jargon that I was lost despite my love of this genre. Earth-Sim is the perfect mix of contemporary story and Sci Fi elements. Kudos to Jade Kerrion for mastering this very tricky balance. I highly recommend you give this book a spot on your reading list. As the synopsis says, you might finally find someone to blame for the shape our world is in.
I need to profess my adoration for both Jem and Kir as characters. They start out as two very different people with varying opinions on what their project really means. However as the book goes on, as they see the impact they have on their world (our world) they grow, compromise, and learn to work together. The layers of character building also deserve applause. Jem is more than what she seems and, although they'll be no spoilers here, it's interesting to discover the underlying motivations behind her decisions. I was a little saddened by the lack of romance, but then again that really wasn't what the story was focused on.
What the story was focused on was written gorgeously. Kerrion uses each chapter to slowly unravel the history of the world, and find wonderfully inventive ways to explain how we ended up where we are now. The emotions in this book are palpable, and I felt for Jem and Kir as they tried to navigate their way through being the parents of a whole planet. It was fascinating to watch history take place as they toyed with the various settings. One could almost believe that there is truth behind this story.
Now a note to the reader, this is actually a very accessible Science Fiction novel. I've read stories so full of jargon that I was lost despite my love of this genre. Earth-Sim is the perfect mix of contemporary story and Sci Fi elements. Kudos to Jade Kerrion for mastering this very tricky balance. I highly recommend you give this book a spot on your reading list. As the synopsis says, you might finally find someone to blame for the shape our world is in.
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