queenoftoads's review against another edition
3.0
It was a hard slog getting through this final book in the Earth End Saga. It tried so very hard to be clever. The writing was accessible, though repetitive. It isn't that the idea wasn't fun, it was. I was compelled to get to the end to see where it went, if it really was aliens or some other clever twist. It was just a lot of hard work to get there. A lot of the time I wished that the three books had been compressed into one bigger one, or even two.
Some of the problems, as I see them, from the beginning of the series are:
The characters made some impossible leaps of logic. From the beginning of book one the characters would make connections that were impossible. I'm not a linguist, but Ben seemed to be able to learn an entire language from a few words and a couple of google searches. That there is only the beginning. Some of the leaps were akin to going, 'oh, hey, there's a butterfly on that there rose, so that means walruses are the reason for global warming!'.
Caitlin. Caitlin is a b***h. She's arrogant, rude, and entitled. There are moments when Ben, the guy she has dragged along behind her like a sad puppy for years, tries to speak to her, and she flat out ignores him. He could say 'hello' and she'd look at him like he was an idiot. She would run away on humanitarian missions at the drop of the hat and expect her parents to just be there for her (honey, you've got the money, get a nanny). And yet when her mother is there for her at the end she dismisses her like troublesome child. She never listens to anyone else. Oh, and then
They all believed too readily. The only moment of self doubt Caitlin had was right towards the end, and by that point it didn't make any sense. She'd been to another time, learned a strange language, performed magicky stuff... Much of this witnessed by other people. But when her shrink says during the last quarter of the book that she might be nuts, she has five minutes of self doubt. Had it taken place in book one or two, then perhaps it would have made sense. Not then, not at the end.
That ending. Without going into spoilers, the end was telegraphed from the beginning. There were no surprises about Gaalderkhan, not even who put the tiles there. That wouldn't be a problem, except for the sudden new-agey, oh my goodness how did string theory come into this, climax...
Using others words as though they're original thought. I get that a part of this was that life is cyclical, but when you say that a poet from a gazillion years ago wrote that 'nothing is ever truly lost, so long as it is remembered' as though it is an original thought, that's just frustrating. There are numerous examples of this.
It wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but it was pretty frustrating. 2 1/2 stars.
Some of the problems, as I see them, from the beginning of the series are:
The characters made some impossible leaps of logic. From the beginning of book one the characters would make connections that were impossible. I'm not a linguist, but Ben seemed to be able to learn an entire language from a few words and a couple of google searches. That there is only the beginning. Some of the leaps were akin to going, 'oh, hey, there's a butterfly on that there rose, so that means walruses are the reason for global warming!'.
Caitlin. Caitlin is a b***h. She's arrogant, rude, and entitled. There are moments when Ben, the guy she has dragged along behind her like a sad puppy for years, tries to speak to her, and she flat out ignores him. He could say 'hello' and she'd look at him like he was an idiot. She would run away on humanitarian missions at the drop of the hat and expect her parents to just be there for her (honey, you've got the money, get a nanny). And yet when her mother is there for her at the end she dismisses her like troublesome child. She never listens to anyone else. Oh, and then
Spoiler
to make her an (almost) deity? Ugh, like she needs the ego boost.They all believed too readily. The only moment of self doubt Caitlin had was right towards the end, and by that point it didn't make any sense. She'd been to another time, learned a strange language, performed magicky stuff... Much of this witnessed by other people. But when her shrink says during the last quarter of the book that she might be nuts, she has five minutes of self doubt. Had it taken place in book one or two, then perhaps it would have made sense. Not then, not at the end.
That ending. Without going into spoilers, the end was telegraphed from the beginning. There were no surprises about Gaalderkhan, not even who put the tiles there. That wouldn't be a problem, except for the sudden new-agey, oh my goodness how did string theory come into this, climax...
Using others words as though they're original thought. I get that a part of this was that life is cyclical, but when you say that a poet from a gazillion years ago wrote that 'nothing is ever truly lost, so long as it is remembered' as though it is an original thought, that's just frustrating. There are numerous examples of this.
Spoiler
That kiss. Talk about pointless. I mean, really? Are we supposed to assume from this ridiculous insta-love scenario that Caitlin has finally realised that she has no interest in Ben? Or that it was destiny to convince the pilot to leave the continent and save the race? It was utterly unnecessary and completely galling.It wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but it was pretty frustrating. 2 1/2 stars.
tenlini's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
lushr's review against another edition
3.0
I have really enjoyed this series, but this third and seemingly final book was the weakest for the very fact that do little happened, and so little was resolved.
a_lovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
What I like best about this book, or rather the whole series, is the potential. The idea is interesting and most of the execution is great to read. I am not quite sure what to male of this ending as it seemed somewhat rushed to me in the end. I couldn't stop reading, though, and for that the book gets 4 stars.
tiarala's review against another edition
3.0
If you want brilliant sci-fi, read NK Jemisin's The Fifth Season. However, if you're interested in what Gillian Anderson has written, this trilogy is actually entertaining and engaging, and as you get to know more about Caitlin and Ghalderkhaan the story keeps getting more interesting. I'm really glad I kept with it after only sort of liking the first in the series.
okelay's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed it, it was a satisfying conclusion, answering questions while posing many more.
I particularly liked learning more about the galderkhaani culture, since in previous books we got only fragments and now we got a much more complete vision.
I particularly liked learning more about the galderkhaani culture, since in previous books we got only fragments and now we got a much more complete vision.
browncoatcristi's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tacitparadox's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
jessicabeckett's review against another edition
3.0
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | (*3.5 stars)"I am constantly searching for places that rekindle my sense of wonder."
In the conclusion of Gillian Anderson and Jeff Rovin's highly entertaining The Earthend Saga it is apparent that the answers we so desired from the getgo are fast approaching. The Sound of Seas was the perfect final installment to the highly entertaining series and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Much like its previous releases, The Sound of Seas follows a similar path of history, science fiction and intrigue--though it is vastly underwhelming compared to the second of the series, it was still a fun read that I don't regret picking up for an instant.
I'm not just saying that as Gillian Anderson's #1 fan, either. The Earthend Saga has had its share of hits and misses but for the most part Marie Claire had it right: it's highly addicting. I love the bending of genres and the array of characters; the way the POV rotates without flaw. Most of all, I love the pacing and the mystery of it. It takes a special talent to mold our world with another and both Anderson and Rovin continue to prove that together they can create a compelling story.
Picking up almost immediately where A Dream of Ice left off we say hello and goodbye to a few familiar faces. I was a little put off by the lack of answers we received by the final pages--it felt not unlike an open door. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the novel or the series; that I didn't think it was well paced or thought out, I just felt a little underwhelmed by the lack of necessary plots being tied up. As far as conclusions go, this isn't the worst final chapter I've ever read but it doesn't change the fact that we don't get a lot of answers.
Perhaps this is the point. In life, we rarely seeing stories of ourselves or others tied up neatly in a bow. I think that's one of the reasons I'm so willing to forgive the ending. I am not going to hold it against the series as a whole because it was still engaging as heck and really captivating in more ways than one.
I felt the writing and plots slipped up here and there with a lack of coherence but it wasn't the sort of unbearable bump in the road, you know? I think that I just wanted more from it because it was very easy to get attached to the characters and I felt like there could have been so much more to expand on; that the story Anderson and Rovin told was much bigger than a trilogy of books that only were around 300 pages in length.
At the end of the day, it was still a solid read that was perfect for a summer binge. I love a good science fiction release and this one hit a lot of stellar marks right on the head. I would gladly recommend this to fans and newcomers of the genre.
Also posted on BOOKEDJ.
In the conclusion of Gillian Anderson and Jeff Rovin's highly entertaining The Earthend Saga it is apparent that the answers we so desired from the getgo are fast approaching. The Sound of Seas was the perfect final installment to the highly entertaining series and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Much like its previous releases, The Sound of Seas follows a similar path of history, science fiction and intrigue--though it is vastly underwhelming compared to the second of the series, it was still a fun read that I don't regret picking up for an instant.
I'm not just saying that as Gillian Anderson's #1 fan, either. The Earthend Saga has had its share of hits and misses but for the most part Marie Claire had it right: it's highly addicting. I love the bending of genres and the array of characters; the way the POV rotates without flaw. Most of all, I love the pacing and the mystery of it. It takes a special talent to mold our world with another and both Anderson and Rovin continue to prove that together they can create a compelling story.
Picking up almost immediately where A Dream of Ice left off we say hello and goodbye to a few familiar faces. I was a little put off by the lack of answers we received by the final pages--it felt not unlike an open door. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the novel or the series; that I didn't think it was well paced or thought out, I just felt a little underwhelmed by the lack of necessary plots being tied up. As far as conclusions go, this isn't the worst final chapter I've ever read but it doesn't change the fact that we don't get a lot of answers.
Perhaps this is the point. In life, we rarely seeing stories of ourselves or others tied up neatly in a bow. I think that's one of the reasons I'm so willing to forgive the ending. I am not going to hold it against the series as a whole because it was still engaging as heck and really captivating in more ways than one.
I felt the writing and plots slipped up here and there with a lack of coherence but it wasn't the sort of unbearable bump in the road, you know? I think that I just wanted more from it because it was very easy to get attached to the characters and I felt like there could have been so much more to expand on; that the story Anderson and Rovin told was much bigger than a trilogy of books that only were around 300 pages in length.
At the end of the day, it was still a solid read that was perfect for a summer binge. I love a good science fiction release and this one hit a lot of stellar marks right on the head. I would gladly recommend this to fans and newcomers of the genre.
Also posted on BOOKEDJ.