mak_p's review against another edition
5.0
I rate this book five stars because it is full of adventure and rule-breaking. This is the first book of three and I am excited to read them all. The book is set in the future around 2105, when the Earth becomes a wasteland full of pollution where people can't even be outside for very long and it makes you wonder if that could really happen. Atherton was created by a mad scientist who hoped to create another place for humans to live, but can that scientist be trusted? The book is written in third person omniscient, which means that the narrator is outside the story and knows everything including the characters thoughts and feelings. A boy around the age of eleven named Edgar is the main character of this story. Edgar lives on Atherton, which is a small planet that orbits the Earth just like the moon does. He was once told by a man to look for Atherton on the cliffs and one day it will come to him. Even though Edgar had no idea what that meant, he continued climbing the cliffs (which is against the rules) every night attempting to come upon the Atherton that the man spoke of. One day he finds a small symbol above a hole on the side of the cliff and in that hole there was a book and that is where his journey begins. I also love it how every once in a while there is a little drawing that shows you what something looks like and has little foot notes by it explaining what the picture is. Read this book if you like adventures, action and to find out what Edgar does next.
kevinweitzel44's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book!
However, I have a few grievances.
Let's start positive though!
I love the characters and narration, it's told from a unique viewpoint and I really enjoyed the writing style. The character's were interesting and lovable and I enjoyed being on the journey with them. Along with that I loved the plot, counterplots, subplots, and different aspects that made the story more visual, it was really helpful for the storytelling.
Negatives:
There were quite a few grammatical errors that bother me due to my OCD and because I'm very upset when an editor misses it. They said Dr. Harding instead of Dr. Kincaid at one point TOTALLY throwing the story off and missed a few "ands", and "the's", etc. In the beginning of book 2 they say Edger instead of Edgar and refer to the book as Inversion instead of Rivers of Fire. Oh editor...
However, the story was very interesting, my only issue is also that I'd like to see it more in a young adult setting. The juvenile reading-level made the story almost TOO innocent, something this catastrophic would have more damage and bloodshed and death etc. The social classes and animals and whatnot would be more intense and I'd actually enjoy a bit more climatic action and intensity.
However, all in all a remarkably enjoyable read, I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
However, I have a few grievances.
Let's start positive though!
I love the characters and narration, it's told from a unique viewpoint and I really enjoyed the writing style. The character's were interesting and lovable and I enjoyed being on the journey with them. Along with that I loved the plot, counterplots, subplots, and different aspects that made the story more visual, it was really helpful for the storytelling.
Negatives:
There were quite a few grammatical errors that bother me due to my OCD and because I'm very upset when an editor misses it. They said Dr. Harding instead of Dr. Kincaid at one point TOTALLY throwing the story off and missed a few "ands", and "the's", etc. In the beginning of book 2 they say Edger instead of Edgar and refer to the book as Inversion instead of Rivers of Fire. Oh editor...
However, the story was very interesting, my only issue is also that I'd like to see it more in a young adult setting. The juvenile reading-level made the story almost TOO innocent, something this catastrophic would have more damage and bloodshed and death etc. The social classes and animals and whatnot would be more intense and I'd actually enjoy a bit more climatic action and intensity.
However, all in all a remarkably enjoyable read, I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
crying_reader's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
desethers's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book as a kid and I remember I couldn't put it down.
librariann's review against another edition
Positively gripping sci-fi adventure that will appeal to those who enjoyed The City of Ember. Don't read the first without the second close by, as the ending is akin to a season-ending cliffhanger.
nerfherder86's review against another edition
4.0
A very interesting world, composed of three levels, which have different societies and class levels. Those on the very top are wealthiest and control all the water, and they only give water sparingly to those below them in exchange for the harvested food. and at the very bottom are the unknown wild creatures--but when the earth literally begins to shake and bring the three levels closer to each other, how will the rich spoiled top level people survive the revolt of the lower, downtrodden slave classes? And what if those creatures get loose on the upper levels?
bookdeviant's review against another edition
4.0
See more of my reviews on my blog the Book Deviant
I only vaguely remembered what happened in this series, and so it was like I was reading a completely new book. At first I couldn’t get into it, and it was sent back to the library before I could finish it. I later got it back in order to finish it and try to continue the series, and I have to admit that it was an enjoyable experience, for a middle grade novel.
The story kept me interested and I wanted to know what was going to happen next, but the way the story was told, specifically as a trilogy, made it hard to stay that way. Only so much happened in this story, and I constantly thought that there was no way this could have a satisfactory ending with how little was left and how much of the story was still unexplained.
In relation to the characters, I did enjoy them, but couldn’t help but think they were stereotypical in some ways. There was the orphaned, adventurous boy whom everyone knows because of their unfair treatment by someone. (Edgar specifically reminds me of Will, the main character from John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprentice, who was orphaned, people liked him, but he was constantly bullied.) There was the nerdy best friend, and the intimidating friend who just so happens to be a girl and might be shoved into a relationship with either the nerdy friend or MC at some point. And then lets not forget about the old professor type guy who is sort of a father figure to the orphaned MC. So, needless to say, I felt like a lot of the characters were stereotypical and overused in some ways, despite still enjoying them.
Final Rating: ★★★★☆
Overall?
As a story, I really enjoyed it. I felt like it could have been organized differently, maybe as a duology (at the time of writing this review, I have read the entire series), but I still found it interesting and worthy of finishing.
Would I Recommend?
As a middle grade read, I think it’s a good starter series, and that beginner readers will enjoy it. While I personally saw things that could be improved, as well as stereotypes, that’s probably just from years of reading and rereading other novels.
I only vaguely remembered what happened in this series, and so it was like I was reading a completely new book. At first I couldn’t get into it, and it was sent back to the library before I could finish it. I later got it back in order to finish it and try to continue the series, and I have to admit that it was an enjoyable experience, for a middle grade novel.
The story kept me interested and I wanted to know what was going to happen next, but the way the story was told, specifically as a trilogy, made it hard to stay that way. Only so much happened in this story, and I constantly thought that there was no way this could have a satisfactory ending with how little was left and how much of the story was still unexplained.
In relation to the characters, I did enjoy them, but couldn’t help but think they were stereotypical in some ways. There was the orphaned, adventurous boy whom everyone knows because of their unfair treatment by someone. (Edgar specifically reminds me of Will, the main character from John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprentice, who was orphaned, people liked him, but he was constantly bullied.) There was the nerdy best friend, and the intimidating friend who just so happens to be a girl and might be shoved into a relationship with either the nerdy friend or MC at some point. And then lets not forget about the old professor type guy who is sort of a father figure to the orphaned MC. So, needless to say, I felt like a lot of the characters were stereotypical and overused in some ways, despite still enjoying them.
Final Rating: ★★★★☆
Overall?
As a story, I really enjoyed it. I felt like it could have been organized differently, maybe as a duology (at the time of writing this review, I have read the entire series), but I still found it interesting and worthy of finishing.
Would I Recommend?
As a middle grade read, I think it’s a good starter series, and that beginner readers will enjoy it. While I personally saw things that could be improved, as well as stereotypes, that’s probably just from years of reading and rereading other novels.
eupomene's review against another edition
2.0
Warning: the first of a series. There is no satisfaction by the end of it. That was all right, though. I only cared to a certain extent. Atherton is a "made world" -- the story takes place in the distant future (actually about 100 years away) when the earth is almost uninhabitable and scientists are trying to find ways to fix things. Atherton has the unfortunate distinction of being created by a mad scientist and is collapsing on itself. I don't know that I'll seek out the other books once they are written, but I did find the world somewhat intriguing.