Community Reviews
Asinine, convoluted, outlandish, and trite (big word goal reached!). Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz & Michael Johnston, the first in The Heart of Dread series, was nothing I had hoped it would be. Simply put, it was dumb.
Sure, it had it's more enjoyable sections, but the story as a whole was quite disheartening. Both the synopsis and the cover built up my expectations for this. I was sad when the book didn't deliver since I was really looking forward to this one.
The post-apocalyptic world that Melissa de la Cruz & Michael Johnston was built upon an unknown premise. The temperature around the world had dropped drastically generations before but it was never explained how. I'm sorry but I can't just roll with that. Nuclear war block out the sun somehow? The background for the novel wasn't detailed enough for me. I was constantly questioning things like, "How did Polar Bears end up in Nevada?" Someone mind giving me a hint at least? Ugh, it drove me crazy. The idea was there and it started out so intriguing.
The opening scene was great. Trapped and cornered with nothing but a voice in your head telling you to jump out a window. Yeah, I was definitely geared up for the rest of the story. Sadly it went pretty downhill after that.
Now here's a familiar location, New Vegas. Familiar? How? Fallout of course!
Somehow Vegas was one of the very few locations to survive the floods (as described by our lead Natasha Kestal). Not very original IMO but at least it gave me a good image of the backdrop for the first third of the book, but what about people who don't play video games?
Well it wasn't described very well, so, good luck.
I need to point out that I listened to this book. It was actually my first audio book. The narrators consisted of 2 people, one for each viewpoint in the story (Natasha Kestal & Ryan Wesson). I think the fact that I was listening to it made it a little more interesting for me.
A vast majority of the "action" was short and futile. The race scene was over before I even recognized what was happening, the polar bear felt pointless, and don't even get me started on the ending sequence. I understand a fast-moving act, Frozen didn't have that. Frozen had rushed incidents that felt insignificant when they shouldn't have.
The romance is quite cheesy and by "quite" I mean horribly. Forcing the population to fill out forms just to kiss someone? You really think that would stop people? How do you even have a romantic relationship with someone without physical interaction? Old enough to man an RPG but not old enough to get some apparently. Sounds like the easy way out to make the attraction between Wes and Nat more significant. Well, hate to break it to you, but it didn't work.
Speaking of Nat and Wes, our lead characters are two sixteen year old kids who meet in one of the New Vegas Casinos. Wes is an ex-military mercenary and Nat is marked trying to get out. Yes, marked, meaning has a birthmark that gives her special powers... yep.
They're not the only teens around either. The entire country is basically under the age of 25. It's hard to picture a bunch of sixteen year olds running the military. Supposedly people tend to die of cancer quite early in life (mid-twenties) so... who is in charge of the casinos? Who runs the hospital? Who runs the government? I just can't. Even language has changed! Shorthand text has taken over as the standard for the written word. I guess that's what happens when teenagers run the country.
I'll admit there are a few concepts that Melissa de la Cruz & Michael Johnston portrayed in an intriguing light. The "Thrillers", even though I dislike the idea of them in general, the name made me laugh. Although, I probably shouldn't be laughing at it... seeing as that they're disfigured and dying. The explanation behind them is even worse, but I won't spoil that.
I liked Shakes and Farouk as supporting characters. I think I'd read a story involving Shakes and Lianna. Avo the pirate was interesting as well. They each had more personality than Nat to me. Why not tap into those resources?
Apparently they're going to New Crete, which I can only assume is Crete with a new name like Vegas, you know, because it's never explained. Now here's the confusing part, they're leaving from LA. Did Mexico sink and they're cutting across? Or are they seriously setting sail from California to cross the Pacific? Can someone give these kids a map?!
I can't discuss the end without major spoilers but overall, I was not a fan. Here, I'll sum it up in two words, "Bacon fruit".
Sure, it had it's more enjoyable sections, but the story as a whole was quite disheartening. Both the synopsis and the cover built up my expectations for this. I was sad when the book didn't deliver since I was really looking forward to this one.
The post-apocalyptic world that Melissa de la Cruz & Michael Johnston was built upon an unknown premise. The temperature around the world had dropped drastically generations before but it was never explained how. I'm sorry but I can't just roll with that. Nuclear war block out the sun somehow? The background for the novel wasn't detailed enough for me. I was constantly questioning things like, "How did Polar Bears end up in Nevada?" Someone mind giving me a hint at least? Ugh, it drove me crazy. The idea was there and it started out so intriguing.
The opening scene was great. Trapped and cornered with nothing but a voice in your head telling you to jump out a window. Yeah, I was definitely geared up for the rest of the story. Sadly it went pretty downhill after that.
Now here's a familiar location, New Vegas. Familiar? How? Fallout of course!
Somehow Vegas was one of the very few locations to survive the floods (as described by our lead Natasha Kestal). Not very original IMO but at least it gave me a good image of the backdrop for the first third of the book, but what about people who don't play video games?
Well it wasn't described very well, so, good luck.
I need to point out that I listened to this book. It was actually my first audio book. The narrators consisted of 2 people, one for each viewpoint in the story (Natasha Kestal & Ryan Wesson). I think the fact that I was listening to it made it a little more interesting for me.
A vast majority of the "action" was short and futile. The race scene was over before I even recognized what was happening, the polar bear felt pointless, and don't even get me started on the ending sequence. I understand a fast-moving act, Frozen didn't have that. Frozen had rushed incidents that felt insignificant when they shouldn't have.
The romance is quite cheesy and by "quite" I mean horribly. Forcing the population to fill out forms just to kiss someone? You really think that would stop people? How do you even have a romantic relationship with someone without physical interaction? Old enough to man an RPG but not old enough to get some apparently. Sounds like the easy way out to make the attraction between Wes and Nat more significant. Well, hate to break it to you, but it didn't work.
...and they were kissing, and kissing, and kissing, and his mouth was on hers...
Speaking of Nat and Wes, our lead characters are two sixteen year old kids who meet in one of the New Vegas Casinos. Wes is an ex-military mercenary and Nat is marked trying to get out. Yes, marked, meaning has a birthmark that gives her special powers... yep.
They're not the only teens around either. The entire country is basically under the age of 25. It's hard to picture a bunch of sixteen year olds running the military. Supposedly people tend to die of cancer quite early in life (mid-twenties) so... who is in charge of the casinos? Who runs the hospital? Who runs the government? I just can't. Even language has changed! Shorthand text has taken over as the standard for the written word. I guess that's what happens when teenagers run the country.
I'll admit there are a few concepts that Melissa de la Cruz & Michael Johnston portrayed in an intriguing light. The "Thrillers", even though I dislike the idea of them in general, the name made me laugh. Although, I probably shouldn't be laughing at it... seeing as that they're disfigured and dying. The explanation behind them is even worse, but I won't spoil that.
I liked Shakes and Farouk as supporting characters. I think I'd read a story involving Shakes and Lianna. Avo the pirate was interesting as well. They each had more personality than Nat to me. Why not tap into those resources?
Apparently they're going to New Crete, which I can only assume is Crete with a new name like Vegas, you know, because it's never explained. Now here's the confusing part, they're leaving from LA. Did Mexico sink and they're cutting across? Or are they seriously setting sail from California to cross the Pacific? Can someone give these kids a map?!
I can't discuss the end without major spoilers but overall, I was not a fan. Here, I'll sum it up in two words, "Bacon fruit".
"It's Bacon Fruit. Tastes like fruit, looks like bacon."
- Wes
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