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Mairpo Yuan mairpo81b2 — Under the Never Sky is a 2012 novel I’ve been eagerly anticipating, and when I got the opportunity to read it early you could say I was a little excited! It definitely lived up to my dystopian expectations and made for a fascinating and exciting read. Aria is a Dweller, living in Reverie and enjoying the easy life she has in the Realms, virtual environments that have replaced the storm ravaged world outside the community walls. When Aria and her friends sneak into an abandoned Pod, they have no idea what their actions will lead to. Destruction, death and conspiracy find Aria dumped in The Deathshop, the outside world that could bring death in many ways. It's only when she runs into Perry and they strike a bargain, that she discovers the will to live, and embarks on a journey that will change her life. The world of Under the Never Sky is a fascinating one. It's been nearly destroyed by Aether storms, pure energy that rips apart anything in its path. You don't know much about the Aether, but along with the pure power it carried, it also brought about plagues that wiped off populations and mutated others. The writing describes it in such a way that it seems beautiful as much as terrifying. What I was also intrigued by was the technology that Aria was surrounded by. Every person has a Smarteye, a device that transports their mind to the digital realms, places that are only limited by your imagination. At the speed of thought they can be in another world, surfing the internet, sending messages or whatever else they could ever dream of doing. The Smarteye takes them from the real ravaged world, to a better digital one. Outside Reverie is another story. Bands of survivors, tribes, are struggling to survive day by day. Food is scarce, water isn't clean, and for Perry, he has to come to terms with his little nephew Talon's sickness, the same that killed his sister-in-law. When Talon is kidnapped by Dwellers, Perry can't face his brother, the tribe leader, and takes his guilt and runs away. I thought Perry, Peregrine, was a pretty likeable character. Underneath the hunter exterior, he's a guy who loves his nephew and wants the best for his tribe, even when it means taking down his brother. He's also Marked, which means he's got the ability of an increased sense; in his rare case it's night vision and scent. He can literally smell feelings, and the descriptions of coloured tempers and fear and embarrassment was so creative and unique and it made his chapters a lot of fun to read. Aria starts out fearing and loathing Perry, and he her as well. They're so different and have these predetermined misconceptions about each other and it takes time and a couple close calls until they begin to trust and depend on each other. It took some time to warm up to each of them though. They were both very defensive at the start but when they open up is when you really get a sense of what kind of (good) people they are. The only other qualms I had were related to the last couple chapters. Aria and Perry's relationship seemed to take a turn for the better and it had me taking a step back at the sudden change. And shortly after that, Aria has her own little mission but I was a little lost because time seemed to surge forward and then I was thrown back into the story feeling like I'd missed something. It was somewhat disconcerting but the events that led up to it had me wanting to learn more. Bottom Line Under the Never Sky was a fascinating look at a futuristic and divided world. Seeing Dweller Aria come together with Outsider Perry was both frustrating and exciting as they grew closer and more trusting of each other. The science aspect and the research that is briefly brought up is sure to make way for some more reveals, and I'm eagerly anticipating more of Aria and Perry! Definitely give this one a read!

Nick Cook _ick_ook — The Amulet of Samarkand (2003) is the first book in Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus Trilogy. This trilogy has the unique honor of having been banned in its entirety for the books' presentations of the occult. They also feature magnificent cover art by Melvyn Grant (who also has a ridiculously clever website). For many readers, that would be enticement enough. I didn't know about the book banning, but the cover art and blurb pushed it onto my ever-increasing "to read" list. A recommendation from a trusted YA librarian pushed it over the top. Nathaniel, one of the novel's main characters, lives in London. Like most large cities, many of London's movers and shakers are to be found in government positions of influence. What most people don't know is that these powerful men and women get up to more than politicking when behind closed doors. They all have power, certainly, but very little (none depending on who you ask) belongs to them. Not permanently at least. Working in obscurity, under strict rules of engagement (with stricter punishments should something go awry), demons are the real power behind London's elite. Nathaniel is six when he is torn away from his birth parents and sent to live with his new master, another magician. As in many fantasy novels, the power of naming plays an important role here. Demons are summoned with the knowledge of their real names. If you know the demon's real name, you can control them. Similarly, if a demon learns the true name of a magician (in this case their given name) the demon has the same level of control. No magician knows their true name in order to avoid just that kind of problem. By the age of eleven, Nathaniel has adjusted to his life as an apprentice and eagerly anticipates two events: the day when he will pick his name as a magician, and the day he will become a great magician, like his idol William Gladstone, remembered by all. Nathaniel does choose his name in due time, but his dream of greatness, is put into serious question when Simon Lovelace, a prestigious magician, publicly humiliates Nathaniel. Enraged, Nathaniel bides his time learning spells and waiting until the day he will be ready to exact revenge. Enter Bartimaeus, the novel's other main character, and a djinni with a fondness for footnotes in his first-person narration. Initially summoned as an instrument of revenge, Nathaniel soon learns that Bartimaeus is not easily contained. When Nathaniel's brilliant revenge becomes murder, espionage and conspiracy djinni and boy strike an uneasy detente to see if both of them can survive the machinations Bartimaeus has set in motion under Nathaniel's orders. The Amulet of Samarkand alternates viewpoints, sometimes being told in witty first-person by Bartimaeus (filled with references to his 5000 year career as a brilliant djinni), other times following Nathaniel in a third-person voice. Combined, the narrations make for an original fantasy that is witty and sharp. More interesting, especially as the trilogy continues, is the dynamic between Nathaniel and Bartimaeus. While the djinni is more entertaining of the two, Nathaniel is often more compelling. Watching him mature from an innocent boy to a calculating magician in his own right, Stroud creates tension as readers are forced to wonder will Nathaniel be a villain or a hero by the end of the story?

Natalia Naff natalianaffrodzinska — Dated but I love monastic history.