Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel Series: Themis Files #2
Published by Random House Publishing Group on April 4th 2017
Genres: Action & Adventure, Science Fiction, Technological, Thrillers
Pages: 320
Format: eBook
Goodreads
In the gripping sequel to Sleeping Giants, which was hailed by Pierce Brown as “a luminous conspiracy yarn . . . reminiscent of The Martian and World War Z,” Sylvain Neuvel’s innovative series about human-alien contact takes another giant step forward. As a child, Rose Franklin made an astonishing discovery: a giant metallic hand, buried deep within the earth. As an adult, she’s dedicated her brilliant scientific career to solving the mystery that began that fateful day: Why was a titanic robot of unknown origin buried in pieces around the world? Years of investigation have produced intriguing answers—and even more perplexing questions. But the truth is closer than ever before when a second robot, more massive than the first, materializes and lashes out with deadly force. Now humankind faces a nightmare invasion scenario made real, as more colossal machines touch down across the globe. But Rose and her team at the Earth Defense Corps refuse to surrender. They can turn the tide if they can unlock the last secrets of an advanced alien technology. The greatest weapon humanity wields is knowledge in a do-or-die battle to inherit the Earth . . . and maybe even the stars. Advance praise for Waking Gods “Kick-ass, one-on-one robot action combines with mind-bending scientific and philosophical speculation. Series science-fiction fans will enjoy this follow-up filled with unexpected revelations and a surprise finale.”—Booklist “Pure, unadulterated literary escapism featuring giant killer robots and the looming end of mankind. In a word: unputdownable.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Praise for Sylvain Neuvel’s Sleeping Giants “As high-concept as it is, Sleeping Giants is a thriller through and through. . . . One of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory.”—NPR “Neuvel weaves a complex tapestry with ancient machinery buried in the Earth, shadow governments, and geopolitical conflicts. But the most surprising thing about the book may just be how compelling the central characters are in the midst of these larger-than-life concepts.”—Chicago Review of Books “This stellar debut novel . . . masterfully blends together elements of sci-fi, political thriller and apocalyptic fiction. . . . A page-turner of the highest order.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Reminiscent of The Martian and World War Z, Sleeping Giants is a luminous conspiracy yarn that shoots for (and lands among) the stars.”—Pierce Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Rising trilogy “First-time novelist Sylvain Neuvel does a bold, splashy cannonball off the high dive with Sleeping Giants. It bursts at the seams with big ideas. This book is a sheer blast from start to finish. I haven’t had this much fun reading in ages.”—Blake Crouch, author of Dark Matter and the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy “A remarkable debut.”—Library Journal (starred review)
Lynn’s Review:
Have you ever been leery of reading the next book in a series for fear of disappointment after you so loved the first? Well, fear not. dear reader. Waking Gods more that lives up to my high expectations after reading Sleeping Giants!
But now, how to review it without being spoiler-y. Clearly, any plot discussion is out. Most of the characters, too.
Let’s start with a discussion of the writing. Like Sleeping Giants, Waking Gods continues the the interview/journal style that I love. We all accept that great dialog and conversations are the best part of books, don’t we!?! Or is that just me? We gain insight into the Rose, Vincent, Kara, and our unnamed government agent through their conversations and personal journal entries. The pace moves very quickly and short chapters really make me feel like I’m progressing quickly. The plot is a twisty-turny road that kept me guessing at every turn. And sometimes even gasping. The connection between new character Ava and our other main characters was a real shocker. I also love the progression of the titles from sleeping to waking. There is considerably more action in Waking Gods!
Next, we’ll move onto a major theme of Waking Gods. What does is mean to be human when you find out you may not be 100% human? After the WTH ending of Sleeping Giants, we see Rose trying to figure that out through the course of the book. We may take our humanity for granted, but through Waking Giants and Rose, we can re-learn what it truly means to save the world.
We’re not the greatest thing in the universe, certainly not the smartest. Seems logical there’d be a great many things in it we can’t comprehend.
Finally, let’s discuss my feelings of Waking Gods. Loved. Loved. Loved. 12 Stars out of 5. I don’t think I can gush enough about how much I love this series! I even love the mass destruction. When I’m feeling anti-people, culling the population is refreshing. 😉
What are you waiting for? Read this series! Start with Sleeping Giants, though. You don’t want to miss a thing.
