"Am I not merciful"
Author: Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
Genre: Science Fiction
Standalone or Series : Book 1 of the trilogy "The Illuminae Files"
Publication Year :- 2015
Pages :- 608 pages
Review : 📕📕📕📕
"BRIEFING NOTE : Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents - including emails , schematics , military files , IMs , medical reports , interviews , and more - ILLUMINAE is the first book in a heart- stopping , high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes."
Plotline
"First , Survive. Then tell the truth"
Written in an epistolary format , the plot follows main protagonists, Kady and Ezra in a race of survival against BeiTech Corp who attacked their planet Kerenza. They escape aboard Hypatia and Alexander followed by BeiTech 's warship Lincoln.
First few pages are in interview form so it was a bit of a drag but once you are through, it's one heck of a ride. The plot is quick paced and with plot twists and turns coming every few pages, there is never a dull moment.
The dialogues were witty and sarcasm is at its best although I could very well have done without "CHUM".
Characters
Kady Grant, a badass hacker , with a big mouth and sassy attitude Astro-Princess. I would so love to be like her in times of crisis. She's a teenager fighting a mega corporation and beating them at their own game.
Ezra Mason, loyal and cocky. He's the love interest of Kady, are childhood sweethearts and have just broken up in the beginning of the book. He has quite a mouth on him and is totally hilarious.
“Interviewer: So. Tell me about your mother.
Ezra Mason: You're taping this, right?
Interviewer: Audio only. Camera is faulty.
Ezra Mason: Okay, well for the benefit of the sight-impaired, I am now raising my… oh, dear… yes, it's my MIDDLE finger at Mr. Postgrad here.
Interviewer: Mr. Mason...
Ezra Mason: Now I'm wiggling it.
Interviewer: Terminating interview at 13:58 on 03/19/75.
Ezra Mason: Look at it wiggl-
-audio ends-”
One minor issue I have was that I just could not ship them as a couple. They would have been great as friends but the relationship seemed forced and cheesy.
and then comes the star of the show
AIDAN , the mass murdering psychotic Artificial Intelligence onboard Alexander . Well , I'm in love with this complex manipulative character who believes that every evil thing he did was for the greater good. He totally had me convinced that killing hundreds was people was justified. I am still figuring out if he was a villain or a hero.
And I have no time to bend the meat inside your skull and make it grasp the simple truth that still somehow eludes you.” A small pause for effect.
“I am this fleet's only hope of survival.”
I try very hard not to acknowledge the thought that none of this would be happening if only they had listened to me.
I fail.
“I could have told you this would happen, David.”
Read or Skip : My Take
If you want a taste of sci-fi action and a quick moving plot, this is a good one to begin with.
Honestly, the only reason I started the book was because its cover was gorgeous and the format was different. I would, however, go back for the stunning graphics and AIDAN.
Love,
TheNerdLife ❤❤❤
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