A Million Suns

I'm not even sure where to start, because A Million Suns was simply amazing—so amazing, that I've told more than a few people that it's one of the best sequels I've read thus far.

I think what I loved most about it was that it doesn't read like a sequel—it was full of action, intrigue, slam-your-head-against-the-wall moments and mystery—can't forget the mystery. The characters make mistakes, the love interest is far from perfect and with every solution, two more problems crops up until the climax.

In short, A Million Suns was a fantastic read and if you've read Across the Universe, you have to pick up the sequel. If you haven't read Across the Universe I suggest that you give it a try.

(Review originally posted at Fictionally Inclined.)

I waited months and months for A Million Suns, and it was worth every agonizing second. I was blown away by the second installment in this series, and now I'm even more excited for the third (if that's possible). I am anxiously awaiting to find out things that were left up in the air in this one.

I love Revis's writing style. The “chapters” - I really think of them more as sections - vary in length. Sometimes, they are really short, but they always pack an incredibly powerful punch when this is the case. She really captures the voices well; I love getting a look inside Amy and Elder's heads.

Can I just take a moment to address how much I adore the development of Amy and Elder's romance/friendship? Not everything has to happen at the speed of light (read: in the first book of the series). I love some good build-up, and Amy and Elder do not disappoint. It makes them more believable, to me. This romantic element of the book is really great.

A Million Suns was fully of surprises; everything was not predictable. I really appreciate that quality in a book. There were two surprising twists in particular that I did not see coming. The plot itself was very fascinating, and it was an interesting way to propel a story. Watching Elder and how he managed the role of Eldest was something that made me understand Elder more as a character, which I enjoyed. I also like that Revis is not afraid to take leaps with her writing.

Quotes!
❝Love without choice isn't love at all.❞

^ Love love love this quote.

❝It's like tasting dessert before supper is served; it's only made me want more.❞

Goodreads says: Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos. It's been three months. In that time, Amy has learned to hide who she is. Elder is trying to be the leader he's always wanted to be. But as the ship gets more and more out of control, only one thing is certain: They have to get off the ship.


I really didn't go into details with the first book because I just felt to say anything at all would be a spoiler. Now I feel that I should go into more details as to why I love this series so much.

In the first book you are introduced to this new world where a team of about 100 people or so have been frozen and placed on a ship on their way to Centauri Earth. The ship is ran by a people who have been on the ship for generations and their sole purpose is to keep the ship functioning so that when they all land on this new Earth they can start a new society. One frozen is defrosted early and her name is Amy. Elder will inherit command of the ship once Eldest, the current commander, dies. Elder is infatuated with Amy. To Elder Amy is everything new and different. She is exotic and curious. The biggest thing about book one are the secrets that seem to unravel as the book progresses.

Book two is about even more secrets and although I enjoyed the first book a bit more than the second, I still felt this book did not disappoint. Amy is a bit selfish, self involved and a lot annoying. Elder is a great character and one that most people can relate to. He is young, trying to come to his own, trying to do the right thing and more importantly trying to do the best he can, always.

This book, as I mentioned before, is all about secrets. I don't think any of the secrets revealed were predictable and the plot definitely had you wondering at all times what was going to happen next. Another wonderful aspect to the first two books is that romance is not heavy. I really enjoyed this characteristic. It allows the reader to really focus on all the things going on on this ship without anymore complications. Don't get me wrong, you still find Elder and Amy trying to work out their feelings for one another but its not on the forefront.

Read this series! I'm so sad that I have to wait so long for the final installment!

When the first novel left off, Amy and Elder were faced with questions, new unknown struggles, and uncertaintly to when Godspeed will reach its final destination.

A handful of questions from Across the Universe are answered, while new ones popped up for the readers. But for myself, the biggest questions was about the next set of challenges beyond Godspeed.SPOILERS!From Orion's cryptic messages to the truth about the stand still of the ship, it was any wonder if hope existed for everyone aboard. So much was at stake and obstacles kept getting thrown in Elders way. Riots, death, murder, mayhem... it was the hidden themes for the book. And it works.I was thrilled by the progression of the story. By chapter 53, I felt twitter-patted and couldn't put the book down. The tory ended on a cliffhanger that left me dying to know the next part of the journey for the two main characters. Revis had not only sucked me into the world, she made me want to be apart of this adventure that exists only in the world of Doctor Who or some other Sci-Fi media.And speaking of Sci-Fi, all those mysterious deaths with the black patches was truly genuis in a mad man way. Love will make people do some pretty crazy stuff! Especially more so when trapped on a space ship.Anyway, now let me dive into the parts of the book that fascinated the reader in me...There were some considerablly wonderful literature references placed through the novel. I was intrigued by how it was all used and the puzzle that was laid out before Amy and Elder.“Abandon all hope.” - Dante's Inferno“Follow me down the rabbit hole.” - Alice in WonderlandThese two quotes alone represent something bigger, almost foreshadowing the coming events to play out in the last half of the book. Dante's Inferno is a dark look into humanity and more. So seeing those exact words already tells of how disturbed everyone will become on the ship before the end. Then Alice in Wonderland points to how both characters may not know everything about the Godspeed and that they may in fact have to follow the trail to the truth or just like Alice herself, follow the white rabbit to wonderland and explore beyond her wildest imagination.I also was thrilled about the mystery behind the motives of each antagonist; whether they were part of the big picture or not. From the start of the riots to the peculiar realization of their “library”, no stone was unturned; except at the end (another cliffhanger!).And lastly, each fantasy bubble that was popped to make room for reality, truly helped keep the novel at a great pace that surely surpassed the first novel. Anyway... onto something fun. Now for those that are curious about maybe the year Amy was born in Across the Universe, I did some math from the dates that were in both books. Found out that she would have been born in 2005. This puts Amy in the beginning of her world in the year 2022 at the age of 17. And currently in 2012 she would only be seven years old! Amazing, huh?I would most certainly recommend this book if you read the first in the series. It answers a lot of questions, but leaves you with more in place of the ones that are answered.