For fans of Marie Lu comes the first book in an epic series that bends the sci-fi genre into a new dimension.
“A truly beautiful novel that redefines the form." —Victoria Aveyard, bestselling author of Red Queen
This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than a speck at the edge of the universe. Now with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A plague has broken out and is mutating with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a web of data to find the truth, it’s clear the only person who can help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes. “Prepare yourselves for Illuminae.” —EW.com
“[Y]ou’re not in for an ordinary novel experience. . . .”—Bustle.com
“A truly interactive experience. . . . A fantastically fun ride.” —MTV.com
“Brace yourself. You're about to be immersed in a mindscape that you'll never want to leave.” —Marie Lu, bestselling author of the Legend trilogy
"Genre: Undefinable. Novel: Unforgettable." —Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of Beautiful Creatures & author of Unbreakable
“An exuberant mix of space opera, romance, zombies, hackers, and political thrills.” —Scott Westerfeld, bestselling author of Zeroes and Uglies
“Stunningly creative. Smart, funny, and romantic.” —Veronica Rossi, bestselling author of Under the Never Sky
“This is one of those rare books that will truly keep your heart pounding.” —Beth Revis, bestselling author of Across the Universe
“This book is xxxxing awesome.”
—Laini Taylor, bestselling author of Daughter of Smoke and Bone
How far will one person go to help save thousands more? How much pain can one person endure with the loss of everything she's ever known? And how far will a corporation go to make sure that this one person, or anyone else, can never tell the tale? In 'Illuminae', we begin to learn the answers to those questions, as well as some we may not even have thought to ask.
This is a very thick book, but it is not a straight-up novel. It is written in the form of an investigation dossier, complete with transcripts, messages, and countdowns. It's like some wicked combination of '2001: A Space Odyssey', Resident Evil...and some crazy-awesome writing that turns all the disparate things into an amazing whole. The characterization within the story is very well done, and at times is *so* well done that the story is truly painful. Because, without any spoilers, this is a book where people die. Some with more honor than others, and some in ways that are never really seen - but are strongly felt nonetheless. The action flows fairly hard and heavy from the get-go, interspersed with some smart-ass observations and a smidgen of romance. BUT. Please do not let the word "romance" scare you away (as it would normally do to me). It is light, absolutely story-appropriate, and never treads into treacle territory.
Take note - I'm a big fan of e-readers, but not for this book. This book (and, presumably, those that follow) demand the tactile sensations to go along with the narrative and the dossier style.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It is exceptional in its story and in its execution. It's a keeper for the shelves.
