Alive (Generations Trilogy, #1)

by Scott Sigler

[shannonmiz]

This review was originally posted on It Starts at MidnightAs the book starts out, we know nothing about what is going on. Nothing. But the key here is, neither do the characters. They are as much in the dark as we are, which makes things kind of fun. The reader is figuring things out, getting clues, learning potential information at the same time as the characters. I was constantly guessing, and I did not have a clue as to what was going to happen next. Literally, around every dark corner was another crazy surprise, and I basically couldn't put the book down because I needed to know all the things. It was the type of book that answered my questions, and then left me with new ones so I was never, ever bored.

But while I was in the dark, I was never overwhelmed or confused. The author managed to have me on the edge of my seat, completely oblivious, but in a way that I still was able to follow when something happened. For me, that is really the mark of a quality fast-paced book, because I can get lost with too much action. I felt that Alive had just the right balance to keep me excited without making me overwhelmed.

As for the characters, it's hard to really decide how I felt about them because they don't even know who they are. They are seriously just empty shells who know a few basic facts (some of them incorrect, such as their age), and haven't a clue who they are or where they came from. Em (the main character) has to figure everything out from scratch, and we get to watch her do so in a really believable way- she is not in any way perfect, but she is trying like hell to survive. I did enjoy watching all the characters' personalities grow- and they definitely do- as they faced more challenges and started turning into actual people again. So while I didn't quite know them, there's a reason, and it isn't an issue at all.

Another thing I really loved was how vivid the setting was. I really felt like I was in this place, like I could see exactly what the characters were seeing. The setting was not pleasant, but it was incredibly well done, detailed but not annoyingly so, again achieving a fabulous balance.

In fact, there was only one thing that kept me from giving this one the full five stars: the attraction piece. I won't even go so far as to call it a romance (I mean, these people just met and are trying to you know, stay alive), but sometimes Em would start thinking about being attracted to someone out of the blue, and it was just... odd. Not even being attracted in itself, but focusing on actual beauty and physical traits. I could see being enamored with someone because they've been loyal or kind or even skilled. But would you really have the time or inclination to look at some dude's abs or whatever? Doubtful.

Bottom Line: This book is kind of fabulous. It is fast paced, and kept me guessing the entire way through. In fact, when I finished it, my exact response was "next book please!", because I absolutely must know what happens next.