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
I received an advance reader’s copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly, when I received this book I was a little hesitant. I’m not really a sci-fi fan, and this tome is just so big. I wasn’t really looking forward to spending a long period of time reading what was probably a mediocre story that I’d have to push myself through. Alas, when the time came, I decided to read it regardless.
I finished it in two days. And that was only because I had to work.
I could not stop reading this story! It’s so engaging and intense and twisting. It is awesome. Plus it’s told in various documents and chats, which makes things so interesting and moves the story along quite nicely. I absolutely love this kind of setup, and it works really well to establish the story and the characters.
The characters are also pretty awesome. I think the dialogue is done so realistically with the back-and-forth between different characters and everyone’s personality is pretty fleshed out. I do wish more of Kady and Ezra’s past was explained, because things are left a little shady. Once the computer comes into play I became a little skeptical, but overall I think things are done super well.
I became pretty emotionally invested while reading this book, which I usually take as a good thing. It captivated me and made my heart all twisty with suspense. I love the way the story is told as well, so all in all I think this is a fantastic beginning to a trilogy I will be anticipating.
