by T.C. McCarthy
Mass Market Paperback
352 pages
March 1st 2012 by Orbit
ARC from Netgalley
Summary from Goodreads:
Exogene (n.): factor or agent (as a disease-producing organism) from outside the organism or system. Also: classified Russian program to merge proto-humanoids with powered armor systems (slang).
Catherine is a soldier. Fast, strong, lethal, she is the ultimate in military technology. She's a monster in the body of an eighteen year old girl. Bred by scientists, grown in vats, indoctrinated by the government, she and her sisters will win this war, no matter the cost.
And the costs are high. Their life span is short; as they age they become unstable and they undergo a process called the spoiling. On their eighteenth birthday they are discharged. Lined up and shot like cattle.
But the truth is, Catherine and her sisters may not be strictly human, but they're not animals. They can twist their genomes and indoctrinate them to follow the principles of Faith and Death, but they can't shut off the part of them that wants more than war. Catherine may have only known death, but she dreams of life and she will get it at any cost.
Exogene (n.): factor or agent (as a disease-producing organism) from outside the organism or system. Also: classified Russian program to merge proto-humanoids with powered armor systems (slang).
Catherine is a soldier. Fast, strong, lethal, she is the ultimate in military technology. She's a monster in the body of an eighteen year old girl. Bred by scientists, grown in vats, indoctrinated by the government, she and her sisters will win this war, no matter the cost.
And the costs are high. Their life span is short; as they age they become unstable and they undergo a process called the spoiling. On their eighteenth birthday they are discharged. Lined up and shot like cattle.
But the truth is, Catherine and her sisters may not be strictly human, but they're not animals. They can twist their genomes and indoctrinate them to follow the principles of Faith and Death, but they can't shut off the part of them that wants more than war. Catherine may have only known death, but she dreams of life and she will get it at any cost.
Thoughts:
I have not read the first book of The Subterenne War series so I did not know what to expect but I had no problem getting into this one. It blew me away! It's not just a story of violence and war but so much more. Catherine is a cloned soldier who began to question her sanity and faith when she witnessed her sisters fell one by one to the horrors of war.
For once, the humans are portrayed as the evil villain who will stop at nothing in order to win the war. I mean teenage girls as soldiers are pretty scary, even if they're cloned. Readers looking for romance parts will be disappointed but Catherine relationship with her sisters are heartbreaking and touching.
Without giving out any spoilers, Catherine's plight to escape the horrors of war to the refuge of Bangkok left me quite breathless with anticipation at times. The story is compelling as it is complex for a reader yearning for a lighter read. In other words, I guess this is not YA in the least but more towards military Sci-Fi. But as a part of a series this is a good enough stand alone book.
Recommended for: fans of Sci-Fi
Verdict: 4 stars.
Available on: Amazon
For once, the humans are portrayed as the evil villain who will stop at nothing in order to win the war. I mean teenage girls as soldiers are pretty scary, even if they're cloned. Readers looking for romance parts will be disappointed but Catherine relationship with her sisters are heartbreaking and touching.
Without giving out any spoilers, Catherine's plight to escape the horrors of war to the refuge of Bangkok left me quite breathless with anticipation at times. The story is compelling as it is complex for a reader yearning for a lighter read. In other words, I guess this is not YA in the least but more towards military Sci-Fi. But as a part of a series this is a good enough stand alone book.
Recommended for: fans of Sci-Fi
Verdict: 4 stars.
Available on: Amazon
Wow, interesting idea. Humans as villains. I guess there was some of that in Avatar too.
ReplyDeleteYup, it's interesting to read and watch something from another being/species POV. Apparently we (the humans) don't really ponder much on the future consequences of our actions. :)
ReplyDeleteI have not heard of this series before. Worth checking out I'd say.
ReplyDeleteThe synopsis did not draw much attention. But you may be a chance if I find time.
ReplyDeleteHave a good day