Because this review is going up so late, I'm going to just leave my thoughts as bullet points. I do have to warn you that a lot of it, particularly when I talk about what I liked about the book, are vague because I can't put into words exactly how I feel and/or why I feel the way I do.--There was a lot of great world building throughout the book, with lush descriptions and great insight into the government and societal structure--However, particularly at the beginning, there seemed to be a lot of info dumping. While I can understand it to a certain extent because it's being dumped onto Jaden herself, for me, it got to be too much too quickly. Perhaps that's the exact intent, but it didn't make it any easier to deal with. Not the worst issue in the world, but!--I love the characters! They are unique, and I particularly love the character interactions.--At times, however, I felt that someone was acting out of character. I'm not sure if that's because I felt that some characters seemed to always be changing, not really having one steady personality, or for some other reason.--Stemming off, there are some really great complex, in depth relationships and ideas (about the government, morality, responsibility, international relations/diplomacy, politics, and more)--it helps bridge the large gap between our world and their world, making it more real, more understandable, and more relatable--The concept is well thought out and pretty well executed. While Savage's writing isn't my favorite, it's not bad either.--Oftentimes, Jaden seemed to oscillate between two extremes--hating her new life and loving her new life. Again, while I can understand it, the change was often sudden and without a clear cause, making it confusing for me as a reader--I'm confused as to why other characters don't do something more than perhaps point out the fact that sometimes she'll slip up and say something wayyyy too modern. It's like they question it but easily accept her (lame) excuses. I can understand getting away with it once or twice, but afterwards, isn't it really obvious?--I do like Jaden and Ryder's relationship, but at the same time, I felt iffy about it since the start. It was obvious it was going to happen (maybe a little too obvious?), but it felt so sudden at the beginning. And then, I felt that a large part of their relationship was on the basis of their ermm...let's say "connection" so it's not spoiler-y.--It's a really engaging story, but I often felt like I could only read it in chunks, having to put down the book every 30 or so pages. I'm not entirely sure why because I'm really interested in the story and the plot and everything--Overall, the book really made me think about our lives, our responsibilities, our morality, how we react to problems, etc. I find this exploration and insight really interesting and very thought-provoking.--I really enjoyed the book, even if I can't completely explain exactly what I loved about. Something about the story and the characters just drew me in. I'd recommend it! Wow, this was truly an amazing story. At first when Christina recommended to me, I thought, "not my cup of tea!" The more and more I read, I started to feel how Jaden felt. The aww of a new realm, being able to see a loved one after losing them in another time, and getting to finally experience true love. I fell in love with Ryder and how he was so dedicated to his people, and fought for what needed to be done to save them. I would recommend this book to anyone, it was a great read, and now I can't wait to read the next installment.
What do You think about Transcender: First-Timer (2000)?
This looks intriguing and it's FREE at Amazon right now. : )
—bong
This book was extremely well done I liked it!
—Berglknkr
