Illuminae

Illuminae

By Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Published: Alfred A. Knopf, 2015
Pages: 602
Genre: Sci-fi, Young Adult
Amazon, Goodreads

No up. No down. No sky. No ground. Just endless dark shot through with tiny spears of sunlight older than you and your entire species stacked end to end. You want to feel small? Spend sixty seconds in a Cyclone's cockpit, chum. Look out at nothing and feel it looking back. Then you know exactly how much you add up to.

About the book

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she'd have to do today. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival mega-corporations are at war over a planet that's little more than an ice-covered speak at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, exes Kady and Ezra - who are barely even talking to each other - are forced to fight their way onto the evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But the warship is the least of their problems. A deadly (censored) has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results. The fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will save what the (censored) is going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Review

Illuminae packs one hell of a punch. Where do I even start?

Set in 2575, teenagers Kady and Ezra are in the midst of a breakup when their planet is attacked by a major corporation. They flee to the temporary safety of spaceships, but can't shake off the enemy. Kady and Ezra must come together if they want to survive.

OH and, the story is told through a compilation of journal entries, computer logs, and military documents.

Reading the description, I thought this book would be some lame star-crossed lovers sci-fi bore feast but there's so much more to Illuminae. There's military action, corporate politics, family drama, etc.
So in the story we have two basic characters:

•Kady Grant - An intelligent, snarky, strong-willed young woman skilled in computer lingo. She has a tough outer layer but is caring and passionate.

•Ezra Mason - A large, jocky type guy who is the romantic one in the relationship.

And a list of other minorish characters. Due to the execution of the book, there isn't a chance for in-depth character development, meaning it's mostly an action read.

On that note, Illuminae is an action-packed novel that will leave you breathless. Every turn left me gasping for more.

The book is 600 pages but I finished it in 24 hours because I could barely pull myself away from it.
I was definitely blown away, surprised, and impressed.

AND BEFORE I FORGET, the cover and illustrations inside the book are AMAZING!

Illuminae was obviously, well-thought out and planned.

I'll be looking forward to continuing with the series!

RATING