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Unearthed #1
Unearthed
When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.
For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.
In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race...
For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.
In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race...
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2017
About the author
Amie Kaufman
39 books13.2k followersAmie Kaufman is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of young adult fiction. Her multi-award winning work is slated for publication in over 30 countries, and is in development for film and TV. Raised in Australia and occasionally Ireland, Amie has degrees in history, literature, law and conflict resolution. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and daughter, their rescue dog, and an extremely large personal library. She is the host of the podcasts Amie Kaufman on Writing, and Pub Dates.
You can sign up for her newsletter to see what she's working on, hear when she releases a new book, and be automatically entered for giveaways: https://amiekaufman.substack.com/
You can sign up for her newsletter to see what she's working on, hear when she releases a new book, and be automatically entered for giveaways: https://amiekaufman.substack.com/
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September 17, 2015Lara Croft meets Indiana Jones...IN SPACE.
January 10, 2019
This was really fun! I will admit I did lose the plot a little bit in the second half but then we got to the end and I was honestly a lil bit shook lol. Excuse me while I go gobble up all the YA sci-fi that I can get my hands on for the next few weeks bc this was SO FUN
January 21, 2018
It’s easy for the international alliance to say they’ll be careful on Gaia. It’s easy for them to dismiss the warnings from the Undying, the stories of their own civilization’s downfall. But the human race has been dismissing the decline of our planet and the destruction of its resources for centuries now. We’ve gotten pretty good at it.
This book is entertaining and nothing more. Honestly, my feelings here were basically a more extreme version of my feelings on Warcross earlier this year - good potential, entertaining story, not much more than that.
Okay, first off, and my most basic solid complaint: the first person pov does not work here. I remember thinking the same thing with An Ember in the Ashes - first person pov just does not work when you have two characters.
Also, that blurb is misleading. The traps and tricks in this book are not that unsolvable, and frankly, I found them only a bit interesting - it was the obvious potential of the story’s first half that kept me going, and not the actual payoff.
And okay, let’s throw in our first solid compliment! While Unearthed didn’t focus on this theme as much as I would’ve preferred, I appreciated that this book very much does try to question elitism, and moreover, questions the judgement we place on others. Mia’s assumptions that Jules’ father was simply an academic who cared nothing for the people, and more importantly, Jules’ judgement about Mia’s smuggling as completely immoral and flies in the face of academia.
The two lead characters here are both fairly compelling:
🌺 Mia - a smuggler and a desperate soul trying to save her sister (a trope, but whatever)
🍀 Jules - a clever linguist who still has common sense
While I did think this relationship developed overly quickly, it was offset by a few dynamics that worked for me. First of all, the two lead characters here have a good dynamic for the most part. There’s a touch of good banter towards the beginning - though I would’ve preferred way more - and their relationship wasn’t so committed as to be unbelievable.
And second, I liked that Jules and Mia don’t fit your typical bad-boy-good-girl YA couple dichotomies. Jules’ characterization avoids much of the toxic masculinity common in YA books - he’s probably the more emotional and less physical of the pair. And I loved that Mia, despite being a very physical person, is more STEM-oriented: Jules is more of a linguist, while Mia is a self-proclaimed math lover.
Listen, guys, I’m not going to pretend this book is anything that it wasn’t. My enjoyment of this book, though substantial, was not because of some deeper message I found. But with an interesting ending and a romance that I know the target audience will appreciate, I think this will be a super succesful release.
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July 3, 2019
1.) Unearthed ★★★.5
2.) Undying ★★★★
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This has some super cringey writing and instalove, but once you get a good chunk of the way through, it gets so exciting!
2.) Undying ★★★★
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This has some super cringey writing and instalove, but once you get a good chunk of the way through, it gets so exciting!
April 28, 2019
2.5 stars. I almost DNF’d this but decided to push on until 100 pages and by then the plot was juuuust interesting enough to keep me going. But the things I enjoyed will end with this book so I won’t finish the series.
April 14, 2018
like this was slow but really good. tbh i wasnt expecting any less from amie kaufman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
im a simple child, amie kaufman writes a book, i read it
Buddy read with gato
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
im a simple child, amie kaufman writes a book, i read it
Buddy read with gato
April 20, 2018
if the beginning had been even half as exciting as the ending, it would have gotten more than 3 stars
but alas, this book put me in a slump until I finally decided to pick it up again because being 2 books behind schedule stressed me out (but... damn. that ending)
but alas, this book put me in a slump until I finally decided to pick it up again because being 2 books behind schedule stressed me out (but... damn. that ending)
// buddy read with la belle
Shelved as 'dnf'
October 2, 2018i really..... really just lost interest in this. don't hate me i'm fragile
March 15, 2018
Nothing survives for long in the desert of our disgrace.
I really enjoyed this book because not only is it a great sci-fi read, it is also a powerful look at the destructive nature of humanity, not only to each other but the environment around us.
So many spoilers ahead. You've been warned.
I gave this four stars and that's mostly because some parts were a bit slow. Like, I really liked it but I didn't love it enough to give it five stars. Even though the last quarter was AMAZING! I just felt like so much of the book is spent getting to and through the 'temple' but most of the truly important stuff happens in that last room and through the portal. That being said, I do feel it was necessary because it meant that we got to see some great character and relationship development and let me tell ya, our two main characters are awesome!
Jules was my favourite by a tiny little margin. I can't help it. There's just something so loveable about him. He's hella smart, totally out of his comfort zone and doing everything he can to help his father. There's something so heroic and brave about that. Not in the “let's arm ourselves and fight barbarians” brave or “let's throw ourselves into the line of fire” brave. It's a more...everyday brave. Obviously, the danger he puts himself in isn't everyday but what I mean is it's the sort of bravery you want to feel you would possess if something happened to one of your loved ones and you needed to save them. It's the every day bravery that a parent would show if their child was in danger or the bravery shown by a friend who stands up for you regardless of the consequences. I've gone off at a tangent, haven't I! It makes sense to me. Jules is also the sort of character who recognises his faults and mistakes. He knows he's probably gone about things the wrong way but he was wary and who can blame him? He's been brought up in a house that hates scavengers for what they do. If he had trusted Mia from the get go that would have been weird. Jules just had something about him that really spoke to me. It might have been the whole scholar thing. It was nice to see a male mc being the brains and the hero at the same time. People can be both you know! Sometimes the male mc is all dashing, heroic and shit and yeah they're cunning and intelligent but give me some book smarts! Yes Jules! Loving the bookish intellect charging across the universe to go on a perilous adventure. I'm rambling. I just really, really like him.
I also really like Mia, don't get me wrong. She was feisty, she was resourceful, she was snarky. All things I love but there was just...something, I don't even know what, that made her grate on my at the start. But like I said, the character progression was so on point and by the end I just loved her. She is doing all this to save her secret sister. She has pretty much given up any form of peaceful life, all for her. Before he sister even got caught up with her contract, she had already left school and started to scavenge to put food on the table and look after her sister. Obviously, her sister wanted to help. She didn't think about the consequences, she just did something she thought would take the pressure off of Mia. I love this bond and I totally understand it. I would do the same for my own sister in a heartbeat. I would cross galaxies if it would save her. Mia has taken on the role of protector and she saw a chance to get her sister the hell out of there and she took it. She never could have known what was really going on and what she would be dragged into. But oh my God, just think. This random meeting is going to change her life. She may have ended up on that planet under false pretences, just like Jules, but it was never intended for their paths to cross. Mia has spent most of her life with her sister as her priority. She hasn't been able to be a teenager. She thought she would spend her life working off her sisters debt and there wasn't room for anything else. Who would have thought she would find this boy on this desolate planet and they would be unstoppable?
I love their relationship. I love how it builds, how it stumbles, how it grows into this powerful force. By the end of the book, they are so strong that they are able to convince previous enemies to stand with them, to go back for the other, to protect them. AND THE END. Ah! So, he's all ready to sacrifice himself and Mia is having none of that and YES! I love that they face it together. They both know it's probably hopeless but not one of them is going to let the other one go though it alone.
The ending of this book is probably the cruellest cliffhanger I’ve read in years! HOW CAN YOU LEAVE IT THERE!?! I'm so angry lol! Mostly because I have some theories about the Undying and I'm about 98% sure I'm right and I was all ready to get my answers and IT FINISHED AND NOW I HAVE TO WAIT FOR ANSWERS AND I CAN'T!!!!!!!!!
Apologies for the caps lock but FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P. S.
If you made it through this mess of a review I salute and thank you! Have you read Unearthed yet? If you have, drop me a comment and let me know what you thought!
Loves to all.
Bunks
****************
Are you kidding me!?!?!? But...that...no! No I refuse to believe that we are left with that evil cliffhanger of an ending! I have so many theories and questions!!!! Proper RTC!
I really enjoyed this book because not only is it a great sci-fi read, it is also a powerful look at the destructive nature of humanity, not only to each other but the environment around us.
So many spoilers ahead. You've been warned.
I gave this four stars and that's mostly because some parts were a bit slow. Like, I really liked it but I didn't love it enough to give it five stars. Even though the last quarter was AMAZING! I just felt like so much of the book is spent getting to and through the 'temple' but most of the truly important stuff happens in that last room and through the portal. That being said, I do feel it was necessary because it meant that we got to see some great character and relationship development and let me tell ya, our two main characters are awesome!
Jules was my favourite by a tiny little margin. I can't help it. There's just something so loveable about him. He's hella smart, totally out of his comfort zone and doing everything he can to help his father. There's something so heroic and brave about that. Not in the “let's arm ourselves and fight barbarians” brave or “let's throw ourselves into the line of fire” brave. It's a more...everyday brave. Obviously, the danger he puts himself in isn't everyday but what I mean is it's the sort of bravery you want to feel you would possess if something happened to one of your loved ones and you needed to save them. It's the every day bravery that a parent would show if their child was in danger or the bravery shown by a friend who stands up for you regardless of the consequences. I've gone off at a tangent, haven't I! It makes sense to me. Jules is also the sort of character who recognises his faults and mistakes. He knows he's probably gone about things the wrong way but he was wary and who can blame him? He's been brought up in a house that hates scavengers for what they do. If he had trusted Mia from the get go that would have been weird. Jules just had something about him that really spoke to me. It might have been the whole scholar thing. It was nice to see a male mc being the brains and the hero at the same time. People can be both you know! Sometimes the male mc is all dashing, heroic and shit and yeah they're cunning and intelligent but give me some book smarts! Yes Jules! Loving the bookish intellect charging across the universe to go on a perilous adventure. I'm rambling. I just really, really like him.
I also really like Mia, don't get me wrong. She was feisty, she was resourceful, she was snarky. All things I love but there was just...something, I don't even know what, that made her grate on my at the start. But like I said, the character progression was so on point and by the end I just loved her. She is doing all this to save her secret sister. She has pretty much given up any form of peaceful life, all for her. Before he sister even got caught up with her contract, she had already left school and started to scavenge to put food on the table and look after her sister. Obviously, her sister wanted to help. She didn't think about the consequences, she just did something she thought would take the pressure off of Mia. I love this bond and I totally understand it. I would do the same for my own sister in a heartbeat. I would cross galaxies if it would save her. Mia has taken on the role of protector and she saw a chance to get her sister the hell out of there and she took it. She never could have known what was really going on and what she would be dragged into. But oh my God, just think. This random meeting is going to change her life. She may have ended up on that planet under false pretences, just like Jules, but it was never intended for their paths to cross. Mia has spent most of her life with her sister as her priority. She hasn't been able to be a teenager. She thought she would spend her life working off her sisters debt and there wasn't room for anything else. Who would have thought she would find this boy on this desolate planet and they would be unstoppable?
I love their relationship. I love how it builds, how it stumbles, how it grows into this powerful force. By the end of the book, they are so strong that they are able to convince previous enemies to stand with them, to go back for the other, to protect them. AND THE END. Ah! So, he's all ready to sacrifice himself and Mia is having none of that and YES! I love that they face it together. They both know it's probably hopeless but not one of them is going to let the other one go though it alone.
The ending of this book is probably the cruellest cliffhanger I’ve read in years! HOW CAN YOU LEAVE IT THERE!?! I'm so angry lol! Mostly because I have some theories about the Undying and I'm about 98% sure I'm right and I was all ready to get my answers and IT FINISHED AND NOW I HAVE TO WAIT FOR ANSWERS AND I CAN'T!!!!!!!!!
Apologies for the caps lock but FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P. S.
If you made it through this mess of a review I salute and thank you! Have you read Unearthed yet? If you have, drop me a comment and let me know what you thought!
Loves to all.
Bunks
****************
Are you kidding me!?!?!? But...that...no! No I refuse to believe that we are left with that evil cliffhanger of an ending! I have so many theories and questions!!!! Proper RTC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2017
3.5 Stars
Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner team back up for the first time since their Starbound series. Taking place on a distant planet, this story follows Jules and Mia as the navigate the ‘temples’ of an extinct alien species whoironically were called the ‘Undying.’ (Basically it started out Indiana Jones in space and somehow turned into Doctor Who.)
The plot itself is fun. These are the sort of zany, broad spectrum adventures that make me love sci-fi. And the interesting take on exploring a new planet with archaeology really is suppppeeeer fun. All the comparisons to Indiana Jones or Lara Croft or The Mummy (the fun one with Brendan Fraiser, not the one where Tom Cruise looks upset the whole time) are well deserved, as this exists as an exciting adventure story that happens to include: futuristic grave robbers, ancient booby traps and alien technology.
While fun, I think the plot was too narrow. This is a huge setting where earth is overpopulated and humanity was dying until this new undiscovered planet. But most of our time is spent in a very, very, small space following Jules and Mia work through puzzles. While the plot gets to the big stuff eventually, I wish it’d been the primary focus. Odd enough, I also felt this story could have benefited being in graphic novel format-- as all the puzzles are so visual and we’re left soley with lengthy descriptions.
Our main characters weren’t anything revolutionary-- a self proclaimed scholar and scavenger who both have trust issues, but they are solid with fun interactions. My main problem was the kinda-quick romance that distracts from the plot. Again, their interactions were fun, but there was so much focus on ‘wow-they’re-hot’ and ‘oh-no-should-I-trust-them’ in the worst places. Like you’re both on a time-crunch in a dangerous, unknown location… is now really the best time to have this conversation? Should you really make out with explosions so near? It’s not totally instalove-- but it happens fast and took up a large portion of the book.(I just wanted more interesting technology and deep ethical sci-fi stuff, because I’m a nerd.)
I did love that the character’s rely on non-traditional strengths. Jules and Mia solve things using math and linguistics, instead of being the most agile or strong. I love smart characters, and this felt refreshing rather than a school lesson.
Overall:
This not only features an interesting world and entertaining characters, but the plot twist-and-turns quite a bit. I had my theories, but wasn’t ever certain what was about to happen. Definitely engrossing, and something I’d have flown through if life allowed.
I received an ARC of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thanks to Disney-Hyperion for the opportunity!
Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner team back up for the first time since their Starbound series. Taking place on a distant planet, this story follows Jules and Mia as the navigate the ‘temples’ of an extinct alien species who
The plot itself is fun. These are the sort of zany, broad spectrum adventures that make me love sci-fi. And the interesting take on exploring a new planet with archaeology really is suppppeeeer fun. All the comparisons to Indiana Jones or Lara Croft or The Mummy (the fun one with Brendan Fraiser, not the one where Tom Cruise looks upset the whole time) are well deserved, as this exists as an exciting adventure story that happens to include: futuristic grave robbers, ancient booby traps and alien technology.
While fun, I think the plot was too narrow. This is a huge setting where earth is overpopulated and humanity was dying until this new undiscovered planet. But most of our time is spent in a very, very, small space following Jules and Mia work through puzzles. While the plot gets to the big stuff eventually, I wish it’d been the primary focus. Odd enough, I also felt this story could have benefited being in graphic novel format-- as all the puzzles are so visual and we’re left soley with lengthy descriptions.
Our main characters weren’t anything revolutionary-- a self proclaimed scholar and scavenger who both have trust issues, but they are solid with fun interactions. My main problem was the kinda-quick romance that distracts from the plot. Again, their interactions were fun, but there was so much focus on ‘wow-they’re-hot’ and ‘oh-no-should-I-trust-them’ in the worst places. Like you’re both on a time-crunch in a dangerous, unknown location… is now really the best time to have this conversation? Should you really make out with explosions so near? It’s not totally instalove-- but it happens fast and took up a large portion of the book.
I did love that the character’s rely on non-traditional strengths. Jules and Mia solve things using math and linguistics, instead of being the most agile or strong. I love smart characters, and this felt refreshing rather than a school lesson.
Overall:
This not only features an interesting world and entertaining characters, but the plot twist-and-turns quite a bit. I had my theories, but wasn’t ever certain what was about to happen. Definitely engrossing, and something I’d have flown through if life allowed.
I received an ARC of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thanks to Disney-Hyperion for the opportunity!
October 25, 2019
I was beyond excited when I got a review copy of this book. I wanted to read it right away and only with major restraint was I able to wait closer to the publication date. Ive been obsessed with Scifi lately and the premise of a treasure hunting adventure on an alien planet sounded like a lot of fun. After 2 very different teenagers, a scavenger and a scholar sneak onto this dangerous alien planet they decide to team up to evade deadly treasure hunters and make it through a trapped filled maze.
Each of the two main characters, Jules and Amelia, had compelling narratives with their comedic thoughts and clever banter. I laughed so hard when Mia was thinking; "Hes cute, in a dont-kick-the-puppy way. Hell, he's cute in a come-back-to-my-place-and-meet-my-puppy way." It took me a bit longer to love Jules as much as Amelia, but I really enjoyed both their backstories and their complex relationship as they slowly learned to trust each other. Their different skills and personalities complimented each other nicely.
The main characters were definitely the strongest part of this novel but I also liked the writing and how easy it was to get into. Being chased by mercenaries helped keep the pace going, but the puzzle solving didnt grip me as much as I would have liked. I wish we would have gotten more alien/scifi elements to make the world stand out from our own. I enjoyed the portrayal of corporate greed because its something I see happening nowadays. They're not satisfied with destroying their own planet they have to destroy everything else they find.
I still have a lot of questions after the way things ended. I still dont know why they left those clues so Im dying to read the sequel to find out whats going on. Despite guessing some of the twists, the major plot twist at the end still took me by surprise. Im also really excited this is being made into a movie. I totally see the Lara Croft comparisons and if its anything like that movie Ill be really happy. After reading Unearthed I decided I needed more books from these authors and started the audiobook for These Broken Stars.
*received for review consideration*
Update: Getting an ARC of this in the mail this week. Eeeeeek so excited!!!!
Who do I have to sell my soul to so I can get a ARC of this lol
Each of the two main characters, Jules and Amelia, had compelling narratives with their comedic thoughts and clever banter. I laughed so hard when Mia was thinking; "Hes cute, in a dont-kick-the-puppy way. Hell, he's cute in a come-back-to-my-place-and-meet-my-puppy way." It took me a bit longer to love Jules as much as Amelia, but I really enjoyed both their backstories and their complex relationship as they slowly learned to trust each other. Their different skills and personalities complimented each other nicely.
The main characters were definitely the strongest part of this novel but I also liked the writing and how easy it was to get into. Being chased by mercenaries helped keep the pace going, but the puzzle solving didnt grip me as much as I would have liked. I wish we would have gotten more alien/scifi elements to make the world stand out from our own. I enjoyed the portrayal of corporate greed because its something I see happening nowadays. They're not satisfied with destroying their own planet they have to destroy everything else they find.
I still have a lot of questions after the way things ended. I still dont know why they left those clues so Im dying to read the sequel to find out whats going on. Despite guessing some of the twists, the major plot twist at the end still took me by surprise. Im also really excited this is being made into a movie. I totally see the Lara Croft comparisons and if its anything like that movie Ill be really happy. After reading Unearthed I decided I needed more books from these authors and started the audiobook for These Broken Stars.
*received for review consideration*
Update: Getting an ARC of this in the mail this week. Eeeeeek so excited!!!!
Who do I have to sell my soul to so I can get a ARC of this lol
August 19, 2023
While the mystery at the core of this book kept me going until the end, I feel like at this point, if you've read one Amie Kaufman book, you've read them all, and this was again 2 very samey characters on a new sci-fi backdrop.
September 2, 2022
Trigger warnings: violence, death, explosions, gun violence, blood, mentions of...forced prostitution? I guess that's the best way to refer to it.
31/8/2022
I am fully aware that this is not a book that works for everyone. But it's a book that very specifically works for me, and therefore it's still a 5 star book as far as I'm concerned.
11/12/2018
I was a little nervous about how I'd feel rereading this because WHAT IF I JUST GOT CAUGHT UP ON THE HYPE TRAIN LAST YEAR AND IT'S NOT ACTUALLY AS GOOD AS I REMEMBERED?? Spoiler alert: it was as good as I remembered.
27/11/2017
So here's the thing: this, other than The Upside of Unrequited, was my most anticipated book of the year from the moment that I read the first chapter in one of those chapter sampler bind ups at the start of the year. I was hooked from page 1, and I knew that I was going to love this for the following reasons:
- Archaeology (my undergrad degree is in archaeology)
- In space (I am trash for archaeology AND space. Put the two together and I'm sold)
- Amelia Radcliffe's name is a nod to the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters, which I LOVE.
- Meagan Spooner confirmed on Twitter that I was the first person to notice this (we flailed excitedly over the Amelia Peabody series at the Melbourne launch last night)
- Amelia is basically Rey from The Force Awakens but with pink and blue hair.
So OBVIOUSLY I was 100% on board with this.
And I couldn't wait until the launch last night to start reading it, so I bought a copy over the weekend. And believe when I say it did not disappoint.
It's action packed, it's gripping, it's full of puzzles to be solved and bad guys to escape from and it's basically a shit ton of fun from start to finish. I honestly don't have a single gripe with this book (WHAT. WHO EVEN AM I??), because I was hooked from the very first page until that freaking cliffhanger ending (okay, I have a minor gripe with having to wait for book 2 to come out).
So yeah. Maybe I'm wearing my rose coloured I-love-archaeology-but-I-HATE-excavations-so-I'll-just-read-books-about-archaeology-instead nostalgia glasses, but this was a blast and it's definitely among my favourite books of the year.
(Also, FYI, the cake at the Melbourne launch party? Was delicious.)
31/8/2022
I am fully aware that this is not a book that works for everyone. But it's a book that very specifically works for me, and therefore it's still a 5 star book as far as I'm concerned.
11/12/2018
I was a little nervous about how I'd feel rereading this because WHAT IF I JUST GOT CAUGHT UP ON THE HYPE TRAIN LAST YEAR AND IT'S NOT ACTUALLY AS GOOD AS I REMEMBERED?? Spoiler alert: it was as good as I remembered.
27/11/2017
So here's the thing: this, other than The Upside of Unrequited, was my most anticipated book of the year from the moment that I read the first chapter in one of those chapter sampler bind ups at the start of the year. I was hooked from page 1, and I knew that I was going to love this for the following reasons:
- Archaeology (my undergrad degree is in archaeology)
- In space (I am trash for archaeology AND space. Put the two together and I'm sold)
- Amelia Radcliffe's name is a nod to the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters, which I LOVE.
- Meagan Spooner confirmed on Twitter that I was the first person to notice this (we flailed excitedly over the Amelia Peabody series at the Melbourne launch last night)
- Amelia is basically Rey from The Force Awakens but with pink and blue hair.
So OBVIOUSLY I was 100% on board with this.
And I couldn't wait until the launch last night to start reading it, so I bought a copy over the weekend. And believe when I say it did not disappoint.
It's action packed, it's gripping, it's full of puzzles to be solved and bad guys to escape from and it's basically a shit ton of fun from start to finish. I honestly don't have a single gripe with this book (WHAT. WHO EVEN AM I??), because I was hooked from the very first page until that freaking cliffhanger ending (okay, I have a minor gripe with having to wait for book 2 to come out).
So yeah. Maybe I'm wearing my rose coloured I-love-archaeology-but-I-HATE-excavations-so-I'll-just-read-books-about-archaeology-instead nostalgia glasses, but this was a blast and it's definitely among my favourite books of the year.
(Also, FYI, the cake at the Melbourne launch party? Was delicious.)
January 2, 2018
A fun scifi book!
Indiana Jones in space is what I would say is the perfect way to describe this book!
It didn't wow but but was enjoyable!
Indiana Jones in space is what I would say is the perfect way to describe this book!
It didn't wow but but was enjoyable!
March 18, 2018
YA Adventure Romance in alien ruins, full of scavengers, raiders, and a mystery that only really gets good at the end.
Yeah? But did I have fun?
Moderately so. No real complaints -- for the most part -- but I often wondered if this was really about tomb raiding or whether this was about the character dynamic of Elites versus the Downtrodden. The romance wasn't exactly bad in this regard. Some parts were quite enjoyable.
The raiders bit? Well, unfortunately, the raiders of the lost ark seemed to drag a bit for me. The puzzles were somewhat entertaining and the survival aspects were also somewhat entertaining, but the only thing that really kept me going was the promise of the big Phi reveal.
What was the warning? What is the big danger? Why SHOULDN'T they keep going?
But because they're kids and all the other greedy-types want it, everyone keeps going. Progress, reversal, progress, reversal, etc, until at last we have it.
Nice reveal. Not sure if it is justified by the journey, but it wasn't exactly bad. I'm just not sure it really sold me. It's probably mostly an "it's me, not you" scenario. :)
Yeah? But did I have fun?
Moderately so. No real complaints -- for the most part -- but I often wondered if this was really about tomb raiding or whether this was about the character dynamic of Elites versus the Downtrodden. The romance wasn't exactly bad in this regard. Some parts were quite enjoyable.
The raiders bit? Well, unfortunately, the raiders of the lost ark seemed to drag a bit for me. The puzzles were somewhat entertaining and the survival aspects were also somewhat entertaining, but the only thing that really kept me going was the promise of the big Phi reveal.
What was the warning? What is the big danger? Why SHOULDN'T they keep going?
But because they're kids and all the other greedy-types want it, everyone keeps going. Progress, reversal, progress, reversal, etc, until at last we have it.
Nice reveal. Not sure if it is justified by the journey, but it wasn't exactly bad. I'm just not sure it really sold me. It's probably mostly an "it's me, not you" scenario. :)
January 13, 2018
It took me soooooooooooooooooo long to get through this book. I was bored out of my mind the entire time. I never fully got into the story, but at some point I stopped falling asleep on myself (that's 100% legit -- the first three times I attempted to read even a few chapters, I fell asleep. Maybe I'm just overworked? I don't think that's entirely the case though). It's not a BAD book, just really boring in the first half.
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Book One of the Unearthed series
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: January 9, 2018
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.
For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.
In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race...
What I Liked:
I'm going to be completely honest - I had a really hard time reading this book. I struggled to get through it, which is something I usually don't have a problem with. It took me nearly a week to finish the book, which is seven times longer than it would usually take me to finish the book. I recognize and acknowledge how well the story was put together, but the first half of the book was extremely dull, and it almost seemed like the authors were trying to include too many mysteries and puzzles and half-truths here and there. In the end, I want to read the next book, but I won't forget how much I struggled with this first book.
Jules Addison has landed on Gaia to explore an unknown temple that could contain a wealth of information that could change the future of Earth. There is technology that the Undying left behind on Gaia, and Jules is determined to find it. Mia has also just landed on Gaia, having been smuggled in, in order to find artifacts to bring back to Earth to sell. She is a scavenger in desperate need of money; he is a scholar with a thirst for knowledge. Their paths collide, and they have no choice but to work together to find a way off the planet. But the farther they go into the hidden temple, the more they learn about the Undying... there is more to the temple than advanced technology, and the discovery could change the future of Earth forever.
I struggled with the first half of the book, and the second half of the book was still a bit of a struggle, but definitely more interesting. I think I really only started to try and get invested when Jules and Mia were deep in the temple, and they realized that they were not alone. From that point on, I started to at least care more. But everything before that - Jules and Mia meeting, their bargain with each other, actually finding the temple, starting to explore the temple - meh. Once Jules and Mia started to feel more pressure and danger, AND started to realize that there was more to the temple than old rocks and symbols, I started to care more.
I did like the Indiana Jones feel that I got as the story went on. There were so many puzzles and traps and decoding that needed to be done, which was really cool. Jules's education and quick-working brain came in handy, as did Mia's fast instincts and math skills. They were a well-matched pair for the temple, given how complex and different each obstacle was. The Undying really made things complicated for those trying to seek out their technology.
I liked Jules from the get-go, with his proper, well-mannered ways. He is very intelligent and inquisitive, and cares so much about finding the tech so he can study it. He is a scholar with a true scholar's mind, and he is a good person with little malicious intent. He has good instincts and he has a good heart. I liked his strengths - his quick mind, his cleverness, his selflessness.
Mia is more savvy and sly, a scavenger out of necessity but a very skilled person to have around. She gets herself and Jules out of some sticky situations. She has murky motives at times, but she really cares about her little sister back on Earth. Everything she does is for her sister. For the most part, I liked Mia, and I understood her.
Jules and Mia are a great pair together, especially in terms of how well they worked together to find a way out of the temple. They are both very smart in different ways, and they use their strengths to help each other. They didn't always have the best relationship, with the amount of lies between them at first, but they begin to trust each other after they save each other's lives several times.
You can guess that there is romance in this book. It is very subtle and barely there, but Jules and Mia start to catch feelings for each other towards the end of the book, which was cute. No love triangle or anything like that, just subtle romance that takes its time to build. Which is fine!
I won't say too much more in terms of the plot but I will say that the ending is not necessarily surprising, but it is very cliffhanger-y and can be seen as shocking if you weren't looking at all of the clues that the authors left. It's a good hook for setting the book up to have a sequel, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel (whenever that will be). I definitely want to know more!
What I Did Not Like:
The only reason why I'm not giving this book four stars is because I struggled so much with it. I tried three times to read this book, and I feel asleep or put the book aside each time. The four time (Sunday night), I told myself that I was finishing it once and for all. The first half of the book is incredibly boring. There are so many passages of info-dumping, and even with all of the info-dumping, I was often left confused about the world-building, the history, who the Undying were, if the Undying were the people that left in a ship from Earth... there are a lot of questions that I have and I think I should not have those questions because they are fundamental groundwork questions. What exactly is the Undying? How do humans on Earth know of their existence if the Undying lived a zillion years ago? What is up with the ship that disappeared from Earth without a trace? There were a lot of "historic" things that just didn't add up to me. I think the authors also tried to have to many half-truths out there, too many seeds to pick up, too many half-written histories that would be explained letter. For all the info-dumping that happened, I was still really confused. And really bored.
In any case, the first half of the book did not interest me. The second half of the book was... better? But still kind of dry and stuffed with long passages of info-dumping. There was more dialogue in the second half, and more heart-twisting events, but I still didn't get invested in the story. I never felt like I truly got into the story.
Would I Recommend It:
I do recommend this book, despite my struggles with it. It could have just been me! (Though, based on reviews by blogger friends, I don't think this is the case.) I love YA science fiction and thought this book would have been my jam, but that wasn't necessarily the case. It was okay though! I think the story was well-written and creative. I just had a hard time getting into it.
Rating:
3.5 stars -> rounded down to 3 stars. I will still definitely check out the sequel, as I have certain hopes and expectations for the book. But I'm not really as enthusiastic about the series as I was before I read this book. It was a little disappointing, to have struggled so hard with a book that I'd been looking forward to reading for a year or more. But I'm hoping the next book will be better for me!
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Book One of the Unearthed series
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: January 9, 2018
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.
For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.
In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race...
What I Liked:
I'm going to be completely honest - I had a really hard time reading this book. I struggled to get through it, which is something I usually don't have a problem with. It took me nearly a week to finish the book, which is seven times longer than it would usually take me to finish the book. I recognize and acknowledge how well the story was put together, but the first half of the book was extremely dull, and it almost seemed like the authors were trying to include too many mysteries and puzzles and half-truths here and there. In the end, I want to read the next book, but I won't forget how much I struggled with this first book.
Jules Addison has landed on Gaia to explore an unknown temple that could contain a wealth of information that could change the future of Earth. There is technology that the Undying left behind on Gaia, and Jules is determined to find it. Mia has also just landed on Gaia, having been smuggled in, in order to find artifacts to bring back to Earth to sell. She is a scavenger in desperate need of money; he is a scholar with a thirst for knowledge. Their paths collide, and they have no choice but to work together to find a way off the planet. But the farther they go into the hidden temple, the more they learn about the Undying... there is more to the temple than advanced technology, and the discovery could change the future of Earth forever.
I struggled with the first half of the book, and the second half of the book was still a bit of a struggle, but definitely more interesting. I think I really only started to try and get invested when Jules and Mia were deep in the temple, and they realized that they were not alone. From that point on, I started to at least care more. But everything before that - Jules and Mia meeting, their bargain with each other, actually finding the temple, starting to explore the temple - meh. Once Jules and Mia started to feel more pressure and danger, AND started to realize that there was more to the temple than old rocks and symbols, I started to care more.
I did like the Indiana Jones feel that I got as the story went on. There were so many puzzles and traps and decoding that needed to be done, which was really cool. Jules's education and quick-working brain came in handy, as did Mia's fast instincts and math skills. They were a well-matched pair for the temple, given how complex and different each obstacle was. The Undying really made things complicated for those trying to seek out their technology.
I liked Jules from the get-go, with his proper, well-mannered ways. He is very intelligent and inquisitive, and cares so much about finding the tech so he can study it. He is a scholar with a true scholar's mind, and he is a good person with little malicious intent. He has good instincts and he has a good heart. I liked his strengths - his quick mind, his cleverness, his selflessness.
Mia is more savvy and sly, a scavenger out of necessity but a very skilled person to have around. She gets herself and Jules out of some sticky situations. She has murky motives at times, but she really cares about her little sister back on Earth. Everything she does is for her sister. For the most part, I liked Mia, and I understood her.
Jules and Mia are a great pair together, especially in terms of how well they worked together to find a way out of the temple. They are both very smart in different ways, and they use their strengths to help each other. They didn't always have the best relationship, with the amount of lies between them at first, but they begin to trust each other after they save each other's lives several times.
You can guess that there is romance in this book. It is very subtle and barely there, but Jules and Mia start to catch feelings for each other towards the end of the book, which was cute. No love triangle or anything like that, just subtle romance that takes its time to build. Which is fine!
I won't say too much more in terms of the plot but I will say that the ending is not necessarily surprising, but it is very cliffhanger-y and can be seen as shocking if you weren't looking at all of the clues that the authors left. It's a good hook for setting the book up to have a sequel, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel (whenever that will be). I definitely want to know more!
What I Did Not Like:
The only reason why I'm not giving this book four stars is because I struggled so much with it. I tried three times to read this book, and I feel asleep or put the book aside each time. The four time (Sunday night), I told myself that I was finishing it once and for all. The first half of the book is incredibly boring. There are so many passages of info-dumping, and even with all of the info-dumping, I was often left confused about the world-building, the history, who the Undying were, if the Undying were the people that left in a ship from Earth... there are a lot of questions that I have and I think I should not have those questions because they are fundamental groundwork questions. What exactly is the Undying? How do humans on Earth know of their existence if the Undying lived a zillion years ago? What is up with the ship that disappeared from Earth without a trace? There were a lot of "historic" things that just didn't add up to me. I think the authors also tried to have to many half-truths out there, too many seeds to pick up, too many half-written histories that would be explained letter. For all the info-dumping that happened, I was still really confused. And really bored.
In any case, the first half of the book did not interest me. The second half of the book was... better? But still kind of dry and stuffed with long passages of info-dumping. There was more dialogue in the second half, and more heart-twisting events, but I still didn't get invested in the story. I never felt like I truly got into the story.
Would I Recommend It:
I do recommend this book, despite my struggles with it. It could have just been me! (Though, based on reviews by blogger friends, I don't think this is the case.) I love YA science fiction and thought this book would have been my jam, but that wasn't necessarily the case. It was okay though! I think the story was well-written and creative. I just had a hard time getting into it.
Rating:
3.5 stars -> rounded down to 3 stars. I will still definitely check out the sequel, as I have certain hopes and expectations for the book. But I'm not really as enthusiastic about the series as I was before I read this book. It was a little disappointing, to have struggled so hard with a book that I'd been looking forward to reading for a year or more. But I'm hoping the next book will be better for me!
November 30, 2017
THIS WAS AMAZING!!
Love love love Mia and Jules. She smart and sassy and he’s a British scholar and together they’re adorable. I love getting dual POV and each of them were charismatic characters who were easy to root for. Plus there’s some kissing and deliciously long glances when the other one isn’t looking.
Plot wise, it’s like a scavenger hunt x a million. There’s so much on the line for Mia and Jules, that it really made for some excellent tension. The story starts off with a bang and doesn’t let go. It’s fast paced and captivating, with a few reveals and one hell of an ending.
As always, Amie and Meagan have written a fabulous story. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
**Huge thanks to Disney Hyperion for providing the arc free of charge**
Love love love Mia and Jules. She smart and sassy and he’s a British scholar and together they’re adorable. I love getting dual POV and each of them were charismatic characters who were easy to root for. Plus there’s some kissing and deliciously long glances when the other one isn’t looking.
Plot wise, it’s like a scavenger hunt x a million. There’s so much on the line for Mia and Jules, that it really made for some excellent tension. The story starts off with a bang and doesn’t let go. It’s fast paced and captivating, with a few reveals and one hell of an ending.
As always, Amie and Meagan have written a fabulous story. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
**Huge thanks to Disney Hyperion for providing the arc free of charge**
January 20, 2018
1.75* dnf: 30% I also looked ahead a bit. I don't think I'm going to like it any more.
(edit: lowered to 1 star horrible characters and info-dump worldbuilding)
What is this shit. I don't usually listen to recs/hype for sci-fi they are always horrible. I just wanted to try something new out for once. So many details yet the world doesn't seem cool at all. Less details please with a cooler world and less annoying characters. So boring.
Oh that was horrible. It's duo perspective and they just kept on talking and talking and it was so boring. It's obvious that there's going to be a romance because there kept on being little side comments like "she's so cute" and "he's actually pretty hot" and it was so dumb. I hate romances like that. It's never convincing at all. Are they even cute as friends? NO.
So I made sure to get to at least that part where they get in to the cave (or temple I'm not that sure I don't give a shit about this book) and they STILL just kept talking and talking about boring details even with the LITTLE BIT of action.
I could handle reading Amelia's side. If it was just her I could probably finish this book with a 3 star or something, but Jules side was so boring. His side was just all about the backstory and stuff for this story and it was such a huge info dump.
I have heard about male authors not being able to write female characters, but what about female authors not being able to write male characters. JULES DOESN'T EVEN SEEM THAT SMART. AMELIA SEEMS SMARTER THAN HIM. I think most main characters (main characters are kinda overpowered/super smart in general) are smarter than this guy. He's so lame. He's like woah I hate Amelia because she's a robber, but she's cute doe so whatevas. Oh I hate Amelia too. I just like her better. I could handle her. She's annoying too.
(edit: lowered to 1 star horrible characters and info-dump worldbuilding)
What is this shit. I don't usually listen to recs/hype for sci-fi they are always horrible. I just wanted to try something new out for once. So many details yet the world doesn't seem cool at all. Less details please with a cooler world and less annoying characters. So boring.
Oh that was horrible. It's duo perspective and they just kept on talking and talking and it was so boring. It's obvious that there's going to be a romance because there kept on being little side comments like "she's so cute" and "he's actually pretty hot" and it was so dumb. I hate romances like that. It's never convincing at all. Are they even cute as friends? NO.
So I made sure to get to at least that part where they get in to the cave (or temple I'm not that sure I don't give a shit about this book) and they STILL just kept talking and talking about boring details even with the LITTLE BIT of action.
I could handle reading Amelia's side. If it was just her I could probably finish this book with a 3 star or something, but Jules side was so boring. His side was just all about the backstory and stuff for this story and it was such a huge info dump.
I have heard about male authors not being able to write female characters, but what about female authors not being able to write male characters. JULES DOESN'T EVEN SEEM THAT SMART. AMELIA SEEMS SMARTER THAN HIM. I think most main characters (main characters are kinda overpowered/super smart in general) are smarter than this guy. He's so lame. He's like woah I hate Amelia because she's a robber, but she's cute doe so whatevas. Oh I hate Amelia too. I just like her better. I could handle her. She's annoying too.
January 9, 2018
GUYS THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD YOU ALL NEED TO DROP EVERYTHING AND GO READ IT!
It's really cool. There was no way that any book could live up to the description of Indiana Jones in outer space, BUT IT DID! This book was absolutely incredible.
Characters were great. Nothing atypical, but I honestly didn't care. Jules and Mia were fabulous. I really liked how they were intelligent, excelling in linguistics and maths respectively. They were not especially unique, but I loved this detail and the pair of them nonetheless.
The plot was awesome. I won't describe the events because you've either read it and already know, or haven't in which case spoilers, but it was incredible. I absolutely loved the puzzles! I wish there were pictures of them though. I wish that you as the reader got a chance to try and solve them yourself, or at least see what the undead language looked like. But overall, it was so great!
What in the world was that ending though? They apologized in the acknowledgements but I do not accept. That was not okay. The book was so good that I would read the sequel anyway. But you can't just leave the book on an ending like that without giving me any more information. Not cool.
But basically: I loved it, it was awesome, go read it!
It's really cool. There was no way that any book could live up to the description of Indiana Jones in outer space, BUT IT DID! This book was absolutely incredible.
Characters were great. Nothing atypical, but I honestly didn't care. Jules and Mia were fabulous. I really liked how they were intelligent, excelling in linguistics and maths respectively. They were not especially unique, but I loved this detail and the pair of them nonetheless.
The plot was awesome. I won't describe the events because you've either read it and already know, or haven't in which case spoilers, but it was incredible. I absolutely loved the puzzles! I wish there were pictures of them though. I wish that you as the reader got a chance to try and solve them yourself, or at least see what the undead language looked like. But overall, it was so great!
What in the world was that ending though? They apologized in the acknowledgements but I do not accept. That was not okay. The book was so good that I would read the sequel anyway. But you can't just leave the book on an ending like that without giving me any more information. Not cool.
But basically: I loved it, it was awesome, go read it!
October 10, 2017
THAT ENDING THOUGH.
April 14, 2018
Damn this book was good. I don’t know why I put off reading it for ages
January 8, 2018
2.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/01/07/...
I felt I gave this one a fair shot, despite everything from end-of-year burnout to post-vacation blues seeming to conspire against me. In the end, this was simply not the engaging tomb-raiding adventure on an alien planet that I was expecting, and mostly found myself bored and unable to see why this book couldn’t be half the length with the same plot content.
The story begins on Gaia, a far-flung planet discovered when a message was intercepted from its long-extinct inhabitants, an ancient race which called itself “the Undying”. Aware that Earth is on its last legs due to overpopulation and environmental degradation, scientists saw this new world as the answer to all their prayers—finally, humanity has a possible home for the future, and the Undying’s advanced technology will also help Earth become sustainable again.
As a result, people from all walks of life flocked to Gaia to see mysteries and treasures can be found among its abandoned ruins. When the book begins, readers meet Amelia “Mia” Radcliffe, an American teenager from an impoverished background who is on Gaia trying to raid its temples for valuable goods in order to buy passage back to Earth. Then there’s Jules Addison, a young English researcher whose father is a leading authority on subjects related to the Undying. Educated and well-to-do, his upbringing couldn’t be any more different from Mia’s, though he also finds himself on Gaia hoping to trying to unlock its secrets.
Scavenger and scholar are soon thrust together in a tenuous alliance, despite their differing reasons for illegally traveling to Gaia. Amelia is motivated by the potential payout, though later we find that the money would be used to save her li’l sis. Still, this puts her at odds with Jules, whose intentions are mostly scientific as he seeks to further his father’s research. Nevertheless, a romance eventually develops as the two of them grow closer in their battles against hostile scavengers and dangerous booby traps.
The premise sounded great, and I truly thought I had a winner right up to the moment I realized the best parts of the book were all in the beginning, e.g. the history of Earth’s gradual decline, the backstory of how hope was rekindled when an alien planet was discovered, and how the Undying could prove to be humankind’s salvation. Even the meeting between Amelia and Jules was sweet, albeit in an awkward, stumbling sort of way. The story might have continued to interest me had it followed through with more Undying and Gaia-related intrigue, but instead the authors opted to go all-out with the romance, attempting to spruce up this unimaginative love story to pretend that it is more unique than it really is.
The alternating perspectives between Mia and Jules also caused a lot of repetition; almost every major event had to be covered twice, and the narrative expounded upon the characters’ emotions again and again. Like I said, this book could have been half as long, and I doubt much would have been lost. Admittedly, I listened to the audiobook of Unearthed over my winter vacation, which meant a lot of interruptions and starting-and-pausing, but even after days of this, it surprised me how little plot progression there was. The unnecessary exposition and internal dialogue also got in the way of the romantic elements, making this contrived pairing between Mia and Jules all the more uncomfortable to watch.
To be fair, I am super hard sell when it comes to romance. Especially YA romance. I think the authors could have struck a better balance between the romantic elements and the rest of the story, bringing the exploratory and scientific themes to the forefront while cooling it with the hasty and almost desperate way they seemed to want Jules and Amelia to fall into each other’s arms. Sorry, I just wasn’t convinced.
Overall, I see the potential here for more. However, I doubt I will stick around for the sequel, considering how even that cliffhanger at the end failed to entice me. There are better YA sci-fi adventure books out there, not to mention plenty of them probably also feature couples who have more chemistry than Amelia and Jules.
Audiobook Comments: It’s possible that some of my issues with Unearthed stemmed from the fact I was listening to the audiobook, though I doubt my rating and review would have changed much even if I had read the print edition. Still, I had a few quibbles with the narration, especially with Alex McKenna’s performance as Amelia. Maybe McKenna was just having a bad day, but her voice sounded hoarse, even sick and weak when it came to certain chapters. This was distracting and made some of her words hard to understand. On the other hand, Steve West, reading Jules’ chapters, was amazing. I could listen to that guy’s accent forever.
I felt I gave this one a fair shot, despite everything from end-of-year burnout to post-vacation blues seeming to conspire against me. In the end, this was simply not the engaging tomb-raiding adventure on an alien planet that I was expecting, and mostly found myself bored and unable to see why this book couldn’t be half the length with the same plot content.
The story begins on Gaia, a far-flung planet discovered when a message was intercepted from its long-extinct inhabitants, an ancient race which called itself “the Undying”. Aware that Earth is on its last legs due to overpopulation and environmental degradation, scientists saw this new world as the answer to all their prayers—finally, humanity has a possible home for the future, and the Undying’s advanced technology will also help Earth become sustainable again.
As a result, people from all walks of life flocked to Gaia to see mysteries and treasures can be found among its abandoned ruins. When the book begins, readers meet Amelia “Mia” Radcliffe, an American teenager from an impoverished background who is on Gaia trying to raid its temples for valuable goods in order to buy passage back to Earth. Then there’s Jules Addison, a young English researcher whose father is a leading authority on subjects related to the Undying. Educated and well-to-do, his upbringing couldn’t be any more different from Mia’s, though he also finds himself on Gaia hoping to trying to unlock its secrets.
Scavenger and scholar are soon thrust together in a tenuous alliance, despite their differing reasons for illegally traveling to Gaia. Amelia is motivated by the potential payout, though later we find that the money would be used to save her li’l sis. Still, this puts her at odds with Jules, whose intentions are mostly scientific as he seeks to further his father’s research. Nevertheless, a romance eventually develops as the two of them grow closer in their battles against hostile scavengers and dangerous booby traps.
The premise sounded great, and I truly thought I had a winner right up to the moment I realized the best parts of the book were all in the beginning, e.g. the history of Earth’s gradual decline, the backstory of how hope was rekindled when an alien planet was discovered, and how the Undying could prove to be humankind’s salvation. Even the meeting between Amelia and Jules was sweet, albeit in an awkward, stumbling sort of way. The story might have continued to interest me had it followed through with more Undying and Gaia-related intrigue, but instead the authors opted to go all-out with the romance, attempting to spruce up this unimaginative love story to pretend that it is more unique than it really is.
The alternating perspectives between Mia and Jules also caused a lot of repetition; almost every major event had to be covered twice, and the narrative expounded upon the characters’ emotions again and again. Like I said, this book could have been half as long, and I doubt much would have been lost. Admittedly, I listened to the audiobook of Unearthed over my winter vacation, which meant a lot of interruptions and starting-and-pausing, but even after days of this, it surprised me how little plot progression there was. The unnecessary exposition and internal dialogue also got in the way of the romantic elements, making this contrived pairing between Mia and Jules all the more uncomfortable to watch.
To be fair, I am super hard sell when it comes to romance. Especially YA romance. I think the authors could have struck a better balance between the romantic elements and the rest of the story, bringing the exploratory and scientific themes to the forefront while cooling it with the hasty and almost desperate way they seemed to want Jules and Amelia to fall into each other’s arms. Sorry, I just wasn’t convinced.
Overall, I see the potential here for more. However, I doubt I will stick around for the sequel, considering how even that cliffhanger at the end failed to entice me. There are better YA sci-fi adventure books out there, not to mention plenty of them probably also feature couples who have more chemistry than Amelia and Jules.
Audiobook Comments: It’s possible that some of my issues with Unearthed stemmed from the fact I was listening to the audiobook, though I doubt my rating and review would have changed much even if I had read the print edition. Still, I had a few quibbles with the narration, especially with Alex McKenna’s performance as Amelia. Maybe McKenna was just having a bad day, but her voice sounded hoarse, even sick and weak when it came to certain chapters. This was distracting and made some of her words hard to understand. On the other hand, Steve West, reading Jules’ chapters, was amazing. I could listen to that guy’s accent forever.
January 4, 2019
Well the hook of Indiana Jones + Lara Croft + space was 100% accurate!
Audio narration: Above average. Would recommend this format. My only complaint was that each narrator read a side character's accent so differently.
Audio narration: Above average. Would recommend this format. My only complaint was that each narrator read a side character's accent so differently.
October 22, 2018
I seem to be on a science fiction streak here lately but what better way to escape reality than to head off onto an alien planet for a bit of adventure? Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner is a young adult science fiction fantasy that fit that mood perfectly.
In this story of course Earth is in danger as always and the search for other planets has led to Gaia after a message from an alien race was intercepted. Scientists are eager to study the race and the culture along with Gaia itself but meanwhile scavengers are out to pluck whatever they can from the planet as fast as they can.
Mia is a scavenger who uses her wits to hide from the competition and bring much needed money home to her family. Mia had arranged transport to Gaia knowing her return would be dependent on what she finds so when she crosses paths with other scavengers and Jules Addison helps her escape the two decide to team up not knowing they are on opposite sides.
Unearthed was a fast paced action adventure type of book that reminded me at times as sort of an Indiana Jones but then somewhat of the Goonies. Now, Mia and Jules are supposed to be late teens but the two felt younger to me thus the Goonies popping into my head but really that would be my only complaint with them feeling immature as the rest of the story is a rather fun read. I would warn though this has a big old cliffhanger at the end but so far the series is pretty interesting so I’ll be joining in on book two when it’s out.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
In this story of course Earth is in danger as always and the search for other planets has led to Gaia after a message from an alien race was intercepted. Scientists are eager to study the race and the culture along with Gaia itself but meanwhile scavengers are out to pluck whatever they can from the planet as fast as they can.
Mia is a scavenger who uses her wits to hide from the competition and bring much needed money home to her family. Mia had arranged transport to Gaia knowing her return would be dependent on what she finds so when she crosses paths with other scavengers and Jules Addison helps her escape the two decide to team up not knowing they are on opposite sides.
Unearthed was a fast paced action adventure type of book that reminded me at times as sort of an Indiana Jones but then somewhat of the Goonies. Now, Mia and Jules are supposed to be late teens but the two felt younger to me thus the Goonies popping into my head but really that would be my only complaint with them feeling immature as the rest of the story is a rather fun read. I would warn though this has a big old cliffhanger at the end but so far the series is pretty interesting so I’ll be joining in on book two when it’s out.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
January 27, 2019
3.5 stars
I thought this was a fun YA SF romance/adventure book that had a Romancing the Stone feel to it.
I've read the Starbound trilogy by Kaufman and Spooner and I felt that my expectations were basically met. I liked the Oxford academic pairs with streets smart scavenger storyline, and I felt that Jules and Mia had pretty good chemistry.
My only complaint is that in parts where the backstory of the discovery and exploration of Gaia and the Undying were given it was a tiny bit repetitive now and then. But it wasn't enough to keep me from enjoying the book.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and while I didn't love the female narrator, I got used to her after a while. Steve West narrated Jules' chapters, and while I do love his voice, it almost seemed a bit too mature for the part. Overall though, I liked it and thought the audiobook was a good way to go.
Of course there is a cliffhanger ending, but luckily the conclusion of this duology just came out! I'll be reading Undying very soon.
I thought this was a fun YA SF romance/adventure book that had a Romancing the Stone feel to it.
I've read the Starbound trilogy by Kaufman and Spooner and I felt that my expectations were basically met. I liked the Oxford academic pairs with streets smart scavenger storyline, and I felt that Jules and Mia had pretty good chemistry.
My only complaint is that in parts where the backstory of the discovery and exploration of Gaia and the Undying were given it was a tiny bit repetitive now and then. But it wasn't enough to keep me from enjoying the book.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and while I didn't love the female narrator, I got used to her after a while. Steve West narrated Jules' chapters, and while I do love his voice, it almost seemed a bit too mature for the part. Overall though, I liked it and thought the audiobook was a good way to go.
Of course there is a cliffhanger ending, but luckily the conclusion of this duology just came out! I'll be reading Undying very soon.
April 15, 2019
“The worthy will rise into the stars . . .”
This is a fun but fluffy read. If you're looking for hard sci-fi, you won't find it in this book; if you're looking for a non-stop action thrill read with a bit of teen romance thrown in, you'll love this book. The first part was slow-going for me but once I got into it, I couldn't wait to find out the mystery, who the "Undying" were, what they were trying to tell humans.
In a time in the very near future (their technology is too much like our own in the present day, except they are able to send people to the far side of the galaxy), humans receive a message from an alien race on the brink of extinction. Jules' father is a scholar who encrypted this message and was later thrown in prison. Jules sets out to exonerate his father, travelling to this planet, Gaia. There he will seek to uncover the mystery of the Undying and the technology they left behind that may be able to save the human race.
Amelie has had herself smuggled to this distant planet with hopes she can find artifacts to sell back on Earth. The two meet up and quickly join forces, falling in love along the way.
This is a quick read, and fun, but because there isn't any science in it (which is what I want when I read SF), I'm not giving it 5 stars but 4. I would have loved if the authors had explained the technology and how the humans got to Gaia in the first place. Also, I found the ending to be unbelievable, and there were too many loose ends and not much of an explanation. Of course, this is a trilogy, so perhaps it will all make more sense with the rest of the story.
(Photo credit: Aquaria artwork depicting the protagonist - Naija, and a Nautilus. The game was developed by Derek Yu and Alec Holowka of Bit Blot,http://www.bit-blot.com/aquaria/)
February 20, 2021
UPDATE 20/02/2021 - Review added
Well I think this needed to have about 20% edited out. We could probably start with the lingering stares and the admiring of each others bodies. Then it would have indeed been much more like Indiana Jones or National Treasure set on another planet! I would have liked a bit more puzzle solving too. A fun read that just needed a little more focus and a tighter telling of a very very cool story.
UPDATE 17/02/2021 - Rereading in preparation for reading book 2.
Well I think this needed to have about 20% edited out. We could probably start with the lingering stares and the admiring of each others bodies. Then it would have indeed been much more like Indiana Jones or National Treasure set on another planet! I would have liked a bit more puzzle solving too. A fun read that just needed a little more focus and a tighter telling of a very very cool story.
UPDATE 17/02/2021 - Rereading in preparation for reading book 2.
September 20, 2018
*3.75/5 not as good as Starbound stars*
“We may be the only ones who think that braving a series of crumbling death traps is proof of good decision making.”
This was so entertaining! I really enjoyed reading this book and think that everyone who liked/loved Starbound trilogy will be into this one as well. I liked both of the characters - Especially Jules. Such a sweet, sweet extremely idealistic nerd! - their banter and interactions were fun (although I'm not yet sold on the romance aspect), the plot, while being for the most part only about Indiana Jones (or Flynn Carsen) like traps etc, still grabbed me from the start and there was even one plot twist that I did not expect at all.
Also, the ending was just cruel since book two is not even out yet! Absolutely unapologetic cliffhanger!!
“But their vision is locked so firmly on this one earthly goal that they forget to lift their gazes. They forget to see the stars, as humanity once did, as we all used to do when we were children. When we learned about other stories and cultures for the sake of doing so, for how those revelations changed us, what they made us. Gaia is the chance to learn on a scale we’ve never imagined before, and instead we’ve become traitors and thieves.”
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This book was compared to Indiana Jones in Space and.. Confession time: I never liked Indiana Jones. I preferred Flynn Carsen movies.
But I really enjoyed the Starbound trilogy and this seems like a fun book to get into.
“We may be the only ones who think that braving a series of crumbling death traps is proof of good decision making.”
This was so entertaining! I really enjoyed reading this book and think that everyone who liked/loved Starbound trilogy will be into this one as well. I liked both of the characters - Especially Jules. Such a sweet, sweet extremely idealistic nerd! - their banter and interactions were fun (although I'm not yet sold on the romance aspect), the plot, while being for the most part only about Indiana Jones (or Flynn Carsen) like traps etc, still grabbed me from the start and there was even one plot twist that I did not expect at all.
Also, the ending was just cruel since book two is not even out yet! Absolutely unapologetic cliffhanger!!
“But their vision is locked so firmly on this one earthly goal that they forget to lift their gazes. They forget to see the stars, as humanity once did, as we all used to do when we were children. When we learned about other stories and cultures for the sake of doing so, for how those revelations changed us, what they made us. Gaia is the chance to learn on a scale we’ve never imagined before, and instead we’ve become traitors and thieves.”
--------------------
This book was compared to Indiana Jones in Space and.. Confession time: I never liked Indiana Jones. I preferred Flynn Carsen movies.
But I really enjoyed the Starbound trilogy and this seems like a fun book to get into.
March 4, 2018
Wow , what a journey . I loved this book because it reminded me of Indiana Jones in space with a little bit of Doctor who thrown in . The pace is very fast and things happen very quickly, both main characters are well developed and you cannot help but root for them since the beginning of the book. Throw in a world conspiracy and some alien tech and aliens themselves and you can get a grasp of what this book is about . For anyone who loves sci-fi and is a fan of Illuminae .
January 22, 2018
"Onward if you dare"
A WHOLE UNIVERSE OF SPARKLY EXPLODING STARS!
Honestly the best book I've read this year so far. I was a little hesitant to pick it up only because sci-fi novels aren't always for me, but this book... *brain explodes* Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner really outdid themselves on this well thought out, jaw-dropping, wild ride of a book. I finished it and immediately wanted to go back to the beginning and read it all again. I also read it in one sitting, and if you dont know by now, those one sit reads are definitely packed full of some goodies.
Earth is dying, there only hope - decode a message for another planet, another species now extinct with far greater technology than those on Earth have. What they find, still confuses them. Some say the alien technology will save Earth but others aren't so sure.
Jules Addison smuggles himself onto the planet Gaia trying to uncover the mystery this father uncoded, but he never thought he would encounter someone like Amelia Radcliffe, a scavenger who find loots treasure for money. With opposing reasons for why they are there, Mia and Jules quickly find themselves in some life/death situations, having to use their brains to maneuver around a boobytrapped temples, knowledge to translate maths and ancient languages, and skill to not only find the treasure they seek but to avoid other scavengers who are more than likely to kill off their competition.
What will they uncover? And did this unknown species want peace, or is there something more sinister at play?
“When we allow ourselves to explore, we discover destinations that were never on our map.”
The world building is amazing, well for me anyway. I'm not one for great detailed descriptions and really complicated worlds, which is what I tend to find in sci-fi novels, hence why I get put off a bit on picking one up, but this was perfect. It had just the right amount of description and complexity, without overloading me as a reader. Also, we are on another Planet! Gaia doesn't sound like an ideal place for an adventure, but discovering a new planet, new species, whether long gone or not, and the technology they left behind is right up my alley. Although we dont see Earth, I didn't really mind, I know what Earth is like, I mean maybe its different in this world but we are killing our planet and we know what will happen when the shit hits the fan. I also think we will be seeing Earth in the second book considering how this book ended.
The writing itself was very well done, written in two perspectives, our main characters Jules and Mia. It was fast-paced, full of mystery/wonder while also being humorous and at times jaw-droppingly intense. The twists and turns along the way, holy shit... I did not see any of them coming and choked on my tea multiple times while on this adventure. The puzzles were pretty clever and well thought out, giving an extra element to this sci-fi mystery. The feelings I experienced while reading this book are as followed; Excitement, sadness, shock, awe, frustration, happiness, impatient, and so many more. It was literally a rollercoaster of emotions while hanging on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next.
“This isn't some after-school feel-good movie special.”
The characters, well damn, I loved them all, even the 'villains' in our story. Mia would have to be my favorite- her story, her wit, her way of getting out of tight situations, her quick thinking- honestly, she is an awesome kick-ass female protagonist. And Jules is just as amazing and kickass, really its hard to pick between the two because I cannot imagine one without the other.What one lacks the others covers, and vice versa. They are both smart in different ways, their different skills help them along the way, and their lives before although in ways have impacted how they are, its alone on an alien planet these two seem to shine the brightest. Together? Power team/couple. They both have a charm about them, which you cannot help but admire, even if they don't always do what you expect or 'fuck up'. Also, the banter between these two, can at times be absolutely hilarious.
“We may be the only ones who think that braving a series of crumbling death traps is proof of good decision making.”
In all this is a book about survival, mystery, new worlds, new friends and the differences between us that can bring people together for a common goal. I loved the world-building, the characters, the pacing, the mystery, the suspense and the banter. Honestly, I loved it all and have no complaints! This will definitely be something I reread and adding to my ' favorites'. Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner did such an amazing job on this book, that part of me hates them. Why? I DONT HAVE THE NEXT BOOK AND HAVE TO WAIT FOREVER! Seriously, that ending.. cruel!
“The worthy will rise into the stars . . .”
Recommended for Sci-Fi, YA.
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