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Romance. Science Fiction. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML:The final book in the New York Times bestselling trilogy, perfect for fans of Battlestar Galactica and Prometheus! FUELED BY LIES. RULED BY CHAOS. ALMOST HOME. Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh�??to build a home�??on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience. But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight. Amy and Elder must race to discover who�??or what�??else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed�??friends, family, life on Earth�??will have… (more)
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This is it. The last one in the series. I was scared to read it. Across the Universe and A Million Suns are two of the most awesome books in a series I've ever read. The way you can't predict anything in the plot is unbelievable. The slow building romance, is achingly slow, but so amazing and just perfect. I was worried. Would Shades of Earth live up to the other two books? Could it be as BIG as Across the Universe? Could it fill the enormous expanse of A Million Suns? Yes, Yes it could and it did and more. And now, I can breathe a huge sigh of relief because Beth Revis knows how to BRING IT! And she DID!
Oh when I opened the pages of Shades, from the beginning it was fraught with tension. Amy man, you're killing me! But I would have had her same reaction, she makes Elder wait to push the launch button. Once that shuttle leaves Godspeed, it's gone forever. And the people on Godspeed are there forever, the ones that chose to stay. It is a momentous occasion and one that Elder and Amy should have paused for, I'm glad they did. But there is no more pausing for the rest of the book.
I'm not going to summarize the book. I'm going to tell you how Beth Revis brought it for me. Action right away and unexpectedly. I never knew when something would explode, a pterodactyl would fly down, or a dead body would be found. Always betrayal, Beth Revis is so good at lies and betrayal, really she should be training the CIA in counter terrorism. There are two people that you can trust in this book and they area the same two you've been able to trust throughout the series. Yep, Elder and Amy. And that's the other thing I love and where Beth Revis brings it. Elder- Elder screwed up really bad in the first book, but he owned up to it. That sealed my love of Elder right then and there. But let me tell you, Elder absolutely rises to the occasion and surpasses the truthfulness and integrity that he has shown in the past. He doesn't waver from his leadership role despite those that would take that power from him. Amy too doesn't just blindly follow her father's orders or her mother's and doesn't really care if they like Elder. Amy is still Amy and I just love her. I want to be more like her. She is honest, loyal and wants the right thing to be done for the right reason. She can look at Elder's people and feel that they should be treated equal despite Orion's warning's that they won't be.
And then, Beth Revis brings it! Battles of epic proportions, the real reason everyone is there, discoveries, and Elder and Amy right in the middle possibly losing each other forever because of their loyalty and sense of duty. I thought, Oh God, I was crying. I thought Beth hadn't brought it all the way home. That not everyone would get to enjoy Centauri Earth. But Beth brought it! Emotions and Endings and I will read anything she writes, a sticky note, a torn scrap of paper, a grocery list because I am convinced that whatever she writes it will be brilliant! I am so sad to see this series end. But I'm looking forward to whatever Beth Revis has waiting in the future.
Enjoy!
Heathe
What I loved most about this book is the great plot. I literally felt as if I was in Sci-fi film front row and center
The love interest certainly brought some whole new aspects to the story. There is a lot of decisions made, lives lost as well as major secrets. But that does not stop these two. They fight for each other till the end. And there is this one part in the book where I kept reading, my mind scanning for any signs of life. GOSH! I never felt so tense, so much adrenaline in my life! Believe me when I say when I hit that page, I exhaled with relief and the smile is once again plastered on my face.
The ending! AHHHHHH! I want to say so much but I can NOT! I want to spill every single bean and tell you! K, just know the when you finish this book, even when it's over it is not enough. You will want more. It will be bittersweet, yet it sits in your mind for days. In fact, the day I finish it, I had a dream about it. It came to life inside my mind and I can not thank Ms. Revis enough for the wonderful story she has shared with the world.
Shades Of Earth is an story of epic proportions. It will blow your mind away with every single page turn. A satisfactory marveling story, Shades Of Earth is a great ending to a awesome series. A vibrant vision of writing at its best, Shades Of Earth is stunning!
In a lot of dystopian series, authors fail to complete their world building. They mention things, but never explain them. They
Finally landed on the planet, the tension and the terror step up a notch. The landing on the planet is everything I hoped for and more. For whatever reason, the redesigned cover for this reminded me of Jurassic Park, and I desperately wanted a dinosaur or two, and Revis delivered. Remember, she explains this. On top of that, she also includes way more drama, violence and mystery than I could possibly have anticipated. The pace moves much faster than the prior books, since there is a whole, hostile world to explore.
Amy and Elder remain consistent in characterization, but now have a whole new cast of characters to keep them company. Now that they're arrived on Centauri-Earth, Amy's parents and all of the other scientists and military personnel are awake. This creates a power struggle and leads to social tensions, as neither group (shipborns and earthborns) trusts or respects the other. In addition, one of the new cast members is Chris, a twenty-year-old soldier with an interest in Amy. Usually, I do not approve of love triangles, but Revis definitely did this right; Amy and Elder's relationship needs this real life test, because they never really had any other options. Revis deftly introduces a large group of characters without overwhelming the reader.
I did, however, have two problems. Amy and Elder's first person narration blend too much for me. Throughout the series this has been an issue. They really just do not sound that different, and, when they're in the same location, I encounter difficulties remembering which one is currently narrating, even though the chapters are only a couple of pages long. These books would benefit from Elder and Amy having more unique voices, especially since their incredibly disparate upbringings would really make that a given.
As epic and intense as Shades of Earth is, with a startling death toll and a lot of haunting scenes, the ending is too optimistic. In the last couple of chapters, things sort themselves out a bit too neatly. I would have preferred a darker, more classic dystopian ending.
Small weaknesses aside, Beth Revis' Across the Universe trilogy is powerful and well-done. I recommend it highly to dystopian fans, particularly those who can handle a slower pace. I will be eagerly anticipating what Revis does now that this series has ended.
by
Beth Revis
My " in a nutshell" summary...
Godspeed has landed...Holy Cow!
My thoughts after reading this book...
I didn't even know I could read this fast...it's terror and aliens and nightmares and sadness and love and just good stuff...every bit as good as my other beloved
This series is a delightful heart pounding must read...when will there be a movie?
Revis’ alien world is very Earth-like, populated with similar trees and animals; however, this actually plays into the plot as the colonists discover ruins that seems a bit too suited for human habitation. It soon becomes apparent that others are already living on the planet, and are not too keen on the new arrivals. The central mystery is pretty well done, and ties together Godspeed and its funding source, the FRX; the 500 year duration of the mission has meant changes back on Earth as well.
The romance between Amy and Elder is still present, but as it is already well established by this point it’s much less interesting compared to the action. Chris, a young soldier, seems a potential rival for Amy’s affections, but fortunately the reader is spared any love triangles. Chris also plays a larger role in the main plot as well, so his increasing presence is not merely a romantic distraction.
There were a few liberties with science, the largest being large scale genetic transformation, although this can be attributed to advances in technology. The use of the term “hybrid” was a bit of a distraction for me personally, as this usually refers to the offspring of two genetic variants in terms of breeding. Ordinarily, a transformant would not be referred to as a hybrid, but as “transgenic” or “genetically modified.” Another small annoyance was the cover redesign, although this shouldn’t really be a deterrent to reading the book. It would have been nice to include a reversible dust jacket though, as with the original hardcover of Across the Universe.
Overall, this was yet another addictive page turner with well-developed characters, and a fairly satisfying conclusion to a great series. I’m looking forward to what Beth Revis comes out with next.
A fine conclusion to a fascinating trilogy.
I’m not sure what exactly I was expecting when I picked up the first “Across the Universe” title. I’m pretty sure I just liked the cover. But it wasn’t long until I was completely drawn in
In this newest (and final) addition to the series, Elder and Amy have finally made it to Centauri-Earth and all the “frozens,” including Amy’s parents , are about to come to life. But instead of this being the end of their journey, it is only the beginning. The new planet has monsters to fight, toxic plants, and something… or someone… is picking off members of the Godspeed’s colony one-by-one.
This novel is just as fun as the first one, as now Revis gets a chance to try out her universe-creating skills on a whole new planet. And just like in the other novels, there’s plenty of opportunity for romance, adventure, mystery and murder. Brace yourself: The body count in this one is huge! And, most excitingly, there's way more to the story of the Godspeed than you thought there was. Revis left us thinking we had all the answers... well, we did not!
The only real drawback is one that applies to all three of the novels in the series. Though the novel ostensibly alternates POV from Amy to Elder, if it weren’t for the chapter headings, I’d have no idea who was speaking. There’s just not enough difference in the “voice” of the two characters, which has lead to confusion more than once on my part.
Lucky for the series, the other strengths more than make up for this weakness.
Will probably mostly appeal to girls in their early to middle teens, though the alternating viewpoint between male and female protagonists may help draw in male readers.
FREX, Shades of Earth was INTENSE. The action picks up right where it left off in A Million Suns and does not let up. As with Across the Universe and A Million Suns, Shades
Probably one of my favourite things about the Across the Universe Trilogy is the frequency of surprising and shocking twists in the plot. I'm not exactly sure how she does it, but just when you think there couldn't possibly be any secrets left to reveal in this world - BAM - Beth Revis hits you with a whopper that leaves you reeling and in need of a moment to gather your wits about you in the wake of all that craziness. Seemingly in the next moment - BAM - comes another blow, another crazy surprise twist that had never occurred to you and has you literally gasping out loud. Again and again and again. This is what makes this series so FUN and I LOVE it.
Those who have read Across the Universe and A Million Suns know that Beth Revis is a master of world building and Shades of Earth is no exception - it is always intriguing and never bogged down with too many details that would bore. What's more, she's set up an amazing base for if she ever chose to continue writing books set in this world. She could write a whole new trilogy with how much is left to discover! And it would be just as exciting and intriguing as the world building in this trilogy, I'm sure! And I would absolutely need to be first in line to get it.
Now, I can't say that Shades of Earth is absolutely perfect - I noticed a number of plot holes and scientific inaccuracies - but I could really care less. In my mind, those minor mistakes take a back seat to the real meat of the novel. Shades of Earth, and indeed the entire trilogy on a whole, is exciting, surprising, and entertaining. It is an awesome sci fi, and insane thriller, and a deep felt romance. If you haven't read this trilogy yet, then what the heck are you waiting for?
Unfortunately I wasn't quite as blown away by this one as by the first two books in the
But it's a thrilling - and chilling - ride, with lots of surprises along the way. At least, I certainly hadn't seen even half of them coming. I didn't think the characters were quite as well defined as in the two first books though, and missed some of the lighter banter we had seen there.
Still well worth the read though.
There is joy when Godspeed lands on Centauri-Earth and Amy wakes up her parents. There is fear when they discover that the planet has already been inhabited – by humans, and that they are being hunted by dinosaur like creatures. There
Amy, blessed Amy. She shows so much courage, strength and determination throughout this novel and this series. She is intelligent and gutsy, unwilling to let anyone discourage her from doing what is right – protecting innocent lives. She does not sit in silence as she watches her father make fatal mistakes, that end up killing hundreds. At times, she may trust to easily, but if there is any flaw to have I think that is the most beautiful one. Just as she does not view the citizens of Godspeed as less than human, she does not view the Hybrids of Centauri-Earth as something to be feared. While Elder and her father are quick to anger and swift to retaliate, Amy is the voice of reason.
This final installment is an intense commentary on slavery, greed and military involvement. It certainly makes you question why it seems to be part of the human condition to need to have control over each other, and control over what we do not understand. If our future was the one that Revis created, would we support that? Controlling people with drugs in order to make them mindless slaves, meant to create weapons? If the world’s leaders had access to a drug like Phydus, would they use it? I think the answer is they absolutely would. Without thinking or considering the consequences. How far off is that reality? History is bound to repeat itself, or so that saying goes, does that mean that a new kind of slavery or rebellion is in our future? Sure, it may be hundreds or even thousands of years for now, but still…is that the legacy we want to leave?
Series Review: I was unsure about taking the series on at first. Sci-fi has never really been my thing, but I had been seeing so much about it that I decided to give it a try. Though the first book had it’s issues, the series does improve with each book. It’s so awesome when you can see the author evolving with their characters through each installment. The little things that I found annoying in Across the Universe faded into the background as the characters became more and more compelling and the stakes grew higher and higher. Though in the end I am still left with questions and wish Revis could keep telling Amy’s story for 3 more books, I understand her need to end it where she did. This series went SO much further than I thought it would at first glance, and I am glad I gave it a chance.
Quick & Dirty: A fantastic ending to a spectacular series. Military and aliens and solar power… Oh my.
Opening Sentence: “Wait,” I say, my heart clenching.
The Review:
This is it. Amy and Elder and the some of the inhabitants of Godspeed have finally landed
With Orion’s warnings ringing in their heads, Elder and Amy initiate the defrosting of the Earth-borns (military and scientists). All seems well until the ship they took to Centauri-Earth goes on lockdown. This is just the tip of the iceburg of problems they face – and one of the only ones they solve. Full of mystery, suspense and romance, Shades of Earth is a great ending to this sci-fi space adventure.
Revis does it again. There are so many great twists and turns and sweet romance scenes from cover to cover. With beautiful writing and a stunning world, this book is the best of the series. Revis portrays Centauri-Earth as a beautiful world similar to Earth, but with distinct differences that make it so dangerous. This book is unique – it presents a new setting different from the rest of the series, requiring more world building in the LAST BOOK. I thought Revis executed this superbly, informing us without bogging us down with information.
The characters were amazing, as usual – although a bit annoying at times too. Amy switches loyalty back and forth between Elder and her parents. She trusts both equally, but when it comes down to it she can’t always have both. Elder stepped up as the leader he is supposed to be – not exactly giving orders, but he always thinks about their safety and role in the new colony. Amy and Elder’s romance is just about the only steadfast part of this book. I really appreciated how the romance didn’t overwhelm the new colony/new characters. Amy and Elder didn’t have any major woes where the plot focused mainly on overcoming some misunderstanding, but instead depended on each other to get through the problems of becoming a colony.
Just like with the new setting, Revis does a wonderful job introducing a slew of new characters. They don’t bog down the rest of the story but enhance it to move the story along. I’d have to say my favorite new character would be Amy’s mom. She is understanding and never puts pressure on Amy to decide what to do.
Overall, this is such a great series, and this book ends it perfectly. Although the ending is not neatly tied in a bow, it does have enough tied strings that it satisfies the reader. I cannot wait to see what Revis has in store next!
Notable Scene:
“Well,” Mom says, wiping crumbs from her shirt, “I’m heading to the lab.”
At the mention of this, I think about what I discovered last night, with Chris. The words are on the tip of my tongue, but at the last moment, I bite them back. I’m not ready to tell them this. Not yet. I want to tell Elder first.
Dad peers outside, then calls back to Mom. “Chris isn’t here. I’ll escort you to the lab. Amy, are you going?”
I’m not – but I follow them outside to say goodbye just as the suns start to rise. Around us, we can hear signs of others waking, soft chatter and shuffling as people greet the new day. It’s amazing to me how quickly we’ve fallen into this role of colonists. How quickly we’ve made this our home.
I smile.
And then the forest explodes.
FTC Advisory: Razorbill provided me with a copy of Shades of Earth. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Review: This book is substantially different from the previous two in the series in terms of plot, but they're all three very, very similar in how fast-paced and crazily addictively readable they are. Seriously, they're such quick reads, but they're hugely enjoyable, and actually have some meat to them as well. They're a great blend of action and mystery and romance, all told in quick alternating chapters from the POV of the two leads, and they are so easy to get sucked into.
So, Revis is obviously skilled at pacing. She's also got a very deft hand with worldbuilding, and that remains true even once the characters are off the Godspeed. Centauri Earth is described pretty vividly, and incorporates a lot of really neat elements that I think Revis makes work as part of a cohesive whole. And it may be a matter of the various new elements added in to this book, or she may have gotten more subtle in her plotting, but I thought the mystery element worked a lot better in this book than in previous ones. In the first two books of the series, I had most of the solution pretty well mapped out well ahead of the characters (Didn't stop me from totally devouring the books, though), but in Shades of Earth, while I figured out some pieces pretty easily, the whole picture of what was really going on remained mysterious until nearly the end.
Really, the thing that bugged me about this book was how... not passive, exactly, but how acquiescent Amy was about everything, even when her parents were being total d*cks. I totally understand that she was happy to see them unfrozen again after everything and didn't want to stir up trouble, and her dad was obviously not the easiest person to talk to, but the fact that she had such a hard time about speaking up about anything, at all, even when it was direly important, seemed not entirely in keeping with her character as written.
But regardless, this was a great - and unpredictable - end to a very enjoyable series. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: These books don't recap much previous action, so the series needs to be read as a whole. But anyone who likes fast-paced and fun YA sci-fi should have a blast with it.
Interesting thing about this series. I wasn't crazy about the first book and then I really liked the second one. Shades of Earth was in the middle.
I loved the planet Beth Revis created, but it didn't develop enough for me. I think it's a great story but it did not connect with me in the end.
You really get a little bit of everything.......romance, action, mystery, suspense and even some really emotional situations. I really felt all the emotions while reading this. Amy, in my opinion, is such a beautiful and strong person. Her love for Elder is so sweet and romantic, I'm glad there was more of a romance in this book, to me that is the best part. I recommend this series to everyone, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!”
~Colonel Robert Martin
(My opinion the best line EVER to explain the Elder/Amy relationship.)
Shades of Earth is the final part in the Across the Universe trilogy. It's a simple tale: Half of the people on Godspeed, Amy and Elder
Not to mention, food is getting scarce, the distrust between the Sol Earth personnel and the Godspeed crew grows, and a wrench, by the name of Chris Smith, disrupts the tenuous relationship between Elder and Amy. And, it looks like Orion might just have one more clue to help the inhabitants of Centauri Earth to make it home.
Oh, how I didn't really like this book. I mean, a lot more characters died in Shades but they didn't really matter. They seem to be a waste of space and not really integral to the plot or else why would Revis have killed them in one foul swoop? Amy Martin is not a good character at all. She was very whiny and, as much as Revis try to make her a capable leader, I didn't buy.
SPOILER ALERT:
Honestly, she should have died when she became a hybrid. At first, she didn't want the biological weapon to detonate and kill the hybrids. Then when the s...t hit the fan, she was all for that weapon...until she was injected with hybrid formula. Then, it was like oh wait, don't. I don't want to die.
Really? A few seconds ago you were okay with killing a few hundred hybrids to save your people....
Until you became one of the few hundred hybrids and your people didn't matter...
Elder was his petulant and scowling self but he has always been able to see the bigger picture and actually will do anything to save his people.
ANOTHER SPOILER ALERT:
I hated Elder's death fake-out!!!!! If Revis is going to have the ending of her book be so happy with the peace agreement, there needs to be powerful loss that is going to resonate and generate sympathy for Amy. Elder's death would have mattered like that since he was the only person she cared about it. I mean, she lost her parents to very violent deaths but none of that matter except Elder. Then Revis revealed him to be alive at the end and sappiness prevailed.
I felt like this whole series could have been better. Oh well, at least I enjoyed one third of the trilogy.
Revis does a wonderful job building a new world and sharing the wonder with us. I read this the same time my daughter did and we kept trying to guess what would happen and who the bad guys really were. It was fun to do together. I also liked the way Revis kept with the "solve the puzzle" theme from the first two books. Before starting I thought that would be finished, but no! Love it!
In the end, all the loose ends are tied up, questions answered, and after several chapters of sitting on the edge of my couch that wonderfully satisfying resolution.
~Colonel Robert Martin
(My opinion the best line EVER to explain the Elder/Amy relationship.)
Shades of Earth is the final part in the Across the Universe trilogy. It's a simple tale: Half of the people on Godspeed, Amy and Elder
Not to mention, food is getting scarce, the distrust between the Sol Earth personnel and the Godspeed crew grows, and a wrench, by the name of Chris Smith, disrupts the tenuous relationship between Elder and Amy. And, it looks like Orion might just have one more clue to help the inhabitants of Centauri Earth to make it home.
Oh, how I didn't really like this book. I mean, a lot more characters died in Shades but they didn't really matter. They seem to be a waste of space and not really integral to the plot or else why would Revis have killed them in one foul swoop? Amy Martin is not a good character at all. She was very whiny and, as much as Revis try to make her a capable leader, I didn't buy.
SPOILER ALERT:
Honestly, she should have died when she became a hybrid. At first, she didn't want the biological weapon to detonate and kill the hybrids. Then when the s...t hit the fan, she was all for that weapon...until she was injected with hybrid formula. Then, it was like oh wait, don't. I don't want to die.
Really? A few seconds ago you were okay with killing a few hundred hybrids to save your people....
Until you became one of the few hundred hybrids and your people didn't matter...
Elder was his petulant and scowling self but he has always been able to see the bigger picture and actually will do anything to save his people.
ANOTHER SPOILER ALERT:
I hated Elder's death fake-out!!!!! If Revis is going to have the ending of her book be so happy with the peace agreement, there needs to be powerful loss that is going to resonate and generate sympathy for Amy. Elder's death would have mattered like that since he was the only person she cared about it. I mean, she lost her parents to very violent deaths but none of that matter except Elder. Then Revis revealed him to be alive at the end and sappiness prevailed.
I felt like this whole series could have been better. Oh well, at least I enjoyed one third of the trilogy.