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 been for nothing.
FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME. Quoted from Goodreads
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Heads up, I will be giving a few things away from the first and second book, so be warned. One of the things I was most excited for in this book was the change of scenery/new characters. Don't get me wrong, I love the Godspeed. It was an interesting world/ship that Revis created, but I was ready for a change, and boy did Shades of Earth deliver. Not only is there the new planet and all the challenges therein, but we also have the awakening of the Frozens, who introduced a completely different set of characters that challenged Elder and Amy.
First the planet. I loved that the planet itself was a mystery. It wasnt' the biggest one, in my book, at least, but I did enjoy the mystery of who had lived here, what were the dangerous monsters, etc. Plus, it was a different type of world. I loved Elder's reaction and the other shipborns to the sky and the rain. Despite all the unknown dangers, so many of them fell in love with it almost instantly.
Elder and Amy had gotten rid of most of the "problem" people from the last two books, so this time we are introduced to the Frozens, aka Amy's parents and the other specialists/military personnel. Honestly, sometimes I was so frustrated with them. Then I would think that they were trying to do the right thing. Then I would be frustrated again. The best part is I felt like it was always believable. How would most adults react to finding a 16 year-old boy in leading over a thousand people? Why wouldn't Amy's parents still view her as a child? As annoying as some of the conflicts and secrets were, I could understand why many of the frozens acted the way they did. I may not agree with it, but I completely believed it.
I loved how Amy and Elder finished growing up in this book. Oh, they're still not perfect, but I loved them at the very end. Amy said the things I wanted to say, and Elder really learned what it was to be a leader and put his people first.
The stuff that didn't work for me? Chris. Don't get me wrong, I like that Beth Revis gave Amy another option and he was an interesting and rather complex character, but I felt Amy was a little bit stupid about him sometimes. Maybe the hint of a a love triangle was supposed to add tension to an already action-paced, suspenseful book, but I could have done without it. I was fine with Chris falling for her, I just wish she had been a little less stupid about him. Plus, I wanted an epilogue. I do think the ending was just about perfect, but I would have liked a glimpse of what happens to the characters down the road.
From the beginning, I could hardly put this book down. It perfectly wove a dozen different conflicts together, was blended with action and mystery, and had wonderful characters. It was the perfect ending to a really fun series, and absolutely deserves it's shining 4.5 star rating. I rarely thing the third book in a series is the best. Usually it's the first, and sometimes the second, but this one is probably my favorite of the three, and I'm sad to see it end. Now I'm just waiting to see what Beth Revis will come up with next.
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