keary taylor | The Obsessive Bookseller

Title: The Human

Author: Keary Taylor

Series: The Eden Trilogy #2

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Release Date: June 18, 2013

The Overview: The city of New Eden is cleared, but it won’t stay that way forever. The Bane continue to advance in horrific ways that will wipe humanity from the face of the Earth. A storm is coming, one none of them could have dared imagine. When a group of outsiders come to the city, everyone is on edge. They have too many questions and not enough answers about where they are from or what they want. Just because they are human doesn’t mean they can be trusted. Eve made a choice–one that could have deadly repercussions. Desperate hearts bring about desperate actions. Now she must make another decision as her world continues to crumble: come to terms with who she really is, or risk her sanity. She thought she had unlocked all the secrets from her past, but there are truths still buried that leave her questioning what is real and what is not.

Nik’s Notes:

I got the first book in this trilogy from Net Galley, but it is one I would be willing to buy as a hard copy – I really liked it. Along the same lines as Divergent and Partials, this series fits right in with some of the most popular dystopian titles out there. If I’m not mistaken, these are self-published, but I feel the quality of the story and the writing were enough to warrant a book deal. The advantage for the self-publishing, however is that she can release the books whenever she wants. As the first book was only out earlier this year I am super and excited that I don’t have to wait months and months to read the second one. What’s more, she’s giving away a free copy (click here for details). Anyway, if you are as addicted to dystopians as I am, this should definitely be your next read!

Click on the cover below to read my review of book #1

The Bane by Keary Taylor

Title: The Bane

Author: Keary Taylor

Series: The Eden Trilogy #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Before the Evolution there was TorBane: technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter. It had the ability to grow new organs and limbs, to heal the world. Until it evolved out of control and spread like the common cold. The machine took over, the soul vanished, and the Bane were born. The Bane won’t stop until every last person has been infected. With less than two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction.

Eve knows the stories of the Evolution, the time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. But she doesn’t need memories to know this world is her reality. This is a world that is quickly losing its humanity, one Bane at a time.

Fighting to keep one of the last remaining human colonies alive, Eve finds herself torn between her dedication to the colony, and the discovery of love. There is Avian and West – one a soldier, one a keeper of secrets. And in the end, Eve will make a choice that will change the future of mankind.

The Review:

I got this book initially as an ARC, and I promised myself that I wouldn’t force myself to read it just because I got it before everyone else (as I’ve done a few times before). I liked the premise for the story, and by the first few chapters in, I was convinced this was something I would enjoy. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’re probably aware that I have a fondness for dystopian novels. Although the storyline of this particular one wasn’t incredibly original, there are some things about it that I really liked. For example, the very first scene of the book let me know right away what the stakes are in this world, who I’m supposed to be cheering for, and elements of mystery that made me want to keep reading. An excellent start that developed into a dang good book.

It didn’t take the path I was expecting it to, and I actually found that refreshing. It had a good full-circle storyline that left me satisfied, but also left room open for a sequel – which is extremely smart of her if she hadn’t been able to get a deal for more than one book. The writing was solid and evoking, and her character development was strong. The pacing could have been a bit quicker, with a few more setting changes early on, but it didn’t take away from the story too much. She also needed a bit more word variety. There were countless examples of her using a word to describe something then repeating the exact phrasing in the next line down. It happened so often I was beginning to wonder if it was deliberate. Also, the cover doesn’t sell the story to me. I feel like it would market better with a cover that looked more like the new Mila or even Wasserman’s Skinned (see recommends below) something to highlight the technological element of the story [Note: cover updated since original post… I like it better].

These are minor notes, and overall I consider the book well worth your time if you’re a fan of the genre. I am excited that it is a trilogy, and I will definitely be reading the next book!

by Niki Hawkes

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