Wednesday 7 February 2018

British Book Challenge: The Extinction Trials

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Three Words: Adventure, Survival, Friendship

There are a few things with this book which are a little off for me, but they in no way take away from the story. Firstly, I struggled with concept that there was only two continents & no other land masses. I am aware that this is a purely fictional world, but for some reason that bugged me. Secondly, how can a society have solar powered transport, but not enough energy or food? Again I know this all purely make believe, & without the way society has been set out I couldn't of read this highly intriguing book, so now on to the things I did like about it.

The Characters

Storm:
I love Storm! She is such a strong independent young woman, who questions things that don't quite sit right with her regardless of if it goes against the norm. Her compassion, & love for the outdoors also makes her an easy character for me to like. It was amazing seeing her develop during the book. She goes from being so much her own person, & keeping everything to herself, to opening up & discovering new friendships along the way. I can't wait to see what she gets up to in the next installment.

Dell:
We don't get to see much of Dell, but I love how he's looking out for Storm. Hopefully he'll be more involved in the next book.

Lincoln:
I totally understand why Lincoln did what he did, even if I don't agree with it. It would of been interesting to see how it would of ended had he been as open as the others in his group. I really liked he seemed to be able to draw Storm out of her shell more, & the glimpse of a relationship that could develop between them.

Lief:
Poor Lief!! My heart goes out to him after everything he went through. I so hope he is included in the next book, as I feel he works well with Storm & Lincoln.

The Setting & Theme

Ok, so we already know I had a little bit of an issue with the setting, however, Dinosaurs!!! I loved that there were Dinosaurs, & how they live in their own little utopia far away from humans, although sadly not as far away that humans can't get to them. I also really enjoyed the trials that take place to narrow down who gets to go to Piloria, home of the dinosaurs. Each trial was practical in choosing candidates who would have a slim chance of surviving. Although TET has been compared to The Hunger Games, I didn't get the same vibe from reading it as I did HG, & the setting is totally different. However TET is the first book in the series, so there is a possibility that more similarities will appear later on.

There was such a stark contrast in descriptions for each place. Earthasia, home to Storm & Lincoln, & many other humans is overcrowded, grey & miserable. Imagine the most populated city on the planet & multiple that by 1000, there you have Earthasia. There is very little forest land left, & next to no mention of any animals due to most them being hunted to extinction for food. I felt claustrophobic just reading how Storm lived in a tiny room. There is limited health care which is offered to Stipulaters (government officials), & the few remaining famous people. Candidates who survive their trip to Piloria are offered extra food rations & health care. Kind of makes facing killer dinosaurs worth it, that is if you manage to survive.

The pace is one that is believable, allowing you to feel like you're there with the team in Piloria. Some parts of the plot aren't surprising, after all they are on the continent with dinosaurs, but you still experience the shock, & sense of loss, along with underling tones of mistrust & a little romance.  All in all I really enjoyed The Extinction Trials & would urge anyone who loves reading adventure with a dash of dystopia & an even bigger love of dinosaurs.

A huge thank you to Zoe over at Wildest Dreams. I received my copy of The Extinction Trials in January's Into the Jungle themed box.

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