Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Squad 3-1-2 forever!
Reading Aurora Rising for the second time was such a treat. I think I am going to be rid of that pesky 4.5-stars rounded up thing we did the first time round.
It felt so incredibly good to be back with these characters and in this world.
I felt like I was able to relax more into the story this time, as I wasn’t flipping the pages a million miles per hour to see what was going to happen next.
Therefore, I was able to learn more about and become even more attached to this cast. Each character is unique and brings their own special blend of something good to the table.
My plan is to move directly on to the second book, Aurora Burning, and then straight on through to Aurora’s End.
My copy of Aurora’s End just arrived today and I am so excited to see how this is going to turn out. I literally have no predictions.
If you are a Scifi fan, if you loved the Illuminae Files, if you love stories set in space, if you love stories featuring a ragtag group of individuals fighting for survival, you should pick this up.
Heck, everyone should pick this up! It’s a great book, an action-packed story and a phenomenal start to a series.
Earlier
Now that the final book, Aurora’s End, has been released, I am rereading this, because I hope to actually binge the entire trilogy this month!
#goals
Let’s do this!!!
Original:
**4.5-stars rounded up**
Apparently, this is what it feels like to have your still beating heart ripped violently out of your chest?!
The year is 2380; our story begins on the eve of graduation at Aurora Academy. Traditionally, immediately following the graduation ceremony, squad leaders choose their teams and are given their first real assignments.
Tyler Jones, star pupil and known leader, cannot sleep.
Call it nerves, call it excitement for the future, whatever it is, sleep is not happening.
During the course of his restless night, he hears an SOS over the comm system and sets out to see if he can help.
He reasons, since he is incredible in almost every way, he will definitely be able to help.
When he comes across the starship emitting the SOS beacon, he finds hundreds of dead aboard, with just one survivor locked in cryogenic sleep state.
Fortunately, he is able to save her and bring her back to the Academy with him. But just who is this beautiful lone survivor?
Coming out of cryosleep, Aurora is shocked to find herself at an Academy for space cadets and not at Octavia Colony, her original destination.
As she struggles to clear her head and put the pieces of the puzzle together, she also discovers she has some sort of mysterious powers awakening.
Tyler is disappointed and confused upon returning to the Academy as well.
Due to his late night rescue mission, he missed graduation and as a consequence, the selection of teams.
As a new squad leader, what is he left with?
His sister, a loyal friend and a few other miscreants: Scarlett, Cat, Kal, Fin and Zila.
Thusly, Squad 312 is formed. The most lovable bunch of misfits the galaxy has ever seen!
The story follows all of their perspectives as they go on their first mission and learn more about Aurora, as well as her puzzling claims about the nonexistent Octavia Colony.
Guys, to say I am anxiously anticipating the next book would literally be the understatement of 2019.
I loved this story a ton. My only negative is that I found the numerous POVs a bit jarring at times. Other than that, nothing but love from me!
Squad 312 against the whole galaxy?
This author duo is hard to beat in my eyes. I hope they continue to collaborate for years to come!!!
I’m just curious. You mention the multiple POV’s is jarring. Do they change within chapters or from chapters to chapters? Do the chapter titles give any indication who the POV character is? (I’m only asking because I feel like I’ve been having a lot of POV-related writing conversations recently).
Hi, Michael! I didn’t find it as jarring the second time through. They switch per chapter, and yes, each chapter is titled the person whose perspective you are getting. So, if you forget, initially while you are learning the characters, you can always flip back and double check who you are reading from.