Phantom Universe (Summer Chronicles, #1)

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Phantom Universe (Summer Chronicles #1)

by Laura Kreitzer (Goodreads Author)

4.03 of 5 stars 4.03 · rating details · 250 ratings · 67 reviews

Sold into slavery to pirates at the young age of four, Summer learns to survive the rough seas of subterfuge and thieves through silence. When the boat she's lived on most of her life is destroyed, Summer finds herself washed up on the shore of a new world, a phantom universe full of the bizarre and extraordinary. She meets Gage, the one boy who understands the girl with n...more

ebook, 228 pages

Published February 3rd 2011 by Revolution Publishing Inc.

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Oct 07, 2011 Esra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

It's a fantastical ,heartbreaking ,sometimes very cute ,sometimes very sad , at the same time very exciting story I've ever read. If y'all want to read something different , I highly recommend this series. I can't wait for the second one "forsaken harbor" =) I adore laura kreitzer's writing.

-Yok böyle bir kitap , baştan sona harikaydı . Vampirden ,periden ,böcekten sıkılanlar,zaman makinesi kızımız summer'ın güncelerini zevkle okuyacak. Çocukluğundan beri türlü işkencelere maruz kalan summer'ın...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Cesya MaRae rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: signed

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
From the very beginning Phantom Universe held my interest. The prologue alone gave just enough information to make you want more.

It’s one of those books where you can’t wait to turn the page.
Summer was kidnapped at the age of four, whipped into silence and sold into slavery to a band of pirates. She puts her trust into Landon, another slave on the ship, after he saved her from an awful occurrence. The first few chapters in part one of this novel are memories of Summer’s that are vital to the sto...more
From the very beginning Phantom Universe held my interest. The prologue alone gave just enough information to make you want more.

It’s one of those books where you can’t wait to turn the page.
Summer was kidnapped at the age of four, whipped into silence and sold into slavery to a band of pirates. She puts her trust into Landon, another slave on the ship, after he saved her from an awful occurrence. The first few chapters in part one of this novel are memories of Summer’s that are vital to the story and her character development. We are then introduced to Jaden, a fellow slave from Summer’s past, who was sent there on a mission for the Secret Clock Society to capture her. She tells them exactly what’s going on and helps them escape so they can all free themselves of their slavery. During their escape, Summer goes off on her own and Landon sticks with Jaden to make sure she’s actually true to her word. As she’s running towards the meeting point something explodes behind her and she’s flung over the side of the ship. She takes leave on a dining room table and drifts in the water until she finally hits land and passes out from exhaustion.

She awakes to a smiling Jaden and immediately scans the area for Landon but he’s nowhere to be seen. (I was quite upset that there was no Landon right away but Laura is great at building the suspense.) After they find food and drink they relax on the beach until something begins happening to Summer. Her skin begins glowing, a blinding light bursts from her, and they both collapse on the beach.

When she awakes is when we meet the oh-so handsome Gage. It was love at first sight . . . well for me anyway. He is the hero of this story and Summer’s eventual love interest. He understands Summer in ways that Landon couldn’t and she surprisingly puts her trust into him. This was a very awesome, futuristic world that I loved getting pulled into. I couldn’t get enough of her adventures and CANNOT wait for her adventure to continue!

I’m giving Phantom Universe a 5 star rating because Laura truly brought Summer’s world to life with her very descriptive writing and, quite literally, page-turning adventure
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Feb 22, 2011 Lisa Langdale rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Phantom Universe is one of the most unique and truly amazing books I've read in a long time. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning and kept me engrossed guessing throughout the entire story.

The way this story unfolds is brilliant. Switching from Summer's current life, to her experiences growing up as a slave on a modern day pirate ship gives the reader a real sense of who Summer is any why she doesn't speak. Speaking of the mute Summer, Laura totally pulled off a silent main character...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Nataša rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: april

The story begins jumping from past to present to past again which usually annoys me but in this case it was done in the way that didn’t confuse me so I didn’t mind. But still after they are found on the beach the story lags. Feels like the only reason why anything happens in the story is to make a background for Summer and Gage to get to know each other. Which is disappointing because the story had so much promise. I loved the explorations of Summer’s emotional and physical abuse but I feel like...more

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Feb 29, 2012 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, young-adult, sci-fi, read-in-2012

Before we get into this review, I'm going to take a moment to talk about pirates. I have a long standing love affair with fictional pirates, provided they have good hygiene and don't have scurvy. In fact, I've made it one of my missions in life to educate people on the dangers of scurvy (and good oral hygiene but that's only because I read The Postman when I was young and impressionable and the talk of the survivors dying of "raging oral infections" stuck with me in a BIG WAY! *shudder*). Now, I...more Before we get into this review, I'm going to take a moment to talk about pirates. I have a long standing love affair with fictional pirates, provided they have good hygiene and don't have scurvy. In fact, I've made it one of my missions in life to educate people on the dangers of scurvy (and good oral hygiene but that's only because I read The Postman when I was young and impressionable and the talk of the survivors dying of "raging oral infections" stuck with me in a BIG WAY! *shudder*). Now, I don't actually know much about scurvy except that you get it if you don't eat enough vitamin C and it makes you lose your teeth. Therefore, the sum of my PSA is "eat oranges, don't get scurvy". Ta-Da! Words to live by, people. Words to live by.

But we were talking about pirates, weren't we? Now, my ideal type of pirates tend to be strong, clean men who often work without their shirts and bathe regularly. Due to the fact that they're usually displaced noblemen with a chip on their shoulders they have access to plenty of oranges and they NEVER get scurvy. The pirates in this book weren't quite in that realm, I must admit. They were a little on the dirty side and, as it turns out, none of them were displaced noblemen. How disappointing.

Admittedly, the pirates played a smallish role in this book. We were also given men who dealt in human slavery (jerks), time travel (err... what?), a dystopian society (err... double what?), and a girl who was taught that talking leads to beatings. The time travel part took me a bit by surprise. I probably could have gleaned it from the cover but... I'm apparently not very observant.

The beginning of the book takes place in 2010 with flashbacks to Summer's life as a young slave. It chronicles how she came to be in the hands of slavers and how her spirit was crushed and she learned to stop talking to protect herself. Then some big stuff happens and suddenly she and a few of her fellow slaves find themselves 200 years in the future in a world that has changed drastically from what they knew. Picked up by a group of young soldiers, one of whom begins falling for Summer almost immediately, they're shuffled off to interment camps for the people who keep popping up from the past.

Part of me can see why Gage falls for Summer so quickly. She's physically fragile, emotionally damaged, and she has no sense of self-worth. He feels a need to protect her and show her that she's more than just a slave girl who was an oddity because she refused to speak. Summer slowly lets down her walls and allows Gage to get close to her. I'm personally a huge fan of insta-attraction and I think it was well done here.

Plot wise, we have a mysterious group who keep popping up to try to capture Summer (for reasons that aren't revealed until close to the end), a futuristic government that doesn't quite know what to do with the multitudes of people suddenly appearing out of thin air, and another group that looks like it's trying to help those displaced in the great time-travel debacle. While I enjoyed parts of the book, I was really taken aback by the time travel. I honestly didn't realize that the first part of the book took place in modern time (I'm sorry, when I hear "pirates" my knee-jerk reaction is that it's the 1800s) and to suddenly have the setting shift dramatically and have to learn the history as to what led to this new world government was a bit jarring. I adjusted to it and I ended up enjoying the book but I did have to shift mental gears halfway through.

Overall interesting, if at times a bit chaotic, you'll enjoy this book if you go into with an open mind. And if you don't think that pirates only plundered the seas in the 1800s. There's huge setup for later books, so don't expect everything to be made clear when you reach the end. Still, I had fun reading it.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

Reviewed for Smash Attack Reads!
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Feb 22, 2012 Jeremy Stephens rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-of-2012

While this wasn't a horrible book, there were things about it I didn't care for. First, after reading this I felt that the overly-sappy love story took away from the seriousness of the plot. I found the concepts of human trafficking, internment camps for Outlanders, the main character, Summer's psychological effects from a life of slavery and the story's concept of time travel to be intriguing. Unfortunately, many of these more interesting ideas (especially time travel) weren't explained in muc...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Erika rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Phantom Universe hooked me from the beginning! It took me on a ride into the future and back to the past at the same time. Summer's story takes you into the mind of a little girl who is strong, brave, and determined to overcome every obstacle that she crosses. She encounters enemies and friends that accompany her on this journey who teach her that despite the ugly that she has seen, there are still good in the world and people that she can trust. Summer's friendship with Landon melts your heart...more

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Jan 25, 2011 Anastacia Knits rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, fiction, first-reads, e-books, series, time-travel, young-adult-childrens

First, the disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read & review on my kindle, but did not receive any compensation for the review.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed the book. I have never read a Kreitzer book before, though I have heard great things about her other books. I won't get into the plot of PU as there are already a ton of reviews out there for this book, with a lot of detail.

Summer is a very likeable character, as is the entire supporting cast. You hate the bad guy...more First, the disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read & review on my kindle, but did not receive any compensation for the review.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed the book. I have never read a Kreitzer book before, though I have heard great things about her other books. I won't get into the plot of PU as there are already a ton of reviews out there for this book, with a lot of detail.

Summer is a very likeable character, as is the entire supporting cast. You hate the bad guys just enough. One thing that drove me nuts, throughout the book, is the repeated talk of all of the trauma, anguish, and torture Summer went through as a slave, and it's very true that she did go through a lot, including an attempted rape, but I really never understood exactly why she stopped talking. I mean, I understand what Kreitzer wrote - every time Summer talked or cried or yelled, she got whipped. But, there have been slaves for hundreds of years, who went through a hell of a lot more than Summer went through; or people today (non-slaves) who have gone through worse abuse at the hands of their own parents or family members, and they didn't stop talking. To me, if she was that badly abused that she'd stop talking, she wouldn't be mouthing words. I can sort of see the accidental giggling -- and definitely the flinching -- but I don't know, that whole thing just really bugged me throughout. And, as always with this type of book, the fact that she just magically met a wonderful guy who starts to fall in love with her, and would do anything for her, and she trusts him with no reason to... another little thing that drove me nuts.

I really wish a little bit more time was spent talking about the pirate ship. I realize this has nothing really to do with the series other than to help you know who Summer is as a character, but that part really interested me. Same with the future world - I wish we had gotten to know that world more, other than just a lot of action that took place in that world.

All of those things aside, however, I am still giving the book 5 stars. My personal rule of thumb is that I only give out "5 star reviews" to books where I really fall in love with one or more characters, and I really loved some of the minor characters in the book, and I really did like Summer & felt for her throughout. (less)

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Jan 04, 2011 Jennifer Murgia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, let me take a deep breath here ...
Laura was such a sweetie in letting me read an early copy of Phantom Universe - and what a ride!

Phantom Universe is so unique that I found myself immersed so deeply within its pages, I had to take breaks just to breathe. The story begins with our heroine, Summer, who is taken at the tender age of four to become a slave on a pirate ship. Now before you start whipping out your eye patches and hooks and yelling "ARG", keep in mind this is not your usual pirat...more

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Dec 29, 2010 Jenn Baker rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Laura was kind enough to give me an extreme Advanced Reader's Copy of Phantom Universe. It is an uncorrected e-proof. There are typos and some flow issues, but that said, it was an awesome read! I can only hope that not too much will change between this version and the published version.

I know I have said it before, but Laura has a wonderful talent for weaving stories and manipulating words! Her settings and characters are always so real and compelling. A reader can't help but be sucked in to th...more

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Jan 15, 2011 Colleen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I first started reading Phantom UniverseI had no idea what to expect. This is the first book of Laura Kreitzer's that I have read and I must say, I look forward to reading more from her. Phantom Universeis not my typical kind of read. Normally, I look for the more traditional love story. You know, girl falls in love, which is forbidden, they encounter drama and some obstacles, but in the end they find each other and live happily ever after. Well, although Summer does find a romantic interes...more When I first started reading Phantom UniverseI had no idea what to expect. This is the first book of Laura Kreitzer's that I have read and I must say, I look forward to reading more from her. Phantom Universeis not my typical kind of read. Normally, I look for the more traditional love story. You know, girl falls in love, which is forbidden, they encounter drama and some obstacles, but in the end they find each other and live happily ever after. Well, although Summer does find a romantic interest, her story is anything but typical. I really got wrapped up into Summer's story. I could not believe how much her back-story tugged at my heartstrings. Maybe it was the mother in me and the fact I couldn't imagine being separated from my daughter, not knowing her fate.

I admired Summer's strength and ability to adapt to every situation that she was put in. I found myself looking at my daughter and wondering if she would have the strength to endure all that Summer went through. I am not sure that I would have the strength to endure what Summer went through. While I was reading I wanted to tell her to just talk, tell her story...reach out and be saved! But where would the story be in that, right?

It took me a little while to figure out exactly what had happened to Summer and Jaden when they found themselves being encountered by military patrol, but when I finally got it, it actually didn't seem too far-fetched. I tend to be get a bit disinterested if things get too quirky, but Laura had written the story so well that I was really wrapped up in Summer's story and could imagine every scenario in the book.

I also really enjoyed the supporting characters and would have liked a little more of their stories, especially Landon's. I am really hoping that in the books yet to come Landon's story, as well as the other friends in Summer's life, will be disclosed. I was really looking forward to getting to know Landon a little bit more, he really seemed like an interesting guy, and I couldn't help but wonder how he ended up in the same situation as Summer. If his past was like hers and if maybe he always knew they had a common bond other than slavery. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get more of Landon.

Look for Phantom Universeto be released on February 15, 2011. You can pre-order your copy now from http://laurakreitzer.com/summer-chron... on her personal website. Be sure to look for more from Laura, Foresaken Harbor will be next in this series...sure to not disappoint! Her Timeless series will also be sure to be a good read and I can't wait to break into it!
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Feb 09, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

The thing that stood out to me the most in this book? Summer. Her life is unlike anything I've read before. Here is a girl who was taken from her only family member at an extremely young age. She was tortured, abused, raised to be a mute and compliant little slave. To say that Summer's experiences hurt me is an understatement. I'm glad that Laura Kreitzer tackled the way that young slaves are treated in the slave trade, that exists even now. Still it is quite tough to read. Just a warning there...more The thing that stood out to me the most in this book? Summer. Her life is unlike anything I've read before. Here is a girl who was taken from her only family member at an extremely young age. She was tortured, abused, raised to be a mute and compliant little slave. To say that Summer's experiences hurt me is an understatement. I'm glad that Laura Kreitzer tackled the way that young slaves are treated in the slave trade, that exists even now. Still it is quite tough to read. Just a warning there for younger or more squeamish readers. Summer's life was fascinating for me from the very beginning, because she was so strong despite everything else.

Romance also makes a debut here, and I actually really adored the way that Kreitzer fleshed it out. Summer is a girl who hasn't been able to trust anyone else since she was taken. Now there is a special person in her life who makes her feel whole again. I won't spoil, but it's really sweet. Sure there were times when it seemed a bit overboard, but again, this is in the mind of a girl who just wants someone to treat her right. Gage is all sorts of adorable! I can't wait to see where these two go next.

What lost me a bit was the very intense story line that takes place towards the middle of this story. Phantom Universe isn't just about a girl who is a young slave. It has modern day pirate ships (complete with 21st century heists), the concept of time travel, and even a future society that is dead set on annihilating its refugees. Think concentration camps for people from the past. In all honesty by the time I was nearing the end of Part II, I was slightly confused.

There is a lot going on in this first book, and I'm sure that it is all important to the second one. It seemed really mashed into itself in an effort to fit it all in. I would have liked to know more about the Secret Clock Society. I also was really intrigued by the set of people that Gage was running from, and the "Exodus" that caused them to exist in the first place. I felt unfulfilled at a lot of the unanswered questions. I'm hoping most of this will be resolved in the second book.

To wrap up this rather rambling review, Phantom Universe ultimately turned out to be a book that I really did enjoy. There were a few hiccups here and there, but I'm genuinely excited to get to dive into the next in the series. If nothing else, I believe that Summer will steal your heart. Her story is heart wrenching, but so amazing at the same time. Give this one a shot, I think you'll enjoy it.
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Dec 18, 2011 Cameron rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sara's reviews from Whatthecatread.wordpress.com

Book Review:
I received this book in audio format compliments of Jennifer at Revolutionary Press. You can see my review of the audio book by clicking on the link – here. In that review I promised to give my thoughts on the story itself, and because I am a cat who tries to always keep her promises, I will now share my review on “Phantom Universe” by Laura Kreitzer.

If you enjoy dystopian themed novels then you will certainly enjoy this book. Murr! Kre...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Silent_count rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, commented

I can do better than this. When I'm reading a book and thinking that thought, it's an ominous sign - there's a reason I write programs, not prose. This reads like a first book, and one where the author surrounded herself with indulgent friends and family rather than people who'd help her write a stronger book.

The pacing is steady and the story flows smoothly enough but that's about where I run out of nice things to say.

The writing is weak (I'll come back to that). The characterisation is both sh...more

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Dec 17, 2011 Britta rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It is impossible not to start off this review with my first impression of the book, so I'm just going to give in and do so.... The packaging of this book was just not good. I don't like the cover (it might have changed... mine looks like the above) for starters, and once you open the book the font is so incredibly small that it hurts your eyes to read. It is not even like I am just used to the larger font of YA books, I compared to my school books and Phantom Universe's font is still much smalle...more It is impossible not to start off this review with my first impression of the book, so I'm just going to give in and do so.... The packaging of this book was just not good. I don't like the cover (it might have changed... mine looks like the above) for starters, and once you open the book the font is so incredibly small that it hurts your eyes to read. It is not even like I am just used to the larger font of YA books, I compared to my school books and Phantom Universe's font is still much smaller. It just made it difficult to read. Also, at the beginning the chapter pages would include "Age Sixteen" or "Age Four" this was helpful at first when time was switching, but after a couple chapters it was all "Age Sixteen", I didn't get why not just note it when it was not sixteen?

Other than the physical technicalities of the book, the actual story was interesting. I found myself sympathizing with Summer, which it is kind of hard not to, since she is so abused and neglected. The reason I thought I would have trouble with this is because she does not speak. Like not at all. But she is not dumb, she is actually very bright (although she hasn't been exposed to many things, so she is ignorant of them) and has normal internal dialogue that helps with the absence of her spoken word.

Speaking about the spoken word... my only other criticism is that some of the dialogue that the other characters says just seems oddly out of place. I get that it takes place in the future and the author was most likely trying to portray the change in lingo, but it just seemed, I don't know... weak? Like the characters would try to be all intimidating and mean but they say something the equivalent of a four year-old thinking "butt head" is the worst thing ever.

Okay, so I know it seems like I have a lot of negative things to say about this book, but I really did enjoy it. I appreciated Summer's development; she is seriously messed up in the beginning, but it makes sense, and I like how she relapses into her original state a few times. It seemed like that would actually happen, she doesn't just go from messed up to perfect.

The actual storyline kept me interested as well, even though at times it seemed a bit ridiculous. I mean seriously, Canadians basically running the world? But it seemed ridiculous to the characters from 2011 too, so it was funny. I liked how there was confusion for the reader and many questions for most of the book, I mean this is the first in a series. The biggest question regarding Summer and her situation is answered towards the end, which was enough to satisfy the reader, but enough to make the reader eager for the second novel.(less)

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Jan 10, 2011 Christi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

There were aspects of this story that appealed to me when I first heard about it, and others, not so much. Pirates + Dystopia + Dark Story + Time Travel = ?? But Kreitzer actually makes it all work. I was sucked into this story very quickly. A majority of this first story is spent revealing Summer's childhood spent on the pirate ship. These aren't Captain Jack Sparrow pirates (darn) out to pillage jewels and rum, but modern-day pirates out to steal flat-screen TVs and...well, rum. And Summer bec...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Truly Bookish rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a pleasant mix of sci-fi, romance and time travel to a dystopian society. Summer is kidnapped and sold to the captain of a pirate ship when she is four years old. These are modern pirates who hijack freighters and steal their cargo, so no eye patches and peg legs here. After her ship is destroyed, she barely survives and inexplicably finds herself in the future.

The story alternates between the present where Summer is 16 years old, and in flashbacks of her kidnapping and slavery. A l...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Trisha Wolfe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I admit I was hesitant going in when I was faced with some very graphic abuse/torture scenes. Anyone who reads my reviews knows these always upset me. However, the scenes are necessary to introduce us to the protagonist, Summer, and help us understand her. The author takes great care during these scenes and I was able to get past them and be sucked into the story. Summer is a wonderfully likable, and believable character. Because of things that have happened in her life, she is shut down emotion...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Bri rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: boys-boys-boys, dystopia

Phantom Universe took my breath away. This book is unique, heart-wrenching, romantic, beautiful, and thought invoking. Laura Kreitzer has created an exquisite world, alluring story, and amazing characters. I was completely immersed in the story from page one, and I did not want it to end.

Tortured and beaten as a child, Summer became mute, learning that silence was the best policy to avoid the lash of a whip. She was sold to a slave ship at a young age, and her life became dominated by seafarers...more Phantom Universe took my breath away. This book is unique, heart-wrenching, romantic, beautiful, and thought invoking. Laura Kreitzer has created an exquisite world, alluring story, and amazing characters. I was completely immersed in the story from page one, and I did not want it to end.

Tortured and beaten as a child, Summer became mute, learning that silence was the best policy to avoid the lash of a whip. She was sold to a slave ship at a young age, and her life became dominated by seafarers and the roll of the waves. She is able to find a companion on the ship, Landon, who is able to understand her, and they quickly become best freinds. However, they are wrenched apart when the ship is destroyed, and Summer finds herself stranded on an island. She is unknowingly thrust into a future world, a phantom universe. She meets Gage, who is unlike any other man she has even come across, and he helps introduce her to this new, wondrous realm. Just as Summer is adjusting to her new life, she learns that she is highly sought after, and some Secret Clock Society would love nothing more than to see her dead. When their lives are put on the line, will Summer finally call out? Or will all be lost in the fathomless depth of silence?

This book was a completely new type of story for me. I have never read a story where the main character is mute, nor one where slavery and torture is a major underlying theme. The moments when Summer recalls beatings or trauma are packed with raw emotions and pain, and my heart went out to her. Kreitzer does an amazing job bringing Summer’s emotions to life. I cannot remember the last time I have felt this strongly or deeply for a character. However, the thing that I respect the most about this story is how Kreitzer brings awareness to slavery and child trafficking. It is a very real thing, even today, and most of what Summer endured is not far from the truth. If anything, it is a softer version of what some children are forced to deal with. I really like how light was shed on this very real, albeit horrible, problem that we as people face. Hopefully some awareness can be raised, even if it is awareness derived from a fictional story. Ms. Kreitzer, I commend you. People, especially children, should never be exposed to this kind of treatment. I pray some kind of solution can be found soon.

Another thing I loved about this story was the emotional connection and depth between the characters. It is just beautiful and refreshing. With the main character being mute, things like emotions and thoughts have to be relayed through something other than words. The understanding between the characters is amazing! Landon and Gage can look at Summer and decipher her thoughts and feelings from just an expression, making the emotional connection and understanding between them astonishingly strong. The fact that a whole conversation could be held where one side basically used gestures and facial expressions and the other party could completely understand is simply brilliant, in my opinion. With articulation, who really knows a person this well? This deep level of understanding is hardly seen in books (or even in real life), and I really enjoyed it.

The characters themselves were fantastic. Summer, despite her past, is strong, and even through her moments of weakness, she is resilient. Throughout the book, I got to see her heal and learn to trust others, and I really found myself invested in her story. It was so easy to feel for her and connect to her. Gage is just…swoon. He is a soldier, strong and fierce, and he can deliver orders to subordinates with a cold, commanding voice. However, he becomes gentle and caring around Summer. I love how patient he was with her, and how he showed her it was okay to trust him and open up emotionally. He is romantic and kind, and I loved the chemistry between the two of them. Even the side characters were terrific, and I liked them all, especially Landon.

Kreitzer has created a beautiful world and awesome characters in Phantom Universe, and I cannot wait to learn more about them and the Secret Clock Society. (view spoiler) I was lucky enough to land an ARC of the second book, Forsaken Harbor , which I am currently getting ready to dive into. If you have not read this book yet, you should definitely give it a try. You will not be disappointed!
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Jan 19, 2011 Sonia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011_challenge_100books_50authors

This is the first time I read a book of Laura Kreitzer and I heard about Phantom Universe from a book blogger. I was fascinated by the story and when I asked an ARC I was so lucky to receive an uncorrected e-proof directly from publisher.
That being said, I don’t want to linger over the description of the plot because I think it was widely and beautifully indicated in the book presentation so I just give my personal observations and opinions.

The book is divided into 3 parts. Each chapter has it...more This is the first time I read a book of Laura Kreitzer and I heard about Phantom Universe from a book blogger. I was fascinated by the story and when I asked an ARC I was so lucky to receive an uncorrected e-proof directly from publisher.
That being said, I don’t want to linger over the description of the plot because I think it was widely and beautifully indicated in the book presentation so I just give my personal observations and opinions.

The book is divided into 3 parts. Each chapter has its own title and the indication of the protagonist’s age which gave the possibility to figure out the story chronologically. I loved both the plot and Laura’s writing style. She presented the events by gradually revealing details that gave enough suspense and curiosity to eagerly proceed with the reading. I can honestly say that I took my time to read it because I wished to savor each moment of this amazing world.

Summer is indeed a special girl with many unique talents and I appreciated the strength of her personality which helped her face the terrible events of her life. Though I considered peculiar Summer’s way of thinking at the early age of four and the fact that she remembered too vividly past events, included the thoughts she had at that time.

I really loved the way the book ended: it was unexpected and it left open new possibilities for the following installments which I am looking forward to read.

What I didn’t particularly like was the cover: the girl shown in the picture doesn’t give justice to the image of Summer I created in my mind. Of course, this doesn’t influence my overall impression of the book but I think the first impact should be the cover. It needs to catch the eye. I don't know exactly what I did expect, I just say I wasn’t satisfied.

I can say that I was not a particular fan of sci-fi/dystopian stories but this one was really worth reading and it enticed me so much that gave me an appreciation for this kind of novels. This is a book to thoroughly enjoy that I recommend to readers of all ages.

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May 26, 2012 Rachael Woohoo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, abc-author-challenge, book, romance, parafantasy-challenge-2012, dystopia-challenge-2012, dystopia, yum-yums, rrrc-may-2012-challenge, mtrc-color-challenge, 2012-challenge-books-challenge, may-2012, reviewed

3.5 Stars

To be honest, one of the main reasons I liked this book is because of the cute romance. I’m a sucker for it, and it just makes me go “Awwww…”, or something of the sort. Gage and Summer’s relationship is just so endearing, with Gage supporting Summer through almost every hardship and always understanding her – it seemed like a perfect relationship. However, how Gage was portrayed is also one of the slight problems I had with Phantom Universe. He seemed to good to be true, especially with...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Cass rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had the pleasure of 'reading' this book via audio book (read by Karen Savage) Summer is trained at the age of four to be a slave who is not seen or heard. In order to circumvent regular beating she becomes mute, not even laughter escapes her lips. At the age of four she is sold into slavery on a ship and from the age of four until just days before her 16th birthday she never sets foot on land.

The concept of this story is so individual and intriguing. Throughout the book Summer has flashbacks...more

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Jan 05, 2011 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 stars full review at http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/2...

I've been hot on Laura Kreitzer's tail since picking up her first book Shadow of The Sun last year and giving it 5 stars. But, I had no way to read egalleys and keep pace with her new releases. Thanks to DH and my new Nook, this is the first ebook ARC I've read in 2011. What an awesome adventure it was!

Think of Hush by Donna Jo Napoli spliced with Inside Out by Maria Snyder and the Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld. It's a combinat...more

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Dec 09, 2011 Maureen Hoar rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was captivated by this book from beginning to end! A very compelling story of a young girl who is hunted to be killed and captured by slave pirates and finds her way to a futuristic world, helpless to stop any of it! She does whatever she can to survive in a brutal world, even refusing to speak.

Even though the main character is beaten and forced into slavery, she is still a very strong female character. She has the will to survive in the worst of conditions. I really loved her story. I wanted...more

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Jan 10, 2011 Tara Clegg rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rarely have I come across an author with a more fertile imagination than Laura Kreitzer. Her strong world building and unparalleled plots are beyond anything I could possible dream up and I can't help but get hooked on her stories. Summer was a heroine unlike any I have read before. Silence is how she has learned to cope with her harsh existence as a slave and perhaps her silence is why her emotions come across so strongly. The immediate connection between she and Gage was overwhelmingly moving...more

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Feb 15, 2011 Kim (Bookishly Me) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, arc, young-adult, dystopia

This story is about a sixteen year old girl named Summer who doesn't speak. But her thoughts and actions speak for themselves and even though I don't like stories where there isn't much conversation from the main character it didn't bother me at all. Summer is a very likeable character. With all the things that have happened to her over the course of years in slavery she stopped speaking and doesn't trust anyone except Landon, a fellow slave on the ship, he protects her and is her only friend. W...more This story is about a sixteen year old girl named Summer who doesn't speak. But her thoughts and actions speak for themselves and even though I don't like stories where there isn't much conversation from the main character it didn't bother me at all. Summer is a very likeable character. With all the things that have happened to her over the course of years in slavery she stopped speaking and doesn't trust anyone except Landon, a fellow slave on the ship, he protects her and is her only friend. When a fellow slave from Summers past Jaden comes to tell her that there are people after her, the three of them escape. They lose sight of each other but ones on land Summer and Jaden find each other again then Summer gets ill and passes out. When she awakes we meet Gage and discover that things are quite different in the world. And one of those reasons is that it is now 200 years later. It seems that around 200 million people just suddenly appeared in the future and they are called 'Outlanders'. Since Summer is very ill she is send to a hospital and Jaden is send to an outlander camp. After Summer gets better she is also send to the outlander camp and this is where she finds Landon again. The one thing in this story that I liked was her relationship she is building with Gage. She doesn't know what to think of this man who rescues and helps her, keeps visiting her in the hospital, but also keeps pulling back. But somehow she knows that she can trust him.
The story is written in the here and now with chapters that go back in to some of Summers younger years. Here is when we learn why Summer doesn't speak and became the girl she is now. And the things that have happened to her are quite gruesome and graphically written but it does make you understand Summer better.
There was one thing about this book that didn't feel right and that was the rather adult thinking Summer did when she was four. I know with all the things happening to her she had to grow up fast but this just didn't quite fit. But other than that this was a very good book and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
I would say that I enjoyed this book very much but that wouldn't be a right thing to say considering everything Summer went trough.

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Jul 29, 2011 Chrissy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: my-favs

I can not say enough good things about this author!! I have read all four of her books (3 books timeless series, and this one)! I am very eager to read the rest of both the Timeless series and Summer Chronicles.

It was a surprise to me how much this book, Phantom Universe, stuck with me after I read it. I found myself really attached to the characters, two in particular. I also found myself forced to deal with some underlying pain of my own I didn't realize was there, while reading this book.

I...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Ana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“Phantom Universe” is a really good book. I am not really into futuristic books, but this one got my attention. I fell in love with the characters and especially Summer. Even after all she went through, she was still an incredibly strong person –very inspirational.

Summer is kidnapped at the young age of 4 and sold to pirates on a ship as a slave. After being tortured and beaten when she was just a child because she wouldn’t stop crying and screaming, she swore she would never speak again. Summer...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Amelia rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian, science-fiction

I have so many issues with this book that it would be cruel to this self-proclaimed best-selling author if I explained them all. I'll just say that writing classes and especially editors are not a waste of time or money. Very rarely is it a good idea to self-publish.

It's also a pretty good idea to not make fun of your readers, whether you like them or not. In the acknowledgments at the back of this book, she thanks Jennifer Murgia "for our chats about mean reviewers and how we're going to kill...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Blakely rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kreitzer has created a character that is not only fantastically unique and complex, but also a reminder that human trafficing -an utterly soul splintering underground practice- is not just in history books. It steals lives every day.

Summer, the main character in 'Phantom Universe', was beaten into silence when she was four and sold into slavery. Unable to even whisper to herself, Summer eventually discovers that she harbors a strange power (after she becomes the target of a secret society). Up...more

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About Laura Kreitzer

Laura Kreitzer is a best-selling fantasy and science fiction author who hails from western Kentucky. Her full-time 9-5 job used to be working in a lab devoted to water dye-tracing investigations at Western Kentucky University, though her passion was always writing. After seven years of dedicating her life to the environment, she made the tough decision to leave the university to pursue her writing...more

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Quotes from Phantom Universe

“He holds her with the strength of a million-man army, but with all the tenderness of her heart lying naked in the palms of his hands.” — 5 people liked it

“She notices the unyielding ruthlessness of the storm; the crashing waves, the bitter sky kissing the water on the horizon, the keening laments of the sharp, cutting wind, and the relentless liquid deliverance of its somber showers. She’ll never forgive the audacity of the storm’s neglect.” — 2 people liked it

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Phantom Universe (Summer Chronicles #1)

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