Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles, #1)

Nov 06, 2012 Giselle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic

Holy bloody muffins!!

Look at this pretty cover! Right? Don't be fooled! The world inside Renegade is not pretty. It's not beautiful! It's gory, disturbing, sick, and the more you advance in the story, the more terrifying it all becomes. It starts innocently enough. Perfect life, in a perfect garden, everyone is "perfect" with perfect blue eyes and perfect blond hair, perfect genetics to make perfect babies in this perfect world full of perfect flowers and perfect fish--for real! They live in an...more

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Nov 13, 2012 fяσzєη rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: covergasm, pretty-dress-on-the-cover, netgalley-or-edelweiss, 2012-faves, all-time-faves, books-i-want-to-marry, creatively-original, deserves-the-hype, faves, insta-love, my-emotions-i-cannot

This review is also available over at my blog.

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Holy crap.

Um, wow, I'm not even sure where to start.

Okay, so, in the underwater city of Elysium, which is ruled by a woman that goes by Mother, Evelyn Winters has been trained to be the Daughter of the People, and the one in line to be the leader of the city. She had a perfect life, loved by Mother and all the citizens of Elysium. But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, somehow manages to enter the city, Evie starts realizing...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-covers, arc-or-galley, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic, romance, fantasy, dystopian

3.5 stars

Mother created Elysium so that she, and those like her, could live in peace, far away from the greed and intolerance raging war on the Surface.
- History Text, Year Five

An underwater utopia, with its obedient citizens and immaculate gardens, is the imaginative world where J. A. Souders’ debut novel takes place. This is a setting both rich in detail and chilling in its perfection. What first appears beautiful and ideal is quickly made evident to be nothing more than the mask of one woman...more 3.5 stars

Mother created Elysium so that she, and those like her, could live in peace, far away from the greed and intolerance raging war on the Surface.
- History Text, Year Five

An underwater utopia, with its obedient citizens and immaculate gardens, is the imaginative world where J. A. Souders’ debut novel takes place. This is a setting both rich in detail and chilling in its perfection. What first appears beautiful and ideal is quickly made evident to be nothing more than the mask of one woman’s disturbing supremacy. Mother is the undisputed leader and Evelyn Winters, her hand-selected daughter, is Daughter of the People. Through a world founded on mental manipulation, controlled coupling, and an intolerance for individual differences, Souders delivers a riveting and deeply inventive story of power and perfection. Renegade proves it can be just as enthralling as its mesmerising cover.

While the world-building is exquisite, and Elysium a thrill to picture, it is the dark traces of Mother’s influence that truly captivates. She is, first and foremost, a terrifying enigma. Her carefully controlled appearance and calculated manner slowly, subtly, exudes authority. She is a deified figure among the people of Elysium, inciting both fear and respect. To the reader, her ideals are disturbing, her vision of an Aryan-like race and strictly organised gene pool far from the illusion of excellence Elysium offers. Furthermore, the occasional shattering of her composed exterior hints at a complex past and upbringing, raising many questions to the surface. More than anything, she is fascinating, and her large role in the story brings a touch of exhilarating terror to the book.

Much of the plot centres on Evelyn’s escape to the surface with Gavin, the Surface Dweller. For the vast majority of their journey, it is exciting, the action non-stop and gripping. Along the way, however, the characterisation suffers. While Evelyn starts of as an intriguing protagonist – her memory-wiped mind forming a strange personality, indeed – her transformation during the course of the novel is not particularly interesting. Although not at all unlikeable, she is disappointingly forgettable. Gavin, similarly, fails to leave a lasting impression. He is simultaneously easy-going and determined, and perhaps easier to connect with than Evelyn, but nothing more than the expected love interest.

Which bring us on to the romance, perhaps the main blemish to what would have otherwise been an outstanding read. This aspect is undoubtedly responsible for many of my issues with the characters. Rapid declarations of love have never appealed to me, even more so when the time frame in question is a mere handful of days. Most disappointingly, the romantic plot was missing that much-needed spark and chemistry. There were very few opportunities, if any, to truly connect with the romance, and that resulted in an inability to fully connect with Gavin and Evelyn when they were together, which was, essentially, most of the book. Having said that, it was not an outrageously awful romance. Moments of sweetness and light emotion were noticeable, just not particularly affecting or powerful.

Romance and faintly lacklustre characters aside, Renegade captivated in every other way and held enough of my attention to make this a mostly thrilling reading experience. With the ending opening up exciting possibilities for the sequel, I am curious to find out what happens next.

(This review also appears on my blog)(less)

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Nov 08, 2012 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian-post-apocalyptic, fantasy, ya, arcs-read, seriously-disappointing, edelweiss-netgalley

A copy of Renegade was provided to me by Tor Teen/Netgalley for review purposes.

'We are all Mother's children. It is a privilege to show her our ultimate obedience to her laws.'

Evelyn Winters is the Daughter of the People in the underwater world of Elysium. She is a flawless specimen with ideal genes perfectly suited to create flawless children. Mother has worked hard to solidify Evelyn’s perfection and the perfection of all citizens in Elysium. Mother will do anything and everything to make sur...more A copy of Renegade was provided to me by Tor Teen/Netgalley for review purposes.

'We are all Mother's children. It is a privilege to show her our ultimate obedience to her laws.'

Evelyn Winters is the Daughter of the People in the underwater world of Elysium. She is a flawless specimen with ideal genes perfectly suited to create flawless children. Mother has worked hard to solidify Evelyn’s perfection and the perfection of all citizens in Elysium. Mother will do anything and everything to make sure this remains so. All is not as it appears in Elysium. Look carefully, beyond the perfection.... and you'll see the malevolence hidden closely beneath the surface.

'Greed has poisoned men's souls. Surface Dwellers have destroyed what was once beautiful and turned it into a ghostly illusion of what they call peace. But down here, we have real peace. There will be no fear, or sickness, hunger, hate, or greed. We have created our Utopia. And it is magnificent.'

Evelyn is told from an early age that her people escaped to Elysium to hide from the evil Surface Dwellers that war with one another but when a Surface Dweller manages to breach Elysium Evelyn can’t help but be intrigued by him. His name is Gavin and with his help Evelyn realizes that the very world she lives in is a complete lie.

An underwater utopia? How. Awesome. I loved the descriptions and details of how everything worked and how people managed to not only survive but to truly thrive and be completely self-sufficient under the sea. I would have loved for it to be explained more in detail in the beginning rather than a conversation between Evelyn and Gavin when he’d ask a question here and there. I believe an introduction in the beginning on the underwater society would have been better.

Very intriguing from the very first page, it’s quite obvious that something is wrong with Evie and it all has to do with Mother. The introduction of Gavin had to be done in order to set in motion the entire story, but I didn’t buy how incredibly easy it was for her to understand and accept that she was being brainwashed. You'd think that for someone that was brainwashed for over almost her entire life wouldn't just begin having doubts just because someone (that she doesn't even know) randomly suggests it once. I think if there was more time spent on the overall character building that I wouldn’t have a problem with Evie trusting Gavin immediately or their instant bond which while it wasn’t quite insta-love veered a bit too close for my liking.

’…I shiver at the sounds surrounding me: Gavin’s gasping breaths. The thunder of my heartbeat. The ripping of flesh. And, making it all worse, the man’s rasping voice as he sings.’

The action is intense and ongoing and it never seems to let up throughout the extent of the book. Towards the end though, the story takes an extremely gruesome turn. Mother was a truly evil villain and one that conducted some particularly shocking experiments in order to secure her perfect society. A textbook villain is one that is willing to do whatever is required to get what she wants, and Mother was definitely prepared to do that. You don’t realize till then end bits just how far she had gone with her experiments and what the end result was.

When I began this story I was under the impression that it was a standalone novel but there were far too many questions that were left unanswered for there not to be a follow-up. I will definitely be reading the follow-up, I’m quite excited to find out how everything is explained and to see where the author takes the story. Despite the few issues I had and the lower rating this was still a highly enjoyable, edge-of-your-seat kind of read that fans of dystopian and sci-fi genres will enjoy.

2.5 stars overall(less)

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Nov 23, 2012 Kendra rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

As Daughter of the People, Evie Winters’ life is just about perfect. Chosen as a child for her perfect genetic profile, she was adopted and raised by Mother and is being groomed to one day take her place as leader of the underwater society Elysium. But not everything is as it seems, and something is wrong in Evie’s practically perfect life. She finds herself missing chunks of time, and experiences splitting headaches accompanied by flashes of forgotten memories. When Surface Dweller Gavin crashe...more As Daughter of the People, Evie Winters’ life is just about perfect. Chosen as a child for her perfect genetic profile, she was adopted and raised by Mother and is being groomed to one day take her place as leader of the underwater society Elysium. But not everything is as it seems, and something is wrong in Evie’s practically perfect life. She finds herself missing chunks of time, and experiences splitting headaches accompanied by flashes of forgotten memories. When Surface Dweller Gavin crashes into Evie’s garden one day, she is drawn to him, and they soon find themselves on the run from Mother and her terrifying Enforcers, searching for a way to return Gavin to land, and recover Evie’s clouded past.

Renegade takes an intriguing premise and unfortunately turns it stale. The protagonist Evie starts as a fascinating and troubled character. As the book is written in present tense, we are able to see the depth of Evie’s brainwashing, and the reasons behind her eerie repetitive thoughts. Unfortunately, once she starts putting the pieces of her situation together, the novel loses most of its suspense and originality to become a predictable action story.

The biggest loss is the potential for Evie’s character arc. She begins cowed, brainwashed, and manipulated into believing unquestioningly the lies of the society, but makes an almost immediate switch to kick-ass, confident heroine. For a character that has sustained years of emotional isolation, memory wipes, and encoding, she shows no sign of internal struggle, or damage. While there is a predictable back-story to help explain this, I found the ease and speed of her emotional transformation to be unrealistic, as well as a wasted opportunity for complex characterization. For instance, in Elyrian society there is an emphasis on modesty of behavior and dress, with severe punishments for infringements. Initially, Evie spends quite a bit of time making sure her skirt is covering her knees, and avoiding looking men in the eye. Yet a couple chapters later, she’s sashaying around in a negligee, and flirting with guards as a ploy to distract them.

Like Evie, her love interest Gavin also seems undercooked. He’s attractive, he has a Southern accent, and he occasionally challenges her assumptions. The best thing about his character, unfortunately rare, is that he is neither controlling nor rape-y. While there are instances where Evie thinks he might be jealous of the man Mother has chosen to Couple with her, he doesn’t say anything, or try to stop her from going through with it. Hallelujah! His concern for her is that she isn’t able to make her own decisions. Similarly, I appreciated that Evie had started to figure things out before Gavin, and that her life did not start when the guy showed up.

While the characters were generally bland, much of the world building actively did not make sense. This underwater society was built to escape the hate and violence of the surface world, and only the best (read: blond, blue-eyed, pale) were allowed to join. There are strict genetic tests to determine whether two people will be allowed to Couple, as well as moral laws about touching before being paired. However, for a society with these extreme dystopian elements, much of the book reads like it takes place in current day North America. Evie casually orders a chai soy latte after one of her Citizens is dragged away to be executed, and observes a sushi restaurant while walking downtown.

Gavin’s world, on the other hand, resembled the Old West. His town has a Sherriff, he hunts to trade for cloth and oil for lanterns, but later makes reference to watching horror movies. This limited supply of electricity would presumably have gone to something more useful than a movie theater, especially since it was mentioned in such an offhanded way, not as if it were some unusual and special event.

Similarly, there are no animals in Elysium, with all protein coming either from fish or plants, and Evie is shocked to find that Gavin hunts for sport. Yet later she casually refers to her ‘leather stiletto boots’. First of all, in this society that prizes public modestly, where is the market for this kind of footwear, and second of all where did the leather come from??

My final observation is the conspicuous use of the metric system in what is presumably a former American society (no specific reference to the US is made, except that they are just off the coast in the Atlantic of a North American country, in tropical waters). This would could have been an interesting aspect to address with the political climate changing during the surface wars, but it was never explained and just felt like a detail that was thrown in as ‘look, things are different!’.

The best word to describe this book is bland. And that’s saying something for a book that revolves around genetic perfection. The impetus behind selecting blond, blue-eyed, white people is never really explained. Clearly the person in charge is CRAZY and EVIL, but what was the motive behind this kind of selection? In a future where DNA cameras exist, what scientific evidence do they come up with for appearance to be genetically ‘superior’ than the others? Especially with actual science demonstrating that a diverse genetic profile makes for healthier individuals. The best that can be said is that Souders deals inoffensively with offensive topics, but it also means that nothing is really said or addressed by it other than it’s BAD.

The plot was rather familiar and predictable. It is far more action/chase oriented than I was expecting, and much of the plotting did not make sense. If Evie is being trained to take over as the head of the society, why are they constantly erasing her memory? Wouldn’t they be turning her to their side, not keeping her completely in the dark? How can she rule if she is basically non-functional, wouldn’t they just have tried again with someone else?

The inconsistencies in world building, and un-intriguing plotlines weigh down a book already all too familiar and weak. If you’re looking for a book that addresses mind manipulation, I suggest checking out A Long, Long Sleep and The Adoration of Jenna Fox.
(less)

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Nov 03, 2012 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-author-2012, arc-galley-and-first-reads

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Wow. I honestly don’t know where to start when it comes to Renegade. While I was excited beyond measure to first read the synopsis of this novel, and even later when it’s beautiful (and very relevant) cover released, I found myself dreading the moment it would arrive for me in the mail as, with each passing day, I became convinced that Renegade would be “just another” dystopian novel with insta-love, predictability, and downright flat characters. Well, let me reassure you now:...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Tina (Martina ♥ Bookaholic) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, book-paper, dystopy-scifi, favorites, read-in-german, re-read-more-than-once, young-adult

English Review:
First of all – the cover is absolutely beautiful and it partially also shows greatly the contents of this underwater town. I’ve been totally glad when I’ve got the book and also after the first shock, I’ve liked it really much. Why a shock? The first pages were written very easy, the statements and thoughts of the central figure Evelin, or briefly called Evie, were childish and very irritating, because they sounded like rehearsed texts and they’ve also confused me, to be honest....more

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Nov 07, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

I suspect I know what you're thinking. You're looking at that cover and imagining that this will be yet another cheesy romance disguised as dystopia, with a world built solely to keep the hero and heroine from being able to get it on. Well, let me tell you right now, this is not the case here. The cover is beautiful and has a girl in a dress and just doesn't look like the cover for a true, creepy dystopia. You know what, though? This cover fits the book perfectly AND Renegade also happens to be...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Beth (Curling Up With A Good Book) marked it as to-read

Shelves: my-favorites-2013, dystopian, romance

I went into Renegade not really quite sure of what it was about...I read some others reviews and could tell that it was definitely Dystopian so of course I had to read it.

Let me first say that the cover is COMPLETELY gorgeous and is a perfect portrayal of what I had imagined for Evie. I love the soft blue colors and the fact that she is holding the rose and looks so innocent...PERFECT COVER...

The first couple of chapters were a little hard for me to wrap my head around..and only because Evelyn...more I went into Renegade not really quite sure of what it was about...I read some others reviews and could tell that it was definitely Dystopian so of course I had to read it.

Let me first say that the cover is COMPLETELY gorgeous and is a perfect portrayal of what I had imagined for Evie. I love the soft blue colors and the fact that she is holding the rose and looks so innocent...PERFECT COVER...

The first couple of chapters were a little hard for me to wrap my head around..and only because Evelyn seemed like a robot. Everything seemed to "goody-goody" to be realistic. Once I continued reading I realized that this was the entire purpose of the story. WOW...I seriously could not put this book down...
From the first few chapters I was hooked. The whole "sunny bright everything is perfect" concept in the first chapter got me. I knew that it meant something badddd was going to happen and I dived into the book to find out what..I found myself turning pages late into the night..

The whole world of Elysium is breathtakingly fascinating...The whole under water-new world concept immediately grabbed me. I couldn't wait to find out how this was possible, how they survived this long, and the story explains it all.

Evelyn, also known as Evie, starts the story out describing her perfect world and life. She is so sweet and innocent and then almost immediately the story is thrown into turmoil and pain. It completely shocked me. I mean wow...

Then comes the other main character, Gavin. Ah, Gavin....He is ruggedly handsome and a Surface Dweller. He has broken in to their secret world and this is unacceptable. As in all good stories it is good vs evil and as far as Evie knows..Gavin is evil..He is the abomination known as Surface Dwellers and must be stopped. Little do they know there is a bigger "Evil" to come...

"Mother", as she is known to the her people, places Evie in charge of Gavin's interrogation. She hopes to discover how he reached their underwater world and how he got in. Of course, she has ulterior motives...

AS soon as Evie and Gavin meet you can immediately tell it is a romance written in the stars. I loved the way they grew to each other and the way they affected each other. The moments they had were mesmerizing.

This book has so many twists and turns that I am afraid I may give away to much...It was just so awesome and I loved it. I loved how creepy "Mother" is and how she ended up......
HA! Nope sorry..Not giving that one away! You will have to read for yourself! I cannot wait to read the sequel... I have no idea where J.A. Sounders might take the story next but I cant wait to find out!!(less)

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Sep 24, 2012 P.J. rated it 5 of 5 stars

From the second I saw this in the Tor Teen Book Buzz at ALA Midwinter, I wanted to read it. Not only did it sound fantastic, it looked fantastic (see (1) below). So color me excited when I got my hands on a sweet ARC to read!

Here are five things I have to say about RENEGADE:

1) I adore this cover! It's seriously one of the most intriguing (and beautiful) covers I've seen in ages. From the colors to the hair, dress, and body language of the girl, it completely drew me in and made me want to read i...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Sarah (The Book Life) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: tor-teen, arcs-i-own, 2012, signed-books

THIS BOOK! I want more Evie and her crazy life! Such an awesome story and so many insane twists and turns! Also, I <3 Gavin :0)

Okay, let’s be honest, what sounds bad about a story that takes place in an underwater utopia? Especially, when said utopia promises to be anything but? Everything about this world is so well built. The descriptions of Elysium are so vivid and well-drawn, I had no problems imagining myself right there with Evie. And oh, how I love Evie. It’s pretty obvious to the read...more THIS BOOK! I want more Evie and her crazy life! Such an awesome story and so many insane twists and turns! Also, I <3 Gavin :0)

Okay, let’s be honest, what sounds bad about a story that takes place in an underwater utopia? Especially, when said utopia promises to be anything but? Everything about this world is so well built. The descriptions of Elysium are so vivid and well-drawn, I had no problems imagining myself right there with Evie. And oh, how I love Evie. It’s pretty obvious to the reader, from the start that something is being done to her mind. When she is in her gardens one day, she is interrupted by a Surface Dweller who has managed to break into Elysium. For reasons unknown to even her, she decides to try and help him. And then things really start to get interesting.

Mother wants Evie to find out how the Surface Dweller, also known as Gavin, got into Elysium in the first place and why he came. Evie wants to figure out a way to get him out of there alive. As the stakes rise and Evie begins to realize that her memories have been altered, her and Gavin are suddenly racing against the clock to stay alive and get him back to the surface. Mother is such an excellent villain. I’m not kidding when I say this lady is seriously evil, but at the same time I am extremely curious to find out why exactly she is the way she is.

Most of the book is spent with Evie, Mother and Gavin, but there are a few secondary characters that make quite an impact in the story. Evie’s best friend Macie is a scientist and one of the few people Evie trusts wholeheartedly. She’s got spunk, that Macie, and definitely comes through for our renegades on more than one occasion. Other secondary’s are of the not so nice variety, but definitely amp up the tension and keep things interesting for the characters.

I am literally unable to maintain a normal life until I can read the next installment of this series. I am so desperate to know what happens, but alas, J.A. assures me that book two does not come out at the same time as book one, so I will have to wait. This is a beautifully written story with a mesmerizing world and a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Read this one, you won’t be sorry :0)(less)

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May 26, 2013 Soumi(in love with Puck) Roy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-copy, review-copies, young-adult, dystopian, books-i-reviewed, tor

3.5 stars
Renegade means someone who rebels against her cause, and I believe that's exactly happened in this book, what a perfect name.

Sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters was raised and trained to be Daughter of People, to rule over the underwater utopia known as Elysium. her life was close to perfect, or at least that's what she believed. When she met a surface dweller named Gavin, and helped him escape prison, she realized everything she believed is was nothing but a mere lie and result of her mem...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Rayne rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-nov, disappointing, action, overrated-and-overhyped, romance, totally-saw-that-coming, victims-of-the-insta-love-monster, yes-this-is-a-rant, dystopian, young-adult, your-sexism-is-not-welcome-here

Score: 2.5 stars

Review originally posted at http://www.mycutebookshelf.com/2013/0...

And yet another greatly-reviewed book that I couldn't love, or, as it is the case with this one, even tolerate. Dystopias lately have turned into a formula, and it repeats itself novel after novel. I don't think I was wrong to think Renegade would be different, and in some aspects it was, but, when it came down to it, this novel suffered from some of the major flaws that most dystopias suffer these days.

The whol...more

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Paul Beimers Sounds a bit like Bioshock. Underwater dystopias are always interesting, but the problems that you mention would definitely frustrate me.

Oh, and I agr...more
Dec 26, 2012 12:42pm

Rayne That connection with Bioshock is what made me read it in the first place! I love that game (can't wait for Infinite) and I was very excited when I sta...more
Dec 26, 2012 01:22pm

Paul Beimers Clichéd stories can be polarizing, I think.

At some times, they can be enjoyable and comfortable, and the ride can be a fun one despite its predictabil...more
updated Dec 26, 2012 01:35pm

Nov 02, 2012 Ginni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: had-teeny-wheeny-problems-with-it, read-it-in-a-day, got-boring-toward-the-end, going-to-read-the-2nd-book

I liked Renegade (especially the book cover).
I have to say, when I started the book, the first 0-80 pages of the book I couldn't stop reading. It was awesome.

But then, the book started to go on and on and on and on...you get the point.
Renegade was full of repetitions, which isn't necessarily bad, but WATCH OUT, SPOILERS AHEAD! honestly,
reading about Evie forgetting what she just did a minute ago is ok for the first and second time, but it does get boring towards the end. It just felt like the...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Deceptively disturbing, Renegade starts off relatively utopianesque, merely hinting at the possibility of darker themes to come. As Evie's memories beging to resurface, and she stumbles upon horrifying truth after horrifying truth, you quickly realize that Renegade is anything but a utopian in the face of Mother's twisted and gruesome plans for Elysium.

My life is just about perfect.

Evie's motto, on the surface, is seemingly correct. She spends her days gardening or practicing the violin, courti...more Deceptively disturbing, Renegade starts off relatively utopianesque, merely hinting at the possibility of darker themes to come. As Evie's memories beging to resurface, and she stumbles upon horrifying truth after horrifying truth, you quickly realize that Renegade is anything but a utopian in the face of Mother's twisted and gruesome plans for Elysium.

My life is just about perfect.

Evie's motto, on the surface, is seemingly correct. She spends her days gardening or practicing the violin, courting several suitors in the hopes of finding a compatible partner and tending to various tasks handed out by Mother. As the Daughter of the People, she must show the civilians of Elysium, an underwater domed community separated from the dirty and war-stricken Surface Dwellers, how a real lady responds in various stressful situations in order to lead by example. But something's...not right. She begins to notice that the voice in her head telling her how wonderful everything is sounds a lot like Mother, that pieces of her memory are mysteriously absent and the memories that do return in flashes, tell a vastly different story then the one her Mother-sounding conscience would lead her to believe.

The buildup for Evie's repressed memories was fantastic. I literally couldn't put down Renegade for the first half, because I just had to know how Mother was controlling Evie and her memories. As details began to surface, I read on in open-mouthed shock as the extent of Mother's madness became apparent. Conditioning, manipulation, genetic experiments - nothing was off-limits in Mother's quest for a perfectly subordinate society. While I was slightly disturbed by some of the more gruesome scenes,

The hallway is covered with dead bodies. The floor is sticky with partially dried pools of blood. The walls and even the ceiling are covered in sprays of blood. And it drips from the ceiling like sprinkles of rain.

it was Mother's torture of the psyche that truly unnerved me. The ways in which she manipulated so many people, who remained oblivious to her methods, had me fearful for Evie's life for much of Renegade.

Adding to the depth of Mother's psychological torture was watching Evie realize that she was not spared in Mother's experiments. Evie's gradual mistrust of Mother added so many layers to her already complex characterization, that I couldn't help but empathize with her situation. Literally everything she thought she remembered, everything she had been taught, had been a lie and had been manipulated intentionally by the person she thought she could trust the most. As Renegade's plot progressed, Evie began to realize that thanks to Mother's experiments, she couldn't even trust herself. I got so wrapped up in the psychological elements that I was oblivious to anything else that might have been happening; Souders had me completely and irrevocably wrapped around her devilishly twisted finger.

Renegade's pacing was fantastic, the suspense was at an all-time high for the majority of the plot and everything that happened was logical - it made sense. The only reason Renegade is losing a star is because of the romance. It definitely crossed into insta-love territory, which surprisingly, I was able to overlook because of the extreme situation Evie and Gavin found themselves in. It wasn't hard to imagine that Evie was the most beautiful creature Gavin had ever set eyes on, creating the attraction necessary for him to develop strong feelings. And being so intrinsically tied to her self-realization, Evie's attraction to Gavin also made sense because he was present for the most important moment of her life. But even though I was able to logically make sense of their relationship, I didn't necessarily believe in their feelings for one another. It didn't take away from my reading experience necessarily, but the romance didn't add anything to Renegade for me either. So I was kind of left wondering what the point of it all was.

From it's opening pages, Renegade had me under its spell. I can't remember the last time I was so on-edge while reading a book, or the last time I was so thoroughly creeped out.(less)

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Dec 23, 2012 Ezmirelda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: beautiful-cover, so-so-so-excited, books-i-own, couple-too-cute-for-words, dystopian-2012, ending-went-kaboom, girls-who-fight, original, romance, 4-stars

Guys, this book blew my mind away...seriously
From the beautiful utopian underwater setting of Elysium, to the deliciously sweet romance, the got-to-love-them characters, and the heart-pounding escape—what’s not to love about RENEGADE? It is rare that I find a book that is able to keep me so entertained and invested in the story. Guys, seriously, don’t let the cover fool you—Renegade is not just a gorgeous cover. It has a beautiful, action-packed, kick-butt storyline to match.

Utopias, claustropho...more Guys, this book blew my mind away...seriously
From the beautiful utopian underwater setting of Elysium, to the deliciously sweet romance, the got-to-love-them characters, and the heart-pounding escape—what’s not to love about RENEGADE? It is rare that I find a book that is able to keep me so entertained and invested in the story. Guys, seriously, don’t let the cover fool you—Renegade is not just a gorgeous cover. It has a beautiful, action-packed, kick-butt storyline to match.

Utopias, claustrophobia, and brainwashing, oh my!
Reading Renegade gave me my first real case of readers-claustrophobia. While Evelyn didn’t seem to mind her underwater utopian home of Elysium I constantly kept getting the chills thinking what life would be like if I never got to see real sunlight again. The setting and world-building is what did it for this book. The technology, the way the society works, and the explanation of how the heck a society of people can survive underwater was pretty darn fascinating. I loved Evelyn’s character, especially toward the end as she began to get back some of her old memories and she became this awesome kick-butt heroine as opposed to the fragile meek brain-washed girl we meet in the first few chapters of the book.

Romance, and my overall thoughts on the book...
Words cannot express how adorably sweet Gavin and Evelyn’s relationship is. Seriously, I awwed! for like half the novel. Although it may look it at first I didn’t feel like there was any insta-love. It genuinely felt like Evie and Gavin grew to like each other gradually, and for the right reasons. Not just, hey I think you’re hot. I think a great deal of Evie’s initial attraction to Gavin was brought on with her fascination with everything to do with the surface, and because she liked learning about the surface so much that sparked a lot of their conversations in the beginning.

In a nut shell, Renegade is a tantalizing debut novel worthy of re-reads. I seriously can’t wait to read future books in the series!

Confusions with Renegade:
What happened to Evelyn’s “father” toward the end? He all of a sudden just disappeared in the middle of the book. His only purpose seems to be giving Evie the necklace which unlocks a few of her memories, but after that he practically vanishes. He didn’t seem like he was brainwashed like the others, or that he was particularly approving of Mother’s way of ruling Elysium. I kind of expected him to have a much larger role in the book than he did.
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Jan 09, 2013 Misty Baker rated it 5 of 5 stars

“Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.

Her memories have been altered.

H...more

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May 28, 2013 Marcia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Der erste Satz
Mein Leben ist absolut perfekt.

Meine Meinung
Das Buch habe ich wirklich schon länger bei mir rumstehen, aber irgendwie kam ich nie dazu das zu lesen. Und irgendwie hatte ich auch im Hinterkopf, dass irgendeine Booktuberin das Buch nicht ganz so gut fand, aber ich kann mich partout nicht mehr daran erinnern wer genau das jetzt war. Auf jeden Fall irgendjemand, der mich davon überzeugen konnte, dass ich das Buch nicht in nächster Zeit lesen muss. Deswegen stand es wahrscheinlich auch...more Der erste Satz
Mein Leben ist absolut perfekt.

Meine Meinung
Das Buch habe ich wirklich schon länger bei mir rumstehen, aber irgendwie kam ich nie dazu das zu lesen. Und irgendwie hatte ich auch im Hinterkopf, dass irgendeine Booktuberin das Buch nicht ganz so gut fand, aber ich kann mich partout nicht mehr daran erinnern wer genau das jetzt war. Auf jeden Fall irgendjemand, der mich davon überzeugen konnte, dass ich das Buch nicht in nächster Zeit lesen muss. Deswegen stand es wahrscheinlich auch so lange hier rum. Außerdem hatte ich das Gefühl, dass dies eine Dystopie vollkommen ohne Liebe ist und ich brauche ja immer ein bisschen Romantik, damit ich nicht total gelangweilt werde. Daran mag es gelegen habe, dass ich nicht so große Erwartungen an das Buch hatte, auch wenn ich mir kurz vorher nochmal die Sterne bei Amazon angeschaut habe und das Buch 4/5 Sternen erhalten hat.

Die Geschichte hat mir von der ersten Seite an überraschend gut gefallen. Der Klappentext gibt einfach nicht das wieder, was das Buch einfach beinhaltet. Er wird der Geschichte nicht gerecht. Denn die Geschichte ist definitiv romantisch und das kann man anhand des Klappentextes nur erahnen. Die Geschichte hat mit vom ersten Moment an gefesselt, auch wenn diese Art von Geschichte eigentlich nichts für mich ist, denn die Atmosphäre im Buch ist sehr düster und an einigen Stellen auch wirklich sehr gruselig, so dass ich manchmal einige Zeilen übersprungen habe (so wie sich das als Angsthase gehört). Ach vielleicht wollt ihr auch erst mal wissen worum es denn überhaupt genauer geht, damit ihr wisst wovon ich "spreche". In der Geschichte geht es um Evie. Sie lebt mir ihrer Adoptivmutter, der Herrscherin in Elysium. Elysium ist eine Stadt im Meer. Die Menschen sind dorthin gegangen, weil an der Oberfläche so viel Chaos und Krieg geherrscht hat. Evies Leben ist perfekt. Sie hat ihren eigenen Garten, um den sie sich kümmert, sie ist die Tochter des Volkes, also wird sie später die Herrschaft über Elysium übernehmen, sie spielt Violine und sie hat Verehrer, von denen sie sich für einen entscheiden muss, um sich zu paaren. Dennoch hat sie immer wieder große Lücken in ihrem Gedächnis. Als Gavin, ein Junge von der Oberfläche nach Elysium gelangt, merkt sie das sie regelmäßig manipuliert wird und, dass diese perfekte Stadt alles nur Trug und Schein ist. Die Stadt lebt von Regeln, die "die Mutter" aufstellt. Alle Menschen, die diese nicht einhalten, werden umgebracht. Außerdem sind Gefühle nicht erwünscht und Berührungen zwischen Jungen und Mädchen sind strengstens verboten. Evie merkt, dass Gefühle doch möglich sind und, dass es auch irgendwie eine andere Möglichkeit geben muss, aber dann kommt alles anders und sie befindet sich auf der Flucht aus Elysium und zwar mit Gavin, für den sie Gefühle entwickelt, die sie so noch nicht erfahren hat. Die Geschichte ist wirklich total fesselnd und das war für mich wirklich überraschend, weil ich schon lange keine Dystopie gelesen habe, weil ich einfach von manchen ziemlich enttäuscht war. Aber die Geschichte in "Renegade- Tiefenrausch" konnte mich komplett überzeugen und begeistern. Ich hatte das Buch wirklich schnell ausgelesen und war echt ziemlich traurig, dass Band 2 noch nicht bei uns erschienen ist. Ich finde, dass das Buch ziemlich viele Themen behandelt. Wie z.B. Liebe, zukünftige Welt, Misstrauen, Angst und Manipulation. Ich kann euch diese Geschichte einfach ans Herz legen, weil sie euch alle total fesseln wird, weil sie so düster, romantisch, dramatisch und spannend ist. Einfach die perfekte dystopische Geschichte.

Die Charaktere gefallen mir wirklich alle sehr gut, auch mir natürlich nicht alle sympathisch sind, aber darauf kommt es auch gar nicht an, denn auch die bösen Charaktere sind total super durchdacht und es kommt einem vor, als ob es diese Charaktere wirklich in echt gibt. Das gibt es wirklich nicht oft in fantastischen oder dystopischen Büchern. Evie ist die Tochter von "der Mutter", der Herrscherin vom Elysium. Sie wird später ihren Thron übernehmen und über die Unterwasserwelt herrschen. Sie wurde von ihrer Mutter nur adoptiert und weiß so gut wie nichts über ihre Vergangenheit. Sie muss total viele Regeln befolgen und sie vergisst regelmäßig Dinge, aber sie hinterfragt nie etwas, weil ihr immer von anderen eingetrichtert wird, dass ihr Leben perfekt ist. Sie glaubt alles was ihr gesagt wird. Bis sie Gavin begegnet, der von der Oberfläche stammt, denn da merkt sie, dass ihr ganzes Leben eine Lüge ist und sie immer manipuliert wird. Sie verliebt sich in Gavin, obwohl in Elysium Gefühle nicht erwünscht sind und sie dafür bestraft werden kann wenn er sie berührt oder andersherum. Es kommt dazu, dass sie sich auf der Flucht befindet und zwar vor dem Menschen, dem sie immer vertraut hat. Es beginnt eine Flucht auf Leben oder Tod. Eigentlich ist ihre Flucht auswegslos, aber Gavin und sie geben nicht auf. Und dann erfährt Evie etwas über sich selbst, was ihr ganzes Leben umkrempelt und sie ihrer Meinung nach zu einem Monster macht. Evie ist für mich die perfekte Protagonistin, weil sie einfach ganz anders ist als ich, denn sie ist total mutig und vor allem durchhaltefähig. Sie ist total intelligent und weiß eigentlich immer eine Lösung für das Problem. Außerdem ist sie wirklich total liebenswert und auch sympathisch. Obwohl ich sie anfangs als sehr perfektionistisch empfunden habe, aber das ist sie nicht. Das lag nur an der Manipulation. Ich kann mir einfach keine bessere Protagonistin für diese tolle Geschichte vorstellen. Ich bin schon echt gespannt wie es mir ihr in den nächsten beiden Bänden weitergehen wird, denn sie hat es verdient ein glückliches Leben zu führen. Gavin kommt durch Zufall von der Oberfläche nach Elysium, wo alles total fremd für ihn ist und wo er gleich ins Verließ eingesperrt wird. Er vertraut niemandem, weil sie Freund erschossen wurde. Aber dann trifft er auf Evie und merkt, dass sie anders ist als die andere. Er vertraut ihr und verliebt sich in sie. Er würde sich sogar mit ihr verpaaren. Aber eins kommt zum anderen und plötzlich befindet er sich auf einer Flucht raus aus Elysium zur Oberfläche. Er ist ein sehr familienbezogener Mensch und würde für Evie alles tun. Er würde sie am liebsten den ganzen Tag über beschützen. Ich mochte ich wirklich vom ersten Augenblick an, weil er so liebenswert ist und über seine Gefühle sprechen kann. Ich mag ihn einfach total gerne und für mich ist er einfach der total Traumtyp. Die Mutter ist Evies Adoptivmutter und die Herrscherin und Elysium. Sie kontrolliert alles und das zu einem bösen Preis, denn sie tötet Menschen wenn sie ihre Regeln nicht befolgen. Sie will ein perfektes Volk und dafür fuscht sie sogar in den Genen der Menschen herum und paart nur Menschen, die perfekte Kinder zeugen werden. Sie ist einfach böse und das merkt man sofort. Sie war mir vollkommen umsympathisch und ich konnte sie wirklich absolut nicht ab.

Der Schreibstil hat mir wirklich richtig gut gefallen, da er einfach richtig gut zu Evie gefallen hat. Also das Buch wurde aus der personalen Ich-Perspektive aus Evies Sicht geschrieben. Vor allem hat mir der Anfang jedes Kapitels sehr gut gefallen, weil am Anfang immer ein Auszug aus dem Regelbuch oder einem Brief der Mutter abgedruckt wurde und dieser Ausdruck meistens dazu gepasst hat was gerade in dem Kapitel passiert. Außerdem sind die Gedanken, die sich durch Manipulation in ihren Kopf geschlichen haben und, die sie nie so selbst denken würde in grau abgedruckt, so dass man die wirklich sehr gut von dem restlichen Text unterscheiden. Der Schreibstil war wirklich sehr angenehm zu lesen, aber manchmal fand ich ihn auch ein bisschen eklig, weil die Autorin sehr realistisch beschreibt, vor allem wenn es um Blut geht. Aber das Buch hatte ich wirklich super schnell durch, weil der Schreibstil so gut zu lesen war und mir echt sehr, sehr gut gefallen hat. Außerdem hat er auch noch sehr gut zur Geschichte selbst gepasst.

Der Titel gefällt mir wirklich sehr, sehr gut, weil "Renegade" so viel wie Verräterin heißt und Evie für ihr Volk irgendwann zur Verräterin wird und sie sich auch selbst für eine hält. Trotzdem könnte man Renegade auch auf die Mutter beziehen, so dass sich jeder selber vorstellen kann, warum das Buch so heißt. "Tiefenrausch" passt sowieso sehr gut, weil Elysium ja unten im Meer liegt. Ich finde einfach, dass der Titel perfekt gewählt wurde und, dass er neugierig auf das Buch macht.

Das Cover finde ich eigentlich wunderschön mit den blau Tönen des Meeres, dem Mädchen, dass in einer riesigen Wasserblase "festsitzt" und mit dem Blubberbläschen. Ich finde einfach, dass es ein richtiger Eyecatcher ist. Trotzdem habe ich was daran zu meckern, weil Evie wie alle Bewohner von Elysium blonde Haare hat und das Mädchen definitiv braune bis schwarze Haare hat. Aber es ist sicher auch nicht so einfach so ein Cover überhaupt erst mal zu finden bzw. zu erstellen. Trotzdem hat es mich halt ziemlich gestört.

Mein Fazit
"Renegade- Tiefenrausch" von J. A. Souders ist für mich eine grandiose Dystopie, da das Setting total neu ist, weil Elysium ja im Meer liegt, die Geschichte düster, romantisch, spannend und fesselnd ist, die Charaktere alle total realistisch und wirklich gut durchdacht sind, der Schreibstil besonders und wirklich angenehm zu lesen ist und der Titel wirklich perfekt gewählt wurde.
Mein einziger Kritikpunkt ist das nicht ganz so passende Mädchen auf dem Cover, aber ist wirklich meckern auf höchstem Niveau.
Ich bin wirklich total begeistert von dem Buch und kann nicht erwarten den zweiten Band zu lesen, auch wenn so weit ich weiß noch nicht mal bekanntgegeben wurde, dass das überhaupt bei uns erscheinen wird. Ihr müsst euch einfach alle das Buch kaufen, damit wir dafür sorgen, dass sich das Buch gut genug verkauft :D Ich liebe dieses Buch einfach ♥(less)

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Apr 23, 2013 Haley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Renegade was a pleasant surprise. I read a small sample from kindle and wasn't terribly excited to continue but I did anyway, and was very happy I continued. I love lots of action and this was probably 3/4 filled with action, which is not something I could tell from the sample.

Renegade is about a girl named Evelyn who was chosen to be Daughter of the People in their underground city. The people have been taught, under the guidance of Mother, to hate outsiders or "Surface Dwellers". But when a su...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Momo the Mome Rath rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, sci-fi, dystopian, mystery-thriller, post-apocalyptic, reviewed

Lately I had been feeling that most dystopian novels were just redoing ideas that had been done before, but I didn’t feel that way with Renegade at all. It was not quite like anything I've read yet, but still had all the right points that make dystopian one of my favorite genres to read; it is exciting, it is creepy, and it made me question humanity.

Renegade pulls you right into the shoes of Evelyn, daughter of the people in the underwater world of Elysium with the reader waking up in her prince...more Lately I had been feeling that most dystopian novels were just redoing ideas that had been done before, but I didn’t feel that way with Renegade at all. It was not quite like anything I've read yet, but still had all the right points that make dystopian one of my favorite genres to read; it is exciting, it is creepy, and it made me question humanity.

Renegade pulls you right into the shoes of Evelyn, daughter of the people in the underwater world of Elysium with the reader waking up in her princess bed and going about her princess duties. Even in those mundane morning activities, the reader is already going “What…?” with the crazy eyes. I, for one, absolutely love pulling my hair out and screaming "WHAT IS GOING ON???" at books. LOVE. IT. And that happened a lot with Renegade and really formed a layer of creeptastic-ness all over Evelyn's home of Elysium. It wasn't messy -- it was deliberate and planned and amazing. Basically, if normal books have plot twists, Renegade was a plot contortionist.

There are a few things I would say negatively about Renegade, and one is that it was very tell and not show. Even so, it was well done and not an issue -- just something I noticed. I still had a clear picture of everything that was going on, it just could have been a little better. Showing vs. telling paints a picture in the readers mind rather than explicitly telling the reader exactly what is going on. It's the difference between: The sun beat down on me and sweat began to trickle down my cheek vs. It was hot. That's an extreme example, and Renegade was definitely not anywhere near the craptasticness of my second sentence.

The only other criticism was that it felt like the characters were reacting and reacting and new situation and reaction... and it made me tired. It got a little old, and thus I lost some steam at the end of the novel, much to my own dismay. Because other than that, Renegade was one of the most fun books I have read all year. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves dystopian and/or sci-fi, or books that mess with your head a bit.

I think I may have a panic attack if I hear "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid.

This review is also posted on my blog Where the Mome Raths Outgrabe (less)

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Mar 08, 2013 Drennan Spitzer rated it 1 of 5 stars

In Renegade, first-person narrator Evelyn Winters tells of her life in the society of Elysium, somewhere below the surface of the Atlantic. Author J.A. Souders weaves a story that is part dystopian fiction, part Little Mermaid, and part love story. Published by TOR Teen, this novel is pitched at young readers and feels very much like the popular Hunger Games series.

In Renegade, Evelyn battles her own memory loss. After meeting the “Surface Dweller” Gavin, she is forced to confront the evils of...more In Renegade, first-person narrator Evelyn Winters tells of her life in the society of Elysium, somewhere below the surface of the Atlantic. Author J.A. Souders weaves a story that is part dystopian fiction, part Little Mermaid, and part love story. Published by TOR Teen, this novel is pitched at young readers and feels very much like the popular Hunger Games series.

In Renegade, Evelyn battles her own memory loss. After meeting the “Surface Dweller” Gavin, she is forced to confront the evils of her own society, Elysium, a society designed to be perfect. As the novel unfolds, Evelyn must face the possibility that this attempt at societal perfection has come at far too high a cost. In this way, Souders’s novel is classic dystopian fiction.

Evelyn has always been taught that “Surface Dwellers,” those who live in the world that you and I know, are somehow evil. However, when she meets Gavin, who seems to be from Florida, she finds herself drawn to him and must rethink this assumption. As the novel progresses, Evelyn commits to helping Gavin escape from Elysium so that he may return to his home. In the process, their relationship becomes more than just friendly.

Evelyn, as a character, is less sympathetic than I would like. This is increasingly the case as the novel progresses. At various points, she is presented as a disabled child with little memory, a whiney teenager, typical female in distress with no volition of her own, and a trained assassin. This is absolutely an odd combination of character qualities, and Evelyn switches from one to the other in a move reminiscent of Multiple Personality Disorder. In the end, however, Evelyn seems to be a victim. While we may feel sorry for her in this regard, there is little in her character to actually like.

Renegade is a first-person narration written in the present tense. It should be noted that The Hunger Games is written the same way. This kind of narrative allows for a kind of immediacy. As readers, we are present with Evelyn, experiencing things as she does. And yet, it also becomes both contrived and tedious, as a stylistic choice. Overall, this novel slows down about a third of the way through. Evelyn and Gavin, in their attempt to escape, run back and forth in the underwater world of Elysium, but at times it feels as though they are not really making any progress. It is as if Souders loses momentum far too early on and never quite regains it.

While there is certainly an audience for Renegade, it is not a particularly strong novel. Certainly dystopian fiction combined with romance seems to appeal to the contemporary young reader. However, there is little beyond the genre appeal to recommend Renegade.

NOTE: This review was originally published at the wonderful book review site Luxury Reading, www.luxuryreading.com at at Speaking of books, a site devoted to book reviews, www.drennanspitzer.com.(less)

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Mar 04, 2013 Loup Garou rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Evie lebt ein perfektes Leben. Zumindest soll sie das glauben. Als Tochter der Herrscherin von Elysium, einer Unterwasserwelt, wird Perfektion von ihr erwartet. Als Gavin, ein Bewohner von der Oberfläche in diese Welt eindringt, wird Evies Leben auf den Kopf gestellt. Nach und nach bröckelt die Fassade, und Evie sieht ihre Mutter und Elysium mit anderen Augen.

Die Geschichte zieht den Leser von Anfang an in ihren Bann. Elysium wird detailliert beschrieben, sodass man sofort Bilder dieser Welt im...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Evelyn Winters wakes up each day and pronounces: “My life is just about perfect.” Though she remembers little of her sixteen years, she knows she is special and destined to be the Daughter of the People. Her life is plush and privileged but still there are limitations on her as she gazes out at the ocean surrounding her underwater world. Why does Evelyn’s seemingly perfect life requires that she see her therapist on a regular basis and what about those tiny memories that keep flashing in her min...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Ricarda Scola rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia

Inhalt:

Evelyn lebt in Elysium. Einer Stadt, gegründet, um dem Krieg auf der Oberfläche zu entfliehen und ein Utopia zu erschaffen. Die Herrscherin dieses Matriachats ist die „Mutter des Volkes“, die ihre „Kinder“ mit harter Hand regiert. Der kleinste Verstoß, beispielsweise Berührungen zwischen Unverpaarten, wird mit dem Tod bestraft und das höhere Ziel dieses Utopias ist es, den perfekten Menschen zu erschaffen.

Evelyn ist die „Tochter des Volkes“ und als solche nicht nur privilegiert, sondern a...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Nawfal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: tor, 2012

The cover is not something that normally would have me pick up the book - but luckily, I read an Advance Reader Copy. Am glad I did; it was a one-night read that didn't require too much effort from me.

The good: the dystopia is standard, but interesting. Reminded me of Atlantis and Namor and Imperius Rex. Anything that does that is good. I also thought the mind-conditioning, amnesia, and brainwashing were written really well. So, good setting and good plot device.

The bad: there were some chapter...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Eustacia Tan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

I first heard of this book while browsing through Zite. The opening chapter caught my eye, and I started looking for this book. Thankfully, it was still on NetGalley and I got an advance copy!

And yes, this book is fantastic! It's a dystopia, but (I feel), very unique.

The book follows Evelyn, a "Daughter of the People" in her utopia Elysium (it took me a iTunes uni lecture to realise that Elysium is a reference to the Greek(?) paradise for heroes). She feels like something is wrong, but it can't...more

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Nov 09, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 5 of 5 stars

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Valerie

My life is just about perfect.

That’s from Evelyn’s brainwashed mind. To tell you the truth, Evelyn’s not that bad when she’s brainwashed. It’s just that she’s actually way more interesting when she’s herself. I love Evelyn. She is truly worthy of being called a heroine. She is one of those flawed protagonists that seem perfect simply because they’re flawed. That doesn’t make sense, but once you get to know Evelyn, it will. Evelyn is so strong. She is so much...more Brought to you by OBS reviewer Valerie

My life is just about perfect.

That’s from Evelyn’s brainwashed mind. To tell you the truth, Evelyn’s not that bad when she’s brainwashed. It’s just that she’s actually way more interesting when she’s herself. I love Evelyn. She is truly worthy of being called a heroine. She is one of those flawed protagonists that seem perfect simply because they’re flawed. That doesn’t make sense, but once you get to know Evelyn, it will. Evelyn is so strong. She is so much stronger than I expected her to be. Not only that, but she actually has a heart. If you know her back story, that doesn’t make sense. I’m simply happy that she has more than an ounce of niceness.

Gavin is very crush-worthy, just not in my opinion. I agree that he is definitely a great love interest. He’s charming, caring and very good-looking. I can’t connect with him though. I really want to love him, but I can’t. He’s too good for my tastes! I think he and Evelyn are a great match though. It’s just that I’m not good enough to understand just how amazing Gavin is.I have to awe over the plot. To be honest, I was expecting a really predictable plot. That’s what normally happens with books like these. You get awed by the synopsis, but the actual plot falls short. Look where I am now! I’m totally eating my thoughts! I am never underestimating a book by J. A. Souders again! I did not expect this epic plot. Honestly, the author pulls every imaginable twist and multiplies it by a million. I didn’t even bother forming my own predictions. I just went along for the read because I knew trying to analyze the plot would not work. This plot is so satisfying. I’m going to be really truthful and say it will rock your face off because it will.
I think the writing style is okay. It’s in first-person, which is expected, but it seems a little flowery. I think it’s mainly because it’s elegant and all, but I can’t really be trusted with my opinion. If you ask me, Renegade’s writing style is the type that makes you feel a little intimidated. I mean, who honestly thinks in a way that almost eliminates contractions? I don’t think the writing style fits the book, but other than that it’s totally not an issue.

Even with the parts I don’t like, I definitely love Renegade! I’ve already added it to my all-time-favorites shelf on Goodreads, which is a huge honor. The last time I did that was about 3 weeks ago. You see, Renegade is a masterpiece that deserves a standing ovation if possible. I love it. It’s amazing. You need to read it now!

http://openbooksociety.com/article/re...(less)

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Nov 07, 2012 thepaperfoxes rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: insta-love, strong-protag, ya, paperfoxed, dystopia

We start of meeting Evie, who lives in an underwater utopia called Elysium, which controlled by an iron-fist ruler named Mother. Her life is perfect as Daughter of the People until one day, a cute boy named Gavin wanders into their city. Evie is tasked with interrogating him, but soon enough, she finds herself falling for him and questioning the so-called “truths” in her life. Sort of a stereotypical plot, I know, but Renegade’s pluses are in that it’s MC is sorta kinda psycho, and that makes it...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Anorielt rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Erster Satz: Mein Leben ist absolut perfekt.

Eine Unterwasserwelt..... erfrischend neu und mit einer Geschichte die aus der Masse heraussticht?
Leider nein. Renegade liest sich absolut flüssig und die Idee einer Unterwasserwelt voller Intrigen und mit einer machtgierigen Frau an der Spitze... ich dachte das verspricht ein spannendes Abenteuer. Diese Erwartungen wurden jedoch nicht erfüllt. Im Nachhinein muss ich sogar sagen, das Geld für Renegade hätte ich mir sparen können.

Was bei so einer Gesch...more Erster Satz: Mein Leben ist absolut perfekt.

Eine Unterwasserwelt..... erfrischend neu und mit einer Geschichte die aus der Masse heraussticht?
Leider nein. Renegade liest sich absolut flüssig und die Idee einer Unterwasserwelt voller Intrigen und mit einer machtgierigen Frau an der Spitze... ich dachte das verspricht ein spannendes Abenteuer. Diese Erwartungen wurden jedoch nicht erfüllt. Im Nachhinein muss ich sogar sagen, das Geld für Renegade hätte ich mir sparen können.

Was bei so einer Geschichte für mich sehr wichtig ist, ist die Vergangenheit. Wie enstandt Elysium? In welcher Zeit spielt das Buch? Was geschah davor? Eben all die allgemeinen Fragen die beantwortet werden sollten um dem Leser einen groben Überblick zu geben. Ein paar wenige Tagebucheinträge eines kleinen Mädchens reichen da bei weitem nicht aus. Vor allem die Frage um die Zeit hätte ich gerne beantwortet bekommen, denn einerseits hat man das Gefühl Gavin käme aus einer Mittelalterlichen Zeit (von wegen Wild jagen und eintauschen etc.), aber andererseits spielt er Videospiele, es gibt Strom und alles in allem scheint die Wissenschaft viel weiter zu sein als heute. Das passte nicht so wirklich zusammen und ließ mich ziemlich verwirrt zurück. Dank dem Ende nehme ich an man erfährt zumindest im nächsten Band der Reihe etwas mehr über die Bewohner der Oberfläche.

Leider konnten mich auch die Charaktere nicht überzeugen. Tiefgang habe ich bei ihnen vergeblich gesucht. Vor allem Evelyn ist ein einziges Rätsel, was einerseits natürlich daran liegt das sie regelmäßig einer Gehirnwäsche unterzogen wurde, andererseits kam es bei mir aber auch so an als hätte die Autorin nicht wirklich Lust gehabt ihren Charakteren ein paar mehr Facetten zu geben. Auch Gavin überzeugte mich da überhaupt nicht. Ebenso wie die Liebesgeschichte zwischen den beiden. Von heute auf morgen scheinen sie sich ineinander zu verlieben und Evelyn ist gleich bereit ihm zur Flucht zu verhelfen und damit auch ihr eigenes Leben zu verwirken. Richtig kennengelernt haben die beiden sich nicht. Von Romantik fehlt jede Spur.. die Liebesgeschichte überzeugte mich also ebenso nicht.

Außerdem ist Renegade doch ziemlich blutig, vor allem zum Ende hin. Habe ich auch eigentlich nichts gegen, doch dieses Schlag auf Schlag kam bei mir nicht so gut an.

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Fazit
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Für mich ist Renegade ein absoluter Reinfall. Das Potenzial der Unterwasserwelt wurde nicht richtig genutzt, die Charaktere haben keinen Tiefgang, die Liebesgeschichte konnte überhaupt nicht überzeugen und der Plot ist absolute Mittelklasse. Ein Buch was ich mir hätte sparen können zu lesen. (less)

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Sep 05, 2012 Marie-Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Evies Leben ist perfekt – perfekt geplant und überwacht von Mutter, der Herrscherin über die Unterwasserstadt Elysium. Schon bald soll die 16-Jährige über die geheimnisvolle Welt regieren. Doch als sie sich ausgerechnet in ihren Feind verliebt, wird klar, dass das perfekte Leben in Elysium eine einzige Lüge ist. Elysium liegt am Grund des Meeres, abgeschirmt vom Rest der Welt. Dort hat Mutter ein Paradies für all jene Menschen geschaffen, die vor den Kriegen der Oberfläche fliehen konnten. Sie o...more Evies Leben ist perfekt – perfekt geplant und überwacht von Mutter, der Herrscherin über die Unterwasserstadt Elysium. Schon bald soll die 16-Jährige über die geheimnisvolle Welt regieren. Doch als sie sich ausgerechnet in ihren Feind verliebt, wird klar, dass das perfekte Leben in Elysium eine einzige Lüge ist. Elysium liegt am Grund des Meeres, abgeschirmt vom Rest der Welt. Dort hat Mutter ein Paradies für all jene Menschen geschaffen, die vor den Kriegen der Oberfläche fliehen konnten. Sie organisiert den Alltag der Bewohner, schützt sie vor Gefahren und regelt sogar die Geburten. Doch dieser Friede wird teuer erkauft – Gefühle sind in Elysium verboten, Berührungen unter Liebenden werden mit dem Tod bestraft. Evie vertraut in dieses System – doch als Gavin, ein Oberflächenbewohner, in ihre Welt eindringt, weckt der junge Mann Zweifel in ihr: Warum plagen sie Erinnerungslücken? Weshalb besteht Mutter auf Evies tägliche Therapie-Sitzungen? Und wieso kann sie sich durch Gavin an Dinge erinnern, die absolut unmöglich sind? Evie erkennt, dass sie Teil eines gewaltigen Plans ist, aus dem es für sie ohne Gavin kein Entrinnen gibt.

"Tiefenrausch" ist der erste Band der "Renegade"- Trilogie von J. A. Souders und ein Auftakt nach Maß.
Im Gegensatz zu den vielen Dystopien die man zurzeit am Markt findet, spielt diese Geschichte Unterwasser in einer künstlich geschaffenen Anlage. Ansonsten spielt auch hier wieder die Unterdrückung eine wichtige Rolle, wird aber ein wenig anders gehandhabt.
Ab der ersten Seite wird der Leser ins Geschehen gesogen, da die Autorin sich etwas anderes für ihre ersten Kapitel hat ausgedacht, das eine elementare Rolle in "Tiefenrausch" spielt.
Die Handlung ist von nervenaufreibender Spannung geprägt, vorallem sobald die Flucht aus Elysium beginnt. Dabei scheut die Autorin auch keine blutigen oder erschreckenden Szenen, denn die Gewalt ist ein Teil des Systems in dieser Dystopie. Kontinuierlich steigert sich die Spannungskurve in ungeahnte Höhen und schaukelt sich am Ende in ein fulminantes Finale, das noch einmal alles aufbietet, was innerhalb der Story zu finden war.
Viele überraschende Wendungen schaffen Kurzweil und nie vorhersehbare Handlungsweise.
Das System, das sich die Autorin für ihre erdachte Welt konstruiert hat, ist ebenso erschreckend wie perfide. J. A. Souders hat sich nicht Lumpen lassen und immer wieder neue Grausamkeiten einfallen lassen, die die Bösartigkeit der Mutter unterstreichen.
Dies alles schafft eine komplexe Handlung, die noch dazu atmosphärisch sehr dicht gehalten ist und zu einem echten Pageturner mutiert; trotz kleinerer Schwächen.
In sich ist "Tiefenrausch" abgeschlossen, dennoch kann ich kaum erwarten weiterzulesen, was die Autorin sich für die weiteren Bände für uns hat einfallen lassen und in welche Abenteuer sie uns als Nächstes wirft.

Evie und Gavin sind die eigentlichen Hauptpersonen dieses Buches. Insgesamt sind sie sehr interessant konstruiert, hätten aber ein wenig mehr Tiefgang gebraucht, um zu wahren Helden dieser Story zu werden. Man möchte schon etwas mehr über sie erfahren, um ein besseres Gefühl zu bekommen. Ich hoffe, dass das in den weiteren Bänden, sofern sie sich mit den beiden beschäftigen, nachgeholt wird.
Die Mutter, der Kopf des Systems, ist ein kontrollsüchtiges und grausames Oberhaupt, das ihre Pläne mit allen Mitteln umsetzt, ohne dabei auf Verluste Rücksicht zu nehmen.
Die Menschen wirken in ihrer gehirnmanipulierten Art sehr authentisch, dabei ist es oft erschreckend zu sehen, was diese Methoden bei den Menschen angerichtet haben und wie weit die Mutter dabei gegangen ist.

Der Schreibstil ist sehr packend und mitreißend zu lesen. Die detaillierten Beschreibungen schaffen eine wunderbare Lebendigkeit und ein cineastisches Lesevergnügen. Dabei bleibt der Schreibstil aber stets einfach und locker- leicht. Ein flüssig zu lesendes dystopisches Abenteuer.

Das Cover gefällt mir ausnahmslos gut. Die Farbkombination und die kleineren Details passen richtig gut zum Inhalt und sind auch sonst ein optischer Hingucker an dem man nicht so einfach vorbeigehen kann, ohne es sich näher anzuschauen.
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Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles #1)

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