Invisible Sun (Hell's Cross, #2)

Mar 05, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, ebooks, read-2012, science-fiction, first-reads

A very enjoyable read. I was dubious about reading this as I had not read Black Hole Sun, the first book in this series, but the blurb said this could be read as a stand-alone companion to that so figured I would give it a go, and I am glad I did so.

Although it is possible to read this without having read BHS, I think it may have helped some of my understanding on the world-building and terminology used if I had done so. As such, it took me a while to get to grips with some of the content until...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Ravenous Biblioworm rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had such high hopes for this book because I really enjoyed the first book. On the cover of Invisible Sun, it says it’s the companion to Black Hole Sun when they should have used sequel. Do you need to have read the first book to understand this book? No. But if you read this one first, the things that happen in this book will make the first book senseless as this one does a few critical things to place it rigidly in book spot number 2.

If you’ve seen for my review on the first book you can see...more I had such high hopes for this book because I really enjoyed the first book. On the cover of Invisible Sun, it says it’s the companion to Black Hole Sun when they should have used sequel. Do you need to have read the first book to understand this book? No. But if you read this one first, the things that happen in this book will make the first book senseless as this one does a few critical things to place it rigidly in book spot number 2.

If you’ve seen for my review on the first book you can see that the book has dropped a point in rating. I’ll begin with the good stuff. The things I liked in the first book are still here. The action, the explosions, and the cool Mars colony space idea. I loved all of it. The story stayed true and consistent with what was given… Durango is still a dalit – a disgraced soldier reject and his second in command (of a team of 2.5 people) is still Vienne. The humorous and witty banter is still here and as well written as ever. This is one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book (and the previous one). The banter just feels natural to me and is very much enjoyable. Sometimes an authors tries too hard to be humorous and you can see through the humor… there are times that happens here, but for the most part and even during those less effective times, the witty statements felt true because they happen enough and they happen consistently, making it a personality of the characters rather than an author trying to make its reader laugh.

The plot seemed to stray a bit. It was laid out well. We get hints and foreshadows of what was bound to happen, but even still the plot seemed to slow a bit in areas… like the noddle arm dancing practice or the bath with a pot scrubber. Sure, they revealed aspects of the Mistress and Master, but where the characters that count, where there should have been slow moments – there were none. Characters like Riki Tiki and Stain. Stain’s part in the story seemed lacking… the build up wasn’t built enough for his role in this book. Gill does well, creates the tension really well when Stain is about, raising Durango’s hackles, but the overall force of Stain’s character was a bit weak as he had a somewhat very important role in the story. Riki Tiki has a lot of show time in the book, but these moments were never intimate enough for the end results. Near the end, where I’m suppose to feel deeply for her, I instead just accepted the deal and moved on. There was no reaction from me (or maybe I’m just an emotionless bastard). These two characters had important roles in the story and yet their roles don’t have the weight I felt they should have had in the book. The slow moments to get to know the characters better were bunched all into one area the first 2/4 of the book and nowhere else… having them interspersed would have been nice.

Vienne. I liked her. Recently, I’ve been hearing about kick-a$$ girls in YA. Most girls, I feel that are supposedly kick-buttom aren’t. Yes, maybe for girl readers, but to a guy… they’re not. Kinda like when a girl think something is cute… to a guy it’s absolutely hideous. So when girl’s thinks a girl is kick butt usually it means, the girl is a little aggressive than normal and cute. To a guy that’s not kick a$$. So what makes a chick kick ass for a guy? Well, for one she has to be hot, which Vienne is… she has to know how to fight, which Vienne does very well (I bet she can totally pulverize Durango, which he would agree)… and she has a set of convictions and belief she follows and sticks too rigidly. That last one is key. This is what makes her tough, makes her bad a$$, makes her a must have for guys… all those wanna be kick butt girls in those other YA novels they lack this code of behavior rule. They pretend to have it and then a guy comes along and they become noddle face and limbs. Or they are just violent without this last part (*ahem* Throne of Glass) and then they become wannabes. Vienne has rules. She does not falter for love. She thinks things throughly – well maybe she shoots stuff first and then thinks afterwards – but she at least contemplates at one point what could and wouldn’t have happened. She doesn’t let her emotions get in the way and when she cracks, when the emotions surfaces, you understand her, but then she closes up so damn fast you blink not sure it even happens… but it did and you know she’s not all boot in your arse hole because you saw but her reactions and response to you seeing her vulnerable is rough and hardcore, you know you shouldn’t ever bring it up because she can and most definitely either will shoot you, break your arm, nose, or face, and kick your butt till it’s redder than the Martian planet.

So with that all said, that’s Vienne in the first book and here in the second… only in this second one things take a turn and she becomes something completely different. Yes, I understand why, but I don’t believe it. The change in her was too abrupt, too sudden, and thus I couldn’t believe it. Maybe it’s because I like her too much… but the scenes showing or alluding to these changes are too cheesy and too weak to make that believable. Which brings me too our villain in this book. Archibald is a man who is the shadow of everyone he knows. He’s an heir to a legacy and rich kid like Durango, but lives in shadows Durango’s excellence (when Durango still had the social pride) and merits. Archie also lived in the shadow of his mother’s accomplishment… He’s the guy who gets compared to everyone else and people would say why he couldn’t be more like the person he is compared to. Sure, that can make any angry and evil, but Archie’s evilness is too silly to be taken seriously. It’s like he’s the evil character from a Disney movie inserted into the Transformer movies. It does not match. So I couldn’t take him seriously. As hence, I couldn’t take what happen to Vienne seriously. There’s a connection I promise, I refuse to spoil it.

The romance in this book shows its face. Initially, it was well done. We got glimpses from both characters involved. Enough so to raise an interest, but again what was done to Vienne kind of shatters the romance, turning the romance into wallowed self-pity…. though understandable via the circumstances, not 100% believable.

There’s also a surprise twist at the end, which I didn’t expect, but made me piped my interest enough to maybe get the next book.

Overall, the explosions and pacing of the story flowed majorly fast and quick. But the character development took a turn down and for the secondary characters they weren’t done well enough or evenly. This book is tons of fun, and feeds the guy in me, but lacks the polish sheen like the first.

Verdict: Library check out. If there’s a young man needing to read something, I would recommend this book/series. I bought this book. I don’t regret as it’s fits my personality on what I enjoy to read for fun.

Visit my book review blog at http://ravenousbiblioworm.wordpress.com (less)

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Mar 31, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I read Black Hole Sun late last year and I really enjoyed it, so I was happy to receive Invisible Sun for review. This is a series that I think both guys and girls will enjoy because it contains a little something for everyone. Both books have a male lead, which is awesome, but I really do think that girls will like this book too. I know I did! If you haven’t read Black Hole Sun yet, I would definitely suggest ch...more See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I read Black Hole Sun late last year and I really enjoyed it, so I was happy to receive Invisible Sun for review. This is a series that I think both guys and girls will enjoy because it contains a little something for everyone. Both books have a male lead, which is awesome, but I really do think that girls will like this book too. I know I did! If you haven’t read Black Hole Sun yet, I would definitely suggest checking it out before you pick up Invisible Sun. You could read the second book before the first, but you may end up confused. It can work as a stand-alone novel though if need be.

First 50 Pages: The writing in Invisible Sun is fantastic and it contains just enough science fiction lingo without becoming overbearing. That is one thing I have to give major props to the author for; I’m usually confused with most sci-fi novels, but not with these books. David makes these books easy to follow and understand. Not only that, but his dialogue is perfection and highly entertaining, which makes his characters have a very likable quality. Honestly though, the best thing about both books is that nothing overshadows anything else. The author found the right balance in all aspects of his books that it makes it difficult to come up with anything negative to say.

Characters & Plot: Invisible Sun follows two central characters, Durango and Vienne, who are Dalit, or Regulator Mercenary Soldiers who get paid very little to do dirty jobs nobody else really wants to do. In this book, Durango’s mission is to steal data from the crime lord, Lyme, before he can get his own hands on it. And let all of Durango and Vienne’s crazy adventures begin!

Both Durango and Vienne are just plain old awesome! Durango is smart, witty, and has a good head on his shoulders. I love that he can ask for help and not feel ashamed doing so, while at the same time, he never gives up trying to accomplish what he has set out to do. He grew quite a bit in Invisible Sun and doesn’t seem as childlike and innocent as he did before. We also are able to learn more about his background in this book, which helps to know why he is the way that he is. I have a feeling that there is still more back story when it comes to Durango and I am hoping that I’ll find out what it is in the next book. Something seems to still be missing.

Vienne is my favorite type of female character. She is a total badass and she knows how to handle her own business. She has absolutely no problem taking on the tough guys and she doesn’t try to hide it from anyone. In Black Hole Sun, we really didn’t get too much back story about Vienne either, but we do in Invisible Sun. Why Vienne is the way that she is makes SO much more sense now after reading this book, and I can’t wait to read more about this particular character.

Final Thoughts: If I have any complaints about this series, is that maybe it isn’t as edgy as I would like it to be. I believe it is geared towards a younger reader, so that may be why I feel like it could use a little extra drama or emotion. Other than that, I’m not disappointed at all with how Invisible Sun turned out. If you are into science fiction writing and enjoy very likable, funny characters, definitely check out this series! (less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Kris rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is going to be a short review for a book that deserves way more than this. However, it's a good book, and I do not want to give away too much.

The world building and culture development are excellent. The Martian laws and the people's ways of life both incorporate Chinese elements from Chinese philosophy to swearing in Chinese. It is amazing to read about, and I can only imagine what it would be like to live there. The characters are strong as well. I'd be pressing hard to ask for a better c...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Ally rated it 4 of 5 stars

Invisible sun Book review
Read as a stand-a-lone there is never a boring moment in this book filled with action and Mischief we are a welcomed into a dystopian, crazy awesome world. Did that not sell you on the book? Well, there’s more, so much more.
Firstly I would like to thank the publishers allowing me to receive the Arc and can I just say what an Arc. I’m not in the Habit of writing all rave reviews but …I made an exception. Having never read the predecessor of this book, I can’t give a ful...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Whatchyareading added it

Shelves: kate, science-fiction, series, young-adult

Last September, I reviewed a book that I’d picked up based on what I thought was a striking cover that just happened to have a rec from Suzanne Collins. That book was Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill. I loved Black Hole Sun. I loved that there was a male lead. I loved that it was a sci-fi book that felt like it was a western. I loved that the female lead could kick the male lead’s ass. And I loved that it was going to have a sequel. Invisible Sun is that sequel, and I pretty much loved it t...more Last September, I reviewed a book that I’d picked up based on what I thought was a striking cover that just happened to have a rec from Suzanne Collins. That book was Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill. I loved Black Hole Sun. I loved that there was a male lead. I loved that it was a sci-fi book that felt like it was a western. I loved that the female lead could kick the male lead’s ass. And I loved that it was going to have a sequel. Invisible Sun is that sequel, and I pretty much loved it too. I don’t love the cover (or the re-release of the Black Hole Sun cover), but you have to look past that and get to the completely under appreciated gem that is this series. This review shall be as spoiler free as I can make it for Invisible Sun, but some spoilers for Black Hole Sun might sneak their way in.

I can’t review this book without making comments about the writing in general, which is pretty much perfection for a sci-fi novel. This book and its predecessor have some of the snappiest, most entertaining dialogue I’ve read in a long time. It felt really organic, and was always pitch perfect for whatever the mood is in the background. I laughed out loud more than once, and I grinned through almost every scene with any hint of banter. The tone of the dialogue alone is enough to tell the reader what two characters mean to each other and the kind of relationship they have. It was a great way to show and not tell, and I think that’s what made the characters work sow ell together and as individuals.

Oh, the characters. The best thing about these books for me is the fact that the characters are complete people. With sci-fi, it’s easy to get bogged down in the cool world-building and the neat gadgets, but David Macinnis Gill has written two novels now where the neat stuff coexists with these great characters he has given us. The gadgets and gizmos are part of the story, yes, but they enhance the characters. We see the pieces the characters see and touch and use. And we see the way the cool science stuff is literally integrated with the characters. It’s a great balance and it lets these books be action packed while keeping their soul.

First and foremost, there’s Durango. I love him. I love that he’s smart. I love that he knows when to ask for help, knows when he’s been beat, and also knows that there are things too important to give up on even when beaten. Durango had a great evolution between Black Hole Sun and Invisible Sun. I liked that we got to see him grow in his skills and maturity while still remaining a teenage boy who is confused about girls and what to do with his feelings for a certain girl in particular. What I really liked was how perfectly paced the exploration is of Durango’s backstory. In Black Hole Sun, we got a big piece that let us know what motivates Durango to do what he does. Then, in Invisible Sun, we get to find out the smaller ways that this has not only affected him, but everyone around him. We get enough pieces to move the plot forward, but not so much that there’s nothing to look forward to or so little that it feels liek the author is hiding the ball.

I also really enjoyed the back story we got for Vienne. Vienne was one of my favorite parts of this first book because she was pretty unapologetically badass. She’s the kind of girl who can do anything a boy can do, only better. And she doesn’t try to hide how awesome she was from Durango because, well, she has a level of awesome that can’t be hidden. In Invisible Sun, we get to find out where that strength and toughness came from. We also get to see that the strength and toughness is so amazing because it doesn’t dominate the caring, loyal aspects of Vienne’s personality.

Durango and Vienne work well within the plot of this book. The way they are and the way they think and the things they do fit perfectly into the puzzle going on in the background. And really, I can’t say a lot about it without spoiling the whole thing. But, let’s just say this book has a wonderful beginning, an exciting middle, and a clutch your chest kind of ending. I can’t express how much I appreciate that even though there is clearly more story to tell, Invisible Sun was it’s own complete piece of that story.

The one thing about this book I didn’t love, and I felt this way in Black Hole Sun, is the “villain” point of view. It works in the sense that things are happening offscreen that the reader needs to know about, but it also had a tendency to pull me out of the intensity of the story. The buildup of tension in scenes is awesome in these books, but then I’d flip the page and I wouldn’t be with Durango anymore and that would all sort of fizzle. We spend enough time with the bad guy point of view that I’d be intrigued, but not quite enough to hook me on his character. But then again, it might just be that I was so hooked on Durango and Vienne that I was impatient to get back to them.

Overall, the name of the game in Invisible Sun is balance: the balance of characters and plot, the balance of maturity and age appropriate behavior, and the balance between taking the easy way out and hoeing the tough row. Invisible Sun comes out on March 27, 2012 (thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, for letting me read this early!), so use the time until then wisely, go pick up Black Hole Sun, and buckle in for an awesome ride.

Reviewed at WhatchYAreading on February 9, 2012.(less)

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Mar 07, 2012 Molly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Since I read the ARC I feel obliged to write a review so everyone knows how it is. Gosh. It's definitely no black hole sun. Black Hole Sun is a 6/5 in my books, and it's predecessor is more of a 3.9/5.
The Good:
Durango and Mimi - How can you go wrong with those two!?
Witty, sarcastic humor. Love that.
Action packed! Gotta love those armalites.
Bad ass cliff hanger. (It's a good/bad thing)

The Bad:
My biggest pet peeve with this book was how it was set up to lead into a third book. I HATE THAT. My...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Durango is back in another thrilling installment by Mr. David Gill. The super soldier not even feeling from the last mission, is apparently ready for another one. Mr. Gill writes a fantastic book, that in my opinion, out does the first book of the series. In Invisible Sun it seems like there is also a parallel amount of drama and emotion to the action in the novel. As you read, his characters grow physical and mentally into ways unforeseen. In this book we are able to capture the love capable of...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, teen-fiction, website

Vienne and Durango are back in the second in the Black Hole Sun trilogy. This book is just as action packed as the first in the series with just as much snappy dialog and great fight scenes. This series definitely reminds me a bit of Firefly with its mix of new technology, old world Asian influences and new world settlers. Then there is the big global corporation that has taken over the planet, doing experiments on people perhaps??, ex-army members fighting the corporation. It does seem like a l...more

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Apr 16, 2012 P.M. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Durango and Vienne are on the run while trying to find out the details of the experiment that created the Draeu in the previous book. While escaping from a data theft in Christchurch, Vienne suggest going home to hide out. Her home turns out to be a Tengu Monastery where Durango gets some glimpses into her childhood. While attempting a rescue mission Vienne is captured by Archie who proceeds to torture her until she is ensnared in madness. A rescue attempt by Durango leads to the death of Riki-T...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Pixie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley, 2012-releases

My review can also be found at my blog, The Bookaholic: http://the-bookaholic.blogspot.com

I unfortunately have to rate Invisible Sun on the low side of the scale for myself--not because of terrible writing or a bad storyline, but simply because it wasn’t in my tastes. It was on the younger side of the YA genre than I had initially expected (in my opinion from the writing style), and a sequel to boot that I was unaware of. This being said though, I didn’t think it being the second book (the first...more My review can also be found at my blog, The Bookaholic: http://the-bookaholic.blogspot.com

I unfortunately have to rate Invisible Sun on the low side of the scale for myself--not because of terrible writing or a bad storyline, but simply because it wasn’t in my tastes. It was on the younger side of the YA genre than I had initially expected (in my opinion from the writing style), and a sequel to boot that I was unaware of. This being said though, I didn’t think it being the second book (the first book being titled “Black Hole Sun”) affected my opinion. It made for a stand-alone and I wasn’t really lost in the characters either. It even says before the first page that it can be read as a stand-alone without having read the first, so I didn’t quite worry about it once I found out I mistakenly picked up a follow-up.

I do enjoy science fiction to a degree, but I’m insanely picky I guess you could say. When things get too high tech, or space fiction for me, it can start to be a bit of a turn off or almost dull on my end I’m sorry to say. I’ve never been into the space thing (in most cases). I even dislike Star Wars (oh the horror!). The writing in Invisible Sun was really solid, and I liked the witty-ness of the characters at times. However, this sci-fi tech space adventure was a little more juvenile than the books I tend to read and not quite my tastes. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genres though--or who’ve read the first book and enjoyed it. I’ve seen some fantastic reviews on the first, and some recent good ones on Invisible Sun, so don’t let mine deter your from your own opinions. Perhaps I would have liked it much better if I had read the first beforehand, and maybe one day I will.

Just not my usual style--but I still give it 2.5 stars for the unique and solid world building and interesting characterization. I did read it all the way through, so it managed to hold my attention that much at least and I appreciate the opportunity to read.

2.5 stars.

<3
Pixie(less)

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May 04, 2012 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, sci-fi-speculative, series, teen-fiction

Here's another installment in the life of Durango, aka Jacob Stringfellow. He's been busy falling in love with Vienne, arguing with his delightfully sarcastic AI and attempting to find out the secrets behind his father's downfall. The same downfall that caused Durango to become "dalit". Durango and Vienne are on their way to steal some more information from a corporate military base when they make a stop-over at the monastery the Vienne grew up in. The time there is bittersweet. They move on to...more

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Feb 13, 2012 P.J. rated it 5 of 5 stars

For those of you who don't remember or who didn't read the blog a year ago, BLACK HOLE SUN by David Macinnis Gill was one of my absolute favorite reads of 2010. So when it came to my most anticipated sequels, David could not get this one out fast enough (which means you need to write faster, David).

I was thrilled to snag an ARC of this sequel at ALA Midwinter.

INVISIBLE SUN by David Macinnis Gill (Greenwillow, March 27, 2011)

I'm going to give you five reasons you have to read INVISIBLE SUN, and t...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Caressa rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: couldn-t-finish

The first novel in this series, Black Hole Sun, was s tightly written scifi action novel, so I was looking forward to the sequel, Invisible Sun. Boy, was I disappointed. This second novel read like an after school anime, complete with cartoony shaolin monks, clunky "romance" scenes, and an overly giggly girl named Riki-Tiki. Yeah. After the exasperated Durango was dubbed "Noodle Arms" by the male monk teaching him how to dance, I vomitted in my mouth a little. What happened to the battle hardene...more

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May 22, 2012 Everley Sharp, the Clankinist rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: future-world

Haha loving the inner dialogue with Mimi. I love how she insults Durango without insulting him.

Am I the only one who forgot his actual name was Jacob Stringfellow? Wow, what a doozy there.

ANYWHO. My review for the first book was really simple. You want to read it? Here it is: This book needs a sequel.

Can you imagine my surprise when I walked into the Barnes and Noble and saw this on the new releases shelf? I was all like OMG and then I was all like I HATE THE COVER. The first cover of the fir...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, first-reads

I read the first book Black Hole Sun after I got an ARC at ALA 2010. I liked it, but wasn't especially into it. Actually, I gave away my copy of that one. My memories of that one are very limited, as in I basically only remembered Mimi and that there was a ton of action. So, basically, I am starting over with a clean slate.

My first impressions of this were highly positive, except for the CW-style cover. Skeptical as I was going in, I'm really glad I gave this series another try. What I really li...more

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May 08, 2012 Susana rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have to admit that when i first saw the book "Black Hole Sun" (the one without the picture of Vienne and Jacob just the black background and red words) i felt like it was going to be a bad book but i read it and loved it! In terms of the first and second book, i liked the first book better than Invisible Sun idk why. I really like the accuracy of the picture. If you look close enough, you will see that Vienne's pinkie is cut which i thought was great! is it just me or did they use different pe...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Ray ☼ Ray rated it 5 of 5 stars

O-M-Freaking!- G I am SOOO excited for this to come out!!! Black Hole Sun is my favorite book so this is going to be great!

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May 15, 2013 Sandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, series

Sequel to Black Hole Sun.
Durango and Vienne, working off intel that Durango got from his father before his death, are working on a personal mission. Durango wants to gather intel to figure out what his father did to create the Draeu and what it might have to do with his own modifications. Of course, while Durango's working on this mission, someone else is working on a different mission, which crosses paths with Durango's in devastating ways. There's a dry, dark, sarcastic humor in the writing,...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Angela rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, young-adult

After loving Black Hole Sun, I ended up quite disappointed by this book. While there are some great things about it, I can't get over how terribly Vienne was treated...for no reason, other than to give Durango some character growth. Beaten and tortured, just so Durango can learn his actions have real consequences for the people he cares about? Sure there was another way to handle this - or make it a smaller part of the book so it would feel like something was actually accomplished in this book,...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: x-series-bk-2, x-2012s, arc-stands-for-a-readers-xmas, ya-baby-ya, help-help-im-being-repressed, if-we-build-it-they-will-come, ahh-were-all-gonna-die, reviewed, girls-rule-boys-drool, i-burn-i-pine-i-perish, gorgeous-covers, amazing-world-building, originality-rocks, first-reads

I'm a young adult, but I'm not a "young adult." If you catch my drift. Sometimes, it seems like these YA novels are marketed exclusively towards the 13-17 y.o. age bracket, ignoring their more mature audiences. Which kind of sucks, because a) it dumbs down the genre as a whole and b) underestimates the intelligence of the readers it's actually marketing at. Who says young readers can't grasp more mature concepts and themes? And remind me again why A Certain Slant of Light, The Giver, The Hunger ...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Stacy/GirlsInTheStacks.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a carking good read!!

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Apr 30, 2013 Jana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-2013, young-adult, books-for-boys

Cover Love: Yes. I do like these covers because they have a story feel to them.

Why I Wanted to Read This: After waiting too long to read Black Hole Sun, I didn't want to make that mistake with the next book in the series. I started this one as soon as I could!

Romance?: A bit. Durango and Vienne definitely have more of a relationship starting in this book.

My Thoughts:
This one was a way faster read for me. I had gotten comfortable in the world of Mars in the future and I whipped through this one....more

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Mar 27, 2013 Bradly W rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: awesome, vampire-danger-books

The book Invisible Sun by David Macinnis Gill is not related to any other books. The characters seem pretty serious in the book. I like how the conflict fits into the book because of the dialog in invisible sun. When the main character and Mimi ran up the stairs and tried to escape a burning building which is scary. The genre is suspense and I haven't read books like this before. I like how it builds up to the climax but I don't like how unpredictable it is because I prefer it going to the point...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Roselyn - bookmarkedpages rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

3.5

I rarely have a chance to read two books in a series in a row, so when I realized that Invisible Sun was still lying in my living room (left there by my brother), I picked it up to read as soon as I'd finished Black Hole Sun.

The story picked up right where the previous one left off and once again starts with a crazy stunt. The book pretty much followed the same structure as the first book, but was so much better. Where I was feeling seriously deprived of descriptions in BHS, this book had gre...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Janie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, spy-kids, i-own, 4-stars, hack-the-system, missing-mom, no-parents

Not as good as the first. Also, the dust cover is dispicable. Durango (or Jacob Stringfellow) is pictured tooooo old!!!

Anyway, Durango is back with Vienne and blah blah blah read the book description. What I have to add is that you don't need to read the first one in order to sort of understand the next one. Another thing, is that this, while still being narrated first person by Durango, focuses a lot more on Vienne, like her background information, and the book focuses largly on what happens to...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Debbie (at) I Heart YA Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Invisible Sun is an action-packed roller coaster ride, with lots of humor and cute romance. I have been reading a lot of Young Adult novels written by men lately, and I'm loving the way they write. David Macinnis Gill’s Black Hole Sun series is super fantastic. David Macinnis Gill had me holding on to my chair while reading this adventurerous wild ride, and laughing all the way to the end. But I will say that David Macinnis Gill did put some tender, heartfelt moments into this story, and I found...more Invisible Sun is an action-packed roller coaster ride, with lots of humor and cute romance. I have been reading a lot of Young Adult novels written by men lately, and I'm loving the way they write. David Macinnis Gill’s Black Hole Sun series is super fantastic. David Macinnis Gill had me holding on to my chair while reading this adventurerous wild ride, and laughing all the way to the end. But I will say that David Macinnis Gill did put some tender, heartfelt moments into this story, and I found a few tears rolling down my cheeks. I loved the main character, Durango. He's like a Halo Master Chief/Indian Jones. Oh yeah, Durango is a wild ride and Vienne is the perfect girl to put a little fear in this macho guy. David Macinnis Gill also created an amazing storyline along with a incredible Dystopia world.

Durango and Vienne are disgraced Regulator Mercenary soldiers who are also known as Dalit. They do dirty, dangerous jobs for little pay. Durango is a mission to steal the data of project MUSE before Lyme, the notorious crime lord of Mars, can get his hands on it. But Durango has come to a crossroad in is life, and if he makes the wrong choice, he might not be able to live with consequences of his decision. And the person whose life will pay for the price of his pride.

There are two other characters that I fell in love with. One is Mini, who’s an Artificial Intelligence, who's like a computer inside Durango's head. She’s definitely the comic relief side kick, and had me laughing. There’s nothing like having a sarcastic, smart mouthed woman in a guy’s head to deflate his ego. Then there is Riki-Tiki, who’s a six year old kick-butt, head strong little girl. She’s a monk who thinks and acts like a twenty year old. Riki-Tiki’s character gave me lots of laughs, but she’s also the one that had me shedding the tears.

There was never a dull moment in Invisible Sun with its action-packed storyline, also with plenty of humor and romance. This is one I definitely recommend as a fantastic read.

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Mar 29, 2012 Ms. Rosas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley, dystopian, science-fiction, 112-in-2012, young-adult

*ARC provided by Net-Galley*

What I Liked: Um well everything for the most part. I love Durango and his sarcastic wit. I love the play between Mimi and Durango and between Durango and Vienne. Although there was not enough Vienne here to hold me over for another year. In the first book I found it confusing when Durango spoke to Mimi because there was no indication that she wasn't in his head. This time he started most conversations with "I subvocalized." That helped a lot but so did knowing who Mi...more

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Apr 04, 2012 the golden witch. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc-galley, ebook, net-galley, space-opera, space-western, teenage-shennanigans, what-is-this-i-dont-even, best-of-12, favorites-novels, cyberpunk, reviewed, own-print-arc

Damn, middle books of 2012! There’s almost no middle book syndrome for any of the #2s in series I’ve read so far this year, and that’s awesome. “Invisible Sun” is no exception to that, either – it was absolutely fantastic and I feel like Gill grew leaps and bounds with this book compared to the first book (and his debut) “Black Hole Sun”. This brings back the Space Western and generally gave me warm fuzzies because it was so great. If you’re going to read a Space Opera/Space Western this year, y...more Damn, middle books of 2012! There’s almost no middle book syndrome for any of the #2s in series I’ve read so far this year, and that’s awesome. “Invisible Sun” is no exception to that, either – it was absolutely fantastic and I feel like Gill grew leaps and bounds with this book compared to the first book (and his debut) “Black Hole Sun”. This brings back the Space Western and generally gave me warm fuzzies because it was so great. If you’re going to read a Space Opera/Space Western this year, you’re going to have to make it “Invisible Sun”!

I was really surprised at how far Gill’s come from the first book. Where it dragged in parts of the first book, this second book didn’t drag in any places whatsoever and was so finely tuned and airtight it really surprised me. I literally could NOT put it down and finished it within a few hours. Durango and Vienne felt so much more rounded out as MCs this time – they really did feel like real people. The villains this time around were far more tangible and uglier than ever, too. While we don’t really get to see the major Big Bad (Mr. Lyme) too much throughout this book, by the end some of the other characters we did see (Rebecca, for one) really starts to make us wonder as an audience if Durango’s an unreliable narrator, or if the Big Bads really are that cunning. Maybe it’s a bit of both, because all of those reveals knocked me on my ass and left me begging for more.

One thing I will definitely say – I feel like I was hearing the voices of a younger Mal, Zoe, and Kaylee from “Firefly” when reading this – Mal being Durango, Zoe as Vienne (though in “Firefly” there is no romantic aspect to that, and in “Invisible Sun”, there is), and Mimi as Kaylee. I love it when this sort of thing happens, and it’s really rare that it does. There’s a very Whedonesque feeling to the whole thing – the fact that both Asia and the Western World colonized other planets in the future, the way language is used (especially when it comes to swearing – and the Japanese was accurate! Holla!), and the general space western theme. However, it feels like Gill really made his characters his own this time around, and I ended up loving this volume way more than the first because all of these characters really do have their own voices so much more developed. The sensory language improved by leaps and bounds, the settings were breathtaking, and the brawls even more fun than ever. By making his characters go on extremely uncomfortable journeys, he makes them grow, and the character development arc (which is essential in any book), which seems like it’s starting to falter a bit in YA, is really really strong here. Gill also isn’t afraid to torture the hell out of his characters (both physically and mentally) and in my book, that makes him awesome as an author.

I don’t think I can gush about this book enough. Really. It was that good.

But the big reveal leaves room for book 3, and you know what? I’m excited. Really excited. I know that I say I’m sick of series, but there are a few exceptions to the rule, and the “Black Hole Sun” series is definitely one of those exceptions. Especially when the biggest of big reveals concerning how Durango and Vienne met as well as who Mr. Lyme REALLY is (and the final fight scene between Vienne, Stain, and Durango is pretty insane, too!) are laid out – Gill has laid out his cards and quite well. I don’t know if book 3 will be the final book, or when it’ll even be out, but since the first book was out in 2010, it may be another 2 years before we get another one. And the wait is going to be agonizing.

But for now, we have these first two books. “Invisible Sun” is out March 27, 2012 in North America from HarperTeen. If you like space westerns, regular westerns, or stuff on Mars – this is the book for you. But I highly recommend this and it’s made my best of 2012 so far list, so PLEASE go out and read it when you can!

So, uh, can I have that last book now?

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)(less)

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Mar 22, 2012 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-scifi, for-review

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/03/...

Invisible Sun is a companion novel to the wonderful Black Hole Sun, so you don’t have to have read Black Hole Sun first, but it will definitely make the experience that much more fun. That said, as much as I loved the first one, Invisible Sun blew me away! The action starts right away, with Durango and Vienne on a job to steal some rather sensitive data, and as soon as they wrap that up, they head out to meet Vienne’s fami...more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/03/...

Invisible Sun is a companion novel to the wonderful Black Hole Sun, so you don’t have to have read Black Hole Sun first, but it will definitely make the experience that much more fun. That said, as much as I loved the first one, Invisible Sun blew me away! The action starts right away, with Durango and Vienne on a job to steal some rather sensitive data, and as soon as they wrap that up, they head out to meet Vienne’s family. It’s not quite what you think, though. Vienne was raised at a monastery, and watching as tough guy Durango deals with quiet, contemplative monastery life is entertaining to say the least. Not to mention the dance lessons! Seeing this gentler side of Vienne (who’s about as tough as they get) is new for Durango, but just reinforces his feelings for her. When trouble at a nearby collective stirs our Regulators into action, this kicks off a series of events that tests the very limits of our heroes.

I did say I love this series, yes? I do, and I adore Durango and Vienne, so this one was hard for me to read in places. Durango’s love for Vienne carries the book, and they’re both nearly done in by what the bad guys put them through. Vienne’s ordeal is particularly bad, and my heart broke for her repeatedly. The bad guys (especially the star baddie, the sniveling Archibald), are really bad and have no problem with mowing down anyone that gets in the way of their plans. Seriously, Archibald’s preoccupation with fire is chilling and terrifying. Durango makes a new friend in Riki-Tiki, the young Tengu initiate who would rather be in the middle of the action, and she’s sure to charm your socks off. Also ever present is Mimi, Durango’s AI that only he can hear, and who’s sarcasm steals the show repeatedly. Speaking of action…it rarely lets up and there are a few revelations that had my jaw on the floor. I hate that I’ll have to wait until March 2013 for the next one, but it will be worth it. Totally.(less)

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