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Ellie Quin #1
The Legend of Ellie Quin
ASIN B00AHG46Y8 moved to the most recent edition here
THE LEGEND OF ELLIE QUIN: (Book1)
She was a very normal girl. Wanted what anyone in her situation would - to escape the dull life of a dusty colonial farm for the bright neon lights of the city.
What she didn't realise was that urge to escape was programmed into her. That she was some mad man's bio-weapon. That she was destined to change mankind forever...
...and that there were people already on their way across Human Space, coming to find her...
...and kill her.
A Brand new series from the author of TIMERIDERS.
"...'HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy' meets 'BladeRunner'..." - Andy Briggs
THE LEGEND OF ELLIE QUIN: (Book1)
She was a very normal girl. Wanted what anyone in her situation would - to escape the dull life of a dusty colonial farm for the bright neon lights of the city.
What she didn't realise was that urge to escape was programmed into her. That she was some mad man's bio-weapon. That she was destined to change mankind forever...
...and that there were people already on their way across Human Space, coming to find her...
...and kill her.
A Brand new series from the author of TIMERIDERS.
"...'HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy' meets 'BladeRunner'..." - Andy Briggs
109 pages, ebook
First published December 23, 2012
41 people are currently reading
704 people want to read
About the author
Alex Scarrow
75 books1,043 followersI live a nomadic existence with my wife Frances, and son Jacob. For now we're living in Norwich. I spent the first 10 years out of college in the music business chasing record deals and the next 12 years in the computer games business as a graphic artist and eventually a games designer. For those of you who like their computer games, here's some of the titles I've worked on:
Waterworld, Evolva, The Thing, Spartan, Gates of Troy, Legion Arena
Since signing up as an author with Orion, I seem to spend most of my time hunched over my laptop in various cafes and coffee bars sipping lattes, tapping keys and watching the ebb and flow of shoppers outside on the street. As I write this, I'm awaiting the launch of my next book - the sequel to , LAST LIGHT, and getting ready to find a publisher for the first book in a separate series, ELLIE QUIN. Ahead of me, lies research work for my next thriller, and also some screenplays I'm looking forward to writing. Although I'm glad to be where I am now, I do occasionally kick myself for not having succumbed to the writing bug much earlier. But then we all just muddle along through life, don't we? There's rarely a plan.
-Source: http://www.scarrow.co.uk/page9.html
Waterworld, Evolva, The Thing, Spartan, Gates of Troy, Legion Arena
Since signing up as an author with Orion, I seem to spend most of my time hunched over my laptop in various cafes and coffee bars sipping lattes, tapping keys and watching the ebb and flow of shoppers outside on the street. As I write this, I'm awaiting the launch of my next book - the sequel to , LAST LIGHT, and getting ready to find a publisher for the first book in a separate series, ELLIE QUIN. Ahead of me, lies research work for my next thriller, and also some screenplays I'm looking forward to writing. Although I'm glad to be where I am now, I do occasionally kick myself for not having succumbed to the writing bug much earlier. But then we all just muddle along through life, don't we? There's rarely a plan.
-Source: http://www.scarrow.co.uk/page9.html
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 10, 2021
Original Read 2016
Short, snappy and intriquing. I can't quite believe that Ellie is twenty as she doesn't act twenty years old, more like a teenager, but thats only a minor criticism.
I can't wait to read book 2!!! :-)
Reread 2017
Having come to Ellie Quin from Time Riders, I was expecting something relatively similar. Well, it wasn't. Scarrow's writing remains brilliant and I find myself invested in Ellie's future. I wanted for her to get to New Haven and to succeed in New Haven.
I love the way that Scarrow world builds, creating so many different alien cultures, fashions, languages, worlds and I particularly liked the few short passages dedicated to the dome integrity at Ellie's home and at New Haven. I thought the link was pretty cool.
It is pretty short, with some chapters lasting one page and some lasting five or six, and as a result some secondary characters are pretty one dimensional, especially Ellie's siblings Ted and Shona. My previous criticism stands, and Ellie doesn't act like a twenty year old, more like the teenager that she appears to be. Due to Jez's late introduction, she's not a well developed character yet, not to the same extent as Aaron Goodman (and what a brilliant name that is).
I also really like the Wikipedia style entries that are used occasionally during the course of the book. It's interesting to see how Ellie is so important while she's at the beginning of her 'legend' and to see the comments that are written so many years after the posts and the divergent thoughts about whether Ellie was real or just a legend.
Also, how strange is it that somebody can never have seen snow?
2021 52 Book Challenge 52) Redo any previous category. I chose 17) a character on the run.
It’s been a while since I’ve read Ellie Quin, but I still think that it’s as fantastic as when I read it in 2016. The characters are well developed for how short the book is, the plot is a twist on the classic running away from home and having an adventure and it’s just generally an enjoyable book.
Short, snappy and intriquing. I can't quite believe that Ellie is twenty as she doesn't act twenty years old, more like a teenager, but thats only a minor criticism.
I can't wait to read book 2!!! :-)
Reread 2017
Having come to Ellie Quin from Time Riders, I was expecting something relatively similar. Well, it wasn't. Scarrow's writing remains brilliant and I find myself invested in Ellie's future. I wanted for her to get to New Haven and to succeed in New Haven.
I love the way that Scarrow world builds, creating so many different alien cultures, fashions, languages, worlds and I particularly liked the few short passages dedicated to the dome integrity at Ellie's home and at New Haven. I thought the link was pretty cool.
It is pretty short, with some chapters lasting one page and some lasting five or six, and as a result some secondary characters are pretty one dimensional, especially Ellie's siblings Ted and Shona. My previous criticism stands, and Ellie doesn't act like a twenty year old, more like the teenager that she appears to be. Due to Jez's late introduction, she's not a well developed character yet, not to the same extent as Aaron Goodman (and what a brilliant name that is).
I also really like the Wikipedia style entries that are used occasionally during the course of the book. It's interesting to see how Ellie is so important while she's at the beginning of her 'legend' and to see the comments that are written so many years after the posts and the divergent thoughts about whether Ellie was real or just a legend.
Also, how strange is it that somebody can never have seen snow?
2021 52 Book Challenge 52) Redo any previous category. I chose 17) a character on the run.
It’s been a while since I’ve read Ellie Quin, but I still think that it’s as fantastic as when I read it in 2016. The characters are well developed for how short the book is, the plot is a twist on the classic running away from home and having an adventure and it’s just generally an enjoyable book.
May 17, 2022
Vote: 0,00
Class: L-B3 (FP)
(edit after the fifth book)
THIS SERIES ENDS IN A CLIFFHANGER AFTER BOOK 5: BOOK 6 AND THE SERIES WAS NEVER FINISHED!
Whatever I wrote the first time is totally pointless: this series remains now unfinished by its author and probably it will never be concluded.
If you want to read it you must know that.
(first of the Ellie Quin books)
I've read and appreciated the Time Riders Series by Alex Scarrow and while I found his writing style and imagination quite amazing I've also found some debatable views about religion in general, the christian faith and some moral issues.
This book is also well written and original and the story is quite catching as are the characters
We follow Ellie while she grows up in her own world whit her eyes fixed on the stars.
I enjoyed the story but I can't recommend this series to young readers.
Class: L-B3 (FP)
(edit after the fifth book)
THIS SERIES ENDS IN A CLIFFHANGER AFTER BOOK 5: BOOK 6 AND THE SERIES WAS NEVER FINISHED!
Whatever I wrote the first time is totally pointless: this series remains now unfinished by its author and probably it will never be concluded.
If you want to read it you must know that.
I've read and appreciated the Time Riders Series by Alex Scarrow and while I found his writing style and imagination quite amazing I've also found some debatable views about religion in general, the christian faith and some moral issues.
This book is also well written and original and the story is quite catching as are the characters
We follow Ellie while she grows up in her own world whit her eyes fixed on the stars.
I enjoyed the story but I can't recommend this series to young readers.
February 19, 2013
Ellie Quin was unlike anything I'd expected. The writing is different from the Time Riders series, which is a thrilling time travel adventure series. Ellie's world is a little madcap; if you love sci-fi TV shows then I'd describe Ellie Quin as being less StarTrek and more Farscape.
The Pros: Love the crazy fashions, the weird plants and the whole background to the terra-forming of planets and the enhancement of the human population to fit in with different climates and planetary conditions. I'm really curious as to why Ellie is so very different from everyone else and how she becomes a 'legend'.
Cons: Ellie seems so much younger than her age, which we're told all the other characters pick up on. I just don't see why she wasn't written as a younger character in the first place.
Different: The story is broken up by references to an information page in the future where people are reading about snippets of Ellie's life. It's sort of like wikipedia, where various readers leave their comments. Think of this blog post and the ability for anyone to leave a comment here, thankfully my readers are lovely folk and even the spam comments I've had haven't been to suspect. Ellie's info page is like a youtube commentary filled with trolls picking arguments with regular commentators, and spammers offering libido enhancers. It made me laugh because it's so easy to relate to!
Overall: At one point I was thinking of giving this three stars as a good read, but half way through I got sucked into the plot and so I've decided to give this four stars. There's no other way to describe this series of novellas other than madcap, and since I enjoy the amusingly eccentric I'll be picking up the sequel :-))
The Pros: Love the crazy fashions, the weird plants and the whole background to the terra-forming of planets and the enhancement of the human population to fit in with different climates and planetary conditions. I'm really curious as to why Ellie is so very different from everyone else and how she becomes a 'legend'.
Cons: Ellie seems so much younger than her age, which we're told all the other characters pick up on. I just don't see why she wasn't written as a younger character in the first place.
Different: The story is broken up by references to an information page in the future where people are reading about snippets of Ellie's life. It's sort of like wikipedia, where various readers leave their comments. Think of this blog post and the ability for anyone to leave a comment here, thankfully my readers are lovely folk and even the spam comments I've had haven't been to suspect. Ellie's info page is like a youtube commentary filled with trolls picking arguments with regular commentators, and spammers offering libido enhancers. It made me laugh because it's so easy to relate to!
Overall: At one point I was thinking of giving this three stars as a good read, but half way through I got sucked into the plot and so I've decided to give this four stars. There's no other way to describe this series of novellas other than madcap, and since I enjoy the amusingly eccentric I'll be picking up the sequel :-))
January 9, 2018
Excellent beginning to a new YA SF series by one of my favourite authors. I just wish it were longer...
January 26, 2024
I'm so glad I returned to this after so long of convincing myself I wouldn't like it. The first time I tried reading Ellie Quin was just after I'd finished timeriders for the first time. It was the first book series hangover I'd ever had and I was desperate to discover what else Alex had written. I opened this book and wasn't prepared for the otherworldly atmosphere, I longed for it to be timeridersesque and I needed it to have the same everything.
I went into this with a totally different mindset, years later, and loved it. Ellie was so different to the timeriders team but I loved her more because of it. Maybe because I'm older now, but the TR team feel like friends, Ellie is more like a daughter I want to protect. She reminds me of the innocent naive person I used to be. Someone with a dream, who remains herself and doesn't have the desire to grow up. She's such a bundle of joy.
I wasn't a big fan of New Haven's slang, it was cringy to me, but didn't detract from the story. Harper's reach is so real to me now, I can't imagine I'll forget it. Whilst Timeriders was pretty depressing at times, Ellie's story was hopeful and fun.
I'm very excited to read the next in the series!
I went into this with a totally different mindset, years later, and loved it. Ellie was so different to the timeriders team but I loved her more because of it. Maybe because I'm older now, but the TR team feel like friends, Ellie is more like a daughter I want to protect. She reminds me of the innocent naive person I used to be. Someone with a dream, who remains herself and doesn't have the desire to grow up. She's such a bundle of joy.
I wasn't a big fan of New Haven's slang, it was cringy to me, but didn't detract from the story. Harper's reach is so real to me now, I can't imagine I'll forget it. Whilst Timeriders was pretty depressing at times, Ellie's story was hopeful and fun.
I'm very excited to read the next in the series!
January 17, 2018
This book was pretty good and it kept my interest. I will read the next one when the kindle book is on offer, part one was a lot cheaper. Also I enjoy reading Alex Scarrow.
August 17, 2021
This started up really slowly but half way through I got sucked into the story, so now I'm onto Book 2!
December 19, 2013
My review can be found here:
http://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2013/...
Or here:
I just recently finished reading The Legend of Ellie Quin by Alex Scarrow and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is only a fairly short novel but it had a lovely simplicity to the story telling that just made me fall into the story and frankly I confess it was difficult to put down once started. Okay, this is clearly, admittedly, only the beginning and we find out only a little snippet but it was really entertaining nonetheless. Be warned though - this is not a self contained novel and whilst that may be annoying to some - the next book is available (so no interminable wait)!! I thoroughly recommend dipping your toe into these waters.
The world created by Scarrow is wide sweeping. Humans have spread throughout the universe. We start with Ellie. Living on some remote planet in the middle of nowhere. Her family are farmers on a yet more remote still spot on this strip of universe in the middle of nowhere. They live in Harper's Reach. The plants they cultivate provide oxygen - previously much needed on the planet but now the system is stabilising less lucrative to produce. From the outset you can see that Ellie feels constrained by this existence. She spends her time looking at the stars and dreaming of getting off planet (when she’s not dreaming of Sean that is - Sean is her maths tutor and the object of her dreams and infatuation). Ellie has it all worked out, she’s saved a little money and she’s going all the way to the big city to make her fortune. Now, I could easily have felt irritated with Ellie at this point. Running away from home, especially a loving family environment where she’s well looked after seems a harsh way to treat the parents who have brought her up - but, Ellie is not altogether what she first seems. I don't know exactly what’s going on at this stage of the book but there’s been some genetic programming afoot and this wanderlust that Ellie experiences seems to be symptomatic of that experimentation.
The story is told from a few different point of views which I find I enjoy muchly. We obviously get to hear from Ellie but we're also given little snippets of information that are relayed to us in the form of 'sort of' wiki entries - which start to build up a picture of things within Ellie’s history - again, I like this way of providing information. This gives you the obvious clue of course that things are not as at first suspected.
I liked Ellie. She’s twenty but looks and behaves younger. Of course, she’s lead a sheltered life and is hopelessly naive when it comes to the big city. Plus she's 20 so clearly she knows what she's doing!! She spends her time helping her father with the chores and I confess that she reminds me of a female Luke Skywalker in terms of being stuck at home and longing for adventure. So, off she sneaks with her spotted knotted hanky carrying her few possessions and after a near death experience and a little mini adventure she finds herself in the city of New Haven where things very quickly spiral into your basic nightmare situation.
It's difficult to say much more about the story. This is a fairly short read after all. Yes, there are obvious elements that could be compared to other reads, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Day of the Triffids spring immediately to mind for example. But, none of this is done in a way that detracts from the book. In fact, quite the opposite. It almost feels like a little shout out to other great sci fi stories. I literally loved this little snippet from Ellie's story and I will definitely read the next instalments. I warmly recommend this book. I admit that I'm not massively read in terms of sci fi, something that I'm gradually working on - if you're like me and tend to veer more to the fantasy side of books this could be a great intro into the world of SF.
This is my first review for Stainless Steel Droppings Sci-fi experience (btw who pressed the fast forward button on December??) Thankfully, it's not the only book I've read for this event - just the first I've reviewed. Stop on over here and check out the details. Carl is a great host and these events are always amazing!
http://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2013/...
Or here:
I just recently finished reading The Legend of Ellie Quin by Alex Scarrow and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is only a fairly short novel but it had a lovely simplicity to the story telling that just made me fall into the story and frankly I confess it was difficult to put down once started. Okay, this is clearly, admittedly, only the beginning and we find out only a little snippet but it was really entertaining nonetheless. Be warned though - this is not a self contained novel and whilst that may be annoying to some - the next book is available (so no interminable wait)!! I thoroughly recommend dipping your toe into these waters.
The world created by Scarrow is wide sweeping. Humans have spread throughout the universe. We start with Ellie. Living on some remote planet in the middle of nowhere. Her family are farmers on a yet more remote still spot on this strip of universe in the middle of nowhere. They live in Harper's Reach. The plants they cultivate provide oxygen - previously much needed on the planet but now the system is stabilising less lucrative to produce. From the outset you can see that Ellie feels constrained by this existence. She spends her time looking at the stars and dreaming of getting off planet (when she’s not dreaming of Sean that is - Sean is her maths tutor and the object of her dreams and infatuation). Ellie has it all worked out, she’s saved a little money and she’s going all the way to the big city to make her fortune. Now, I could easily have felt irritated with Ellie at this point. Running away from home, especially a loving family environment where she’s well looked after seems a harsh way to treat the parents who have brought her up - but, Ellie is not altogether what she first seems. I don't know exactly what’s going on at this stage of the book but there’s been some genetic programming afoot and this wanderlust that Ellie experiences seems to be symptomatic of that experimentation.
The story is told from a few different point of views which I find I enjoy muchly. We obviously get to hear from Ellie but we're also given little snippets of information that are relayed to us in the form of 'sort of' wiki entries - which start to build up a picture of things within Ellie’s history - again, I like this way of providing information. This gives you the obvious clue of course that things are not as at first suspected.
I liked Ellie. She’s twenty but looks and behaves younger. Of course, she’s lead a sheltered life and is hopelessly naive when it comes to the big city. Plus she's 20 so clearly she knows what she's doing!! She spends her time helping her father with the chores and I confess that she reminds me of a female Luke Skywalker in terms of being stuck at home and longing for adventure. So, off she sneaks with her spotted knotted hanky carrying her few possessions and after a near death experience and a little mini adventure she finds herself in the city of New Haven where things very quickly spiral into your basic nightmare situation.
It's difficult to say much more about the story. This is a fairly short read after all. Yes, there are obvious elements that could be compared to other reads, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Day of the Triffids spring immediately to mind for example. But, none of this is done in a way that detracts from the book. In fact, quite the opposite. It almost feels like a little shout out to other great sci fi stories. I literally loved this little snippet from Ellie's story and I will definitely read the next instalments. I warmly recommend this book. I admit that I'm not massively read in terms of sci fi, something that I'm gradually working on - if you're like me and tend to veer more to the fantasy side of books this could be a great intro into the world of SF.
This is my first review for Stainless Steel Droppings Sci-fi experience (btw who pressed the fast forward button on December??) Thankfully, it's not the only book I've read for this event - just the first I've reviewed. Stop on over here and check out the details. Carl is a great host and these events are always amazing!
September 27, 2015
Very disappointing. I was so confident I was going to love this book because I adore the TimeRiders series and I'm baffled by the fact Alex Scarrow could go from TimeRiders to this.
The Legend of Ellie Quin is about a farm girl running away from home and heading to the big city, New Haven. This takes place a thousand years into the future and on another planet. Ellie also turns out to be some mad man's bio-weapon, though not much explained about this.
Like I said, I was so confident I was going to love this I bought The Legend of Ellie Quin and The World According to Ellie Quin for £5 each off Amazon in paperback! It was only half way through reading this that I realized how much I regret doing that. It was also less than half way through that I decided to just skim the rest of the book and be done with it.
The book begins with a wikipedia-like article discussing the legend that is Ellie Quin even farther in the future and the rather funny comments that followed (the kind of comments you'd find in any article on the internet). I though it was a good way to begin the book but it mostly serves an an info-dumper throughout the rest of the book.
The writing was also a problem. I can't be bothered looking through to find examples, but I did find more than enough grammar errors to guess that an editor did not look through the book. Secondly, I wasn't excited about the slang used: 'dreg' 'freg' 'crud' ect.
Characterization and world-building was rather weak - not enough to make me want to read on. The characters lacked the personality and development needed to become fleshed out. We are given the dull details about the O2 industry and some other stuff, but the world-building doesn't go beyond that.
This book did nothing to convince me to read the rest of the series which is a shamed because I really wanted to at least like it and I already bought the second book! However, I feel like I'd be mercilessly killing a wounded animal if I continue with the Ellie Quin series.
The Legend of Ellie Quin is about a farm girl running away from home and heading to the big city, New Haven. This takes place a thousand years into the future and on another planet. Ellie also turns out to be some mad man's bio-weapon, though not much explained about this.
Like I said, I was so confident I was going to love this I bought The Legend of Ellie Quin and The World According to Ellie Quin for £5 each off Amazon in paperback! It was only half way through reading this that I realized how much I regret doing that. It was also less than half way through that I decided to just skim the rest of the book and be done with it.
The book begins with a wikipedia-like article discussing the legend that is Ellie Quin even farther in the future and the rather funny comments that followed (the kind of comments you'd find in any article on the internet). I though it was a good way to begin the book but it mostly serves an an info-dumper throughout the rest of the book.
The writing was also a problem. I can't be bothered looking through to find examples, but I did find more than enough grammar errors to guess that an editor did not look through the book. Secondly, I wasn't excited about the slang used: 'dreg' 'freg' 'crud' ect.
Characterization and world-building was rather weak - not enough to make me want to read on. The characters lacked the personality and development needed to become fleshed out. We are given the dull details about the O2 industry and some other stuff, but the world-building doesn't go beyond that.
This book did nothing to convince me to read the rest of the series which is a shamed because I really wanted to at least like it and I already bought the second book! However, I feel like I'd be mercilessly killing a wounded animal if I continue with the Ellie Quin series.
April 17, 2015
Ellie Quin is a girl growing up on a remote farm on a remote planet. Her dream is to get to the city and, ultimately, to leave the planet and explore the universe.
To see through a viewing bay, your whole world and everything you have ever known and to watch it gradually disappear and become simply a glowing disc, eventually a mere pin-prick
I really loved the world (or, in this case, universe). It was well-built and I'd love to see more of this universe and its planets.
I also liked Ellie. She is a bit naive and sometimes depends to much on others. But she follows her dream.
However, there were also some things that I didn't like. One of them was future slang. I know language will have changed in the future but this pseudo future slang is awkward to read. Things like crud as a swearword, saying triple cool, it just sounds odd.
Moreover there is this:
Brown so-o-o wanted this office cubicle...
Also, the perspective sometimes changes abruptly from one character to the other. Ellie Quin is our main character but sometimes the perspective switches from her to one of the other characters, sometimes just for one sentence, so something about her can be described. It is too abrupt and slightly confusing.
While this book is a quick and fun read, it also has to be said that nothing much happens. It is volume one in a multi-part series but basically the book is one big starting chapter. Ellie goes from her farm to the city. That's kind of it.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the world, the writing and the characters and it is an easy, fun read.
August 14, 2016
I read it this Young-Adult-SF-adventure in one evening, enjoyed it and bought volume 2 straight away to continue reading,
(big) BUT
...
... The Legend of Ellie Quin is not a novel, novella or even a short story, but simply the opening chapter of a novel, that promises (did I hear someone say 'threatens'?) to be pretty long and worth reading.
The part covered in this first instalment gives the reader the background for the main character, short hints at a possible opponent and the opening scene of the actual story - it does not have an ending (or even a middle ...). That's slim pickings, and Alex Scarrow seems to be well aware of it because he promises GREAT! things to come on several occasions, earth-shattering events even.
Very minor and hidden spoilers coming up: Though I'm not sold on the protagonist (yet), I like the supporting cast and the settings .
If I should get the feeling (or find the info somewhere) that the Ellie Quin-series will stretch to 10 volumes or more, I will wait for the inevitable combined edition, because despite low prices for the instalments it could become too 'pricey' for my taste ...
... The Legend of Ellie Quin is not a novel, novella or even a short story, but simply the opening chapter of a novel, that promises (did I hear someone say 'threatens'?) to be pretty long and worth reading.
The part covered in this first instalment gives the reader the background for the main character, short hints at a possible opponent and the opening scene of the actual story - it does not have an ending (or even a middle ...). That's slim pickings, and Alex Scarrow seems to be well aware of it because he promises GREAT! things to come on several occasions, earth-shattering events even.
Very minor and hidden spoilers coming up: Though I'm not sold on the protagonist (yet), I like the supporting cast and the settings .
If I should get the feeling (or find the info somewhere) that the Ellie Quin-series will stretch to 10 volumes or more, I will wait for the inevitable combined edition, because despite low prices for the instalments it could become too 'pricey' for my taste ...
December 26, 2012
Alex scarrow best known for his TimeRiders (Book 1) series, and also for his adult thrillers A Thousand Suns, The Candle Man, Last LightAfterlightOctober Skies. The one thing that Alex has been consistent with is his great characters.
Each person is brought to life very quickly, with a very honest human quality, never given an ability or set of circumstances that the every day person could not deal with.
Its this approach that makes all his books grab you from the first page to the last.
Ellie Quin is no exception, i have to say that i draw some comparisons with "The Ballad of Halo Jones" the 2000ad classic tale, but don't let that put you off, its not a classic for no reason, its one of their iconic tales. But Alex does take the concept in a different direction.
Some might wonder if this is a tale for teens? or just girls. But I'm a 40 year old man and i enjoyed it very much....(does that say more about me or the book...i leave that to you).
I give you none of the story, as its too easy to give spoilers... but suffice to say its worth a download (its free for the next few days, and then still only £1.99 after that..parts 2 & 3 are already on amazon to download as well, so get stuck in and immersed in the new Iconic story of a young Woman's travels in a highly imaginative future world. a thriller set against and extraordinary Universe
Buy it
(Parm)
Each person is brought to life very quickly, with a very honest human quality, never given an ability or set of circumstances that the every day person could not deal with.
Its this approach that makes all his books grab you from the first page to the last.
Ellie Quin is no exception, i have to say that i draw some comparisons with "The Ballad of Halo Jones" the 2000ad classic tale, but don't let that put you off, its not a classic for no reason, its one of their iconic tales. But Alex does take the concept in a different direction.
Some might wonder if this is a tale for teens? or just girls. But I'm a 40 year old man and i enjoyed it very much....(does that say more about me or the book...i leave that to you).
I give you none of the story, as its too easy to give spoilers... but suffice to say its worth a download (its free for the next few days, and then still only £1.99 after that..parts 2 & 3 are already on amazon to download as well, so get stuck in and immersed in the new Iconic story of a young Woman's travels in a highly imaginative future world. a thriller set against and extraordinary Universe
Buy it
(Parm)
May 24, 2014
Ellie Quin was a shortish story introducing us into the world of Ellie and setting the scene for future books in the series.
Ellie is a young girl who thought she was ordinary. Turns out she was wrong.
She's spent all of her life on a farm, farming oxygen to be sold at prices which are dipping desperately. All her life she has dreamed of nothing more than escaping the farm, and travelling to New Haven, the major city of the planet she's on. After discussing plans with that standard boy she has a crush on (c'mon, he teaches her maths), she runs away from home.
Did I mention that this planet is not Earth? And that the atmosphere is not yet hospitable for humans to survive without an oxygen mask?
Well, she's a ninny who doesn't pack enough oxygen.
She also happens to be one of the most important people in the universe.
She doesn't even know it yet.
Well... It wasn't Time Riders, but it was still a nice read. I'd recommend it for people going on a journey in the car with a couple of hours to waste. The characters seemed a bit flat, and Ellie a bit 2D. I'm hoping that the series will pick up a bit in the next book - as I said, it's a short story and it was only an introduction.
Ellie is a young girl who thought she was ordinary. Turns out she was wrong.
She's spent all of her life on a farm, farming oxygen to be sold at prices which are dipping desperately. All her life she has dreamed of nothing more than escaping the farm, and travelling to New Haven, the major city of the planet she's on. After discussing plans with that standard boy she has a crush on (c'mon, he teaches her maths), she runs away from home.
Did I mention that this planet is not Earth? And that the atmosphere is not yet hospitable for humans to survive without an oxygen mask?
Well, she's a ninny who doesn't pack enough oxygen.
She also happens to be one of the most important people in the universe.
She doesn't even know it yet.
Well... It wasn't Time Riders, but it was still a nice read. I'd recommend it for people going on a journey in the car with a couple of hours to waste. The characters seemed a bit flat, and Ellie a bit 2D. I'm hoping that the series will pick up a bit in the next book - as I said, it's a short story and it was only an introduction.
January 16, 2013
Nineteen year-old Ellie Quin spends her days planting tubweeds on an oxygen farm anxious for the day that she can escape rural life and move to the domed city of New Haven. The normal longings of an adolescent girl prove to be anything but normal in this gene-enhanced future. The day arrives and Ellie puts her plans into motion, unaware that she and her small agricultural planet are on a collision course with forces that could unravel the entire course of humanity, with Ellie being the key to their undoing.
The Legend of Ellie Quin delivers a sense-of-wonder exploration of the future reminiscent of Heinlein’s juvenile novels coupled with the accessibility of contemporary storytelling techniques. It reveals an imaginative future in which humanity thrives in a sprawling universe seen through the eyes of a down-to-earth, likeable character.
For my full review please come visit me here:
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013...
The Legend of Ellie Quin delivers a sense-of-wonder exploration of the future reminiscent of Heinlein’s juvenile novels coupled with the accessibility of contemporary storytelling techniques. It reveals an imaginative future in which humanity thrives in a sprawling universe seen through the eyes of a down-to-earth, likeable character.
For my full review please come visit me here:
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013...
September 4, 2013
Easy reading young adult sci-fi, great for reading on the train.
My only complaint with this book was that it seemed to be over before it had begun when the story was only just kicking off, even for the first book in a series!
There isn't much novel or unique about the (futuristic) world the novel is set in, but the setup is done well and I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes from here.
Reading time: 1 hour, 39 mins (for 232 'pages', seriously short, glad I got this via Kindle Lending Library, rather than paying for it...).
My only complaint with this book was that it seemed to be over before it had begun when the story was only just kicking off, even for the first book in a series!
There isn't much novel or unique about the (futuristic) world the novel is set in, but the setup is done well and I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes from here.
Reading time: 1 hour, 39 mins (for 232 'pages', seriously short, glad I got this via Kindle Lending Library, rather than paying for it...).
December 30, 2012
The book is a masterpiece, starts off slow, but pulls you in, and in one minute, you pore over the page with curiosity, and the other, with intrigue. Once, with heart stomping action and the other, with empathical understanding.
Ellie Quin as a character herself never fails to be herself. She never strays from her original self. Her determination always shines through, even though she thinks herself to be weak.
Alex Scarrow is a mastermind of the future, a must read!
Ellie Quin as a character herself never fails to be herself. She never strays from her original self. Her determination always shines through, even though she thinks herself to be weak.
Alex Scarrow is a mastermind of the future, a must read!
December 27, 2015
Not bad. Short, and simple to read. Not impressed by the style, with the interspersed Wikipedia-style articles and, particularly, the inane comments posted on them, but it's not too distracting. Feels poorly edited, with some purposefully creative spelling, but also some clear mistakes. As long as you don't expect a masterpiece, it's ok. Short enough that, if you don't like it, you don't have to read the rest of the series.
August 16, 2016
I'm really disappointed by this book. It had the potential to be a fantastic story but ends before anything significant actually happens and forcing you to read the next book to find out. I would have enjoyed it more and would have been more likely to read the next one if we had been taken a little further into Ellie's story. I couldn't help feeling it was awful drawn out for the little progression the story made.
January 27, 2013
3.5/5
This short book is enjoyable and well written, a quick and lighthearted read.
There’s nothing wrong with the book, which is good, but neither Ellie, the main character, nor the plot itself captured my imagination that much.
As I said, it’s fine, but nothing more or exceptionally impressive.
This short book is enjoyable and well written, a quick and lighthearted read.
There’s nothing wrong with the book, which is good, but neither Ellie, the main character, nor the plot itself captured my imagination that much.
As I said, it’s fine, but nothing more or exceptionally impressive.
June 20, 2017
This is an excellent book. It seemed short as it did not take long to read but it was brilliant. The book follows Ellie who is a interesting person who wants more from life than farming. The characters are warm and real and the description of the planet's and world's just mesmerising. Looking forward to reading the next book so much.
July 11, 2013
Original and creative page-turner. An interesting futuristic novel that has elements of thriller to it. I will definitely read the others in the series as I want to know what the mystery is. I really like the contemporary connection with the omnipedia entry and user comments.
January 1, 2013
Great world-building. Read it in one day!
April 25, 2013
Great book but too short.
July 3, 2013
Rather a short book, but it sets up the story for the trilogy. I just wish that first book can be more ... complete. Looks like i have to read the trilogy to have a more better review.
July 21, 2013
Fregging awesome!
February 9, 2020
Loved this series - pure escapism!!
January 7, 2015
Drool in greatest sense! Love this author and love this series, looking forward to the next part of Ellie's journey!
July 31, 2014
Great world building but not much in the way of plot. I'm sure this was just a set-up, though, for the rest of the series. I'll continue reading.
March 30, 2015
Eager to find out what is so special about Ellie and what this series is about. I don't feel like I've found out much in this first book, so how come I'm so eager to read on?!
January 8, 2015
exciting start..
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