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The Blending Time (The Blending Time #1)
In the year 2069, turning seventeen means mandatory Global Alliance work assignments that range from backbreaking drudgery to deadly canal labor. Trying to survive in a world that's been ravaged by plagues and environmental disasters, three "s'teeners" from the harshest backgrounds think they've gotten lucky. Jaym, Reya, and D'Shay are chosen to be among thousands of blend...more
Paperback, 254 pages
Published
October 8th 2010
by Flux
(first published October 1st 2010)
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Quick Review:
As much as I love dystopian fiction, I can't say I loved this book enough for it to warrant more than 3 stars.
Pros: The situations that all three characters were thrown into. It projects a scarily detailed and plausible vision of the future. I suppose it would have been better if the author had expanded on his concepts like WorldSpeak, GlobeTran, AIDS III, and SUN Colony two, because these were great ideas that didn't quite get their starring role in the novel. But it was intriguing...more
As much as I love dystopian fiction, I can't say I loved this book enough for it to warrant more than 3 stars.
Pros: The situations that all three characters were thrown into. It projects a scarily detailed and plausible vision of the future. I suppose it would have been better if the author had expanded on his concepts like WorldSpeak, GlobeTran, AIDS III, and SUN Colony two, because these were great ideas that didn't quite get their starring role in the novel. But it was intriguing...more
3.5 stars, but Goodreads doesn't let you do halves, in case you haven't realised
Dystopian future world. Three misunderstood and alone children. Company/business type thing. When I picked this book up, I didn't realise that this book was redoing some of the three so-overdone concepts. The difference in this book? I'll have to review all of it now.
It starts with Jaym, D-(forgot his name, sorry!) and Reya, the day the get their job. Life-long job, because this is dystopia and they are 17. They are...more
Dystopian future world. Three misunderstood and alone children. Company/business type thing. When I picked this book up, I didn't realise that this book was redoing some of the three so-overdone concepts. The difference in this book? I'll have to review all of it now.
It starts with Jaym, D-(forgot his name, sorry!) and Reya, the day the get their job. Life-long job, because this is dystopia and they are 17. They are...more
A futuristic dystopia based in the year 2069, the world has suffered several natural disasters and many governments have fallen or mutated as they may have in hundreds of years, over the short fifty years which this book projects. The Global Alliance mandates that any seventeen year olds must have a job placement. If they fail to obtain appointment then they will be assigned, or they will receive assignment if they are simply considered less desirable. This story follows the stories of three te...more
I've been trying to pay attention to anything dystopian as I know it is a big teen trend and I am always looking for things to give out after someone has read The Hunger Games. I thought this book might have fit the bill and it starts out like a traditional dystopian work. The 3 teens are the main characters are Jayme, a lower class white boy, D'Shay, a young African American, and Reya, a Mexican refugee (note the very proper balance of races- not a criticism at all- but an example of how this n...more
Wow. Okay, I have to say, I can believe that this dystopian novel may be a very close description of our future world. Mr. Kinch has an amazing talent for world building. I was able to visualize clearly the haunting and disturbing world around me. This story follows three s’teeners (seventeen-year-olds) Jaym, D’Shay, and Reya, as they come together in a chance meeting, all heading to help rebuild Africa. I was really drawn into their stories, their lives, and how the interacted, bonded, and came...more
Still feels somewhat unedited = I liked the idea of this book set in 2069 when seventeen year olds are given mandatory work asignments to try and save the world and humanity after a devastating solar flare. However, I wish the author hadn't used quite so many abbreviations with lots of apostrophes - 'steeners for seventeeners and 'gades for renegades. They were excessive. I would have preferred just usng steeners and gades - I would have picked up the meaning. In that future world where everythi...more
This book was a weird one for me. I wanted to really like it but at the end of the day, my like for it ended up falling pretty short of where I thought it was going to be.
My favorite aspect of it was the grittiness. I love gritty books that actually make you feel gritty and not in a grossed out way. I've read books where the characters are just gross but the world around them isn't. That just makes me gag, dirty characters. But when the world is gritty, and the author's awesome enough to actuall...more
My favorite aspect of it was the grittiness. I love gritty books that actually make you feel gritty and not in a grossed out way. I've read books where the characters are just gross but the world around them isn't. That just makes me gag, dirty characters. But when the world is gritty, and the author's awesome enough to actuall...more
Really, really good considering it's a YA dystopian novel. My only criticism is that it's too short. Not only would I have enjoyed seeing more of the story, the length limits the development of the world. It feels a bit like picking up a diary from sometime in the future and not having access to a history book. There isn't a lot of explanation of how the world came to be this way, just off-handed remarks by the characters. But the events and entities mentioned are understandable if you project a...more
Young adult fiction that moves pretty quickly. Better for older teens since it has some sexual suggestivity. The somewhat outlandish plot -- 17 year olds are assigned to community propjects to help rebuild society after global solar flaws destroyed society. The 17 year olds in this book are "blenders" and are sent to Africa to "blend" their DNA and procreate with Africans.
The plot moves pretty quickly.
It looks like a chapter series, with more books to come. That's not from anything but my own...more
The plot moves pretty quickly.
It looks like a chapter series, with more books to come. That's not from anything but my own...more
Imagine being sent away half way across the world for a mission that vcould not be completed? well three teenagers have to do just that. Jaym, Reya, and D'Shay are on there way to repopulate Africa after a devistating solar flare nearly wipes out Africas' entire populateion.The three teenagers quickly become good friends while on there way to Africa. When they arrive to Africa ready to begin there mission they are encountered with some interseting issues. Jaym and
D'Shay make it to there villag...more
D'Shay make it to there villag...more
YA dystopian fiction. I am assuming this is the first book in a series. There was a lot of build up here and not much else. I liked the three main characters one of them really stood out among the group though. The world has gone through a rough time. Three seventeen year old kids are sent to Africa to blend with the population and rebuild it. The book is about the difficulties the three kids encounter in their quest. There is alluding to rape, so if that bothers you do not read this book.
I liked the book quite well, but I would've loved for it to have been a little longer so you could get a solid feel on the main characters. I got Jaym down pretty well since most of the book ended up being from his point of veiw after D'Shay met up with him. The others, Reya especially, didn't seem to have enough time in the spotlight to really shine. With how the book ended, though, there will probably be a sequel or a series, so maybe the next book will resolve some of these issues.
An interesting premise that lost steam near the end.
The premise is that in the 2060's, Africa was decimated by solar flares, causing chromosomal abnormalities in the remaining population, guaranteeing that all pregnancies will end in stillbirths. On the other side of the planet, spared from the flares but still struggling, three teens are assigned to their careers--as SUN "blenders:" essentially pure breeding stock, that when blended with the African tribes, will ensure the survival of their rac...more
The premise is that in the 2060's, Africa was decimated by solar flares, causing chromosomal abnormalities in the remaining population, guaranteeing that all pregnancies will end in stillbirths. On the other side of the planet, spared from the flares but still struggling, three teens are assigned to their careers--as SUN "blenders:" essentially pure breeding stock, that when blended with the African tribes, will ensure the survival of their rac...more
Set in 2069, this is a truely disturbing dystopia. I won't summarize - goodreads does that for us - but it contains very mature themes, including rape. Not for fainthearted readers. However, it is a well told tale, if the various series of disasters seems overly contrived. Perhaps I'll get to write more another day, but worth the read if you're ready for it and enjoy the dystopian sci fi genre.
I really liked this dystopian novel. It was so different than a lot I have read in the genre. The book doesn't leave you hopeless and angry. It also brings up today's problems in a futuristic setting. I also liked the multicultural prospectives. A really good read for adults and older teens. Can't wait to read the sequel.
I reviewed this book also on my blog www.bourgette.com
I reviewed this book also on my blog www.bourgette.com
I would give it 2.5 if I could. Nice story, the three main characters all develop well. The book ends although the story does not so this is definitely going to be a series or at least a trilogy. I would prefer a small series as the whole "trilogy" thing is worn thin. I would say it is primarily a book that should be aimed at the late teen/early 20;ls crowd, however at 49 I still enjoyed it.
While I'm not overly fond of post-apocalyptic type books that make life very difficult or tragic for children/teenagers, this book was very good. It was very short, and I wish it had been longer and gone further into the story than it did. I enjoyed all three main characters and will definitely be looking for the next book to see what happens to them.
I read this book over the last couple of weeks. It was a hard start, because it's really hard when the language is slightly different from what I'm use to reading. But it was a good book nevertheless. I would suggest this book as a good read for people who like books like The Hunger Games, and Enclave.
Recommend to HS and upper MS readers -dystopian future, multiracial, scattered action/violence, unobtrusive romance. Not a lot of character development/growth but competent description of possible future world. Reads quickly; unresolved ending.
Jun 27, 2012
April Cassano-maisano
added it
My first dystopia book. couldn't put it down once I started reading it. love all the characters on how they try to survive and make the most out of their hard situations. I can picture this as a movie in the future.
Post-apocalyptic, and a little depressing, but mostly I felt like the story didn't go anywhere. Nothing much was accomplished. It's clearly best read as an entire series and I have no interest in doing that,
Amazing. Take Michael Crichton's nuanced, sci-fi realism, ditch the extraneous exposition (sorry, Malcolm), and you've got a heck of a great read from Michael Kinch.
Did not care for the stereotypical depiction of Africans - thought I was reading Edgar Rice Boroughs. the story, however, kept on moving and was a good one.
Solid writing, fast-paced plot, and great world-building in this YA dystopian novel. The African setting adds color to the story that sets it apart from a typical speculative fiction novel.
Harsh, but real alternate fantasy--the world is dying sort of story...horrible, yet the people are heroes. Not fantasy coated heroes, but real heroes.
I only gave this three stars because I really like this genre. If I didn't like pa/dytopian books so much, I'd bump it down to a 2.
This book had an interesting concept but it has to be the beginning of a series at least I hope it is because otherwise it is just an unfinished concept. The book was really too short and a little sparse on the details for me. It could have used a little more build up and editing/world building to make it a bit better. It felt like a lot of stuff was just left hanging or undeveloped. There were a lot of interesting things mentioned but then not explained. I guess they could be explained in futur...more
A great idea for a plot but the author didn't take it far enough. It seemed more like a summary, especially towards the end. Not enough back story and way to choppy.
It's 2069 and the world sucks. When you are seventeen you have to pick what you want to do for the rest of your life (none of the options are promising) When a new choice (Blending Program)comes up three young people( with different nationalities) meet eachother on their ship to Africa. Renegades who are opposed to the Blending Program are out to kill any Blender they can and the village who is harboring them. Great story, fast paced. Never got boring.
Note: This book is first in a series
Note: This book is first in a series
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Dec 12, 2012 06:58am