Children of Scarabaeus (Scarabaeus, #2)

Apr 21, 2013 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kick-ass-heroines, rainy-day-re-reads, swoooon, 2013-favorites

The irony is not lost on me that I began this series because it was a duology and am ending it now wishing it was one of those never-ending, seven-and-counting UF Series. If only. Nevertheless, with just two books, Sara Creasy has managed to make me a life-long fan. Although this series can very easily be extended, in some ways, I'm glad my journey with Edie and Finn is ending here. I'd much rather have two books of utter perfection than six of mere average standing. As such, I find myself final...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Dangerous Romance Book Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

The book starts with a bang, taking up right where the last one left off, and if you didn’t read book one, it could be a little challenging to keep up with all the science and sci-fi jargon. Children of Scarabaeus is heavy on new words, new worlds, techno speak and the pace is fast so I definitely recommend reading Song of Scarabaeus first if possible, but it is such an interesting premise , well handled love story and ecologically cautionary tale, don’t let that stop you, either.

Children of Sca...more The book starts with a bang, taking up right where the last one left off, and if you didn’t read book one, it could be a little challenging to keep up with all the science and sci-fi jargon. Children of Scarabaeus is heavy on new words, new worlds, techno speak and the pace is fast so I definitely recommend reading Song of Scarabaeus first if possible, but it is such an interesting premise , well handled love story and ecologically cautionary tale, don’t let that stop you, either.

Children of Scarabaeus starts with Edie Sha’nim, her lover Finn and her former kidnapper, now compatriot Cat, trying to hop a ship headed for the Fringe without getting caught by the Interplanetary Empire known as the Crib. There they hope to help the Fringe planets utilize the knowledge Edie has to help other worlds escape the shackles of the Crib. The Crib has too many people to feed and so they are taking over planets and wrecking them by terraforming them too fast, turning the entire eco system into “Mash”, a toxic stew of sludge that is plants trees and wildlife all rotten down to the bedrock. Edie is their best chance at fixing the problem and they don’t care if she wants a different life then being their slave or not.

In book one, revolutionaries captured Edie and demanded that Serf/prisoner Finn be her bodyguard. In doing so, they created an invisible leash between Edie and Finn by installing a bomb in his head that will go off if anything happens to Edie or if she is more than 2000 meters away from him. This is a major point of the story, how they deal with this and try to circumvent it.

The three jump on a ship and put themselves into cryofreeze where they remain for a year before Edie’s former mentor and nemesis, Natesa captures them. Edie and Finn end up on a station, where it quickly becomes clear that Natesa’s in trouble. Things are not going well with the world she is terraforming, and she is really hoping Edie can fix the problems she is desperately trying to pretend aren’t happening on the planet below. Natesa is furious that Edie ran away, she sees it as a personal affront, but she desperately needs Edie’s abilities.
Natesa doesn’t like Finn, she sees him as a distraction to the work she wants Edie to accomplish. Edie and Finn become convinced Natesa will kill Finn if they don’t escape. To make matters worse, Edie is appalled to find Natesa has a group of children Cyphertechs only around 7 to 8 years old plugged in to datastreams and working together as a group, something Edie has never seen before.

Finn and Edie have so many obstacles to overcome and they are both martyrs in many ways, certain at times that they will die, yet doing everything in their power to save each other. This was a fascinating conclusion to The Song of Scarabeaus, with lots of action, science, and a very touching relationship handled with a light hand, between two flawed people who are steadfast and faithful to each other.
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Apr 27, 2011 new_user rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-scifi

Children of Scarabaeus ultimately fails to deliver more than a sequel. Song of Scarabaeus fans enjoy the resolution to Song's cliffhanger and following teckie Edie Sha'nim and ex-slave Finn's continuing struggle for self-determination and freedom against a Crib government finding her too valuable and him too expendable. Both lifelong pawns, they must escape and find a purpose together.

Only UF and SF genres allow a "couple" to entertain the notion of separation so frequently or engage such gray c...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, romance, adult

Edie and Finn are trying to steal enough neurotoxin for Edie to stay alive, while they are in hiding from the Crib. After that the plan is to get to the fringe worlds and help free them. Unfortunately the get caught and Edie is forced to work with the Crib so that they won't kill Finn. The project she is assigned to work on is based on the biology of Scarabaeus, the world Edie modified. [return][return]I don't have a whole lot to say about this series. I felt they leaned more toward hard sci-fi,...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Felicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, vaginal-sf

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 29, 2012 Linda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: cyber-crime, dark-sci-fi, hero-is-a-slave, futuristic-romance, series, some-slow-reading

Sara Creasy's CHILDREN OF SCARABAEUS is a continuation of SONG OF SCARABAEUS. For me this book was a slower read than the first one. Be forewarned: have both books ready because the first ends with a cliffhanger. **See my review of S of S.**

Edie Sha'nim is a special cypherteck and the Crib empire intends on keeping her in the fold. Technology is the forefront of this story. Finn, a slave of the Crib government and Edie's bodyguard, is initially forced to be near her at all times. At a certain di...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Really 4.75 Rating

I strongly recommend you read the previous books in the series Song of Scarabaeus prior to reading this book.

I've really been looking forward to this sequel. This was an exciting conclusion to a fantastic story that was full of twist and turns with plenty of action, planetary heist (literally), fast interstellar spaceship getaways, a creative terraforming nightmare and spectacular descriptions of exotic evolutionary planets so vividly expressed, I had no difficulties imagining...more Really 4.75 Rating

I strongly recommend you read the previous books in the series Song of Scarabaeus prior to reading this book.

I've really been looking forward to this sequel. This was an exciting conclusion to a fantastic story that was full of twist and turns with plenty of action, planetary heist (literally), fast interstellar spaceship getaways, a creative terraforming nightmare and spectacular descriptions of exotic evolutionary planets so vividly expressed, I had no difficulties imagining them.

I was fascinated at the clever and innovative ideas the author used to describe the human race migration in the future, from earth to populate hundreds of other worlds; and what society, on a grand "intragalactic" scale, might be like.

The first book had what I defined as a mere "flare" of romance, unfortunately, this sequel had a bit more romance in it than the first. Thankfully it was not the main focus of the story.

Children of Scarabaeus pretty much ties ups all the loose ends from Song of Scarabaeus and there isn't a book 3 slated for this series. However the story ended in such a brilliant way that leaves lots of openings if there are to be future books. This series has so many intricate layers and creativity that this epic story definitely too complex to be fully captured in only two books.

I usually like to watch my SF (i.g. my beloved SGU, SG1, SGA, Doc Who, Torchwood, V, Farscape, BSG, etc.) and normally read my dark urban fantasy (Ilona Andrews [ Kate Daniels and The Edge series], Jennifer Estep [Elemental Assassin series], Jaye Wells [Sabina Kane series], Diana Pharaoh Francis [Horngate Witches series], Kalayna Price [Haven and Alex Craft series], J.A. Saare [Rhiannon's Law Series], etc.) but for the past few years, scifi is systematically being removed from many tv network's line-up; plus it's hard to invest in a show only to have it cancelled without being given a chance to build an audience. This series definitely satisfies my SF craving and is full of excitement and adventure.

I highly recommend this book to fellow SF fans. To those fellow dark urban fantasy readers, looking for a good SF but don't want to end up with space romance; I highly recommend this book to you, as the style of writing is similar to an urban fantasy read.

The author is already at work on a different SF series, I would definitely read anything she puts out.
I also recommend:
A Galaxy Unknown
Peacekeeper: A Major Ariane Kedros Novel
Space Trippers Book 1: Trippin'
The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Book 1)
Darkfever (Fever Series, Book 1) (less)

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May 18, 2011 Steph rated it 5 of 5 stars

A futuristic fantasy plot that is definitely worth the notice, even for this regular UF reader. Self described as a Science Fiction Adventure, with a dash of romance. These books are chalk-full of action, adventure, & tension; especially Book #2. On the edge of your seat tension throughout, and at the same time, very endearing & touching. I especially loved the children and the gentleness between Finn & Edie. There is a definite conclusion, but it still left me wanting more. I'm curi...more

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May 02, 2011 Li rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Li by: I loved Children of Scarabaeus

Shelves: series, sf, romance, favorites, read-in-2011

I thought the first book, Song of Scarabaeus, was good - well, CHILDREN OF SCARABAEUS was even more satisfying.

I may have mentioned previously that I love reading books that focus on the same set of characters over time because we get to see them grow, and CHILDREN just proved that to be true. Both Edie and Finn have matured since SONG; Edie, especially, is so much stronger in this book, which in turn meant I could really believe in Edie and Finn's relationship and HEA. As with SONG, the world-b...more

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Apr 29, 2011 William Bentrim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Children of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy

This was first published as Book Review: Children of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy on Blogcritics by me.

The book is a sequel to Song of Scarabaeus. I would recommend reading the books in order. A cypherteck, Edie, finds herself defending all she loves in a far future terraforming scenario.

I enjoyed this book but would have enjoyed it more had I read Song of Scarabaeus. There just wasn’t enough context to easily grasp what Edie was and what she was facing. A few...more Children of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy

This was first published as Book Review: Children of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy on Blogcritics by me.

The book is a sequel to Song of Scarabaeus. I would recommend reading the books in order. A cypherteck, Edie, finds herself defending all she loves in a far future terraforming scenario.

I enjoyed this book but would have enjoyed it more had I read Song of Scarabaeus. There just wasn’t enough context to easily grasp what Edie was and what she was facing. A few pages of back story would have helped enormously. Finn, Edie’s body guard was more than he seemed but it would have been good to know what being a Saeth meant.

Finn was steadfast and loyal, I liked that. Cat could have had more face time, she seemed like a character with potential. I liked the ambivalence in Natesa character. It was difficult to determine whether she was motivated by ego or good intentions. That was a good reflection of reality.

The kids were another reflection of reality. Pushed into a specific role at an early age, the kids were expected to be crucial to terraforming projects. The scandals faced by some of the iconic fashion labels with regards to child labor in foreign locales certainly demonstrate the need for concern over the plight of working children. Edie’s childhood experiences practically forced her to become an advocate for the kids.

The characters were well done, some likeable and some not so much. There was a ill defined gray area in the behavior of some of the characters which again is a very good reflection on real life. As much as we want black and white contrasts in behavior, real life situations are often gray. The strength of feelings demonstrated by both Finn and Edie were admirable.

This book was good as a stand alone but I think it may have been excellent with some historic context and defining of terminology. I don’t mean a glossary; I just mean maybe a chapter re-hashing how the characters got to where they were.

I still recommend the book.

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Apr 04, 2011 Aemelia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sara Creasy took me on another phenomenal trip across the universe in CHILDREN OF SCARABAEUS, as she continued to catapult me into the thrilling escapades of Edie and Finn. She did a fantastic job weaving adventure, suspense, science fiction, and romance into an captivating tale that enthralled me from start to finish.

I loved watching Edie and Finn's relationship go to the next level and continue to grow. I could understand Edie's fears and struggles, as she wasn't sure if Finn was with her only...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: good-uns, scifi

I was literally salivating with my need to get a hold of this book as soon as was humanly possible after finishing Sara Creasy's wonderful Song of Scarabaeus. Then I remembered that I'd seen it on NetGalley not so very long ago, and I ripped right over there to see if it was still available. It was. I requested it and waited impatiently for a response. The minute it was approved, I downloaded it to my nook and sat back in contentment. Oh, wait. That's right. I work. And have a million other thin...more I was literally salivating with my need to get a hold of this book as soon as was humanly possible after finishing Sara Creasy's wonderful Song of Scarabaeus. Then I remembered that I'd seen it on NetGalley not so very long ago, and I ripped right over there to see if it was still available. It was. I requested it and waited impatiently for a response. The minute it was approved, I downloaded it to my nook and sat back in contentment. Oh, wait. That's right. I work. And have a million other things I have to get done within a single twenty-four hour period. However, since this pregnancy has rendered me and sleep mortal enemies, my nights at least are free. Always a silver lining, right? That's right. I'm a glass is half full sort of girl. Pay no attention to the sound of my husband's laughter in the background. He doesn't know. The point is, I finally had the all-important sequel in my hands, and all was right with the world. At least with my world.

Edie Sha'nim appears to drag catastrophe (and uber-controlling, wannabe despots) wherever she goes. On their way to help the Fringe worlds get out from under the thumb of the omnipresent Crib empire, Edie and Finn (and their meager crew) are re-captured by the very woman Edie's been trying to escape since she was ten years old. Natesa is determined to keep Edie and her powerful abilities under lock and key. And that includes keeping her away from other interested parties, particularly other Crib and/or military individuals who believe Edie's singular talents would be put to better use back on Scarabaeus itself, figuring out what went wrong in the first place and what exactly is evolving now on its treacherous terrain. But Natesa's control extends only so far, especially as the work on her precious Project Ardra isn't exactly thriving. The further Edie delves into the details of the project, the more she realizes just how badly the project is foundering. And, with her control slipping and her professional reputation on the line, Natesa will do anything she can to collar Edie. Including separating her from Finn and any other influence she deems antithetical to her goals. Determined to set Finn free from the leash that binds them and the grasping fingers of the Crib, Edie must decide where to place her loyalties and which devil to serve.

I slipped into this one with absolutely no trouble at all. Part of that was, of course, that it had only been a few days since I finished the first book. But a larger part is due to Sara Creasy's wonderfully sure sense of setting and character. The world is vast but consistent, the characters familiar and compelling. Edie and Finn had an immediate stranglehold on my attention and my emotions were high and riveted for the duration of the book. I'll go ahead and say that it's a palpable relief to read a duology. They're all but extinct these days it seems, and I can't tell you how relieving it was to go in knowing the tale would not stretch on for eons, that the author had an ending and a way of getting there in mind. That said, I would read more about these two and their world in a heartbeat. The unusual and vital relationship that evolves between this cypherteck and her rebel-turned-bodyguard launched my heart into my throat with each scene they shared. It was meaningful and based on trust, as opposed to hurried and based on lust. I enjoyed the two of them so much and looked forward to anytime they were allowed to be alone and just talk to each other, which, naturally, was a rare occurrence indeed, what with everyone and their dog hell bent on destroying whatever Edie holds dear and any hope of freedom Finn ever had. I admire restraint in storytelling, and this series is an excellent example of such. It could so easily have shoved over into melodrama and pure spectacle, but it never does. One scene, in particular, struck me as marvelously well done. The reader expects a certain outcome, and is instead handed a much more subtler version of the truth. It served to enhance the connection between characters, rather than exploit the moment. I loved it. I felt I knew them based on their choices, which were always dire. But they made the decisions, they didn't waver, and the ending offered up hope and resolution in an effortless package. Color me satisfied. I can't wait to see what Ms. Creasy has to offer us next.(less)

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Feb 15, 2011 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, romance

This sequel to Song of Scarabaeus was very good, though not quite as great as book one. Sara Creasy continues to build this science fiction world to great effect and there is plenty of action and suspence this time out.

As Children of Scarabaeus opens Edie and Finn are trying to escape to the Fringe where they will be safe from Crib influence and be able to help the Fringe worlds get out from under the control of the Empire. The knowledge they carry and Edie's cypherteck abilities make them the...more

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May 07, 2013 Candace rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi-romance, dystopia, series-author-completed

Like the first book in this duology (Song of Scarabaeus), this was a quick, fun read for me. However, although I ultimately liked it, I definitely did not enjoy Children of Scarabaeus as much as I enjoyed its predecessor.

For one thing, Edie seems to have developed a pretty annoying martyr complex in Children of Scarabaeus. A good chunk of the book seems to consist of Edie's internal angst about having to sacrifice her life/love/needs/wants for Finn/the children/Scarabaeus/the galaxy (you can ju...more Like the first book in this duology (Song of Scarabaeus), this was a quick, fun read for me. However, although I ultimately liked it, I definitely did not enjoy Children of Scarabaeus as much as I enjoyed its predecessor.

For one thing, Edie seems to have developed a pretty annoying martyr complex in Children of Scarabaeus. A good chunk of the book seems to consist of Edie's internal angst about having to sacrifice her life/love/needs/wants for Finn/the children/Scarabaeus/the galaxy (you can just mix and match from those two sets to get an idea of what 1/2 of the book is like). On top of that, most of her martyrly angst just seemed unnecessary, overdone, and over-the-top. I definitely got tired of Edie's repetitive internal melodrama around the book's halfway point, but unfortunately, it continued well beyond that. And, if she wasn't angsting about what it would cost for her to help/save [insert X], then she was angsting about what it would cost her to NOT help/save the [insert X] - it was like reading an endless loop of angst.

I also found it hard to truly care about Edie's plight, because the book never really laid the groundwork that it needed to for most of Edie's decisions to make any sense. For example, unlike Edie's relationship with Finn, which was so strongly established throughout the two books that you could understand why she'd be willing to risk losing so much for him, her relationship with the children was superficial at best. She was willing to make huge sacrifices for them, but why? Simply because it was "the right thing to do" (arguable), or because she could empathize with their situation (also arguable, since unlike Edie in her childhood, these kids at least appeared to be relatively content)? Although her motives were plausible since her heart was in the right place, they weren't necessarily realistic since the book didn't develop the relationships it needed to, which made Edie harder to relate to in Children of Scarabaeus.

In addition, I felt like there was a lot of stuff about Finn that we never found out. In the first book I could accept that, since I knew there would be another book coming in which Finn's past could be explored. But, since this was the final book in the series, I would have loved to have been able to learn more about him. Instead, we get a bare-bones picture of his childhood (view spoiler), as well as a one-sentence explanation of his past relationship with Valari, and that's really it. I get that the book is from Edie's POV, and that Finn isn't much of a talker, but c'mon, man.

Furthermore, I thought that the middle of the book was kind of messy - a lot of events happened with no real resolution, and with no understanding of how any of the characters (except possibly Edie) felt about the way things went down. (view spoiler) Also, a lot of things happened in Children of Scarabaeus that were very similar to things that happened in first book, making Children a bit more stale than its predecessor.

But, by the end, the book really came together. It definitely started strong, and even though it stuttered a bit in the middle, it eventually seemed to find its way again. And yes, I know that I focused a lot more on the negative than the positive in this review, but rest assured that a lot of what Song of Scarabaeus did well, Children of Scarabaeus continued to do well. If you can forgive some imperfections, if you can tolerate all of the angst, and if you enjoyed the first book, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't pick this one up as well. (less)

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May 23, 2011 James rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read this book off of the back of reading it's predecessor 'The Song of Scarabaeus' which I loved, and was looking forward to the development of the story within this world with these characters.

The story however does not live up to its predecessor - which is not to say that this is a bad book. Far from it. I did enjoy reading this book, however there were parts where I struggled to keep going.

I don't want to explain this as I hate *spoilers* and don't want to ruin it for anyone else, but I f...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Anna (Bobs Her Hair) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, urban-fantasy

In Children of Scarabaeus there is more focus on Edie and Finn, less of the technical jargon, more plot developments, and resolutions to ongoing problems, yet with all Sara Creasy’s amazing world-building the events on Scarabaeus jumped to warp speed and I couldn’t suspend my belief enough to enjoy the conclusion to Edie Sha’nim’s bid for freedom.

The Story
Edie Sha’nim has escaped the clutches of the Crib Empire, along with her bodyguard, Finn. Together they hold the key that will deliver freedo...more In Children of Scarabaeus there is more focus on Edie and Finn, less of the technical jargon, more plot developments, and resolutions to ongoing problems, yet with all Sara Creasy’s amazing world-building the events on Scarabaeus jumped to warp speed and I couldn’t suspend my belief enough to enjoy the conclusion to Edie Sha’nim’s bid for freedom.

The Story
Edie Sha’nim has escaped the clutches of the Crib Empire, along with her bodyguard, Finn. Together they hold the key that will deliver freedom to the Fringe and other terraformed worlds from the tyrannical government that demands yearly payment of precious resources or watch their planet die. Edie and Finn still have the issue of the leash that keeps Finn within a certain range or the bomb in his brain will explode. Another side effect to the leash is an adrenaline rush in her body causes Finn incredible pain, thwarting their sexual attraction to one another. It’s a price they pay and accept for the time. Their present goal is to reach the Fringe and evade re-capture. Unfortunately, the Crib finds them , which leads to new problems and a moral dilemma. Children from Talasi, Edie’s home planet, are the new breed of cypherteck. Edie grapples with the need to escape with Finn to save the Fringe worlds or incite the Crib by kidnapping the coveted and gifted children. Save the galaxy or save the children. Escape or ensure recapture.

My Feelings
There are moments in the story where Edie and Finn must use the children for the greater good. Their morally ambiguous actions were credible to their situation. Sara Creasy doesn’t try to gloss over her characters’ need to survive with convenient plot devices that keep things black and white. This could have been a four star book BUT something happens that made it hard to suspend belief in this science fiction novel.
In Song of Scarabaeus, the reader learns that the BRATS(Retroviral Automated Terraforma Seeds) Edie sabotaged when she was 16 years old have developed sentience. In this novel, it goes up to astronomical levels. (view spoiler) There is an HEA at the end of the story. It fell flat. No warm fuzzies. No “Yay, at last.” Just ho hum and “Oh, okay.”

Ah well. : / Borrow this book from the library. I'm glad I did.

Grade: C
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Jul 16, 2011 mlady_rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre__sf, genre_sub__aliens_and_space_travel, fiction__part_of_a_series, author__sara_creasy, pov__third_person_female, 2011, fiction__speculative, format__mass_market_pb

"Children of Scarabaeus" picked up almost immediately where "Song of Scarabaeus" left off. Finn, Cat, and Edie had escaped, but Edie was dying for lack of neuroxin, a toxin from her home planet that her people had not only survived, but now needed to function.

They paid someone to steal the neuroxin for Edie, but that put the Crib back on their tail. Their only hope to escape the space station (just outside Crib territory) was to board a drone ship and put themselves in cryo-sleep.

When Edie woke...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

First off, this was read on my recently-received Kindle -- and I actually enjoyed the experience of finding it, downloading it, and flipping through the pages. It's a hell of a lot easier to press the "next" button than to physically turn a page on the crowded subway. Also, it read pretty well on the Kindle with the pacing and it being all-around fun.

So, yes, this story was fun. Not deep or dramatic. The characters never really did sweep me off my feet, but I'm rather okay with that. The WORLD w...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Vanessa theJeepDiva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, science-fiction, won-freebie

I had many different expectations going into this book than when I started reading Song of Scarabaeus. For some unknown reason I had the impression that it was a Sci Fi Romance, which it is not. Thus when I started the second book in the series I was expecting a Sci Fi, without romance. I know this does not change the content of the book. I also know that it is some mental thing that probably only affected me. I was very pleased with Children. I love where this book went. I LOVED what was actual...more I had many different expectations going into this book than when I started reading Song of Scarabaeus. For some unknown reason I had the impression that it was a Sci Fi Romance, which it is not. Thus when I started the second book in the series I was expecting a Sci Fi, without romance. I know this does not change the content of the book. I also know that it is some mental thing that probably only affected me. I was very pleased with Children. I love where this book went. I LOVED what was actually going on with the planet Scarabaeus. I had some ideas that worked out very well in my guesstamation. I was thrown for a complete shocker when this book unfolded the truths in a very climatic end. This is part of a series and I must stress that due to the fact that this book picks up where the first left off, do not attempt to read this as a stand-alone or out of order.

I find that the Crib treatment of Edie and Finn to be horrific. They are continually treated as slaves with little to no opinion on what they get to pursue for their lives. Edie is being forced yet again to work for the evil and controlling Natesa. Natesa at first seems to be the lesser of the two evils demanding Edie’s impeccable cypherteck skills to work for them. There is now a different member of the Crib wanting Edie to work with his Weapons Research Division. Edie does not want any part of weapons research. Edie and Finn still have their minds set on escaping so that they can use the cryptoglyph to free the Fringe planets from relying on the Crib’s assistance. They are continually dealing with the stresses of the leash that not only binds them, but unceasingly puts Finn’s life in danger. Edie and Finn soon discover that their escape is not going to be easy when they have to rescue the children that Natesa has now enslaved into cyphertecks. I like the characters in this series. Edie and Finn have been through so much in their lives. I enjoyed the trust hurdles. The events that they have been through in their short time together affect every decision they make. They always seem more concerned with the others welfare more than their own. This makes for great relationship between these two characters.

I found the planet Scarabaeus fascinating. The planet has done an astonishing amount of evolving since the end of the first book. The factors as to the whys hold entirely too many spoilers to even begin mentioning. Read the book! At times the planet seems like it holds the answers for solving all of the BRAT problems, on the other hand you can see where it seems that this planet holds secrets that could cause the destruction of an entire galaxy.
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May 03, 2011 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, space-opera, sci-fi, fade-to-black-smexin, friends-to-lovers, assassin-mercenary-or-bounty-hunter, pirate, politics, on-the-run, child-or-children-play-a-big-part, 2011-read

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.

Expected Release Date: Available Now!
Publisher: Harper Collins
Imprint: Eos
Author’s Website: http://www.saracreasy.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Scarabaeus Book 2
Series Best Read In Order: Yes.
Steam Level: Warm

Please note, this review contains spoilers for the first book in the series, Song of Scarabaeus, so if you haven’t read that book yet and plan to, you may wish to skip this review.

I...more

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Mar 01, 2011 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Even though I read this without reading the first book in the series (Song of Scarabaeus) I was still able to thoroughly enjoy this story! The author did a great job of subtlety including most of the needed information along the way. I wish I had read them in order just so I could have enjoyed this complex and clever story even more. I'm not a Sci-Fi reader for the most part. I find them too descriptive (boring) and the "science" behind them hard to swallow. This wasn't the case with Children of...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favorites, scifi

wow, i'm exhausted but so happy!

edited to add:
The Scarabaeus duology wraps up with an impressive finish that had me breathless with anticipation all the way to the end.

Edie and her stalwart protector Finn are trapped and recaptured by the Crib after their attempt to buy the neurotoxin that is essential to Edie’s survival on the black market. Natesa, Edie’s former mentor, wants her to recommit to the world building project Ardra which she needs to succeed in order to preserve her reputation and...more wow, i'm exhausted but so happy!

edited to add:
The Scarabaeus duology wraps up with an impressive finish that had me breathless with anticipation all the way to the end.

Edie and her stalwart protector Finn are trapped and recaptured by the Crib after their attempt to buy the neurotoxin that is essential to Edie’s survival on the black market. Natesa, Edie’s former mentor, wants her to recommit to the world building project Ardra which she needs to succeed in order to preserve her reputation and insure her continued value to the autocratic Crib. As leverage to guarantee Edie’s cooperation, Natesa agrees to leave Finn alive and unharmed.

As Edie gets more immersed in the project, which she thinks she can somehow use to further her own mission to free the Fringe planets, she realizes that the experiment’s failures have set up the eventual wholesale destruction of the many planets previously terraformed for eventual human settlement, backsliding them into permanently uninhabitable wastelands. Now Edie is not the kind of gal to let this sort of thing pass, and for that I love her. She is always trying to do the right thing and when she discovers that Natesa has also co-opted a team of children from Edie’s home planet because of their genetic predisposition to cypherteck, she will not quit until she foils the Crib’s exploitation and rescues and restores these children to families that will care for them.

Now despite enjoying all the fantastic sci fi and tense drama underpinning the story, I absolutely loved the relationship between Edie and Finn. What I love most of all is that they are equally strong and capable and that they protect each other. Their loyalty to each other show their feelings more strongly than the more obvious forms of love and devotion and in this 'live or die setting' it totally fits. Despite having only known each other a few short weeks, Edie is willing to die for Finn and even though it’s obvious he will probably die because of her, Finn sticks with her as he risks it all.

A unique combination of rich characters, an incredible story of loyalty and self fulfillment, and kick butt, cool tech I’m not sure I will find anything that will satisfy like these two books. I can’t wait to see what Sara Creasy writes next.
(less)

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Nov 21, 2011 P. Kirby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

Children of Scarabaeus picks up immediately after the events of Song of Scarabaeus. The story's approach is to assume that the reader has read the first book, which for me, was rather refreshing. No exposition dumps that read like they should be prefaced with a television announcer voice saying, "Previously on Song of Sarabaeus." There are just a few very short paragraphs explaining crucial plot points from Song of Scarabaeus. Nothing to get in the way of a plot that zips along at light speed.

Ed...more Children of Scarabaeus picks up immediately after the events of Song of Scarabaeus. The story's approach is to assume that the reader has read the first book, which for me, was rather refreshing. No exposition dumps that read like they should be prefaced with a television announcer voice saying, "Previously on Song of Sarabaeus." There are just a few very short paragraphs explaining crucial plot points from Song of Scarabaeus. Nothing to get in the way of a plot that zips along at light speed.

Edie, a cypherteck, and Finn, her almost-lover/bodyguard, have just fled the disaster that was the planet Scarabaeus with the Crib (evil empire) hot on their trail. Edie and Finn's great plans for escape quickly go awry and once again Edie and Finn are at the mercy of the Crip. Natessa, Edie's ex-mentor-cum-abusive-mother figure returns to do her evil Disney queen in space thing. Natessa needs Edie's help with her newest project, a technology that will terraform planets even faster than ever. But, as with Scarabaeus, Natessa's latest planet's ecology was already too advanced, and it's clear that the process isn't going that well. The planet's ecology is starting to break down, literally, into so much sludge.

It turns out Natessa's push to meddle with advanced ecosystems isn't entirely selfish. Sort of. The Central planets, also the result of terraforming, are experiencing a breakdown of their ecology as well, albeit not as fast. The consequences of this failure are food shortages and the looming possibility of of starvation. Hence the fierce push to terraform ANY plant that hasn't evolved sentient life.

Meanwhile, Natessa isn't exactly enamored with Finn. She sees him as an unnecessary distraction for Edie. Of course, Finn can't just pick up and leave because of the electronic leash that binds him to Edie. If he gets beyond a certain distance from Edie, a bomb in his head will explode.

And as an added complication we have the titular "children." Edie soon learns that Natessa has taken more children from Edie's home planet, and turned them into cyphertecks. In addition to freeing Finn, and saving the Fringe planets from the tyranny of Crip technology, Edie now feels that she must save the children from Natessa's exploitation.

Children of Scarabaeus is fast-paced with the protagonists rushing from one disaster to another. The ideas behind the story--corruption, greed, exploitation of the natural world, the inevitable problems of dealing with an ever growing population--are well-developed and the perfect ground for all that action.

Children of Scarabaeus isn't a five-star book because the characterization never really progressed beyond its predecessor. In the case of Finn, I'd say there was a regression. In Song of Scarabaeus, we meet Finn as a bitter, taciturn, POW-turned-slave. He grumbles about after Edie, grudgingly going along with her plans because, what else can he do? Leave and his head goes "Kablooey."

In Children of Scarabaeu, Finn is tranformed from Edie's reluctant bodyguard to her Yes Man. Whatever plan she concocts, he agrees. I think this is supposed to demonstrate a measure of development in their relationship. I.e., he respects her, he loves her, blah-blah-blah. But he never really lets Edie (or the reader) in. Edie herself notes this, especially when Finn opens up more to Galen, one of the children. For fans of the tall, dark, brooding and silent hero, Finn is probably perfection. Me, I like my men with a little less stick-up-their ass.

Edie, meanwhile, remains a little too saintly, always inclined to rescue someone, even those who don't deserve it. Her interest in the children feels like a contrivance. Honestly, I'm not a kid person. The inclusion of a child in peril doesn't immediately get my heart a-pounding. Overall, the children's part in the story was more MacGuffin-like and less like real characters.

Nevertheless, Children of Scarabaeus was an exciting read and I will be looking forward to more books by this author.(less)

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May 04, 2011 Laura Lulu rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

Maybe I just had high expectations because the first book was so great, but I found this one pretty lacking. It was very slow getting into it, it took me days to read the first 100 pages, and I actually nodded off a couple times reading it. Not a good sign.

I felt the tech speak was a bit too much in this one, I'm not a skimmer, so when I start skimming, I know it's TMI.

I think so much of my disappointment in this book has to do with the characters. I expected to learn a lot more about them, pers...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Sunny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews, girls-who-kick-a, g3-r-challenge, own

This is a dual review of

and

.

Song of Scarabaeus felt incomplete and it wasn't just the cliffhanger that left me wanting more. The pacing was a little slow because there was so much world-building and character development for Edie. It is almost 40% into the book when the pace and action picks up. As a singular book, I would give it a 3.5. As a duo, I rate it a 4.5. You need the background of the first to fully enjoy the 2nd. Together, it is a tense, action-pacted, terrifying, story.

I loved...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Pamela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, fiction, ebooks

I really enjoyed Sara Creasy's first novel, Song of Scarabaeus, and I was very excited when I got wind of the sequel. Children of Scarabaeus lives up to my hopes based on how absolutely awesome the first book is. The plot didn't progress quite as smoothly as it did in the first book, but the characters and relationships are complex, and the line between good and evil is even blurrier than before.

I loved the tenuous relationship between Edie Sha'nim and Finn in the first book, and it grows organi...more I really enjoyed Sara Creasy's first novel, Song of Scarabaeus, and I was very excited when I got wind of the sequel. Children of Scarabaeus lives up to my hopes based on how absolutely awesome the first book is. The plot didn't progress quite as smoothly as it did in the first book, but the characters and relationships are complex, and the line between good and evil is even blurrier than before.

I loved the tenuous relationship between Edie Sha'nim and Finn in the first book, and it grows organically in this one. Edie is a bit of a distant character; this is probably thanks to her lack of a normal childhood and being raised to only have one purpose, to work as a cypherteck, and she's only just begun to try to discover herself outside of that role. Finn, such a mystery in the first book, slowly opens up in this one, and we start to see what makes this guy tick, why he fights against the Crib and why he's falling for Edie.

The supporting characters are very nicely fleshed out, from recurring character Cat to Liv Natesa, Edie's Crib handler. The inclusion of the cypherteck trainee children made me wary at first, as it seemed like too easy a thing to trigger Edie's emotions, but they ended up growing on me. Edie has to basically save the world, and using kids as a metaphor for that is a bit heavy handed to me, but the kids themselves are interesting, sympathetic characters, and that thankfully keeps them from becoming simple plot devices to evoke an emotional reaction in Edie and the reader.

The progression of events unfortunately wasn't as smooth as it could have been. In the beginning of the book, it jumped from situation to situation: they're in the spaceport, trying to steal the toxin that keeps Edie alive; they're escaping; they're in cryosleep; they're on the Crib ship. It wasn't until halfway through, once Edie had settled into a semi-normal routine with the Crib, that I felt like things were starting to move in a more orderly fashion. Don't get me wrong; I like being surprised by sudden plot twists, but these weren't really twists. They were things that had to happen to get Edie and Finn where they needed to be, and those things just didn't fit into the overarching plot terribly smoothly.

The characters and fantastic worldbuilding more than make up for it, though, and after I'd made it through those jerky first pages, I was sucked right into the world once again. This is great science fiction, with plenty of technology and philosophy to sink your teeth into, but with a very human, emotional story at its heart. Great stuff.

(Review originally published at The Discriminating Fangirl)(less)

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Mar 31, 2011 Vernieda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

So in the last book, we had a living jungle that ate people. In this book, we have a living jungle that eats people AND a dying world that drowns people in mud! The worldbuilding is not quite as heavy in this book as the previous one, but the character portrayals, relationships, and dynamics are stronger. Overall, I think these are great books to read if you're into biotech-based science and retroviral applications (but crossed with a sort of cyberpunk programming feel). It's rare to find a book...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Jill Myles rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loooooved this. It was so good. I loved the first one, but this one deserves all the little extra o's because I thought she took what was a great setting and a good plot and brought it to the next level. The relationship was stronger in this one without being overly romancey (for those that pooh pooh that sort of thing) and I love how strong Edie is without being a gun-toting, aggressive heroine. She's a ridiculously strong SCIENTIST protag. How often do we see that?

This was just fabulous and...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Heidi Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved SONG OF SCARABAEUS so much I immediately purchased CHILDREN OF SCARABAEUS right after I finished the last page--and, I'm not often compelled to do such a thing. It was worth the drive to the bookstore.

Creasy is a wonderful writer. She understands that good SF needs to show a change in the world, no matter if that world is here or halfway across the galaxy. Her world-building is stupendous and propels the plot, and her tech fits perfectly within the setting.

As for her characters, Edie and...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Oflo rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a great book and I had difficulty putting it down. The pace was an insane madcap rush from one disaster or emotional pain to another. You were never sure who was on the side of the protagonist or who was out for themselves. The characters really truly became strong willed people and moved beyond the knee jerk emotional reactions we see in the first book. Edie faces her issues with the crib and begins actually DEALING with them rather than acting like an angry teenager. She faces her fea...more

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Children of Scarabaeus (Scarabaeus #2)

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