The Chaos (Numbers, #2)

Feb 15, 2011 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Yay! I wont this in a contest and I am so excited! I cannot wait for it to come in the mail for me to read :)

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The Chaos (Numbers, #2) by Rachel Ward was an incredible book. The story line was great, and I loved the way she actively incorporated mystery, suspicion and action all into the story equally.

Adam has been born with the same genetic gift as his mother. If he looks into your eyes he can see the day that you are going to die. This has haunted him ever since he was a child. When he star...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Infinite Playlist rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: connected, math-numbers-figures, form-audiobook, mood-romantic, apocalypse-catastrophes, location-london, death-murder-loss, mine, audiobooks-awesome, genre-ya, genre-paranormal

Inhalt
Der 16jährige Adam kann Zahlen sehen. Wenn er jemandem in die Augen blickt, sieht er dessen Todesdatum. Als wenn das nicht schon schlimm genug wäre, entdeckt er nun, dass mehr und mehr Menschen in London am gleichen Tag sterben werden: dem 1. Januar 2028, nächstes Jahr. Die gleichaltrige Sarah hat mit ganz anderen Problemen zu kämpfen. Sie bekommt ein Baby und will ihrer Familie nichts davon erzählen. Dazu kommt ein schrecklicher Alptraum, der sie plagt und in dem sie zahllose Menschen ste...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rezension:
Adam ist der Sohn von Jem und Spinne. Er hat die Gabe (oder den Fluch), das Todesdatum in den Augen seines Gegenübers zu erkennen, von seiner Mutter geerbt. Doch Adams Fähigkeit geht noch darüber hinaus. Denn er kann nicht nur den Todeszeitpunkt sehen, sondern auch WIE sein Gegenüber abtreten wird.

Da ich dem Buch von Anfang an sehr nüchtern und mit wenigen Erwartungen begegnet bin, war ich sehr überrascht dass es sich als so spannend entpuppte. Im Gegenteil zu seinem Vorgänger "Numbers...more Rezension:
Adam ist der Sohn von Jem und Spinne. Er hat die Gabe (oder den Fluch), das Todesdatum in den Augen seines Gegenübers zu erkennen, von seiner Mutter geerbt. Doch Adams Fähigkeit geht noch darüber hinaus. Denn er kann nicht nur den Todeszeitpunkt sehen, sondern auch WIE sein Gegenüber abtreten wird.

Da ich dem Buch von Anfang an sehr nüchtern und mit wenigen Erwartungen begegnet bin, war ich sehr überrascht dass es sich als so spannend entpuppte. Im Gegenteil zu seinem Vorgänger "Numbers - den Tod im Blick", das mir gar nicht gefallen hat, hat mich die Fortsetzung buchstäblich umgehauen.
Die Hauptpersonen Adam und Sarah teilen das gleiche Schicksal. Auch Sarah kann zukünftige Ereignisse vorhersehen und so sieht sie auch Adams Zukunft und die ihres Babys. Beide wissen dass am 01.01.2028 eine Katastrophe stattfinden wird. Aber Sarah weiß noch mehr: Adam ist der Junge der ihr jede Nacht in ihrem Alptraum begegnet und ihr Baby in einer Feuerwand trägt. Trotzdem fühlen sich die Beiden von ihrer ersten Begegnung an zueinander hingezogen, doch Adam versteht nicht warum Sarah ihn zu hassen scheint.
Obwohl Adam weiß dass er die bevorstehende Katastrophe nicht abwenden kann, versucht er dennoch so viele Menschen wie möglich zu warnen und zur Flucht aus London zu überreden. Ein Wettlauf gegen die Zeit beginnt.
Das Buch ist deutlich abwechslungsreicher geschrieben als sein Vorgänger und der Spannungsbogen wird fast permanent aufrecht erhalten. Außerdem macht der Wechsel zwischen den Perspektiven von Adam und Sarah die Geschichte interessanter und spannender.
Auch die Protagonisten im Buch finde ich sehr gelungen und ihre Charakterzüge zeichnen sich deutlich in ihren Entscheidungen ab. Da hätten wir Sarah, die verwirrt ist von ihren Gefühlen für Adam und sich einerseits zu ihm hingezogen fühlt und andererseits Angst vor ihm hat. Während sie versucht ihr Kind vor ihm zu schützen und die Welt auf die nahende Katastrophe aufmerksam zu machen, kann Adam nicht verstehen warum Sarah ihn so abstoßend findet. Verzweifelt versucht er so viele Menschen wie möglich zur Flucht aus London zu überreden und überlegt ob sich Todesdaten auch ändern können. Ob er sie ändern kann.
Im Kern der Geschichte steht der Wunsch der Beiden nach Freiheit und Respekt. Sie versuchen die Welt zu verändern und zu bewirken dass man auf sie hört. Dass man sie ernst nimmt und dass man aufhört sie herumzuschubsen und endlich als freie Menschen akzeptiert.

Sprachstil:
Insgesamt hat sich die Sprache zum vorherigen Buch sehr verbessert. Die Geschichte lässt sich gut und flüssig lesen und das Sprachniveau ist auf jeden Fall höher als beim Vorgänger. Durch den Perspektivwechsel zwischen Adam und Sarah wird die Geschichte für den Leser interessanter da er sie von zwei Sichtweisen aus betrachten kann. Besonders toll ist dass sich das Buch, sowohl für Jungen als auch Mädchen, super gut zum Lesen eignet.

Fazit:
Eine tolle Geschichte, mit interessanten Protagonisten und gut ausgearbeiteter Hintergrundgeschichte. Außerdem eine fabelhafte Umsetzung der Idee Todesdaten zu sehen und eine enorme Steigerung zum ersten Teil. Weiter so!(less)

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Jan 20, 2013 Amy Y. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-2013

The Chaos by Rachel Ward is sequel to another book I've read called Numbers. Where I left off from the book Numbers, Jem, the protagonist, gives birth to a baby boy named Adam. Adam had inherited Jem's supernatural gift; reading the dates of people's death in their eyes. Now, Adam, a teenager, realized that every person he had looked at through their eyes, all have the same number of 2025. Horrified, Adam immediately realized that everyone is going to die in the year of 2025. Now, Adam must do w...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Steph S rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This quarter I read the book The Chaos, a sequel to the book Num8ers by Rachel Ward. This is one of the more exciting books I've read, it provided imagery of what is going on, which you think would be hard because it’s placed in the future. According to the book not much has changed for the year 2027, other than a major life threatening event to London.

The characters in this book are very similar to the ones in the first book, stubborn, caring, helpful, and always fighting for what they believe...more This quarter I read the book The Chaos, a sequel to the book Num8ers by Rachel Ward. This is one of the more exciting books I've read, it provided imagery of what is going on, which you think would be hard because it’s placed in the future. According to the book not much has changed for the year 2027, other than a major life threatening event to London.

The characters in this book are very similar to the ones in the first book, stubborn, caring, helpful, and always fighting for what they believe in. This book shows the life of the son Adam that was born in the first book and carried on the tradition of being able to see people’s death dates when they look into their eyes. This lead to many adventures and difficulties when he met the love of his life Sarah, who happens to be afraid of him. Every book has a point where you get hooked on the story, the moment that was revealed I knew I had to read this book.

The conflict that happened during this book was always there, while reading the story you knew parts of it, but you just didn't know what was going to happen before, after, or how. Sarah, has a nightmare of what is going to happen for months, and when it finally comes true, it’s frightening because it’s something no one would ever suspect. It's the moment in the novel where everything twists and leaves you wondering.

It’s hard to define the specific type of genre this book falls under, it’s fiction, but most of the books could come true. It's highly unlikely to find a person who can tell you the day you are going to die and how. With the rest of the story you really can't tell since it's placed in the future. When people go to the hospital they are chipped with a GPS tracking device. When you really think about it, it's scary, the government knows when and where you are exactly, but at the same time it's a smart idea, it would help bring crime rates down. I guess we'll have to see what 2013 brings before we start to worry about the future.

Overall, I would give this book 5 stars. It was an exciting book that I enjoyed, it made you jump out of your seat at times saying “What just happened?!” because it is full of twists and surprises. The way the Ward writes is in a way that always captures your attention. She uses a lot of descriptive language that paint an image in your mind of how things look and the feelings that you get from them. That's why I like this book so much, it's like a movie scrolling through your mind and you never ever want to hit the pause button.(less)

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Nov 19, 2012 Cam T added it · review of another edition

I would recommend the book The Chaos by Rachel Ward to a friend because of it’s rich plot, suspense, and variety of conflicts. Throughout The Chaos there are multiple conflicts. One is the overall conflict; the one Adam can see coming on the date of 01012027. He knows it will strike London so he decides to warn people of the upcoming danger. “The first of January. Save yourselves, your families! Get out of London!”(Pg. 250) Hoping to help people, Adam is arrested for breaking a law in the terror...more I would recommend the book The Chaos by Rachel Ward to a friend because of it’s rich plot, suspense, and variety of conflicts. Throughout The Chaos there are multiple conflicts. One is the overall conflict; the one Adam can see coming on the date of 01012027. He knows it will strike London so he decides to warn people of the upcoming danger. “The first of January. Save yourselves, your families! Get out of London!”(Pg. 250) Hoping to help people, Adam is arrested for breaking a law in the terrorism act of 2018. He is accused of murder and creating conspiracies to spread terror. He is then thrown into jail one day before the chaos will hit. Meanwhile, his friend Sarah, is facing another struggle. After having her newborn baby Mia treated at a local hospital, children’s protection services visit her at a friends house where she is staying. They soon find out the friend is on drugs and, even though Sarah is not using them, they take Mia. “She’s gone. They took Mia, she’s gone.”(Pg. 239)

Another reason I would recommend this book to a firend is because of the plot twist in the end of the story. Even Information from Book 1 leads you on to believe on event. “Why? Why did she die Sarah? Why did her number change?”(Pg. 335) Suspense is a tool the author uses quite frequently and effectively, and my third reason for this book’s recommendation. A good example of when the author uses suspense is when Sarah falls asleep and Adam investigates the crying upstairs. “The baby’s face is red from crying, her eyelashes wet from tears…she opens her eyes. I gasp. No. Oh god please, no. Like a bullet to my brain, her number shoots through me. 01012027.”(Pg. 162)

Some readers may think there is too much violence in this story. It is a strong argument, but ask yourself, is it really the same story without it. The whole story revolves around catastrophe, death, that is what the numbers represent.ss As you can see, there are many reasons why I chose to recommend The Chaos to a friend. It is a brilliant read and I’m positive that any suspense and action loving reader would think the same about this amazing book.
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Nov 18, 2012 Tyler A rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tyler Armstrong
D Block
November 18, 2012
Book Review of The Chaos

The book I read was The Chaos by Rachel Ward. I would recommend this book to a friend because it has a great plot line and interesting characterization.
The first reason as to why I would recommend this book is that both main characters are in bad and very serious situations with their lives. This makes the book extremely interesting and makes the reader want to read more. One of the main characters, Adam, is sixteen years old and...more Tyler Armstrong
D Block
November 18, 2012
Book Review of The Chaos

The book I read was The Chaos by Rachel Ward. I would recommend this book to a friend because it has a great plot line and interesting characterization.
The first reason as to why I would recommend this book is that both main characters are in bad and very serious situations with their lives. This makes the book extremely interesting and makes the reader want to read more. One of the main characters, Adam, is sixteen years old and lives with his grandmother. He is always getting into trouble. One day he was involved in a fight and the fight got really bad and then there was an explosion. Adam fled the scene with severe burns to the face. A few weeks later the police came to Adam’s door, “Son, we have a warrant for your arrest for the murder of Junior Driscoll on the sixth of December 2026.”(265) Junior was one of the kids in the fight with Adam, not knowing Adam had fled the scene and Junior had been killed. On the other hand, Sarah, the second main character has her own fair share of trouble. Sarah is the same age as Adam and is pregnant. Afraid of her parent’s thoughts, she runs away. When she has the baby she has nowhere to live so she lives with a drug dealer who brought her in off the streets. Because of these harsh conditions, the baby is taken away from her by Child Services. In her outrage, Sarah attacks the officer who took the baby away. As a result, she is taken down to the station and, “charged with assault, yay.”(252) So as you see these two may seem like delinquents and bad role models. However, I believe it allows the reader to connect with the characters better. It also enhances the book and makes for an interesting read.
The second reason as to why I would recommend this book is that it has a lot of strong and meaningful language. Throughout the whole book there is a lot of profanity used. I am not going to say any of it because let’s face it; I would be saying “expletive” a lot. Some people would say that the absurd amount of profanity makes the main characters look like bad role models therefore blaming the author for poor characterization. I say that the profanity is a good thing because it allows the reader to see the true personality of the characters and shows an example of what not to be like because of all the bad and serious situations the characters are in. The profanity allows you to feel what they’re feeling and honestly I kind of did. Overall, I think a lot of people just take profanity for a bad thing right from the start. What they don’t realize is how the language makes the book better. Besides all the profanity, there is also a lot of meaningful language. I can tell that the author has a very good sense of what it would actually feel like to be in situations like the characters in the book. As a result, I feel that readers can get a better knowledge of the novel.
The third reason as to why I would recommend this book is because there is a lot of action and there’s always something happening. In The Chaos, there are two narrators, Adam and Sarah. A lot of people would argue that the plot line is confusing because there are two narrators. Meanwhile, I say that the two narrators make this book what it is. I believe that because of the two narrators there is rarely a dull moment, and that is what young adult readers want. For instance, Adam could be breaking out of jail while Sarah is trying to save her newborn baby from disaster and they do all of this while the world is coming to an end around them. When the two characters personalities’ clash, I feel those moments are the best in the whole book. If you’re looking for an action packed thriller with a futuristic outlook, then you have it with this book.
As you have now learned, this book could be very offensive to some. However, I say that all of the critics of this book should put themselves in the shoes of a young adult reader who is looking for an exciting book that they can relate to because of age, and then tell me what you think of The Chaos.

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Oct 04, 2012 Chris Kervina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-books, quick-reads, science-fiction

I read Numbers at the end of 2010, and I have no idea why it took me so long to read the sequel.

Rachel Ward's second book delves into the life of Adam, who has inherited his mother's "gift." Like Jem in Numbers, Adam can see the date someone is going to die when looks that person in the eye. When he sees the numbers, Adam can tell the circumstances and emotions swirling around someone's final moments. Also, like his mother, Adam has started to notice more people with the same death date.

At scho...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Thevioletmaniac rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-reviews

Я могу час рассказывать о том, как мне не нравится первая часть этой трилогии, могу указать десяток причин и могу исписать много страниц возмущением насчет того, почему эта история так нравится людям, ведь это же не литература, а так «побаловался в ящик стола». О чем первая книга? О том, как девушка встречает парня, испытывает к нему неприязнь, которая вскоре перерастает в любовь-морковь и шуры-муры и все это на фоне побега, преследования и уникального дара видеть даты смерти людей. О чем вторая...more Я могу час рассказывать о том, как мне не нравится первая часть этой трилогии, могу указать десяток причин и могу исписать много страниц возмущением насчет того, почему эта история так нравится людям, ведь это же не литература, а так «побаловался в ящик стола». О чем первая книга? О том, как девушка встречает парня, испытывает к нему неприязнь, которая вскоре перерастает в любовь-морковь и шуры-муры и все это на фоне побега, преследования и уникального дара видеть даты смерти людей. О чем вторая книга? Да о том же ж ведь. Только парень другой, девушка другая да немного модифицированный дар видеть числа. Вот он минус многих многокнижных истории, которые я встречала раньше – последующие книги постоянно норовят повторить сюжет первой. Эту книгу сложно назвать гениальной – читается она легко, написана обычным языком без каких-либо эпитетов, но, мне кажется, язык Уорд стал лучше, эта книга немного лучше первой, интереснее, я на какой-то момент даже сопереживала героям. Читала и кричала в мыслях: идиоты, да хватит вести себя так уже, разберитесь, поговорите нормально друг с другом и валите уже из этого чертового Лондона. Но нет, они не разбирались, не говорили нормально и не валили из этого чертового Лондона. Я считаю, когда читаешь книгу и у тебя появляются какие-либо эмоции к героям – то книга сама по себе уже чего-то стоит. Поэтому я попытаюсь закрыть глаза на первую часть и буду надеяться, что третья превзойдет все мои печальные ожидания.

4/5
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Aug 20, 2012 Esme rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia-apocalypse

Wenn der sechzehnjährige Adam einem anderen Menschen in die Augen blickt, sieht er eine Zahl – dessen Todesdatum. Seit einiger Zeit sieht er immer wieder die Zahl 01012028. An diesem Tag wird in London etwas Schreckliches passieren und viele Menschen werden sterben. Aber wie kann er sie warnen? Sarah, ebenfalls 16 Jahre alt, wurde jahrelang von ihrem Vater sexuell missbraucht. Seitdem sie schwanger ist, hat sie einen immer wiederkehrenden Traum, in dem ein Junge ihre Tochter fortnimmt und mit ih...more Wenn der sechzehnjährige Adam einem anderen Menschen in die Augen blickt, sieht er eine Zahl – dessen Todesdatum. Seit einiger Zeit sieht er immer wieder die Zahl 01012028. An diesem Tag wird in London etwas Schreckliches passieren und viele Menschen werden sterben. Aber wie kann er sie warnen? Sarah, ebenfalls 16 Jahre alt, wurde jahrelang von ihrem Vater sexuell missbraucht. Seitdem sie schwanger ist, hat sie einen immer wiederkehrenden Traum, in dem ein Junge ihre Tochter fortnimmt und mit ihr in die Flammen geht. Das Datum dieses Ereignisses kennt sie auch, es ist der 1. Januar 2028.

The Chaos (Den Tod vor Augen) ist der zweite Teil von Rachel Wards Numbers-Trilogie, kann aber als eigenständiges Buch gelesen werden. Der Roman ist von Anfang an spannend und lässt darin bis zum Schluss nie nach. Die Geschichte wird von Adam und Sarah abwechselnd aus der Ich-Perspektive erzählt.

Wir befinden uns im Jahr 2027; Kriege, mangelnde Wasserversorgung und Überflutungen sind an der Tagesordnung. Die Menschen werden mit einem Mikrochip versehen und können so an jedem Ort aufgespürt werden. Ansonsten hält sich der technologische Fortschritt im Rahmen, es artet nicht in Science Fiction aus. Auch die Gabe von Adam wirkt nicht so seltsam, man akzeptiert sie als Leser genauso wie Adam es tun muss. Natürlich kommt er nicht so gut damit zurecht und das versteht die Autorin ganz gut zu vermitteln. Adams Wut ist nur verständlich und trotzdem ist es manchmal schwierig, diese Unberechenbarkeit zu verstehen. Dass er sich mit seiner Oma nicht versteht, fand ich schade, die ist nämlich nett. Auch Sarah ist ein wunderbar gezeichneter Charakter.

Bei Adams Gabe und dem schrecklichen, bevorstehenden Ereignis denkt man vielleicht auch an den Tag des Jüngsten Gerichts und Propheten. "Du hast Recht, du bist wirklich nicht Jesus - Jesus hätte seine Oma nie so angepöbelt." Hat mir gefallen, dass dies hier etwas flapsig und eher beiläufig behandelt wurde. Dass sie es nicht schaffen, London zu verlassen und dass immer wieder etwas dazwischenkommt, um sie zwangsläufig auf die von Anfang an vorhergesagte Katastrophe zuzutreiben, wirkt manchmal zu zufällig und konstruiert. Aber auch das tut der Spannung überhaupt keinen Abbruch. Das Thema, ob es ein vorherbestimmtes Schicksal gibt oder ob es sich ändern lässt, durchzieht den ganzen Roman.(less)

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Aug 11, 2012 Charlotte Phillips rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was certainly better, in my opinion anyway, than the first book in the series because it seemed to have a lot more in the way of a plot and a story. The idea that you can see when someone is going to die is still a very mysterious and scary thing because it challenges you to think about the way in which you would have to live were this something you had to deal with. Adam is a smart but troubled kid and considering his mum was Jem and his dad spider, its not hard to tell. But you can see th...more This was certainly better, in my opinion anyway, than the first book in the series because it seemed to have a lot more in the way of a plot and a story. The idea that you can see when someone is going to die is still a very mysterious and scary thing because it challenges you to think about the way in which you would have to live were this something you had to deal with. Adam is a smart but troubled kid and considering his mum was Jem and his dad spider, its not hard to tell. But you can see the characteristics of both his parents in his personality and the things that he does. It was nice to see that Val was in this story still as she seemed to be the super nan that we all dream of having. Cool when you need her to be cool and strict when she needs to be strict. The characters were clearly thought about a lot more within this novel which of course makes it that much more stronger. you can see the finer definition of them, of there traits and there personalities and this meant that you were able to identify with them more as well. Sarah, was a nice twist on the scene, but you dont really get to understand her family lifestyle persay, but that was not a disadvantage. Sarah in many ways is complex and complicated like Adam, but when you see what it is that her father does to her you can begin to understand why.

I like the fact that the book is based in london as this really meant that I was able to visibly imagine it a lot more, what with coming from and being around the london area myself. The book started of as something very mysterious from the bebginning because it is obvious that something large is going to occur but that no one knows what it is yet or how it comes to be. More characters are pulled into the plot this time, in that they are actually seen to try and work out what is occuring. I like the fact that there was a lot of mixed messages going on but at the same time it was a little cliche. When I read about adam being the one taking the baby away from sarah and into a fire, I almost kind of guessed that he wasnt doing it to get rid of her but to instead save her, save them both for that matter. Perhaps this is merely for the sake though that you can see that he is caring and he wants to try and change the way of life that a lot of them are having to go through. you can see in his character persona that he actually wants to be able to prevent the deaths of many by trying to change what is going occur, or how it will occur.

I wouldnt say this is the novel of them all, the one that I would brag about to everyone I know because it did start to get a little tiresom in some places. It is positive though that this was much better than the first one in the series and was actually more enjoyable in that you could actually follow the story more. It didnt come across as something that had been rushed, but instead came over as a novel that had been cared for and bred in a timely manner so that it was at its best possible suitor. I do think that there were elements within it that could have been changed, but this is the same for most books, after all there is no such thing as a perfect novel. Therefore I am awarding the novel a four star rating, because it was moderately better than the first one and it had a lot more edge and style to it to make it something worth reading.(less)

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Dec 27, 2011 Maria Kramer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: african-american, disaster-apocalyptic, family, paranormal, romance, scifi

Adam has inherited his mother's ability to see "numbers" -- he sees the dates people will die when he looks into their eyes. When he and his grandmother move back to London, Adam knows immediately that something's about to go very wrong, very soon. Thousands of people have death dates within days of each other, most on the same day, New Year's Day 2027. Sarah has, as she puts it, a small problem that's becoming a big problem. She is pregnant, and her father is the cause. Also, she keeps having t...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

After enjoying Rachel Ward's Numbers last year, I was really excited to get back into the world that she had created. In the sequel, we are reintroduced to Adam, Jem's son that we briefly met in Numbers. The year is 2026, and Adam is living with the effects of his mother's curse... being able to see the date of a person's death. When Adam starts seeing a specific date over more than a few Londoners, Adam begins to suspect the worse. But can he stop it in time?

The Chaos has a completely different...more

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Jun 03, 2011 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction

After reading the first volume of this series, I didn't see how a sequel could possibly work. Luckily, the author proved me wrong. The story isn't so much about the idea of predicting the future as it is about the difficulties in figuring out what to do if you CAN see the future.
For instance, if you were absolutely, positively convinced that something was going to happen three days from now, who could you tell? Who would believe you? And how would you differentiate yourself from the crazies, the...more

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May 28, 2011 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the sequel to Numbers. I loved Numbers. This one, I just liked quite a bit. Of course, after loving the first one so much and having high expectations for this one, it would have to be pretty amazing to get 4 stars. Unfortunately, it just wasn't as good as the first.
Jem and Spider had a child, Adam, and now they are gone. Adam is living with Spider's mom, Val, and he can see death dates just like his mother. Now we have Sarah, a girl who has started seeing dreams of something really bad...more

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May 07, 2011 Eva Mitnick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, ya, dystopian

On the chilling last page of Numbers, we learn that Jem's baby has inherited her ability to look into someone's eyes and see the date they will die. In The Chaos, that baby is a troubled teen named Adam, and he has just moved to London, where he realizes something horrifying - an astounding number of people have the same death dates, clustered around the first few days of January 2027. Something truly horrible is going to kill thousands of Londoners in less than 6 months.

Sarah, a girl in Adam's...more

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Apr 26, 2011 drey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, sci-fi, ya

Rachel Ward's follow-up to The Numbers is just as captivating as its predecessor. The world that Adam and Sarah live in is stark and a bit depressing, honestly. There's poverty, food shortages, brown-outs, and flooding. As it is, the story starts out with Adam and his grandmother having to leave his mother's house as the floodwaters are swirling...

So they move to London, where Adam starts seeing the same number everywhere--January 1st, 2027. People in the streets, his classmates, whole groups of...more

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Mar 15, 2011 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 4 of 5 stars

Quick & Dirty: An emotional roller-coaster of fear and desperation, with a suspenseful plot that keeps you turning pages.

Opening Sentence: The knock on the door comes early in the morning, just as it’s getting light.

The Review:

Unfortunately for Adam, he learned at an early age just what the “numbers” mean. Adam has inherited his mother’s curse. He can tell when someone’s going to die by just making eye contact. After moving from the country to London, Adam realizes that something is terribly...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Rachael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Adam is just like his mother Jem. He can see the numbers when he looks into a person’s eyes, signifying the day of their death. It’s a curse, something he’s never wanted, but something he has to live with nonetheless. When the rising tides flood the coast, Adam and his Nan are forced to go to London. Even before they reach the city, Adam makes a very eerie discovery: lots of people are going to die in January of 2027. Adam doesn’t know what to do about it; he’s never actively tried to go against...more Adam is just like his mother Jem. He can see the numbers when he looks into a person’s eyes, signifying the day of their death. It’s a curse, something he’s never wanted, but something he has to live with nonetheless. When the rising tides flood the coast, Adam and his Nan are forced to go to London. Even before they reach the city, Adam makes a very eerie discovery: lots of people are going to die in January of 2027. Adam doesn’t know what to do about it; he’s never actively tried to go against the numbers before. There’s no doubt that there’s going to be a catastrophe. The real question is if anything can be done about it.

I was a huge fan of Ward’s debut Numbers, but I wasn’t actually aware that there was going to be a sequel until recently. I was very excited for this follow-up, and thankfully, Ward does a very good job. This story is really made up of two separate narratives that eventually intertwine, so it seems unfair that I didn’t include Sarah’s side of the story in my summary, but while Sarah is very vital to the overall plot, I felt that Adam’s story was a smidge more dominant. I quite enjoyed how the point of view alternated between Adam and Sarah, because it helped provide insight into each of their minds as well as help develop their relationship. As in Numbers, Ward deals with several difficult social issues in addition to delivering a both romantic and action-packed plot. The Chaos touches on problems from rape to intrusive governmental power, but I felt that this combined with the dismal futuristic world Ward has envisioned was more for mood and effect than to make a statement. I do not think that Adam and Sarah’s story is nearly as powerful as Jem’s was in Numbers, but I still believe that The Chaos is a worthwhile read that will make readers think.

Readers who liked Numbers by Rachel Ward will want to check out its sequel, as will fans of Sight by Adrienne Maria Vrettos.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Samrat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Samrat by: Raina

Shelves: dystopia, europe, fiction, magical-realism, mystery-thriller, ya

I liked it. I dunno. Fun read, not too deep. I didn't take any notes.

I wish she'd done the Nelson storyline with a little more care. Like, there's overlap, of course, but I would never assume someone who can run (view spoiler). The Adam/Sarah viewpoints were neato. I liked seeing the same scenes...more I liked it. I dunno. Fun read, not too deep. I didn't take any notes.

I wish she'd done the Nelson storyline with a little more care. Like, there's overlap, of course, but I would never assume someone who can run (view spoiler). The Adam/Sarah viewpoints were neato. I liked seeing the same scenes through both of their eyes. I thought they were well enmeshed.

There was still a pretty cool class/race commentary going on and I thought it was especially important the way they addressed (view spoiler) and an interesting way to explore the concept of "safe" and "unsafe" homes and the classist and racist assumptions these are rooted in. Ward's writing seems to me solidly anti-authoritarian.

I did feel more detached jumping perspectives so often. I think it's a bit boring the way the dude's always saving her, like, she should maybe get to be the hero of her own story more often, but whatevs, it wasn't too grating. Like, she got to be strong (view spoiler). Let me know if you're reading that one differently. (Also, I think "retard" was just Jem's word and isn't something that the author felt needed bringing back in this one, so yay!) Aaaaannnndd I wish we got to see more of the disaster and I'm not sure I'm as into the concept of the third. (view spoiler) But I think Ward is an engaging, talented, emotionally-affective writer and I look forward to reentering the world she's created anyways.
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Apr 20, 2011 Kimberly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At the end of Numbers we learn that Adam the son of Jem and Spider has inherited his moms ability to see the "numbers" and has foreseen his mothers death.
In the beginning of book 2 it is 2026 Adam is now 15. He lives in Weston with his nan Val who has been his guardian since his mom passed away 7 years earlier.
Evacuated from home the two return to London, where like his mom Adam encounters trouble at every turn. He can not only see peoples deaths but he can feel how each person he meets will d...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Reeva rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Contains Spoliers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Even more heartbreaking then the first book. I felt awful about Adam getting burned. Why did that have to happen? Now he is all scarred up and gross looking!! Wtf? Of course Sarah loves him anyway, which I think is very, very cute. I was glad that the baby got to live in the end, but why did Val have to die?? That damn bastard freak of a father should of had a worse death and gave Mia all his life. That part of the book just made me physically sick. I felt...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Onyx rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Like Numbers, the characterization is excellent, but for me... the scenery and events lacked visual details.

It is 2026. Jem died of cancer leaving her teen son, Adam, to be raised by Nan. He has inherited his mother's gift of numbers, which she lost during pregnancy. When he looks into someone's eyes he sees the date of their death. He also experiences visual flashes and traumatic emotions. He journals the details including names, dates, places and circumstances. He hopes this exercise will reli...more Like Numbers, the characterization is excellent, but for me... the scenery and events lacked visual details.

It is 2026. Jem died of cancer leaving her teen son, Adam, to be raised by Nan. He has inherited his mother's gift of numbers, which she lost during pregnancy. When he looks into someone's eyes he sees the date of their death. He also experiences visual flashes and traumatic emotions. He journals the details including names, dates, places and circumstances. He hopes this exercise will relieve his anxieties, but it does little to soothe him. Similar to Jem, Adam is unable to see his own number. This is a constant stress for him, since he is continually haunted by death. His anger issues are understandable. His personality can best be described as 'defiant'.
He and his great grandmother are forced to flee their coastal home due to flooding. On the train to London he realizes many passengers have the same number, 1/1/2027.
Fifteen year old Sarah enters the story. As her father drops her off at school, he reprimands her for being a truant troublemaker. He drives off in their posh, gas guzzling car. Sarah's introduction to Adam (her classmate), who she perceives as the devil, is quite dramatic. Apparently she's had recurring nightmares about Adam, whom appears to be incinerating her baby. My first thought was 'Don't have a baby ? '.
Adam loves his Nam, but they have a strained relationship. He is angry and resentful and misses his mother. Adam learned to keep his ability secret after he unknowingly blurted out his mother's numbers as a child. He vowed not to share anyone's date and hid his gift from everyone including his great grandmother. Nan informs Adam she knows about the numbers. She gives him a letter, left by his mother, which reads “London isn't safe. 01/01/2027.” “Don't go to London”. Angry that she has brought him to London, he has a temper tantrum and takes off. Nan reports him missing. It doesn't take long for the police to find him. They microchip him and return him home
This is the future of 'Big Brother', where everyone is micro-chipped like dogs. The invasive government portrayed in this novel feels very realistic and frightening. Everyone at Adam's school is given a palm net, similar to a tablet with apps. It would be awesome if books were installed on a portable device and heavy text books no longer had to be lugged about. Unfortunately the palm devices serve the ulterior purpose of tracking everyone. There are also Mp5 players (lol). There is no mention of a reliable alternative energy source. The electricity in London powers off several hours during the evenings. There are still no flying cars...
It is soon revealed that Sarah's baby has already been conceived, and it wasn't a moment of teenage passion. She was raped by her own father. She is starting to show and plans to run away. As Sarah observes Adam from afar, she realizes he is hot ('beautiful' was the specific wording used in the book), and convinces herself he is not her hideously scarred nightmare boy. Before she begins her journey she shares a 'moment' with Adam during art class.
After meeting some seedy people, Sarah is introduced to Vinny (a nice drug addict... yes they do exist). He invites her to live at his squat. She worries he has an ulterior motive, but he is simply empathic to her situation because his own sister died from a botched abortion.
Concerned by her absence from school, Adam visits Sarah's home. He soon discovers her father is a sleazy, mental, nutcase who admits Sarah has left home.
Adam has ongoing issues with Junior, a bully from school. Junior and his pals swipe his book. He ends up in the office where school faculty demands the book. Adam grabs the book and makes a break for it. The book is protected but he is suspended for six weeks giving him an abundance of free time.
Sarah gives birth to Mia on her own in a bathroom. The delivery could have been a little more drawn out, more exciting, more realistic...
Eventually Adam gets the face of Sarah's nightmare. The details were a bit vague. He has a fight with Junior. Adam falls on a fire, and burns up half his face. Junior either falls on the knife or the guy trying to end the fight accidentally stab hims... Nevertheless a sharp object is involved and Junior dies, just as Adam predicted he would.
Nan seemed a bit selfish relocating them to London, but she soon announces she believes Adam has a purpose in London as a prophet. Adam is inspired to prevent the events of 1/1/2027. Norman, his buddy from school, shows him a website where someone has painted a mural with their depiction of what will happen on this day. Adam travels to the mural and discovers Sarah is the artist. After giving him a nice gash on his head, she reluctantly invites him inside. He reveals his gift for numbers. He meets Mia. Her date is 1/1/2027.
Sarah was forced to take Mia to the hospital when she developed an infection at the site of the umbilical cord. She was abruptly micro-chipped. Sarah used a false name at the hospital, but this does little to prevent them from locating her. Cameras tracking microchips are placed everywhere. The social worker is not impressed by their living conditions and threatens to return at a later date. After she sees Vinny and his pals geared up to do a batch of drugs, Vinny is arrested and Mia is taken away.
With nowhere left to go, Sarah ends up at Nan's house. Adam is subsequently arrested for Junior's death. He left behind too many suspicious appearing records of Junior's death date on his dad's laptop, his palm net, etc...
On 1/1/2027 Adam is enroute to a different facility. Desperate to protect Sarah and save Mia, he attempts to escape. He slugs his guard. Suddenly London is struck by the 'disaster', ripping the van off the road. The aftermath of the disaster was painted well, but I am unclear on the exact cause. As the pace of the book sped up, so did my reading, so I may have missed something... I assumed it was the shifting of tectonic plates (a possibility mentioned earlier) Earthquakes led to flooding and fires. The mention of rockets was a bit confusing, but I ascertained those were part of the New Years celebration and not bombs.
Everything is chaos. The entire city has literally been torn apart. The guards from the van are dead and there is no one to heed Adam's escape. He manages to reach Nan's house only to discover it has been flattened. A neighbor informs him Nan and Sarah left the house alive. Using deductive reasoning he figures Mia is at her grandparents so he heads there. Everything happens the way Sarah visualized it in her dreams except Mia makes it out of the burning house alive. When Adam looks into her eyes he realizes her numbers have changed to Nan's, 2/20/2054. Nan's body isn't discovered, but she is apparantly dead since her number has been 'stolen'.
There is a short preview for the next story. I am unsure about the premise. Sarah appears manically happy that Mia can have anyone's number and could potentially live 'forever'... I got a sort of Rosemary's Baby, Damien the Omen vibe lol. Is she going to age or become immortal like Dr. Who's Captain Jack or the Face of Boe ? Hopefully it will make sense. I will miss Nan's character. (less)

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Jan 05, 2013 Elissa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you are a reader that likes action, suspision, and mystery all equally balanced, The Chaos, by Rachel Ward, would be my recommendation for you.

This book is about a boy, Adam, who sees the date of death when he looks into someone's eyes. He doesn't realize this until he sees his mom, Jem's number. In order to see the number, all he has to do is look into their eyes; he not only sees them but he feels how they are going to die.

This could be considered a gift, to others it may seem as a curse....more

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Aug 22, 2012 Estíbaliz Martín rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Jem ha tenido un hijo, Adam. Adam también ve números. Y ve algo más. Ve como morirán. Algo que su madre no podía hacer. Y conoce a Sarah, una chica que tiene pesadillas con él, desde hace un año. Antes de conocerle.

Adam comienza a ver a muchas personas con una fecha de muerte. Enero de 2027. Ya sea el uno, el dos ó el tres, casi todo Londres puede morir en esa fecha. Y Adam sabe que algo terrible va a ocurrir.

Llevo esperando por Numbers 2 como cinco largos meses desde que me terminé Numbers. Y n...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Gab rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Intense, gripping, slightly disturbing and completely unique: Chaos was a good read.

Some people see the eyes, the face, the body or the hair first. The first thing that Adam notices when he sees someone is the death date written in his eyes. His mother was the same way, and he learned from her never to tell a soul. However there are plenty of souls to tell- Nan, his mysterious new friend Sarah and the hordes of people who all have the same death day throughout London.

The concept is as creepy a...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Carrissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Alert: This review may contain spoilers.

Although my review for Num8ers was not great, I was creeped out enough by the ending that I wanted to at least try the second book. I was pleasantly surprised with The Chaos. It didn’t seem to have the same predictability I was expecting, and it also brought forth a much better plot, in my opinion.

We meet Adam, Jem’s son. Adam possesses the same “gift” of seeing death dates as his mother, with one exception: he also “feels” the way people die. For example,...more Alert: This review may contain spoilers.

Although my review for Num8ers was not great, I was creeped out enough by the ending that I wanted to at least try the second book. I was pleasantly surprised with The Chaos. It didn’t seem to have the same predictability I was expecting, and it also brought forth a much better plot, in my opinion.

We meet Adam, Jem’s son. Adam possesses the same “gift” of seeing death dates as his mother, with one exception: he also “feels” the way people die. For example, if he looks at someone who was stabbed to death, he will not only see the date they die, he will also know the exact circumstances of their death, as if it were also happening to him. Creepy right?

Also, the plot was not as predictable, as I said previously, because the reader knows from the beginning that Adam has seen and “felt” several death dates that occur on the same day. When I say several, I am grossly underexaggerating. Try catastrophic. Life-changing. You get the idea. So the “surprise” element isn’t that something was going to happen, as it was supposed to be in the first book. It was the fact that Adam spends much of the book trying to determine what the event is, and tries to prevent it. This idea was much more properly carried out because you really get anxious waiting for the actual event.

Simultaneously, there is Sarah, the other main character. The book alternates between Adam and Sarah’s viewpoints, with Sarah’s story being equally as creepy. Sarah dreams every night since the conception of her child (I won’t get into how she is with child, as I don’t want to give EVERYTHING away) of nothing but flames, her daughter, and an unidentified, heavily scarred, and very frightening man. No explanation for it really, but it gives you that creep factor again.

Upon Adam’s and Sarah’s initial meeting, you learn that Adam is the man in Sarah’s dream, and though she is terrified of him, through a series of events, they come to work together to save the city from this catastrophic event that Adam knows is going to happen and Sarah dreams of nightly.

The plot is much more engrossing due to the simultaneous tellings of both characters’ stories and how they come together. The only negative thing I have to say about the novel is that I disliked the ending. I realize now that the intention was not to end with this book, but to continue the story in a new book, yet I am still disappointed in it. This is mostly because a character that I had come to love dearly in both the first book and this one doesn’t make it out of this book alive. Because of this, there is a small plot twist that is happy for the characters, and disappointing for me.

Feel free to visit my blog for more reviews at http://littleredreadinghoodblog.wordp...!(less)

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Mar 15, 2013 MissTaylorSwift *fear doesn't shut you down it wakes you up~ Four rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, awesome-couples, liked, loved

so, in the whole I found this book better than the last one because well I guess the storyline was better and the characters were too, in my opinion. I found myself liking Sarah and Adam far more than Jem and Spider. however I didn't like the announcement of the first couple of pages as it was just like casual. if you don't know what I'm talking about I shall now explain. in the first page it just randomly casually in one sentence tells you that Jems dead and its like
'Whoa wait a minute a main...more so, in the whole I found this book better than the last one because well I guess the storyline was better and the characters were too, in my opinion. I found myself liking Sarah and Adam far more than Jem and Spider. however I didn't like the announcement of the first couple of pages as it was just like casual. if you don't know what I'm talking about I shall now explain. in the first page it just randomly casually in one sentence tells you that Jems dead and its like
'Whoa wait a minute a main character is dead and we don't even get a proper announcement? just a one liner no grieving or nothing?'

anyway apart from that it was good. I much preferred the storyline of this one to the storyline of the last one because the last one was just running away where's this one was a much better planned out disaster and the author most definitely played with the concept ( of the numbers) a lot more in this book especially at the ending. which I enjoyed as it was interesting and thought provoking. I also preferred the characters in this one especially Sarah. you see, to me jem in the last one was a little big whiny at times and there really wasn't much character development at all I felt like I finished the first book and still didn't really know jem or who she was or what she stood for. I thought her background and journey was very well thought out and was far more heat wrenching and interesting to me than jems ever was.

however this book to me does seem like a different book to the first one like rather than a sequel just a book by the same author. as really is different scenery different characters ( except for Val) and different situation. But, although this irritated me a little I can't help but think that maybe that was the thing that the author was going for, like an the books are similar and the thing that links them are the numbers rather than the characters or situations. maybe that pays tribute more top the title of the series??

anyway, in my opinion in it is a decent book. not out of this world not boring as hell, better than the second one. I will definitely be reading the third one as I am intrigued( plus I already own it as it was a gift!)(less)

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Nov 18, 2012 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read Chaos,a science fiction novel and the second book in the Numbers trilogy, by Rachel Ward for the banned book project. I would recommend this book because I got really caught up in the story. Especially towards the end of the book, I could not stop reading. “Looking out of the closet door is like looking into a furnace. It’s madness out there. I should turn my back on it, put my arms around Sarah and Mia and hold them until the end. I should tell them that I love them, and close my eyes, a...more I read Chaos,a science fiction novel and the second book in the Numbers trilogy, by Rachel Ward for the banned book project. I would recommend this book because I got really caught up in the story. Especially towards the end of the book, I could not stop reading. “Looking out of the closet door is like looking into a furnace. It’s madness out there. I should turn my back on it, put my arms around Sarah and Mia and hold them until the end. I should tell them that I love them, and close my eyes, and keep them closed. They’ll find four bodies here” (321). These are Adam’s thoughts; he has a special gift where he can look into anyone’s eyes and see their death date. Sarah’s house is on fire and Adam came to save Mia and Sarah. The date is 01/01/2027, which is the date Adam has been predicting everyone will die. I really liked reading Chaos because you are hoping that the characters will survive so you don’t want to stop reading. I also liked it because everything is happening so fast and there’s never a dull moment.
Not only is it full of action but it also has realistic characters that you can relate to. Throughout the entire book, you can connect with every character at some point. “’I had a sister, few years ago,’ he says. ‘She got pregnant like you, left home. She asked for help, went to a doctor, but they turned her away. They turn everyone away now, don’t they? Unless there’s something wrong with the baby… so she got an abortion in some backstreet dive, died a few days afterwards. We never knew until the hospital rang us.’” (70). Sarah is pregnant and wants to know why Vinny is taking pity on her and helping her. I really feel bad for Vinny and feel that it is important to have that kind of connection with the character when you read a book. Although some people may say that you can’t connect with all the bad choices that Sarah and Adam make. But even though they do make bad choices, they aren’t bad people and inside they are scared. Also you can connect with some of the choices that they make or the feelings they have.
Lastly I would recommend Chaos because it is very suspenseful. “I guess that’s what really worries me about the twenty-sevens. There are so many of them, the chances are pretty high I’m one of them, too. There are hundreds at school. There are thirteen in my tutor group.” (22). “He’s done black for the first of January…Nelson points to an area with a massive black dot on it.” (133). “Like a bullet to my brain, her number shoots through me. 01/01/2027” (163). Throughout the book, they keep building up to January 1st, and the entire time 01/01/2027 gets more and more exciting. That way you want to keep reading instead of all the action being at one point.
Although I really enjoyed the book some people may disagree with my opinions. Some parents or concerned citizens may think that Chaos has too many swear words and is not appropriate for teenagers. However I believe that although you may not like all the swear words in the story, it adds realism to the teenagers in the book. Also young readers will hear a lot of the words as they grow up and throughout life so you cannot protect them forever. Also some people may say that this book has too many mature situations for young readers. But I think that just because there is drug use and sexual content, doesn’t mean that it will convince readers to go out, smoke drugs and get pregnant.
I can understand the points some people may give if they were not recommending the book, but I feel as though those points do not out weigh the positive points in the story. Therefore I still recommend this book to anyone who can see past its flaws.
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Feb 04, 2012 Raina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, green, high-school, not-amerika, sci-fi, urban, ya

I absolutely ate this book up. I read it in pretty much one sitting (with a break to view a giant tree fall in my front yard) during the winter storm this year.
More importantly, I read it after one of my library kids INSISTED I do so. I'd recommended Num8ers to him, and after he read it, he came back to me and pronounced that it was the best book he'd ever read*. After he read this, he said it was better than the first one.

Which makes sense in some ways. Ward is very smart here, in that she more...more

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Am I the Only One?	1	9	Mar 07, 2013 09:51am
Can't wait	8	48	Oct 20, 2012 10:52am

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The Chaos (Numbers #2)

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