What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bone World Trilogy #2
The Deserter
To save his tribe, the cannibal Stopmouth must abandon it. Leaving the stone-age world of the Surface behind, he travels to the Roof, the mysterious hi-tech world suspended above. But the Roof has its own problems. The nanotechnology that controls it is collapsing. And now a rebellion against the ruling Commission is about to erupt.
Hunted by the Commission's nano-enhanced agents, Stopmouth must succeed in a desperate hunt of his to find the woman he loves. Only she knows how to save his tribe. But in this super-sophisticated world, all he has to fight with are his raw strength and fierce courage.
Hunted by the Commission's nano-enhanced agents, Stopmouth must succeed in a desperate hunt of his to find the woman he loves. Only she knows how to save his tribe. But in this super-sophisticated world, all he has to fight with are his raw strength and fierce courage.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
17 people are currently reading
737 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 21, 2011
Going to the Roof to save his love
I became interested in this book when I researched new science fiction and fantasy releases for May and came across The Deserter book two of The Bone World Trilogy. The blurb sounded good and I like this kind of stories about segregated societies kept in the dark by technologically superior conspirators and how one of the deceived finally starts to learn the truth. I immediately bought The Inferior and you can read my review here. This is my review of the Deserter.
We left Stopmouth and Rockface alone with the refugees from the Roof and Indrani on a globe flying to the Roof at the end of The Inferior. Something happened on the Roof making them want Indrani back again.
On the Roof you can record every minuscule detail of every second of your life and many of its denizens do. Indrani is being hunted for something she saw. Some split second glance in her memory has a secret that changed their minds about saving her and made her a hunted woman. That technology reminds me of some of the life bloggers that carries a camera around in our own time. Not so far off then.
Down below it looks like the ones releasing new species gone one too far with the Diggers. They spread like wildfire planting their paralyzed live victims to feed their young ones, multiplying and multiplying.
Stopmouth has to leave for the Roof to find Indrani and weapons to fight the Diggers. But everything is not right on the Roof. The nanos that provides all their food and comforts are failing to a plague. The Upstairs has already failed, crowding the survivors into what is left. Indrani is in hiding and Stopmouth has to find her before it is too late. His people only have a few days before the Diggers reach them.
The Inferior took us on a journey of discovery on the bellow and The Deserter takes us on a similar journey through the Roof and Upstairs. I enjoy learning the world stories. Here we learn a lot about the people, politics, technology and a few things I wondered about in the Inferior like where the new species comes from. Stopmouth is having a rough time with massive culture chock and more people than he has ever seen before. But he also makes some new friends.
I found The Deserter less disturbing than The Inferior or maybe I got used to the cannibalism. There are some scary parts that might disturb younger kids though.
Some of the characters from the first book are back like Stopmouth, Rockface and Indrani but there are also a few new ones you will like. This is a character driven book and it shows in the quality of the characters. They are believable, well done and continues to grow throughout the story.
The governments Special Forces, the Elite are nano enhanced warriors with superhuman strength and speed. There is a thought provoking sub plot about a boy who would do anything to become one. His sacrifice in the end was very emotional.
This is about the follies of hunger for power and I think it will be to the liking of both young and adults. The Government of the Roof is despicable in my opinion feeding the struggles of the people below to entertain the masses. They withhold every eatable seed from the people below forcing them to eat each other to create conflict. It is a classic case of bread and circus but now the bread is failing and the circus is among them.
The Deserter is quite an enjoyable read with a lot of adventure, tense moments, revelations, action and love. I would really like to read more of Peadar Ó Guilín after this. His characters are just like I like them and the clash of primitives against technology is a favorite theme of mine. You might read The Inferior and The Deserter as a standalone duology but it is part of a trilogy. I have no idea when the last book will be out though I await it with high expectancy.
I became interested in this book when I researched new science fiction and fantasy releases for May and came across The Deserter book two of The Bone World Trilogy. The blurb sounded good and I like this kind of stories about segregated societies kept in the dark by technologically superior conspirators and how one of the deceived finally starts to learn the truth. I immediately bought The Inferior and you can read my review here. This is my review of the Deserter.
We left Stopmouth and Rockface alone with the refugees from the Roof and Indrani on a globe flying to the Roof at the end of The Inferior. Something happened on the Roof making them want Indrani back again.
On the Roof you can record every minuscule detail of every second of your life and many of its denizens do. Indrani is being hunted for something she saw. Some split second glance in her memory has a secret that changed their minds about saving her and made her a hunted woman. That technology reminds me of some of the life bloggers that carries a camera around in our own time. Not so far off then.
Down below it looks like the ones releasing new species gone one too far with the Diggers. They spread like wildfire planting their paralyzed live victims to feed their young ones, multiplying and multiplying.
Stopmouth has to leave for the Roof to find Indrani and weapons to fight the Diggers. But everything is not right on the Roof. The nanos that provides all their food and comforts are failing to a plague. The Upstairs has already failed, crowding the survivors into what is left. Indrani is in hiding and Stopmouth has to find her before it is too late. His people only have a few days before the Diggers reach them.
The Inferior took us on a journey of discovery on the bellow and The Deserter takes us on a similar journey through the Roof and Upstairs. I enjoy learning the world stories. Here we learn a lot about the people, politics, technology and a few things I wondered about in the Inferior like where the new species comes from. Stopmouth is having a rough time with massive culture chock and more people than he has ever seen before. But he also makes some new friends.
I found The Deserter less disturbing than The Inferior or maybe I got used to the cannibalism. There are some scary parts that might disturb younger kids though.
Some of the characters from the first book are back like Stopmouth, Rockface and Indrani but there are also a few new ones you will like. This is a character driven book and it shows in the quality of the characters. They are believable, well done and continues to grow throughout the story.
The governments Special Forces, the Elite are nano enhanced warriors with superhuman strength and speed. There is a thought provoking sub plot about a boy who would do anything to become one. His sacrifice in the end was very emotional.
This is about the follies of hunger for power and I think it will be to the liking of both young and adults. The Government of the Roof is despicable in my opinion feeding the struggles of the people below to entertain the masses. They withhold every eatable seed from the people below forcing them to eat each other to create conflict. It is a classic case of bread and circus but now the bread is failing and the circus is among them.
The Deserter is quite an enjoyable read with a lot of adventure, tense moments, revelations, action and love. I would really like to read more of Peadar Ó Guilín after this. His characters are just like I like them and the clash of primitives against technology is a favorite theme of mine. You might read The Inferior and The Deserter as a standalone duology but it is part of a trilogy. I have no idea when the last book will be out though I await it with high expectancy.
April 5, 2016
An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review. Quotes have been pulled from an ARC and may be subject to change.
Stopmouth is back and is in dire need of answers. His goal? To save his tribe, and to find his wife who has gone missing. In order to do that, he must head to the Roof. While there, he finds a boy and an old woman and together they journey to places where not only aliens are chained, but humans as well.
Now I haven’t read the first book but I was surprised when I started reading that I didn’t really need the first one in order to understand what was going on. Stopmout’s wife has been in hiding and he has to get richer before his tribe all but dies on the surface.
If there’s a trophy for world building in a novel, I bet you The Deserter would take a nomination. The world is at a loss. There are species of different aliens crawling all over trying to survive. There’s a roof that controls the home of the remaining humans and they’re all kept in the dark by their government (as usual).
Although in this story it has as much truth that is damaging to the characters as always because now they have to stop them. The clever virtual environment called Roofspace where people dream away their realities was not original but highly clever. Really clever world building, I can’t stress that enough. Read it and you won’t be disappointed!
Stopmouth is back and is in dire need of answers. His goal? To save his tribe, and to find his wife who has gone missing. In order to do that, he must head to the Roof. While there, he finds a boy and an old woman and together they journey to places where not only aliens are chained, but humans as well.
Now I haven’t read the first book but I was surprised when I started reading that I didn’t really need the first one in order to understand what was going on. Stopmout’s wife has been in hiding and he has to get richer before his tribe all but dies on the surface.
If there’s a trophy for world building in a novel, I bet you The Deserter would take a nomination. The world is at a loss. There are species of different aliens crawling all over trying to survive. There’s a roof that controls the home of the remaining humans and they’re all kept in the dark by their government (as usual).
Although in this story it has as much truth that is damaging to the characters as always because now they have to stop them. The clever virtual environment called Roofspace where people dream away their realities was not original but highly clever. Really clever world building, I can’t stress that enough. Read it and you won’t be disappointed!
August 31, 2012
Not as good as The Inferior. Plot was not original and the ending was obvious pretty early in the book. Still a decent read.
May 8, 2018
If The Inferior was OK, The Deserter, the second book in The Bone World trilogy, is quite weak. The story continues with Stopmouth trying to get to the surface to get to Indrani, and while he does get there, it's not really his merit. And when he finally arrives, the world there is just as dumb and savage as the one beneath.
I really dig (pun intended) the way Peadar Ó Guilín writes about societies and people. His writing has a sort of Shakespearean quality, where everybody is looking for themselves and backstabbing everybody else, no matter how horrible or dishonorable it is. However, his hi-tech writing leaves a lot to be desired. The plot holes that were apparent in the first book, but that hinted on a technological answer from The Roof, become larger when we finally get to see it. Highly dependent on machines that do everything for them, the "civilized" people are divided into tribes that fight each other for no good reason. It is a general theme in the author's writing that people gather in tribes or churches or states or gangs with the singular purpose to blame everything on another group and then try to destroy them. However the society in The Roof doesn't make sense in almost every respect.
There is a sci-fi sub-genre, that of the uncivilized but pure reaching a civilized place and overcoming everything through strength, be it physical, moral or both, and the works from it usually are weak. The Deserter is no exception, I am afraid. In a book where information is so essential for survival, the people in The Roof know nothing, care for nothing except their stupid squabbles and are completely lost without technology. It is hard to empathize with anyone in this book that feels like filler content until the third book, which also takes place on the Inferior.
Bottom line: I've read it quickly, in order to get to The Volunteer. In my eyes, The Deserter was a disappointment.
I really dig (pun intended) the way Peadar Ó Guilín writes about societies and people. His writing has a sort of Shakespearean quality, where everybody is looking for themselves and backstabbing everybody else, no matter how horrible or dishonorable it is. However, his hi-tech writing leaves a lot to be desired. The plot holes that were apparent in the first book, but that hinted on a technological answer from The Roof, become larger when we finally get to see it. Highly dependent on machines that do everything for them, the "civilized" people are divided into tribes that fight each other for no good reason. It is a general theme in the author's writing that people gather in tribes or churches or states or gangs with the singular purpose to blame everything on another group and then try to destroy them. However the society in The Roof doesn't make sense in almost every respect.
There is a sci-fi sub-genre, that of the uncivilized but pure reaching a civilized place and overcoming everything through strength, be it physical, moral or both, and the works from it usually are weak. The Deserter is no exception, I am afraid. In a book where information is so essential for survival, the people in The Roof know nothing, care for nothing except their stupid squabbles and are completely lost without technology. It is hard to empathize with anyone in this book that feels like filler content until the third book, which also takes place on the Inferior.
Bottom line: I've read it quickly, in order to get to The Volunteer. In my eyes, The Deserter was a disappointment.
April 25, 2024
This book was just pure fun. Like the first, I was tripped up by some of the world building, especially now that it's taken a scifi turn. However once I realized this book was a pure popcorn read, I had more fun. Once again I rooted hard for Stopmouth and his friends, including our new POV Hiresh. I loved all the twists and turns this book threw out. I gasped and wept. This book has heart and isn't afraid to show it. It introduced us to this new world with strange societies and beliefs. I ate it up. There were times I gasped because I thought there was no way for the characters to get out of a situation. The action in this book was turned up to eleven, and Stopmouth was very much the hero I needed and wanted to root for.
The only problem I really had was the description of the world, much like the first book, there wasn't a lot of description, leaving me confused as to what was going on when it came to scenery.
4.5 stars. Can't wait for the third!
The only problem I really had was the description of the world, much like the first book, there wasn't a lot of description, leaving me confused as to what was going on when it came to scenery.
4.5 stars. Can't wait for the third!
July 17, 2019
A house of cards
I should have stopped after reading the 1st volume. (Amazon only has 2 reviews for this the 2nd in the Bone World Series.) Our hero Stopmouth reaches the sky and it ain’t what was promised. The future has fallen apart literally at the seams. Stopmouth realizes that there are positive points in eating your fellow creature rather than just killing them.
I should have stopped after reading the 1st volume. (Amazon only has 2 reviews for this the 2nd in the Bone World Series.) Our hero Stopmouth reaches the sky and it ain’t what was promised. The future has fallen apart literally at the seams. Stopmouth realizes that there are positive points in eating your fellow creature rather than just killing them.
May 20, 2020
I didn't read book 1, picked this up without knowing anything about it just because I loved "The Call".
I enjoyed the story, and the writing, though I figured it would end that way early on. Entertaining.
I enjoyed the story, and the writing, though I figured it would end that way early on. Entertaining.
November 14, 2020
Argumento muy parecido a otro libro suyo, con los inferiores (casi y no tan casi canibales), y los superiores (que viven muy por encima de los otros culturalmente). Y un inferior llega hasta dónde viven los superiores. Me aburrió demasiado pronto. D-
October 26, 2016
Fantastic sequel. This comes back extremely strong from The Inferior and builds on an already interesting world. I look forward to the third book.
September 13, 2019
lost my attention in some spots but still enjoyed. i love stopmouth but actually became more interested in the two side characters hiresh and tarini. hope we get more from them in the last book!
April 29, 2023
Continuing the intriguing story of 'The Interior's, 'The Deserter' follows the 'difficult second album' trend of many trilogies. In exploring the technology of The Roof, the book loses the tighter focus of its predecessor and relies on a few too many 'deus ex machina' incidents to get the heroes out of a lot of the predicaments they find themselves in. It's still an absorbing read though.
November 2, 2011
I was immediately drawn to this story when I read the synopsis, but it took me sitting down with it in my hands to figure out why. THE DESERTER is the sequel to THE INFERIOR, which I reviewed on the blog in 2009. Apparently the series is called The Bone World Trilogy. Unfortunately, it is necessary for you to read THE INFERIOR before this one in order to understand what is going on in the story. There is hardly any backstory explained. This jumps right in where the last one left off (just a few months have passed).
Stopmouth, the Chief of a ragtag group of “hunters” are struggling to survive on what they can hunt. So far, they have been able to kill enough of the other creatures on the Surface and they haven’t had to ask for a Volunteer from the Tribe in a while. His new tribe (a group exiled to the Surface from the Roof) still have a hard time eating the meat of animals, much less their own tribe members. Stopmouth is doing everything he can to make sure his tribe has enough to eat – even going so far as establishing an alliance with one of the other species.
There are two things wrong in Stopmouth’s life. First, his wife, Indrani, has returned to the Roof where she lived before crashing to the Surface. She returned with the promise of bringing back the tools needed to kill the most feared of the species on the Surface. His other problem are the Diggers, the species Stopmouth and his tribe need help destroying. With reports that the Diggers have made it over the mountain, Stopmouth doesn’t have any choice but to go to the Roof and find Indrani himself. The lives of his tribe members depend on him bringing help back from the Roof.
Stopmouth finds a world in chaos when he arrives on the Roof. In his attempt to find Indrani, he learns that she is on the run from her own people because of something she has stored in her memory. He goes to great lengths to reach her and feels nothing but relief when he finally has her in his arms again. Until…..
Stopmouth must come to terms with a lot in this story. Survival is difficult. Stopmouth and Indrani constantly have to be on the look out for the dangers that surround them at every turn. He doesn’t even know if he’ll be able to save himself, much less his tribe on the Surface.
THE DESERTER is filled with secrets, betrayals, and heart-pounding action. This is the perfect follow-up novel because we get to see the Roof this time where we only saw the Surface in THE INFERIOR.
I love Stopmouth and Indrani just as much as I did in the first novel. Now, since I know this is called The Bone World Trilogy I know we’ll get a third book. I can’t wait.
Stopmouth, the Chief of a ragtag group of “hunters” are struggling to survive on what they can hunt. So far, they have been able to kill enough of the other creatures on the Surface and they haven’t had to ask for a Volunteer from the Tribe in a while. His new tribe (a group exiled to the Surface from the Roof) still have a hard time eating the meat of animals, much less their own tribe members. Stopmouth is doing everything he can to make sure his tribe has enough to eat – even going so far as establishing an alliance with one of the other species.
There are two things wrong in Stopmouth’s life. First, his wife, Indrani, has returned to the Roof where she lived before crashing to the Surface. She returned with the promise of bringing back the tools needed to kill the most feared of the species on the Surface. His other problem are the Diggers, the species Stopmouth and his tribe need help destroying. With reports that the Diggers have made it over the mountain, Stopmouth doesn’t have any choice but to go to the Roof and find Indrani himself. The lives of his tribe members depend on him bringing help back from the Roof.
Stopmouth finds a world in chaos when he arrives on the Roof. In his attempt to find Indrani, he learns that she is on the run from her own people because of something she has stored in her memory. He goes to great lengths to reach her and feels nothing but relief when he finally has her in his arms again. Until…..
Stopmouth must come to terms with a lot in this story. Survival is difficult. Stopmouth and Indrani constantly have to be on the look out for the dangers that surround them at every turn. He doesn’t even know if he’ll be able to save himself, much less his tribe on the Surface.
THE DESERTER is filled with secrets, betrayals, and heart-pounding action. This is the perfect follow-up novel because we get to see the Roof this time where we only saw the Surface in THE INFERIOR.
I love Stopmouth and Indrani just as much as I did in the first novel. Now, since I know this is called The Bone World Trilogy I know we’ll get a third book. I can’t wait.
March 27, 2013
Fans of the old-school sf writers (well Peadar admitted to being a fan of some anyways and it shows here) rejoice - The Deserter is no less than a certified homage to old school space opera. I enjoy the fact that the first book was fantasy through-and-through and the second one is a pure space adventure. Since I haven't read so much of the old stuff I can't comment how many ideas he's borrowed, but I really enjoyed the concept of the Roof (as a concept and as a living environment), nano-tech, Crisis and so forth. The writing wasn't as vivid as I'd hope so the world seemed a bit cramped and undefined and I didn't fully immerse into it. Characters were very endearing, despite the fact the relationship between Indriani and Stopmouth is relatively straightforward, I'd also love more insight into Indriani and some of the other characters. The most believable character was Hiresh - loved the transformation and the inner strife, he was very well done. Writing is simple (compared to some of the more eloquent masters out there), but very efficient. The plot moves along at a brisk pace and considering I managed to read one whole book in 2012, I could say I finished The Deserter in nanoseconds. I'd love to see more intricate pros and cons on the inside from both castes, but the main idea got through well enough. First half of the book is filled with suspense, but once all the "secrets" of what is what and what is happening get revealed to Stopmouth (and the reader) the story bogs down a bit and the action scenes become a bit repetitive and unnecessary; quite enjoyed how the story resolved though!
I've read Inferior way way back so I don't know how to compare the books, but I think I've enjoyed the first one a bit more (the survival factor, focus on Indriani and Stopmouth, fantasy world, plight,...and a bucketful of unexplained sf stuff reader keeps wondering about), but The Deserter didn't disappoint at all (can't say it faces the middle book syndrome). It's not particularly profound in its nature, but I can't do anything but recommend the book as a light, fun and adventurous young adult read that grownups who enjoy(ed) this genres formative authors can pick up as well...if for nothing else to reminisce.
I've read Inferior way way back so I don't know how to compare the books, but I think I've enjoyed the first one a bit more (the survival factor, focus on Indriani and Stopmouth, fantasy world, plight,...and a bucketful of unexplained sf stuff reader keeps wondering about), but The Deserter didn't disappoint at all (can't say it faces the middle book syndrome). It's not particularly profound in its nature, but I can't do anything but recommend the book as a light, fun and adventurous young adult read that grownups who enjoy(ed) this genres formative authors can pick up as well...if for nothing else to reminisce.
November 9, 2020
THIS paper back & book 1 will be given away from me
As part of my Blog GIVEAWAY / blog hop
Description of book #2 / THE DESERTER. (Book 1 will
Also be given away to the same winner)
The humans are weak and vulnerable. Soon the beasts that share their stone-age world will kill and eat them. To save his tribe, Stopmouth must make his way to the Roof, the mysterious hi-tech world above the surface.
But the Roof has its own problems. The nano technology that controls everything from the environment to the human body is collapsing. A virus has already destroyed the Upstairs, sending millions of refugees to seek shelter below. And now a rebellion against the Commission, organized by the fanatical Religious, is about to break.
Hunted by the Commission's Elite Agents through the overcrowded, decaying city of the future, Stopmouth must succeed in a hunt of his own: to find the secret power hidden in the Roof's computerized brain, and return to his people before it is too late.
Peadar Ó Guilín has followed his extraordinary debut The Inferior with an equally original and pulse-racing sequel in which human primitivism collides with futuristic technology.
REVIEW:
These books, although cruid & about canibals were surprisingly quite interesting. It was strange in Book 1 The Inferior, that they lived in such strange barbaric ages, but there are buildings everywhere from a previous time.
The sky (or the roof) has these strange technological things that float around them & observe the ones living the "savage" lifestyle. The ones from the roof think they are so superior as they have watched those below struggle against other beings & eat each other & sacrifice family members in poor health in some tribes to survive.
Stopmouth was always considered slow because of his problems speaking, but shows himself to be honorable, loyal, and well worth the read.
I WILL HAVE THE REST OF THE POST & the raffelcopter running by tomorrow.
Just follow my blog & on twitter @MoonShinearts
LEAVE A COMMENT below & you will be considered as much as those on the raffelcopter.
Sorry for the delay, I got confused about the post date.
As part of my Blog GIVEAWAY / blog hop
Description of book #2 / THE DESERTER. (Book 1 will
Also be given away to the same winner)
The humans are weak and vulnerable. Soon the beasts that share their stone-age world will kill and eat them. To save his tribe, Stopmouth must make his way to the Roof, the mysterious hi-tech world above the surface.
But the Roof has its own problems. The nano technology that controls everything from the environment to the human body is collapsing. A virus has already destroyed the Upstairs, sending millions of refugees to seek shelter below. And now a rebellion against the Commission, organized by the fanatical Religious, is about to break.
Hunted by the Commission's Elite Agents through the overcrowded, decaying city of the future, Stopmouth must succeed in a hunt of his own: to find the secret power hidden in the Roof's computerized brain, and return to his people before it is too late.
Peadar Ó Guilín has followed his extraordinary debut The Inferior with an equally original and pulse-racing sequel in which human primitivism collides with futuristic technology.
REVIEW:
These books, although cruid & about canibals were surprisingly quite interesting. It was strange in Book 1 The Inferior, that they lived in such strange barbaric ages, but there are buildings everywhere from a previous time.
The sky (or the roof) has these strange technological things that float around them & observe the ones living the "savage" lifestyle. The ones from the roof think they are so superior as they have watched those below struggle against other beings & eat each other & sacrifice family members in poor health in some tribes to survive.
Stopmouth was always considered slow because of his problems speaking, but shows himself to be honorable, loyal, and well worth the read.
I WILL HAVE THE REST OF THE POST & the raffelcopter running by tomorrow.
Just follow my blog & on twitter @MoonShinearts
LEAVE A COMMENT below & you will be considered as much as those on the raffelcopter.
Sorry for the delay, I got confused about the post date.
March 13, 2012
This is the second book that I have read that is the second in the series. I should really pay attention to what I request before I request it, but either way this book did in some ways make sense.
I'm not going to lie, I highly recommend reading the first book, which I wish I did. But after a while the reader can keep up with who is who and the main drama surrounding the novel, which I think worked well for Guilin. Even if someone doesn't read the first book, they at least won't be completely lost.
Stopmouth spends much of the novel looking for his love as he travels to a civilization that is supposed to be mainly utopian, but soon the discovery of the dystopia that is hidden beneath this novel. The novel did not differ from other traditional SF setting and the villains were pretty predictable as far as they are concerned. His own originality came with the basic plot-line, because I have not read a book with a character like Stopmouth before.
The ending felt a little rushed, but I think overall the novel did well to get it's point across. I think that Guilin could have done a little more to make some of the characters believable.
It didn't go too fast and it didn't go to slow, which I think helped Guilin a lot as well. I'm not sure what to say about this book that would not give too much away, because this book was good, but I felt like it could be better. Maybe it was just that I needed to read the first book for this to click for me a lot sooner or maybe it was just that there was something in his writing that turned me off, but I just felt a little meh about it.
It was good enough to receive a four in my book, but I feel like it needed a little something to add that spice to it. But I think it would be worth the read, for those that are looking for something.
I'm not going to lie, I highly recommend reading the first book, which I wish I did. But after a while the reader can keep up with who is who and the main drama surrounding the novel, which I think worked well for Guilin. Even if someone doesn't read the first book, they at least won't be completely lost.
Stopmouth spends much of the novel looking for his love as he travels to a civilization that is supposed to be mainly utopian, but soon the discovery of the dystopia that is hidden beneath this novel. The novel did not differ from other traditional SF setting and the villains were pretty predictable as far as they are concerned. His own originality came with the basic plot-line, because I have not read a book with a character like Stopmouth before.
The ending felt a little rushed, but I think overall the novel did well to get it's point across. I think that Guilin could have done a little more to make some of the characters believable.
It didn't go too fast and it didn't go to slow, which I think helped Guilin a lot as well. I'm not sure what to say about this book that would not give too much away, because this book was good, but I felt like it could be better. Maybe it was just that I needed to read the first book for this to click for me a lot sooner or maybe it was just that there was something in his writing that turned me off, but I just felt a little meh about it.
It was good enough to receive a four in my book, but I feel like it needed a little something to add that spice to it. But I think it would be worth the read, for those that are looking for something.
August 25, 2012
I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review. Creatures are slowly wiping out what is left of mankind on the surface. The Roof may be their only hope for survival so Stopmouth decides to go there to find answers and his missing wife Indrani. When he gets there he soon finds out that he and what is left of mankind are the people of The Roof's entertainment. Those people spend all day watching their actions on the surface. The people of The Roof have their own problems as the nanos that were meant to keep them above the surface and alive seem to be failing. The Roof has major problems that the leaders are trying to keep hid from the people. They do this by blaming different fractions aboard. Indrani may have the key to solving all these problems both the surface peoples and the people of the Roof. Stopmouth just has to find her before the leaders do.
I enjoyed the writing style of the author. This is very differently written than other books. The plot is a good one. It's a world going to pieces and people trying to survive. The characters are good ones each add their own flair to the story. My main problem with this story is at times it was slow. I would put it down then come back to it later because I got bored with it. When I would come back to it I would have to back track thinking maybe I missed something. I just had a hard time reading it. If you take your time and read this it is a good read just the flow of the story didn't suit me much. I like my books for the most part with a fast and steady pace. If your looking for a book based on survival or the end of mankind you may want to pick this series up. It's good just not my favorite of this type of book.
I enjoyed the writing style of the author. This is very differently written than other books. The plot is a good one. It's a world going to pieces and people trying to survive. The characters are good ones each add their own flair to the story. My main problem with this story is at times it was slow. I would put it down then come back to it later because I got bored with it. When I would come back to it I would have to back track thinking maybe I missed something. I just had a hard time reading it. If you take your time and read this it is a good read just the flow of the story didn't suit me much. I like my books for the most part with a fast and steady pace. If your looking for a book based on survival or the end of mankind you may want to pick this series up. It's good just not my favorite of this type of book.
March 10, 2012
I didn't particularly like The Inferior; although it was well done, I just had trouble relating to or getting into something so wildly different. My experience with The Deserter was better, probably largely due to the fact that I knew what to expect. Now, when I say better, I don't mean that I loved it or even really liked it, but I did enjoy the experience more.
Ó Guilín deserves some serious praise, and I would like to start with that. Although I have not gotten into this series, his worldbuilding is simply amazing. A ton of work has gone into the Bone World Trilogy and it is really evident. This is much better thought out than a lot of the YA dystopias I've read. He keeps peeling back layers and revealing more sliminess and dystopian-ness at the core of this world. That is, simply put, astounding.
This book was a lot more interesting to me, largely because most of this book was spent in the Roof. The cannibals running around on the surface of the planet throughout book one were just too weird and creepy. The Roof, and its occasional parallels to our modern society's ills, was much more captivating.
Still, the real downfall of the books for me, I think, is character. I'm through two fairly long books now, and I still just don't especially care about anyone. Stopmouth and Indrani are okay; I do want them to win over the other people, but I am not hugely invested either way.
At this point, I'll probably finish out the trilogy when book three comes out, just to check out the worldbuilding. If you're fascinated by the feats of an author's imagination, Ó Guilín's books might be for you.
Ó Guilín deserves some serious praise, and I would like to start with that. Although I have not gotten into this series, his worldbuilding is simply amazing. A ton of work has gone into the Bone World Trilogy and it is really evident. This is much better thought out than a lot of the YA dystopias I've read. He keeps peeling back layers and revealing more sliminess and dystopian-ness at the core of this world. That is, simply put, astounding.
This book was a lot more interesting to me, largely because most of this book was spent in the Roof. The cannibals running around on the surface of the planet throughout book one were just too weird and creepy. The Roof, and its occasional parallels to our modern society's ills, was much more captivating.
Still, the real downfall of the books for me, I think, is character. I'm through two fairly long books now, and I still just don't especially care about anyone. Stopmouth and Indrani are okay; I do want them to win over the other people, but I am not hugely invested either way.
At this point, I'll probably finish out the trilogy when book three comes out, just to check out the worldbuilding. If you're fascinated by the feats of an author's imagination, Ó Guilín's books might be for you.
February 29, 2012
Stopmouth is on a quest to find Indrani and save his people. To do so he'll have to journey from the stark desolate primitive landscapes of the Surface and enter the overly saturated stimulation of the Roof. But nothing in either world goes unnoticed by the Commission. They're tracking Stopmouth and hunting Indrani amidst mounting tensions over the decaying state of living conditions. Together they'll find the key that holds the fate of the Roof's rulers in their hands. The Commission will stop at nothing to get it from them.
This book sounded familiar and I hadn't realized at first that this was the sequel to The Inferior, which I read a few years ago. At first glance the two books don't come across as a set. Peadar O'Guilin explores the flip side of world building in The Deserter. From primitive to technologically advanced O'Guilin makes you think savages are far more civilized and complex than their Roof counterparts. I thought the imagery was great but the pacing a little slow, I had to work through this one, but there were some pulse pounding action scenes sprinkled throughout to keep the reader interested. Unfortunately I just couldn't connect with the story. I wanted to be swept up into the story and characters but the book didn't excite or enthrall me as I thought it would.
Overall The Deserter is a deceivingly complex book that compliments it's predecessor. Peadar O'Guilin delivers yet another well written book that I only wish would have captured my attention more.
This book sounded familiar and I hadn't realized at first that this was the sequel to The Inferior, which I read a few years ago. At first glance the two books don't come across as a set. Peadar O'Guilin explores the flip side of world building in The Deserter. From primitive to technologically advanced O'Guilin makes you think savages are far more civilized and complex than their Roof counterparts. I thought the imagery was great but the pacing a little slow, I had to work through this one, but there were some pulse pounding action scenes sprinkled throughout to keep the reader interested. Unfortunately I just couldn't connect with the story. I wanted to be swept up into the story and characters but the book didn't excite or enthrall me as I thought it would.
Overall The Deserter is a deceivingly complex book that compliments it's predecessor. Peadar O'Guilin delivers yet another well written book that I only wish would have captured my attention more.
September 16, 2013
The second book totally amps up the action from the first and the whole thing is basically one long crescendo of increasing stakes and wilder action sequences. My favorite thing so far about this series is the decaying Roof - a superstructure fully wrapping the surface of a planet, built and maintained by autonomous nanomachines and now being slowly dissolved by a grey goo outbreak (actually green in this particular version), leaving the trillions of humans now inhabiting it but lacking any kind of engineering culture helpless to freeze, starve, and trample each other to death as they are crowded together in the ever-shrinking inhabitable areas. What an awesome backdrop.
The weakest part is probably how O Guilin seems determined to lay every single evil that's ever occurred in this universe on the hands of the Commission leader guy. It makes the plotting easier but I would have liked a little more realism in the character motivations and politics. He slips into a lot more direct exposition in this book too, I guess as lubricant for all the action. Maybe it wasn't a conscious decision on his part to be so restrained with it in the first book.
It seems like all the main characters are pretty much screwed now though. They seem stranded on the surface of with the roof about to collapse on them. I don't know how they'll get out of things in the third book, barring some kind of anticlimactic thing like the roof actually isn't going to collapse after all or something.
The weakest part is probably how O Guilin seems determined to lay every single evil that's ever occurred in this universe on the hands of the Commission leader guy. It makes the plotting easier but I would have liked a little more realism in the character motivations and politics. He slips into a lot more direct exposition in this book too, I guess as lubricant for all the action. Maybe it wasn't a conscious decision on his part to be so restrained with it in the first book.
It seems like all the main characters are pretty much screwed now though. They seem stranded on the surface of with the roof about to collapse on them. I don't know how they'll get out of things in the third book, barring some kind of anticlimactic thing like the roof actually isn't going to collapse after all or something.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
February 28, 2015In this novel i really did enjoy it. The book kept you wanting to read and keep you on your toes throw the entire book the book test people loyalty and peoples self well to go such a rough time. The book is about a very brave man name StopMouth and the world is just a mess and StopMouth village is under acttack some man ran and fled but StopMouth stayed and stood up for what was right. a whole lot is going on there beast and other stuff trying to kill his people but through it all StopMouth fights. its a test between being strong and giving up when StopMouth sees a cahnce to save his village he jumps even if going through hell and back for his people.
Current things i liked about the book was it was really could relate to things going on in today's world with people are trying to take over the world. Another thing I like is that it waa a really kind of a unity it pulled people togther book because in the book even the people who wasn't in StopMouth village werent doing so good so they stared to go to his village the book is just really good and give you a feeling of action
I think this book is really food for people who are into seeing people come together and people who are there for each other' and who have each other back. Also people who like really good actions and high pack books with full of adventure and, the book would good for people who can relate to something going on there life making rough calls in life and making good out of nothing.
Current things i liked about the book was it was really could relate to things going on in today's world with people are trying to take over the world. Another thing I like is that it waa a really kind of a unity it pulled people togther book because in the book even the people who wasn't in StopMouth village werent doing so good so they stared to go to his village the book is just really good and give you a feeling of action
I think this book is really food for people who are into seeing people come together and people who are there for each other' and who have each other back. Also people who like really good actions and high pack books with full of adventure and, the book would good for people who can relate to something going on there life making rough calls in life and making good out of nothing.
May 4, 2012
I got this book as part of Goodreads First Reads so thank you for the free book!
When I registered to get the book, I hadn't known it was a sequel and I considered reading this without reading the first one but I'm glad I didn't do that. I don't think this one would have made any sense on its own.
The writing style still leaves a lot to the imagination at times and some readers might find this lack of clear description frustrating. As in the first book, it was hard to really picture what things looked like all the time.
I found that I liked the first one better. This is supposed to be a trilogy, I believe (?) and it suffers a little from having to set up future story lines, however I still enjoyed it.
The new characters were equally flawed while being enjoyable. I like that the characters have never been all likeable or all dislikable. There are levels of complexity that make them more enjoyable and realistic.
What I'm really disappointed about is that I'm going to have to wait to hear more about these characters. I can see how some people wouldn't like the storyline and characters but if you liked the first one, you'll probably enjoy this as well.
When I registered to get the book, I hadn't known it was a sequel and I considered reading this without reading the first one but I'm glad I didn't do that. I don't think this one would have made any sense on its own.
The writing style still leaves a lot to the imagination at times and some readers might find this lack of clear description frustrating. As in the first book, it was hard to really picture what things looked like all the time.
I found that I liked the first one better. This is supposed to be a trilogy, I believe (?) and it suffers a little from having to set up future story lines, however I still enjoyed it.
The new characters were equally flawed while being enjoyable. I like that the characters have never been all likeable or all dislikable. There are levels of complexity that make them more enjoyable and realistic.
What I'm really disappointed about is that I'm going to have to wait to hear more about these characters. I can see how some people wouldn't like the storyline and characters but if you liked the first one, you'll probably enjoy this as well.
October 8, 2011
"The Inferior", the first book in the series, was an entertaining book with an original and memorable premise. The sequel soon leaves behind the setting of the first book with its cannibal tribesmen and variety of carnivorous aliens as the protagonist Stopmouth travels to the highly-advanced society of The Roof - a once-utopian civilisation now becoming increasingly dystopian. Although this is a more traditional SF setting, the book continues to feel original perhaps due to the contrast between Stopmouth's attitudes and those of the people around him. He does seem to spend most of the novel on the run as he attempts to find his lost lover and find a way to rescue his tribe back on the surface, and there are a number of good action scenes along the way. The characterisation is mostly good, although the villains are a bit clichéd and one-dimensional. It all comes to a satisfying (although slightly rushed) conclusion which could make a good ending for the story while also leaving plenty of opportunity for another sequel.
Read
May 4, 2012This book is a sequel to the book, The Inferior. I, however, did not become aware of this fact until about 200 pages in, when I looked up at my friend Sam and said, "You know, you really have to hit the ground running with this book. In fact, it reads just exactly like it's the sequel of a whole other book." Then I got this kind of prickling feeling in my stomach, and muttered, "Please, god, no." A quick web search confirmed that this was the case. You know, fantasy/sci-fi novels should be clearer about this kind of thing. A lot of books in this genre throw you into a strange and foreign place and then you just have to figure things out as you go along, which makes it easy to make the mistake of reading a book almost to the end without realizing you've mistakenly started a series part-way in.
May 30, 2012
Stopmouth is a great example of a character, ripped from his home and comfort zone and thrown into a situation totally foreign and forced to survive day to day with little to no knowledge of how to accomplish this impossible feat. I find this theme to be very enjoyable and Ó Guilín does an excellent job keeping the tension high throughout the story and continuously finding new ways to turn Stopmouth's world upside down. I wasn't immediately pleased to see the narration split between Stopmouth and Hiresh, but Hiresh really grew as a character as the story progressed and it didn't take long for me to be just as curious about his plight as that of Stopmouth. The ending sets up a whole new adventure for the characters and I look forward to reading the conclusion to the story!
March 24, 2012
The one thing that bothers me is the off-stage (and occasionally on-stage) carnage--there are a lot of people dying in this book. The tension was really high--the people on the surface had certain death heading for them at a rapid pace, then it was revealed the people in the Roof were doomed (and getting to the surface wouldn't help because there are too many of them). Indrani finally pulled off a solution that might help a small group and I'm glad for them, but--that still leaves millions, possibly billions, dead.
There's a lot of action and although the ending leads into the next book, it's still a satisfying conclusion to this segment.
There's a lot of action and although the ending leads into the next book, it's still a satisfying conclusion to this segment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2014
Thoroughly enjoyable sequel to the rather scary graphic The Inferior. Must admit, I prefer Stopmouth's adventures on the Surface better than on the Roof, if only because I find the world building off this Roof rather odd, especially in relation to the Surface. I've found it best not to think too much on that though and just to enjoy the book.
I'm looking forward to reading the third in the trilogy now, especially as I just found out it was only released this year. Figured I'd have to wait for a few years for it, like I did for this one.
I'm looking forward to reading the third in the trilogy now, especially as I just found out it was only released this year. Figured I'd have to wait for a few years for it, like I did for this one.
August 9, 2011
I had no idea this was a sequel and felt completely lost. Unlike many sequels that can stand alone, this one clearly cannot. There was nothing to indicate this was a sequel and only learned that fact by coming to goodreads. Poor, poor marketing in that regard: the followers of the series may not find it and those who stumble on it will be irritated (or completely lost as I was). I floundered for the first quarter of the book before finally just giving up. Perhaps after I’ve had a chance to read the original I will try and revisit this book again.
ARC Galley Proof
ARC Galley Proof
October 7, 2011
A delightful sequel to The Inferior! Stopmouth continues to be endearing and admirable as he makes his way through the different, but equally savage, land of the Roof.
The themes of racism, overcoming adversity, and true justice are carried through beautifully. It crosses genres without missing a beat, one part fantasy, one part scifi, one part dystopian. It is in every way a worthy successor to the first book.
The themes of racism, overcoming adversity, and true justice are carried through beautifully. It crosses genres without missing a beat, one part fantasy, one part scifi, one part dystopian. It is in every way a worthy successor to the first book.
July 25, 2015
So having read the first book of the trilogy some time ago, I had to re-read the first book so that every detail was fresh in my mind. I will now go on to read the third book, so it is safe to say that I am really enjoying these books. The story is well paced, actually the pace is fairly unrelenting in this one. You really do care about the central characters and their fate. The themes of environmental destruction are well drawn. My only, tiny criticism would be that the central characters face jeopardy once too often.
July 16, 2017
I liked the first book, but this one simply left me speechless. Why doesn't more people know about this incredible series? You should all reconsider your life choices (seriously, go read it)(unless you have a problem with death and cannibalism)(then probably don't)(I guess that explains why no one read it)(huh)
Full review in Swedish here
Full review in Swedish here
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews