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The Scion Chronicles #1
Daughter of Nothing
THE SCION CHRONICLES
A refreshing new series for fans of YA science fiction by the author of The Undermountain Saga. Edstrom is back again with more lovable characters, thrilling adventures, and shocking twists.
DAUGHTER OF NOTHING (Book 1)
Few people even know that the Scion School exists. Tucked away on a private Caribbean island, the school is host to thirty-six exceptionally gifted students, all orphans. They train and study every day to prepare themselves for an immense responsibility, to lead humankind back from the brink of extinction.
At least, that’s what they’ve been told.
Among the thirty-six is Jacey, 17, one of four Scions in the Eagle class. She is the favorite of the 93-year-old headmaster, Dr. Carlhagen. But when Jacey overhears a conversation between a strange visitor and one of the school’s first graduates, she learns a stunning fact about her future. One that Dr. Carlhagen has kept from all the Scions.
Following the cryptic clues given to her by the school’s AI professor, Jacey races to untangle the truth of who the Scions are, and what the headmaster really means when he says they are bound for a great destiny.
A refreshing new series for fans of YA science fiction by the author of The Undermountain Saga. Edstrom is back again with more lovable characters, thrilling adventures, and shocking twists.
DAUGHTER OF NOTHING (Book 1)
Few people even know that the Scion School exists. Tucked away on a private Caribbean island, the school is host to thirty-six exceptionally gifted students, all orphans. They train and study every day to prepare themselves for an immense responsibility, to lead humankind back from the brink of extinction.
At least, that’s what they’ve been told.
Among the thirty-six is Jacey, 17, one of four Scions in the Eagle class. She is the favorite of the 93-year-old headmaster, Dr. Carlhagen. But when Jacey overhears a conversation between a strange visitor and one of the school’s first graduates, she learns a stunning fact about her future. One that Dr. Carlhagen has kept from all the Scions.
Following the cryptic clues given to her by the school’s AI professor, Jacey races to untangle the truth of who the Scions are, and what the headmaster really means when he says they are bound for a great destiny.
342 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2013
138 people are currently reading
1464 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
January 3, 2016
This.was.epic.
You know you really don't want to study History when you read two books in one day.Yup,I'm totally going to shine on my exam tomorrow.But let's talk about this book first.Once I started reading it,I just couldn't put it down.The story is very interesting,always keeping you on the edge and the characters are written impeccably.The main villain was exactly what a main villain should be-creepy,greedy,obsessive.The ending was really good,with a pretty cool twist that made me so happy.Overall,I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
Things I really liked:
1.) Jacey.She is such an interesting character.I love how she handled everything that was happening to her and her relationship with Livy and Humphrey.I really like that she was brave but also scared,she wasn't suddenly a kick-ass but a completely normal girl.
+The author is super nice and I wish him all the best with his work.
Favourite quotes:
''So there's nothing to worry about.''
''Not for a year'',he said.''That's when Belle's progenitor will arrive expecting to transfer.''
''And if I refuse her?''
Mr.Justin smiled again.''Expect helicopters.Lots of helicopters.''
“Who do you think would be a better match for Jacey?” Dr. Carlhagen asked. “The vain and needy lad desperate for love or the noble fighter whom everyone admires?''
Jacey couldn't believe the cruelty of the question.
“The noble fighter, of course,” Humphrey said. “She’ll need such a man to defend her against the advances of perverted old men.”
You know you really don't want to study History when you read two books in one day.Yup,I'm totally going to shine on my exam tomorrow.But let's talk about this book first.Once I started reading it,I just couldn't put it down.The story is very interesting,always keeping you on the edge and the characters are written impeccably.The main villain was exactly what a main villain should be-creepy,greedy,obsessive.The ending was really good,with a pretty cool twist that made me so happy.Overall,I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
Things I really liked:
1.) Jacey.She is such an interesting character.I love how she handled everything that was happening to her and her relationship with Livy and Humphrey.I really like that she was brave but also scared,she wasn't suddenly a kick-ass but a completely normal girl.
+The author is super nice and I wish him all the best with his work.
Favourite quotes:
''So there's nothing to worry about.''
''Not for a year'',he said.''That's when Belle's progenitor will arrive expecting to transfer.''
''And if I refuse her?''
Mr.Justin smiled again.''Expect helicopters.Lots of helicopters.''
“Who do you think would be a better match for Jacey?” Dr. Carlhagen asked. “The vain and needy lad desperate for love or the noble fighter whom everyone admires?''
Jacey couldn't believe the cruelty of the question.
“The noble fighter, of course,” Humphrey said. “She’ll need such a man to defend her against the advances of perverted old men.”
September 29, 2013
I have to start by saying this book was not at all what I was expecting, in a most delightful way. First off, I always worry a little bit when there is a male author writing a female character, a main character no less, because they many times end up falling short. It's happened quite often in books I've read…but, Jacey is done so well. Mr. Edstrom got inside Jacey's head and created a great character out of her. She was super easy to like, naive but not stupid, and had strong morals. She was trusting to a fault and, always seeing the good in people, never believed there was true evil in the world.
Secondly, the whole concept of this story was so unique, I actually did not see the twists and turns coming. More than once I found myself gasping out loud or saying 'oh my God, that did not just happen!'. Seriously though, the story is very well written and engrossing. You will want to keep reading to find out what happens next. I promise.
And last, the world Mr. Edstrom created for this story was beautiful and fascinating but at the same time a little bit chilling. He created this magnificent sanctuary peacefully tucked away safe from the rest of the world. He made us, and his characters, trust and believe in the power of kindness, honesty, and virtue, and then he slowly stripped it all away, leaving us with no one to believe in or trust. No one is as they seemed to be, or are they?
Though this book is just released, I am already looking for more from these characters. Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of his book.
Secondly, the whole concept of this story was so unique, I actually did not see the twists and turns coming. More than once I found myself gasping out loud or saying 'oh my God, that did not just happen!'. Seriously though, the story is very well written and engrossing. You will want to keep reading to find out what happens next. I promise.
And last, the world Mr. Edstrom created for this story was beautiful and fascinating but at the same time a little bit chilling. He created this magnificent sanctuary peacefully tucked away safe from the rest of the world. He made us, and his characters, trust and believe in the power of kindness, honesty, and virtue, and then he slowly stripped it all away, leaving us with no one to believe in or trust. No one is as they seemed to be, or are they?
Though this book is just released, I am already looking for more from these characters. Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of his book.
October 3, 2013
Daughter of Nothing is a pulse pounding book about the finding your own worth and standing up for what you believe in against incredible odds. Dr. Carlhagen is a man in charge of the Scion School yet harbor's a secret that could tear this tiny isle apart if the truth was known. Dr. Carlhagen has secretly watched Jacey from afar and can hardly wait until her birthday arrives. The Birthday is a celebration and graduation day for students of Scion School but it's also a day of great sadness too. Vaughan tells Jacey to meet him in the Bell tower as the time approaches Humphrey joins them as well. What they learn will shake their very foundation of beliefs and thensome. Socrates helps Jacey realize the truths about Scion School for herself which gives her a power she's never had before. As Jacey continues to unravel these truths and discovers an even harsher reality as well. Jacey is never really punished for what she doesn't no matter what she's done. Will Jacey be punished? What truths do Jacey expose? What is Dr. Carlhagen's plans? How does Socrates help? Your answers await you in Daughter of Nothing.
Mr. Edstrom has once again done a masterful job creating this new and brave world. Daughter of Nothing exposes truth and lies while showing the depth of human experience regardless of the price. I admit I was kinda irritated at Jacey and Belle at first yet as the story unfolds found my irritation replaced with envy, shock, and lastly purpose that which drives us all to learn harsh truths. My most favorite character had to be Humphrey, he embodied spirit and understanding that other characters couldn't compare too. Humphrey always saw the truth clearly from the beginning no matter how the other characters denied it. I will definitely look for ward to the next installment in this series.
Mr. Edstrom has once again done a masterful job creating this new and brave world. Daughter of Nothing exposes truth and lies while showing the depth of human experience regardless of the price. I admit I was kinda irritated at Jacey and Belle at first yet as the story unfolds found my irritation replaced with envy, shock, and lastly purpose that which drives us all to learn harsh truths. My most favorite character had to be Humphrey, he embodied spirit and understanding that other characters couldn't compare too. Humphrey always saw the truth clearly from the beginning no matter how the other characters denied it. I will definitely look for ward to the next installment in this series.
September 29, 2013
WOW! Just WOW! This book blew me away! Daughter of Nothing has everything needed for an excellent read. It has an unique and captivating premise. A well thought out and executed story line full of compelling characters and twists and turns that will keep you guessing till the end. What more could you ask for? The only thing I will ask for is more great reads from this author. I would definitely recommend this book and look forward to see what other adventures Eric Edstrom has in store for me.
March 18, 2014
36 gifted students were chosen to attend Scion. they trained and studied to become the best, preparing themselves for the huge responsibility of assisting humankind in one way or another when they graduated. the students were divided into 4 teams, 2 boys and 2 girls. for each team, its 9 members ranged from the age of 9 to 17, none repeating. Jacey had just became the oldest of her team when their previous leader, Sarah left after Scion's first graduation, making her their new leader. however, on the very same day, she and her fellow new leaders stumbled upon a conversation between the headmaster and his visitors. these visitors highly resembled the graduates, which they first suspected to be their respective parents. but to further complicate matter, all students who were chosen to join Scion were supposedly orphans.
i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. i was never a huge fan of science fiction. despite how the plot attracted me to request for a copy, i had my doubts when i began reading. however, only a few pages into the book, i was quickly absorbed and found it pleasant that it wasn't too technical at all. the book wasn't exactly what i expected, and definitely in a good way. Jacey was a character eerily favored by the old headmaster, her relationship with the other 3 leaders made it a delicious treat, even the bad one she had with Belle. the plot moved in such a fast pace that it was so intriguing to uncover the truth behind all the mysteries and lies the students were made to believe. not to mention the unique backdrop that the story was set in. it took a little getting used to, but its originality was refreshing for once. now that i had a taste of how the story went, i found myself eagerly waiting for the second installment.
my review: here
i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. i was never a huge fan of science fiction. despite how the plot attracted me to request for a copy, i had my doubts when i began reading. however, only a few pages into the book, i was quickly absorbed and found it pleasant that it wasn't too technical at all. the book wasn't exactly what i expected, and definitely in a good way. Jacey was a character eerily favored by the old headmaster, her relationship with the other 3 leaders made it a delicious treat, even the bad one she had with Belle. the plot moved in such a fast pace that it was so intriguing to uncover the truth behind all the mysteries and lies the students were made to believe. not to mention the unique backdrop that the story was set in. it took a little getting used to, but its originality was refreshing for once. now that i had a taste of how the story went, i found myself eagerly waiting for the second installment.
my review: here
March 1, 2015
Simply AMAZING!
October 5, 2015
I have just got into reading some young adult books which I earlier despised. After going through the gist of the book I knew I had to read it. The amazing book cover is an icing on the cake. After receiving the book from story cartel I could hardly keep myself away from it.
The story is about a group of students in a school far away from the world on an island, who are being trained to lead the men of the world to a better future. Hence they are called scions. The students here believe themselves to be orphans. The students are divided into groups and are lead by an older and more capable leader. Jacey is happy for Sarah now that Sarah has completed her studies and is free to go out and experience the real world. But the uncertainty about what happens to the students who pass out keeps her curious. She goes on to discover the reality behind the act of kindness and it leaves her and many others gasping for air.
The story is a young adult science fiction loosely based on the science of cloning and brain transfer.
Here is what I think about the book:
The cover page and the title of the book are very interesting as mentioned earlier. The characters of the book are well designed and one can definitely identify with them. The story line is what will keep one reading the books until one finishes it cover to cover. The book is an unputdownable in true sense (I locked myself in the room an entire weekend to finish this book! Entire weekend!). The characters are very well thought over. Jacey and Socrates are my favorites, no surprise there! But even the negative character of Dr, Carlhagen is very well designed. Overall, I loved the book!
There are few things that were not well digested by me.
Firstly, too many grammatical and spelling errors!
Secondly, the story jumped too quickly from kids in the dorm to girl in a stunning gown to an evil principal to bits and pieces of science fiction and of course the theater like drama towards the end. It can be easily brushed away giving author's creative independence or his style a reason but, well, it was way too difficult for me to take it!
Thirdly, the end is a bit abrupt. I mean after a great build up I was expecting a conclusion kind of ending. You know like the happily ever after kind of ending. There better be a sequel to it! Such an amazing book deserves a fair end!
The book is an absolute delight. I would give it a 4. I recommend it to everyone who wants to break away from the regular thrillers and try something new. This book will not disappoint you!
originally posted at http://acupofcoffeeandafairytale.blog...
The story is about a group of students in a school far away from the world on an island, who are being trained to lead the men of the world to a better future. Hence they are called scions. The students here believe themselves to be orphans. The students are divided into groups and are lead by an older and more capable leader. Jacey is happy for Sarah now that Sarah has completed her studies and is free to go out and experience the real world. But the uncertainty about what happens to the students who pass out keeps her curious. She goes on to discover the reality behind the act of kindness and it leaves her and many others gasping for air.
The story is a young adult science fiction loosely based on the science of cloning and brain transfer.
Here is what I think about the book:
The cover page and the title of the book are very interesting as mentioned earlier. The characters of the book are well designed and one can definitely identify with them. The story line is what will keep one reading the books until one finishes it cover to cover. The book is an unputdownable in true sense (I locked myself in the room an entire weekend to finish this book! Entire weekend!). The characters are very well thought over. Jacey and Socrates are my favorites, no surprise there! But even the negative character of Dr, Carlhagen is very well designed. Overall, I loved the book!
There are few things that were not well digested by me.
Firstly, too many grammatical and spelling errors!
Secondly, the story jumped too quickly from kids in the dorm to girl in a stunning gown to an evil principal to bits and pieces of science fiction and of course the theater like drama towards the end. It can be easily brushed away giving author's creative independence or his style a reason but, well, it was way too difficult for me to take it!
Thirdly, the end is a bit abrupt. I mean after a great build up I was expecting a conclusion kind of ending. You know like the happily ever after kind of ending. There better be a sequel to it! Such an amazing book deserves a fair end!
The book is an absolute delight. I would give it a 4. I recommend it to everyone who wants to break away from the regular thrillers and try something new. This book will not disappoint you!
originally posted at http://acupofcoffeeandafairytale.blog...
Read
May 27, 2021First off I would like to say that this was a fantastic read. Mr. Edstrom you have completed a fantastic book that is well rounded and exciting and that is something to be extremely proud of.
The entire book is full of well written characters. That is probably the first thing I noticed about this writing, is how detailed these characters personality's are. It lets you get attached to certain characters (and despise others) but that's exactly how it should be. The "villain" was extremely well written and had a very intriguing personality
Over all I would recommend this book, its a pretty quick read (especially when you cant put it down haha)and entirely worth your time. The one thing that you might want to be aware of before reading this though is that its pretty easy for the reader to guess the general plot (but don't worry I can almost guarantee you wont guess how it ends), which means through the whole book you have to struggle with the main character because she is oblivious to what you already know (but with good reason) this doesn't change my view on the book at all though, because I like how it brings the reader closer to the character when you cant directly tell them what's going on.
I defiantly would recommend reading this book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. Have a great day Readers :)
The entire book is full of well written characters. That is probably the first thing I noticed about this writing, is how detailed these characters personality's are. It lets you get attached to certain characters (and despise others) but that's exactly how it should be. The "villain" was extremely well written and had a very intriguing personality
Over all I would recommend this book, its a pretty quick read (especially when you cant put it down haha)and entirely worth your time. The one thing that you might want to be aware of before reading this though is that its pretty easy for the reader to guess the general plot (but don't worry I can almost guarantee you wont guess how it ends), which means through the whole book you have to struggle with the main character because she is oblivious to what you already know (but with good reason) this doesn't change my view on the book at all though, because I like how it brings the reader closer to the character when you cant directly tell them what's going on.
I defiantly would recommend reading this book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. Have a great day Readers :)
March 28, 2018
I've just finished YA Sci Fi novel, Daughter of Nothing, by Eric Kent Edstrom. I though it was pretty gripping. It does end on a bit of a cliff hanger. But, the first book was only £1.99 and I do want to find out what happened. I'm off to buy Child of Lies.
The basic plot is a group of children aged from 9-18. Each year, the eighteen-year-olds graduate, and four more 9 year old are brought in.
Whilst they are being educated in specific subjects, none of them know what they will graduate to or where they will go. Once they graduate, they leave the island, never to return. When Jacey and some of the older teens discover the appalling truth, they can't see how to stop it. It's a premise I've come across before, but none the less of a good read, despite that.
The basic plot is a group of children aged from 9-18. Each year, the eighteen-year-olds graduate, and four more 9 year old are brought in.
Whilst they are being educated in specific subjects, none of them know what they will graduate to or where they will go. Once they graduate, they leave the island, never to return. When Jacey and some of the older teens discover the appalling truth, they can't see how to stop it. It's a premise I've come across before, but none the less of a good read, despite that.
July 16, 2018
I’m going through a phase of cleaning out my ereader of discount books I’ve purchased off of kobo over the years, and this was one of them. It was ok overall but I won’t be continuing the series. Not sure why I didn’t get into the story, maybe because a lot of the plot wasn’t driven by the MC’s actions, but rather by circumstances beyond her control, or because most of the characters seemed flat, or that the twists were so easy to spot a mile away. If you’re willing to get into a series of books, this may be for you? Like I said, I won’t be continuing the series.
June 29, 2020
Mind blown!
Just WOW! Read the synapse and thought well I LOVED the movie The Island so figured I'd give it a chance. I was blown away. The premise isnt organ transfer like the movie movie, rather mind transfer and just drags you in. A true page turner with well drawn and fast beloved characters and a horrid villain to hate. I already got the rest of the series downloaded ready to start right away. How I'm going to sleep long enough to put down my marathon reading I plan I don't know....yeah it's that good! Highly recommended you buy this series for sure!
Just WOW! Read the synapse and thought well I LOVED the movie The Island so figured I'd give it a chance. I was blown away. The premise isnt organ transfer like the movie movie, rather mind transfer and just drags you in. A true page turner with well drawn and fast beloved characters and a horrid villain to hate. I already got the rest of the series downloaded ready to start right away. How I'm going to sleep long enough to put down my marathon reading I plan I don't know....yeah it's that good! Highly recommended you buy this series for sure!
January 17, 2016
fascinating read. For those who like sci fi, with a twist of romance
January 2, 2017
Title: Daughter of Nothing
Author: Eric Kent Edstrom
Publisher/Year: Undermountain Books LLC 9/10/13
Length: 284 Pages
Series: The Scion Chronicles #1
Overview
While the powerful seek immortality, the Scions struggle for survival.
Few people know that the Scion School exists. Tucked away on a private Caribbean island, the school hosts thirty-six exceptionally gifted students. They train every day to prepare themselves for an immense responsibility, to lead humankind back from the brink of extinction.
At least, that's what they've been told.
Only one student—a seventeen year old named Jacey—suspects the truth. Driven by her undying loyalty to her friends, Jacey races to untangle the truth of who the Scions are . . . and what the headmaster truly means when he says they are bound for a great destiny.
My Thoughts
I'm a fan of dystopia and felt that i kind of needed to have something in the YA genre to start off my year. I came across this series randomly and i think that there's something interesting here.
Like the summary says, we find ourselves on an island where there's nothing more than a school - made up of in essence a lower and an upper school - the upper made up of found 'Nines' 2 sets of girls and 2 boys. Really what these are, are sets of 4 per age group where they are called Scions - and are trained in specific skills, be it math, science, martial arts etc. Each has been given a specific set of skills to learn and the AI on the campus won't allow them to deviate.
When 'Birthday' comes around, we see that things are about to change. Jacey our leading lady and her friend Vaughn go off to listen in on what happens to 'Graduates' since this class is the first. Mind you, all 18 years of their lives, they have been taught that the world outside of the island is a wasteland. There's nothing left out there, and the Scions are being trained for greatness - to be the next leaders and to bring the world into it's future. So when the two of them listen in on a radio and realize that things aren't what they seem, life as they knew it would never be the same.
From that moment on, we see the true colors of things come out. Someone reports that Jacey and Vaughn were together, yet Vaughn is the only one who's punished. Instead, Jacey finds that Dr Carlhagen, the man behind it all has taken a liking to her and lavishes her with things, and refuses to punish her. She tests those boundaries all while trying to find out the truth of things, now that Vaughn's punishment has left him dying and she's now paired up with Humphrey whom detests her.
The main bit of this story is really the same that we see in a lot of dystopia. The younger generation has only been taught one POV on the world, and have been forced to believe it. All it takes is for one person to question what's real and what's not for things to Unravel. While Jacey isn't everyone's favorite since she's blamed for a lot of what's happening, she's strong enough (or hopefully she is) to help guide people to see the light.
The light of course is that once you graduate, a transfer is done. See, the Scions are actually Clones, and their 'proginators' or 'sponsors' are wealthy folks (as it costs over $100MM to participate) who want to stay young forever. So upon graduation, the elders transfer their minds into the bodies of the Scions and go on living life in a slightly altered way. Of course though, Dr Carlhagen has his own motives, as he's selfish and power hungry, and he not only wants to be young again, he wants Jacey - the clone of the love that he lost at the hands of another man, and decides to make that happen.
Where the story goes once bits on information come to light is interesting. You can't really figure out who's to be trusted and who's against them at moments, and i think that's part of the charm. You're tricked into believing things that may be false, and the question is what will that cost? who's life will be lost.
So at the very end, we find ourselves in a place of uncertainty. Mr Justin (Dr Carlhagen's butler) sheds light on a few things that makes where Jacey wants to take things completely impossible. So it's up to her and everyone who knows to figure out how to change the world or at least the process at the campus on their own. And for that, we can only wish them the best. It's an interesting idea, and i'm going to track down the next in the series since i'm intrigued.
Author: Eric Kent Edstrom
Publisher/Year: Undermountain Books LLC 9/10/13
Length: 284 Pages
Series: The Scion Chronicles #1
Overview
While the powerful seek immortality, the Scions struggle for survival.
Few people know that the Scion School exists. Tucked away on a private Caribbean island, the school hosts thirty-six exceptionally gifted students. They train every day to prepare themselves for an immense responsibility, to lead humankind back from the brink of extinction.
At least, that's what they've been told.
Only one student—a seventeen year old named Jacey—suspects the truth. Driven by her undying loyalty to her friends, Jacey races to untangle the truth of who the Scions are . . . and what the headmaster truly means when he says they are bound for a great destiny.
My Thoughts
I'm a fan of dystopia and felt that i kind of needed to have something in the YA genre to start off my year. I came across this series randomly and i think that there's something interesting here.
Like the summary says, we find ourselves on an island where there's nothing more than a school - made up of in essence a lower and an upper school - the upper made up of found 'Nines' 2 sets of girls and 2 boys. Really what these are, are sets of 4 per age group where they are called Scions - and are trained in specific skills, be it math, science, martial arts etc. Each has been given a specific set of skills to learn and the AI on the campus won't allow them to deviate.
When 'Birthday' comes around, we see that things are about to change. Jacey our leading lady and her friend Vaughn go off to listen in on what happens to 'Graduates' since this class is the first. Mind you, all 18 years of their lives, they have been taught that the world outside of the island is a wasteland. There's nothing left out there, and the Scions are being trained for greatness - to be the next leaders and to bring the world into it's future. So when the two of them listen in on a radio and realize that things aren't what they seem, life as they knew it would never be the same.
From that moment on, we see the true colors of things come out. Someone reports that Jacey and Vaughn were together, yet Vaughn is the only one who's punished. Instead, Jacey finds that Dr Carlhagen, the man behind it all has taken a liking to her and lavishes her with things, and refuses to punish her. She tests those boundaries all while trying to find out the truth of things, now that Vaughn's punishment has left him dying and she's now paired up with Humphrey whom detests her.
The main bit of this story is really the same that we see in a lot of dystopia. The younger generation has only been taught one POV on the world, and have been forced to believe it. All it takes is for one person to question what's real and what's not for things to Unravel. While Jacey isn't everyone's favorite since she's blamed for a lot of what's happening, she's strong enough (or hopefully she is) to help guide people to see the light.
The light of course is that once you graduate, a transfer is done. See, the Scions are actually Clones, and their 'proginators' or 'sponsors' are wealthy folks (as it costs over $100MM to participate) who want to stay young forever. So upon graduation, the elders transfer their minds into the bodies of the Scions and go on living life in a slightly altered way. Of course though, Dr Carlhagen has his own motives, as he's selfish and power hungry, and he not only wants to be young again, he wants Jacey - the clone of the love that he lost at the hands of another man, and decides to make that happen.
Where the story goes once bits on information come to light is interesting. You can't really figure out who's to be trusted and who's against them at moments, and i think that's part of the charm. You're tricked into believing things that may be false, and the question is what will that cost? who's life will be lost.
So at the very end, we find ourselves in a place of uncertainty. Mr Justin (Dr Carlhagen's butler) sheds light on a few things that makes where Jacey wants to take things completely impossible. So it's up to her and everyone who knows to figure out how to change the world or at least the process at the campus on their own. And for that, we can only wish them the best. It's an interesting idea, and i'm going to track down the next in the series since i'm intrigued.
August 4, 2017
I loved this book. From start to finish I couldn't let it go. I had to know what was going to happen. All the characters in this story are well developed. There was never a dull moment. The development of the story was also welldone.
Summery:
The story starts with Jacey as point of view.
Jacey lives on an Island St. Vices. All her life she's been told that she's an Orphan and thanks to a sponsor she gets to go to this school. She and the 36 other students will one day become great leaders that will save menkind from extinction. But when the first 4 gratuated students are celebrated and go out into world, Jacey starts to question where her friends are going.
With the gratuation and celebration of Birthday, Dr. Carlhagen (btw when I picture this old man, I picture Karl Lagerfeld hihihi) returns after four years of being absend. When he pays extra attention to Jacey. She's being to doubt him and what his intentions are.
After I couple of chaptors with the POV of Jacey. It changes to POV of Dr. carlhagen. Wich makes it very interesting. He is offcourse the bad guy in this story. But through his POV, the readers gets more info about what's going on why he pays so much attention to Jacey.
I give this book a full 5 stars. Because I couldn't find any faults.
I always believe that anyone can write a book. But only true (intelligent) Writers can write books like this one. For me there are only a fue writers who belong in this category and now Eric Kent Edstrom is one of them ;)
Summery:
The story starts with Jacey as point of view.
Jacey lives on an Island St. Vices. All her life she's been told that she's an Orphan and thanks to a sponsor she gets to go to this school. She and the 36 other students will one day become great leaders that will save menkind from extinction. But when the first 4 gratuated students are celebrated and go out into world, Jacey starts to question where her friends are going.
With the gratuation and celebration of Birthday, Dr. Carlhagen (btw when I picture this old man, I picture Karl Lagerfeld hihihi) returns after four years of being absend. When he pays extra attention to Jacey. She's being to doubt him and what his intentions are.
After I couple of chaptors with the POV of Jacey. It changes to POV of Dr. carlhagen. Wich makes it very interesting. He is offcourse the bad guy in this story. But through his POV, the readers gets more info about what's going on why he pays so much attention to Jacey.
I give this book a full 5 stars. Because I couldn't find any faults.
I always believe that anyone can write a book. But only true (intelligent) Writers can write books like this one. For me there are only a fue writers who belong in this category and now Eric Kent Edstrom is one of them ;)
May 17, 2018
ormat: Kindle Edition
I RECEIVED THE BOOK AS AUDIO AND WANT TO SAY THANK YOU I WOULD LOVE TO LISTEN TO THE REST OF THE BOOK.
THE BOOK I ABOUT A BUNCH OF KIDS WHO ARE TAKEN TO ISLAND OUT OF NO WERE AND YOU CAN NOT LEAVE THE ISLAND TILL YOU MATURE AND THEN THE DAY TO DAY YOU ARE QUIZZED TO SEE HOW YOU CAN HANDLE THE WORLD OUT SIDE.
THE KID DO NOT KNOW THERE FAMILY YOU SEE THEY ARE NOT TO KEEP ANY THING OF THERE PROPRIETY THEY HAVE TO BURN IT THE NUN WHO GET THEM READY TO COME TO THE ISLAND GIVE THEM NAMES AND SHE GIVE THEM STUFF TOY TO HELP THEM THROUGH THE TIME
THEY ARE GIVEN UNI FORM THEY ARE BLACK PANT AND BLACK SHIRTS EACH CHILD HAS PIN TO TELL THEM APART THEY ARE DIFFERENT GROUPS AS THEY AGE AND THEN THEY GET DIFFERENT PIN AND THEN THEY GET HARDER CLASSES . THEN WHEN THEY HAVE LOCK DOWN MEANS NO ONE GOES OUT THEY ARE BARRED TO SEE WHAT GOING ON THEY ARE LOCKED IN ROOM AND THEN THEY ETHER BRING SUPPLY IN OR THEN THINGS GO OUT
THE HEAD MASTER IS IN THE 90 AND HE A DIRTY OLD MAN BUT SMART YOU SEE HE HAS SPONSOR FOR THE KIDS HE RAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE KID WHAT IS TO SEE HOW THEY WORK OUT . HE HAS IDEA THAT THE KID WILL BE GENIUS AND THEN GO IN TO WORLD AND ACHIEVE MORE THAN POSSIBLE. HE IN VITE THE OLDER KIDS TO DINNER AND TELL THEM TO DRESS IN WHAT HE HAS LEFT FOR THEM THE KID NOT BEEN THE HOIUSE AND THEN HE TELL THEM THEY ARE GOING TO BE THE NEXT IN LINE FOR THE SCHOOL
WELL I AM NOT GOING TO SAY NOTHING MORE BUT IT A HIGH 5 OR MORE THIS SHOULD BE MOVIE AND THEN I AM DOING THIS AS MY REVIEW
I RECEIVED THE BOOK AS AUDIO AND WANT TO SAY THANK YOU I WOULD LOVE TO LISTEN TO THE REST OF THE BOOK.
THE BOOK I ABOUT A BUNCH OF KIDS WHO ARE TAKEN TO ISLAND OUT OF NO WERE AND YOU CAN NOT LEAVE THE ISLAND TILL YOU MATURE AND THEN THE DAY TO DAY YOU ARE QUIZZED TO SEE HOW YOU CAN HANDLE THE WORLD OUT SIDE.
THE KID DO NOT KNOW THERE FAMILY YOU SEE THEY ARE NOT TO KEEP ANY THING OF THERE PROPRIETY THEY HAVE TO BURN IT THE NUN WHO GET THEM READY TO COME TO THE ISLAND GIVE THEM NAMES AND SHE GIVE THEM STUFF TOY TO HELP THEM THROUGH THE TIME
THEY ARE GIVEN UNI FORM THEY ARE BLACK PANT AND BLACK SHIRTS EACH CHILD HAS PIN TO TELL THEM APART THEY ARE DIFFERENT GROUPS AS THEY AGE AND THEN THEY GET DIFFERENT PIN AND THEN THEY GET HARDER CLASSES . THEN WHEN THEY HAVE LOCK DOWN MEANS NO ONE GOES OUT THEY ARE BARRED TO SEE WHAT GOING ON THEY ARE LOCKED IN ROOM AND THEN THEY ETHER BRING SUPPLY IN OR THEN THINGS GO OUT
THE HEAD MASTER IS IN THE 90 AND HE A DIRTY OLD MAN BUT SMART YOU SEE HE HAS SPONSOR FOR THE KIDS HE RAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE KID WHAT IS TO SEE HOW THEY WORK OUT . HE HAS IDEA THAT THE KID WILL BE GENIUS AND THEN GO IN TO WORLD AND ACHIEVE MORE THAN POSSIBLE. HE IN VITE THE OLDER KIDS TO DINNER AND TELL THEM TO DRESS IN WHAT HE HAS LEFT FOR THEM THE KID NOT BEEN THE HOIUSE AND THEN HE TELL THEM THEY ARE GOING TO BE THE NEXT IN LINE FOR THE SCHOOL
WELL I AM NOT GOING TO SAY NOTHING MORE BUT IT A HIGH 5 OR MORE THIS SHOULD BE MOVIE AND THEN I AM DOING THIS AS MY REVIEW
August 21, 2018
The characters are… okay. I felt that many of them could have had more depth, particularly among the adults. Even Jacey felt as though she was held at a little bit of a distance, and thus made somewhat bland. The ultimate bad guy was one-dimensionally evil.
I wish we’d been able to pick up a bit more of what the outside world is like. We have the barest outline of what the students have been taught, with little reality to hold up to it by the end. I guess we’re supposed to want to read further books in the series in order to find out, but without that context I don’t find that I particularly care that much about the world and what happens to it next.
It took a while for me to get into the book. For quite a while the pace is fairly consistently slow. Eventually it did catch my interest, and the plot managed to deliver a surprise or two for brief periods of time. I also appreciate that Jacey was allowed to retain her strong individuality without being required to romantically pair up with either of the obvious choices.
Ultimately, while I enjoyed reading Daughter of Nothing, I don’t plan to read any follow-ons.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2018/08/r...
I wish we’d been able to pick up a bit more of what the outside world is like. We have the barest outline of what the students have been taught, with little reality to hold up to it by the end. I guess we’re supposed to want to read further books in the series in order to find out, but without that context I don’t find that I particularly care that much about the world and what happens to it next.
It took a while for me to get into the book. For quite a while the pace is fairly consistently slow. Eventually it did catch my interest, and the plot managed to deliver a surprise or two for brief periods of time. I also appreciate that Jacey was allowed to retain her strong individuality without being required to romantically pair up with either of the obvious choices.
Ultimately, while I enjoyed reading Daughter of Nothing, I don’t plan to read any follow-ons.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2018/08/r...
May 13, 2018
Truly I was not accepting such a good story especially when the plot was discovered so early in the story, but the author have made up for it and then some, especially with the twist near the ending.
Included few unsolved mysteries for the rest of the series which gives you the taste of wanting more which is what makes a series good and I certainly can’t wait for the next book to come out.
Narration was excellent!
The book was written beautifully!
Only one conclusion:
This book is Fully recommended !!!
For an honest review, I accepted this audiobook for free.
Included few unsolved mysteries for the rest of the series which gives you the taste of wanting more which is what makes a series good and I certainly can’t wait for the next book to come out.
Narration was excellent!
The book was written beautifully!
Only one conclusion:
This book is Fully recommended !!!
For an honest review, I accepted this audiobook for free.
September 6, 2018
I don't read much YA these days, but I thought the ideas behind the novel were pretty interesting. Perhaps not entirely original, but well executed. The writing style seemed unrefined, so I was surprised to see the author had so many novels published, so maybe it was a stylistic choice? I am unfamiliar with his other works. I made the mistake of reading the teaser for the second book and it hooked me, so I think I will be reading the rest of the series.
April 14, 2019
Oh my gosh, what an amazing book!
I loved this story! Firstly, I love the dystopian genre generally but the characters in this were fantastic and the doctor, an utter creep-weirdo! I love Jacey, shes so cute, naive, intelligent and strong but vulnerable too. I love her sense of loyalty and her kindness, especially to Livy and her dog! I usually get bored as I have an ADHD attention span but I cannot wait until the 2nd in this series!
I loved this story! Firstly, I love the dystopian genre generally but the characters in this were fantastic and the doctor, an utter creep-weirdo! I love Jacey, shes so cute, naive, intelligent and strong but vulnerable too. I love her sense of loyalty and her kindness, especially to Livy and her dog! I usually get bored as I have an ADHD attention span but I cannot wait until the 2nd in this series!
September 16, 2017
I have to admit, even though this is outside my normal preference for reading material, I was pleasantly surprised by the interest and depth of the story. It was well written, the characters engaging, and even though I usually prefer a lot of action (think swordfights, titanic battles, that sort of thing) this kept me thoroughly engaged. An excellent read.
January 6, 2018
Not a very well written book nor entertaining.
Doubting wether I should read the second part. Characters are rather flat. You need a lot of imagination to go along with te story. I was quite shocked to read that disappearances and deaths of particular personages got so little attention or caused zero to none emotional disturbance.
Doubting wether I should read the second part. Characters are rather flat. You need a lot of imagination to go along with te story. I was quite shocked to read that disappearances and deaths of particular personages got so little attention or caused zero to none emotional disturbance.
May 21, 2018
My fourth amazing read from author Eric Kent Edstrom. I first discovered this author in Thief of Sparks (Starside Saga #1) & A Raven's Dream (Starside Saga Book 2).AS good as those books are this one is better & I can't wait to read the next book in this series and having read/listened to this one in audio I'm very tempted to do the next one in audio as well!
October 6, 2017
Beautifully written, this book will take you on a journey of mysterious discoveries. The foreshadowing sets you up to believe you know exactly what is going to happen, but there are so many twists and turns I never saw coming! This story is an original page turner. I highly recommend it!
March 16, 2018
Jacey
Oh, I liked it! It's got some unique twists in the book and the characters are all string and interesting. Definitely gonna pick up book 2.
Oh, I liked it! It's got some unique twists in the book and the characters are all string and interesting. Definitely gonna pick up book 2.
May 16, 2018
Kudos to the author for eschewing the overused and underwhelming first person narrative. This book was engaging and well written, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!
July 3, 2018
Fantastic
Read this book in two days. Couldn't put it down. The story is fascinating from start to finish. Can't wait to read book 2.
Read this book in two days. Couldn't put it down. The story is fascinating from start to finish. Can't wait to read book 2.
August 7, 2018
Daughter of Nothing takes place in a dystopian future. Jacey and her 36 fellows scion has been told they are bound for great destiny to bring the world back to order. Each believes that when they reach their eighteen birthdays, they will be leaving the island to help mankind.
Even with a great destiny, the senior scions are curious about their parents and how they died. In order to gain any news about the outside world, they decided to pass the information to the junior scions who will take their place on the island.
The truth does have a habit of revealing itself at intervals. With the information passed on, Jaycee started to unravel the information and gather the information of what her friends know to reveal a darker, sinister plan.
The story depicts human nature. Orphans often wonder about their biological parents. Education brings independent thinking and reasoning. As mortals, each human being longs for and searches for immortality. The author captures all of this in Daughter of Nothing. The author also captures both the antagonist and protagonist's POVs.
I love the revelations when each scions discovered the truth of what is happening to them when they reach their eighteen birthday. I would love to know what happens next and how Jaycee and her friends are going to masquerade that everything is fine on the island and to find a way to save themselves.
The narrator, Nancy Peterson did a wonderful job of portraying Jacey, Vaughen, Humprey, and Dr. Carlhagen and the other minor characters such as Sensei. Hope she stays with the series unless if is from Humprey's POV.
I was given this audiobook by the author. I have decided to write an unbiased review for the book. I was not compensated or influenced in any way for writing this review.
Even with a great destiny, the senior scions are curious about their parents and how they died. In order to gain any news about the outside world, they decided to pass the information to the junior scions who will take their place on the island.
The truth does have a habit of revealing itself at intervals. With the information passed on, Jaycee started to unravel the information and gather the information of what her friends know to reveal a darker, sinister plan.
The story depicts human nature. Orphans often wonder about their biological parents. Education brings independent thinking and reasoning. As mortals, each human being longs for and searches for immortality. The author captures all of this in Daughter of Nothing. The author also captures both the antagonist and protagonist's POVs.
I love the revelations when each scions discovered the truth of what is happening to them when they reach their eighteen birthday. I would love to know what happens next and how Jaycee and her friends are going to masquerade that everything is fine on the island and to find a way to save themselves.
The narrator, Nancy Peterson did a wonderful job of portraying Jacey, Vaughen, Humprey, and Dr. Carlhagen and the other minor characters such as Sensei. Hope she stays with the series unless if is from Humprey's POV.
I was given this audiobook by the author. I have decided to write an unbiased review for the book. I was not compensated or influenced in any way for writing this review.
October 2, 2014
I struggled with this book. Not because it wasn’t well done – it was – but because I wasn’t sure how to review it. I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read, and it kept me interested. But I must admit, on page 13 I turned to my husband and said, “this sounds just like that movie, The Island.”
The book does follow similar themes. (If you aren’t wanting spoilers, quit reading here.) What makes us “us”, what makes us human, etc. The orphaned children are really clones… sort of. They are being prepped for their Progenitors to take over their bodies by way of a mind transfer when they hit eighteen. Jacey, however, is an anomaly. I won’t say why, as the reasons are very central to the plot. Dr. Carlhagen, the fatherly figure who owns/runs the Scion school, is a character that at first you think might have a sympathetic reason for all this, but quickly descends into madness. I liked Jacey’s character. I liked that the supporting characters were given separate personalities. I even enjoyed the way that Dr. Carlhagen is written. He makes a very good villain, and his madness is a gradual thing that is realistic. Most of my issues with the novel were that I could see what was coming so early that I grew frustrated. That being said, the twist at the end with the Scion and Dr. Carlhagen (vague on purpose) was one I hadn’t seen, and which I enjoyed. The book was a good read, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction novels.
The book does follow similar themes. (If you aren’t wanting spoilers, quit reading here.) What makes us “us”, what makes us human, etc. The orphaned children are really clones… sort of. They are being prepped for their Progenitors to take over their bodies by way of a mind transfer when they hit eighteen. Jacey, however, is an anomaly. I won’t say why, as the reasons are very central to the plot. Dr. Carlhagen, the fatherly figure who owns/runs the Scion school, is a character that at first you think might have a sympathetic reason for all this, but quickly descends into madness. I liked Jacey’s character. I liked that the supporting characters were given separate personalities. I even enjoyed the way that Dr. Carlhagen is written. He makes a very good villain, and his madness is a gradual thing that is realistic. Most of my issues with the novel were that I could see what was coming so early that I grew frustrated. That being said, the twist at the end with the Scion and Dr. Carlhagen (vague on purpose) was one I hadn’t seen, and which I enjoyed. The book was a good read, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction novels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2013
3.5 stars
Written with all the good elements of a sci-fi/mystery/thriller Daughter of Nothing offered a satisfactory reading experience with a driven protagonist and interesting concept.
It seems now that every time I read either a dystopian or sci-fi novel in the YA genre I am reminded of a book that is in some ways similar. In this case I would compare the book to Starters by Lissa Price. Although, I do have to say that the novel definitely had some aspects of originality in terms of the plot, setting etc. which did make for an interesting story. I found Jacey's character change from somewhat irritating to likable as the story progressed and found that the plot seemed to revolve around this transformation. One piece of constructive criticism I would give is that the writing style was missing a certain flair. In some ways it could be seen as a more 'direct' approach, so really I suppose it depends on personal preference in the end.
In all, I would say to give Daughter of Nothing a go if you are looking for another sci-fi novel to read that is interesting and will satisfy your reading craving.
Written with all the good elements of a sci-fi/mystery/thriller Daughter of Nothing offered a satisfactory reading experience with a driven protagonist and interesting concept.
It seems now that every time I read either a dystopian or sci-fi novel in the YA genre I am reminded of a book that is in some ways similar. In this case I would compare the book to Starters by Lissa Price. Although, I do have to say that the novel definitely had some aspects of originality in terms of the plot, setting etc. which did make for an interesting story. I found Jacey's character change from somewhat irritating to likable as the story progressed and found that the plot seemed to revolve around this transformation. One piece of constructive criticism I would give is that the writing style was missing a certain flair. In some ways it could be seen as a more 'direct' approach, so really I suppose it depends on personal preference in the end.
In all, I would say to give Daughter of Nothing a go if you are looking for another sci-fi novel to read that is interesting and will satisfy your reading craving.
October 5, 2013
I received a free download of this book from Story Cartel. (Thank you!)
I enjoyed the story. It was interesting to follow Jacey's thoughts as she discovers the truth about her life and why she is at the school for Scions. The whole concept behind the school is somewhat disturbing, and it makes for some interesting discussion of combining science with ethics.
I was happy to see that love and compassion were not absent from this world. In fact, just like real-life today, love is the underlying reason for the characters' actions (or non-actions.)
The only gripe I have about the book is the ending. Or perhaps I should say the lack of a conclusion. The book does end, but it only ends. A couple of loose strings are tied up, but several more are created in the process. I want to know what happens next. Hopefully the author will write another novel to conclude the story. I am curious to know what happens with the characters who are still at the school, as well as with those who have left it.
I would recommend this book for people who enjoy stories of young adults who are coming of age in a futuristic society.
I enjoyed the story. It was interesting to follow Jacey's thoughts as she discovers the truth about her life and why she is at the school for Scions. The whole concept behind the school is somewhat disturbing, and it makes for some interesting discussion of combining science with ethics.
I was happy to see that love and compassion were not absent from this world. In fact, just like real-life today, love is the underlying reason for the characters' actions (or non-actions.)
The only gripe I have about the book is the ending. Or perhaps I should say the lack of a conclusion. The book does end, but it only ends. A couple of loose strings are tied up, but several more are created in the process. I want to know what happens next. Hopefully the author will write another novel to conclude the story. I am curious to know what happens with the characters who are still at the school, as well as with those who have left it.
I would recommend this book for people who enjoy stories of young adults who are coming of age in a futuristic society.
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