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Meritropolis #1
Meritropolis
The year is AE3, 3 years after the Event. Within the walls of Meritropolis, 50,000 inhabitants live in fear, ruled by the brutal System that assigns each citizen a merit score that dictates whether they live or die. Those with the highest scores thrive, while those with the lowest are subject to the most unforgiving punishment--to be thrust outside the city gates, thrown to the terrifying hybrid creatures that exist beyond.
But for one High Score, conforming to the System just isn't an option. Seventeen-year-old Charley has a brother to avenge. And nothing--not even a totalitarian military or dangerous science--is going to stop him.
Where humankind has pushed nature and morals to the extreme, Charley is amongst the chosen few tasked with exploring the boundaries, forcing him to look deep into his very being to discern right from wrong. But as he and his friends learn more about the frightening forces that threaten destruction both without and within the gates, Meritropolis reveals complexities they couldn't possibly have bargained for...
But for one High Score, conforming to the System just isn't an option. Seventeen-year-old Charley has a brother to avenge. And nothing--not even a totalitarian military or dangerous science--is going to stop him.
Where humankind has pushed nature and morals to the extreme, Charley is amongst the chosen few tasked with exploring the boundaries, forcing him to look deep into his very being to discern right from wrong. But as he and his friends learn more about the frightening forces that threaten destruction both without and within the gates, Meritropolis reveals complexities they couldn't possibly have bargained for...
226 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2014
193 people are currently reading
2527 people want to read
About the author
Joel Ohman
4 books465 followersJoel Ohman lives in Tampa, FL with his wife Angela and their three kids. His writing companion is Caesar, a slightly overweight Bull Mastiff who loves to eat the tops off of strawberries.
Joel is the author of the #1 bestselling Meritropolis series—“The Hunger Games meets The Village with a young Jack Reacher as a protagonist” and the new YA release, Other Bodies.
Join the Joel Ohman Reader's Group for FREE giveaways and VIP access to pre-release books, gift cards, and special announcements. Join now at JoelOhman.com!
Joel is the author of the #1 bestselling Meritropolis series—“The Hunger Games meets The Village with a young Jack Reacher as a protagonist” and the new YA release, Other Bodies.
Join the Joel Ohman Reader's Group for FREE giveaways and VIP access to pre-release books, gift cards, and special announcements. Join now at JoelOhman.com!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
May 25, 2015
The year is AE3, 3 years after the Event. Within the walls of Meritropolis, 50,000 inhabitants live in fear, ruled by the brutal System that assigns each citizen a merit score that dictates whether they live or die. Those with the highest scores thrive, while those with the lowest are subject to the most unforgiving punishment--to be thrust outside the city gates, thrown to the terrifying hybrid creatures that exist beyond.
But for one High Score, conforming to the System just isn't an option. Seventeen-year-old Charley has a brother to avenge. And nothing--not even a totalitarian military or dangerous science--is going to stop him.
Where humankind has pushed nature and morals to the extreme, Charley is amongst the chosen few tasked with exploring the boundaries, forcing him to look deep into his very being to discern right from wrong. But as he and his friends learn more about the frightening forces that threaten destruction both without and within the gates, Meritropolis reveals complexities they couldn't possibly have bargained for...
But for one High Score, conforming to the System just isn't an option. Seventeen-year-old Charley has a brother to avenge. And nothing--not even a totalitarian military or dangerous science--is going to stop him.
Where humankind has pushed nature and morals to the extreme, Charley is amongst the chosen few tasked with exploring the boundaries, forcing him to look deep into his very being to discern right from wrong. But as he and his friends learn more about the frightening forces that threaten destruction both without and within the gates, Meritropolis reveals complexities they couldn't possibly have bargained for...
October 28, 2014
received this book in exchange for an honest review
Submitting to the system provided the best chance of collective survival. Of course, there are always those who refuse to submit.
This wildly addicting dystopian novel follows a seventeen year old, Charley, who lives in a city called Meritropolis. Their community is ruled by a certain system that is basically the survival of the fittest. It's based on a scoring system with low scores getting 'zeroed' out of society - thrown outside the gates of the city. Waiting outside of the gates are terrifying creatures that no untrained person would stand a chance against.
Charley's brother was zeroed at a young age. He has held on to that anger and self-loathing for nine years just waiting until it explodes. He has an extremely high score, so after doing something that would get a low-score killed, the commander of the community pardons Charley to train to become a hunter. He bides his time, training, gaining information and strategies, waiting to make a move against the system.
"Because even low scores have value. Everyone has value - whether they are deemed 'useful' to society or not."
This story was such a short read but exploded with depth, action and suspense. I could not put it down - I needed to know what Charley was going to do. His internal struggles were heart-wrenching. All the characters, good and bad, were written in a way that draws the reader in. The writing flowed wonderfully and, like most shorter books, didn't veer off from the message of the story.
I am extremely happy with the open ending and hoping this will be a series. Charley is a complex 'good' character. There are so many possibilities to his development and the story's. I cannot wait :)
Brilliant read. The main reason I didn't give it five stars is because I, personally, need a bit of romance to obsess over a book.
Fans of dystopia need to pick this one up!
Submitting to the system provided the best chance of collective survival. Of course, there are always those who refuse to submit.
This wildly addicting dystopian novel follows a seventeen year old, Charley, who lives in a city called Meritropolis. Their community is ruled by a certain system that is basically the survival of the fittest. It's based on a scoring system with low scores getting 'zeroed' out of society - thrown outside the gates of the city. Waiting outside of the gates are terrifying creatures that no untrained person would stand a chance against.
Charley's brother was zeroed at a young age. He has held on to that anger and self-loathing for nine years just waiting until it explodes. He has an extremely high score, so after doing something that would get a low-score killed, the commander of the community pardons Charley to train to become a hunter. He bides his time, training, gaining information and strategies, waiting to make a move against the system.
"Because even low scores have value. Everyone has value - whether they are deemed 'useful' to society or not."
This story was such a short read but exploded with depth, action and suspense. I could not put it down - I needed to know what Charley was going to do. His internal struggles were heart-wrenching. All the characters, good and bad, were written in a way that draws the reader in. The writing flowed wonderfully and, like most shorter books, didn't veer off from the message of the story.
I am extremely happy with the open ending and hoping this will be a series. Charley is a complex 'good' character. There are so many possibilities to his development and the story's. I cannot wait :)
Brilliant read. The main reason I didn't give it five stars is because I, personally, need a bit of romance to obsess over a book.
Fans of dystopia need to pick this one up!
June 4, 2017
Ohman should take a hard look at everyone around him. Every friend who read a page and said it made sense. Every reader who smiled after finishing a chapter and told him that he was on the right track. Every editor who pretended to read his sentences and chose not to correct anything in this hare-brained book. He should look at all of them and immediately zero them from his life.
The only redeemable piece of this book is the System premise. That's where it ends. Literally before the first sentence, the book has peaked. From the characters to the writing to the ridiculous world-building to the worse than a picture book plot, Ohman fails at every level. I loved reading this book just to see how horrible, just how off the rails of good taste and writing, Ohman could go. And, oh man, he got really, really far.
If you want to see what a lack of planning and a dearth of constructive criticism leads to, please, by all means, read Meritropolis. This should be required reading in every "I-want-to-be-an-author" class as a warning about surrounding yourself with mediocrity and yes-people. One well-earned star.
The only redeemable piece of this book is the System premise. That's where it ends. Literally before the first sentence, the book has peaked. From the characters to the writing to the ridiculous world-building to the worse than a picture book plot, Ohman fails at every level. I loved reading this book just to see how horrible, just how off the rails of good taste and writing, Ohman could go. And, oh man, he got really, really far.
If you want to see what a lack of planning and a dearth of constructive criticism leads to, please, by all means, read Meritropolis. This should be required reading in every "I-want-to-be-an-author" class as a warning about surrounding yourself with mediocrity and yes-people. One well-earned star.
September 13, 2017
“Everyone matters,” he murmured. “Even the unwanted, even the unborn, even the disabled.”
That is the message in this wonderful, fast-paced bit of not-super-depressing dystopia. When I read that line, I knew I was in love with this book. So much of the genre is bent on overthrowing the Government just because "it's wrong." And "oppressive." And those things may be true. But this book shows us the why of it all as well. People's worth can't be defined by the Score their government assigns them. (In Meritropolis, High Scores have a pretty good life. Low Scores get shoved out the gates to be eaten by creatures lurking in the forest, which I'll go into more later).
Charley, the super handsome and athletic 17-year-old High Score protagonist, lives in a walled city called Meritropolis (hence the name). All the familiar hallmarks of dystopia are there—a Wall, the Government, AKA The System—even an egotistical ruler called Commander Orson to boot. But that is where the similarities end.
Meritropolis was written by a Christian, and it shows. Ohman wove in the beautiful message that everyone matters—even the unwanted, even the unborn, even the disabled—without coming across preachy at all. There are very few books like that. When I read the line at the beginning of this review, (which came about halfway through the book), I had to stop, take a deep breath, and let the fact that I had just read that line amidst the pages of a pretty standard dystopia sink in.
But there are other reasons I loved this book. The characters! Honestly, the way each and every character was drawn up reminded me a little of J.K. Rowling. They were so vivid! And though Charley seemed to have everything going for him (good looks, athleticism, smarts, and a High Score), he still has one major fault: an explosive temper. But he isn't angry for just any ol' reason, either. He has reasons. (Which I won't mention because of spoilers).
There is also a very generous dose of fantastic creatures. They're pretty much what The Hunger Games labels "mutts." For example: Snicks, Bions, and Chimpanzelles. (Which are snipe/ticks, bull/lions, chimpanzees/gazelles respectively). Plus each and every one of these animal combinations hate humans through every fiber of their being... so that makes things interesting.
But now we come to the stuff I wasn't so crazy about... the reason I gave it four stars instead of five. There was a smattering of mostly mild language, (maybe four instances the whole book through), and what I thought was a pretty unnecessary conversation about mating. Most of that latter issue was carried out in a "Wait, what?" kind of awkward teenage conversation that was not serious in its intent at all, but it was still uncomfortable. There was also a woman that was a complete expert on using her feminine charms to mesmerize and control men (which included an uncalled-for-kiss in an alleyway). And there were several times I came across words, and thought, "I'm not really sure that word means what you think it means." There was also one small subplot that was never resolved, which naturally left me hanging.
But overall, I loved this book, and am definitely going to read book 2 as soon as I can!
That is the message in this wonderful, fast-paced bit of not-super-depressing dystopia. When I read that line, I knew I was in love with this book. So much of the genre is bent on overthrowing the Government just because "it's wrong." And "oppressive." And those things may be true. But this book shows us the why of it all as well. People's worth can't be defined by the Score their government assigns them. (In Meritropolis, High Scores have a pretty good life. Low Scores get shoved out the gates to be eaten by creatures lurking in the forest, which I'll go into more later).
Charley, the super handsome and athletic 17-year-old High Score protagonist, lives in a walled city called Meritropolis (hence the name). All the familiar hallmarks of dystopia are there—a Wall, the Government, AKA The System—even an egotistical ruler called Commander Orson to boot. But that is where the similarities end.
Meritropolis was written by a Christian, and it shows. Ohman wove in the beautiful message that everyone matters—even the unwanted, even the unborn, even the disabled—without coming across preachy at all. There are very few books like that. When I read the line at the beginning of this review, (which came about halfway through the book), I had to stop, take a deep breath, and let the fact that I had just read that line amidst the pages of a pretty standard dystopia sink in.
But there are other reasons I loved this book. The characters! Honestly, the way each and every character was drawn up reminded me a little of J.K. Rowling. They were so vivid! And though Charley seemed to have everything going for him (good looks, athleticism, smarts, and a High Score), he still has one major fault: an explosive temper. But he isn't angry for just any ol' reason, either. He has reasons. (Which I won't mention because of spoilers).
There is also a very generous dose of fantastic creatures. They're pretty much what The Hunger Games labels "mutts." For example: Snicks, Bions, and Chimpanzelles. (Which are snipe/ticks, bull/lions, chimpanzees/gazelles respectively). Plus each and every one of these animal combinations hate humans through every fiber of their being... so that makes things interesting.
But now we come to the stuff I wasn't so crazy about... the reason I gave it four stars instead of five. There was a smattering of mostly mild language, (maybe four instances the whole book through), and what I thought was a pretty unnecessary conversation about mating. Most of that latter issue was carried out in a "Wait, what?" kind of awkward teenage conversation that was not serious in its intent at all, but it was still uncomfortable. There was also a woman that was a complete expert on using her feminine charms to mesmerize and control men (which included an uncalled-for-kiss in an alleyway). And there were several times I came across words, and thought, "I'm not really sure that word means what you think it means." There was also one small subplot that was never resolved, which naturally left me hanging.
But overall, I loved this book, and am definitely going to read book 2 as soon as I can!
February 26, 2015
"Submitting to the System provided the best chance of collective survival.
Of course, there are always those who refuse to submit."
- Joel Ohman, 'Meritroplis'
DNF at 60 %
Thank you CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform for providing me with an advanced reading copy for review.
I can't remember the exact reason as to why I ever decided to request 'Meritropolis' from its publisher. I seriously wonder now though, because it surely wasn't the premise. I didn't have much hope for this novel, because from what I've read this book seemed like yet another wannabe-dystopian. I wasn't surprised when I decided to just stopped reading. There is literally nothing interesting in here.
The writing style definitely needs some getting used to. There was an overuse of strange terms without explanation and it definitely gave the impression that the author wanted to have a beautiful but sophisticated writing style à la Markus Zusak or John Green. It wasn't flowing in any way and needs all the improvement it can get. Because the writing itself was just trying too hard for my liking, I had a great deal of trouble trying to stay focused on the story. If I can even speak of a real one.
Even though this book consists over two hundred pages, I don't feel like anything special happened. I was almost crossing my fingers in the hope that I won't stay like that for the rest of the book. There could have been such a great storyline filled with action, rebellion, mystery, plot twists, even a spark of romance. It disappointed so much.
I can't really talk about any of the characters, and I have a great explanation for it. I honestly can't remember any of the characters, nor their names, except for Charley. I bet it's rather easy to guess that none of them really stuck with me enough to remember them. They didn't make a great first impression. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it also implies that I had zero interest in getting to know them or to learn about their lives. Other than that, I found them to be shallow, lack in depth, were completely unbelievable and they did not have such thing as a personality. I'm sad I don't like any of them, because now the characters are yet another aspect which made the book not really likable.
Despite the book being labeled as a 'dystopia', there is zero world building in this book. The only aspect that may count as world building, is the system of Scores. However, I already lost count on how many times the main character keeps being proud of his Score and talk about his Score and his Score only. There is no explanation whatsoever about the System itself, nor on what these Scores are based on, how it's possible to get a High Score. It's a must that every dystopia at least has a controlling system, and preferably a system with a little more depth into it.
After all, 'Meritropolis' is yet another dystopia with a serious lack of world building, believable characters and something like a plot. Do not waste your time reading this if you're looking for a refreshing dystopian novel, because you won't find anything here.
September 15, 2014
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Action packed, fast paced, easy read. Characters and world building were spot on. The story line was intriguing. It has everything I want in a dystopian novel.
Looking forward to book 2, the adventure is far from over.
Looking forward to book 2, the adventure is far from over.
November 8, 2014
4 of 5 Stars
Meritropolis had a lot going against it. First novel from a writer with no track record. Self-published. Somewhat derivative in the dystopian genre. But guess what? Meritropolis manages to overcome all of those obstacles and stand tall as an entertaining YA novel that tells an all too believable story
It's the year AE3. Three years after the nebulous Event. From the book description on Amazon. "Within the walls of Meritropolis, 50,000 inhabitants live in fear, ruled by a brutal System that assigns each citizen a merit score that dictates whether they live or die. Those with the highest scores thrive, while those with the lowest are subject to the most unforgiving punishment--to be thrust outside the city gates, thrown to the terrifying hybrid creatures that exist beyond."
In a city of limited resources, there is not enough of anything to go around. The solution is a System where everyone's worth to the community is measured and reevaluated on an ongoing basis. Fall below a set score and be banished to the outside and certain death. The rules apply to every man, woman, and child in Meritropolis.
Over the last few years, families have been torn apart. In some ways this System reminded me of the rumored "Death Panels" that would be a part of President Obama's Affordable Healthcare Act. All too possible.
Charley's older brother, Alec, was zeroed out when Charley was just just eight. Now he's an adult with one of the highest scores in Meritropolis and he's driven to zero out the System.
With a well thought out story line and varied and complete characters, Meritropolis is a story I can easily recommend for young adult readers and adults who enjoy a good dystopian thriller. Plus, there is plenty left unresolved and I'm hopeful for a sequel.
Meritropolis is available now for the Kindle and as a paperback. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read this one at no additional charge.
Recommended.
Meritropolis had a lot going against it. First novel from a writer with no track record. Self-published. Somewhat derivative in the dystopian genre. But guess what? Meritropolis manages to overcome all of those obstacles and stand tall as an entertaining YA novel that tells an all too believable story
It's the year AE3. Three years after the nebulous Event. From the book description on Amazon. "Within the walls of Meritropolis, 50,000 inhabitants live in fear, ruled by a brutal System that assigns each citizen a merit score that dictates whether they live or die. Those with the highest scores thrive, while those with the lowest are subject to the most unforgiving punishment--to be thrust outside the city gates, thrown to the terrifying hybrid creatures that exist beyond."
In a city of limited resources, there is not enough of anything to go around. The solution is a System where everyone's worth to the community is measured and reevaluated on an ongoing basis. Fall below a set score and be banished to the outside and certain death. The rules apply to every man, woman, and child in Meritropolis.
Over the last few years, families have been torn apart. In some ways this System reminded me of the rumored "Death Panels" that would be a part of President Obama's Affordable Healthcare Act. All too possible.
Charley's older brother, Alec, was zeroed out when Charley was just just eight. Now he's an adult with one of the highest scores in Meritropolis and he's driven to zero out the System.
With a well thought out story line and varied and complete characters, Meritropolis is a story I can easily recommend for young adult readers and adults who enjoy a good dystopian thriller. Plus, there is plenty left unresolved and I'm hopeful for a sequel.
Meritropolis is available now for the Kindle and as a paperback. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read this one at no additional charge.
Recommended.
September 28, 2014
I'd give this book six stars if I could! I read it in the space of two days and I really didn't want it to end!
I found that I really empathized with Charley's character as he developed throughout the book- the addition of some of his memories from the past were a thoughtful touch- making the him seem more rounded person. I thought that although the book is set in a fantasy futuristic world- the actions and feelings of all the characters were all entirely plausible. I think it's Joel Ohmans skill for characterization that really makes this book flow so well.
There are some nice bits of humor and a few nods to the romance that might develop, really making you invest in the characters and their fate. There are so many unexpected twists throughout that the book really keeps you on your toes- letting you think you know where the story is going then turning it all on its head!
I cant wait for the next installment! Would definitely recommend!
I found that I really empathized with Charley's character as he developed throughout the book- the addition of some of his memories from the past were a thoughtful touch- making the him seem more rounded person. I thought that although the book is set in a fantasy futuristic world- the actions and feelings of all the characters were all entirely plausible. I think it's Joel Ohmans skill for characterization that really makes this book flow so well.
There are some nice bits of humor and a few nods to the romance that might develop, really making you invest in the characters and their fate. There are so many unexpected twists throughout that the book really keeps you on your toes- letting you think you know where the story is going then turning it all on its head!
I cant wait for the next installment! Would definitely recommend!
December 2, 2014
THE REVIEW: http://thefictionalhangout.blogspot.c...
In Meritropolis everyone is assigned a numerical Score that decides their worth to society and whether they live or die. After a young boy is killed because of a low Score, his brother plots to take down the System.
Meritropolis first grabbed my attention due to the fact that it was billed as The Hunger Games with a young Jack Reacher as a protagonist. I’m unfamiliar with the other comparison, The Village, listed in the quote provided on the blurb by Donny Meader, but despite this, it was enough when combined with the interesting sounding blurb to get me reading. Meritropolis was compelling enough to keep me reading, and whilst it’s probably among the better crop of YA dystopian that you’ll read, it still doesn’t quite reach the heights of The Hunger Games.
Joel Ohman is a debut novelist and I didn’t actually realise until after reading the book that it was, as it turns out, self published. Don’t let the fact that it’s not traditionally publisher put you off though as it’s a pretty decent read, despite the few major problems that the book has. Yes, there isn’t exactly anything new here. But it creates an interesting world and a fairly strongly developed cast of characters which is enough to keep you invested even if it’s likely a book that you’re going to forget fairly quickly.
The world in Meritropolis is very much similar to that of Orwell’s 1984. You have to obey what Big Brother the system says, or else you will be punished. The community of Meritropolis is trapped inside a city surrounded by various animal hybrids and if you don’t meet a certain Score set down by the system then you will be thrown outside of the gates. Nobody has ever survived a night outside the walls of the city, but those who get high scores are rewarded.
Charley, our main character, has lost his younger brother because of his low Score. Nine years of building hatred and anger have pushed Charley to the edge and now he finds himself revealed with an extremely high Score, which just happens to save him from the punishment of a “crime” that he had just committed. Charley is then enlisted into the Hunter faction, a group that patrols outside of the walls. However, secretly, he’s biding his time, waiting in an attempt to strike back at the system.
The book itself was an incredibly short read. I sped through it really quickly and the pace pulled me and would not let go. However, there was a problem with this approach, and that came with the ending, which felt really rushed. Sure, it built to a nice climax, but there was a moment where I just sat there wondering whether this book had truly ended or not. Yes, it ended on a cliffhanger, as is fairly typical of all dystopian young adult novels nowadays, but it didn’t really feel as effective as it should have. It felt like the author was trying to wrap things up as quickly as he could in order to make the book end on a hook that would get the reader to read the next novel.
And does it work? Well, kind of. I’m intrigued and kind of want to find out more, but at the same time, this book didn’t blow me away so there’s nothing that makes book two something that will appear on my list of highly anticipated reads anytime soon. I’ll read it if I can (this is of course, assuming there ever is one, because it certainly felt like there needed to be a second), but yeah, I’m not going to go out of my way to read it.
The characters are well, not that memorable either and fairly standard. Charley is the one that is easily the most memorable and the others aren’t really fleshed out well enough to make a lasting impact on the reader and the only one I can recall without looking up is Sandy, the main female character, which isn’t good considering that I finished the book not even a week ago. They never made a strong impression on me as a reader and I couldn’t help but feeling underwhelmed, and they could have easily been given some much needed depth.
In conclusion then, Meritropolis is a bit hit and miss. The Worldbuilding is pulled off fairly well and the pace is pretty good until the end where it feels rushed. The characters aside from Charley could have used a bit more development to give them a lasting impression, but despite the problems the book remains fairly enjoyable and fun. So yes, there are a lot better titles out there, but you could do a heck of a lot worse than this one.
VERDICT: 6.9/10
In Meritropolis everyone is assigned a numerical Score that decides their worth to society and whether they live or die. After a young boy is killed because of a low Score, his brother plots to take down the System.
Meritropolis first grabbed my attention due to the fact that it was billed as The Hunger Games with a young Jack Reacher as a protagonist. I’m unfamiliar with the other comparison, The Village, listed in the quote provided on the blurb by Donny Meader, but despite this, it was enough when combined with the interesting sounding blurb to get me reading. Meritropolis was compelling enough to keep me reading, and whilst it’s probably among the better crop of YA dystopian that you’ll read, it still doesn’t quite reach the heights of The Hunger Games.
Joel Ohman is a debut novelist and I didn’t actually realise until after reading the book that it was, as it turns out, self published. Don’t let the fact that it’s not traditionally publisher put you off though as it’s a pretty decent read, despite the few major problems that the book has. Yes, there isn’t exactly anything new here. But it creates an interesting world and a fairly strongly developed cast of characters which is enough to keep you invested even if it’s likely a book that you’re going to forget fairly quickly.
The world in Meritropolis is very much similar to that of Orwell’s 1984. You have to obey what Big Brother the system says, or else you will be punished. The community of Meritropolis is trapped inside a city surrounded by various animal hybrids and if you don’t meet a certain Score set down by the system then you will be thrown outside of the gates. Nobody has ever survived a night outside the walls of the city, but those who get high scores are rewarded.
Charley, our main character, has lost his younger brother because of his low Score. Nine years of building hatred and anger have pushed Charley to the edge and now he finds himself revealed with an extremely high Score, which just happens to save him from the punishment of a “crime” that he had just committed. Charley is then enlisted into the Hunter faction, a group that patrols outside of the walls. However, secretly, he’s biding his time, waiting in an attempt to strike back at the system.
The book itself was an incredibly short read. I sped through it really quickly and the pace pulled me and would not let go. However, there was a problem with this approach, and that came with the ending, which felt really rushed. Sure, it built to a nice climax, but there was a moment where I just sat there wondering whether this book had truly ended or not. Yes, it ended on a cliffhanger, as is fairly typical of all dystopian young adult novels nowadays, but it didn’t really feel as effective as it should have. It felt like the author was trying to wrap things up as quickly as he could in order to make the book end on a hook that would get the reader to read the next novel.
And does it work? Well, kind of. I’m intrigued and kind of want to find out more, but at the same time, this book didn’t blow me away so there’s nothing that makes book two something that will appear on my list of highly anticipated reads anytime soon. I’ll read it if I can (this is of course, assuming there ever is one, because it certainly felt like there needed to be a second), but yeah, I’m not going to go out of my way to read it.
The characters are well, not that memorable either and fairly standard. Charley is the one that is easily the most memorable and the others aren’t really fleshed out well enough to make a lasting impact on the reader and the only one I can recall without looking up is Sandy, the main female character, which isn’t good considering that I finished the book not even a week ago. They never made a strong impression on me as a reader and I couldn’t help but feeling underwhelmed, and they could have easily been given some much needed depth.
In conclusion then, Meritropolis is a bit hit and miss. The Worldbuilding is pulled off fairly well and the pace is pretty good until the end where it feels rushed. The characters aside from Charley could have used a bit more development to give them a lasting impression, but despite the problems the book remains fairly enjoyable and fun. So yes, there are a lot better titles out there, but you could do a heck of a lot worse than this one.
VERDICT: 6.9/10
January 19, 2016
Thank you to the author, Joel Ohman, for gifting me with a copy of Meritropolis in exchange for an honest review!
You know, I'm really feeling lists today... let's make a list of awesomeness for this book!
1. The concept. This whole book revolved around the fact that general human society imploded and it affected both the environment and the remaining humans. Animals started breeding with other species so there are all these crazy hybrids running around. Everyone (or everyone that the MC's know of) lives in this city called Meritropolis and whether you get to stay within the safety of it's walls entirely depends on your usefulness. So once you are crippled or considered vastly unattractive (for future breeding purposes) you're cast out of the gates and you presumably die. Pretty hard-core, right? The System is what decides if you stay or go and everyone has a number - the higher the better. This whole situation is just so cool to me and the way it's slowly revealed throughout the book really builds the anticipation for the MC's to find something truly incriminating of The System. It's so artfully crafted with each element bringing something useful to the table. More about each of the individual aspects in the next paragraphs.
2. The hybrids. I don't want to give any more than I already have so I'll just say that the pictures were so great. They illustrate the different hybrids and really help you get a picture in your mind of what they look like.
3. The System. I've also already mentioned this one so I'll just say this: while it isn't necessarily a new dystopian idea, Mr. Ohman did a fabulous job of implementing it into the story. It's fully explained and integrated, allowing you to see how it dominates the lives of everyone in Meritropolis.
4. The bigger villain. This part sort of reminded me of the Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi. The whole idea is that, while there is an immediate villain within the city of Meritropolis, there is a much larger villain lurking beyond the gates (not the hybrids). It's like how in Ignite Me, Juliette conquers Warner's father but there is still the whole system to take down (and before she defeated his father, she had to 'defeat' him). I really like that idea and it advances the theme that the greater evil isn't always what's looking us in the face and you never really know true evil because things can always get worse.
5. The characters. I really liked all of the main characters. They all had such different personalities that came through. One thing, though: the romance seemed slightly strange and I think the book really could have done without it.
6. The different POV's. I can't even tell you how much the different POV's added to the story. They flowed perfectly into each other while still remaining distinct voices of the different characters. Integrating multiple POV's allowed for a much more comprehensive look at the story.
The Final Verdict:
Very well-written book with comprehensive POV's, fully integrated concepts, and a larger villain. Overall, I'm very excited for the next book!
5 stars
Quotes:
"There were many avenues available to getting exactly what he wanted."
"In quiet moments like this, all alone, Charley could only half-glimpse what he knew deep down inside to be true. The person he hated most was the one who had let Alec be taken away without even a protest or a fight. The passive coward who had just watched as Alec was hauled off by those snatching, grabbing government-sanctioned kidnappers. The person he hated most was himself."
"'The path to paradise begins in hell,' she replied."
"'But in a lot of ways it's the same old story - men in power do unspeakable things to those weaker. Call it the System; call it whatever you want.'
'Right. So revolution it is, then.' The way she said it was flippant, but the way she looked at Charley made him glad she was on his side."
"It was a strategy as old as war itself: burn the bridges, burn the barns, burn the crops - leave nothing for the other side."
You know, I'm really feeling lists today... let's make a list of awesomeness for this book!
1. The concept. This whole book revolved around the fact that general human society imploded and it affected both the environment and the remaining humans. Animals started breeding with other species so there are all these crazy hybrids running around. Everyone (or everyone that the MC's know of) lives in this city called Meritropolis and whether you get to stay within the safety of it's walls entirely depends on your usefulness. So once you are crippled or considered vastly unattractive (for future breeding purposes) you're cast out of the gates and you presumably die. Pretty hard-core, right? The System is what decides if you stay or go and everyone has a number - the higher the better. This whole situation is just so cool to me and the way it's slowly revealed throughout the book really builds the anticipation for the MC's to find something truly incriminating of The System. It's so artfully crafted with each element bringing something useful to the table. More about each of the individual aspects in the next paragraphs.
2. The hybrids. I don't want to give any more than I already have so I'll just say that the pictures were so great. They illustrate the different hybrids and really help you get a picture in your mind of what they look like.
3. The System. I've also already mentioned this one so I'll just say this: while it isn't necessarily a new dystopian idea, Mr. Ohman did a fabulous job of implementing it into the story. It's fully explained and integrated, allowing you to see how it dominates the lives of everyone in Meritropolis.
4. The bigger villain. This part sort of reminded me of the Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi. The whole idea is that, while there is an immediate villain within the city of Meritropolis, there is a much larger villain lurking beyond the gates (not the hybrids). It's like how in Ignite Me, Juliette conquers Warner's father but there is still the whole system to take down (and before she defeated his father, she had to 'defeat' him). I really like that idea and it advances the theme that the greater evil isn't always what's looking us in the face and you never really know true evil because things can always get worse.
5. The characters. I really liked all of the main characters. They all had such different personalities that came through. One thing, though: the romance seemed slightly strange and I think the book really could have done without it.
6. The different POV's. I can't even tell you how much the different POV's added to the story. They flowed perfectly into each other while still remaining distinct voices of the different characters. Integrating multiple POV's allowed for a much more comprehensive look at the story.
The Final Verdict:
Very well-written book with comprehensive POV's, fully integrated concepts, and a larger villain. Overall, I'm very excited for the next book!
5 stars
Quotes:
"There were many avenues available to getting exactly what he wanted."
"In quiet moments like this, all alone, Charley could only half-glimpse what he knew deep down inside to be true. The person he hated most was the one who had let Alec be taken away without even a protest or a fight. The passive coward who had just watched as Alec was hauled off by those snatching, grabbing government-sanctioned kidnappers. The person he hated most was himself."
"'The path to paradise begins in hell,' she replied."
"'But in a lot of ways it's the same old story - men in power do unspeakable things to those weaker. Call it the System; call it whatever you want.'
'Right. So revolution it is, then.' The way she said it was flippant, but the way she looked at Charley made him glad she was on his side."
"It was a strategy as old as war itself: burn the bridges, burn the barns, burn the crops - leave nothing for the other side."
January 15, 2015
First of all, it does annoy me when I see comments such as 'yet another YA dystopian book' in reviews. If you're sick of reading a specific genre, stop reading it! Reading it just to whine about how you're bored of the genre in place of a real review for the individual book does no one any good. That aside, yes Meritropolis is YA dystopian fiction, there are a lot of them out there but I happen to enjoy them and so I knew what I was getting myself into when I started reading this book.
Despite it being in the same genre as a lot of YA books recently, I really enjoyed reading it. As far as YA dystopians go, this had a few unique elements that really held my interest. While it wasn't the most developed idea, it was very enjoyable. I found it fast paced and read it in two sittings, I genuinely didn't want to put it down which is always a good sign.
While the characters didn't seem particularly fleshed out or unique to me, the world was definitely intriguing. The idea that a person's worth and ultimately their right to life, is determined by their usefulness to society (main attributes being intellect, physical fitness and beauty), is difficult to stomach. I live in England and we have a national health care and social caresystem that aims to support everyone, regardless of their ability to contribute. The killing of mentally and physically disbaled children in this book was disturbing but in true dystopian fashion, it gave us a reason to rally round the hero and root for the fall of the ruling government.
The animal combinations were brilliant. Creepy as hell, but really interesting. I liked the idea that they were created deliberately and not just some random consequence of the 'event'. Someone actually thought about which combinations would be the most terrifying and they actually went out of their way to create these viscious monsters. Some were quite comincal but the majority would have me screaming in the other direction.
This was a really enjoyable read for me. It wasn't entirely unique and there are of course a few similarities to toher books in the genre but if you enjoy YA dystopian fiction, this is worth a read.
**This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
Despite it being in the same genre as a lot of YA books recently, I really enjoyed reading it. As far as YA dystopians go, this had a few unique elements that really held my interest. While it wasn't the most developed idea, it was very enjoyable. I found it fast paced and read it in two sittings, I genuinely didn't want to put it down which is always a good sign.
While the characters didn't seem particularly fleshed out or unique to me, the world was definitely intriguing. The idea that a person's worth and ultimately their right to life, is determined by their usefulness to society (main attributes being intellect, physical fitness and beauty), is difficult to stomach. I live in England and we have a national health care and social caresystem that aims to support everyone, regardless of their ability to contribute. The killing of mentally and physically disbaled children in this book was disturbing but in true dystopian fashion, it gave us a reason to rally round the hero and root for the fall of the ruling government.
The animal combinations were brilliant. Creepy as hell, but really interesting. I liked the idea that they were created deliberately and not just some random consequence of the 'event'. Someone actually thought about which combinations would be the most terrifying and they actually went out of their way to create these viscious monsters. Some were quite comincal but the majority would have me screaming in the other direction.
This was a really enjoyable read for me. It wasn't entirely unique and there are of course a few similarities to toher books in the genre but if you enjoy YA dystopian fiction, this is worth a read.
**This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
December 4, 2014
***I received the eBook free as a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review***
Meritropolis is a riveting dystopian book which even at its somewhat-short length captured my attention. There was so much plot intrigue to sink my teeth into as well as enough action to go around. I did find that it overpowered the evolving romance and I know a lot of people prefer reading romance to action, but it wasn’t too noticeable for me personally.
Saying this however, it was very much a character driven story and these people moved the plot along otherwise there wouldn’t have been a story. I couldn’t relate to Charley’s internal fighting, which determined a lot about his character, but I can say it was interesting and gave him real depth. All the characters in fact were well developed including the ones you don’t see nearly as much of.
More and more recently I have found myself loving the villains in either 2 ways: 1, they’re misunderstood and simply need someone to relate or 2, they’re so viciously wicked that I cringe every time they’re name is mentioned but can’t wait to see what evil things they do next. This book had a mix of both which was perfect.
The loss of a star was partly because it ended very openly for a standalone (which is what I went into this book expecting it to be) and after talking to the author did I find out it will continue as a series. So with a sequel on the way problem solved!
Posted on: http://enchantedbyya.blogspot.co.uk/
Meritropolis is a riveting dystopian book which even at its somewhat-short length captured my attention. There was so much plot intrigue to sink my teeth into as well as enough action to go around. I did find that it overpowered the evolving romance and I know a lot of people prefer reading romance to action, but it wasn’t too noticeable for me personally.
Saying this however, it was very much a character driven story and these people moved the plot along otherwise there wouldn’t have been a story. I couldn’t relate to Charley’s internal fighting, which determined a lot about his character, but I can say it was interesting and gave him real depth. All the characters in fact were well developed including the ones you don’t see nearly as much of.
More and more recently I have found myself loving the villains in either 2 ways: 1, they’re misunderstood and simply need someone to relate or 2, they’re so viciously wicked that I cringe every time they’re name is mentioned but can’t wait to see what evil things they do next. This book had a mix of both which was perfect.
The loss of a star was partly because it ended very openly for a standalone (which is what I went into this book expecting it to be) and after talking to the author did I find out it will continue as a series. So with a sequel on the way problem solved!
Posted on: http://enchantedbyya.blogspot.co.uk/
December 14, 2015
In Meritropolis, each week people are marked with a merit score determining their value to society. Those with a too low score are sent outside the city walls, where sure death awaits them. Then one day a young man stands up against the injustice.
While the basic idea of a rebellion against a class system is not new, Meritropolis manages to tell it in its own original voice, delivering a fascinating and fast-paced read. It has some fresh ideas like very strange animal hybrids. Though the description and drawings of each new creature made me grin despite their mostly lethal nature, this was an original and interesting concept.
The only thing that slightly bothered me was that the characters, despite their flaws and personal demons, appeared too black and white, especially our superhero-like main character. Reading sometimes went just that bit too smoothly. However, this did not diminish the fun I had in Meritropolis, and somehow met my expectations for a YA book. Therefore, recommended for YA readers (of all age...).
(I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review)
While the basic idea of a rebellion against a class system is not new, Meritropolis manages to tell it in its own original voice, delivering a fascinating and fast-paced read. It has some fresh ideas like very strange animal hybrids. Though the description and drawings of each new creature made me grin despite their mostly lethal nature, this was an original and interesting concept.
The only thing that slightly bothered me was that the characters, despite their flaws and personal demons, appeared too black and white, especially our superhero-like main character. Reading sometimes went just that bit too smoothly. However, this did not diminish the fun I had in Meritropolis, and somehow met my expectations for a YA book. Therefore, recommended for YA readers (of all age...).
(I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review)
October 15, 2015
I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.
Charley has just turned seventeen years old and has been moved above ground to live now. Charley lives inside the walls and gates of the city Meritropolis where everyone is assessed each week. They are judge on their worth to society and are given high or low scores according to what they can or can’t do. They are judged on how smart they are and what kind of shape they are in. Like if they are strong and can fight or hunt for food. They are also judge how what their health if they are sick or not. If they get a low score and are not capable of taking care of their selves or anyone in the city then they are put outside the gates to live or die all alone. It is not likely that they would ever survive for long on the outside with all of the hybrid animals running around and are always looking for their next meal.
All of the children live below ground and are not allowed above ground until they are old enough to take care of their selves. Charley lost his little brother when they were both just little kids. Charley’s little brother Alec scored a low score when they were small so therefor he was put outside the gate. Charley anger has been growing ever since and his driving force to put an end to the system. He has been building his own score so that he could one day hopefully get revenge for what they did to Alec.
Charley’s only reason for living is to take down the system and destroy it and whoever created it. Charley as well as all of his new friends that he has made since being moved topside believe that people are worth more than a score no matter what is wrong with them. Charley and his friends are finding out that everything that they were raised to believe are all lies.
I liked Charley he was very smart and strong and cared a lot for human life. He cared more for other people than he did his own self, he had one big ole’ heart. I liked Sandy as well I just that she and Charley could have had more time alone with each other. But I was really hoping that Charley would get together with Elena, the girl whose little sister Bree was put outside the gates too. I hope that we get to see more of Elena and learn more of her story and who she is in future books. I hope to see more of the main characters in Meritropolis as well. But there was a few background characters that I would like to have known better.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series Meritorium and hope to see and learn more about the system and the people who started it and why. I am going to miss Charley, Sandy and a lot of the other characters too. I loved that we got to see the story through each characters pov. I love getting inside each character’s head and knowing what they think and feel.
I am so glad that I finally gave Meritropolis a chance and wished that I had given it a try a lot sooner. If you love a good dystopian story then you are going to love Meritropolis. It will grab you right from the beginning and won’t let go even when you read the last word because you are waiting for more. Meritropolis is one of those books that you don’t want to put down and wished that you never have to. So if you have not read it then I highly recommend it to all dystopian book lovers.
Charley has just turned seventeen years old and has been moved above ground to live now. Charley lives inside the walls and gates of the city Meritropolis where everyone is assessed each week. They are judge on their worth to society and are given high or low scores according to what they can or can’t do. They are judged on how smart they are and what kind of shape they are in. Like if they are strong and can fight or hunt for food. They are also judge how what their health if they are sick or not. If they get a low score and are not capable of taking care of their selves or anyone in the city then they are put outside the gates to live or die all alone. It is not likely that they would ever survive for long on the outside with all of the hybrid animals running around and are always looking for their next meal.
All of the children live below ground and are not allowed above ground until they are old enough to take care of their selves. Charley lost his little brother when they were both just little kids. Charley’s little brother Alec scored a low score when they were small so therefor he was put outside the gate. Charley anger has been growing ever since and his driving force to put an end to the system. He has been building his own score so that he could one day hopefully get revenge for what they did to Alec.
Charley’s only reason for living is to take down the system and destroy it and whoever created it. Charley as well as all of his new friends that he has made since being moved topside believe that people are worth more than a score no matter what is wrong with them. Charley and his friends are finding out that everything that they were raised to believe are all lies.
I liked Charley he was very smart and strong and cared a lot for human life. He cared more for other people than he did his own self, he had one big ole’ heart. I liked Sandy as well I just that she and Charley could have had more time alone with each other. But I was really hoping that Charley would get together with Elena, the girl whose little sister Bree was put outside the gates too. I hope that we get to see more of Elena and learn more of her story and who she is in future books. I hope to see more of the main characters in Meritropolis as well. But there was a few background characters that I would like to have known better.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series Meritorium and hope to see and learn more about the system and the people who started it and why. I am going to miss Charley, Sandy and a lot of the other characters too. I loved that we got to see the story through each characters pov. I love getting inside each character’s head and knowing what they think and feel.
I am so glad that I finally gave Meritropolis a chance and wished that I had given it a try a lot sooner. If you love a good dystopian story then you are going to love Meritropolis. It will grab you right from the beginning and won’t let go even when you read the last word because you are waiting for more. Meritropolis is one of those books that you don’t want to put down and wished that you never have to. So if you have not read it then I highly recommend it to all dystopian book lovers.
September 28, 2014
In Joel Ohman’s Meritropolis, everyone in the city of Meritropolis is assigned a numerical score by the System that decides their worth to the community. This score is based on intelligence, health, talent, physical strength and anything else that would make the individual valuable to their society. Thus, the higher the score, the more likely the person to survive. The lower the score, the higher the chances of the individual being tossed out of “the gates.” The score is not based on age and anyone is at risk of receiving a low score.
In the beginning of this story, Charley, the main character, remembers when the System snatched and killed his older brother, Alec, for having a low score because they believed he was “diseased.” Being only eight years old at the time, Charley felt helpless and frozen with fear. With his parents deceased, Alec was all Charley had left and he vowed to someday hold the System accountable for their despicable actions.
When a young girl named Bree is chosen to be thrown out of the gates for having a low score, Charley becomes enraged and tries to find a way to save her. This is the start of Charley’s disobedience with the System. He was young when Alec was killed, but now that he is older, he is also smarter, stronger, extremely agile and athletic, and he can use his good score to his advantage. He will no longer be the cowardly little boy that didn’t put up a fight when Alec was taken. He can’t help but think of the memories of his brother and he seeks revenge on the guards and the System and vows to change what has been happening.
As the story progresses, the author introduces more characters and briefly shares their thoughts through their perspectives. We learn how all these characters are intertwined and what their experience has been with the System. It is not until Charley is allowed to step outside the gates that this novel really surprised me. It was really interesting reading about the fantastic creatures and their roles in this society. I loved the development of the main character as he learns exactly how the System is trying to scare him into believing that their tactics of imprisonment and use of the scores are rational. Above all, we always know Charley’s goal and never forget how much he loved his brother.
This novel is fast-paced, suspenseful, and beautifully written. As a reader, I felt that I was right there with the protagonist, dealing with his ethical issues as my own. I felt a deep sense of connection to his feelings, especially his desire for vengeance against the System. I would highly recommend this novel to others who enjoy reading fantasy and sci-fi. I hope to read more work by Ohman.
In the beginning of this story, Charley, the main character, remembers when the System snatched and killed his older brother, Alec, for having a low score because they believed he was “diseased.” Being only eight years old at the time, Charley felt helpless and frozen with fear. With his parents deceased, Alec was all Charley had left and he vowed to someday hold the System accountable for their despicable actions.
When a young girl named Bree is chosen to be thrown out of the gates for having a low score, Charley becomes enraged and tries to find a way to save her. This is the start of Charley’s disobedience with the System. He was young when Alec was killed, but now that he is older, he is also smarter, stronger, extremely agile and athletic, and he can use his good score to his advantage. He will no longer be the cowardly little boy that didn’t put up a fight when Alec was taken. He can’t help but think of the memories of his brother and he seeks revenge on the guards and the System and vows to change what has been happening.
As the story progresses, the author introduces more characters and briefly shares their thoughts through their perspectives. We learn how all these characters are intertwined and what their experience has been with the System. It is not until Charley is allowed to step outside the gates that this novel really surprised me. It was really interesting reading about the fantastic creatures and their roles in this society. I loved the development of the main character as he learns exactly how the System is trying to scare him into believing that their tactics of imprisonment and use of the scores are rational. Above all, we always know Charley’s goal and never forget how much he loved his brother.
This novel is fast-paced, suspenseful, and beautifully written. As a reader, I felt that I was right there with the protagonist, dealing with his ethical issues as my own. I felt a deep sense of connection to his feelings, especially his desire for vengeance against the System. I would highly recommend this novel to others who enjoy reading fantasy and sci-fi. I hope to read more work by Ohman.
August 31, 2017
~~~I won this in a Goodreads giveaway! Thank you very much to whoever it was who picked me to win~~~
Here are some of my thoughts while reading this: (I must apologize that I am not the most elegant when it comes to reviews.)
Currently on page 42/chapter 4.
Here are my first impressions:
* Well written, though every now and again sentence flow is a little off, but that is my personal opinion as I am no expert on writing.
* The author writes action scenes really well. I really enjoyed them.
* The plot is engaging and pulls the reader in. I haven't seen a plot like this before.
About the title: (Little nit pick)
* The title of the book is jarring because it is hard to pronounce, or I'm not sure how to pronounce it, though this is just a personal problem. I keep saying "Metropolis." and when I try and pronounce it how it is written, I stumble over the word and it makes me pause in my reading.
Currently on page 58/chapter 6.
More impressions:
* While the idea behind the plot itself is engaging and it pulled me in at chapter 1, I'm finding this is going too slow. I'm bored at this point. It is not the author's fault as I am a mood reader and really prefer fast paced books, depending on my current mood.
* There are too many characters and POV changing in each chapter. This is a personal preference. I like books with a reasonable amount of characters and not very many POVs and I prefer if the POV only changes at the start of a new chapter.
* I don't like Charley so far.
* There is a character who is described as having an ugliness with a hardness to it, an almost animalistic quality that seemed wild and menacing -inhuman. Then it goes on to say that his most amazing quality is his smile - it could melt paint off of walls. It was so pure and bursting with child-like goodwill.... I like the way the author describes this guy, but at the same time, the way it is worded in the book sounds a little funny. The above description is not quoted word for word. Though I do love the idea of an unattractive or scary looking person having a pure, amazing smile.
---
Final thoughts:
I did like the novel. There were some interesting twists and turns. The characters grow on you after a while. There does seem to be some editing errors that need polishing, but that is on the editor and not the author. I feel like Joel Ohman is good at what he does and hope he continues.
Here are some of my thoughts while reading this: (I must apologize that I am not the most elegant when it comes to reviews.)
Currently on page 42/chapter 4.
Here are my first impressions:
* Well written, though every now and again sentence flow is a little off, but that is my personal opinion as I am no expert on writing.
* The author writes action scenes really well. I really enjoyed them.
* The plot is engaging and pulls the reader in. I haven't seen a plot like this before.
About the title: (Little nit pick)
* The title of the book is jarring because it is hard to pronounce, or I'm not sure how to pronounce it, though this is just a personal problem. I keep saying "Metropolis." and when I try and pronounce it how it is written, I stumble over the word and it makes me pause in my reading.
Currently on page 58/chapter 6.
More impressions:
* While the idea behind the plot itself is engaging and it pulled me in at chapter 1, I'm finding this is going too slow. I'm bored at this point. It is not the author's fault as I am a mood reader and really prefer fast paced books, depending on my current mood.
* There are too many characters and POV changing in each chapter. This is a personal preference. I like books with a reasonable amount of characters and not very many POVs and I prefer if the POV only changes at the start of a new chapter.
* I don't like Charley so far.
* There is a character who is described as having an ugliness with a hardness to it, an almost animalistic quality that seemed wild and menacing -inhuman. Then it goes on to say that his most amazing quality is his smile - it could melt paint off of walls. It was so pure and bursting with child-like goodwill.... I like the way the author describes this guy, but at the same time, the way it is worded in the book sounds a little funny. The above description is not quoted word for word. Though I do love the idea of an unattractive or scary looking person having a pure, amazing smile.
---
Final thoughts:
I did like the novel. There were some interesting twists and turns. The characters grow on you after a while. There does seem to be some editing errors that need polishing, but that is on the editor and not the author. I feel like Joel Ohman is good at what he does and hope he continues.
October 13, 2014
Your worth depends on your age, health and social contributions. It’s tattooed upon your arm and fluctuates each assessment day. Sound harsh?? Well Joel Ohman has created such a world and what a dark world it is, it’s filled with forced abortions and disability discrimination.
The story follows a young lad, Charley, who’s reached the city’s adulthood age and is coming to terms with the grim reality that comes with living in Meritropolis. Meritropolis is a city that was formed 3 years After The Event, A.E, 50,000 human survivors settled and followed rule under the System. The System defines your worth with a numerical score and decides who exceeded their social usefulness and to but put Out of the gates, the gates which protects the city from the animal combinations that have taken over the Earth.
Charley is a high scorer and you follow him on his journey of either accepting his place in society or to revolt against the System. The story is fast paced and as a reader I found myself yearning for more, turning each page with anticipation. As I read I found myself empathising with charley and questioning what I would do if placed in the same situation, how it would make me feel and examining if I am a follower or a leader, which was rather rare to find in a young adult fiction.
As enthralling as the book was I did however find myself questioning elements of the world and its believability. There is no clear explanation to what The Event was, only it being caused by man, and the main story is set 12 years after this had happened and 9 years after the towns creation. The time scales seemed far too short for people to be so compliant with such brutal measures to control the population of Meritropolis. There’s still a lot of mystery surrounding why the town was created and what the world is like beyond the walls, however 50,000 people settled in that city and only 9 years after its creation are accepting the elderly, the sick, the disabled to be ruthlessly cast aside without any petition. If it were set 30 A.E I’d find it easier to believe, although I am aware that the following books may answer this question and so it doesn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.
Overall I found this book very easy reading and action packed with a surprising moral undertones. I look forward to the next instalment!
Thegeekwithredhair.wordpress.com
I received this copy in return for my honest opinion
The story follows a young lad, Charley, who’s reached the city’s adulthood age and is coming to terms with the grim reality that comes with living in Meritropolis. Meritropolis is a city that was formed 3 years After The Event, A.E, 50,000 human survivors settled and followed rule under the System. The System defines your worth with a numerical score and decides who exceeded their social usefulness and to but put Out of the gates, the gates which protects the city from the animal combinations that have taken over the Earth.
Charley is a high scorer and you follow him on his journey of either accepting his place in society or to revolt against the System. The story is fast paced and as a reader I found myself yearning for more, turning each page with anticipation. As I read I found myself empathising with charley and questioning what I would do if placed in the same situation, how it would make me feel and examining if I am a follower or a leader, which was rather rare to find in a young adult fiction.
As enthralling as the book was I did however find myself questioning elements of the world and its believability. There is no clear explanation to what The Event was, only it being caused by man, and the main story is set 12 years after this had happened and 9 years after the towns creation. The time scales seemed far too short for people to be so compliant with such brutal measures to control the population of Meritropolis. There’s still a lot of mystery surrounding why the town was created and what the world is like beyond the walls, however 50,000 people settled in that city and only 9 years after its creation are accepting the elderly, the sick, the disabled to be ruthlessly cast aside without any petition. If it were set 30 A.E I’d find it easier to believe, although I am aware that the following books may answer this question and so it doesn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.
Overall I found this book very easy reading and action packed with a surprising moral undertones. I look forward to the next instalment!
Thegeekwithredhair.wordpress.com
I received this copy in return for my honest opinion
October 22, 2017
As the mom of special needs children, this book was somewhat difficult to read at times. But that's kind of the point of dystopian fiction – it's not meant to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. In the world of Meritropolis, all citizens are assigned a Score based on their worth to society – being smart, healthy, and attractive nets you a High Score; being disabled, unattractive, or ill drops your Score. And if your Score drops too low? Well, then you're put outside the gates in a special ceremony… and left to fend for yourself against the aggressive crossbreed genetically mutated animals that roam free outside the walls of the city.
There's definitely a "Hunger Games" type of feel to this book - not in a rip-off sort of way; this book is unique unto itself - but as a YA dystopian novel with smart, strong teenage characters trying to change what they know to be wrong with the damaged world they live in.
One thing I particularly appreciated about this book is that the characters aren't "all good" or "all bad." The leader of the bad guys, Commander Orson, isn't pure evil. Many times the antagonist of a story is purely evil with no redeeming characteristics, but Commander Orson has some good qualities (albeit not many of them). He's in charge of all of Meritropolis, but he has his limits as to how far he'll use his power to get what he wants. And as the story progresses and the reader learns some of the motivations behind his choices and actions, you almost feel something like sympathy for him. Likewise, the protagonist, Charley, is a "hero" – but he's a flawed hero with his own dark side.
As a fan of George Orwell, I also liked the small nod to Animal Farm: Charley thinks of himself as Commander Orson's "prize-winning bull," and then thinks to himself that "under the System's human farm all were equal, but some were just more equal than others."
The ambiguous ending definitely leaves itself wide open for a sequel, which I'm very much looking forward to reading!
I received a copy of this book for review purposes; all opinions are my own.
There's definitely a "Hunger Games" type of feel to this book - not in a rip-off sort of way; this book is unique unto itself - but as a YA dystopian novel with smart, strong teenage characters trying to change what they know to be wrong with the damaged world they live in.
One thing I particularly appreciated about this book is that the characters aren't "all good" or "all bad." The leader of the bad guys, Commander Orson, isn't pure evil. Many times the antagonist of a story is purely evil with no redeeming characteristics, but Commander Orson has some good qualities (albeit not many of them). He's in charge of all of Meritropolis, but he has his limits as to how far he'll use his power to get what he wants. And as the story progresses and the reader learns some of the motivations behind his choices and actions, you almost feel something like sympathy for him. Likewise, the protagonist, Charley, is a "hero" – but he's a flawed hero with his own dark side.
As a fan of George Orwell, I also liked the small nod to Animal Farm: Charley thinks of himself as Commander Orson's "prize-winning bull," and then thinks to himself that "under the System's human farm all were equal, but some were just more equal than others."
The ambiguous ending definitely leaves itself wide open for a sequel, which I'm very much looking forward to reading!
I received a copy of this book for review purposes; all opinions are my own.
December 8, 2014
Meritropolis, the hunger games meets The Village, with a young Jack teacher protagonist.
Well that's the line Joel is trying to sell us, I don't think he quite gets there.
I liked the scoring system, it made me think of the Justin Timberlake movie 'In Time' with the branding and worth of humans being placed heavily on the brand.
I had some issues with Charley. Despite his dramatic childhood, he still seemed to get through everything with relative ease. Yes, he'd been fighting since a kid, but there is a hell of a big difference between a kid and a raging Bion.
Speaking of Bions, I thought the animal combinations were rather fresh and something that gave the story it's flash flavour.
The writing was at times great, at others average. There's a fair bit of guff that can be cut. Cutting it will make the story crisper and more engaging. As it is now, there's a lot of repetition and character explanation that makes parts of the story drag.
Probably suitable for Young Adult audiences 14yrs + or younger with prior adult checking, this book should appeal to those looking for an adventure and story of a battle against an oppressor.
A number of things I noticed:
3% - After all, which of... Seems a bigger font size to the previous writing.
15% - please stop telling us Charley learned how to fight and win from an early age. We get it!
22% - should Down Syndrome be both caps, no caps? Whatever, keep it consistent.
40-42% - that was waaaaaaay too easy!!
46% - ...his way to see his(delete his) Sven...
52% - ...trying (to) match her furiously...
55% - I know his pants are too big! Quit telling me please!
57% - ...break some of your previous (delete previous add precious) equipment...
70% - "Well,, (double punctuation)
**Note: I was provided an electronic copy of this book in return for an honest review.**
Well that's the line Joel is trying to sell us, I don't think he quite gets there.
I liked the scoring system, it made me think of the Justin Timberlake movie 'In Time' with the branding and worth of humans being placed heavily on the brand.
I had some issues with Charley. Despite his dramatic childhood, he still seemed to get through everything with relative ease. Yes, he'd been fighting since a kid, but there is a hell of a big difference between a kid and a raging Bion.
Speaking of Bions, I thought the animal combinations were rather fresh and something that gave the story it's flash flavour.
The writing was at times great, at others average. There's a fair bit of guff that can be cut. Cutting it will make the story crisper and more engaging. As it is now, there's a lot of repetition and character explanation that makes parts of the story drag.
Probably suitable for Young Adult audiences 14yrs + or younger with prior adult checking, this book should appeal to those looking for an adventure and story of a battle against an oppressor.
A number of things I noticed:
3% - After all, which of... Seems a bigger font size to the previous writing.
15% - please stop telling us Charley learned how to fight and win from an early age. We get it!
22% - should Down Syndrome be both caps, no caps? Whatever, keep it consistent.
40-42% - that was waaaaaaay too easy!!
46% - ...his way to see his(delete his) Sven...
52% - ...trying (to) match her furiously...
55% - I know his pants are too big! Quit telling me please!
57% - ...break some of your previous (delete previous add precious) equipment...
70% - "Well,, (double punctuation)
**Note: I was provided an electronic copy of this book in return for an honest review.**
November 3, 2014
Meritropolis is a dystopian adventure with unique qualities, which is hard to come by these days.
I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get into this at first, mainly because the writing felt somewhat forced at times. But that was usually easy to overlook with the constant action and excitement of the plot.
It was a lot of fun to read. You really get sucked into the world. The plot is action-packed, the world-building is unique, and the characters are likeable. I loved Sandy, she was hilarious and sassy! The main character, Charley, seemed a little too perfect to me. I liked him, but he didn't really have any noticeable flaws. It made the story seem unrealistic.
There were a few minor inconsistencies, and there were some instances where the characters' actions didn't really make sense, but overall it was good. Great for fans of young adult/dystopian books!
I received this free eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get into this at first, mainly because the writing felt somewhat forced at times. But that was usually easy to overlook with the constant action and excitement of the plot.
It was a lot of fun to read. You really get sucked into the world. The plot is action-packed, the world-building is unique, and the characters are likeable. I loved Sandy, she was hilarious and sassy! The main character, Charley, seemed a little too perfect to me. I liked him, but he didn't really have any noticeable flaws. It made the story seem unrealistic.
There were a few minor inconsistencies, and there were some instances where the characters' actions didn't really make sense, but overall it was good. Great for fans of young adult/dystopian books!
I received this free eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this book. Joel Ohman knows how to pace a good story and he brings multiple characters in very early in a way that is clear and exciting. The book is reminiscent of Divergent and The Maze Runner with a little Tolkien mixed in - with many of the same eternal themes (I won't say which, because I don't like to give things away). I was really engaged by the lead, Charley, and I raced through the book in a day - it's a very engaging read.
If I had one gripe it would be that a couple of the characters could have been more developed and 3D, particularly Orson and Sandy. I wanted to know more about their personalities and fears. It also felt a little bit samey-samey in terms of the YA fare that is out there at the moment and I could have done without him setting up a sequel, which I wasn't sure was warranted.
All in all, a great debut. I would be willing to read another of his at some point...
I liked this book. Joel Ohman knows how to pace a good story and he brings multiple characters in very early in a way that is clear and exciting. The book is reminiscent of Divergent and The Maze Runner with a little Tolkien mixed in - with many of the same eternal themes (I won't say which, because I don't like to give things away). I was really engaged by the lead, Charley, and I raced through the book in a day - it's a very engaging read.
If I had one gripe it would be that a couple of the characters could have been more developed and 3D, particularly Orson and Sandy. I wanted to know more about their personalities and fears. It also felt a little bit samey-samey in terms of the YA fare that is out there at the moment and I could have done without him setting up a sequel, which I wasn't sure was warranted.
All in all, a great debut. I would be willing to read another of his at some point...
September 17, 2018
I originally decided to read Meritropolis because I’d heard great things about it and I loved the idea of the ambitious message that it was trying to convey—about everyone (including even the unborn) having value and worth from a Christian perspective. I dug the concept of incorporating such deep, important, and timely themes into a Hunger Games-like dystopia. And I’m giving the book a solid three-star rating largely due to its ambition. I have nothing but respect for the author and the wonderful messages that he strives to send through his fiction. They are messages that this world needs desperately to hear. And presenting such themes to young people, wrapped up in an engrossing Dystopia, is the perfect way to accomplish this.
Having said this, Meritropolis does have quite a few issues, and I can fully understand why the book is so divisive. Probably the biggest issue is that there’s just way too much telling and not enough showing. I am usually prone to argue that the phrase “show don’t tell” is overused and that a great author ought simply to know when to tell and when to show. However, Meritropolis showed me the danger of excessive telling. This is evident from the very beginning when the first paragraph tells the reader directly about the world and the underlying conflict of the novel. I would have been mostly okay with this if it had been necessary and if there had been no other way to easily inform the reader of such things early on—but, only a few pages later, we learn all this when we enter the mind of Commander Orson. Suffice it to say, I was a bit irked from the very beginning of the novel. The excessive telling also gives rise to excessive reiterating the underlying themes and conflict of the novel. I would have loved for Meritropolis to be a bit more like Hunger Games in this regard. In Hunger Games, we see how the government is undervaluing human life primarily through the plights and the actions of the characters that are being oppressed. There are a few treatises, and there are times where the characters voice their grievances, but these treatises ultimately take a backseat to the plot. As another reviewer stated, authors ought to trust their readers to pick up on the themes of the book without having to remind them every five minutes. However, I must acknowledge that the amount of reiterating the same themes does decrease a fair amount as the novel progresses. I hope that Ohman continues to strike a better balance between showing and telling in the trilogy’s other installments!
The characterization also struck me as rather hit-and-miss. Charley’s rage at the system and his tendency to act without thinking was interesting enough, but I ultimately felt just like he just needed to be given a few more quirks and interesting qualities to make him a thoroughly engaging protagonist. Sandy’s sassiness was fun, but she otherwise just struck me as your typical love interest character. Sven had potential—as his story arc seemed quite interesting on the surface—but way too much of it was told and/or summarized rather than shown. However, I really, really liked some of the secondary characters—Gringor and Chappy, in particular! I loved how Gringor looked scary due to his deformities and how he even worked for the System—but he was still soft and caring on the inside, secretly loathing the System that he worked to keep alive. And Chappy struck me as quite a mysterious and multi-faceted villain that I look forward to discovering more about! I tend to really dig crime-lord villains, but Chappy seemed especially unique to me in that he sometimes worked for the "good guys" in this installment in order to further his own agenda. He could possibly become one of my all-time favorite villains!
My other major issue with Meritropolis would be that—while certain aspects of Ohman’s world were severely over-explained—other aspects left me still confused by the end of the novel. I still don’t quite understand exactly what is meant by “underground.” It seems like perhaps all young people are raised underground and come up when they become adults? Honestly, I don’t really have any clue beyond this—and yet I don’t feel like Ohman intended to leave me in the dark, either. Which is frustrating.
However, for all my complaining, there are most certainly great things about Meritropolis. The themes are golden. The plot is quite entertaining. The ending is genuinely very, very engrossing and exciting. It left me invested in the series and interested in probably reading the next book! As far as Dystopias go, it was way, way better than Divergent. All these positive qualities earn Meritropolis three stars for sure! I just wish the book had been more polished and the characters had been more well-rounded.
Having said this, Meritropolis does have quite a few issues, and I can fully understand why the book is so divisive. Probably the biggest issue is that there’s just way too much telling and not enough showing. I am usually prone to argue that the phrase “show don’t tell” is overused and that a great author ought simply to know when to tell and when to show. However, Meritropolis showed me the danger of excessive telling. This is evident from the very beginning when the first paragraph tells the reader directly about the world and the underlying conflict of the novel. I would have been mostly okay with this if it had been necessary and if there had been no other way to easily inform the reader of such things early on—but, only a few pages later, we learn all this when we enter the mind of Commander Orson. Suffice it to say, I was a bit irked from the very beginning of the novel. The excessive telling also gives rise to excessive reiterating the underlying themes and conflict of the novel. I would have loved for Meritropolis to be a bit more like Hunger Games in this regard. In Hunger Games, we see how the government is undervaluing human life primarily through the plights and the actions of the characters that are being oppressed. There are a few treatises, and there are times where the characters voice their grievances, but these treatises ultimately take a backseat to the plot. As another reviewer stated, authors ought to trust their readers to pick up on the themes of the book without having to remind them every five minutes. However, I must acknowledge that the amount of reiterating the same themes does decrease a fair amount as the novel progresses. I hope that Ohman continues to strike a better balance between showing and telling in the trilogy’s other installments!
The characterization also struck me as rather hit-and-miss. Charley’s rage at the system and his tendency to act without thinking was interesting enough, but I ultimately felt just like he just needed to be given a few more quirks and interesting qualities to make him a thoroughly engaging protagonist. Sandy’s sassiness was fun, but she otherwise just struck me as your typical love interest character. Sven had potential—as his story arc seemed quite interesting on the surface—but way too much of it was told and/or summarized rather than shown. However, I really, really liked some of the secondary characters—Gringor and Chappy, in particular! I loved how Gringor looked scary due to his deformities and how he even worked for the System—but he was still soft and caring on the inside, secretly loathing the System that he worked to keep alive. And Chappy struck me as quite a mysterious and multi-faceted villain that I look forward to discovering more about! I tend to really dig crime-lord villains, but Chappy seemed especially unique to me in that he sometimes worked for the "good guys" in this installment in order to further his own agenda. He could possibly become one of my all-time favorite villains!
My other major issue with Meritropolis would be that—while certain aspects of Ohman’s world were severely over-explained—other aspects left me still confused by the end of the novel. I still don’t quite understand exactly what is meant by “underground.” It seems like perhaps all young people are raised underground and come up when they become adults? Honestly, I don’t really have any clue beyond this—and yet I don’t feel like Ohman intended to leave me in the dark, either. Which is frustrating.
However, for all my complaining, there are most certainly great things about Meritropolis. The themes are golden. The plot is quite entertaining. The ending is genuinely very, very engrossing and exciting. It left me invested in the series and interested in probably reading the next book! As far as Dystopias go, it was way, way better than Divergent. All these positive qualities earn Meritropolis three stars for sure! I just wish the book had been more polished and the characters had been more well-rounded.
February 12, 2015
Recommend: Males who like dystopian fiction and action.
The Rating Breakdown
Enjoyment: 3 I enjoyed it a lot at first, but the plot and concept issues got to me.
Writing Style: 3 A bit ‘tell’ heavy but well structured in most places.
Plot: 1 Too much crammed in, poor structure, anticlimactic, and underdeveloped.
World & Concepts: 2 Interesting ideas executed poorly.
Characters: 2 Some good, some forgettable, and too many guards.
Finish: 3 I love the cover, the writing is mostly error free, but it needs a developmental edit.
Strengths: Creativity with animal combinations, a character who takes action.
Weakness: A general feel that world and plot is undeveloped and quite early in draft stages.
I did enjoy this novel...but the further I read, the more frustrated and disappointed I became. This certainly has the potential to be a five star novel based on the concept, but its generally undeveloped plot, world, and characters really brought this down.
I started the novel on a high. I loved the cover and blurb. While the opening ‘told’ me about the world rather than showed it to me, I found it clear and enticing. It hooked me in from the start and I couldn't wait to learn more about this new world.
And there are minimal copy-editing errors, which I’ve recently learned is a luxury in the self-publishing world. It shouldn’t be, but it is, so I respect Ohman for using professionals to produce a good quality product.
The main character Charley is a doer, not a watcher, which makes for a great over-the-shoulder narration. Occasionally we hop onto other characters’ shoulders. While I enjoyed experiencing multiple POV, I felt like these supporting characters were telling us who they were and telling us about their view of the system; they came across a little one dimensional because I didn't see them do much. Also, females were portrayed in a way which made it clear this novel was written by a man (seductresses and damsels) and I couldn't connect with them. Charley is by far the best character so it was a good thing that he’s the main.
The problems all stem from developmental issues: the world needed developing, the plot needs tightening, certain sections need more tension, and twists need to be more substantial and tightly knit rather than mostly luck. I made notes on around 50 separate issues in total, but I'll just give a few examples.
The biggest issue was that I've finished the book and still can’t picture the city. The early section of the novel introduces the characters and their take on the system, but we never see the dystopian world – we just hear about the system and how it works/doesn’t work. This leads to other problems, because I don't have enough information to properly understand the context of the novel.
For example, the population is being culled to 50,000 but we never see the state of things. If there’s plenty for all to eat and lots of space, then that puts the story in a very different light to if houses are crammed and food is rationed. There is a bit of mention to rations, but if you have more people, you can have more hunters – there’s plenty of food around them – so what are the other real issues of the city? This is just one example of why it would have been good to show more of the world throughout the novel.
Another example is the animals. I loved the animal combinations and got excited at the end of each chapter as there would be a new illustration of a creature soon to be revealed. The illustrations definitely added to the detail of the novel without slowing the pace and I couldn’t wait to see how they would affect the plot.
However, by mid-way through the book, I felt they were unnecessary. They’re a huge part of Charley’s excursions, but apart from being cool, they don’t affect the plot. I would have much rather discovered the inside of Meritropolis rather than what’s outside, because it’s what’s happening within the walls which is the basis of the plot.
Moving along to the dystopian elements, each citizen of Meritropolis is given a score, and if it dis below 50 they are escorted outside the gates. This is another great idea...but again, the details of the scores are kept vague. I still don’t get who decides who has what score. It’s decided based on ‘worth’, but the nuts and bolts of how it works is left a mystery. And why does Charley’s score go up every time he punches a guard? Surely he’s not getting more useful to the system because he’s trying to break it. It would make more sense for it to go down – it all depends on who actually controls it. This isn’t questioned by the characters nor is it explained at any point of the novel. If it became a plot twist within the novel, or even just an unsolved mystery, I would have thought it was a good point. Instead, I feel like this was another concept that needed work.
A lot of the terms are kept vague but are heavily discussed. The system is discussed in great detail from a philosophical point of view, but no one questions who put it in place and who controls it. The Event is talked about so much, yet we never find out what this Event is.
Another huge problem was that there were MULTIPLE anticlimaxes. The word ‘anticlimactic’ is used to described one section, and another is described as ‘Surprisingly, the night passed uneventfully’. Ohman does a good job of throwing in twists, challenges, and threatening situations but the threats are empty, consequences are undone, and the challenges are actually walks in the park. One section in particular really got to me, and that was when the guard offered to knock himself out because he didn’t agree with what the guards were doing. Lucky coincidences that help the main character succeed are nearly always disappointing to read.
It's things like anticlimaxes which made me as a reader feel too much author presence. I felt like Ohman needed to make certain things happen whether they were plausible or not in the name of action, conflict, and the spirit of revolution. Concepts were kept vague and were twisted to suit the moment, and most conflicts were resolved usually with Charley pulling off some crazy ninja moves which would make a good action film but aren’t suited to a good book. Charley is supposed to be exceptionally clever and so it’s a shame that he solves every problem with a punch up.
And that brings us to guards. There are too many guards and the fight scenes. The action becomes superficial. Half the city seems to be a guard – even the gate engineers are classified as guards for some reason...
Because of the guard fight scenes, more problems come to light. The book’s main message seems to be: all life is valuable and equal – except if you’re a guard. Charley argues about how no one should decide someone’s value before proceeding to punch, stab, inject, kick and pummel guards - often whilst telling his victims some self-righteous spiel about equality. I started to dislike Charley at that point. It would be better if he stood for what he said he stood for, for example, felt guilty when he was forced to defend himself, or felt regret after the rage passes. This only really happens once. If Ohman was trying to make a point by it, the execution needs a bit of work.
Nearer the end of the book as the plot spins around into something confusing and partially contradictory to the rest of the build up. I won't go into detail, but I will say I was also disappointed by the resolution. In my opinion, a good book ends with a clever resolution. This one didn’t. There one good moment twists but the rest of the ending turned into a big punch up. It would have made a great film, but it’s quite a superficial scene for a book.
Ohman essentially tried to do too much in one novel without fleshing out the important details. Too much in too few words is something I have struggled with in the past and recognised all too well. The concept is great. The pacing is perfect. But the anticlimaxes, action, characters, and general plot development cause this story to unravel into something a bit too thin for me to recommend onwards. Sorry Ohman!
Source: Direct from author.
Blog:ScookieReviews
The Rating Breakdown
Enjoyment: 3 I enjoyed it a lot at first, but the plot and concept issues got to me.
Writing Style: 3 A bit ‘tell’ heavy but well structured in most places.
Plot: 1 Too much crammed in, poor structure, anticlimactic, and underdeveloped.
World & Concepts: 2 Interesting ideas executed poorly.
Characters: 2 Some good, some forgettable, and too many guards.
Finish: 3 I love the cover, the writing is mostly error free, but it needs a developmental edit.
Strengths: Creativity with animal combinations, a character who takes action.
Weakness: A general feel that world and plot is undeveloped and quite early in draft stages.
I did enjoy this novel...but the further I read, the more frustrated and disappointed I became. This certainly has the potential to be a five star novel based on the concept, but its generally undeveloped plot, world, and characters really brought this down.
I started the novel on a high. I loved the cover and blurb. While the opening ‘told’ me about the world rather than showed it to me, I found it clear and enticing. It hooked me in from the start and I couldn't wait to learn more about this new world.
And there are minimal copy-editing errors, which I’ve recently learned is a luxury in the self-publishing world. It shouldn’t be, but it is, so I respect Ohman for using professionals to produce a good quality product.
The main character Charley is a doer, not a watcher, which makes for a great over-the-shoulder narration. Occasionally we hop onto other characters’ shoulders. While I enjoyed experiencing multiple POV, I felt like these supporting characters were telling us who they were and telling us about their view of the system; they came across a little one dimensional because I didn't see them do much. Also, females were portrayed in a way which made it clear this novel was written by a man (seductresses and damsels) and I couldn't connect with them. Charley is by far the best character so it was a good thing that he’s the main.
The problems all stem from developmental issues: the world needed developing, the plot needs tightening, certain sections need more tension, and twists need to be more substantial and tightly knit rather than mostly luck. I made notes on around 50 separate issues in total, but I'll just give a few examples.
The biggest issue was that I've finished the book and still can’t picture the city. The early section of the novel introduces the characters and their take on the system, but we never see the dystopian world – we just hear about the system and how it works/doesn’t work. This leads to other problems, because I don't have enough information to properly understand the context of the novel.
For example, the population is being culled to 50,000 but we never see the state of things. If there’s plenty for all to eat and lots of space, then that puts the story in a very different light to if houses are crammed and food is rationed. There is a bit of mention to rations, but if you have more people, you can have more hunters – there’s plenty of food around them – so what are the other real issues of the city? This is just one example of why it would have been good to show more of the world throughout the novel.
Another example is the animals. I loved the animal combinations and got excited at the end of each chapter as there would be a new illustration of a creature soon to be revealed. The illustrations definitely added to the detail of the novel without slowing the pace and I couldn’t wait to see how they would affect the plot.
However, by mid-way through the book, I felt they were unnecessary. They’re a huge part of Charley’s excursions, but apart from being cool, they don’t affect the plot. I would have much rather discovered the inside of Meritropolis rather than what’s outside, because it’s what’s happening within the walls which is the basis of the plot.
Moving along to the dystopian elements, each citizen of Meritropolis is given a score, and if it dis below 50 they are escorted outside the gates. This is another great idea...but again, the details of the scores are kept vague. I still don’t get who decides who has what score. It’s decided based on ‘worth’, but the nuts and bolts of how it works is left a mystery. And why does Charley’s score go up every time he punches a guard? Surely he’s not getting more useful to the system because he’s trying to break it. It would make more sense for it to go down – it all depends on who actually controls it. This isn’t questioned by the characters nor is it explained at any point of the novel. If it became a plot twist within the novel, or even just an unsolved mystery, I would have thought it was a good point. Instead, I feel like this was another concept that needed work.
A lot of the terms are kept vague but are heavily discussed. The system is discussed in great detail from a philosophical point of view, but no one questions who put it in place and who controls it. The Event is talked about so much, yet we never find out what this Event is.
Another huge problem was that there were MULTIPLE anticlimaxes. The word ‘anticlimactic’ is used to described one section, and another is described as ‘Surprisingly, the night passed uneventfully’. Ohman does a good job of throwing in twists, challenges, and threatening situations but the threats are empty, consequences are undone, and the challenges are actually walks in the park. One section in particular really got to me, and that was when the guard offered to knock himself out because he didn’t agree with what the guards were doing. Lucky coincidences that help the main character succeed are nearly always disappointing to read.
It's things like anticlimaxes which made me as a reader feel too much author presence. I felt like Ohman needed to make certain things happen whether they were plausible or not in the name of action, conflict, and the spirit of revolution. Concepts were kept vague and were twisted to suit the moment, and most conflicts were resolved usually with Charley pulling off some crazy ninja moves which would make a good action film but aren’t suited to a good book. Charley is supposed to be exceptionally clever and so it’s a shame that he solves every problem with a punch up.
And that brings us to guards. There are too many guards and the fight scenes. The action becomes superficial. Half the city seems to be a guard – even the gate engineers are classified as guards for some reason...
Because of the guard fight scenes, more problems come to light. The book’s main message seems to be: all life is valuable and equal – except if you’re a guard. Charley argues about how no one should decide someone’s value before proceeding to punch, stab, inject, kick and pummel guards - often whilst telling his victims some self-righteous spiel about equality. I started to dislike Charley at that point. It would be better if he stood for what he said he stood for, for example, felt guilty when he was forced to defend himself, or felt regret after the rage passes. This only really happens once. If Ohman was trying to make a point by it, the execution needs a bit of work.
Nearer the end of the book as the plot spins around into something confusing and partially contradictory to the rest of the build up. I won't go into detail, but I will say I was also disappointed by the resolution. In my opinion, a good book ends with a clever resolution. This one didn’t. There one good moment twists but the rest of the ending turned into a big punch up. It would have made a great film, but it’s quite a superficial scene for a book.
Ohman essentially tried to do too much in one novel without fleshing out the important details. Too much in too few words is something I have struggled with in the past and recognised all too well. The concept is great. The pacing is perfect. But the anticlimaxes, action, characters, and general plot development cause this story to unravel into something a bit too thin for me to recommend onwards. Sorry Ohman!
Source: Direct from author.
Blog:ScookieReviews
March 28, 2017
A friend bought me a copy of this book. Thought I would enjoy it. I appreciate him introducing me to a new author worth following. I would be remiss if I then, in return, didn't try and do the same for all of you! Please, let me take a few minutes and tell you about Joel Ohman's MERITROPOLIS.
In the self-contained city of Meritropolis population is limited to exactly fifty-thousand. A body more and the balance could be upset. The balance, otherwise, is maintained by the System. People earn a number. The higher the number the better. Through inking, the number is displayed on one's forearm, unhideable. The lower the number the more in-danger one's continued existence within the city becomes.
Lower numbers are not killed. They are banished, forced to live outside the fortress walls. Those banished tend to be the sick, the young, and the elderly --those less likely contributing the better of the society, the better of the System. Raised to believe only vicious creatures live beyond the surrounding walls it is obvious anyone surviving more than a night or two is unlikely.
Building on the loss of his own little brother, Charley (a high number), is revolts before witnessing the banishment of a young crippled girl. He intervenes, regardless of the consequences he may face. Only thing is, his bravery is rewarded instead of punished.
The Commander of Meritropolis promotes Charley to a Hunter. During Charley's training more truths are revealed. There is more to the city than meets the eye, and more beyond their city than everyone has been lead to believe. Additionally, there are more people against the System than initially suspected. This means, Charley is not alone. It also means that the time is NOW to start a revolution.
Ohman has dragged me into his MERITROPOLIS world, and I am enjoying myself. There is a second book in this series, and a whispered-about third on the way. I will be ordering the second book today. I need to see what happens next. The world building Ohman did was taut, and compelling, believable, and probable. I enjoyed the artwork beginning each chapter giving us a visual starting point for the mass of new, introduced creatures found outside the MERITROPOLIS walls. Looking for the next YA dystopian adventure --the next Hunger Games, or Divergent-- worth reading? This book just might scratch your itch!
Phillip Tomasso
Author of the Severed Empire Series,
and The Vaccination Trilogy
In the self-contained city of Meritropolis population is limited to exactly fifty-thousand. A body more and the balance could be upset. The balance, otherwise, is maintained by the System. People earn a number. The higher the number the better. Through inking, the number is displayed on one's forearm, unhideable. The lower the number the more in-danger one's continued existence within the city becomes.
Lower numbers are not killed. They are banished, forced to live outside the fortress walls. Those banished tend to be the sick, the young, and the elderly --those less likely contributing the better of the society, the better of the System. Raised to believe only vicious creatures live beyond the surrounding walls it is obvious anyone surviving more than a night or two is unlikely.
Building on the loss of his own little brother, Charley (a high number), is revolts before witnessing the banishment of a young crippled girl. He intervenes, regardless of the consequences he may face. Only thing is, his bravery is rewarded instead of punished.
The Commander of Meritropolis promotes Charley to a Hunter. During Charley's training more truths are revealed. There is more to the city than meets the eye, and more beyond their city than everyone has been lead to believe. Additionally, there are more people against the System than initially suspected. This means, Charley is not alone. It also means that the time is NOW to start a revolution.
Ohman has dragged me into his MERITROPOLIS world, and I am enjoying myself. There is a second book in this series, and a whispered-about third on the way. I will be ordering the second book today. I need to see what happens next. The world building Ohman did was taut, and compelling, believable, and probable. I enjoyed the artwork beginning each chapter giving us a visual starting point for the mass of new, introduced creatures found outside the MERITROPOLIS walls. Looking for the next YA dystopian adventure --the next Hunger Games, or Divergent-- worth reading? This book just might scratch your itch!
Phillip Tomasso
Author of the Severed Empire Series,
and The Vaccination Trilogy
July 31, 2018
Meritropolis - a review by Rosemary Kenny
In a dystopian future a cataclysmic event has necessitated the population of the eponymous city be kept to 50,000 - no more/less. To keep the balance between survival of the fittest and sufficiency of food and other necessities to keep the citizens happy and productive, the ruling System (in a similar manner to The Hunger Games), holds periodic 'elimination ceremonies', that assign points to each in order to weed out the elderly, disabled, sick and rebellious, while rewarding the strong, healthy, talented, intelligent, clever ones with a reprieve and rewards of extra food etc to their family.
Having already lost his Down's Syndrome brother Alec to the horrors of death, (by means of cannibal mutants that live outside the gates of the city), when he was only 8, Charley, who's now the sole survivor of his family has grown in strength, cunning - and a strong desire for revenge against the cruel System, that he's determined to bring to fruition. His first rebellious act is to try to save Bree, a young girl who would definitely not survive a single night outside the gates. After that, his days are numbered, as rebellion is without exception severely punished to discourage others from doing the same.
A great novel in an engaging layout that is ideal for the YA audience. Try it today - there are more to come too - then tell all your friends not to miss it either!
In a dystopian future a cataclysmic event has necessitated the population of the eponymous city be kept to 50,000 - no more/less. To keep the balance between survival of the fittest and sufficiency of food and other necessities to keep the citizens happy and productive, the ruling System (in a similar manner to The Hunger Games), holds periodic 'elimination ceremonies', that assign points to each in order to weed out the elderly, disabled, sick and rebellious, while rewarding the strong, healthy, talented, intelligent, clever ones with a reprieve and rewards of extra food etc to their family.
Having already lost his Down's Syndrome brother Alec to the horrors of death, (by means of cannibal mutants that live outside the gates of the city), when he was only 8, Charley, who's now the sole survivor of his family has grown in strength, cunning - and a strong desire for revenge against the cruel System, that he's determined to bring to fruition. His first rebellious act is to try to save Bree, a young girl who would definitely not survive a single night outside the gates. After that, his days are numbered, as rebellion is without exception severely punished to discourage others from doing the same.
A great novel in an engaging layout that is ideal for the YA audience. Try it today - there are more to come too - then tell all your friends not to miss it either!
August 12, 2017
wow i just finished reading the book almost in one sitting and now i can finally breath, such an exciting read about a dystopian community of people who are graded with a score inked on their arms and those who score the least are thrown out of the gates to be devoured by the genetically modified abnormality of animals which in themselves are so interesting a mix but so scary! the whole concept of the system is like something from George Orwell however as in all tyrannically run systems something finally gives and even they worst of tyrants is finally over thrown!! This is one of the best dystopian series i have read, as gripping as hunger games, and i am dying to get into the second book in this series, would be great to see this turned into a film too!! well done Joel Ohman.
June 22, 2018
Awesome!!! I won this action packed, thrilling, & imaginative title on the Goodreads giveaway and...I had a blast reading it. I am definitely a fan of this author's writing style and will read the second title in this series.
May 24, 2018
I really like the idea of this book, but it ended up being kind of disappointing. It was hard to take some of the animal hybrids seriously, and the characters were somewhat one -dimensional for me. I’m a little curious about what happens in the next book, but I’ll probably get over it.
March 11, 2016
when I began this wasn’t sure where it was going. We have a hunger games and matched type society. Except here every week your status could change for better or worse. If you get to low on the scale they put you outside the gates to try to survive on your own. If you are to old or injured outside the gates you go.
the hero in the story Charley is complex and perplexing. He is angry at the system. He is smart and doesn’t care for the status concept and yet he sees the benefits of it. He lashes out readily and doesn’t really take time sometimes to listen to what others are saying because it doesn’t meet what he thinks needs to be done. He lashes out to do right without thinking of consequences and sometimes those consequences alter people. Take his friend Sven he takes the consequences of Charley helping a little girl. Sven is used against him to comply with Orson who he thinks is his enemy but really from what I can see is just as much a pawn as Charley is- but Sven comes back not the carefree lighthearted young man he was rather he is now hardened and disillusioned. He thinks Charley only cares about revenge for his brother and not caring about him or those with low scores. Charley starts out that way but as he sees truly sees what his society is doing and what the people are up against he changes. He still wants change but not just revenge for his brother he now wants to help the people. He doesn’t care about scores or rank only that people deserve a chance and choices. Orson the leader wants this to a point but with what he knows about society and what is outside the walls he isn’t as outlandish and sticks to the rules. Why? To keep his father at bay. That is the one to fear.
Charley is put into society as a Hunter and meets some really interesting characters that help shape his world and change him. Sarah helps him learn to love and become more compassionate. Grigor shows him understanding and friendship and that there are more who want to fight the system but are going about it differently and not just gungho without thinking of the consequences. He finds a mentor and friend even if he at first doesn’t realize it. the twins are walking encyclopedias and without their thirst for knowledge the hunters would be toast many times over. Hank is bloodthirsty but a loyal guy. In the end these hunters protect the people and fight against the enemy and even join up with those they didn’t think they would.
A interesting take on a dystopian world where we see change is wanted but going about getting it is differed upon. Charley goes through a journey as he learns to be a hunter and gets more vicious at times but also learns compassion and how to go about change in other ways than they way he is trying. He gains allies and his mission changes over time from revenge to wanting to truly help. He is overall a good guy and doesn’t see people as scores but as people who love, work, have friends and deserve a chance. Sarah is a strong character who helps charley in his journey and keeps him balanced along the way. As does Grigor his trainer who to me is the best character. We see inner strength and warmth. He cares about people and what happens to them and is trying to work from within to get this. He has seen what Orson’s father is and doesn’t want that man to come at all. In the end everything hits the fan as Orson’s father has decided it is time and Meritroplois is to send 90% of the people outside the gates. This sparks revolution when it wasn’t ready or planned and we see people’s true natures. We see charley show that when given the chance to be safe he choice to be with the people and protect them even align himself with one he thought was the worst of the worst. We see love begin to grow, friendships be forged, alliances form and change and growth in characters. we see what it means to be a society that is a puppet to others and what they want. It makes you wonder what the final outcome from the puppet master is and why. the writing is amazing and the story is addictive. the descriptions keeps your imagination in the story but also allows you to picture yourself in it and in the action. We get some really interesting monsters that have come about due to an event that set up this system. We have tracking of people and these beasts for what reason isn’t known yet and we see war coming. A war that can hopefully help us find answers. This is fast paced, story driven with some emotionally driven areas in the story. the characters are more complex than they appear and we see this in their actions and thoughts as they battle themselves and others to finally end up at a point where they need to work together to survive. Look forward to reading the next.
the hero in the story Charley is complex and perplexing. He is angry at the system. He is smart and doesn’t care for the status concept and yet he sees the benefits of it. He lashes out readily and doesn’t really take time sometimes to listen to what others are saying because it doesn’t meet what he thinks needs to be done. He lashes out to do right without thinking of consequences and sometimes those consequences alter people. Take his friend Sven he takes the consequences of Charley helping a little girl. Sven is used against him to comply with Orson who he thinks is his enemy but really from what I can see is just as much a pawn as Charley is- but Sven comes back not the carefree lighthearted young man he was rather he is now hardened and disillusioned. He thinks Charley only cares about revenge for his brother and not caring about him or those with low scores. Charley starts out that way but as he sees truly sees what his society is doing and what the people are up against he changes. He still wants change but not just revenge for his brother he now wants to help the people. He doesn’t care about scores or rank only that people deserve a chance and choices. Orson the leader wants this to a point but with what he knows about society and what is outside the walls he isn’t as outlandish and sticks to the rules. Why? To keep his father at bay. That is the one to fear.
Charley is put into society as a Hunter and meets some really interesting characters that help shape his world and change him. Sarah helps him learn to love and become more compassionate. Grigor shows him understanding and friendship and that there are more who want to fight the system but are going about it differently and not just gungho without thinking of the consequences. He finds a mentor and friend even if he at first doesn’t realize it. the twins are walking encyclopedias and without their thirst for knowledge the hunters would be toast many times over. Hank is bloodthirsty but a loyal guy. In the end these hunters protect the people and fight against the enemy and even join up with those they didn’t think they would.
A interesting take on a dystopian world where we see change is wanted but going about getting it is differed upon. Charley goes through a journey as he learns to be a hunter and gets more vicious at times but also learns compassion and how to go about change in other ways than they way he is trying. He gains allies and his mission changes over time from revenge to wanting to truly help. He is overall a good guy and doesn’t see people as scores but as people who love, work, have friends and deserve a chance. Sarah is a strong character who helps charley in his journey and keeps him balanced along the way. As does Grigor his trainer who to me is the best character. We see inner strength and warmth. He cares about people and what happens to them and is trying to work from within to get this. He has seen what Orson’s father is and doesn’t want that man to come at all. In the end everything hits the fan as Orson’s father has decided it is time and Meritroplois is to send 90% of the people outside the gates. This sparks revolution when it wasn’t ready or planned and we see people’s true natures. We see charley show that when given the chance to be safe he choice to be with the people and protect them even align himself with one he thought was the worst of the worst. We see love begin to grow, friendships be forged, alliances form and change and growth in characters. we see what it means to be a society that is a puppet to others and what they want. It makes you wonder what the final outcome from the puppet master is and why. the writing is amazing and the story is addictive. the descriptions keeps your imagination in the story but also allows you to picture yourself in it and in the action. We get some really interesting monsters that have come about due to an event that set up this system. We have tracking of people and these beasts for what reason isn’t known yet and we see war coming. A war that can hopefully help us find answers. This is fast paced, story driven with some emotionally driven areas in the story. the characters are more complex than they appear and we see this in their actions and thoughts as they battle themselves and others to finally end up at a point where they need to work together to survive. Look forward to reading the next.
March 9, 2016
Originally posted on Paranormal Sisters: http://paranormalsisters.blogspot.com...
*Was given a copy from the author in exchange for my honest review*
Though the summary explains the book perfectly and I liked it, I'm a very visual person so the cover had me expecting something completely different than what I got. So I was expecting like a labyrinth with a minotaur. Though that beast on the cover is in the book, the tunnel represented I don't understand where that comes from entirely. I feel like there should have been a fence with a forest behind it more than anything as that's what this book is all about. It's about the evil behind the fence and if you have a low score you're doomed to be thrown out into them.
Shrugs, anyways....I liked the book but it did take me a while to get into it. In the beginning there was a lot of information dumping and I feel like it was repeated throughout the story which had me rolling my eyes sometimes. Like, I got it. I can put two and two together, you don't always have to explain things and especially things you already explained to us before. And another reason it was slow for me was that we were bouncing between different point of views. Once I learned about every character I was able to flow through this a lot better.
When we were sticking more to Charley, the MC, I was able to really get into it more than any other point of view. Though I enjoyed some of the other ones as it brought another part of this world to the story, I was more excited to read about Charley and his fight against the system. And when he went out of the gates as he became a hunter for this system I really loved the action scenes we got with the mutant animals that exist in the outside world! I loved the crazy animal combinations! Some of them really seemed unbelievable but that was the fun part about them!
Overall there wasn't anything uniquely refreshing in this story as it followed the guide lines of a dystopian but I still liked it. I enjoyed the action scenes and their mission to shut down the system. I am interested to see where things go in the next one now that their world has crumbled around them and an outside force is barging in.
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