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The Final Deity #2
Taker
What if you had the power to balance life? But in order to give life, you had to take it from somewhere else?
Young-Adult * Coming Of Age * SciFi(mild) * Paranormal(mild)
Nicole should be happy. After all, she has the power to control life itself. But after the deadly confrontation in the woods, Nicole must now find a way to distance herself from the agents who want to capture her. Her friends will join her on a journey to understand the mysteries behind the ancient prophecy of the Balancer — and they will learn that she is not alone.
As Nicole struggles to be as ordinary as possible, she must make a choice: Will she ignore her gifts and return to the life of an average teenager? Or will she embrace her destiny?
“In ancient times, she would have been worshipped like a god. You could’ve befriended her. Learned from her. And, in time, she could’ve ushered in a new era of peace this world has never seen before. Instead, your people have spat on her and hunted her down like a common criminal. You reap what you sow.”
Young-Adult * Coming Of Age * SciFi(mild) * Paranormal(mild)
Nicole should be happy. After all, she has the power to control life itself. But after the deadly confrontation in the woods, Nicole must now find a way to distance herself from the agents who want to capture her. Her friends will join her on a journey to understand the mysteries behind the ancient prophecy of the Balancer — and they will learn that she is not alone.
As Nicole struggles to be as ordinary as possible, she must make a choice: Will she ignore her gifts and return to the life of an average teenager? Or will she embrace her destiny?
“In ancient times, she would have been worshipped like a god. You could’ve befriended her. Learned from her. And, in time, she could’ve ushered in a new era of peace this world has never seen before. Instead, your people have spat on her and hunted her down like a common criminal. You reap what you sow.”
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 7, 2015
4 people are currently reading
643 people want to read
About the author
Patrick Wong
9 books25 followersPatrick Wong is the author of BALANCER and TAKER, part of The Final Deity series of books. He's a graduate of James Madison University and lives in the Northern Virginia area with his wife and two daughters. By day, he's a computer software developer for major corporations and government agencies. By night, he's a indie author.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 8, 2016
I was given the book free from the author in exchange of an honest review(Thank you, Mr. Wong!). The following review contains spoilers.
Rating 8 of 10
First I will say I really liked the book. And Nicole is still in top 10 of my all time favorite main heroines. She proved herself as a smart girl in the first book and for most part kept that reputation in the second too. The situation on the plane was fast paced and really spiced up the book, mostly I liked the way Nicole and her friends dealt with it.
A few things that put me back thought. First, the book started exactly where Balancer left off, which was good as I hate wondering what happened in the mean time, but I would have appreciated a bit of a introduction. It have been a while since I read Balancer and 20-30 pages into Taker I had to leave it down and go back to the first book, because... yeah, who was Drake(for example)? And as I mentioned Drake, I will admit he was a nice guy, brave and... forgettable. Amy and Ben were a lot more memorable in my opinion, they had more character in them. I really felt for Amy when she was grieving.
Another thing that bugged me a bit was how easy team Balancer trusted the professor down in the well. I know Ben vouched for him, but still I think they decided to go with him waaaay too easy. At this point I was thinking Nicole will be a lot more careful and maybe even a bit paranoid.
And one more thing - Nicole believed DuBois too easily, without questions. I sort of expected from a smart girl like her to doubt him a bit and think of options or possible consequences.
Agent Bishop is steadily on the path of becoming a favorite of mine too. He is smart and a man of action. Think he is someone worth having as a friend and dangerous to have as an enemy.
Now about the new hero in the book - Jason. I will admit I am not a big fan of instant love, but even I fell for him the moment I first met him. He is kind, brave and I didn't forget about him till he reappeared. His past remained a mystery thought and I would really love to know a bit more of him.
Overall the book was a very good read and I am wondering if there will be a next one. There were some answers offered in it, but still a few questions remained open. I am curious, very, very curious....
Rating 8 of 10
First I will say I really liked the book. And Nicole is still in top 10 of my all time favorite main heroines. She proved herself as a smart girl in the first book and for most part kept that reputation in the second too. The situation on the plane was fast paced and really spiced up the book, mostly I liked the way Nicole and her friends dealt with it.
A few things that put me back thought. First, the book started exactly where Balancer left off, which was good as I hate wondering what happened in the mean time, but I would have appreciated a bit of a introduction. It have been a while since I read Balancer and 20-30 pages into Taker I had to leave it down and go back to the first book, because... yeah, who was Drake(for example)? And as I mentioned Drake, I will admit he was a nice guy, brave and... forgettable. Amy and Ben were a lot more memorable in my opinion, they had more character in them. I really felt for Amy when she was grieving.
Another thing that bugged me a bit was how easy team Balancer trusted the professor down in the well. I know Ben vouched for him, but still I think they decided to go with him waaaay too easy. At this point I was thinking Nicole will be a lot more careful and maybe even a bit paranoid.
And one more thing - Nicole believed DuBois too easily, without questions. I sort of expected from a smart girl like her to doubt him a bit and think of options or possible consequences.
Agent Bishop is steadily on the path of becoming a favorite of mine too. He is smart and a man of action. Think he is someone worth having as a friend and dangerous to have as an enemy.
Now about the new hero in the book - Jason. I will admit I am not a big fan of instant love, but even I fell for him the moment I first met him. He is kind, brave and I didn't forget about him till he reappeared. His past remained a mystery thought and I would really love to know a bit more of him.
Overall the book was a very good read and I am wondering if there will be a next one. There were some answers offered in it, but still a few questions remained open. I am curious, very, very curious....
February 23, 2015
Team Balancer is back!
Taker by Patrick Wong starts off soon after where Balancer left off. After a confrontation in the woods turns deadly, seventeen year old Nicole Aaronson must find a way to escape the agents that want to capture her for their own nafarious purposes.
As her powers as a Balancer grows, and she and her friends learn more about the ancient prophecy that surrounds her, Nicole must make some difficult choices and choose how she wants to control her destiny.
I absolutely loved Balancer, the first book in the Final Diety trilogy. Getting a chance to read book 2 left me esctatic. Taker starts off a little shakier than book 1 and lacks some of the punch Wong usually delivers with his story telling. But after a while and as new characters and situations were introduced you can't help but get sucked in.
Taker has a lot of the same elements that made me love Balancer, like Amy and Nicole's awesome friendship, the nonstop action, and tech gadget and knowledge peppered throughout. It's a little darker than Balancer as well as Nicole grows and struggles to accept her new identity. Not to mention all the various organizations looking to use her for their diabolical schemes, as well as the terrorist plots she has to foil.
There's a dash of romance, and a few twists that surprised me, which all came together for a really enjoyable read. Can't wait to see what the gang gets into next!
Taker by Patrick Wong starts off soon after where Balancer left off. After a confrontation in the woods turns deadly, seventeen year old Nicole Aaronson must find a way to escape the agents that want to capture her for their own nafarious purposes.
As her powers as a Balancer grows, and she and her friends learn more about the ancient prophecy that surrounds her, Nicole must make some difficult choices and choose how she wants to control her destiny.
I absolutely loved Balancer, the first book in the Final Diety trilogy. Getting a chance to read book 2 left me esctatic. Taker starts off a little shakier than book 1 and lacks some of the punch Wong usually delivers with his story telling. But after a while and as new characters and situations were introduced you can't help but get sucked in.
Taker has a lot of the same elements that made me love Balancer, like Amy and Nicole's awesome friendship, the nonstop action, and tech gadget and knowledge peppered throughout. It's a little darker than Balancer as well as Nicole grows and struggles to accept her new identity. Not to mention all the various organizations looking to use her for their diabolical schemes, as well as the terrorist plots she has to foil.
There's a dash of romance, and a few twists that surprised me, which all came together for a really enjoyable read. Can't wait to see what the gang gets into next!
May 4, 2016
This would be an excellent family read that can safely be enjoyed by most, I would recommend middle school age and up. The reason I would start with that age group being the youngest is because there are some serious ideas discussed and big moral ideas that some younger kids may not understand. This is something everyone could enjoy and discuss without anyone being bored. It also offers an opportunity for many family debates and some serious discussions.
This series is a great read you won't soon forget or regret reading. I read book 1 Balancer in Nov 2013 and loved it. So of course I was excited to read the sequel but life got in the way but I finally was able to read this book. It was amazing! Book two answers all the unanswered questions from book one but offers so much more. The world building is mind blowing and while book two wrapped up the story very well it also leaves room for more if the author chose to continue. This book brings out so many emotions for the reader. The writing is amazing, the characters are superb and real, the world building is phenomenally done without being dry or to much. The friendship and loyalty of all the characters were endearing and heartfelt. Super Nix, Awesome Amy, Drake, Ben, Jason and others will be in my heart for a very long time!
This series is a great read you won't soon forget or regret reading. I read book 1 Balancer in Nov 2013 and loved it. So of course I was excited to read the sequel but life got in the way but I finally was able to read this book. It was amazing! Book two answers all the unanswered questions from book one but offers so much more. The world building is mind blowing and while book two wrapped up the story very well it also leaves room for more if the author chose to continue. This book brings out so many emotions for the reader. The writing is amazing, the characters are superb and real, the world building is phenomenally done without being dry or to much. The friendship and loyalty of all the characters were endearing and heartfelt. Super Nix, Awesome Amy, Drake, Ben, Jason and others will be in my heart for a very long time!
April 6, 2015
The sequel to Balancer, Patrick Wong's Taker, is everything the first book was and more. Fast paced and creative, Taker picks up the story of Nicole (Nix) and her friends Amy, Ben and Drake as they try to cope with Nicole's increasing powers as a Balancer while dodging nefarious shadow organizations and well-intentioned but misinformed government agents.
Hiding from those who want to arrest or exploit Nicole and searching for answers, Nicole and her friends rapidly mature as they face both danger and tragedy. Along the way they acquire new friends and allies as well as discover powerful and dangerous enemies. A totally fun read, I'm looking forward to the next installment in this series.
February 15, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is a highly imaginative, well written, 'edge of your seat' story. It's exhilarating, thrilling and heart breaking. Parts of the story brought tears to my eyes while other parts had me holding my breath. Once I picked up 'Taker' I absolutely could not put it down.
So many things change in this, the second book of the series. Some good, most not. Nicole has grown quite a bit as she is forced into situations that are way beyond her control, unsure if she should use her special ability. She really struggles.
There are new characters in this book, some great, some very evil. There are twists galore and plenty of action.
This is a great book and a wonderful series! I highly recommend it!
This is a highly imaginative, well written, 'edge of your seat' story. It's exhilarating, thrilling and heart breaking. Parts of the story brought tears to my eyes while other parts had me holding my breath. Once I picked up 'Taker' I absolutely could not put it down.
So many things change in this, the second book of the series. Some good, most not. Nicole has grown quite a bit as she is forced into situations that are way beyond her control, unsure if she should use her special ability. She really struggles.
There are new characters in this book, some great, some very evil. There are twists galore and plenty of action.
This is a great book and a wonderful series! I highly recommend it!
May 25, 2015
When I won this book in the giveaway and received it in the mail I was seriously surprised. The author decided to send the first and second book in the series to me so I wouldn't be left reading the second book without having read the first. Both books were very well made and I loved the two covers and how they totally went together. The books internal formatting was also very well done and it impressed me. The book was overall very interesting and was a fun enjoyable reading experience.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
February 20, 2015
This book was phenomenal! When two new people with paranormal gifts (the Giver and the Taker) are added to mix of FBI man hunts and Presidential protection and healing, things get kinda crazy. Great cast of characters and twisting plot... You will not want to put it down!
February 15, 2020
Very interesting
Team balancer has been on the run from the special unit. They hopped a plane to Florida to prevent capture, but they are on a mission. On the plane, another tragedy strikes and they are all almost killed. But date has a way of prevailing. The team makes it safely down, but then are almost caught . One kid, Jason, helps they escape with NIchols dad.
They find the fountain of youth and Nichol learns a few things from the past. Too bad it won't help her present situation. She is captured by the really bad guys and things go from bad to worse. They lose on of the team members.
This story is very interesting and I like the characters.
Read on my friends....
Team balancer has been on the run from the special unit. They hopped a plane to Florida to prevent capture, but they are on a mission. On the plane, another tragedy strikes and they are all almost killed. But date has a way of prevailing. The team makes it safely down, but then are almost caught . One kid, Jason, helps they escape with NIchols dad.
They find the fountain of youth and Nichol learns a few things from the past. Too bad it won't help her present situation. She is captured by the really bad guys and things go from bad to worse. They lose on of the team members.
This story is very interesting and I like the characters.
Read on my friends....
September 29, 2022
To start off I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Oh. My. Gosh. I devoured this book in a matter of hours. And I cried a lot. This made me feel so bad but I loved it so much. There were a few things that happened that I did not expect. Usually I'm pretty good at figuring out what's gonna happen in a book or movie but there were a few times where this book threw me off. I also didn't care much for the flashbacks Nicole always had. I mean I understood why but I still didn't really care for it. And the constant swiping of character points of views threw me off sometimes too. I basically figured out Jason's role not long after his character was introduced too but I wasn't really expecting the "big reveal" to feel so blah. Besides all that stuff I loved this one more than the first one. It took me a while to actually finish reading due to everything going on right now but I re-read Balancer so I could start Taker from the beginning. :P Now because it's 2AM I'm going to get some sleep.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2015
WOW!! What a great series. The writing is just great and the words just seem to flow so easily. This was a little different from what I have read and I really enjoyed it. The characters are so real and I love seeing the change in them as they handle each situation. If you are thinking about giving this series a try go ahead you will not be disappointed.
This author will definitely be added to my TBR list.
I received this book thru the first reads giveaway on goodreads. Thank you so much Patrick.
This author will definitely be added to my TBR list.
I received this book thru the first reads giveaway on goodreads. Thank you so much Patrick.
May 16, 2015
This was SOO good!! I really liked it. It continued from Balancer in the best place and was a great story. A lot of people should read this, but read Balancer first!!
September 9, 2015
Great sequel. Follows up very well on the previous book, though the character of Bishop changes considerably through the book. Very much enjoyed the story and the ideas portrayed here.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews