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Rootless #1
Rootless
17-year-old Banyan is a tree builder. Using scrap metal and salvaged junk, he creates forests for rich patrons who seek a reprieve from the desolate landscape. Although Banyan's never seen a real tree—they were destroyed more than a century ago—his father used to tell him stories about the Old World. But that was before his father was taken . . .
Everything changes when Banyan meets a woman with a strange tattoo—a clue to the whereabouts of the last living trees on earth, and he sets off across a wasteland from which few return. Those who make it past the pirates and poachers can't escape the locusts—the locusts that now feed on human flesh.
But Banyan isn't the only one looking for the trees, and he's running out of time. Unsure of whom to trust, he's forced to make an uneasy alliance with Alpha, an alluring, dangerous pirate with an agenda of her own. As they race towards a promised land that might only be a myth, Banyan makes shocking discoveries about his family, his past, and how far people will go to bring back the trees.
In this dazzling debut, Howard presents a disturbing world with uncanny similarities to our own. Like the forests Banyan seeks to rebuild, this visionary novel is both beautiful and haunting—full of images that will take permanent root in your mind . . . and forever change the way you think about nature.
Everything changes when Banyan meets a woman with a strange tattoo—a clue to the whereabouts of the last living trees on earth, and he sets off across a wasteland from which few return. Those who make it past the pirates and poachers can't escape the locusts—the locusts that now feed on human flesh.
But Banyan isn't the only one looking for the trees, and he's running out of time. Unsure of whom to trust, he's forced to make an uneasy alliance with Alpha, an alluring, dangerous pirate with an agenda of her own. As they race towards a promised land that might only be a myth, Banyan makes shocking discoveries about his family, his past, and how far people will go to bring back the trees.
In this dazzling debut, Howard presents a disturbing world with uncanny similarities to our own. Like the forests Banyan seeks to rebuild, this visionary novel is both beautiful and haunting—full of images that will take permanent root in your mind . . . and forever change the way you think about nature.
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First published January 1, 2012
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About the author
Chris Howard
83 books129 followersChris Howard is just a creative human with a pen and a paint brush, author of Seaborn (Juno Books, 2008), Salvage (Prime Books, 2013), Saltwater Witch (Lykeion, 2005), and a shelf-full of other books. My short stories and essays have appeared in various magazines and anthologies, including “Lost Dogs and Fireplace Archeology” in Fantasy Magazine and “How to Build Worlds Without Becoming the Minister for Tourism” in Now Write! Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror (Penguin, 2014). My story “The Mermaid Game” appeared in the Paula Guran edited anthology Mermaids and Other Mysteries of the Deep (Prime, 2015), and “Hammers and Snails” was the Robert A. Heinlein Centennial Short Fiction Contest winner. I wrote and illustrated the comics Saltwater Witch and Salvage. My art has appeared on dozens of book covers, art cards, interior illustrations for publishers, authors, and Kickstarter projects. You can also find my art in Shimmer, BuzzyMag, various tabletop RPGs, and on the pages of books, blogs, and other interesting places.
Find out everything here: http://www.SaltwaterWitch.com
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Find out everything here: http://www.SaltwaterWitch.com
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July 20, 2012Well, it'd be foolish for me to review my own book... I poured my heart and soul into ROOTLESS, and spent a very happy twelve months working on the novel. To say the story is an important part of my life would be a huge understatement, and I gave it my all. So thanks to those who take the time to read my debut novel and share their thoughts on it. Though I should warn people who've yet to read it - watch out for spoilers! :)
CHEERS,
Chris
CHEERS,
Chris
April 2, 2013
I was so excited about this book when I found it, and it should have been completely perfect for me, but instead I find myself forcing to finish it. I really mean forcing too; I checked the weather at least five times and circled my favorite sites at least 10 before finishing what turned out to be two minutes worth of reading. I'll try to break down where Rootless and I went wrong.
"In this dazzling debut, Howard presents a disturbing world with uncanny similarities to our own. Like the forests Banyan seeks to rebuild, this visionary novel is both beautiful and haunting—full of images that will take permanent root in your mind . . . and forever change the way you think about nature." It should have made me feel something! It didn't change the way I view nature at all, and I am passionate about the Earth and making sure I do all I can to stop damaging it. When I was a kid my parents referred to me as a tree and bunny hugger. I never said I came from a particularly PC family.
I question this new world that has a closer moon, no trees, and really no living thing other than humans and locusts . And genetically modified corn. How were people able to survive for hundreds of years with no trees/oxygen producing material? Things are bleak certainly, but unless I want to really suspend belief I didn't feel like this new world would actually be possible, even though I took this to be one of those books that make people uncomfortable and show them that changes need to be made before it's too late. Pop said trees didn't just use to look pretty and grow food for eating. They didn't just give shade and break up the wind. They cleaned the water and held the soil together, and they made the air feel good for those breathing. Just stories now, though. Even my grandfather hadn't seen a real one. People date the Darkness more than a hundred years back.
There were mentions of lava fields, and the ocean being higher and stronger, but I feel like this area of the story was far too weak. Something about the moon, people said. Something happened to the moon and brought it closer. I guess it didn't used to fill up such a big chunk of sky. But it wound up close at the end of the Darkness. There was twenty years of night and when the sun came back, that moon was so close it made the ocean go crazy as hell. I didn't really feel the sting of dust in my eyes, or feel the sweat roll down my body while I was with Banyan, and I wanted to.
On a side note, Banyan referred the ocean as the Surge so I assumed that the name had evolved the way the rest of the dialect, but he flips through terms like this a lot for several things. When I read a book that has an evolved language setting I expect to see continuity.
Beyond my unease with how the world functions, were the characters. Banyan is oddly blank for me; I was thinking of him as very young (maybe 13 or so) and I can't bring his face to mind at all (but I did like the that author named him after a tree). I'm not sure at this point if it's because I feel so far removed from his story, if it was the story itself. Frost was decent as a sleazy bad guy I suppose. The main "bad guy" here is the GenTech company with their purple suited employees. Crow was like a bodyguard for Frost, although we later see that he is more than that, and yet never learn much of anything about him, like we never really learn much about anybody. Zee is a mystery to me still , as well as her mother . Alpha was one of the small good parts in the story, but again, I didn't know as much as I wanted to about her, and I didn't think her and Banyan had any chemistry at all. She was pretty badass though, I'll give the author that.
Why did everyone know who Banyan was in all the little settlements, and what made him so uber special, I'm not sure. It was made out like he was the best tree builder so there's that, but I don't know that he was the only tree builder.
Basically, this book had amazing promise, and not only failed to live up to said promise, but failed to entertain me at all. It could be me, so by all means give this a try and come let me know what you thought, but I won't be reading anything further in this series.
If you want to read a survival story that, in my opinion, was nothing short of amazing, read Ashfall. The female is stronger than the male in that one too, but it all works seamlessly, and is realistic.
"In this dazzling debut, Howard presents a disturbing world with uncanny similarities to our own. Like the forests Banyan seeks to rebuild, this visionary novel is both beautiful and haunting—full of images that will take permanent root in your mind . . . and forever change the way you think about nature." It should have made me feel something! It didn't change the way I view nature at all, and I am passionate about the Earth and making sure I do all I can to stop damaging it. When I was a kid my parents referred to me as a tree and bunny hugger. I never said I came from a particularly PC family.
I question this new world that has a closer moon, no trees, and really no living thing other than humans and locusts . And genetically modified corn. How were people able to survive for hundreds of years with no trees/oxygen producing material? Things are bleak certainly, but unless I want to really suspend belief I didn't feel like this new world would actually be possible, even though I took this to be one of those books that make people uncomfortable and show them that changes need to be made before it's too late. Pop said trees didn't just use to look pretty and grow food for eating. They didn't just give shade and break up the wind. They cleaned the water and held the soil together, and they made the air feel good for those breathing. Just stories now, though. Even my grandfather hadn't seen a real one. People date the Darkness more than a hundred years back.
There were mentions of lava fields, and the ocean being higher and stronger, but I feel like this area of the story was far too weak. Something about the moon, people said. Something happened to the moon and brought it closer. I guess it didn't used to fill up such a big chunk of sky. But it wound up close at the end of the Darkness. There was twenty years of night and when the sun came back, that moon was so close it made the ocean go crazy as hell. I didn't really feel the sting of dust in my eyes, or feel the sweat roll down my body while I was with Banyan, and I wanted to.
On a side note, Banyan referred the ocean as the Surge so I assumed that the name had evolved the way the rest of the dialect, but he flips through terms like this a lot for several things. When I read a book that has an evolved language setting I expect to see continuity.
Beyond my unease with how the world functions, were the characters. Banyan is oddly blank for me; I was thinking of him as very young (maybe 13 or so) and I can't bring his face to mind at all (but I did like the that author named him after a tree). I'm not sure at this point if it's because I feel so far removed from his story, if it was the story itself. Frost was decent as a sleazy bad guy I suppose. The main "bad guy" here is the GenTech company with their purple suited employees. Crow was like a bodyguard for Frost, although we later see that he is more than that, and yet never learn much of anything about him, like we never really learn much about anybody. Zee is a mystery to me still , as well as her mother . Alpha was one of the small good parts in the story, but again, I didn't know as much as I wanted to about her, and I didn't think her and Banyan had any chemistry at all. She was pretty badass though, I'll give the author that.
Why did everyone know who Banyan was in all the little settlements, and what made him so uber special, I'm not sure. It was made out like he was the best tree builder so there's that, but I don't know that he was the only tree builder.
Basically, this book had amazing promise, and not only failed to live up to said promise, but failed to entertain me at all. It could be me, so by all means give this a try and come let me know what you thought, but I won't be reading anything further in this series.
If you want to read a survival story that, in my opinion, was nothing short of amazing, read Ashfall. The female is stronger than the male in that one too, but it all works seamlessly, and is realistic.
October 7, 2012
I'm not a good book reviewer, but I have to comment on this one. If you're looking for a fantastic dystopian thriller with lots of action & suspense, you have to read this. It also has one of the most unique plots I've ever read & lots of intriguing characters.
The book is about Banyan, a 17 y/o tree builder. After the Darkness, there were no more trees or paper, so he & his father built forests made out of steel & other scraps for clients. Aside from the lack of vegetation, the only food available is genetically enhanced corn--aka Super food--as it's the only thing that can withstand all the elements... AND the flesh-eating locusts.
After his father gets "taken," Banyan finds himself alone, building a forest for a rich bastard of a dude named Frost & that's where he meets the rest of the crop of intriguing characters.
It's also during this time that he comes across a recent picture of his father shackled to some trees... REAL trees that his father insisted didn't exist.
This is when he sets out west in search of the trees, trying not to get killed by pirates, poachers, locusts or GenTech agents along the way. There are lots of plot twists so it's a very unpredictable & fast-paced read.
The book is labeled YA, but I don't think it'd be appropriate for anyone younger than 14. It has gore & violence, so be prepared.
Also, this is book one of a 'tree-logy,' as the author (Chris Howard) told me on Twitter. :)
The book is about Banyan, a 17 y/o tree builder. After the Darkness, there were no more trees or paper, so he & his father built forests made out of steel & other scraps for clients. Aside from the lack of vegetation, the only food available is genetically enhanced corn--aka Super food--as it's the only thing that can withstand all the elements... AND the flesh-eating locusts.
After his father gets "taken," Banyan finds himself alone, building a forest for a rich bastard of a dude named Frost & that's where he meets the rest of the crop of intriguing characters.
It's also during this time that he comes across a recent picture of his father shackled to some trees... REAL trees that his father insisted didn't exist.
This is when he sets out west in search of the trees, trying not to get killed by pirates, poachers, locusts or GenTech agents along the way. There are lots of plot twists so it's a very unpredictable & fast-paced read.
The book is labeled YA, but I don't think it'd be appropriate for anyone younger than 14. It has gore & violence, so be prepared.
Also, this is book one of a 'tree-logy,' as the author (Chris Howard) told me on Twitter. :)
November 22, 2012
Find this review and more at my blog.
Rootless is a book unlike anything I have ever read! It takes place in a bleak future where locusts are rampant, and no trees are left in the world. Locust have destroyed all food supply, they eat human flesh and a dystopian government controls all food supply. GenTech is the closest to a government that exists and they managed to genetically engineer corn that the locust can't eat. I don't want to say anything more because I don't want to spoil the book.
Chris Howard expertly created a complex and original story that is truly a page-turner. Once you start Rootless you won't be able to stop because you will be engrossed in the story and in the characters. Rootless's plot was refreshing to read after reading so many generic Dystopian novels.
Banyan is a tree builder whose father is missing and Banyan wants to find him before it's too late. Rewind.. I forgot to mention that a tree builder makes artificial trees. The whole concept of tree building and Gentech really added an interesting touch to Rootless. Rootless was a book that I really liked because it was immensly different from everything else I have read. Chris Howard brought to the table in Rootless something that wasn't generic like most Dystopias.
I read about things in Rootless that I would never thought of. Who would have thought pirates, man-eating locusts, artificial trees, and an oppressive government would work so well together? Rootless was a refreshing read that surprised more times than I can count.
Even though I really loved how original and different Rootless was, it still had some negative aspects. Rootless is very plot oriented and as a result the characters aren't as developed as I like. I really didn't feel a connection to any of the characters except for Banyan. I felt like at times I kind of knew what was going to happen and Rootless was a bit predictable. Rootless's flaws are overcome by it's originality, fast pace, and awesome action scenes.
Rootless was a book that definitely caught my interest. It may have some flaws but I was willing to overlook it's flaws due to it's strengths. I really enjoyed Banyan's POV because it felt very personal and helped establish a connection with him. Rootless was a book that I really liked and I'd definitely recommend it. I am pretty torn up over the fact that there is no title or release date for the sequel. Chris Howard's debut is definitely one of the most original and interesting books I have read in a while.
Rootless is a book unlike anything I have ever read! It takes place in a bleak future where locusts are rampant, and no trees are left in the world. Locust have destroyed all food supply, they eat human flesh and a dystopian government controls all food supply. GenTech is the closest to a government that exists and they managed to genetically engineer corn that the locust can't eat. I don't want to say anything more because I don't want to spoil the book.
Chris Howard expertly created a complex and original story that is truly a page-turner. Once you start Rootless you won't be able to stop because you will be engrossed in the story and in the characters. Rootless's plot was refreshing to read after reading so many generic Dystopian novels.
Banyan is a tree builder whose father is missing and Banyan wants to find him before it's too late. Rewind.. I forgot to mention that a tree builder makes artificial trees. The whole concept of tree building and Gentech really added an interesting touch to Rootless. Rootless was a book that I really liked because it was immensly different from everything else I have read. Chris Howard brought to the table in Rootless something that wasn't generic like most Dystopias.
I read about things in Rootless that I would never thought of. Who would have thought pirates, man-eating locusts, artificial trees, and an oppressive government would work so well together? Rootless was a refreshing read that surprised more times than I can count.
Even though I really loved how original and different Rootless was, it still had some negative aspects. Rootless is very plot oriented and as a result the characters aren't as developed as I like. I really didn't feel a connection to any of the characters except for Banyan. I felt like at times I kind of knew what was going to happen and Rootless was a bit predictable. Rootless's flaws are overcome by it's originality, fast pace, and awesome action scenes.
Rootless was a book that definitely caught my interest. It may have some flaws but I was willing to overlook it's flaws due to it's strengths. I really enjoyed Banyan's POV because it felt very personal and helped establish a connection with him. Rootless was a book that I really liked and I'd definitely recommend it. I am pretty torn up over the fact that there is no title or release date for the sequel. Chris Howard's debut is definitely one of the most original and interesting books I have read in a while.
November 27, 2012
4.5/5 stars!
Okay, so, can I just say how much I love the amount of futuristic semi-apocalyptic westerns that are coming out of YA right now? However, here's one that hasn't been done before, at least not without using space opera as an additional sub-genre - a techno-western. Yep. That's right. And you know what? I totally got sucked in. Put on your seatbelt, folks. Not only do we have a techno-western, but it's a current social commentary-based one. Love it when authors can pull that off without sounding preachy, and Howard does it here fantastically. This is one 2012 debut you don't want to miss.
Where to start? The world. The world was so well-built, and believable, yet at the same time, it's very sparsely written. It's rich and detailed but written in a very compact way, not sprawling or overly flowery, and it all just works. It's not under-furnished with information, nor is it totally over the top like it could have been. It's just there. And it works. The only area I was a bit fuzzy on was the time (we're given a benchmark - a century after the Darkness, when the last of paper/wood/etc kinda disappeared from the planet), but in terms of how far that is from now, we're not given an answer. But since this book looks to be the first in what's at least a duology, I feel like I can allow this when it usually drive me mad. The rest of the world is so complete that the sense of time just isn't a factor bothering me this time, which is always an awesome thing.
I think another reason why the time thing isn't bothering me - this book is equally plot-driven and character-driven. Which is insanely hard to do, because it's so easy to fall into the trap of a plot-driven story (far moreso, I'd say, than a character-driven story), where the characters and their transformational journeys (and the arcs that come with them) get utterly neglected all in order to advance the story. Howard surprised me with his ability to keep it balanced, with all of the main cast changing in some fashion by the end of this first book. Of course, as the protagonist, we see Banyan change the most, but all of the characters, including the antagonists (and the seemingly faceless menace that is GenTech, who actually gets a face - or more than one, but I won't spoil you guys any further) do change to some degree.
While I was excited to keep the pages flipping, I also found myself caring very deeply for these characters and this world that seemed so fragile yet like Banyan and his metal trees, very strong. All of the characters, even antagonists, are surprisingly sympathetic. We also get a lot of racial/ethnic/cultural diversity, which was so amazingly nice to see (it feels like we don't have a lot of that in YA right now aside from the contemporary, but even there, it's still a bit on the thin side). We get Zee and her mother, Banyan, the Rasta Soljahs, and so forth. It was a nice little rainbow of diversity all around, and I love how all of these cultures clashed in this slowly-dying world. We get the rich and the poor (but mostly the very poor), the evil Big Pharma/Con-Agra business, pirates and poachers and slavers, and everyone who falls in between in a huge spectrum. There is no (moral) black and white in this world, as we learn by the end of the book, though it is very tempting to throw the antagonist and the protagonists on either side of the black/white set of scales. There's a lot of murky gray, and that's where I feel like Howard gives us one of the biggest messages of the book in terms of Banyan's solo character development/journey arc - about growing up. When you grow up (or are forced to), there's a lot more gray than everyone tells you about. And making choices suddenly gets harder in that gray haze because rarely are answers that easy or quick.
But some of my favorite bits of this book all have one thing in common - Howard's fantastic use of sensory imagery and language. The Banyan-built trees, the real trees, the tattoo on Hina, the shanty towns around futuristic Vegas (called Vega all these years later) - all of that felt real. The sound of the man-eating locusts was pretty terrifying and yeah, I actually did jump a bit whenever they were in action. The waterfalls of the Soljah camps at Niagara Falls. Banyan's wagon and all the things within it. All of it made for some pretty unforgettable images. There's a lot of cyberpunk and biopunk at work in this book, so you still retain that techno-western feeling (think "Cowboy Bebop" without the bounty hunting or space ships, but with a kid and his dad doing various jobs much like Spike and the Bebop crew in order to keep their bellies full) without sacrificing too much else to these other sub-genres.
And the last: the social commentary bit of the book. Howard doesn't get preachy, but the warning is pretty dire (and considering where we are in our current culture where we actually had to call out Walmart and Monsanto on putting GMO'd fruits and veggies in their markets, we could use that warning) - under the tyrant foot of not just governments, but companies, do we have severe poverty and all the ugliness that comes with it. There is no government in this book but that of GenTech - you live and die by their will. It's pretty sinister, and it's definitely a wake up call - especially when it's revealed that GenTech hasn't just dabbled in splicing for making corn. I won't say another word on that because it'd be a huge spoiler, but for the older readers, two words: soylent green. If we were to have a future without a government and instead a tyrant company, well, I sure as hell would not want to live in it. So I guess Howard's message is more like "uh, guys, we should probably start watching these Big Pharma/Con-Agra-types when they're messing with our food supply". Or something to that effect. And we're not bludgeoned over the head with it.
Final verdict? If you're into cyberpunk, dystopia, biopunk or just plain ol' sci-fi, this is the book for you. And if you're just dipping your toes into the sub-genre pools, this is a great starter book. Just read it, okay? "Rootless" is out now through Scholastic in North America, and its place on my best of 2012 list is well-deserved. Be sure to check it out when you get the chance!
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, librarything, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
Okay, so, can I just say how much I love the amount of futuristic semi-apocalyptic westerns that are coming out of YA right now? However, here's one that hasn't been done before, at least not without using space opera as an additional sub-genre - a techno-western. Yep. That's right. And you know what? I totally got sucked in. Put on your seatbelt, folks. Not only do we have a techno-western, but it's a current social commentary-based one. Love it when authors can pull that off without sounding preachy, and Howard does it here fantastically. This is one 2012 debut you don't want to miss.
Where to start? The world. The world was so well-built, and believable, yet at the same time, it's very sparsely written. It's rich and detailed but written in a very compact way, not sprawling or overly flowery, and it all just works. It's not under-furnished with information, nor is it totally over the top like it could have been. It's just there. And it works. The only area I was a bit fuzzy on was the time (we're given a benchmark - a century after the Darkness, when the last of paper/wood/etc kinda disappeared from the planet), but in terms of how far that is from now, we're not given an answer. But since this book looks to be the first in what's at least a duology, I feel like I can allow this when it usually drive me mad. The rest of the world is so complete that the sense of time just isn't a factor bothering me this time, which is always an awesome thing.
I think another reason why the time thing isn't bothering me - this book is equally plot-driven and character-driven. Which is insanely hard to do, because it's so easy to fall into the trap of a plot-driven story (far moreso, I'd say, than a character-driven story), where the characters and their transformational journeys (and the arcs that come with them) get utterly neglected all in order to advance the story. Howard surprised me with his ability to keep it balanced, with all of the main cast changing in some fashion by the end of this first book. Of course, as the protagonist, we see Banyan change the most, but all of the characters, including the antagonists (and the seemingly faceless menace that is GenTech, who actually gets a face - or more than one, but I won't spoil you guys any further) do change to some degree.
While I was excited to keep the pages flipping, I also found myself caring very deeply for these characters and this world that seemed so fragile yet like Banyan and his metal trees, very strong. All of the characters, even antagonists, are surprisingly sympathetic. We also get a lot of racial/ethnic/cultural diversity, which was so amazingly nice to see (it feels like we don't have a lot of that in YA right now aside from the contemporary, but even there, it's still a bit on the thin side). We get Zee and her mother, Banyan, the Rasta Soljahs, and so forth. It was a nice little rainbow of diversity all around, and I love how all of these cultures clashed in this slowly-dying world. We get the rich and the poor (but mostly the very poor), the evil Big Pharma/Con-Agra business, pirates and poachers and slavers, and everyone who falls in between in a huge spectrum. There is no (moral) black and white in this world, as we learn by the end of the book, though it is very tempting to throw the antagonist and the protagonists on either side of the black/white set of scales. There's a lot of murky gray, and that's where I feel like Howard gives us one of the biggest messages of the book in terms of Banyan's solo character development/journey arc - about growing up. When you grow up (or are forced to), there's a lot more gray than everyone tells you about. And making choices suddenly gets harder in that gray haze because rarely are answers that easy or quick.
But some of my favorite bits of this book all have one thing in common - Howard's fantastic use of sensory imagery and language. The Banyan-built trees, the real trees, the tattoo on Hina, the shanty towns around futuristic Vegas (called Vega all these years later) - all of that felt real. The sound of the man-eating locusts was pretty terrifying and yeah, I actually did jump a bit whenever they were in action. The waterfalls of the Soljah camps at Niagara Falls. Banyan's wagon and all the things within it. All of it made for some pretty unforgettable images. There's a lot of cyberpunk and biopunk at work in this book, so you still retain that techno-western feeling (think "Cowboy Bebop" without the bounty hunting or space ships, but with a kid and his dad doing various jobs much like Spike and the Bebop crew in order to keep their bellies full) without sacrificing too much else to these other sub-genres.
And the last: the social commentary bit of the book. Howard doesn't get preachy, but the warning is pretty dire (and considering where we are in our current culture where we actually had to call out Walmart and Monsanto on putting GMO'd fruits and veggies in their markets, we could use that warning) - under the tyrant foot of not just governments, but companies, do we have severe poverty and all the ugliness that comes with it. There is no government in this book but that of GenTech - you live and die by their will. It's pretty sinister, and it's definitely a wake up call - especially when it's revealed that GenTech hasn't just dabbled in splicing for making corn. I won't say another word on that because it'd be a huge spoiler, but for the older readers, two words: soylent green. If we were to have a future without a government and instead a tyrant company, well, I sure as hell would not want to live in it. So I guess Howard's message is more like "uh, guys, we should probably start watching these Big Pharma/Con-Agra-types when they're messing with our food supply". Or something to that effect. And we're not bludgeoned over the head with it.
Final verdict? If you're into cyberpunk, dystopia, biopunk or just plain ol' sci-fi, this is the book for you. And if you're just dipping your toes into the sub-genre pools, this is a great starter book. Just read it, okay? "Rootless" is out now through Scholastic in North America, and its place on my best of 2012 list is well-deserved. Be sure to check it out when you get the chance!
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, librarything, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
November 1, 2012
Read more of my reviews at Dazzling Reads
They call it the "Rift", the disaster that turned the earth on a big piece of wasteland. This is the world of Rootless, a world where what they value the most is what we take for granted... trees.
Banyan is a tree builder... because in his world there are no more trees. With pieces of trash, junk, Leds and recycling stuff, Banyan learned from his father how to add to his world what they were missing the most. Until one day Banyan's father goes missing leaving young Banyan alone. A year later, he gets a picture from a girl named Zee, in which he see his father chained to a tree... a real tree!
I never imagined a world without trees... until now. Mr. Howard really made me think about this to the point that I felt bad holding the book in my hands. I think this book creates conscience about something we are so use to have around that we take it for granted. But what if we didn't? what if this world was void of trees? Have you ever think about how much we depend on them? From something as simple as breathing to furniture. From houses to books, BOOKS!! Wood is all around us. It is incredible how much we depend on trees and I never realized how much we need them, until I read this book. Thank you Mr. Howard :)
The voice is definitely what I love the most about Rootless Banyan is an authentic teenage character that I grew to love a lot through the course of the book. Banyan swears as much as any other teenage boy, but at the same time, there is so much beauty in his thoughts. Many times during the book I bookmarked passages (Banyan's thoughts) that I found immensely touching. I loved the contrast that Mr. Howard gave to this character and how well his beautiful prose intertwines with the kind of dialect the characters speak. I really felt that in Banyan was this average teenage boy who swears and fancies girls, and the artist who build trees out of junk. In addition, I have to mention that not only I felt in love with Banyan, but also with Alpha. She is Banyan's love interest and I loved seeing such a different female character. Alpha is a pirate and she is all badass with her mohawk, yet she also has this contrast side of her where tenderness can easily be found. But of course they are not the only characters in this tale and readers should really look forward to meet Zee, Crow, Frost and all the rest of them :)
Even though I really like this book, sometimes the pace was a bit slow. It wasn't the constant crescendo that makes me swallow books in one seat. Maybe that's why Rootless wasn't a book that made me turn pages with no stop.. Regardless this, I believe Rootless is definitely a great debut novel and I look forward for the sequel!
Chirs Howard delivers a tale where the value of nature is as important as the value of family, love and friendship. Rootless is a dangerous adventure and a touching tale that I gladly recommend!
July 24, 2012
Even if Chris Howard weren't my agent-brother, I would have been psyched to read this book!
ROOTLESS by Chris Howard (Scholastic, November 1, 2012)
[Image]
Five things about ROOTLESS:
The whole concept of building trees is AWESOME! Yes, even if there were still trees in the world, I would still want one built for me. With glowing lights. I kind of want one now in my hot, Texas backyard to provide some shade-I-desperately-need. When my Bradford Pear out front finally dies, I am searching out Banyan.
This story is seriously crazy and cool and out there! It took me in directions I never expected when I started reading the book. I expected a dystopian similar to those I've been reading. What I got? Something totally cool and different!
I adore that the cover matches the story! Different. Eye-catching. Way cool. Sure to appeal to boys and girls, just like the story.
Touch of romance? Yes! Somehow it sneaked in there when I wasn't even expecting it and from a completely different direction than I expected. And I kind of adored that!
This book takes so many different turns and leaves so much open, I can seriously hardly wait until next year when I get my hands on book 2! Well done, Chris, on making the story complete while still leaving so much open!
In short, ROOTLESS is highly recommended for boys (finally!) and girls, fans of dystopian, those who haven't yet been introduced to dystopian, fans of sci-fi, seventh grade and up. It's fast and scary and has such a freaky and vivid vision of the world of the future. Bring on book two!
ROOTLESS by Chris Howard (Scholastic, November 1, 2012)
[Image]
Five things about ROOTLESS:
The whole concept of building trees is AWESOME! Yes, even if there were still trees in the world, I would still want one built for me. With glowing lights. I kind of want one now in my hot, Texas backyard to provide some shade-I-desperately-need. When my Bradford Pear out front finally dies, I am searching out Banyan.
This story is seriously crazy and cool and out there! It took me in directions I never expected when I started reading the book. I expected a dystopian similar to those I've been reading. What I got? Something totally cool and different!
I adore that the cover matches the story! Different. Eye-catching. Way cool. Sure to appeal to boys and girls, just like the story.
Touch of romance? Yes! Somehow it sneaked in there when I wasn't even expecting it and from a completely different direction than I expected. And I kind of adored that!
This book takes so many different turns and leaves so much open, I can seriously hardly wait until next year when I get my hands on book 2! Well done, Chris, on making the story complete while still leaving so much open!
In short, ROOTLESS is highly recommended for boys (finally!) and girls, fans of dystopian, those who haven't yet been introduced to dystopian, fans of sci-fi, seventh grade and up. It's fast and scary and has such a freaky and vivid vision of the world of the future. Bring on book two!
October 30, 2012
Rootless is the debut YA novel from Colorado author Chris Howard. Seventeen-year-old Banyan is a tree builder. Using scrap metal and salvaged junk, he creates beautiful forests for rich patrons who seek a reprieve from the desolate landscape. Although Banyan's never seen a real tree, they were destroyed more than a century ago, his father used to tell him stories about the Old World. But that was before his father was taken....
This will appeal to those who enjoy dystopian fiction - like Hunger Games. It is full of action, great quirky characters, a bit of horror (flesh eating locusts!) and is an adventure from the first sentence to the last! Chris Howard is an exciting new voice and will be one to watch.
This will appeal to those who enjoy dystopian fiction - like Hunger Games. It is full of action, great quirky characters, a bit of horror (flesh eating locusts!) and is an adventure from the first sentence to the last! Chris Howard is an exciting new voice and will be one to watch.
Want to read
March 28, 2014This sounds really interesting.
January 29, 2016
I don't usually reiterate the summary but the plot is pretty complicated. In the words of Inigo Montoya: Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.
*******
The world has changed.
Rootless introduces us to a post-apocalyptic melting pot. The only food that grows is corn, the only living things are humans and locusts, and even the bounty of the ocean (if it is still bountiful) is out of reach because the moon is closer to Earth, and the tides are all crazy messed up.
In the middle of this, we meet Banyan, a young man making a living from building fake trees out of scrap metal, old tires, and LEDs. The last real trees were gone a century ago, but somehow enough of a society still exists that rich people enjoy their strange metal gardens. His father, who taught Banyan everything he knows, was lost last year, a victim to slave traders. Life is rough, but Banyan is a survivor, getting through each day and taking pride in his projects.
Until he sees a picture of his dad, tied up, surrounded by beautiful, living trees.
Banyan starts on a journey that begins with him as a wanderer, questioning everything he's ever known, literally being rootless. Traveling across the country on a quest for his lost father and the unknown trees, Banyan and his unlikely troupe of friends are about to find out just how important our connections are.
*******
The cover, along with the title, were the first things that drew me to this book. It is such an eerily beautiful but haunting image. It also definitely helped me to imagine exactly what Banyan meant when he said he builds trees. Seriously. He builds trees. How strange! This book is full of so many crazy ideas, they get thrown at us one after another. Yet they never feel out of place, and I never felt like I was playing catch up. This world exists, fully fleshed out, and we are but visiting for a little while.
The writing style was at first abnormal and difficult to get into. It reminded me of a young adult version of The Road, where the sentences are super short and choppy. Also much like The Road, the wasteland is not as important as much as what you do with it. With that said, this book would probably not be appropriate for readers younger than about 14 or 15. Chris Howard has no compunction in reminding us that this is a post-apocalypse. Shit goes down. There is violence, cussing, and harassment. Thankfully, none of it was ever purely for shock value. But fair warning that it is in this book.
Perhaps, like Banyan, you will become "rooted and tangled" with the characters in this book. They are unique but easy to visualize, telling us about their strange pasts and all the different ways they are connected. This is a strange world, but it echos our own. My favorite character was probably Crow, a big burly "watcher," or bodyguard, whose loyalties are in question. Alpha is a close second, the mohawked desert pirate. That is certainly not a phrase I ever thought I would write! Both of their motivations were questionable at best and I just love it when bad guys can maybe become good guys, or vice versa.
While I find the science of the apocalypse...well let's just say that science definitely takes a backseat to adventure. On top of that, my least favorite mechanic, the amazing coincidence machine, makes a few appearances. Still, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. After I got past the initial choppy writing style, I settled down to enjoy it. The story moves at a break-neck speed that the genre has not seen for ages - stuff actually happens! And Banyan still has time for introspection, and he still has time to grow over the course of the novel. The person on the last page definitely started the journey with us, but he has matured and changed. Amazingly done.
Recommended if you are looking for a new young adult read that pushes the genre boundaries, and will have you heavily invested in the characters.
ARC provided by the author
Extras: (it's not REALLY spoilerly but just in case)
*******
The world has changed.
Rootless introduces us to a post-apocalyptic melting pot. The only food that grows is corn, the only living things are humans and locusts, and even the bounty of the ocean (if it is still bountiful) is out of reach because the moon is closer to Earth, and the tides are all crazy messed up.
In the middle of this, we meet Banyan, a young man making a living from building fake trees out of scrap metal, old tires, and LEDs. The last real trees were gone a century ago, but somehow enough of a society still exists that rich people enjoy their strange metal gardens. His father, who taught Banyan everything he knows, was lost last year, a victim to slave traders. Life is rough, but Banyan is a survivor, getting through each day and taking pride in his projects.
Until he sees a picture of his dad, tied up, surrounded by beautiful, living trees.
Banyan starts on a journey that begins with him as a wanderer, questioning everything he's ever known, literally being rootless. Traveling across the country on a quest for his lost father and the unknown trees, Banyan and his unlikely troupe of friends are about to find out just how important our connections are.
*******
The cover, along with the title, were the first things that drew me to this book. It is such an eerily beautiful but haunting image. It also definitely helped me to imagine exactly what Banyan meant when he said he builds trees. Seriously. He builds trees. How strange! This book is full of so many crazy ideas, they get thrown at us one after another. Yet they never feel out of place, and I never felt like I was playing catch up. This world exists, fully fleshed out, and we are but visiting for a little while.
The writing style was at first abnormal and difficult to get into. It reminded me of a young adult version of The Road, where the sentences are super short and choppy. Also much like The Road, the wasteland is not as important as much as what you do with it. With that said, this book would probably not be appropriate for readers younger than about 14 or 15. Chris Howard has no compunction in reminding us that this is a post-apocalypse. Shit goes down. There is violence, cussing, and harassment. Thankfully, none of it was ever purely for shock value. But fair warning that it is in this book.
Perhaps, like Banyan, you will become "rooted and tangled" with the characters in this book. They are unique but easy to visualize, telling us about their strange pasts and all the different ways they are connected. This is a strange world, but it echos our own. My favorite character was probably Crow, a big burly "watcher," or bodyguard, whose loyalties are in question. Alpha is a close second, the mohawked desert pirate. That is certainly not a phrase I ever thought I would write! Both of their motivations were questionable at best and I just love it when bad guys can maybe become good guys, or vice versa.
While I find the science of the apocalypse...well let's just say that science definitely takes a backseat to adventure. On top of that, my least favorite mechanic, the amazing coincidence machine, makes a few appearances. Still, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. After I got past the initial choppy writing style, I settled down to enjoy it. The story moves at a break-neck speed that the genre has not seen for ages - stuff actually happens! And Banyan still has time for introspection, and he still has time to grow over the course of the novel. The person on the last page definitely started the journey with us, but he has matured and changed. Amazingly done.
Recommended if you are looking for a new young adult read that pushes the genre boundaries, and will have you heavily invested in the characters.
ARC provided by the author
Extras: (it's not REALLY spoilerly but just in case)
February 12, 2013
3.5 Stars
As happens from time to time, I've read a book that is wonderful, but that does not work perfectly for the kind of reader that I am. Rootless by Chris Howard is a true dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel set in a nightmare landscape. The writing is beautiful and the characters are unique. I definitely like Rootless and I'm very impressed by Howard's debut, but I'm too easily confused by science for it to be the perfect book for me.
First off, I want to praise Chris Howard's writing to the skies. The writing is beautiful, perfectly matched to Banyan and to the world itself. Howard manages to establish that Banyan speaks in dialect with the use of words like "reckon," but keeps it to a minimum. Thus, he clearly gets across the sound of the characters without making Rootless any less readable. Dialect done wrong is a miserable reading experience, and I think Howard takes a marvelous approach.
Howard builds from a pretty standard dystopian formula with the evil corporation GenTech, but the world itself is like nothing I've ever read before. The world has gone to seed in just about every way possible. Trees and animal life (except for humans and locusts) have died out. The only remaining food source is a genetically modified corn that the locusts cannot eat, which means the locusts have to settle for the only remaining dietary option: people. Man-eating bugs are pretty much my worst nightmare. There are also pirates, and a whole lot of other unscrupulous, cutthroat folks. In Rootless, characters really do suffer, and it's not all about the romance; people die in nasty ways, just as they should in a good post-apocalyptic.
Banyan works as a tree builder. What's a tree builder?, you might ask. Well, since the trees are gone, the landscape's a tad empty. Rich folks will pay to have trees built on their landscape. Banyan, as his father taught him, crafts trees out of metal. This is a very strange concept, but one that puts such a stark mental image of this world into my head. His cast of characters is just as memorably strange as the trees built out of metal.
As I mentioned previously, the world in Rootless is one in which countless things have gone wrong. Genetic modification of foodstuffs lead to stronger locusts, which lead to no trees. A lack of trees presents its own problems. The moon also came closer to the earth, which messed with the ocean. All of the non-human animals are gone. Everything that's left is controlled by a corporation, the only institution capable of making food without cannibalism. All of this was just way too much for me to process, and I spent a lot of time confused, trying to figure out why something happened and what repercussions it would have on society.
From interviews I've seen, I'm sure Howard has done his research and put tons of thought into everything, but he lost me. Actually, I had a similar problem with The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi, which is beloved of many people who understand science much better than I do. To tell you the hard truth, I was at best a mid-B range student in high school science. I know just enough to get things really wrong and muddled. Readers with more science background or less inclined to puzzle over things endlessly will likely not have this issue. Also, since Rootless is told from a first person perspective, the world building will likely become more clear as Banyan learns more.
Oh, one last thing, Howard is a HUGE Star Wars fan. It's all over his inspiration board on Pinterest, for example. His love of Star Wars really shines through. There are some very cleverly done references, which I, having been raised from a young age to be obsessed with the original trilogy (the only one that exists in my brain), loved. Watch out for those, Star Wars fans!
I highly recommend Rootless to readers who enjoy harder science fiction with a focus on world building and storytelling. Fans of Paolo Bacigalupi and Star Wars should especially take note.
As happens from time to time, I've read a book that is wonderful, but that does not work perfectly for the kind of reader that I am. Rootless by Chris Howard is a true dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel set in a nightmare landscape. The writing is beautiful and the characters are unique. I definitely like Rootless and I'm very impressed by Howard's debut, but I'm too easily confused by science for it to be the perfect book for me.
First off, I want to praise Chris Howard's writing to the skies. The writing is beautiful, perfectly matched to Banyan and to the world itself. Howard manages to establish that Banyan speaks in dialect with the use of words like "reckon," but keeps it to a minimum. Thus, he clearly gets across the sound of the characters without making Rootless any less readable. Dialect done wrong is a miserable reading experience, and I think Howard takes a marvelous approach.
Howard builds from a pretty standard dystopian formula with the evil corporation GenTech, but the world itself is like nothing I've ever read before. The world has gone to seed in just about every way possible. Trees and animal life (except for humans and locusts) have died out. The only remaining food source is a genetically modified corn that the locusts cannot eat, which means the locusts have to settle for the only remaining dietary option: people. Man-eating bugs are pretty much my worst nightmare. There are also pirates, and a whole lot of other unscrupulous, cutthroat folks. In Rootless, characters really do suffer, and it's not all about the romance; people die in nasty ways, just as they should in a good post-apocalyptic.
Banyan works as a tree builder. What's a tree builder?, you might ask. Well, since the trees are gone, the landscape's a tad empty. Rich folks will pay to have trees built on their landscape. Banyan, as his father taught him, crafts trees out of metal. This is a very strange concept, but one that puts such a stark mental image of this world into my head. His cast of characters is just as memorably strange as the trees built out of metal.
As I mentioned previously, the world in Rootless is one in which countless things have gone wrong. Genetic modification of foodstuffs lead to stronger locusts, which lead to no trees. A lack of trees presents its own problems. The moon also came closer to the earth, which messed with the ocean. All of the non-human animals are gone. Everything that's left is controlled by a corporation, the only institution capable of making food without cannibalism. All of this was just way too much for me to process, and I spent a lot of time confused, trying to figure out why something happened and what repercussions it would have on society.
From interviews I've seen, I'm sure Howard has done his research and put tons of thought into everything, but he lost me. Actually, I had a similar problem with The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi, which is beloved of many people who understand science much better than I do. To tell you the hard truth, I was at best a mid-B range student in high school science. I know just enough to get things really wrong and muddled. Readers with more science background or less inclined to puzzle over things endlessly will likely not have this issue. Also, since Rootless is told from a first person perspective, the world building will likely become more clear as Banyan learns more.
Oh, one last thing, Howard is a HUGE Star Wars fan. It's all over his inspiration board on Pinterest, for example. His love of Star Wars really shines through. There are some very cleverly done references, which I, having been raised from a young age to be obsessed with the original trilogy (the only one that exists in my brain), loved. Watch out for those, Star Wars fans!
I highly recommend Rootless to readers who enjoy harder science fiction with a focus on world building and storytelling. Fans of Paolo Bacigalupi and Star Wars should especially take note.
September 5, 2012
**Originally on Read-A-holicZ,HERE!**
"This book was OMG CRAZY! It was filled with pirates,crazy man eating locusts, a sweet romance and filled with very intense & emotional scenes. LOVED it!"
The synopsis to this book was extensive but was pretty AWESOME sounding. The cover is pretty intriguing & gives you a sense of the book. It was a pretty fast & invigorating read. I was addicted to the story & characters instantly. PLUS i also liked that the author didn't shy away from cursing & other tough issues. ;D
The World-building.
It was a near-future dystopian world, with it being after an apocalyptic/world changing event but not so ahead since they basically started from scratch and it wasn't filled with high tech technology @ all. It had a kinda rustic feel like back in the western days. The Locusts developing into man eating creatures & humans only being able to feed of genetically enhanced corn was interesting. ADD sand storms and Zion, like a heaven on earth where trees exist were good to put into the plot & world, and you got urself a story that is brimming with AWESOMENESS!!.
The Story.
This was another story where it began with it throwing you right into the characters, Banyan's life. Which both confused me and made me want more about what was going on. Trust me that this story mat be a bit hard to get into @ first but once u have adapted you will LOVE it. Their are deaths, HUGE fights, explosions, pirates, and a corrupt government system. So it has something new in every turn of the book. It also has to do with finding love, making roots, and finding out you were more than you thought you were.
The Characters.
The Characters are all well developed, complex, and unique. First off their names are unusual and cool. Banyan was strong, calculating, trying to survive and I LOVED,LOVED,LOVED that the story was told through his POV! I especially LOVED his very real attraction to... Alpha, a very complex, charismatic, and deadly pirate. Really liked when they shared scenes. Hina is the mysterious key and I liked her sorta-lost expression because it told of what she knew was almost un-real in their world. Sal was the lost boy, who was a sharp tack. There are SO many others that I really liked too!
The Romance.
There's a Romance?? YES! I wasn't expecting it actually. i thought this would be ur typical "boy trying to survive & find father with help from friends". NOPE! I was wrong. Their is a very real & touching romance between Alpha & Banyan. They were both dangerous, yet they made each other feel different & better. They were each others roots you could say ;D
The Ending.
WOW,just WOW! That ending was filled with action and so many emotions that i was literally crying @ times. Trust me when I say It WAS PERFECT! I thought it would tear me in two but...GOD! It twisted so much & i LOVED it!
Overall for me this book was a hit and I STRONGLY RECOMMEND you pick it up when it comes out! A beautiful Debut! =D I really want to read the next book, since it said "End of book one" I presume their is a two!!!! So 5/5 golden feathers!
"This book was OMG CRAZY! It was filled with pirates,crazy man eating locusts, a sweet romance and filled with very intense & emotional scenes. LOVED it!"
The synopsis to this book was extensive but was pretty AWESOME sounding. The cover is pretty intriguing & gives you a sense of the book. It was a pretty fast & invigorating read. I was addicted to the story & characters instantly. PLUS i also liked that the author didn't shy away from cursing & other tough issues. ;D
The World-building.
It was a near-future dystopian world, with it being after an apocalyptic/world changing event but not so ahead since they basically started from scratch and it wasn't filled with high tech technology @ all. It had a kinda rustic feel like back in the western days. The Locusts developing into man eating creatures & humans only being able to feed of genetically enhanced corn was interesting. ADD sand storms and Zion, like a heaven on earth where trees exist were good to put into the plot & world, and you got urself a story that is brimming with AWESOMENESS!!.
The Story.
This was another story where it began with it throwing you right into the characters, Banyan's life. Which both confused me and made me want more about what was going on. Trust me that this story mat be a bit hard to get into @ first but once u have adapted you will LOVE it. Their are deaths, HUGE fights, explosions, pirates, and a corrupt government system. So it has something new in every turn of the book. It also has to do with finding love, making roots, and finding out you were more than you thought you were.
The Characters.
The Characters are all well developed, complex, and unique. First off their names are unusual and cool. Banyan was strong, calculating, trying to survive and I LOVED,LOVED,LOVED that the story was told through his POV! I especially LOVED his very real attraction to... Alpha, a very complex, charismatic, and deadly pirate. Really liked when they shared scenes. Hina is the mysterious key and I liked her sorta-lost expression because it told of what she knew was almost un-real in their world. Sal was the lost boy, who was a sharp tack. There are SO many others that I really liked too!
The Romance.
There's a Romance?? YES! I wasn't expecting it actually. i thought this would be ur typical "boy trying to survive & find father with help from friends". NOPE! I was wrong. Their is a very real & touching romance between Alpha & Banyan. They were both dangerous, yet they made each other feel different & better. They were each others roots you could say ;D
The Ending.
WOW,just WOW! That ending was filled with action and so many emotions that i was literally crying @ times. Trust me when I say It WAS PERFECT! I thought it would tear me in two but...GOD! It twisted so much & i LOVED it!
Overall for me this book was a hit and I STRONGLY RECOMMEND you pick it up when it comes out! A beautiful Debut! =D I really want to read the next book, since it said "End of book one" I presume their is a two!!!! So 5/5 golden feathers!
November 4, 2012
This book is a wild ride in a hostile and barren hell that the world has become that seems all too probable. There are no longer trees, or any nature. Everything that grows (including every kind of life but human) is now gone other than genetically engineered corn and mutated locusts who have no choice now but to eat humans. There is very little water, and GenTech, the company who controls the corn, keeps prices insanely high. And now someone is "disappearing" people at a greater and greater rate.
17 year old Banyan makes it on his own these days because his father was taken a year ago. He is continuing in the family trade--building trees out of scraps of metal. He gets hired for a job that quickly spirals out of control when strange clues to what may be the last of the "real" trees show up tattooed onto his client's wife and step-daughter. Add that to a mysterious picture of his father, alive and chained to a real tree, showing up and Banyan cannot help but to start looking for his father. Along the way he meets with criminals and warriors--some hell-bent on killing him (or worse), some become unexpected allies.
It is impossible to catch your breath once you start this book--there is truly non-stop adventure on nearly every page. It is exhilarating, exhausting and impossible to put down. It's the first in a series that should capture a lot of attention and fans--it could be the next Hunger Games. This is truly a cross-over book for teens and adults, though violent enough that I would say at the very least 14 and up.
17 year old Banyan makes it on his own these days because his father was taken a year ago. He is continuing in the family trade--building trees out of scraps of metal. He gets hired for a job that quickly spirals out of control when strange clues to what may be the last of the "real" trees show up tattooed onto his client's wife and step-daughter. Add that to a mysterious picture of his father, alive and chained to a real tree, showing up and Banyan cannot help but to start looking for his father. Along the way he meets with criminals and warriors--some hell-bent on killing him (or worse), some become unexpected allies.
It is impossible to catch your breath once you start this book--there is truly non-stop adventure on nearly every page. It is exhilarating, exhausting and impossible to put down. It's the first in a series that should capture a lot of attention and fans--it could be the next Hunger Games. This is truly a cross-over book for teens and adults, though violent enough that I would say at the very least 14 and up.
November 5, 2012
I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Howard in Denver at a trade show and hearing him talk about his book. I immediately knew that I had to read it for a couple of reasons. As a bookseller, I am constantly on the lookout for books that will appeal to young men, because they seem to be harder to keep interested in reading, if I may briefly overgeneralize. Also, this one sounded really awesome. I was not disappointed.
Rootless takes place in the future, when locusts have destroyed all animals but humans(althought they'll eat them too, given the chance) and all plants but a genetically-altered corn. Banyan and his father have spent their whole lives building trees out of scrap metal and the like, but Banyan's father was recently taken. Banyan finds an unexpected link to his dad at a house he's building a forest for, and his life takes a lot of turns from there. This book is gritty and incredibly fast-paced. It's great for fans of Hunger Games or Pure by Julianna Baggott. There's a male main character, lots of action and violence, and not so much of that whiny teenage angst. I loved it.
Rootless takes place in the future, when locusts have destroyed all animals but humans(althought they'll eat them too, given the chance) and all plants but a genetically-altered corn. Banyan and his father have spent their whole lives building trees out of scrap metal and the like, but Banyan's father was recently taken. Banyan finds an unexpected link to his dad at a house he's building a forest for, and his life takes a lot of turns from there. This book is gritty and incredibly fast-paced. It's great for fans of Hunger Games or Pure by Julianna Baggott. There's a male main character, lots of action and violence, and not so much of that whiny teenage angst. I loved it.
November 4, 2012
What a ride! Unpredictable and engaging; I love a book that keeps me guessing, and boy is this one that does.
In a post-apocalyptic world, Banyan builds fake trees out of scrap for those who can afford the luxury, a job he did with his father until his dad went missing one night. Now he stumbles upon clues to his father's whereabouts, which could be the last place on earth where real trees grow.
The world is dominated by Gen-Tech, a company that was able to create a GMO corn that can withstand the hardships of this new world, including drought and locusts. Banyan and his companions must battle not only renegades, pirates, and locusts, but also Gen-Tech, who does not tolerate anyone who gets in their way.
While I won't give anything away, the ending of the first book does present an interesting question - should the individual be sacrificed for the good of the whole (planet) or do individual rights trump the future of everything else? Very curious to see where Howard will take this in future novels.
I will highly recommend this book to dystopian and sci-fy fans 8th up.
Preview copy from Netgalley.com 11/2012.
In a post-apocalyptic world, Banyan builds fake trees out of scrap for those who can afford the luxury, a job he did with his father until his dad went missing one night. Now he stumbles upon clues to his father's whereabouts, which could be the last place on earth where real trees grow.
The world is dominated by Gen-Tech, a company that was able to create a GMO corn that can withstand the hardships of this new world, including drought and locusts. Banyan and his companions must battle not only renegades, pirates, and locusts, but also Gen-Tech, who does not tolerate anyone who gets in their way.
While I won't give anything away, the ending of the first book does present an interesting question - should the individual be sacrificed for the good of the whole (planet) or do individual rights trump the future of everything else? Very curious to see where Howard will take this in future novels.
I will highly recommend this book to dystopian and sci-fy fans 8th up.
Preview copy from Netgalley.com 11/2012.
March 21, 2017
Las Ciudades de Acero (El constructor de árboles I) es un buen libro de ciencia ficción, que transcurre en un mundo postapocalíptico en el que toda la vegetación y toda la fauna han desaparecido. Lo único que queda son los humanos, las langostas y el maíz.
El maíz es resistente a todo y fue creado por la empresa GenTech, que tiene la patente. GenTech extrae alimento para toda la población y materia prima para hacer combustible. Las langostas, que no se pueden alimentar del maíz, a falta de alimento, devoran a los humanos que se cruzan en su camino.
El planteamiento de la historia resulta muy interesante, acorde con la preocupación actual por las consecuencias que la mano del hombre puede provocar en el planeta. Asimismo, el ritmo de la novela es trepidante, sin tiempo para respirar, con giros y sorpresas que nos hacen querer saber más y más acerca de la historia.
Una distopía en toda regla, con personajes bien definidos y un mundo que se sostiene por sí solo.
El maíz es resistente a todo y fue creado por la empresa GenTech, que tiene la patente. GenTech extrae alimento para toda la población y materia prima para hacer combustible. Las langostas, que no se pueden alimentar del maíz, a falta de alimento, devoran a los humanos que se cruzan en su camino.
El planteamiento de la historia resulta muy interesante, acorde con la preocupación actual por las consecuencias que la mano del hombre puede provocar en el planeta. Asimismo, el ritmo de la novela es trepidante, sin tiempo para respirar, con giros y sorpresas que nos hacen querer saber más y más acerca de la historia.
Una distopía en toda regla, con personajes bien definidos y un mundo que se sostiene por sí solo.
January 1, 2013
Okay, I will not look at nail guns the same way again.
Also, I won't look at trees the same way again.
Now if you'll excuse me, I feel compelled to go hug a tree. Mind you, this will be a one-time embrace. I suddenly just feel they're owed one from me.
Also, I won't look at trees the same way again.
Now if you'll excuse me, I feel compelled to go hug a tree. Mind you, this will be a one-time embrace. I suddenly just feel they're owed one from me.
Want to read
June 1, 2012So... zombie locusts? Did I get this right? Yup, this is what I'm going with.
November 13, 2012
So imaginative, and thrilling, wow!!! Can't wait to see what happens next! Review forthcoming...
October 8, 2015
DNF 55%
I hate not finishing a book this far into it. But I've got a stack to read and I was not enjoying this in the slightest. I had 4 major things that kept me from loving, or even liking, this book.
1. Characters. There's quite a few secondary characters and then the MC, Banyan. I didn't like any of them. They didn't make themselves likable and there was so little to admire. Banyan and his love interest just ... it was so quick and it consists of checking out her thighs and her this and that. As far as we know he's never been interested in a girl and now all of a sudden he has to restrain from grabbing her and hopping in the nearest bed he can find. I don't know why anyone would like him. He's cranky and nasty and leering.
2. The writing style. I found it choppy and rough and there would be long segments of short sentences or sentences that pretty much repeated what the previous sentence said. I'm sure this was in trying to stay in the first person mindset of Banyan, but I found his thoughts jarring and irritating.
3. Unrealistic set-up. Too much wasn't explained and especially by the halfway point I should find the world believable. It's post-apocalyptic so it's set in our world and everything that happens should make sense. The sun randomly disappears for 20 years and people survive?
No, they wouldn't. Food first of all is an issue. No sun = no plants for humans or animals to consume. No food for animals = no food at all for humans. Non-perishable stuff should've run out long before the 20 year end mark. Not to mention there's no indication that a large group of people died before the sun went out, so I assume the current world population would be consuming what was left of the food. So long before 20 years is up you'd be out of every food type(even canned stuff only lasts about 6 years).
Bigger issue, heat. The amount of heat the sun puts out is ... life-sustaining. I know, that should be obvious, but apparently it's not. 20 years of no sun = temperatures so cold there's no realistic comparison for what that'd look like. Everything would freeze. Nothing would work. Not water, not electric, not vehicles. And there's be no one who could survive to take care of a heat source. The trees and grass are all eaten by locusts, if they survived the lack of sun and cold(which doesn't get mentioned). People would've frozen to death long before 20 years was up. End of story.
20 years later the sun magically comes back. What did it take a trip to the other side of the galaxy and then come skipping back to end up exactly where it was?
And then every animal except locusts die during those years. Locusts would've run out of food, but we have them evolving into meat eaters. Well, why didn't any other meat eaters survive?
No grass, flowers, trees = no oxygen. How are these people breathing? The one giant crop of corn wouldn't cut it and since it's genetically altered who knows what it puts out. It might not be creating oxygen at all.
And on and on and on goes the list of problems that make this world not possible. And if it's not believable then I just can't get into the story.
4. Coincidences. I'm okay with some coincidences and most stories have them to a certain degree. This book is full of them! I started rolling my eyes after another "random" event would occur that was just ... well here's how it goes. Spoilers ahead.
Banyan gets hired to make a forest for rich guy. Rich guy just happens to have someone he won in a bet who just happens to have a tattoo of real trees that Frost just happens to show Banyan so that he'll recreate them.
Tattoo lady, Hina, just happens to have a daughter who just happens to give Banyan a picture of trees because she thinks he'd like it. And this picture just happens to have a picture of Banyan's father tied to a tree. The daughter, Zee, has no idea where the picture was taken or where it came from, the picture just happened to come with the camera that was gifted to her and she decided to share this random real tree picture(trees aren't supposed to exist) with someone she just met.
So Banyan takes Zee for a drive and they just happen to pass someone on the road who they pick up and give a ride. This guy just happens to have memories of this tree place and wow, what good luck, Hina visits someone who can unlock memories and play them on a screen for other people to see.
Fast-forward a bit and Banyan's traveling to find these trees and his dad with perv boy(Sal? Sai?) who just happens to be left behind when his dad, Frost, takes everyone else on some trip. And Sal just happens to have pictures of the tattoo with coordinates as well as the missing number no one knows about except him because he saw it on Zee because he's a messed up piece or work.
They get stopped by pirates who kidnap them and take them to a city to sell them as slaves later. But Banyan's in luck! They need a builder, so he's free to go after he finishes building a statue. Coincidence strikes again and this statue happens to be of Hina(no way!) and the person who started the statue is of course, Banyan's father. I mean come on!
Then the slavers show up and take Banyan to see a "surprise" which Surprise!!! is Hina and Zee locked up in his dungeon. What good fortune!
And that was just some of what was going on. I can't stand that much coincidence. It was ridiculous. Since I can't believe the world, I don't like the characters, and the amount of things that just happen out of coincidence, I won't be finishing this book.
I hate not finishing a book this far into it. But I've got a stack to read and I was not enjoying this in the slightest. I had 4 major things that kept me from loving, or even liking, this book.
1. Characters. There's quite a few secondary characters and then the MC, Banyan. I didn't like any of them. They didn't make themselves likable and there was so little to admire. Banyan and his love interest just ... it was so quick and it consists of checking out her thighs and her this and that. As far as we know he's never been interested in a girl and now all of a sudden he has to restrain from grabbing her and hopping in the nearest bed he can find. I don't know why anyone would like him. He's cranky and nasty and leering.
2. The writing style. I found it choppy and rough and there would be long segments of short sentences or sentences that pretty much repeated what the previous sentence said. I'm sure this was in trying to stay in the first person mindset of Banyan, but I found his thoughts jarring and irritating.
3. Unrealistic set-up. Too much wasn't explained and especially by the halfway point I should find the world believable. It's post-apocalyptic so it's set in our world and everything that happens should make sense. The sun randomly disappears for 20 years and people survive?
No, they wouldn't. Food first of all is an issue. No sun = no plants for humans or animals to consume. No food for animals = no food at all for humans. Non-perishable stuff should've run out long before the 20 year end mark. Not to mention there's no indication that a large group of people died before the sun went out, so I assume the current world population would be consuming what was left of the food. So long before 20 years is up you'd be out of every food type(even canned stuff only lasts about 6 years).
Bigger issue, heat. The amount of heat the sun puts out is ... life-sustaining. I know, that should be obvious, but apparently it's not. 20 years of no sun = temperatures so cold there's no realistic comparison for what that'd look like. Everything would freeze. Nothing would work. Not water, not electric, not vehicles. And there's be no one who could survive to take care of a heat source. The trees and grass are all eaten by locusts, if they survived the lack of sun and cold(which doesn't get mentioned). People would've frozen to death long before 20 years was up. End of story.
20 years later the sun magically comes back. What did it take a trip to the other side of the galaxy and then come skipping back to end up exactly where it was?
And then every animal except locusts die during those years. Locusts would've run out of food, but we have them evolving into meat eaters. Well, why didn't any other meat eaters survive?
No grass, flowers, trees = no oxygen. How are these people breathing? The one giant crop of corn wouldn't cut it and since it's genetically altered who knows what it puts out. It might not be creating oxygen at all.
And on and on and on goes the list of problems that make this world not possible. And if it's not believable then I just can't get into the story.
4. Coincidences. I'm okay with some coincidences and most stories have them to a certain degree. This book is full of them! I started rolling my eyes after another "random" event would occur that was just ... well here's how it goes. Spoilers ahead.
Banyan gets hired to make a forest for rich guy. Rich guy just happens to have someone he won in a bet who just happens to have a tattoo of real trees that Frost just happens to show Banyan so that he'll recreate them.
Tattoo lady, Hina, just happens to have a daughter who just happens to give Banyan a picture of trees because she thinks he'd like it. And this picture just happens to have a picture of Banyan's father tied to a tree. The daughter, Zee, has no idea where the picture was taken or where it came from, the picture just happened to come with the camera that was gifted to her and she decided to share this random real tree picture(trees aren't supposed to exist) with someone she just met.
So Banyan takes Zee for a drive and they just happen to pass someone on the road who they pick up and give a ride. This guy just happens to have memories of this tree place and wow, what good luck, Hina visits someone who can unlock memories and play them on a screen for other people to see.
Fast-forward a bit and Banyan's traveling to find these trees and his dad with perv boy(Sal? Sai?) who just happens to be left behind when his dad, Frost, takes everyone else on some trip. And Sal just happens to have pictures of the tattoo with coordinates as well as the missing number no one knows about except him because he saw it on Zee because he's a messed up piece or work.
They get stopped by pirates who kidnap them and take them to a city to sell them as slaves later. But Banyan's in luck! They need a builder, so he's free to go after he finishes building a statue. Coincidence strikes again and this statue happens to be of Hina(no way!) and the person who started the statue is of course, Banyan's father. I mean come on!
Then the slavers show up and take Banyan to see a "surprise" which Surprise!!! is Hina and Zee locked up in his dungeon. What good fortune!
And that was just some of what was going on. I can't stand that much coincidence. It was ridiculous. Since I can't believe the world, I don't like the characters, and the amount of things that just happen out of coincidence, I won't be finishing this book.
August 6, 2019
Rengeteg ötlet és egy fantasztikus világ, épp csak a hiteltelen narráció rontja le az élményt borzasztóan. Kizártnak tartom, hogy egy írástudatlan tinédzser, aki túl régóta nem kommunikált hosszabb ideig senkivel, ilyen választékosan fogalmazná meg a gondolatait.
April 12, 2013
Bold, powerful, and thematically daring, Rootless is a masterpiece debut novel from Chris Howard. This astoundingly compelling and immensely satisfying novel tells the story of Banyan, a 17-year-old tree builder and an artist, who dedicated his whole life to creating trees from pieces of scrap metal and electronic elements, and is now about to be launched on a wild quest to find his missing father and the remaining trees on Earth.
They figured me too young for a tree builder. I could see it in their eyes. Bunch of rich freaks, staring at me like I needed to impress them. But I did need to. That was the problem.
The world described in Rootless is completely mesmerizing. It's dark, ruthless, sad. Filled with misery and pain. Life is cheap in this world. People die from hunger, diseases, or from the hand of another. GenTech (a big corporation) controls the food supplies. Their genetically engineered superfood provides everything that a body needs, but people don't get enough of it. And there is nothing else to eat - all the animals are dead, plants are gone, and water supplies are short. The only thing that grows in this desert of a world is a genetically modified corn, but GenTech owns the cornfields and they'll kill anyone who tries to steal from them. And so people starve, their weakened bodies get sick, their lives are cut short. And even if you're lucky enough to get enough food, there are other things out there that can - and will - kill you. Like the mutated, flesh-devouring locusts. Or the pirates. It's a mad, mad world.
Everyone's got to have something to believe in, that's what Pop always told me. He'd spent his whole life trying to make the world worth living in. And I was damned if I was going to let him die someplace alone.
Banyan is a great, believable character. His motivations seem real, he often acts on emotions, but also displays a lot of compassion and courage. He's a survivor. He's smart, quick-witted, resourceful. He fights for what he believes in and is ready to sacrifice himself for the people he loves and cares about. At the same time, he's not naive, he doesn't let others manipulate him. He has a strong will and an equally strong moral compass. Sure, he makes mistakes - who doesn't? But he always tries to do the right thing, and that's all that matters in the end. I had no problem connecting with him. His feelings and actions were real, and they definitely managed to affect me emotionally. I found myself rooting for him, sharing his happy and sad moments, his victories and heartbreaks. That is one masterful character development on Howard's part!
I stared at her. Wanting her. And I wanted to be more than just her means to some end. I wanted to be someone with which she'd become rooted and tangled.
Banyan's creations symbolize so many things. They're not only pieces of art, built to please the eye and make life on the brutal, sun-parched earth slightly more bearable. They're also - or perhaps most of all - little islands of hope, bringing life, happiness and color to the darkest of times. They give people something to believe in, something to fight for. Banyan's tree-building work goes far beyond creating something from pieces of metal, plastic and electronics. He's not only a tree builder, he's also a soul-builder. His art has the power to inspire and transform, remind people of better times and push them to fight for their future. In that sense, Rootless is just as fun, entertaining and visually mesmerizing, as it is emotionally affecting, thought-provoking and poignant. Chris Howard created a thoroughly disturbing vision of the future, but also one that is not completely without hope. He succeeded in bringing the violent, desolate post-apocalyptic world of Rootless to vivid life. And he gave it purpose - to caution, educate and motivate. To inspire change before it's too late, before the terrifying reality of Rootless becomes our own. This novel is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally impactful. I was completely blown-away by all the aspects of it.
All in all, Howard's debut novel is simply mind-blowing. An ingenious combination of ground-breaking biopunk science fiction, mesmerizing fantasy adventure, and a stunning post-apocalyptic vision. The environmental message is clear and powerful, the social commentary - absolutely and completely relevant. On top of all that, the unexpected twists, high-intensity blood-splattered scenes and mind-numbingly shocking developments will keep you right on the edge of your seat all the way through. Rootless is just as much food for imagination as it is food for thought. I can't wait for the next book!
__
Posted at:
They figured me too young for a tree builder. I could see it in their eyes. Bunch of rich freaks, staring at me like I needed to impress them. But I did need to. That was the problem.
The world described in Rootless is completely mesmerizing. It's dark, ruthless, sad. Filled with misery and pain. Life is cheap in this world. People die from hunger, diseases, or from the hand of another. GenTech (a big corporation) controls the food supplies. Their genetically engineered superfood provides everything that a body needs, but people don't get enough of it. And there is nothing else to eat - all the animals are dead, plants are gone, and water supplies are short. The only thing that grows in this desert of a world is a genetically modified corn, but GenTech owns the cornfields and they'll kill anyone who tries to steal from them. And so people starve, their weakened bodies get sick, their lives are cut short. And even if you're lucky enough to get enough food, there are other things out there that can - and will - kill you. Like the mutated, flesh-devouring locusts. Or the pirates. It's a mad, mad world.
Everyone's got to have something to believe in, that's what Pop always told me. He'd spent his whole life trying to make the world worth living in. And I was damned if I was going to let him die someplace alone.
Banyan is a great, believable character. His motivations seem real, he often acts on emotions, but also displays a lot of compassion and courage. He's a survivor. He's smart, quick-witted, resourceful. He fights for what he believes in and is ready to sacrifice himself for the people he loves and cares about. At the same time, he's not naive, he doesn't let others manipulate him. He has a strong will and an equally strong moral compass. Sure, he makes mistakes - who doesn't? But he always tries to do the right thing, and that's all that matters in the end. I had no problem connecting with him. His feelings and actions were real, and they definitely managed to affect me emotionally. I found myself rooting for him, sharing his happy and sad moments, his victories and heartbreaks. That is one masterful character development on Howard's part!
I stared at her. Wanting her. And I wanted to be more than just her means to some end. I wanted to be someone with which she'd become rooted and tangled.
Banyan's creations symbolize so many things. They're not only pieces of art, built to please the eye and make life on the brutal, sun-parched earth slightly more bearable. They're also - or perhaps most of all - little islands of hope, bringing life, happiness and color to the darkest of times. They give people something to believe in, something to fight for. Banyan's tree-building work goes far beyond creating something from pieces of metal, plastic and electronics. He's not only a tree builder, he's also a soul-builder. His art has the power to inspire and transform, remind people of better times and push them to fight for their future. In that sense, Rootless is just as fun, entertaining and visually mesmerizing, as it is emotionally affecting, thought-provoking and poignant. Chris Howard created a thoroughly disturbing vision of the future, but also one that is not completely without hope. He succeeded in bringing the violent, desolate post-apocalyptic world of Rootless to vivid life. And he gave it purpose - to caution, educate and motivate. To inspire change before it's too late, before the terrifying reality of Rootless becomes our own. This novel is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally impactful. I was completely blown-away by all the aspects of it.
All in all, Howard's debut novel is simply mind-blowing. An ingenious combination of ground-breaking biopunk science fiction, mesmerizing fantasy adventure, and a stunning post-apocalyptic vision. The environmental message is clear and powerful, the social commentary - absolutely and completely relevant. On top of all that, the unexpected twists, high-intensity blood-splattered scenes and mind-numbingly shocking developments will keep you right on the edge of your seat all the way through. Rootless is just as much food for imagination as it is food for thought. I can't wait for the next book!
__
Posted at:
January 2, 2015
Fourth re-read 4.24.14-4.27.14 in preparation for sequel, The Rift which released 4.25.14. Print + Audiobook. LOVED AGAIN, obviously.
*******************************************************
Second audiobook re-read completed!
Audiobook + Kindle, 3.15.13 - 3.17.13.
This was such a fun book to share with my guy while on a road trip - audiobook on the speakers while I followed along on my Kindle. Both the dude and I loved it!
*******************************************************
Initially read 10.22.12-10.23.12 and reviewed on the blog here: http://www.intothehallofbooks.com/201...
I could go on and on talking about Rootless by Chris Howard. I loved every detail. And all of the details fit together somehow, even when I didn't realize they would. I was absolutely amazed at how intricate and complex the plot was, and yet it stayed adventurous and fun and action-packed and awesome at the same time.
Okay, so you guys know that I am a cover girl, and I was completely mesmerized by this cover when I saw it for the first time. LOOK AT IT. And then the summary hooked me. Then, I saw someone tweet about how cool Chris Howard's interactive website is, so I went to it. I ended up playing around on it for a couple of hours. Once again, I'm not joking. See, there are seven clues hidden on the website. When you find them, you uncover these details about the book. So I sat and looked and played for quite a long time. The cover looks great, the summary is great, the website is cool - so the book must be great too, right?
Y'all, I sat down to read the book and fell immediately into Banyan's world. Dusty and metallic. I could almost taste dust in my mouth and was practically wiping it out of my eyes. I loved it. Not too far into the book - when Banyan saw the picture I mention up above - I had the death-grip on my Kindle and began with the holding-of-my-breath. It was completely exhausting and awesome. Once Banyan left to search for the trees, I could barely move. I kept shifting positions to read. I couldn't recline - I had to sit straight up, still clutching the Kindle with the white-knuckled death-grip.
What I'm trying to say is this: I had a really good time reading this book. Rootless is an adventure story with some crazy twists. A lot of twists, actually. Tons of action. A great male leading character. A mean bad guy and a bad corporation. Locusts, pirates, poachers, stuff like that. People chasing people. A big moon that made the ocean wild and crazy. Some weapons, some fighting, and some people die for their causes. There is a lot of hope and there is a little bit of romance.
The world-building is great. The language and imagery are vivid and so easy to visualize. I practically watched a movie of this book in my head while I read it. The characters are colorful. The plot - just, wow. The plot is fast-paced and action-packed. There are even what I call "important things" or social and environmental issues tucked away inside of all of the fun of this book, but it was never too heavy for me.
I want everyone I know to read this book so we can talk about it. I want all of you that I don't know to read this book and then talk to me about it. Then tell other people about it. I've been waiting for what seems like forever for this story, and I'm so happy it delivered. Rootless by Chris Howard is a strong start, a great start, a fun start to what I expect will be an awesome trilogy. I recommend Rootless for fans of adventure stories, dystopian stories, and YA male leads. And everyone else too.
This excerpt is taken from my review on Into the Hall of Books. Read more here: http://www.intothehallofbooks.com/201...
*******************************************************
Second audiobook re-read completed!
Audiobook + Kindle, 3.15.13 - 3.17.13.
This was such a fun book to share with my guy while on a road trip - audiobook on the speakers while I followed along on my Kindle. Both the dude and I loved it!
*******************************************************
Initially read 10.22.12-10.23.12 and reviewed on the blog here: http://www.intothehallofbooks.com/201...
I could go on and on talking about Rootless by Chris Howard. I loved every detail. And all of the details fit together somehow, even when I didn't realize they would. I was absolutely amazed at how intricate and complex the plot was, and yet it stayed adventurous and fun and action-packed and awesome at the same time.
Okay, so you guys know that I am a cover girl, and I was completely mesmerized by this cover when I saw it for the first time. LOOK AT IT. And then the summary hooked me. Then, I saw someone tweet about how cool Chris Howard's interactive website is, so I went to it. I ended up playing around on it for a couple of hours. Once again, I'm not joking. See, there are seven clues hidden on the website. When you find them, you uncover these details about the book. So I sat and looked and played for quite a long time. The cover looks great, the summary is great, the website is cool - so the book must be great too, right?
Y'all, I sat down to read the book and fell immediately into Banyan's world. Dusty and metallic. I could almost taste dust in my mouth and was practically wiping it out of my eyes. I loved it. Not too far into the book - when Banyan saw the picture I mention up above - I had the death-grip on my Kindle and began with the holding-of-my-breath. It was completely exhausting and awesome. Once Banyan left to search for the trees, I could barely move. I kept shifting positions to read. I couldn't recline - I had to sit straight up, still clutching the Kindle with the white-knuckled death-grip.
What I'm trying to say is this: I had a really good time reading this book. Rootless is an adventure story with some crazy twists. A lot of twists, actually. Tons of action. A great male leading character. A mean bad guy and a bad corporation. Locusts, pirates, poachers, stuff like that. People chasing people. A big moon that made the ocean wild and crazy. Some weapons, some fighting, and some people die for their causes. There is a lot of hope and there is a little bit of romance.
The world-building is great. The language and imagery are vivid and so easy to visualize. I practically watched a movie of this book in my head while I read it. The characters are colorful. The plot - just, wow. The plot is fast-paced and action-packed. There are even what I call "important things" or social and environmental issues tucked away inside of all of the fun of this book, but it was never too heavy for me.
I want everyone I know to read this book so we can talk about it. I want all of you that I don't know to read this book and then talk to me about it. Then tell other people about it. I've been waiting for what seems like forever for this story, and I'm so happy it delivered. Rootless by Chris Howard is a strong start, a great start, a fun start to what I expect will be an awesome trilogy. I recommend Rootless for fans of adventure stories, dystopian stories, and YA male leads. And everyone else too.
This excerpt is taken from my review on Into the Hall of Books. Read more here: http://www.intothehallofbooks.com/201...
July 1, 2012
I really debated between four and five stars. On one hand, this story is like nothing I have ever read. "Rootless" only touches on the surface of this world created by Chris Howard, and given the great deal of information that each page holds for the reader, I can only assume that the books to follow will continue to unravel the mystery of this post-apocalyptic America. Every chapter was a rush of adrenaline, as the main character and his supporting rag-tag-team travel through the country to find the truth behind the locusts, the corn, the trees, and the corporation that oversees it all - GenTech. Howard never loses focus, not even for a second, on the driving plot points. There are no tangents that are not, in some important way, directly related to Banyan's goal of finding his father and the only trees left on earth (or so we are to assume).
That being said, this has to be one of the most depressing stories I have read. The only moments of triumph are always followed by disaster. It makes reading difficult when you develop strong emotional attachments to characters that are immediately ripped from the scene by death, or worse. Even when Zee reappears towards the end of the story, the reader is not given any time to rejoice, before something of greater importance occurs. I don't want it to sound as though every book should be happy or have some sweet moments that lend to joyful emotions; however, it's difficult to read this, knowing the age group it is geared towards, without wishing that something positive is foreseeable for the main character and his "friends". I just don't know how a happy ending, in any sense of the word, is possible.
Because this is a YA book, from the perspective of a 17 year-old, it is written honestly. Banyan doesn't know more than he should. His revelations come through the information fed to him by all of the other characters. He has trouble piecing information together to get a larger sense of this world. He doesn't question why there was Darkness or how GenTech is involved in the destruction and subsequent creation of everything. He accepts all of it as "this is the way it always has been". I appreciated this, as too often in these types of YA novels, the protagonist has way too much insight than is befitting their status and age.
Unfortunately, because of Banyan's rush to judgement and lack of consideration for "what it all means", I feel that the reader is only getting brief glimpses into details that are brought back later as important. We are left in the dark far more than Banyan and it becomes frustrating at times. Howard's descriptions leave something to be desired, and there were moments when I had to backtrack and reread a section, because I didn't realize Banyan had a flashlight, or had access to certain objects he was carrying around, or that we had already met someone he refers to fifty pages later.
Others have remarked on Howard's writing style, and I think it takes some getting used to, but ultimately gives the book the thing it needs to set it apart from other YA novels of this genre. The writing is amazing, the storyline intense and intricate, the world creative and beyond anything I have ever read, and I think Chris Howard will keep us on our toes as he continues his writing journey.
That being said, this has to be one of the most depressing stories I have read. The only moments of triumph are always followed by disaster. It makes reading difficult when you develop strong emotional attachments to characters that are immediately ripped from the scene by death, or worse. Even when Zee reappears towards the end of the story, the reader is not given any time to rejoice, before something of greater importance occurs. I don't want it to sound as though every book should be happy or have some sweet moments that lend to joyful emotions; however, it's difficult to read this, knowing the age group it is geared towards, without wishing that something positive is foreseeable for the main character and his "friends". I just don't know how a happy ending, in any sense of the word, is possible.
Because this is a YA book, from the perspective of a 17 year-old, it is written honestly. Banyan doesn't know more than he should. His revelations come through the information fed to him by all of the other characters. He has trouble piecing information together to get a larger sense of this world. He doesn't question why there was Darkness or how GenTech is involved in the destruction and subsequent creation of everything. He accepts all of it as "this is the way it always has been". I appreciated this, as too often in these types of YA novels, the protagonist has way too much insight than is befitting their status and age.
Unfortunately, because of Banyan's rush to judgement and lack of consideration for "what it all means", I feel that the reader is only getting brief glimpses into details that are brought back later as important. We are left in the dark far more than Banyan and it becomes frustrating at times. Howard's descriptions leave something to be desired, and there were moments when I had to backtrack and reread a section, because I didn't realize Banyan had a flashlight, or had access to certain objects he was carrying around, or that we had already met someone he refers to fifty pages later.
Others have remarked on Howard's writing style, and I think it takes some getting used to, but ultimately gives the book the thing it needs to set it apart from other YA novels of this genre. The writing is amazing, the storyline intense and intricate, the world creative and beyond anything I have ever read, and I think Chris Howard will keep us on our toes as he continues his writing journey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2015
The Good
The plot twists and suspense. One thing that Howard does very well and part of what made this book so great was the number of plot twists (especially near the end of the book). Leading up to the twists, Howard artfully adds layer after layer of obstacles, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat pretty much non-stop.
The trees. I loved the idea that product of the environmental neglect (i.e. the trash) is the very medium through which Banyan is able to reintroduce greenery back into the world. This was brilliant and felt very tongue-in-cheek.
Banyan's voice. When I first started the book, I wasn't sure I liked the way it was written so informally through the voice of Banyan, but over time the style grew on me and I came to love it. It feels more like he is sitting in front of you telling a story than you're alone reading his narrative. I also appreciated that Banyan cussed quite a bit--he's a teenager, that's what teenagers do.
The death of main characters. I always applaud authors who aren't afraid to get you attached to a character and then kill them off. It's much more realistic. Given the situation and the world Banyan lives in, there is a very high chance he will lose people he loves along his journey, and Howard stays true to that aspect of the world he has created.
Alpha. I loved the image of a girl pirate with a mohawk in a pink fuzzy vest bossing people around. All the characters in this book were interesting, but Alpha was by far one of my favorites.
The Bad
The VERY slow beginning. It takes about 50 pages for the story to really pick up. I almost returned this one to the library before I hit that point, but I am so glad I didn't give up!
The violence. The violence in this novel and the huge focus on death might not be for everyone. I know it caught me a little off guard at first. But really when you think about it, Banyan is living in a post-apocalyptic world filled with man-eating locusts--there's going to be a good amount of death in his life.
Favorite Quote
Overall
The plot twists and suspense. One thing that Howard does very well and part of what made this book so great was the number of plot twists (especially near the end of the book). Leading up to the twists, Howard artfully adds layer after layer of obstacles, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat pretty much non-stop.
The trees. I loved the idea that product of the environmental neglect (i.e. the trash) is the very medium through which Banyan is able to reintroduce greenery back into the world. This was brilliant and felt very tongue-in-cheek.
Banyan's voice. When I first started the book, I wasn't sure I liked the way it was written so informally through the voice of Banyan, but over time the style grew on me and I came to love it. It feels more like he is sitting in front of you telling a story than you're alone reading his narrative. I also appreciated that Banyan cussed quite a bit--he's a teenager, that's what teenagers do.
The death of main characters. I always applaud authors who aren't afraid to get you attached to a character and then kill them off. It's much more realistic. Given the situation and the world Banyan lives in, there is a very high chance he will lose people he loves along his journey, and Howard stays true to that aspect of the world he has created.
Alpha. I loved the image of a girl pirate with a mohawk in a pink fuzzy vest bossing people around. All the characters in this book were interesting, but Alpha was by far one of my favorites.
The Bad
The VERY slow beginning. It takes about 50 pages for the story to really pick up. I almost returned this one to the library before I hit that point, but I am so glad I didn't give up!
The violence. The violence in this novel and the huge focus on death might not be for everyone. I know it caught me a little off guard at first. But really when you think about it, Banyan is living in a post-apocalyptic world filled with man-eating locusts--there's going to be a good amount of death in his life.
Favorite Quote
"I just stared back at my wagon, and for some reason, the worst of it was that hatch left hanging wide open, the car filling up with sand. Like the wagon had rolled its last mile and the world was telling me that nothing lasts forever.
Nothing, Banyan. Least of all you."
Overall
This book was so different from anything I've read before and I really loved the environmental, cautionary, conspiracy feel of it all. Definitely picking up the next book in the series when it comes out.
November 1, 2012
Review written and posted for the Mackin Books in Bloom blog, http://mackinbooksinbloom.com/
Rootless is one of the most imaginative and ambitious books I have read all year. It is the story of Banyan, a nomadic teen who, with his father, builds “trees” out of scrap metal and LED lights. The book is set in the distant future, and the reason for the demand for these artificial trees is that real trees no longer exist, and the people that eke out a difficult existence in this nature-less world yearn for a reminder of the beauty that a tree once provided.
The world that Chris Howard has constructed within this novel is amazing. He does a wonderful job of describing the grim, lonely vastness that the world has become. You can almost feel the dust in your mouth as Banyan makes his way across the desolate landscape, moving from place to place to build his trees.
The world has changed in other frightening ways as well…the only food source is provided by the sole plant life left on Earth, genetically modified corn. This food is exclusively controlled by an evil and mysterious corporation, GenTech, which will go to any length to maintain its monopoly on food, and therefore humankind. On top of all of this, one of the reasons that the corn has been genetically modified is because of locusts. These aren’t your run-of-the mill pesky locusts, though. They have evolved into flesh-eating locusts capable of swarming and devouring a person in seconds! (How cool and imaginative is that?!?)
OK, so at this point, I can imagine you are thinking, “How much bleaker can this book be?” Luckily, Banyan provides the hope in Rootless, as he believes that there is a better life for himself somewhere. His quest is sparked by the disappearance of his father, and a photograph he finds of his dad chained to a tree…a REAL tree. Banyan encounters pirates, slave-masters, corporate agents, and allies himself with various people along the way in search of his father, and of the trees that could change the world. And as if that isn’t enough, there is a nice, sweet romance that dims the bleakness a bit.
Rootless is a real page-turner. There are numerous plot twists, as Banyan has to decide who to trust, and who cannot be trusted. This is the first book in a series, and the ending is quite the cliffhanger. I can’t wait to see what Chris Howard comes up with next for Banyan. Rootless comes out today, and I recommend that you get a copy and prepare yourself for a thrilling ride!
Rootless is one of the most imaginative and ambitious books I have read all year. It is the story of Banyan, a nomadic teen who, with his father, builds “trees” out of scrap metal and LED lights. The book is set in the distant future, and the reason for the demand for these artificial trees is that real trees no longer exist, and the people that eke out a difficult existence in this nature-less world yearn for a reminder of the beauty that a tree once provided.
The world that Chris Howard has constructed within this novel is amazing. He does a wonderful job of describing the grim, lonely vastness that the world has become. You can almost feel the dust in your mouth as Banyan makes his way across the desolate landscape, moving from place to place to build his trees.
The world has changed in other frightening ways as well…the only food source is provided by the sole plant life left on Earth, genetically modified corn. This food is exclusively controlled by an evil and mysterious corporation, GenTech, which will go to any length to maintain its monopoly on food, and therefore humankind. On top of all of this, one of the reasons that the corn has been genetically modified is because of locusts. These aren’t your run-of-the mill pesky locusts, though. They have evolved into flesh-eating locusts capable of swarming and devouring a person in seconds! (How cool and imaginative is that?!?)
OK, so at this point, I can imagine you are thinking, “How much bleaker can this book be?” Luckily, Banyan provides the hope in Rootless, as he believes that there is a better life for himself somewhere. His quest is sparked by the disappearance of his father, and a photograph he finds of his dad chained to a tree…a REAL tree. Banyan encounters pirates, slave-masters, corporate agents, and allies himself with various people along the way in search of his father, and of the trees that could change the world. And as if that isn’t enough, there is a nice, sweet romance that dims the bleakness a bit.
Rootless is a real page-turner. There are numerous plot twists, as Banyan has to decide who to trust, and who cannot be trusted. This is the first book in a series, and the ending is quite the cliffhanger. I can’t wait to see what Chris Howard comes up with next for Banyan. Rootless comes out today, and I recommend that you get a copy and prepare yourself for a thrilling ride!
August 1, 2012
Review at: http://wordsareinnermusic.blogspot.co...
The book starts out with Banyan getting hired to build a forest for a wealthy man. The world has been torn apart by Darkness, and trees are something of the past. The landscape is destroyed, the locusts eat humans, and the constant dust storms make it hard to breathe. That is the world that Banyan lives in. His father was taken a year ago, and now Banyan is on his own. He’s a skilled builder, able to survive on the hard work he does. This seemed like a routine assignment, but it wasn’t. Banyan didn’t expect to meet a mysterious woman with a strange tattoo, or her daughter. Now it’s Banyan’s mission to find the place where the last trees exist and that’s where the fun begins.
This whole book was one big mess of crazy! And I mean that in a good way. Banyan is a great character, a surviver, who makes decisions much better than I would’ve expected. I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this book. Every page had me guessing on what’s going to happen next. I like watching Banyan grow as a character and he really had to do that in this book.
I also really enjoyed Alpha. Although, I swear, every page I felt like she was going to die. Everyone around Banyan just seem to and I kind of wanted her to survive (You’re going to have to read the book to find out what happened). She was definitely a kick butt kind of a girl, who didn’t take any crap from anyone. I liked her chemistry with Banyan, how she balanced him.
Howard paints a picture of a world that is so realistic it makes you think twice about the one outside your own window. Every page is full of imagination and description that leaps out of the story. It did take me a little bit to get into it, I just wasn’t sure about the whole idea at first. But once I got through the beginning, the story takes off. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
February 13, 2013
Bayan is a seventeen year old teenager who survives and makes a living by building trees. He sculpts trees out of scrap metal, LEDs, and other metallic and electrical devices. Yet when one of the rich people in a small community commissions the teen to build a tree, Bayan isn't thrilled, but willing to do it to make a living. Or, what's left of a living in this world with vicious man eating locusts and without living, breathing trees.
Yet when the daughter of the man who Bayan is working for produces a photograph of his long lost dad, Bayan is determined not only to find his father who was presumed dead- but the scenery around him - trees.
With a nothing more than a hunk of bark, a tattoo, and a snobby kid to help guide him, Bayan sets out on a quest to find his father and the trees.
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I’ve read several futuristic books where the world’s turned to junk, yet none of them really kept me as interested in them as this book. The plot turns and twists kept me reading. However, some of them I found to be unreal and somewhat ‘fake’. Although they kept me reading and engaged in the book, a couple of them I found unreal and didn’t make sense, for example, turning people into trees. I didn’t really understand how people would make the trees stronger and immune to locusts- fusing animal and plant cells didn’t really fly with me. Normally I am really into science fiction, but for some reason this book didn't go over well for me.
The tone of the book wasn't something that really flew with me either, although it's just my personally preference. I feel that the author didn't really give the reader a way to relate to Bayan, and there was no character development throughout the book, something that also irritated me. At the end of the book, he was the exact same guy he was at the beginning.
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I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Science Fiction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2012
A little while ago I got my hands on advance copy of the book, Rootless, by Chris Howard. Seeing as how it was the first book I’ve gotten to see in this stage, I was thrilled. What first caught my eye was the cover. I still enjoy looking at it, and it's one of those covers where each of the details is explained throughout the book. Definitely a plus. (And also interesting to see the advanced copy cover versus the finalized imagery, considering my personal interest in cover art).
Overall, I’d give this book a four out of five stars. It’s a fast-paced story with page-turning tendencies. I was reading it during a time I was busy, so I unfortunately had to keep sitting it down and picking it back up, but I appreciated being able to pick up the book, read a few sentences, and remember exactly what happened last. In some aspects, it reminds me of those apocalyptic science-fiction movies, but in books form, and the descriptions have a dark, dry, gritty feel (which is a good thing in terms of getting a sense of the world, which is revealed through a very strong narrative voice). There’s not much time for info-dumping, since the story gets straight to the point.
When reading it, I was reminded a bit of “Water Wars,” but darker and older, or “Barcode Tattoo” due to some of the unexpected twists near the end. There were a few point I'd seen before in other stories, but Rootless has plenty of vivid imagery that sticks with you long after you've finished reading it, well making up for any flaws.
Of course, the worse part of the book was coming to the end, reading "End of Book One," and realizing this one isn't even out yet.
It definitely kept my interest, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a grittier, fast paced, sci-fi read.
Overall, I’d give this book a four out of five stars. It’s a fast-paced story with page-turning tendencies. I was reading it during a time I was busy, so I unfortunately had to keep sitting it down and picking it back up, but I appreciated being able to pick up the book, read a few sentences, and remember exactly what happened last. In some aspects, it reminds me of those apocalyptic science-fiction movies, but in books form, and the descriptions have a dark, dry, gritty feel (which is a good thing in terms of getting a sense of the world, which is revealed through a very strong narrative voice). There’s not much time for info-dumping, since the story gets straight to the point.
When reading it, I was reminded a bit of “Water Wars,” but darker and older, or “Barcode Tattoo” due to some of the unexpected twists near the end. There were a few point I'd seen before in other stories, but Rootless has plenty of vivid imagery that sticks with you long after you've finished reading it, well making up for any flaws.
Of course, the worse part of the book was coming to the end, reading "End of Book One," and realizing this one isn't even out yet.
It definitely kept my interest, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a grittier, fast paced, sci-fi read.
May 15, 2013
A pretty cover and a great story! Wow! I hope I remember to check out the sequel(s) whenever they are released!
Banyan lives in the future where there are no more trees because locusts have gotten to them and all the crops so the only food there is is genetically modified popcorn. His father has been kidnapped and he hasn't seen him in months. The two were tree builders - they would build trees for rich people out of scrap metal, and they were pretty darn good at it.
The book starts off with Banyan accepting a job from a horrible, rich, fat (or so I imagined) junkie dude named Frost that he knew he shouldn't take but does anyway because he needs the money. That's where everything in his world changes. Frost is married to a woman named Hina who has a beautiful tree tattooed on her stomach/chest area that have numbers on the leaves. She has a daughter, Zee, who comes to Banyan with a camera and shows him the only picture left from the camera. That picture has real trees in it. And his father. Which means that Zion, the Promise Land, might actually be real after all, with real trees and everything!
This book was FULL of action, thinking people died and then here they are again! Surviving somehow! There are desert pirates, and killing people with nail guns (which I thought was an AWESOME touch). And a itty bit of romance, enough to draw in a female crowd, but not enough to disgust anyone because, come on, Alpha is a flipping bad ass!
This is a book that I usually tend to listen too, but I found in the library in hardback and I'm sure I enjoyed it just as much had I read it another way. I love imagining Crow on his new legs, high in the sky, and the tank with Banyan's father. There are so many "oh shit!" moments, it was hard to put down!
Banyan lives in the future where there are no more trees because locusts have gotten to them and all the crops so the only food there is is genetically modified popcorn. His father has been kidnapped and he hasn't seen him in months. The two were tree builders - they would build trees for rich people out of scrap metal, and they were pretty darn good at it.
The book starts off with Banyan accepting a job from a horrible, rich, fat (or so I imagined) junkie dude named Frost that he knew he shouldn't take but does anyway because he needs the money. That's where everything in his world changes. Frost is married to a woman named Hina who has a beautiful tree tattooed on her stomach/chest area that have numbers on the leaves. She has a daughter, Zee, who comes to Banyan with a camera and shows him the only picture left from the camera. That picture has real trees in it. And his father. Which means that Zion, the Promise Land, might actually be real after all, with real trees and everything!
This book was FULL of action, thinking people died and then here they are again! Surviving somehow! There are desert pirates, and killing people with nail guns (which I thought was an AWESOME touch). And a itty bit of romance, enough to draw in a female crowd, but not enough to disgust anyone because, come on, Alpha is a flipping bad ass!
This is a book that I usually tend to listen too, but I found in the library in hardback and I'm sure I enjoyed it just as much had I read it another way. I love imagining Crow on his new legs, high in the sky, and the tank with Banyan's father. There are so many "oh shit!" moments, it was hard to put down!
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