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Silvers #3
The War of the Givens
X-Men meets Blake Crouch in the addictive, explosive conclusion to Daniel Price's genre-bending Silvers trilogy about six extraordinary people whose fates become intertwined on an Earth far different from our own...one that is headed for utter destruction.
It's been two years since the world collapsed in a sheet of light, obliterating everything on Earth...but not quite everyone. Saved from the apocalypse by three mysterious beings, sisters Hannah and Amanda Given were marked with silver bracelets and transported to an entirely different Earth, a place where restaurants move through the air like flying saucers and the fabric of time is manipulated by common household appliances. Joined by four other survivors from their native world, each wearing an identical, irremovable bracelet, the new companions became known as the Silvers. Afflicted with time-bending powers they never wanted, and on the run from unexpected new enemies, the Silvers embarked on a dangerous journey for survival across an alien America--a hunt for answers that bound the group like family while revealing the gravely sinister intentions of their "saviors."
But their new Earth is about to suffer the same fate as the old one and the Silvers have only ten weeks to prevent it. Their one hope is to find the remaining survivors of their home world--a quest that will take them from Mexico to England to a radically changed Japan--to gain more allies for the final confrontation with the god-like beings who first brought them to this Earth. Failure will mean death for billions of people. But victory may come at a cost the Silvers cannot afford.
It's been two years since the world collapsed in a sheet of light, obliterating everything on Earth...but not quite everyone. Saved from the apocalypse by three mysterious beings, sisters Hannah and Amanda Given were marked with silver bracelets and transported to an entirely different Earth, a place where restaurants move through the air like flying saucers and the fabric of time is manipulated by common household appliances. Joined by four other survivors from their native world, each wearing an identical, irremovable bracelet, the new companions became known as the Silvers. Afflicted with time-bending powers they never wanted, and on the run from unexpected new enemies, the Silvers embarked on a dangerous journey for survival across an alien America--a hunt for answers that bound the group like family while revealing the gravely sinister intentions of their "saviors."
But their new Earth is about to suffer the same fate as the old one and the Silvers have only ten weeks to prevent it. Their one hope is to find the remaining survivors of their home world--a quest that will take them from Mexico to England to a radically changed Japan--to gain more allies for the final confrontation with the god-like beings who first brought them to this Earth. Failure will mean death for billions of people. But victory may come at a cost the Silvers cannot afford.
784 pages, Paperback
First published March 19, 2024
56 people are currently reading
3499 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Price
4 books392 followersDaniel Price is the author of The Flight of the Silvers, The Song of the Orphans, and Slick, the first of which was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Science Fiction Novel in 2014.
His latest novel, The War of the Givens, was published by Penguin Random House/Dutton in March 2024.
He lives in Gilbert, Arizona, with his partner Nancy (also a Goodreads author) and her wonderful kids. You can learn more about him and his books at his author site.
His latest novel, The War of the Givens, was published by Penguin Random House/Dutton in March 2024.
He lives in Gilbert, Arizona, with his partner Nancy (also a Goodreads author) and her wonderful kids. You can learn more about him and his books at his author site.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
April 10, 2024
April 9, 2024: And now, to finish a review I started nearly 7 years ago....
Let's start with my favorite sentence from War of the Givens: "Sarah Brehm, ever the bookworm, had amassed quite a library of old-world novels, along with the most comfortable-looking reading chair that Hannah had ever seen."
Yes, yes... that is my name. And while Character Sarah is a little too trusting of some people, she at least got some quality reading time in before well... spoilers
Wait, let's back up.
Once upon a time, I gave permission to Daniel Price to use my name for a character as he wrote the final book in the series.
And then, well, 2020 happened and gestures wildly.
As I watched the release date get pushed back further and further into the future, I desperately wished that Future Sarah would just open a portal already and send me a copy of the book. But alas, that never happened. So, I had to wait. And wait. And wait (see gifs below, as evidence).
I kept waiting to be notified that my pre-order would be delayed yet again. but to my delight, March 19, 2024 came and suddenly I was holding my very own copy of War of the Givens. And, not gonna lie, the first thing I did was frantically flip through, trying desperately not to get spoiled by any plot points, until I found my name. The giddy laughter that erupted from me as I danced around my living room when I found my name in the corner of a page in chapter two.
Actual footage of me aggressively telling everyone that I'm a minor character in a science fiction book:
Anywho...
Even though it's been many years since I've visited the world of the Silvers, opening the pages felt like reuniting with old friends. Like the first two books, War of the Givens, is a non-stop adventure that will have you turning page after page after page after page to see what happens next.
You'll finally get satisfying answers to all the questions you've had since the Silvers first got yanked into Alt-America. Like, who is Ioni and what does she have to do with all of this?
There'll be train heists and augmented clones, pregnancies (lots of pregnancies) and prisons, battle wounds and sacrifice, and one final showdown that will make you hold your breathe until it's over.
And of course, here's a collection of gifs that relates my emotions as I read:
[Note: I'm aware that some of the gifs are not working; I'll fix it later, I promise!]
[image error]
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Yeah, it's an emotional rollercoaster, so buckle up!
And you know, Daniel Price... if you want to write some short stories or novellas about the Coppers, the Violets, the Rubies, the Opals, and, you know, those Platinums, in their time between getting swept away into an alternate world and meeting up with Silvers, I'd totally read them.
But seriously, I adore these books. Thank you for writing them.
Below are my updates I wrote well before I read the book. I'll leave them here fun:
September 20, 2017: Let the Waiting Games begin!
March 13, 2018: And we're waiting....
October 30, 2018:
April 8, 2019:
October 1, 2019:
So I just happened to stop by Daniel Price's website and saw that he had an update: "Additionally, we have a tentative release date of August 11, 2020."
January 4, 2022:
We're still waiting.
July 28, 2023:
Oh, hello there. I haven't used Goodreads in a while, but I felt the need to login to add an update to this review, because, guess what? I just preordered War of the Givens. Woohoo! Now I just have to wait till March 2024!
Let's start with my favorite sentence from War of the Givens: "Sarah Brehm, ever the bookworm, had amassed quite a library of old-world novels, along with the most comfortable-looking reading chair that Hannah had ever seen."
Yes, yes... that is my name. And while Character Sarah is a little too trusting of some people, she at least got some quality reading time in before well... spoilers
Wait, let's back up.
Once upon a time, I gave permission to Daniel Price to use my name for a character as he wrote the final book in the series.
And then, well, 2020 happened and gestures wildly.
As I watched the release date get pushed back further and further into the future, I desperately wished that Future Sarah would just open a portal already and send me a copy of the book. But alas, that never happened. So, I had to wait. And wait. And wait (see gifs below, as evidence).
I kept waiting to be notified that my pre-order would be delayed yet again. but to my delight, March 19, 2024 came and suddenly I was holding my very own copy of War of the Givens. And, not gonna lie, the first thing I did was frantically flip through, trying desperately not to get spoiled by any plot points, until I found my name. The giddy laughter that erupted from me as I danced around my living room when I found my name in the corner of a page in chapter two.
Actual footage of me aggressively telling everyone that I'm a minor character in a science fiction book:
Anywho...
Even though it's been many years since I've visited the world of the Silvers, opening the pages felt like reuniting with old friends. Like the first two books, War of the Givens, is a non-stop adventure that will have you turning page after page after page after page to see what happens next.
You'll finally get satisfying answers to all the questions you've had since the Silvers first got yanked into Alt-America. Like, who is Ioni and what does she have to do with all of this?
There'll be train heists and augmented clones, pregnancies (lots of pregnancies) and prisons, battle wounds and sacrifice, and one final showdown that will make you hold your breathe until it's over.
And of course, here's a collection of gifs that relates my emotions as I read:
[Note: I'm aware that some of the gifs are not working; I'll fix it later, I promise!]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
Yeah, it's an emotional rollercoaster, so buckle up!
And you know, Daniel Price... if you want to write some short stories or novellas about the Coppers, the Violets, the Rubies, the Opals, and, you know, those Platinums, in their time between getting swept away into an alternate world and meeting up with Silvers, I'd totally read them.
But seriously, I adore these books. Thank you for writing them.
Below are my updates I wrote well before I read the book. I'll leave them here fun:
September 20, 2017: Let the Waiting Games begin!
March 13, 2018: And we're waiting....
October 30, 2018:
April 8, 2019:
October 1, 2019:
So I just happened to stop by Daniel Price's website and saw that he had an update: "Additionally, we have a tentative release date of August 11, 2020."
January 4, 2022:
We're still waiting.
July 28, 2023:
Oh, hello there. I haven't used Goodreads in a while, but I felt the need to login to add an update to this review, because, guess what? I just preordered War of the Givens. Woohoo! Now I just have to wait till March 2024!
Want to read
February 11, 2023OMG! Could it really be?! Is 2020 the year we’ll finally get the third book!?
Update: Nope. It appears 2020 will not be the year.
Update the second: so is this *really* going to be released next month (June 2021) or…? Because I pre-ordered it an insanely long time ago and my Amazon order page says it’ll be autodelivered to my Kindle in April 2023 which is most decidedly NOT June of 2021.
Update the third: August 2023 seems to be *the* date but I’ll believe it when she’s on my Kindle. I pre-ordered in 2020, so I think this is officially the farthest in advance I have ever pre-ordered a book…
Update the fourth: “Hello?” I yell into the void. “Is there anybody left still waiting patiently on this book?” Daniel Price’s website now says it will be released Feb 2024. Amazon says March 2024. I don’t know what to believe anymore. I think I’m giving up hope. It’s been… *counts on fingers* almost 6 years since the second book came out. Is it the most epic book ever written or a really bad case of writer’s block? We may never know…
Update: Nope. It appears 2020 will not be the year.
Update the second: so is this *really* going to be released next month (June 2021) or…? Because I pre-ordered it an insanely long time ago and my Amazon order page says it’ll be autodelivered to my Kindle in April 2023 which is most decidedly NOT June of 2021.
Update the third: August 2023 seems to be *the* date but I’ll believe it when she’s on my Kindle. I pre-ordered in 2020, so I think this is officially the farthest in advance I have ever pre-ordered a book…
Update the fourth: “Hello?” I yell into the void. “Is there anybody left still waiting patiently on this book?” Daniel Price’s website now says it will be released Feb 2024. Amazon says March 2024. I don’t know what to believe anymore. I think I’m giving up hope. It’s been… *counts on fingers* almost 6 years since the second book came out. Is it the most epic book ever written or a really bad case of writer’s block? We may never know…
December 22, 2023
Daniel Price beings his Silvers saga to a close in this third volume, The War of the Givens. And make no mistake about it, this is most certainly a finale.
For the uninitiated, Price began his series back in 2014 (confirm!) with The Flight of the Silvers, which saw a group of nine individuals transported to an alternate Earth just as an apocalyptic, big-C Cataclysm destroyed the Earth of their home dimension. Swept into an alt-reality, their new home is one of technological marvel thanks to the scientific discoveries that occurred in the wake of their own Cataclysm that wiped out a large portion of New York. Their brief contact with their home world’s Cataclysm has, in this new world, endowed them supernatural abilities straight out of a comic book wonderland. One can teleport, another can see the future, another can speed up or slow down the ravages of time, and another can fly.
Price’s trilogy has been an incredible mash-up of science fiction’s best tropes — alternate history, time travel hijinks, strange new technologies, and an incredible assortment of repercussions for each and every action as the Orphans (as the survivors, aka the Silvers thanks to the color of their life-saving dimension-hopping bracelets, of Earth Prime are known) find themselves caught between two warring factions from the future. The Silvers saga reads like the love child of Marvel’s X-Men (specifically Chris Claremont’s X-Men) by way of J.J. Abrams’s Fringe, and it is gloriously geeky fun.
The War of the Givens is big, bold, beautiful epic that adds in a bit of globe-trotting to the mix as the Orphans work to stave off their new world’s pending apocalypse. Naturally, time is running out and the stakes have never been higher, for them or for their home. Price does a bang-up job delivering on the human stakes underpinning this door stopper of an ending, centering much of it around the Given sister, Hannah and Amanda, but he’s careful to give the other Silvers their fair (or maybe unfair) share of the spotlight. Their comrade Theo, who can witness the future, knows they have one chance in a billion, if not more, to save the world and works frantically to untangle the various time strings to ensure Earth’s survival.
While all that’s going on, Price is insistently pulling, and occasionally ripping apart, our heartstrings as the narrative builds toward an inevitable, possibly apocalyptic, war in the streets of San Francisco. Price does a lot of juggling throughout the course of this third entry, hopping between characters, story threads, plot lines, and delivering payoffs for elements introduced in prior books. Not all of the very many side characters are clearly defined, and I struggled at times to keep up with who was who amongst this series now-expansive cast. Given the gap between the prior two installments and this one, I was hard-pressed to even recall some of them, but it’s a minor complaint in an otherwise tremendous send-off for the core cast members we’ve come to love (and, in some cases, despise).
Of course, it’s fitting for this series to go out on such an enormous and explosive bang. Price takes us deep into conflict, somehow managing to out-Avengers The Avengers flicks in scope with his big-ass widescreen action epic. I suspect some readers may cry foul, but war is war, and as the caper to this series it is, properly, downright consequential. Keep the tissues handy, in other words.
For the uninitiated, Price began his series back in 2014 (confirm!) with The Flight of the Silvers, which saw a group of nine individuals transported to an alternate Earth just as an apocalyptic, big-C Cataclysm destroyed the Earth of their home dimension. Swept into an alt-reality, their new home is one of technological marvel thanks to the scientific discoveries that occurred in the wake of their own Cataclysm that wiped out a large portion of New York. Their brief contact with their home world’s Cataclysm has, in this new world, endowed them supernatural abilities straight out of a comic book wonderland. One can teleport, another can see the future, another can speed up or slow down the ravages of time, and another can fly.
Price’s trilogy has been an incredible mash-up of science fiction’s best tropes — alternate history, time travel hijinks, strange new technologies, and an incredible assortment of repercussions for each and every action as the Orphans (as the survivors, aka the Silvers thanks to the color of their life-saving dimension-hopping bracelets, of Earth Prime are known) find themselves caught between two warring factions from the future. The Silvers saga reads like the love child of Marvel’s X-Men (specifically Chris Claremont’s X-Men) by way of J.J. Abrams’s Fringe, and it is gloriously geeky fun.
The War of the Givens is big, bold, beautiful epic that adds in a bit of globe-trotting to the mix as the Orphans work to stave off their new world’s pending apocalypse. Naturally, time is running out and the stakes have never been higher, for them or for their home. Price does a bang-up job delivering on the human stakes underpinning this door stopper of an ending, centering much of it around the Given sister, Hannah and Amanda, but he’s careful to give the other Silvers their fair (or maybe unfair) share of the spotlight. Their comrade Theo, who can witness the future, knows they have one chance in a billion, if not more, to save the world and works frantically to untangle the various time strings to ensure Earth’s survival.
While all that’s going on, Price is insistently pulling, and occasionally ripping apart, our heartstrings as the narrative builds toward an inevitable, possibly apocalyptic, war in the streets of San Francisco. Price does a lot of juggling throughout the course of this third entry, hopping between characters, story threads, plot lines, and delivering payoffs for elements introduced in prior books. Not all of the very many side characters are clearly defined, and I struggled at times to keep up with who was who amongst this series now-expansive cast. Given the gap between the prior two installments and this one, I was hard-pressed to even recall some of them, but it’s a minor complaint in an otherwise tremendous send-off for the core cast members we’ve come to love (and, in some cases, despise).
Of course, it’s fitting for this series to go out on such an enormous and explosive bang. Price takes us deep into conflict, somehow managing to out-Avengers The Avengers flicks in scope with his big-ass widescreen action epic. I suspect some readers may cry foul, but war is war, and as the caper to this series it is, properly, downright consequential. Keep the tissues handy, in other words.
March 12, 2024
I adored this book so much, I agreed to blurb it. And I just received one of Price's author copies as a thank you (which means the pub date must be super close now, finally!).
I read Flight of the Silvers all the way back in 2014 and connected with the author a bit online after reviewing it as a reader. Now I'm also an author, I consider Price a friend (whoever said not to meet your heroes was wrong about this one!), and I am just dying for this book to release so I can shout about it with other readers.
Each book in this series shows such masterful improvement from the ones before it, and The War of the Givens is no different. To say it came to a satisfying conclusion is an understatement. This book wrapped up all the plot points and gut punched me in the best possible way. I was in tears by the final few chapters. This trilogy is a great example of how sci-fi can be character driven and still work beautifully. Can't wait for others to experience the emotions I went through reading this final installment. It's a delightful roller coaster.
I read Flight of the Silvers all the way back in 2014 and connected with the author a bit online after reviewing it as a reader. Now I'm also an author, I consider Price a friend (whoever said not to meet your heroes was wrong about this one!), and I am just dying for this book to release so I can shout about it with other readers.
Each book in this series shows such masterful improvement from the ones before it, and The War of the Givens is no different. To say it came to a satisfying conclusion is an understatement. This book wrapped up all the plot points and gut punched me in the best possible way. I was in tears by the final few chapters. This trilogy is a great example of how sci-fi can be character driven and still work beautifully. Can't wait for others to experience the emotions I went through reading this final installment. It's a delightful roller coaster.
August 16, 2023
It's over and I'm a little saddened. The first two books blew me away. This book was amazing as well but it doesn't compare to the first two. And I will say a portion of that is my fault. The first two books culminate into a lot of characters and create a lot of backstory so six years between books is a little too long for me. I suffered mostly because I had to go back and check characters and events. I just have to say it's better to read these books once they're all released.
That out of the way... I will say when this book goes it goes supersonic. The ragtag orphans and other super powered Gothams take on the Pelliters and the end of the world. It's fun, these books are just so much fun. Daniel Price is as bad George R.R. Martin, no character is safe.
The end takes a weird turn I'm not so sure about but these books are some of the best science fiction written in recent years.
That out of the way... I will say when this book goes it goes supersonic. The ragtag orphans and other super powered Gothams take on the Pelliters and the end of the world. It's fun, these books are just so much fun. Daniel Price is as bad George R.R. Martin, no character is safe.
The end takes a weird turn I'm not so sure about but these books are some of the best science fiction written in recent years.
July 12, 2024
This is one of my favorite series ever. Beautifully written. Characters you love and hate so much your heart hurts. This was the perfect end to the Silvers’ story.
August 5, 2023
First thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a chance to finish this series early. I’m a long time fan because this series properly built a found family trope (the biggest issue with found families is that too many authors turn these families into idyllic families that don’t have harsh edges or flaws) and realistic heroes, villains, and an AltAmerica that is thankfully not real. This book though.
Wow.
Spoilers somewhat ahead
This is not a book for the faint of heart - it is a war novel. Think Saving Private Ryan level of war. It is BRUTAL. There’s a lot of gore and death. And it is also beautiful in it’s own way. I’m glad that my character expectations didn’t turn out the way I feared and I’m happy in the resolution.
I highly recommend this series for anyone interested in scifi fantasy. Run to go get this series!
Wow.
Spoilers somewhat ahead
This is not a book for the faint of heart - it is a war novel. Think Saving Private Ryan level of war. It is BRUTAL. There’s a lot of gore and death. And it is also beautiful in it’s own way. I’m glad that my character expectations didn’t turn out the way I feared and I’m happy in the resolution.
I highly recommend this series for anyone interested in scifi fantasy. Run to go get this series!
March 26, 2024
I waited a long time for this book - I devoured it. On the negative side, some of the "powers" exhibited were a bit over the top, and there was a bit of gratuitous woke stuff for my taste. Having said that, what a satisfying end to the Trilogy: No loose ends, all questions answered. Danial Price clearly worked and worked to bring this complex narrative to its final form. I appreciate the materials he developed to remind readers of what occurred in the first 2 books. So many characters were brought into a compelling matrix of interactions- really well done. Many unexpected twists. It is so rare to see a finished product that really pulls a trilogy together. My hats off to Daniel Price. Thanks for sharing some amazing world-building. I invested a fair amount of time reading this- glad I did.
August 24, 2022
2020
These books are *home*. Can't wait to see how the story ends, but don't want it to end either. T_T
--
August 25th 2022 - Just finished this 8 year journey and I have no idea how to feel. I think my heart has turned inside out, actually. Daft as it sounds, I am probably going to have to grieve for this series, for it has carried me so far.
"Mondo* tolla shii hoh-no kiesse" 3
*loan word from Esperanto... Hopefully I've guessed the language structure right. 😂
These books are *home*. Can't wait to see how the story ends, but don't want it to end either. T_T
--
August 25th 2022 - Just finished this 8 year journey and I have no idea how to feel. I think my heart has turned inside out, actually. Daft as it sounds, I am probably going to have to grieve for this series, for it has carried me so far.
"Mondo* tolla shii hoh-no kiesse" 3
*loan word from Esperanto... Hopefully I've guessed the language structure right. 😂
June 28, 2020
Hi Daniel! Is this out yet? Can't believe you did it again! ☺️
April 29, 2024
Ten years since it started, the trilogy is finally complete. Since there was a big gap between the 2nd and 3rd books, I reread books 1 and 2 and I'm glad I did - I had forgotten a lot of details and it was good to carry the momentum of the second book right into the third. Similar to the other books, The War of the Givens is fast paced with a lot of action and grappling with bigger questions (parts of this book read like a giant "trolley problem"). My main gripe is that elements of the story felt repetitive - such as the interactions between the Pelletiers and the orphans - but overall it was a good conclusion to the series.
April 2, 2024
A conclusion to a masterpiece
Let's talk about it.
I hated reading it. Each page drew me more into a story that I loved and even with almost 800 pages I knew would eventually end.
Emotional, smart, complete, dynamic, and creative - this was worth the wait.
This is worth the read. It is worth the purchase. I am now impatiently waiting on the collectors set and the film adaptation.
Let's talk about it.
I hated reading it. Each page drew me more into a story that I loved and even with almost 800 pages I knew would eventually end.
Emotional, smart, complete, dynamic, and creative - this was worth the wait.
This is worth the read. It is worth the purchase. I am now impatiently waiting on the collectors set and the film adaptation.
May 5, 2024
A superb wrap up to a woefully underrated series. This series really needs to be a TV series.
April 3, 2024
Incredible finish to one of my favorite contemporary sci-fi entries. I truly do not understand why more people don’t know this series - it scratches every itch for me. Read it. It won’t disappoint (I hope!).
February 18, 2024
Squeeee! It’s finally time to review this! Man, I didn’t think I could abide by the 30 days-to-release rules, and this is as close as I’m gonna get before exploding. (So, yes, I’m early; forgive my exuberance.)
Also, before I begin: If a streamer studio doesn’t option this series immediately, I have no hope for future media. Yes, it would be expensive because it would require a ton of CGI, but it’s set up as a teen/early 20’s ensemble means you’re pulling in a whole new demographic long term. And let’s just admit that lately you’ve been pulling your creative punches, studios. You owe us.
The review:
Oddly, I didn’t hear a peep about this series when it first came out. I have to admit I’ve stopped following BookTube, mostly because it feels like they’re all reading the same thing and starting to circle the drain. Plus, we know we can’t trust booktok anymore. So I’ve been going it alone - and apparently living under a rock.
This series has everything: orphans, parallel universes, future villains, future heroes, butterfly effect, excellent music, and above all: a lot of love. I don’t mean romantic love, I mean friendship in all its many forms. It’s found family, and done really well.
I ate up the pages of the series faster than I’ve read anything in a while. My determination to stay up late for just one more page reminded me of when I first read Red Rising years ago. And honestly, the scope of tension and cruelty of both are not that far apart, looking back. When I say that the villains are monstrous, I mean think of how horrible Lilith from Red Rising is and then give her the ability to see all futures. How terrifying would she be? I don’t think I’ve hated characters more than I did the Pelltier family.
I do need to say that the ending is bittersweet. And you’ll still have questions about the physics, but this story isn’t really about the physics, it’s about the people, the choices they make when they’re desperate for a future that conflicts with the desperate need of another group’s future. Who wins? You’ll have to read to find out.
(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I truly loved this series and I would read anything this author wrote in the future.)
Also, before I begin: If a streamer studio doesn’t option this series immediately, I have no hope for future media. Yes, it would be expensive because it would require a ton of CGI, but it’s set up as a teen/early 20’s ensemble means you’re pulling in a whole new demographic long term. And let’s just admit that lately you’ve been pulling your creative punches, studios. You owe us.
The review:
Oddly, I didn’t hear a peep about this series when it first came out. I have to admit I’ve stopped following BookTube, mostly because it feels like they’re all reading the same thing and starting to circle the drain. Plus, we know we can’t trust booktok anymore. So I’ve been going it alone - and apparently living under a rock.
This series has everything: orphans, parallel universes, future villains, future heroes, butterfly effect, excellent music, and above all: a lot of love. I don’t mean romantic love, I mean friendship in all its many forms. It’s found family, and done really well.
I ate up the pages of the series faster than I’ve read anything in a while. My determination to stay up late for just one more page reminded me of when I first read Red Rising years ago. And honestly, the scope of tension and cruelty of both are not that far apart, looking back. When I say that the villains are monstrous, I mean think of how horrible Lilith from Red Rising is and then give her the ability to see all futures. How terrifying would she be? I don’t think I’ve hated characters more than I did the Pelltier family.
I do need to say that the ending is bittersweet. And you’ll still have questions about the physics, but this story isn’t really about the physics, it’s about the people, the choices they make when they’re desperate for a future that conflicts with the desperate need of another group’s future. Who wins? You’ll have to read to find out.
(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I truly loved this series and I would read anything this author wrote in the future.)
June 14, 2024
I liked a lot of things about this final book. Lots of things that were foreshadowed in early storylines were revealed and I thought the ending wrapped up the characters stories all really nicely. My only complaints are that 1) the 2nd and 3rd books introduced so many new characters that it was hard to keep track of or develop real connections to them, even though several of them were pretty important to the story; 2) for a series that dealt with the multiverse it didn't really explain the paradoxes that would have occurred with people with these time bending abilities; and 3) the multiverse universe was so expansive that it made it hard to believe that the dramatic endings (both hero and villain) in the story could be taken seriously - after all, their fate is different in a different timeline right?
June 28, 2024
I recognize it's impossible to write a book that involves time travel and have the plot actually make sense. There were so many times while reading this book I was like well, if you can do this, then why didn't you do that. I was never entirely sure if there were alternate timelines or just alternate possibilities. The ending makes me think the former is true, and if that's the case, then there are infinite timelines where things both did and didn't work out, and there were always going to be those timelines, so in essence, we're maybe just following a particular set of characters from a particular timeline. Right? See, so confusing. I spent most of the book thinking of the easier ways in which the antagonists could have accomplished their goals without all the turmoil, which means there are timelines where they did just that and the story wasn't as interesting. It's like a choose your own adventure. Here are millions of ways the story both can and has played out, but the author is picking this one for some reason.
Ignoring all that and just focusing on what does happen, it's definitely an entertaining read. I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, which I read in the winter of 2020/2021, back when the release of book 3 was supposed to be happening within a few months. But then it didn't happen. And it kept on not happening for another 4 years. Admittedly, I'd forgotten who the characters were and many of the particulars of what was going on. But the author only exacerbated this by throwing dozens of new characters into the mix before reintroducing the old characters in a helter-skelter action-packed first chapter. How about we start where book 2 left off and get us back on our feet and then introduce all these new characters slowly and naturally. You know, make me care about someone before you put them in a dire situation. The author does eventually provide some background on these new characters and the new situation, but I spent several chapters completely confused. For some reason the author was trying really hard to keep the book under a certain length, and skipping over 13 months worth of time and throwing the reader into the middle of a whole new set of conflicts without prior explanation was the way he chose to do it. I can only guess he couldn't get a contract for a fourth book. Otherwise, he should have broken this one up into two books and given these developments proper space to breathe.
In this book, we are given the explanation for how all of this came to be, and I really didn't care for it. You ever read a book or watch a movie where the whole plot is derived from a really dumb decision made by a character who really should know better? Apparently, that's the seed for the entire series. We just don't find out until the middle of this book. And then at the very, very end, we're shown how it all could have easily been prevented.
I know I'm doing a lot of complaining for a book I'm giving 4 stars. The writing quality is great, the characters are well done. The action sequences, which I usually find boring in books, are good, too. There is a lot to like about this book. And maybe if I were fresh off reading books 1 and 2, I would have enjoyed it more.
Ignoring all that and just focusing on what does happen, it's definitely an entertaining read. I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, which I read in the winter of 2020/2021, back when the release of book 3 was supposed to be happening within a few months. But then it didn't happen. And it kept on not happening for another 4 years. Admittedly, I'd forgotten who the characters were and many of the particulars of what was going on. But the author only exacerbated this by throwing dozens of new characters into the mix before reintroducing the old characters in a helter-skelter action-packed first chapter. How about we start where book 2 left off and get us back on our feet and then introduce all these new characters slowly and naturally. You know, make me care about someone before you put them in a dire situation. The author does eventually provide some background on these new characters and the new situation, but I spent several chapters completely confused. For some reason the author was trying really hard to keep the book under a certain length, and skipping over 13 months worth of time and throwing the reader into the middle of a whole new set of conflicts without prior explanation was the way he chose to do it. I can only guess he couldn't get a contract for a fourth book. Otherwise, he should have broken this one up into two books and given these developments proper space to breathe.
In this book, we are given the explanation for how all of this came to be, and I really didn't care for it. You ever read a book or watch a movie where the whole plot is derived from a really dumb decision made by a character who really should know better? Apparently, that's the seed for the entire series. We just don't find out until the middle of this book. And then at the very, very end, we're shown how it all could have easily been prevented.
I know I'm doing a lot of complaining for a book I'm giving 4 stars. The writing quality is great, the characters are well done. The action sequences, which I usually find boring in books, are good, too. There is a lot to like about this book. And maybe if I were fresh off reading books 1 and 2, I would have enjoyed it more.
May 7, 2024
The final part of the Silvers trilogy is everything I could have wanted. Again, a lot of action, a big bodycount and a lot of tension, because we’re never sure which of the heroes is going to survive the final battle. I had the greatest difficulty not to skip to the end to find out. But I’m glad I didn’t.
Somewhere around page 600, the reader finally gets the whole story about what started all this mayhem and what Ioni’s plan is.
I liked this trilogy very much and must admit that I was more than a little bit touched in the end. Well done Daniel Price!
Somewhere around page 600, the reader finally gets the whole story about what started all this mayhem and what Ioni’s plan is.
I liked this trilogy very much and must admit that I was more than a little bit touched in the end. Well done Daniel Price!
August 13, 2024
War of the Givens is the third and final book of the Silvers trilogy. The other two are: Flight of the Silvers (2014) and Song of the Orphans(2017).
If you're new to the series, don't start here. War of the Givens does not stand on its own. Some series can be read out of order- this series isn't one of those.
I read Flight and Song back-to-back, roughly three years ago. If you follow my reviews, then you know I read a lot; there's a lot of material competing for my long term memory. But I remembered just enough to follow War. It really helps that Price incorporates a lot of recaps to catch readers up.
What follows will have spoilers for books one and two. Again, if you want to read the Silvers, go start with book one.
War of the Givens picks up where Song of the Orphans stops: Integrity assaulted the gotham's underland hideout and a lot of people died. David was revealed as a secret Pelletier. Amanda, Hanna, and various others were forced into agreements with the super-future space Nazis (the Pelletiers) in order to keep the peace. Everyone was weepy and super dramatic.
The weepy drama gets an upgrade in War. The good guys are absolutely good. The bad guys are irredeemably bad. This means all of the good guys want to sacrifice themselves for each other. No one can make the slightest noble gesture without someone else trying to one-up them. It gets annoying very quickly.
The bad guys... are one-note evil super future space Nazis.
Good vs. evil makes for a good plot. Just look to Lord of the Rings for a solid example. And Price definitely has Tolkien in mind- the main character all give perfectly timed epic speeches before, during, and after dramatic, climactic battles.
I'm not a fan of Lord of the Rings and I don't like most modern epics. Sanderson's Stormlight Archive is the exception, and the main reason for why I like the Archive is because Sanderson writes three dimensional characters with relatable flaws. Price's characters are all either annoyingly noble and enmeshed, or they're super-evil.
And oh my goodness does Price stretch the story to wring every last melodramatic drop from the plot. Several of the events of War are retold through multiple POVs so that readers can witness every last sappy overly-enmeshed codependent exchange. He even pauses the climactic battle for two or three pages to allow characters to say goodbye to each other.
This just isn't the book for me. I'm giving it three stars, though, because the issues are mine and not the author's. If you like epic fiction and you don't mind codependency or emotional enmeshment, then this is the book for you.
If you're new to the series, don't start here. War of the Givens does not stand on its own. Some series can be read out of order- this series isn't one of those.
I read Flight and Song back-to-back, roughly three years ago. If you follow my reviews, then you know I read a lot; there's a lot of material competing for my long term memory. But I remembered just enough to follow War. It really helps that Price incorporates a lot of recaps to catch readers up.
What follows will have spoilers for books one and two. Again, if you want to read the Silvers, go start with book one.
War of the Givens picks up where Song of the Orphans stops: Integrity assaulted the gotham's underland hideout and a lot of people died. David was revealed as a secret Pelletier. Amanda, Hanna, and various others were forced into agreements with the super-future space Nazis (the Pelletiers) in order to keep the peace. Everyone was weepy and super dramatic.
The weepy drama gets an upgrade in War. The good guys are absolutely good. The bad guys are irredeemably bad. This means all of the good guys want to sacrifice themselves for each other. No one can make the slightest noble gesture without someone else trying to one-up them. It gets annoying very quickly.
The bad guys... are one-note evil super future space Nazis.
Good vs. evil makes for a good plot. Just look to Lord of the Rings for a solid example. And Price definitely has Tolkien in mind- the main character all give perfectly timed epic speeches before, during, and after dramatic, climactic battles.
I'm not a fan of Lord of the Rings and I don't like most modern epics. Sanderson's Stormlight Archive is the exception, and the main reason for why I like the Archive is because Sanderson writes three dimensional characters with relatable flaws. Price's characters are all either annoyingly noble and enmeshed, or they're super-evil.
And oh my goodness does Price stretch the story to wring every last melodramatic drop from the plot. Several of the events of War are retold through multiple POVs so that readers can witness every last sappy overly-enmeshed codependent exchange. He even pauses the climactic battle for two or three pages to allow characters to say goodbye to each other.
This just isn't the book for me. I'm giving it three stars, though, because the issues are mine and not the author's. If you like epic fiction and you don't mind codependency or emotional enmeshment, then this is the book for you.
May 10, 2024
fun, clever ending to the trilogy!
The flight of the silvers was one of my all-time favorite books. I fell in love with the characters the New World that was created, and I loved reading Daniel’s clever dialogue. In the second book, I enjoyed how different relationships deepened while other relationships were completely destroyed. The third book Was poignant and it made you ask yourself a lot of questions, namely what would I do? If… Daniel Price is the kind of writer I aspire to be his humor mixed in with tender moments and then five minutes later badass moments and it works. I waited a long time for this book Because I started a correspondence with Daniel through email and I have to tell you he is the nicest man check out page 602 and 607 if you don’t believe me. Thank you Daniel for a very special book. One that has meaning to me and my father that only, the three of us understand. Unfortunately, now I am sad because Daniel gave me a really good extra long escape from reality and mixed it with a funky story that made me laugh and cry. But now I have to start doing dishes again and wearing pants.😂
Nena katcham Hall
The flight of the silvers was one of my all-time favorite books. I fell in love with the characters the New World that was created, and I loved reading Daniel’s clever dialogue. In the second book, I enjoyed how different relationships deepened while other relationships were completely destroyed. The third book Was poignant and it made you ask yourself a lot of questions, namely what would I do? If… Daniel Price is the kind of writer I aspire to be his humor mixed in with tender moments and then five minutes later badass moments and it works. I waited a long time for this book Because I started a correspondence with Daniel through email and I have to tell you he is the nicest man check out page 602 and 607 if you don’t believe me. Thank you Daniel for a very special book. One that has meaning to me and my father that only, the three of us understand. Unfortunately, now I am sad because Daniel gave me a really good extra long escape from reality and mixed it with a funky story that made me laugh and cry. But now I have to start doing dishes again and wearing pants.😂
Nena katcham Hall
April 15, 2024
I fell in love with Altamerica years ago, along with some very interesting orphans. When I first read Flight of the Silvers I knew I had found something very special. I was enraptured by the writing of Daniel Price. It takes a special person to not only think up such a story, but to translate it into writing. Daniel Price, in his absolute genius, has created a world I’ve lived in many times over the years. And every time I leave I find myself wandering back.
Waiting for the third and final installment of The Silvers was absolutely worth it! I was anxious to know if all of it could be wrapped up in the final book. Would I know the outcomes for all of these characters I’ve loved, hated, cried for, laughed for? The answer is yes. My heart is at peace now the final page has been read. And while the story is complete, I find myself ready to start the audiobook versions, just to get another taste of the books and the world I have come to love. Thank you Daniel Price. “It’s not the end of the road. It’s just a sharp turn”.
Waiting for the third and final installment of The Silvers was absolutely worth it! I was anxious to know if all of it could be wrapped up in the final book. Would I know the outcomes for all of these characters I’ve loved, hated, cried for, laughed for? The answer is yes. My heart is at peace now the final page has been read. And while the story is complete, I find myself ready to start the audiobook versions, just to get another taste of the books and the world I have come to love. Thank you Daniel Price. “It’s not the end of the road. It’s just a sharp turn”.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2024
😭 I've been tearing up here for the last 1 1/2 - 2 hours of the book.. started getting a painful lump in my throat a half an hour ago, and then eventually bawled like a baby in the last ten minutes.. ugh.. I'm still sniffly, still shedding a few tears here and there.. This was sooo good. It's at the top and tied for first, most favorite book already. 🥹 It's just that good. I love that even some of the characters I didn't care for were hugely redeemed in the end. There were maybe a few things I'd have liked to see different in the tail end/last pages, but I also like the idea of a mystery and of not knowing some things. I can't say much without giving much away, so I'll just say this: read the series, commit to it. The first book is really good, though maybe the characters are still needing some more dimension. The second book has a lot of the wtf moments that get you hooked into the series. The third is just, wow. 😳😱🤯💫 If you like sci-fi, super powers, fighting evil people, crossing through alternate universe-style genres, etc, you'll love this book.
July 8, 2024
I am glad that I finally got to see the story all the way to the end and now I see why the wait has been so long – it is a very thick volume. A lot is happening in this last volume, more than in two previous taken together, many new characters and story lines and it was fun to read. It is also satisfying that all story lines are completely resolved, I do like that.
Nevertheless, this series finale seems too long and it would have been even better if it was a 1/4-1/3 shorter. Maybe I am wrong about this since I am not in the target audience of the book (young adult) and a 20-yr old would rather keep it all. There are also a bunch of logical problems with time travel and parallel universes. I do understand that it is hard to craft a time travel or multiverse story that is free of mistakes and contradictions, but it does make just a good story great ("Back to the Future" comes to mind as a good example). Unfortunately it is not one of those.
Nevertheless, this series finale seems too long and it would have been even better if it was a 1/4-1/3 shorter. Maybe I am wrong about this since I am not in the target audience of the book (young adult) and a 20-yr old would rather keep it all. There are also a bunch of logical problems with time travel and parallel universes. I do understand that it is hard to craft a time travel or multiverse story that is free of mistakes and contradictions, but it does make just a good story great ("Back to the Future" comes to mind as a good example). Unfortunately it is not one of those.
April 12, 2024
I waited a long time for this book to come out...I think I re-read the first two 3 times before I finally was able to finish the series. And this series, never failed to deliver. If it did, I was prepared to rewind time and start it over (a little time-bender humor there)! Such an fun fast paced, sci-fi series! I loved the characters, I'm not sure I could say who was my favorite or even which power I would choose, because they all were amazing. The series is a great balance between plot and character development. I loved the moral philosophy dilemma's they were constantly forced to answer (do we kill a million to save trillions, is the death of one person an acceptable loss when it means it could save many)? In the end I loved all the Silver Orphans, and wish I could follow their stories through all the strings they traveled.
May 27, 2024
I don’t write reviews, but felt compelled since he graciously used my name in the book (twice!).
I recommend this series to all of my friends and to anyone interested in time-bending as a concept. To prime for this finale, I read through the first two books again and from the beginning page of The Flight of the Silvers to the final page of The War of the Givens, there was zero disappointment.
I don’t believe in spoilers, so I will just say that Daniel Price did a beautiful job of rounding out every plot and subplot and gave us some unexpected characters to root for.
I look forward to anything else Daniel Price puts out, and will continue to recommend this series to anyone!
I recommend this series to all of my friends and to anyone interested in time-bending as a concept. To prime for this finale, I read through the first two books again and from the beginning page of The Flight of the Silvers to the final page of The War of the Givens, there was zero disappointment.
I don’t believe in spoilers, so I will just say that Daniel Price did a beautiful job of rounding out every plot and subplot and gave us some unexpected characters to root for.
I look forward to anything else Daniel Price puts out, and will continue to recommend this series to anyone!
October 5, 2023
*I received a ARC of this book from NetGalley*
The final showdown between the Pellitiers and Silvers & Co. is finally here. I’ve been waiting patiently for the past six years and I was not disappointed. Wow, what a rollercoaster ride of a finale!
Due to the length of time between this one and the second book, it did take a little while to get familiar with all the players again. Hopefully, Daniel Price will do another great recap on his website to get everyone up to speed before diving into this one.
The final showdown between the Pellitiers and Silvers & Co. is finally here. I’ve been waiting patiently for the past six years and I was not disappointed. Wow, what a rollercoaster ride of a finale!
Due to the length of time between this one and the second book, it did take a little while to get familiar with all the players again. Hopefully, Daniel Price will do another great recap on his website to get everyone up to speed before diving into this one.
Read
May 16, 2024I am still on chapter 35 but i have never been more disappointed in a book in my life. The narrator is extremely annoying and at this point I loathe some of the characters and the way he does their voices. Mia and Zach are at the top of that list. Also the constant ass kissing between the characters is too much. The way the y immediately fall in love with each other completely takes me out of the story. I really hope the ending makes it worth while. But I am actually starting to root for the pelletiers.
May 18, 2024
I really enjoyed this series and this book provides a really satisfying ending. It’s a complex story of time travel and multiverses, but Price clearly carefully planned it out and thought it through. He covers a lot in this book and I think it wraps up in a great way. I laughed. I cried. The series is extremely cinematic and would do very well adapted for film or a series. I truly hope someone picks it up, it’s a very clever story. I know Price spent a lot of time on this final book - well done!
May 5, 2024
I truly loved this series. This book, in my opinion, was best of the three.
As the title implies, there is a war. There are a lot of action scenes, perhaps too many, and we lose a lot of good people. But the ending is very satisfying, and all loose threads are pretty much tied up.
I could say more, but it would be considered spoilers. My advice is that if this sounds at all interesting then please give it a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
So sad it’s over!
As the title implies, there is a war. There are a lot of action scenes, perhaps too many, and we lose a lot of good people. But the ending is very satisfying, and all loose threads are pretty much tied up.
I could say more, but it would be considered spoilers. My advice is that if this sounds at all interesting then please give it a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
So sad it’s over!
May 8, 2024
A fitting end to an inventive and fun trilogy.
I read the first book when it came out, and there were definitely times I wasn't sure I would ever know how this crazy wonderful world that the silvers lived in would turn out.
I'm so glad we got this final conclusion to their story. It was worth the wait and gave me one last delightful roll through a world full of tempis, Pelletiers and sisters.
Thanks for a wonderful story.
I read the first book when it came out, and there were definitely times I wasn't sure I would ever know how this crazy wonderful world that the silvers lived in would turn out.
I'm so glad we got this final conclusion to their story. It was worth the wait and gave me one last delightful roll through a world full of tempis, Pelletiers and sisters.
Thanks for a wonderful story.
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