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Lies of The Guardians #1
Lies the Guardians Tell
The Guardians Protect Us. Or so they claim.
A vision of a strange world. Powers that can heal or destroy. Murder by those they were supposed to trust.
Sierra Runar has lived in the Sphere her entire life. A protective force field is the only thing separating the remnant of humanity from the toxic world the ancients left behind. The Guardians, humankind’s saviors, have looked after them ever since.
However, when she has a vision of a strange world with blue skies, a series of devastating events leads Sierra to realize the Guardians are not all they claim.
Forced to reevaluate the world around her, Sierra is sent on a quest to find ‘the man who remembers the wars’. The only problem is, the wars were two hundred years ago, and the world has been a toxic wasteland ever since. Through love, loss, friendship and trust, Sierra will need to discover what she’s capable of in order to protect a world that wasn’t supposed to exist.
Lies the Guardians Tell is the first book in a technology-based, young adult, dystopian series that will have you turning pages as a small band of unlikely heroes struggle to save what’s left of humanity.
A vision of a strange world. Powers that can heal or destroy. Murder by those they were supposed to trust.
Sierra Runar has lived in the Sphere her entire life. A protective force field is the only thing separating the remnant of humanity from the toxic world the ancients left behind. The Guardians, humankind’s saviors, have looked after them ever since.
However, when she has a vision of a strange world with blue skies, a series of devastating events leads Sierra to realize the Guardians are not all they claim.
Forced to reevaluate the world around her, Sierra is sent on a quest to find ‘the man who remembers the wars’. The only problem is, the wars were two hundred years ago, and the world has been a toxic wasteland ever since. Through love, loss, friendship and trust, Sierra will need to discover what she’s capable of in order to protect a world that wasn’t supposed to exist.
Lies the Guardians Tell is the first book in a technology-based, young adult, dystopian series that will have you turning pages as a small band of unlikely heroes struggle to save what’s left of humanity.
364 pages, Hardcover
Published November 27, 2020
About the author
Herman Steuernagel
19 books146 followersHerman Steuernagel is a Barnes & Noble Bestselling author best known for his cozy fantasy novels, blending immersive worlds with character-driven storytelling.
Across multiple series, his work ranges from warm, low-stakes fantasy settings to science fiction that explores life among the stars and dystopian futures. His books have been featured by Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and have appeared on the Barnes & Noble Top 100 and reached #104 in the Amazon Kindle Store.
Herman lives in British Columbia, Canada, While he’s not working on a new book he can be found cycling, running and dreaming up new worlds.
You can keep up with Herman on his website:
https://www.hermansteuernagel.com
Across multiple series, his work ranges from warm, low-stakes fantasy settings to science fiction that explores life among the stars and dystopian futures. His books have been featured by Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and have appeared on the Barnes & Noble Top 100 and reached #104 in the Amazon Kindle Store.
Herman lives in British Columbia, Canada, While he’s not working on a new book he can be found cycling, running and dreaming up new worlds.
You can keep up with Herman on his website:
https://www.hermansteuernagel.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
May 9, 2021
I have mixed feelings.
It's a good story, but could use quite a bit more editing. The dialogue is okay, the story itself is good, character building is decent, the world building is done fairly well, but the narration needs a lot of work.
The speech is odd and trying to go for English classroom proper grammar. For example, "Curious as to his motives." ". . . as to how." "She didn't like feeling helpless, and even worse, clueless, as to what was going on. But this day revealed both on a level she had never before experienced."
If it were a character speaking, that's fine, can go towards character development. But in general, people don't speak like that or tell stories like that. It's not a one off, but happens a lot in the first half of the book, a little less in the last half (guessing at percentages!).
Most of the book is tell rather than show. Here's just one example: "How far do we need to go?" Sierra asked, trying to catch her breath, and also apprehensive about what his answer might be.
Use Sierra's actions to show me that she's breathless and apprehensive. Maybe Sierra stumbles after him and pants out her question.
Despite this, it's an interesting story. I am curious about what will happen next, but it's on the low priority, maybe I'll get to it eventually kind of thing.
I think with another round of editing could make an okay story into a great story. Like I said, plot and story are there and are interesting, so there's some good potential here.
It's a good story, but could use quite a bit more editing. The dialogue is okay, the story itself is good, character building is decent, the world building is done fairly well, but the narration needs a lot of work.
The speech is odd and trying to go for English classroom proper grammar. For example, "Curious as to his motives." ". . . as to how." "She didn't like feeling helpless, and even worse, clueless, as to what was going on. But this day revealed both on a level she had never before experienced."
If it were a character speaking, that's fine, can go towards character development. But in general, people don't speak like that or tell stories like that. It's not a one off, but happens a lot in the first half of the book, a little less in the last half (guessing at percentages!).
Most of the book is tell rather than show. Here's just one example: "How far do we need to go?" Sierra asked, trying to catch her breath, and also apprehensive about what his answer might be.
Use Sierra's actions to show me that she's breathless and apprehensive. Maybe Sierra stumbles after him and pants out her question.
Despite this, it's an interesting story. I am curious about what will happen next, but it's on the low priority, maybe I'll get to it eventually kind of thing.
I think with another round of editing could make an okay story into a great story. Like I said, plot and story are there and are interesting, so there's some good potential here.
October 10, 2021
The book has an interesting premise. Humanity has so damaged the earth that (according to their AI guardians), they can now survive only under a dome where they are protected by said guardians. Then while taking an examination that will determine her future in this small world, the protagonist has a vision that makes her question everything she’s been led to believe.
If I had had that vision, I would have simply assumed I’d fallen asleep for a few seconds, but she is so disturbed by it, she ultimately winds up escaping the dome and discovering an entire world outside that is under attack by the same kind of AI that protects those who remain inside.
I don’t recall that we ever got a hint about how she or any of the others who have special powers acquired them. Well, except one, and I won’t go into that because some would consider it a spoiler. Maybe we find out more in a later book.
Basically a pretty good read, but I had two big problems with it:
1. I never developed a real attachment to any of the characters. That might be my fault. I am, after all, not the target audience by many, many years. (Though I have read YAs that pulled me in without a problem.)
2. The writing needs to be tightened up big time. I got the feeling the plot was progressing in a spiral with many of the plot points repeated over and over. If the writing had been tighter, I think I might have learned to like the characters.
My conclusion is that the author has a good idea but needs a really good editor to help them get it onto paper efficiently.
If I had had that vision, I would have simply assumed I’d fallen asleep for a few seconds, but she is so disturbed by it, she ultimately winds up escaping the dome and discovering an entire world outside that is under attack by the same kind of AI that protects those who remain inside.
I don’t recall that we ever got a hint about how she or any of the others who have special powers acquired them. Well, except one, and I won’t go into that because some would consider it a spoiler. Maybe we find out more in a later book.
Basically a pretty good read, but I had two big problems with it:
1. I never developed a real attachment to any of the characters. That might be my fault. I am, after all, not the target audience by many, many years. (Though I have read YAs that pulled me in without a problem.)
2. The writing needs to be tightened up big time. I got the feeling the plot was progressing in a spiral with many of the plot points repeated over and over. If the writing had been tighter, I think I might have learned to like the characters.
My conclusion is that the author has a good idea but needs a really good editor to help them get it onto paper efficiently.
November 28, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. Even though there were a lot of characters involved, I never had to skip back and try to figure out who the author was talking about. This story flowed so amazingly, that I had no questions. It was all explained and described beautifully. I read a lot of books, so I know this is a rare thing. It was so believable that this could really happen. Although I’m told this series will continue, this book didn’t end with any big questions that will drive you nuts until the next. I appreciate that. A well written beautiful story.
February 26, 2021
It has been awhile since I struggled to put a book down when it came time for bed. I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the journey it took me on.
October 11, 2021
WOW! WHAT A GREAT STORY!
This story started out a little slow, but got better and better all the way to the end! It actually kept me up reading until 3 o'clock in the morning twice!!! If we don't wake up this could easily become a true story in the near future. . .
This story started out a little slow, but got better and better all the way to the end! It actually kept me up reading until 3 o'clock in the morning twice!!! If we don't wake up this could easily become a true story in the near future. . .
November 28, 2020
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Lies the Guardians Tell in exchange for an honest review.
Though the YA dystopia market is definitely saturated in "girl living in utopia finds out government is bad and it's secretly a dystopia and now she has to join a rebellion and save the world" story, Steuernagel's narration makes Lies the Guardians Tell stand out against the crowd. This is a fun story that manages to be unique enough to separate itself from other books in the genre, but familiar enough that its bound to please fans of similar stories.
I do think the book would be a lot better had it gone through 1 more round of edits (and since I'm reading an ARC, there's a chance that might actually happen but since publication is fast approaching I'm pretty sure what I read was fairly close to the final version). Although 3rd person, we spend most of the opening of the story in Sierra's head and then start shifting into other perspectives and it was a bit jarring. This is also definitely Sierra's story so I was a bit bored by the amount of chapters following Wil's storyline. If his perspective had been better integrated earlier it would have given the storyline more weight. The shifting perspectives also meant we occasionally got a lot of pretty redundant information pretty close to each other in the narrative.
Though the YA dystopia market is definitely saturated in "girl living in utopia finds out government is bad and it's secretly a dystopia and now she has to join a rebellion and save the world" story, Steuernagel's narration makes Lies the Guardians Tell stand out against the crowd. This is a fun story that manages to be unique enough to separate itself from other books in the genre, but familiar enough that its bound to please fans of similar stories.
I do think the book would be a lot better had it gone through 1 more round of edits (and since I'm reading an ARC, there's a chance that might actually happen but since publication is fast approaching I'm pretty sure what I read was fairly close to the final version). Although 3rd person, we spend most of the opening of the story in Sierra's head and then start shifting into other perspectives and it was a bit jarring. This is also definitely Sierra's story so I was a bit bored by the amount of chapters following Wil's storyline. If his perspective had been better integrated earlier it would have given the storyline more weight. The shifting perspectives also meant we occasionally got a lot of pretty redundant information pretty close to each other in the narrative.
April 29, 2021
What a delightful (maybe wrong word choice) find from a new author! The book is set in a dystopian future full of robots, resistance fighters, deceit, and maybe a spark of love. I loved it and if I wasn’t also working on finals I would have finished it in a day or two. The story follows the main character as she discovers secrets about her community and those who were made to keep her safe.
I was keyed up about the plot that takes the typical dystopian YA tropes and mixes into something that sometimes feels reminiscent of other books and sometimes brand new. For a first novel... bravo!
I was keyed up about the plot that takes the typical dystopian YA tropes and mixes into something that sometimes feels reminiscent of other books and sometimes brand new. For a first novel... bravo!
April 7, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
having a vision during a crucial test which will determine where she will work . As if she doesnt already know where she belong according to her family status 💁🏻♀️
She had a glimpse of the Outside. She never knew theres life other than in the Sphere where the Guardians , well, ‘guards’ them .
Things start to change when she told her bff Greata about it and trigger the Onyx to find and kill whomever mentioning about the Outside .
‘They sacrifice many to save a few ‘
And so , the adventure begins .
Seems like everyone knows something she didnt and very reluctant of telling her what the fish is actually happening .
POV of Wil , Ella and Oscar helps to give more comprehension of what the Spheres are , their thoughts and feelings . Who is good and who is bad? Or is there grey area where good turns to bad or viceversa? How about Malachi?
Now they embarks on a journey to West (to find a guy named Terry sccording to Greata who minght be the key to save humanity , at last) but faced with so many hurdles and betrayal on their way. Will they make it? Is Sierra really as special as they believe? Can she really save the world or killed by the Guardians like her sister before she can do anything about it?
The beginning is kind of slow and when the adventure starts , I cant stop reading to know what happen next and next .
This story reminds me of the movie I am mother where the robot is programmed to keep human safe but after years gone by , are the outside still dangerous?
- - - ( few minus thing )
- He keeps on repeating the same thing .
- When Sierra told us she have only Greata and Ember as her bestfriend to confide in , the first time is okay . The second time I was like, okay I get it . You dont have friends except them both . You dont have to tell me twice / thrice the exact same words .
(Only like 4 times does this happen in the whole novel but it didnt mess with the storyline though )
having a vision during a crucial test which will determine where she will work . As if she doesnt already know where she belong according to her family status 💁🏻♀️
She had a glimpse of the Outside. She never knew theres life other than in the Sphere where the Guardians , well, ‘guards’ them .
Things start to change when she told her bff Greata about it and trigger the Onyx to find and kill whomever mentioning about the Outside .
‘They sacrifice many to save a few ‘
And so , the adventure begins .
Seems like everyone knows something she didnt and very reluctant of telling her what the fish is actually happening .
POV of Wil , Ella and Oscar helps to give more comprehension of what the Spheres are , their thoughts and feelings . Who is good and who is bad? Or is there grey area where good turns to bad or viceversa? How about Malachi?
Now they embarks on a journey to West (to find a guy named Terry sccording to Greata who minght be the key to save humanity , at last) but faced with so many hurdles and betrayal on their way. Will they make it? Is Sierra really as special as they believe? Can she really save the world or killed by the Guardians like her sister before she can do anything about it?
The beginning is kind of slow and when the adventure starts , I cant stop reading to know what happen next and next .
This story reminds me of the movie I am mother where the robot is programmed to keep human safe but after years gone by , are the outside still dangerous?
- - - ( few minus thing )
- He keeps on repeating the same thing .
- When Sierra told us she have only Greata and Ember as her bestfriend to confide in , the first time is okay . The second time I was like, okay I get it . You dont have friends except them both . You dont have to tell me twice / thrice the exact same words .
(Only like 4 times does this happen in the whole novel but it didnt mess with the storyline though )
December 28, 2021
Fantastic book full of adventure, I could not put it down! An original idea that you will not regret reading.
February 7, 2021
I received copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, especially if this is the author’s first published novel. I cared about the characters, the world was interesting with unique details, and the plot was different enough from other similar stories to make it feel like something new.
Pros:
The characters are generally likeable and have well-defined personalities and motivation. The main supporting characters are given decent backgrounds that contribute well to the world building. Rather than just throwing a band of rebels together in the wild, for instance, Malachi , Rhys, and Ella, in particular are given storylines about where they come from, their experiences in the world, and how their lives intersect with other characters. Too often books will give secondary characters throw-away backgrounds or make them conveniently just band together. The fact that in this narrative they are developed in their own right adds a great deal to the story.
The world building in this book is strong as well. The differences between life inside and outside of the Sphere domes permeates the story from the descriptions of environments to the attitudes of the characters to the main plot developments. Steuernagel does an admirable job of throwing his inquisitive but guarded protagonists into a new world and allowing their navigation of the people and places they encounter to tell the story of the world. There are some necessary moments of “telling” the reader through explanations of the world for the benefit of the naïve newcomers, but it is not heavy handed.
The plot is interestingly unique. The combining of common YA tropes – teen girl escapes boring life to find out she’s a chosen one, robots vs humanity, special powers, finding out the outside world is totally different from the lies you’ve grown up with – all combine together in something new. It’s almost as if the author rolled up a ball of bits of playdoh and instead of coming up with an ugly brown blob, came up with a pretty swirled marble.
Cons:
My cons are fairly nit-picky for this book. My biggest issue was editing oversights. The writing itself is mostly strong and there aren’t a lot of distracting grammatical errors, but there were three places in the text where the wrong character name was used. Once is just a blip, twice you wonder if the author changed character names and missed changing them around in places, three times and you start to feel like maybe you’re the crazy one and the author is doing it intentionally. I find continuity errors to be particularly jarring when reading, but I sometimes find them in mainstream authors’ works as well.
Related to editing, is the use of some cliché descriptions and character reactions. One character, for example, is described twice as having chiseled features. In another scene, one character shushes another by putting his finger on the other’s lips. This probably wouldn’t feel as disruptive to the flow of the narrative in a romance novel, but feels awkward in a YA fit-for-your-life post-apocalyptic story. To be fair, this is a small issue and one that I would probably not have noticed as much had I not been reading knowing I was going to post a review.
My last issue is another small one. I feel like the role of Ember, Sierra’s protective personal robot, could have been built up a bit more to make her feel like a more important character. As it is, she seems like a bit of a throw away character whose only role is convenient plot device. Even using conversations between Sierra and other characters outside of the Sphere where she recalls specific memories with Ember would offer more background and make her feel like more of a critical piece of her life. This would also offer more opportunities for world building and character development.
The cons were definitely minor and not enough to detract from the story itself. I will be interested to see where the author takes the story in the next installment.
Pros:
The characters are generally likeable and have well-defined personalities and motivation. The main supporting characters are given decent backgrounds that contribute well to the world building. Rather than just throwing a band of rebels together in the wild, for instance, Malachi , Rhys, and Ella, in particular are given storylines about where they come from, their experiences in the world, and how their lives intersect with other characters. Too often books will give secondary characters throw-away backgrounds or make them conveniently just band together. The fact that in this narrative they are developed in their own right adds a great deal to the story.
The world building in this book is strong as well. The differences between life inside and outside of the Sphere domes permeates the story from the descriptions of environments to the attitudes of the characters to the main plot developments. Steuernagel does an admirable job of throwing his inquisitive but guarded protagonists into a new world and allowing their navigation of the people and places they encounter to tell the story of the world. There are some necessary moments of “telling” the reader through explanations of the world for the benefit of the naïve newcomers, but it is not heavy handed.
The plot is interestingly unique. The combining of common YA tropes – teen girl escapes boring life to find out she’s a chosen one, robots vs humanity, special powers, finding out the outside world is totally different from the lies you’ve grown up with – all combine together in something new. It’s almost as if the author rolled up a ball of bits of playdoh and instead of coming up with an ugly brown blob, came up with a pretty swirled marble.
Cons:
My cons are fairly nit-picky for this book. My biggest issue was editing oversights. The writing itself is mostly strong and there aren’t a lot of distracting grammatical errors, but there were three places in the text where the wrong character name was used. Once is just a blip, twice you wonder if the author changed character names and missed changing them around in places, three times and you start to feel like maybe you’re the crazy one and the author is doing it intentionally. I find continuity errors to be particularly jarring when reading, but I sometimes find them in mainstream authors’ works as well.
Related to editing, is the use of some cliché descriptions and character reactions. One character, for example, is described twice as having chiseled features. In another scene, one character shushes another by putting his finger on the other’s lips. This probably wouldn’t feel as disruptive to the flow of the narrative in a romance novel, but feels awkward in a YA fit-for-your-life post-apocalyptic story. To be fair, this is a small issue and one that I would probably not have noticed as much had I not been reading knowing I was going to post a review.
My last issue is another small one. I feel like the role of Ember, Sierra’s protective personal robot, could have been built up a bit more to make her feel like a more important character. As it is, she seems like a bit of a throw away character whose only role is convenient plot device. Even using conversations between Sierra and other characters outside of the Sphere where she recalls specific memories with Ember would offer more background and make her feel like more of a critical piece of her life. This would also offer more opportunities for world building and character development.
The cons were definitely minor and not enough to detract from the story itself. I will be interested to see where the author takes the story in the next installment.
September 18, 2021
I'm always excited to stumble across an indie author in my genre, so I couldn't refuse the temptation when I discovered Lies the Guardians Tell.
The book follows a teen names Sierra, who lived her entire life inside a protective sphere controlled by AI bots that teach humanity they are their guardians, and that the world beyond the sphere is uninhabitable thanks to the ancients (humanity before the disaster). But when she stumbles across something that doesn't make sense, she visits her old friend for answers. Instead, she watches from a distance as the guardians kill her friend, forcing Sierra to flee the sphere to survive.
But the outside world isn't what she was told. Sierra makes new friends and discovers that she is different not because she came from the sphere, but because some special power lives within her. So she has to help protect the remnants of humanity existing outside of the sphere -- before the guardians kill them all off for good.
What I liked:
This post-apocalyptic world is fantastic. The imagery made it clear where Sierra and friends were before the author even told me. The desolation and destruction left behind in the wake of the 200-year-old war is evident. The depth of characters and worldbuilding ... well it was without a doubt the best part of the book.
I also liked that there was something special about Sierra and Wil. While we don't get direct answers as to what happened or why the author does drop some hints. I expect to learn more about this in the next book.
And Rhys ... I have to say I have not enjoyed a male protagonist as much as Rhys in a long time. Something about him really stuck with me. It still does. While parts of his story were a bit predictable, Rhys, as a character, was by far my favorite. If Steuernagel kills him in any of the books to come, I will be seriously peeved!
What I didn't like:
Okay, so if I'm being totally honest, I felt like the author told me too much instead of just letting the context allow things to unfold. The book was ripe with what my beta readers call RUE (Resist the Urge to Explain). Instead of letting us see the tension between characters unfold, he told us that something was happening instead ("the attraction was evident" for example). This happened with character interaction, dialogue, and inner thoughts. Not that it ruined the story, but it jumped out at me quite a bit.
Sometimes the dialogue was a bit confusing. Not because I didn't understand what was being said, but because there were no dialogue tags for pages between several characters. A little bit of grounding goes a long way.
Overall:
Lies the Guardians Tell is a fantastic world with constant danger and fantastic characters. It's like Breathe meets The Testing with an I-Robot splash -- if the robots won the first war. It sucked me in right off the bat and I had a hard time putting it down. I'm typically not a fast reader, and it takes me about a month to finish a book. I finished this in just a few days.
I give this book 4 stars, mostly because the worldbuilding really blew me away, and I honestly believe it deserves more than 3 stars. Maybe 3.5. And the only thing holding this book back is what I have already explained: the lack of grounding in dialogue and RUE.
I am definitely looking forward to the second book in the series, Secrets of the Sphere, which it looks like will release on April 13, 2021. Before seeing the title, I expected the second book to transfer us to San Francisco where the battle for freedom would continue. Now I'm curious what sort of secrets Sierra and gang will uncover.
I received this copy in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows a teen names Sierra, who lived her entire life inside a protective sphere controlled by AI bots that teach humanity they are their guardians, and that the world beyond the sphere is uninhabitable thanks to the ancients (humanity before the disaster). But when she stumbles across something that doesn't make sense, she visits her old friend for answers. Instead, she watches from a distance as the guardians kill her friend, forcing Sierra to flee the sphere to survive.
But the outside world isn't what she was told. Sierra makes new friends and discovers that she is different not because she came from the sphere, but because some special power lives within her. So she has to help protect the remnants of humanity existing outside of the sphere -- before the guardians kill them all off for good.
What I liked:
This post-apocalyptic world is fantastic. The imagery made it clear where Sierra and friends were before the author even told me. The desolation and destruction left behind in the wake of the 200-year-old war is evident. The depth of characters and worldbuilding ... well it was without a doubt the best part of the book.
I also liked that there was something special about Sierra and Wil. While we don't get direct answers as to what happened or why the author does drop some hints. I expect to learn more about this in the next book.
And Rhys ... I have to say I have not enjoyed a male protagonist as much as Rhys in a long time. Something about him really stuck with me. It still does. While parts of his story were a bit predictable, Rhys, as a character, was by far my favorite. If Steuernagel kills him in any of the books to come, I will be seriously peeved!
What I didn't like:
Okay, so if I'm being totally honest, I felt like the author told me too much instead of just letting the context allow things to unfold. The book was ripe with what my beta readers call RUE (Resist the Urge to Explain). Instead of letting us see the tension between characters unfold, he told us that something was happening instead ("the attraction was evident" for example). This happened with character interaction, dialogue, and inner thoughts. Not that it ruined the story, but it jumped out at me quite a bit.
Sometimes the dialogue was a bit confusing. Not because I didn't understand what was being said, but because there were no dialogue tags for pages between several characters. A little bit of grounding goes a long way.
Overall:
Lies the Guardians Tell is a fantastic world with constant danger and fantastic characters. It's like Breathe meets The Testing with an I-Robot splash -- if the robots won the first war. It sucked me in right off the bat and I had a hard time putting it down. I'm typically not a fast reader, and it takes me about a month to finish a book. I finished this in just a few days.
I give this book 4 stars, mostly because the worldbuilding really blew me away, and I honestly believe it deserves more than 3 stars. Maybe 3.5. And the only thing holding this book back is what I have already explained: the lack of grounding in dialogue and RUE.
I am definitely looking forward to the second book in the series, Secrets of the Sphere, which it looks like will release on April 13, 2021. Before seeing the title, I expected the second book to transfer us to San Francisco where the battle for freedom would continue. Now I'm curious what sort of secrets Sierra and gang will uncover.
I received this copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2021
This time, however, there was a fifth word added to the list. She had to do a double take at the answer to ensure she was reading it correctly.
Liar.
Lies the Guardians Tell is another one of those books that starts really promising, but then gets lost in the immensity of the story it's trying to tell. As Sierra, one of our main characters, is gearing up for the test that will decide her role in society, the questions she's been asking for most of her life amp up in their intensity and push her out of the comfortable world she's always lived in.
Honestly, up until that point, I was really into this - I read an excerpt before deciding to take a change on this ARC, and that really drew me in. But I really had to struggle my way through the rest of it. Part of that is my personal issue with large ensemble casts, which always leave me confused as to who's who. Part of it was the often clunky exposition, and how, every time we change POV, the events that happened before are kind of summarized with the addition of the current character's feelings, even when they were obvious by that character’s reaction and/or personality.
It made reading feel more like a chore with information being bombarded at you everywhere, instead of following the threads of a story. It took me almost a month to read this one, because I had to switch it up with other books before I could force myself back to this one.
The writing itself bothered me as well, with paragraphs like:
Will took a moment to look at Ella. She looked tired. Bags were under her brown eyes, and her light brown hair was tied up behind her head. She was a mess. But he imagined he didn't look any better. Maybe more rested. She had the look of being up all night. Probably worried about him.
It didn't flow smoothly at all, which is another reason why it took me so long to finish this book.
Then why am I still giving two stars? For one, I think part of my issues are very personal and won't hit most other people. Two, the story itself, beyond the way it was written and presented, was actually pretty interesting.
I picked this one up as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Recommend if: You like the dystopic genre and don't mind some repetition
Avoid if: You're looking for a quick read
Content warnings: Violence, death, slave trade, assault
December 8, 2020
Reading the first dozen pages, I didn't think I was going to like this book. It seemed to be introducing a world with a lot of detail in some areas but nothing to tie it together. However, I was just impatient! It all began to unfold nicely when I got further in and I think, perhaps, it's not a bad thing because it mirrors the confusion and lack of knowledge of the people inside the Sphere.
It's a fascinating premise of AI becoming more powerful than its creators and I loved the history of the cataclysmic event, which was revealed piece by piece as the story developed. There's a great insight into human nature as well, with people banding together based on their deepest personality traits (are you a fighter? do you desire to be protected? do you have an intolerance of injustice? do you like to be in charge?) and this is something I really love in a book: great understanding of the psychological and emotional lives of the characters.
I really connected with the main characters although that's not to say I necessarily liked them. Every character has, just as in 'real life', some flaws that make them less than desirable. This serves to make them more 'real' but might not be to the taste of readers who like their protagonists to be the light to the dark.
The storyline flows at a really good pace. It didn't take me long to finish the book but that's not to say it's short. I found myself really looking forward to the spare minutes where I could pick up my Kindle and advance a few pages.
I'm actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I think it has become one of my favourites of the year despite my early misgivings. I'm really eager to read book 2 and see how this world progresses.
I'm really grateful to have received an ARC of this book because I really do rate it. I hope, by choosing to write a review, that I can help you decide if this is the right book for you as well. However, my own opinion would definitely be that, if you have an interest in this genre, you're unlikely to go far wrong here.
It's a fascinating premise of AI becoming more powerful than its creators and I loved the history of the cataclysmic event, which was revealed piece by piece as the story developed. There's a great insight into human nature as well, with people banding together based on their deepest personality traits (are you a fighter? do you desire to be protected? do you have an intolerance of injustice? do you like to be in charge?) and this is something I really love in a book: great understanding of the psychological and emotional lives of the characters.
I really connected with the main characters although that's not to say I necessarily liked them. Every character has, just as in 'real life', some flaws that make them less than desirable. This serves to make them more 'real' but might not be to the taste of readers who like their protagonists to be the light to the dark.
The storyline flows at a really good pace. It didn't take me long to finish the book but that's not to say it's short. I found myself really looking forward to the spare minutes where I could pick up my Kindle and advance a few pages.
I'm actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I think it has become one of my favourites of the year despite my early misgivings. I'm really eager to read book 2 and see how this world progresses.
I'm really grateful to have received an ARC of this book because I really do rate it. I hope, by choosing to write a review, that I can help you decide if this is the right book for you as well. However, my own opinion would definitely be that, if you have an interest in this genre, you're unlikely to go far wrong here.
January 23, 2022
Fast paced, well-developed characters and stunning, intricate world-building make this a very fun read. Not my usual genre but enjoyed!
April 17, 2021
Great start to a trilogy.
Well written. Great characters and they develop as the story progresses which is nice. Other characters that are introduced make sense as their back stories are revealed. This story was a pleasure to read.
Well written. Great characters and they develop as the story progresses which is nice. Other characters that are introduced make sense as their back stories are revealed. This story was a pleasure to read.
October 26, 2021
I sat staring at the rating bar for awhile trying to decide whether to give 3 or 4 stars. As you can see, I chose 3 stars. But it wasn't an easy decision.
The storyline was full of tropes, but ultimately I say ... who cares. It's how those tropes and characters are handled that are important to me. Most of us have read books or seen movies where the 'chosen one' leaves a world in which they've been lied to and then discovers another world that has been hidden from them, but I found 'Lies the Guardians Tell' an interesting take on some of the well-worn tropes. And it didn't waste time dwelling on the world where Sierra lived before throwing her into the action and mystery of the world outside. The author spent the right amount of time in the Sphere to let me know what it was, how life was, and let me understand just enough so when Sierra left, there was still some mystery. As she progressed through the 'new world', secrets of the Sphere were still released which stopped the storyline from being an info dump- which too many sci-fi/fantasy books do at the beginning of their series. So, kudos to the author for that. It made me want to read on.
I enjoyed the main characters. They're diverse and interesting, and I'm sure more will be learned about them in future books in the series. As it is, there is enough about them to make them feel complete but yet still hold some mystery and secrets. Which, we the readers will learn as the characters learn more about themselves throughout the series. This makes for a satisfying ending to the book, but leaves doors open to make you want to read on in the series.
What held back the 4 star rating was the repetitiveness. At first I thought the author had a very good grasp of the 'Herald Character'- the character used to recap what has happened, what has to happen and the doom they are to face, but after awhile some of these re-caps became very repetitive. Yes, Sierra only has 2 friends. Yes, Rhys was rude to her when they met. Yes, it's a hard life outside the Sphere. When shown these things, it's not so bad, but sometimes the author simply re-told the reader these things over and over again and my eyes would actually skim the lines on the page. That's not good. But it was never enough to distract me from reading on.
When a book makes me still think about it after putting it down, or I find myself thinking about it while doing other things, and most importantly I can see the story playing out in my head like a movie, I know it was a good story. And 'Lies the Guardians Tell' did all that for me. Which is to say, the author did a damn fine job creating a world I could clearly envision because I had no problems picturing it all play out in my head. There were plenty of compelling plot threads that had me in suspense, and enough intriguing concepts to make me think ... 'hmmm, interesting, what if...' So for me, this was a very good read. The only downfall of this book comes from its editing. Not that it was horrific editing, but it could have used another set of eyes to help clean up some of the clutter that slowed the story down in certain, (albeit sporadic) places.
I found this book reminiscent of the 'Partials' series by Dan Wells. The only other YA series I have ever read, and a very good series in my opinion. I will definitely being reading on the series.
The storyline was full of tropes, but ultimately I say ... who cares. It's how those tropes and characters are handled that are important to me. Most of us have read books or seen movies where the 'chosen one' leaves a world in which they've been lied to and then discovers another world that has been hidden from them, but I found 'Lies the Guardians Tell' an interesting take on some of the well-worn tropes. And it didn't waste time dwelling on the world where Sierra lived before throwing her into the action and mystery of the world outside. The author spent the right amount of time in the Sphere to let me know what it was, how life was, and let me understand just enough so when Sierra left, there was still some mystery. As she progressed through the 'new world', secrets of the Sphere were still released which stopped the storyline from being an info dump- which too many sci-fi/fantasy books do at the beginning of their series. So, kudos to the author for that. It made me want to read on.
I enjoyed the main characters. They're diverse and interesting, and I'm sure more will be learned about them in future books in the series. As it is, there is enough about them to make them feel complete but yet still hold some mystery and secrets. Which, we the readers will learn as the characters learn more about themselves throughout the series. This makes for a satisfying ending to the book, but leaves doors open to make you want to read on in the series.
What held back the 4 star rating was the repetitiveness. At first I thought the author had a very good grasp of the 'Herald Character'- the character used to recap what has happened, what has to happen and the doom they are to face, but after awhile some of these re-caps became very repetitive. Yes, Sierra only has 2 friends. Yes, Rhys was rude to her when they met. Yes, it's a hard life outside the Sphere. When shown these things, it's not so bad, but sometimes the author simply re-told the reader these things over and over again and my eyes would actually skim the lines on the page. That's not good. But it was never enough to distract me from reading on.
When a book makes me still think about it after putting it down, or I find myself thinking about it while doing other things, and most importantly I can see the story playing out in my head like a movie, I know it was a good story. And 'Lies the Guardians Tell' did all that for me. Which is to say, the author did a damn fine job creating a world I could clearly envision because I had no problems picturing it all play out in my head. There were plenty of compelling plot threads that had me in suspense, and enough intriguing concepts to make me think ... 'hmmm, interesting, what if...' So for me, this was a very good read. The only downfall of this book comes from its editing. Not that it was horrific editing, but it could have used another set of eyes to help clean up some of the clutter that slowed the story down in certain, (albeit sporadic) places.
I found this book reminiscent of the 'Partials' series by Dan Wells. The only other YA series I have ever read, and a very good series in my opinion. I will definitely being reading on the series.
November 27, 2020
Sierra and Wil lived in the safety of a force field dome that kept out the toxic fumes and dust that was all that was left of the world. The force field was maintained by the Guardians of Earth; AIs that had been programmed by ‘the ancients’ to protect and guide the last remnants of humanity. But Sierra had reached the age of 18 and was about to sit the final exam, the LPE, which would decide what her role in her society would be. The problem was that she, and her fellow classmates, had already been given practice tests and Sierra had made a most disturbing discovery. It didn’t matter which answer she gave to any of the multiple choice questions, her results were always the same. She knew that no matter what answers she gave she would follow her mother and father in working on the Core! This, the final exam, was a sham! Knowing this she also knew that she had to do it anyway and so she turned to the first question. But this time the multiple choice questions had different answers, one of which was that the Guardians were liars! Always the options included the answer ‘the Guardians protect us’ not that they were liars! She became so confused that she didn’t do the test at all and left in a daze. She had so many questions but was never able to get anyone to answer. Her mother was always too tired since losing her husband and oldest daughter and having to work to fill her dead husband’s quota. Ember, her companion was an AI and what Sierra said to her was the same as saying it to the Guardian network. She had only one person she could ask, Greata, a farmer.
Wil, was in the same graduating class as Sierra but they had never really known one another. He was usually off somewhere with his friend Marco but today he was also staring off into nowhere.
So, how do these two young people find themselves on the run, outside the dome? Facing perils that they were totally unprepared for. What was the importance of the pendant that Greata gave to Sierra. What powers did these two youngsters have that had the Guardians running scared?
This is a good post apocalyptic story that has many questions answered but even more unanswered! The author shows the best and the worst of human nature although I’m sure that many will disagree with his vision. That’s what books are for, to open our minds to possibilities, to make us think. A good YA novel.
Wil, was in the same graduating class as Sierra but they had never really known one another. He was usually off somewhere with his friend Marco but today he was also staring off into nowhere.
So, how do these two young people find themselves on the run, outside the dome? Facing perils that they were totally unprepared for. What was the importance of the pendant that Greata gave to Sierra. What powers did these two youngsters have that had the Guardians running scared?
This is a good post apocalyptic story that has many questions answered but even more unanswered! The author shows the best and the worst of human nature although I’m sure that many will disagree with his vision. That’s what books are for, to open our minds to possibilities, to make us think. A good YA novel.
December 2, 2020
YA Readers will enjoy this debut - part adventure, part sci-fi mystery, part coming of age. Growing up in an isolated community called "The Sphere" two teens quickly learn that life is not altogether what they've been told. Leaving under stressful and tragic circumstances it is confirmed as they encounter a thriving world in what they had been taught was devastation.
As they become acquainted with a whole community of others on the "Outside" of the Sphere, they quickly realize they have a common foe...anything mechanical - namely hords of "bots" who have domination and anniliation at their core programming. Can they work successfully to survive the Onyx?
Their travels take them to a large city... Or what remains of a city (Vegas) where bandits, looters, and a whole population of underground surviving descendants of the "ancients" try to get by. The plot thickens as Sierra and Will become victims of treachery - they pose a threat to those wanting control, but no one knows why.
Lots of foder for sci-fi buffs, I enjoyed the story but felt a little let down as the story closes with obvious cliff hanger innuendo and no satisfaction to the main protagonist's part in resolving the plot. I might also suggest another read through for edits of missed words and grammar, but most kids won't notice that too much I don't think.
Well done but I probably won't pick up the next one.
As they become acquainted with a whole community of others on the "Outside" of the Sphere, they quickly realize they have a common foe...anything mechanical - namely hords of "bots" who have domination and anniliation at their core programming. Can they work successfully to survive the Onyx?
Their travels take them to a large city... Or what remains of a city (Vegas) where bandits, looters, and a whole population of underground surviving descendants of the "ancients" try to get by. The plot thickens as Sierra and Will become victims of treachery - they pose a threat to those wanting control, but no one knows why.
Lots of foder for sci-fi buffs, I enjoyed the story but felt a little let down as the story closes with obvious cliff hanger innuendo and no satisfaction to the main protagonist's part in resolving the plot. I might also suggest another read through for edits of missed words and grammar, but most kids won't notice that too much I don't think.
Well done but I probably won't pick up the next one.
April 12, 2021
Book Sirens gave me the opportunity to read an ARC of “Lies the Guardians Tell” by Herman Steuernagel in return for an honest review.
This is the author’s promising debut, a YA dystopian novel, where two teens, Sierra and Wil, escape the Sphere, where they lived their entire lives. They are controlled by AI bots that claim that Outside is a toxic environment where humans cannot abide. When they do get there, they discover the bright sunshine instead of a toxic fog, but also the desolation and destruction left behind after a war that took place 200 years earlier. In this post-apocalyptic world, Sierra discovers that she has a special power.
I was not convinced I was going to like it at first, but it definitely grew on me. I liked the fact that there was no explicit violence in the book, which, as it is YA, makes it all the more enjoyable.
Not only the protagonists are well rounded, believable, characters, the secondary ones are as well. The story is flowing at a steady pace and keeps you wanting to continue reading.
This book does not quite deserve 4 stars, but 3 stars does not do it justice. Pity there is no 3.5. I understand this is the first book of a series. Therefore I am looking forward to the next instalment.
This is the author’s promising debut, a YA dystopian novel, where two teens, Sierra and Wil, escape the Sphere, where they lived their entire lives. They are controlled by AI bots that claim that Outside is a toxic environment where humans cannot abide. When they do get there, they discover the bright sunshine instead of a toxic fog, but also the desolation and destruction left behind after a war that took place 200 years earlier. In this post-apocalyptic world, Sierra discovers that she has a special power.
I was not convinced I was going to like it at first, but it definitely grew on me. I liked the fact that there was no explicit violence in the book, which, as it is YA, makes it all the more enjoyable.
Not only the protagonists are well rounded, believable, characters, the secondary ones are as well. The story is flowing at a steady pace and keeps you wanting to continue reading.
This book does not quite deserve 4 stars, but 3 stars does not do it justice. Pity there is no 3.5. I understand this is the first book of a series. Therefore I am looking forward to the next instalment.
December 1, 2020
💙💖😱 Very entertaining
SIERRA sits at an examination table thinking about the answers to be noted on her copy.
Her fate is in her hands, because she does not want to face the same fate as her parents.
But does she have a choice in the end ?
---------------
Very good post-apocalyptic youth dystopia that tells the unexpected adventures of the young Sierra.
While she believes in the words of the Guardians (robots supposed to protect surviving humans in protective spheres), several events will force her to flee the protective dome.
Between new encounters, danger and hope, Sierra tries to survive...
A very entertaining novel to read !
Can't wait for the rest !
SIERRA sits at an examination table thinking about the answers to be noted on her copy.
Her fate is in her hands, because she does not want to face the same fate as her parents.
But does she have a choice in the end ?
---------------
Very good post-apocalyptic youth dystopia that tells the unexpected adventures of the young Sierra.
While she believes in the words of the Guardians (robots supposed to protect surviving humans in protective spheres), several events will force her to flee the protective dome.
Between new encounters, danger and hope, Sierra tries to survive...
A very entertaining novel to read !
Can't wait for the rest !
January 28, 2021
I enjoyed this story! I was intrigued from the beginning, and though some parts of it felt slow, I was able to push through them and enjoy the relationships between the characters develop. It had some reveals that were so pleasing to finally put together.
As I said before, It was slow in some places, and I wished I knew a bit more about the POV characters beliefs/core memories/hearts desires.
The writing also sometimes drew me out of the story with an awkward sentence. But it wasn't enough to affect the story too much.
**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.**
As I said before, It was slow in some places, and I wished I knew a bit more about the POV characters beliefs/core memories/hearts desires.
The writing also sometimes drew me out of the story with an awkward sentence. But it wasn't enough to affect the story too much.
**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.**
December 21, 2021
A good dystopian story idea with a large cast and extensive plot. I couldn't quite get behind any of the characters, their development was either not significant enough or a bit inconsistent for me. Dialogue felt awkward at times and I found the book exposition heavy. The story explores some of the darker sides of humanity in a world-ending scenario quite well, but a few too many lucky escapes by those involved reduced the impact and consequences of those threads.
January 11, 2021
A lovely dystopian novel. 2 teenagers end up fleeing the autocratic city which is a bubble; to their surprise there are others, some friends, some foes and traitors, in the arid world they encounter.
This is a well developed first novel of a series that I particularly enjoyed as it does not leave the reader with a cliffhanger. It is a complete story with many twists on its own.
This is a well developed first novel of a series that I particularly enjoyed as it does not leave the reader with a cliffhanger. It is a complete story with many twists on its own.
December 3, 2020
A good book, a pity it was so short.
Mainly about Sierra a young girl who lives in a world protected by a dome.
But is it real or has she been hoodwinked.
You well have to read it to find out.
This story is easy to read and hard to put down.....
Mainly about Sierra a young girl who lives in a world protected by a dome.
But is it real or has she been hoodwinked.
You well have to read it to find out.
This story is easy to read and hard to put down.....
December 10, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It took a little bit to actually get into the book, but once I did it was a good post apocalyptic story. I can wait to read the next one to see how it turns out for everyone.
I received a free copy for a honest review.
I received a free copy for a honest review.
January 23, 2021
This is an entertaining story. Action packed with interesting characters. Some violence but nothing gory. Also no graphic sexual content. I recommend it for all ages. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 21, 2021
Received as a review copy, this is an honest review. This brilliant dystopian novel may be written with a dark tone surrounding it; but it's in the characters and their fiery determination to change the fate of their world that shines a light through its haunting narrative. Recommended.
May 25, 2022
So this book started really slow. After 4 chapters I wasn't sure if I would be able to finish. But I decided to try 1 more chapter. I was hooked. The plot kept moving, and the characters were well done. I think this book is an interesting take on technology and how it can affect our lives.
February 19, 2023
In this book, Herman has created a world in which I was delighted to explore. Not being a huge science fiction fan, my mind has now been opened to a great genre. Everything from the characters to the bots, this all entertained and had me turning the pages. Great read!
November 25, 2020
Well written book about a young girls that has been brainwashed into thinking that outside the cities Dome that you can not survive. Would like to see this as a longer book
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