Week Four - I'm done!

[Rachel]

Use this post to discuss the book as a whole!

[Linda]

Wow...just when I thought the book was turning into a bit of a disappointment it does a complete 180 again!

The pace of the book was not even. I felt like there was a very sudden development in the events after the accident in Denver. The subsequent chapters seemed a little disappointing somehow. I was very interested in the "scientific" beginning driven by curiosity. I think that's what got me so excited about the book. However, when things change for the worse, this "feeling" got lost for me and turned into more of an action thriller.

The author did keep the suspense by adding all the action elements of having a "Dr Frankenstein" run the project so needless to say I kept reading.

The happy ending was also slightly pale in contrast to the strong beginning, however, the epilogue made all the difference. My curiosity has been peaked, I will most likely read the second book as well.

What I really did like, however throughout the book was the development of "Mr. Warm and Fuzzy". I have to say he's grown on me. Not so cold and threatening after all. Or so it seems...

[Solia]

That Epilogue!!! I got the sequel on hold at the library and almost cried when I got there (on a Friday), and they couldn’t find it for me. Saturday was Veterans Day so I was going to have to wait till TUESDAY to continue the story. Happy to report they found it, and I’m halfway through Waking Gods.

[Joe]

Great Book. Glad I decided to give it a try. I wasn't sure the "Interview" style would work for me, but it definitely did.
There was enough "Geek" stuff and enough global politics to keep me engaged. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I hoping for the twist in the Epiloque, but it was a pleasant surprise as to how it was done. I will be starting Waking Gods soon.

[Natalie]

I just finished the book. So I'm definitely in for book 2, Waking Gods. I even saw there is an 3rd one coming out in the first half of 2018 sometime. I enjoyed the book but couldn't believe it when Dr. Rose Franklin got killed. So when I read the Epilogue I was stoked to say the least. I'm so glad the second book is already out and I don't have to wait a year to find out how she just reappeared. My guess is that everything that is getting "zapped"/"disappearing" because of the robots energy force is going to some other location or place. That was the first thought that came to my head anyway! I am really glad I read this book!

[Colin]

I enjoyed the book, and I'm grateful for this readalong for prompting me to check it out. (Thanks for organizing, Rachel!)

I had expressed in the first thread that I wasn't convinced the book's epistolary style was better than a traditional narrative style would have been. Having reached the end, I still do believe that, and in fact I think the climatic chapters at the end of the book really reinforce it. We read about Kara and Vincent fleeing the base from a military report, and worse yet, we hear about Ryan Mitchell helping free Kara and take out the military dudes... in an awkward Q&A style format. It didn't work for me, and I think the book would've been better served by a combination of case files and first- or third-person narrative from the characters.

That's my biggest complaint about the book, but I enjoyed Sleeping Giants nevertheless. I thought the story was interesting and the characters were strong, and I liked the way Neuvel revealed the role that our unnamed interviewer had in shaping all of the events in the end. Speaking of which, as I indicated in the earlier discussions, the interviewer definitely proved to be my favorite character. Shrouded in mystery and times very cold and pragmatic, yet he seemed to show genuine affection for the other characters, not to mention the fate of humanity itself as it wrestles with the ramifications of this alien technology. Good stuff.

I'll definitely read the second book at some point.

[Daniel Ramsden]

Bit of a rollercoaster towards the end which kept me hooked but obviously meant to tease for more. I loved how all the characters were left and I look forward to the second one.

I look forward the most to seeing if the interviewer remains centre stage. And also whether these giants are a test or a genuine mistake. And what will the impact of the alien nation be...