"Sleeping Giants" by Sylvain Neuvel (BR)

[Soo]

Sleeping Giants Buddy Read

April 27th Start Date

We'll start reading the book on the 27th and discuss as we go along. If this one turns out to be good, we should plan to read the other books in the series.

Book Blurb:

A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square-shaped hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand.

Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved - the object's origins, architects, and purpose unknown.

But some can never stop searching for answers.

Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top-secret team to crack the hand's code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the relic they seek. What's clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unravelling history's most perplexing discovery-and finally figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction?

[Cheryl]

Ok it was already on my list, so I've borrowed it from my library... I'll probably have to renew but I wanted to make sure I didn't wind up on the end of a long waiting list either.

[Jonathan]

Loving this book so far. At first I thought the interview format would be distracting, but now it just reads like any other dialogue-heavy writing.

[Hayley]

I love this series so much

[Soo]

It's so good in audio format! I believe there are four different narrators and they all have a character or two. Depending on how this one ends, I'll dive straight into #2.

I'm about 50%.

For anyone that's there or have read the series:

Ryan - (view spoiler)[I think the alien device put it in Ryan's head to hurt Vincent. (hide spoiler)]

I love how passionately the characters are driven to make an alien artifact work.

There are some plot holes but I'm having a lot of fun just going with what's happening thus far.

[Jonathan]

"I'm about 50%."

Same here! I'm enjoying the pace at which we learn more about the artifact, while spending good time getting to know the characters. I really like this badass pilot (Kara, I think?). And the interviewer/unnamed-guy that's apparently running things. I'm curious to see if we learn exactly who he works for at some point.

"There are some plot holes but I'm having a lot of fun just going with what's happening thus far."


Oh I'm curious to hear them, if you don't think they're spoilers. I haven't picked up on any, myself.

[Soo]

You mean super duper annoying guy that knows everything man? =D

We should give him a nickname.

I actually like how all of them are gathered up, gelled and explode.

So, it's a bunch of smart people and I'm glad they're really into putting together the Sleeping Giant. It's curious that the robot is a female form of some sort. Yet there's not a whole lot of discussion about how dangerous this tech may be or how they will deal with it.

[Cheryl]

Ah, thanks for the reminder. I'll go ahead and dnf the book I was struggling with and go to this. :)

[Soo]

Anyone else feel like they're reading a YA SF?

Finished #1 and it was an entertaining ride! I'm going to dive right into #2. So... I have issues with some of the plot points but I like the book overall.

Will love to discuss as you guys get into it!

[Soo]

For those that are interested, the short stories are available online to read. I'm checking out the first one now. Curious to see what it will add to the story.

[Soo]

I keep thinking about the X-Files. Anyone else?

Also, I read File002 & File247. They were entertaining.

[Poonam]

I loved this book!

[Soo]

Ya'll make sure to read the last short story if you've already read the series. =)

I enjoyed the ride. It was highly entertaining.

[Poonam]

The Test? It was certainly interesting. Didn't end where I thought it would.

[Poonam]

oh there is a new short story in the series!

[Soo]

File N°2491 is the last short. =)

Did ya read it?

[Soo]

If you enjoyed this series, I recommend Illuminae #1. It's done in a similar style and I enjoyed it a lot.

[Cheryl]

So, I'm almost halfway. It certainly is engaging.

It's got that Sense of Wonder and What If that I have been reading SF for over the last 5 decades, approaches missing from a lot of modern SF. Bonus, interesting characters, even if they are, so far, a little tropey.

I admit the author is successfully 'playing' me. I'm rooting for Kara and the rest, but even more so for Ryan. And I'm intrigued by unnamed resource-rich guy (though a little annoyed that it's a guy cuz wouldn't it be cool if the author had made the powerful being a female?). And I'm speculating the heck out of the 'robot' as they're calling it. And nodding along with the social and political commentary.

But oh... oh I don't know what I'll do if this doesn't stand alone. I'll be annoyed, that's sure. Will I read sequels, or just look for spoilers for them so I can know what happens? Dunno.

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

The first book can standalone. I'm actually tempted to recommend abandoning the series after the first book despite liking the second story. The second book doesn't have the same sense of wonder. Though it does have a mystery it's not quite so endearing.

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

Also, 'Never root for Ryan' is a popular saying the world over for good reason. They're all villainous!

[Soo]

Cheryl, I would recommend reading #2 and stopping there. I'm with Ryan about #1 being the best book of the batch.

Also, Never Root for Ryan! Haahahah LOL - That poor guy.

A lot of the questions raised in the books do not get addressed & that made me take certain things less seriously but, honestly, I totally do see this series as a X-Files/Men-in-Black/Pacific Rim (Mechas).

[Cheryl]

Thanks for the suggestions about continuing the series.

I dunno about plot holes or anything but would like to read reports from those of you who did spot them.

I really would like dates on the files. Or more clues in the interviews. All I can see are a couple of "and that took three months" and "his surgery is being prepped now." Any ideas on how long things are taking? I think the president is the same person atm....

[Soo]

There are spots where how much time has passed do get addressed. I can't recall offhand.

I love "Mr Man" aka Mr Gray aka Mr Black aka Mr Knows everything. lol

You should enjoy the stories and come back to chat it all up. That way we can take apart the story or not at leisure. =D

[Cheryl]

Ok I'm done. Where'd everyone go? I really liked, it but I think I'm done. My highlights include:

20 million soldiers dead in WWII
(Google says 75 M total, 3% of world population.
I think that kinda puts the current pandemic in perspective.)

File number 211 has an interesting discussion about how media including violent video-games and, presumably, SF, desensitizes audiences and so we're unlikely to react with mass hysteria to anything like aliens revealing themselves or whatever.

Got a few more clues. Including the clue that nameless guy isn't always keeping track. (File 229) I still want more.

[Cheryl]

More:

"You'd be surprised how hard it is to fit God and aliens in the same sentence without sounding corny." Heck, I'd had hopes that if we met ET we'd have a lot more ppl become atheists. Oh well.

"in 1963 Kennedy did offer the cooperate with Moscow to reach the moon." Is that true, does anyone know?

Also, is it true that North Korea has faked nuclear testing by blowing up "a whole lot of explosives underground?"

And all through I admire the way the author played me, even though it did take me out of total immersion. For example, the way we were invited to feel some humanity from nameless guy, and then he'd reveal his ruthlessly logical pragmatism again.

[Cheryl]

Definitely had the Sense of Wonder. Also the What If, but in this case it's somewhat more 'what if some brilliant guy with resources out the wazoo made this find' rather than 'what if this find were made.'

I assume later books will have more of the more traditional What If as in the effects of the find on governments, citizens, social order, etc. If they don't, I'm def. not interested in reading further, as I really like the way this came together and ended. No spoilers or even hints for the next books though, please!

To clarify, I did read the whole first book and am glad that I did.

[Soo]

How far did you get? I read all of the books & shorts.

[Soo]

1st book is the best. It holds the most impact because you don't feel the need to explain certain things in that one. Well, I was okay going with the flow because there was enough happening that I put my questions on the back burner. Definitely had a great "What if" and sense of discovery.

The characters were awesome. Good and bad. They made the whole thing click and work.

[Ed]

Soo wrote: "1st book is the best. ..."

Myself, I gave more stars to books 2 and 3. I didn't know about the extra "Files". I think I'll give those a look someday.

[Soo]

What parts of books 2 and 3 did you enjoy? Plot flow and character wise, I enjoyed #1 the most. I thought #2 & 3 were more predictable and not as engaging because the plot elements did not stand out as active sequences or progression.

[MadProfessah]

I agree book 1 is probably the strongest but I think the entire story works well as a trilogy

[Soo]

Agreed. The short stories were nice extras. They're free to read online.

[Mystic]

Waking Gods is such a powerful sequel, the action is surged & you get so many good scenes with the best character of the series The Interviewer.

[Ed]

Soo wrote: "What parts of books 2 and 3 did you enjoy? Plot flow and character wise, I enjoyed #1 the most...."

It is a little too long ago for me to be detailed. I think I disliked 1 compared to the others because it had the most ridiculous plot device. (view spoiler)[A convenient accident that allows one character's legs to be re-built (hide spoiler)].

[Lisa]

Ed wrote: "Soo wrote: "What parts of books 2 and 3 did you enjoy? Plot flow and character wise, I enjoyed #1 the most...."

It is a little too long ago for me to be detailed. I think I disliked 1 compared to ..."

I agree with the plot device, just why? I havent read the 2nd or 3rd books but will be putting them higher on my tbr list tho'

[Mystic]

2nd book is a big improvement, give it a try!