By Rachel Caine
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Source: Publisher
Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.
Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.
When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn.…
When I saw that Rachel Caine had a new series coming out, I was super excited. Who didn't fall in love with the Morganville Vampire series? I remember getting them from the library in high school as they were coming out. I couldn't wait to see what Rachel Caine had for us next with the Great Library of Alexandria!
As the greatest container of knowledge in the world, the Great Library of Alexandria has a presence in every city and closely guards it's precious source of knowledge through books. The Library is able to give others access to the content of the greatest works in history, but personal possession of books is forbidden. Jess Brightwell has grown up in a family whose business is stealing books and selling them in the black market. Jess's family sends him to the very heart of the library to spy, but as he enters training, Jess isn't so sure who his loyalty lies with anymore and how great the Great Library really is after all.
Okay, I have to start off by saying that since this book is so unique, it definitely takes a lot of focus and attention in order to understand the world it takes place in. This book takes place in the future, but it seems so much like the past because the Great Library has survived and copies of books don't exist. Literally only first copies of rare books exist, so no one is allowed to have originals. That's where Jess comes in. Wow. He definitely has lived a unique life helping his family sell books in the black market, only to pass an extremely difficult test to enter a "competition" to become a part of the Great Library itself. I loved the competition aspect of this book and how there were over 30 people sent to the actual Great Library to study and learn how to become good enough to protect and work for the library. The other contestants were all determined to be one of the final 6 chosen and I was on the edge of my seat when there was the threat of elimination. I didn't know who, whether it was Jess or anyone else, was going to be in the final six.
Since this book takes a lot of attention to understand, I thought that the beginning was slow and took awhile to get into. But when Jess went to the Great Library to compete, I definitely got into this book and the characters and the secrets the library was holding. And holy cow, talk about secrets! Seriously, there were so many secrets going on in this book and you still don't know all of the answers by the end. Oh, and I can't write a review without talking about the romance! I was reading reading reading and was so sad that there wasn't going to be any romance. Then, BOOM, someone shows up and it's such an intense relationship with Jess. YAY ROMANCE.
In the end, I ended up really enjoying this very unique, heart-pumping story. The characters were all so vibrant and added their own little element into Jess's story. Jess's character was definitely complex with his family history and then his love for and value of books and the library. I would definitely recommend this one, but I warn you to hang on for the slower beginning fifty pages before the action picks up.
As the greatest container of knowledge in the world, the Great Library of Alexandria has a presence in every city and closely guards it's precious source of knowledge through books. The Library is able to give others access to the content of the greatest works in history, but personal possession of books is forbidden. Jess Brightwell has grown up in a family whose business is stealing books and selling them in the black market. Jess's family sends him to the very heart of the library to spy, but as he enters training, Jess isn't so sure who his loyalty lies with anymore and how great the Great Library really is after all.
Okay, I have to start off by saying that since this book is so unique, it definitely takes a lot of focus and attention in order to understand the world it takes place in. This book takes place in the future, but it seems so much like the past because the Great Library has survived and copies of books don't exist. Literally only first copies of rare books exist, so no one is allowed to have originals. That's where Jess comes in. Wow. He definitely has lived a unique life helping his family sell books in the black market, only to pass an extremely difficult test to enter a "competition" to become a part of the Great Library itself. I loved the competition aspect of this book and how there were over 30 people sent to the actual Great Library to study and learn how to become good enough to protect and work for the library. The other contestants were all determined to be one of the final 6 chosen and I was on the edge of my seat when there was the threat of elimination. I didn't know who, whether it was Jess or anyone else, was going to be in the final six.
Since this book takes a lot of attention to understand, I thought that the beginning was slow and took awhile to get into. But when Jess went to the Great Library to compete, I definitely got into this book and the characters and the secrets the library was holding. And holy cow, talk about secrets! Seriously, there were so many secrets going on in this book and you still don't know all of the answers by the end. Oh, and I can't write a review without talking about the romance! I was reading reading reading and was so sad that there wasn't going to be any romance. Then, BOOM, someone shows up and it's such an intense relationship with Jess. YAY ROMANCE.
In the end, I ended up really enjoying this very unique, heart-pumping story. The characters were all so vibrant and added their own little element into Jess's story. Jess's character was definitely complex with his family history and then his love for and value of books and the library. I would definitely recommend this one, but I warn you to hang on for the slower beginning fifty pages before the action picks up.
So in a sense it is almost like The Librarian movies and tv series but a bit more serious ..... I definitely want it.
ReplyDeleteGreat review:)
Aparajita @Le' Grande Codex
Um, a boy from a thriving illegal family business of stealing books, appreciates knowledge, THE ALEXANDRIAN LIBRARY, and intense romance? YES PLEASE.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this book!
Esty @ Boarding with Books
I'm so excited for this one! Everything about this book sounds amazing but I'm really glad to hear that there's romance (because I freaking love romance). Awesome review!
ReplyDeleteZareena @ The Slanted Bookshelf
This sounds lovely key such an interesting story line. I too liked the Morganville vampires
ReplyDelete