Book Review: Obsidio (Illuminae Files #3)

Obsidio (Illuminae Files #3)

By: Aimee Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Published By: Allen & Unwin (Aus), Knopf (US)

Publication Date: March 13, 2018

Page Count: 615

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Source: Purchased by review

Young Adult - Sci Fi

Illuminae

Gemina (Illuminae Files #2)

The third and final instalment of the Illuminae files sees all those who survived the previous books back to take down the evil BeiTech corporation and see justice done for those who died on Kerenza IV, and in the battles since.

The action happens both back on Kerenza, where a small number of survivors are doing their best to resist the BeiTech invasion, and in space, with those who survived Gemina determined to save anyone who is left.

Asha Grant hopes her cousin, Kady, survived the invasion and made it off the planet safely, but she can't really bring herself to believe it. Rhys and Asha knew each other once, but now he's a BeiTech soldier, part of the invasion force killing and oppressing those left on Kerenza. Asha will do almost anything to help the resistance, but can she deal with her past and her feelings for Rhys now that he's the enemy?

I don't want to spoil the previous books for anyone who hasn't read them, but some of our favourites return, including everyone's favourite mass-murdering, megalomaniacal AI, AIDAN. The twists and turns, triumphs and heartbreaks throughout the story are what we've come to expect from these two authors. You can tell how much fun they had writing this book, because it is so much fun to read.

This book, and the series as a whole, would be an excellent text for a class looking at ethical systems. If I was still teaching ethics, I'd make this series required reading. There is so much to dig through on an academic level, on top of the sheer enjoyment reading it brings.

Once again Marie Lu's beautiful artwork joins the collection of emails, video transcripts, court papers, chat logs and more to create a visual feast, as well as a narrative one.

An excellent conclusion to what has been a game changing series. 5 birdies isn't enough, but it's all I have to give.

Summary:

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion? 

Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha's past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. 

With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heroes will fall, and hearts will be broken.