Book Shelf: Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

BRIEFING NOTE: Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

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Review:

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff is the first instalment in The Illuminae Files and is a uniquely told and entrancing sci-fi adventure brimming with danger, romance and excitement.

The year is 2575 and seventeen year old Kady Grant thought the hardest thing she'd have to do would be break up with her boyfriend Ezra Grant. Then their planet is invaded. With two megacorporations at war, the battle reaches the small mining planet of Kerenza and Kady and Ezra must race to evacuate with an enemy warcraft in hot pursuit. Forced into separate spaceships, the trouble for Kady and Ezra's is just getting started. A deadly virus has broken out and the artificial intelligence responsible for protecting them may actually be another enemy. As those in charge scramble to save the fleet, Kady hacks into the systems to uncover the truth. As it soon becomes clear the only person she can rely on is the ex-boyfriend she never wanted to speak to again, Kady will need to rely on Ezra if she wants to survive and live to tell about it. 

In this exciting reading experience, authors Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff join forces to draw readers into an unparralled adventure with Illuminae, a YA sci-fi story that is told through a fascinating series of emails, reports, schematics, military files, security footage and more. It's taken me a little while to find the time to read this book but I must say; I've personally never read anything quite like Illuminae. 

Kaufman and Kristoff dare to write something different with this novel and subsequent series and while it was disconcerting at first, the uncommon narrative proves to be highly intriguing reading.  The story was one I found easy to get lost as the sharp, witty dialogue and established characters fight to survive. 

The main characters are Kady Grant and her [ex] boyfriend Ezra Mason who find themselves caught up in a war they were unprepared for when an invasion sees them take refuge on different space carriers. What happens next is a viral outbreak that threatens the fleet and Kady's determination to learn the truth about what is happening that sees her hack, search and delve into military records. 

I quite liked Kady and Ezra. Kady was was intelligent, determined and sarcastically witty while Ezra was your all-star boyfriend who was lighthearted and down to earth but who also fought the good fight. I found it interesting that Kady and Ezra were in an established relationship at the start of the novel. I'm so used to seeing characters start out as strangers and fall in love that it was refreshing to see a couple who had a history and rapor with each already.

Illuminae is very fast paced and intricately plotted. There are some developments and twists readers will simply not see coming and I can't wait to start the next novel asap and see what Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff have planned for the rest of the trilogy!

Rating: 
Source: Purchased by me
Publisher: Allen & Unwin 
Format: Paperback
Release Date: November 1st 2015
Buy: Angus & Robertson | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: A unique and thrilling read--I'm ready for more.