Publication Date: 08/25/2015
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Ace
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Pages: 336
ISBN-10: 0425258165
ISBN-13: 978-0425258163
(Received for an honest review from Ace)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, itunes
Ann Aguirre on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
Books in the series:
Dred Chronicles
1. Perdition
2. Havoc
3. Breakout
Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Synopsis:
All hell is breaking loose in the edge-of-your-seat follow-up to Havoc and Perdition from New York Times bestselling author Ann Aguirre…
The prison ship Perdition has become a post-battle charnel house with only a handful of Dred’s soldiers still standing and now being hunted by Silence’s trained tongueless assassins. Forging an uneasy alliance with mercenary commander Vost—who is their only chance at escape—the Dread Queen will do whatever it takes to end her life sentence on Perdition and keep the survivors alive long enough to cobble together a transport capable of getting them off station.
If Dred and her crew can win the deadly game of cat and mouse, the payoff is not only life but freedom—a prize sweeter than their wildest dreams. Yet the sadistic Silence would rather destroy Perdition than let a single soul slip from her grasp…
Thoughts:
Breakout is the series ender for The Dred Chronicles by Ann Aguirre and what a finish it was! Aguirre has created a spin-off series from her Sirantha Jax series, that may actually top the original, a rare feat. This is a science fiction series that has everything from bloody battles to tender love scenes and the sympathetic characters in the story, just happen to be a colony of murderers. Now, if that's not unique, I don't know what is! Fantastic ending to a great series.
What I liked:
When I first started doing a lot of reading on my own and picking titles that I wanted to read for myself, science fiction was one of my favorite genres. I don't even know why. I think I can see the parallel between reading paranormal fiction and reading science fiction. Aliens versus super natural beings like weres and vamps. But I have really gotten away from reading very much in the Sci-Fi genre. There was something about The Dred Chronicles that drew me in and helped me remember why I used to like it so much. The world building is phenomenal in these kinds of books.
Ann Aguirre has created such a unique and different universe for this series. The Dred Chronicles actually centers around a penal colony full of murderers. What's more the reader is expected to like these characters, even love them to some extent. Talk about a hard premise to sell. But Aguirre makes it look like child's play. She draws the reader in with this whole idea of why these people are put in this position and what they hope to gain by getting out. She inspires a sympathy in the reader for them, before the reader even sees it coming. Amazingly done!
This is not science fiction for the faint of heart though. Breakout has several very bloody battles and Aguirre does not spare the reader the gore involved. But what's interesting about that is that it seems so natural. Like there was no other way this could have gone differently. Being the final book in the series, a lot of things needed to happen to bring about resolution for those aboard the prison ship Perdition. I think each characters ending was well thought out, planned meticulously and brought to a conclusion that befitted their situations. Not everyone got a happy ending. It's just not that kind of book. But the loose ends were tied up and the conclusion was satisfying.
We learned a lot more about Jael in this book than ever before. He started out in Aguirre's Sirantha Jax series, but he has really shined in the Dred Chronicles. Despite all of the mess everyone was going through and some of the gut wrenching scenes there was still time for a little romance. What could be more erotic or sensual to finding love when even you next few minutes were in jeopardy. I felt like Aguirre ended things in a more traditional way with this series. She gave resolution to the questions about Jael and what happened after and that was nice. I didn't want to make up my own ending this time and she didn't make me... it was amazing!
What I Didn't Like:
The pacing was a little odd at times. Certain things that happened in the story got only a few paragraphs of description and others several pages. I wanted the important things to get more time. I wanted to digest a little bit before moving on to some other soul crushing event. I think my emotions just didn't have time to catch up sometimes with this one. There were also parts that dragged a little bit, but once it all panned out, I can't really count that as a reason to give this book anything less than a 5 apple review.
Bottom Line:
If you like science fiction you can't miss this one. Breakout was amazing in just about every way. Lots of cool aliens, a ship full of murderers. Battles that will make your head spin and a universe that makes you wish this wasn't the last book in the series. I want more and I think you will too. You don't have to read the Sirantha Jax series to like this one, but you'll probably go back and read it once you figure out what a great author Aguirre is.
Breakout is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
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