I received this novel as an advance copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
FINALLY! THE LAST BOOK IS HERE!
The Themis Files is one of my top science fiction series of all time! I really just love the writing style and the way the story takes so many different twists and turns! I was super stoked when the publishers let me know that the third book was ready to review, and I read this in March because I just couldn’t wait until May! Here is what I thought:
Summary (Goodreads): In her childhood, Rose Franklin accidentally discovered a giant metal hand buried beneath the ground outside Deadwood, South Dakota. As an adult, Dr. Rose Franklin led the team that uncovered the rest of the body parts which together form Themis: a powerful robot of mysterious alien origin. She, along with linguist Vincent, pilot Kara, and the unnamed Interviewer, protected the Earth from geopolitical conflict and alien invasion alike. Now, after nearly ten years on another world, Rose returns to find her old alliances forfeit and the planet in shambles. And she must pick up the pieces of the Earth Defense Corps as her own friends turn against each other.
Review: This novel left me feeling bittersweet for all the right reasons.
The story takes place 9 years after the previous book, but there is the expectation that the reader still remembers what happened from before. So if you haven’t read the previous books or you don’t remember what happened, READ THEM FIRST!
This story is once again told in a series of case files and interviews. This is a format that some may not like but I actually love it. It is just such a unique way to tell the story and it is surprising how it conveys a lot of emotion and allows the reader to connect and understand the characters. The writing style has always been one of my favourite things with this series and it continues to be so in this book, as well.
The plot for this story is slower than in the first book, but it is more than made up for by the depth of the story and all of the different connections that are made. There is so much that goes on in the story that there really is no need for a ton of action. I love the idea of the aliens, how the story mixes in politics and philosophy with science fiction, and the way the characters have grown and developed.
The only thing I didn’t like about the story was the introduction of a new character: Katherine. Now, the author has created some pretty zany characters who seem to lack depth at face value but are a lot more calculating or deep underneath. However, Katherine’s character was just too wacky for me and there wasn’t enough time in this one novel to give her any depth.
But overall, I loved this novel. I don’t want to give too much away because anything I say will be a spoiler. But this is a series worth reading. If you like science fiction and are looking for an interesting spin on a classic alien/robot story, this is one you don’t want to miss out on! I’m giving this a solid 4/5 stars!
Happy reading ~
Vee Reads 