The writing is average, not bad but too bland to stand out. Descriptions are mostly lacklustre and vague, with a lack of focus in giving the scenes more punch, shape and image. The fighting scenes about Jeremy's ability to manipulate bullet trajectories may be cool a la Wanted, but the writing makes the scenes mostly clunky and repetitive. Most of the emotional scenes that Jeremy goes through are clearly meant to make the reader sympathise with him, but the lack of detail and focus means that usually these are skimmed over very quickly; the only times these scenes aren't are when he's with his girlfriend or mother.
The first chapter stands out in having an evenly distributed pace that was not overwhelming and at least balanced out in terms of pacing. The rest of the book doesn't display this, being far too slow and longwinded in the beginning and speeding up too fast only during the climax and the denouement. The occasional infodump slows down what already is a slow story to begin with.
It was difficult to focus on what the characters felt and understand them, let alone root for them, because of how unfocused the writing was. The characters are stereotypical in personality - the cocky, confident, wiseass kid; the no-nonsense love interest; the workaholic father; the camp teacher. None of the characters seem to develop in any way throughout the course of the book. Everything they do appears to be on impulse and the writing makes it sound like we should be on their side for that.
The worldbuilding shares the same fate as the writing: uncertain, only focused in some areas. I find it difficult to believe that Jeremy pays little attention to his surroundings, for a teenager with a job that should be reserved for young adults rather than adolescents, because he seems to lack a sense of responsibility and awareness for the people working with him. What's even more disappointing is that given the world is where the government pretends it is a utopia when it really is a dystopia at individual level, it has plenty of potential for engaging material. But it's only about Jeremy's personal conflicts, and all the reader does is watch him change his opinion but never change himself.
I can only give credit to the writers for actually buckling down to write the book and having it published.
Side: Strength review
The writing is average, not bad but too bland to stand out. Descriptions are mostly lacklustre and vague, with a lack of focus in giving the scenes more punch, shape and image. The fighting scenes about Jeremy's ability to manipulate bullet trajectories may be cool a la Wanted, but the writing makes the scenes mostly clunky and repetitive. Most of the emotional scenes that Jeremy goes through are clearly meant to make the reader sympathise with him, but the lack of detail and focus means that usually these are skimmed over very quickly; the only times these scenes aren't are when he's with his girlfriend or mother.
The first chapter stands out in having an evenly distributed pace that was not overwhelming and at least balanced out in terms of pacing. The rest of the book doesn't display this, being far too slow and longwinded in the beginning and speeding up too fast only during the climax and the denouement. The occasional infodump slows down what already is a slow story to begin with.
It was difficult to focus on what the characters felt and understand them, let alone root for them, because of how unfocused the writing was. The characters are stereotypical in personality - the cocky, confident, wiseass kid; the no-nonsense love interest; the workaholic father; the camp teacher. None of the characters seem to develop in any way throughout the course of the book. Everything they do appears to be on impulse and the writing makes it sound like we should be on their side for that.
The worldbuilding shares the same fate as the writing: uncertain, only focused in some areas. I find it difficult to believe that Jeremy pays little attention to his surroundings, for a teenager with a job that should be reserved for young adults rather than adolescents, because he seems to lack a sense of responsibility and awareness for the people working with him. What's even more disappointing is that given the world is where the government pretends it is a utopia when it really is a dystopia at individual level, it has plenty of potential for engaging material. But it's only about Jeremy's personal conflicts, and all the reader does is watch him change his opinion but never change himself.
I can only give credit to the writers for actually buckling down to write the book and having it published.