Book: Pines & Wayward & Last Town
Year: 2012/2013/2014
Pages: 303/298/294
Part of Series: Trilogy
Reading Time: 3/4/2
Rating: 7 / 6.5 / 3 Stars
BOOK 1
When the tv series was coming out I remember watching every episode on TV (which was quite unnatural to me) and I really enjoyed the first season. Then something happened (a new season) and it was a bit crap. I didn't even knew books existed. Then last month I've watch a guy talk about the series so I crap the audiobooks while I worked (which is usually when I hear) - but in this particular case I even heard after work hours as I was so enamoured with the story.
We follow Ethan Burke as he wakes after a brutal accident in a place called Pines. His mind is not totally there and the town is pretty weird, people he finds out don't behave how a normal town should behave.
It was quite interesting to get to know why Ethan was there, how his family was handling his disappearance and a couple of other characters.
If you didn't watch the show I would advice you do it if you enjoy Twin Peaks (the original - can't talk about the sequel); x-files and one oldie called the Prisoner (back in 1968). I have no doubt Crouch inspired in all of these.
So the ending is quite brilliant and that's why I flagged with "spoilers". You get hints that something is amiss when he saw a body decomposed and unfortunately since I already watch the show I knew what was happening BUT there are hints (someone from the 80's and other from the 2010's and so on...) So humanity destroyed itself (they think) and humankind start evolving into monsters (Aby's (aberrations)) and the best part is the monologue (conversation) between Dr Jenkins and Ethan like what's more important to humankind? I know freedom is very important and most people either prefer to be killed or died without it.
So humankind died, Jenkins try to reanimate society with 80 people or so and tell them what is happening, after one year 1/3 had committed suicide, birthrate was zero and so on... if you don't a goal in life you stop living (?) so, next batch he doesn't say what is happening and people start living - although how come no one calls outside pines an such? There are some plotholes but okay.
In the end Burke decides to live with his family (the two previous times (?!) he try to leave ) and now he decides to protect his family and live the lie... Let us hope on the second because on the series he doesn't appear on season 2. I think there will be differences between, because in the series the abbies breach start slaughter everyone and Ethan sacrifices himself... SO I am very hype for season 2- sorry books 2 & 3.
BOOK 3
Well, having liked a lot of the previous two novels I thought that I would enter this one right way. This one was bad. I must say. The story builts so nicely in previous books but this one is just have one crappy ending.
I dislike the ending to the death and this is politics like it or not... would you rather live a society with less freedom but safe OR in a society where you can be free but be unsafe? That's interesting and to me there is no wrong or correct. But how come don't they criticise our main character? due to his actions, (with freedom at heart) almost 300 people died and still people would follow. The 300 people accept his ideas? That's why I don't believe communism is a viable way.
How can people cheer him on - when his way made so many people died? I don't think pitchett is any better - he after all .... piiiiiiiii spoilers BUT the other one is no hero as well.
Enfin, then the ending - they decide to go back to "sleep". Well, lets go by step -
You've got food for 4 years at most- Why sleep again and wake in another 10k years or so? It makes zero sense. Do you believe that humanity will go from humans to beasts back to humans? Do you expect aliens? Why go to sleep? How long the machines work without human supervision? They alread had work for 2k - how? did they have unlimited fuel? it's a machine that harness some unlimited energy? OK - and that machines worked for 2K years and now ill work for another 10K or 20K?
Well lets be real, humankind would never evolve or de-evolve so rapidly in 2K years. BUT LET's say it did. Now you think they will become smart in another 2K or 5K? Hmm... so why didn't they try working it out in four years of supplies (planting, starting to hunt etc and then if they couldn't - then go back to sleep? it makes zero sense.. I understand -its new it's funny - better than the tv series BUT is it worth the praise on this 3 novel? Nope. There's a reason some novels that are sequels the rating here raises from each book - it's quite normal, since usualyl 1 and 2 stars people most drop the series and then if the second deterr those people they will drop and therefore the thirrd will be the better rating - this is the normal way. On this series it started with 3.93 (100K ratings) then up to 4.13 (57K) then down 4.09 (53K). Enfin...
This will not deter me from reading a couple of other books by him but I didn't enjoy this one.
