Defiance

It took me all but 4 hours to finish this book... I was hooked. I forgot to eat my lunch, respond to the messages popping on my phone and even cut my best friend short saying I was in the middle of an awesome book and I'd call her back after I was done with Defiance. One would expect me to give it more than measly 3 stars to this book right? Even I am surprised right now.

This book started off AMAZING! I loved Rachel! I loved Logan! (Even if their relationship reminded me a lot of Riley and Beck from [b:The Demon Trapper's Daughter|8704448|The Demon Trapper's Daughter (The Demon Trappers #1)|Jana Oliver|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312008155s/8704448.jpg|13402207]) Rachel was kick-ass. She didn't take crap from anybody. Showed show more appropriate emotions at appropriate situations. Instead of adopting the common I-am-a-tough-girl-who-wants-to-save-everybody-so-I-will-do-what-I-think-is-right attitude she uses her brains and makes plans by discussing it with Logan so that they can do better together. The start of the book was really, really, really good - so good that I was sure to have a book to wave around in front of everybody saying *I have it! I have THE book that will be a new series I will agonize over and I will go totally fangirl over it for the next few weeks that everybody will wish their ears would fall off *evil laugh*"

And then everything went downhill. Somewhere along the way Rachel was replaced with Tris (from [b:Insurgent|11735983|Insurgent (Divergent, #2)|Veronica Roth|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1325667729s/11735983.jpg|15524542]). Rachel's transformation from a strong character to a puddle of self-pity almost blindsided me. The plot was replaced by that of every fucking dystopia I had the misfortune of reading which had less action and more... nothing in the plot except Rachel's whining about everything. I know some major shit blew up in her face and she has every right to be angsty but really? It felt forced... especially the romance. And to think I was grinning like an idiot in every scene when Logan and Rachel were together.

Defiance is a well-written book. The alternate POVs really worked for it. But what is really depressing is that it could have been a GOD-AWESOME-GIVE-ME-MORE-LIKE-THIS! book. Instead it settled on being just well-written. Except for the U-turn in Rachel's character (and the name 'Cursed One' - seriously? You put in a black-scaled fire breathing monster and the only name you can come up with for it is the Cursed One? I don't mean to be snarky, but really... the Cursed One??) I had no real issues with the book. There are a few plotholes, but I guess they will be addressed in the sequel.

It had been everything a YA book should be. I was just expecting more from this book and it really felt like getting of the high of the awesomeness of the first few chapters with a killer headache towards the end. show less

Where do I even begin with this book?

Rachel is basically the strongest heroine ever in so many ways. She overcomes more obstacles than I could ever imagine during the course of the novel. When Defiance starts, she's already proved she's pretty strong and loyal and brave. But during the story she grows and develops more and becomes one of the strongest heroines I've ever read. She's truly tested, emotionally and physically, and she doesn't back down, not for good. I can honestly say, I admire Rachel.

And then there's Logan who's just fantastically logical. Logan might be one of the most relatable (for me) characters I've found in YA. He's always thinking about his actions and the potential outcomes based on an action he could choose, show more which is something I find myself doing a lot. He's incredibly intelligent and clever. He's a fast learner and he knows how to get what he wants and I admire that. As we meet Logan and we see Logan through Rachel's eyes, it becomes really easy to love him.

The side characters were all really intriguing. There's the Commander, who's probably one of the most evil characters out there, to Rachel's friend, who's so sweet. Each character was developed well and I found myself loving each of them, even the Commander. I have a love/hate relationship with him that I fear is going to grow as the series goes on. But the other characters were all easy to form an attachment to, no matter how long they were in the story.

Then the story itself was incredible. Journeys and seriously evil dudes and creatures and all kinds of things. There's twists and turns and some tears had to be shed. The characters go through so much and just slhkfjdlhdh. I loved this story. I really, really did.

Then there's the fact that C.J's just an awesome writer. With so much action, the pacing had to be good to make sure we didn't get overwhelmed and it really was. It slowed down at just the right moments and gave you a breather then picked back up again. And the itself writing was just so beautiful and wonderful and I could drown myself in C.J's words and be happy.

So, basically, Defiance is awesome and I love it and it's easily one of my top books of 2012. You need to be all over this book, seriously. You won't regret it. Do it. show less

Originally reviewed at: http://www.flyleafreview.com/2012/10/book-review-defiance-by-cj-redwine.html

4.5/5 Stars

Defiance has been one of my most anticipated books of 2012 so when I received a finished copy of the book from the publisher I was BEYOND thrilled. Guys, the cover is even MORE beautiful up close! I'm not always a fan of the "pretty girl on the YA book cover" trend but this cover is shimmery and let's face it, this girl with her awesome laced up suede boots and flowing cloak is BAD ASS.

And guess what? This book and this heroine is also BAD ASS. I loved Defiance! Loved the story, loved the characters, loved the action, loved the romance, and loved the mashed-up genre of post apocalyptic /dystopic/ fantasy/ steampunk. Defiance show more is a wild ride and I enjoyed every last second of it!

Defiance is told in from the alternating POV of our heroine Rachel and her protector (and total dreamboat) Logan. Now some of you readers out there don't much care for the dual or multiple POV, and I know you have legitimate arguments as to why, but I personally LOVE it. Character and character development overrides (almost) everything when I am reading so if a character is not fleshed out enough for me, chances are the book is not going to be a favorite. So being allowed into the mind of not one but two (or more) characters is such a treat for me. In Defiance I loved the voice of both narrators, and while some reviews have complained that it was hard to distinguish between the two, I didn't have that problem at all. Rachel and Logan are two very different people in many ways, yet seem to balance each other out perfectly. I found their voices to be individual.

So are you looking for a heroine who unapologetically kicks ass and takes names? Well look no further, friends. I give you Rachel Adams, daughter of the tracker Jared Adams who has gone missing at the story's start and has been declared dead. Rachel, an only child, was raised differently than the other girls of her city-state of Baalboden. In a place where women have lost almost all basic rights afforded to them in our world today, Rachel not only trained with her father in self defense but also secretly traveled with him on his tracking assignments outside the city walls into the Wasteland. So Rachel is no wilting flower or damsel in distress. If anything she is almost too hard edged. But she loves fiercely, so when her father goes missing she is determined to escape the city to search for him.

Rachel is clever, strong and brave but she is also rash, impatient, and unforgiving. And when Rachel is wronged she will do anything to exact revenge on those responsible. So guys, you know what is so great about this type of character? She is way out of sync with the world in which she lives. Rachel's city is lorded over by a tyrannical leader known as the Commander, and trust me, he is horrible to the nth degree. In Rachel's city a woman unescorted in public is grounds for severe punishment. But Rachel bucks these constraints every chance she gets. Is that the smartest thing for her to do? Uh, no. But does it make her a character that you can totally get behind and cheer on? Absolutely.

Defiance's other narrator is Logan, the boy who has served as Rachel's father's apprentice for a number of years, basically since he was made an orphan after his mother was beaten to death for breaking the Commander's atrocious laws. I LOVE Logan. He's brilliant and seemingly unemotional and closed off but in reality he is actually filled with all sorts of hopes and dreams. Including dreams of love and dreams of vengeance, not so unlike our girl Rachel. I love smart guys in books, they exude their own kind of hotness. Logan likes to weigh the odds, and his analytic mind is always throwing out best and worse case scenarios which just made me love him even more as the story progressed. Whereas Rachel is impetuous and over-excited, Logan is calm, calculating and likes to think things through. But Logan is no sissy boy. He is actually pretty bad ass himself, he knows his way around weapons and is a whiz with explosives (YES!) In addition, he has skills that would put Houdini to shame. So in other words: he and Rachel are PERFECT for each other.

Rachel and Logan have a stormy past. Rachel bared her heart to him a few years earlier only to have him shoot her down. Well, not being someone who likes getting burned twice, she has since shut Logan out. Logan, on the other hand, cares for Rachel but feels that his future goal, which includes revenge on those responsible for murdering his mother, doesn't allow room for romance. Even romance with Rachel, who he does find to be amazing.

You know one of the things I loved most about this book? The unpredictability of it. What I mean is, yes, we know there is going to be a romance between Rachel and Logan. But you know those books you read that feature a romance and somehow there is always an obstacle thrown in their path, an obstacle that could be easily avoided had the two characters just communicated with each other? It's the type thing that makes you scream out loud in frustration. I always kind of thought this device had to be included to keep the story going. You had to have miscommunication between people in books because it made conflict arise and conflict is good, right? It's irritating to have to sit through it but it gives us a big pay off in the end, right? It's totally necessary, right? WRONG. On numerous occasions in Defiance, Rachel and Logan begin falling into that downward spiral, the one where you know what's coming next. It's going to be a big miscommunication and then we'll spend the next 100 or so pages waiting for them to work it all out. But instead, author C.J. Redwine does the unthinkable. She actually let's the two characters talk it out. She actually let's them communicate to each other and avoid a giant mess. And you know what? It works. It turns out you don't have to use that tired old ploy after all! The story keeps moving forward and nothing suffers because of it! When I read Defiance and witnessed this in action I was astounded! And THRILLED. Brava Ms. Redwine for successfully removing this predictable trope and allowing the story arc to move forward naturally and realistically! Authors, more of this please.

Defiance is DARK, folks. And what I mean is there is a EVIL man at work in Defiance. EVIL. The commander is one of the best (and by that I mean worst) villains I have read lately. He's like Voldemort bad, he manipulates and kills with complete abandon. There are moments in Defiance where I was shocked by the brutality of it. The characters of Rachel and Logan endure SO much at the hands of this man, I don't think I have ever wished a fictional character dead more in my life. It's easy to understand how they both feel the need for revenge against this person who has stripped them of so much in their young lives.

And Redwine can write some heartbreaking scenes. When Rachel loses someone very close to her she completely breaks down. I love how Redwine captured her feelings of loss, hopelessness, and fear. It made Rachel, this total kick butt warrior, vulnerable. And it's pretty spectacular when you can accomplish something like that. Especially in your first book.

There is also danger in the form of The Cursed One, a dragon -like monster that lives underground and is the reason that most of the world was destroyed years earlier. This creature, somewhat ridiculous name aside, is pretty terrifying. But honestly? The Commander, with his streak of evil more than a mile wide, is the scarier of the two.

The romance between Logan and Rachel was totally swoonworthy. There is tension and slow burn between the two, so when a breakthrough finally happen it is AWESOME. And very swoony. Again, smart guys are so hot:) Especially when they make cool gadgets! And guess what? No love triangle, woo hoo! HOWEVER. We are introduced to some secondary characters that it would seem are going to play a role in future books. And some of these characters are very interesting in their own right. Not saying that there is going to be another love interest, because how would I know? I'm just saying I have this feeling about someone.... That's all you're getting from me:)

Many of the reviews I have read of Defiance complain about the lack of world building or lack of explanation as to why and how the world came to be this way in the first place. Honestly, it didn't bother me so much. The destruction of the world as we know it was caused by these dragon creatures emerging from below ground after attempts to drill for a fuel source released them from the bowels of the earth. So there is a hint at the dangers of not taking care of our environment at work. And the fact that only pockets of civilization survived after this occurred seems logical. I think what most people have issues with is how these city-states could come under the control of people like the Commander and a dark ages of sorts (complete with the emergence of a domineering patriarchal society) ensue in such a short amount of time. I think these are all relevant questions and I hope they are investigated and answered in future installments. But does this detract so much that I didn't enjoy the book overall? Nope. I think there is a method to Redwine's madness and all shall be revealed at a later date.

Fans of cliffhangers (Ha! Like anyone really loves a cliffhanger!) will be disappointed because Defiance ends on a rather calm note. Calm but still filled with unanswered questions and dangling plot threads that will surely be examined in the future.

So, my verdict: LOVED it! Love the characters and love the unpredictability and surprises! Love the easy to read writing style of C.J. Redwine as well. I know that Ms. Redwine doesn't read reviews, and I respect her stance, but I hope someone who knows her will read mine one day and pass on to her that this particular reader was impressed and will definitely be back for more:)

4.5/5 Stars show less

I had trouble starting Defiance, peeps. If not for fellow readers and bloggers on Goodreads urging me to continue reading I would have DNFed this book and missed out on much awesomeness.

Rachel and Logan's characters are pure unadulterated kickassery. Vivid, avenging angels in their blazing glory, who keep going in the most impossible situations.

The book is violent, explosive, reads like an action-flick and once you keep going you don't stop until the very end.

So, why 4 star rating then?

Like any action flick, Defiance suffers from lack of any decent world-building. I could not for the life of me understand the mechanics of the Cursed Ones aka dragons with no wings who live underground; what is happening now around the world... As I show more understand the book with its peculiar mix of dystopia and fantasy concentrates on North America. What about the rest of the world?

OK, you say, decade after the Cursed Ones came out of the depths of the Earth civilisation as we know it is destroyed. How? Logan fights one of them and finds out that explosions weaken them. You're telling me that military around the world couldn't use missile strikes on any of these creatures (creatures that do not fly as far as I'm aware) and then cut their underbelly like these two youngsters did? Mind boggles.



So, the world is destroyed by the Cursed Ones, now we have city-states with commanders protecting their cities from them, and nobody knows how. Again, when you find out how they do that, mind boggles at the improbability of the situation.

Here comes my worst pet-peeve ever. Subservient status of women. Are you effing kidding me? Women fought for equality for centuries and it only took 10 years to make them into brainless spineless creatures who do not know how to read and can't go out anywhere without a Protector otherwise they risk being flogged to death.

Rage, rage. That's what I felt.

I admit that there is a possibility of that, but still it takes only 10 years?!!! Not even few generations. You know what? I don't believe it. However evil that Commander was, you are talking about a tiny city-state. Just put poison in his soup and be done with the jerk. Find someone better or take your chances with the Cursed Ones. I would.

This is what I hated in Eve by Anna Carey, and this is what really discouraged me in Defiance. Look, if it was just fantasy I wouldn't have questioned it, but it's a dystopian as well, so there should be some sort of believable transition period between the world as we know it and what it becomes later. I didn't see it or it wasn't explained properly.

If you can get past it, the book is really enjoyable. Logan and Rachel together are a marvel. They communicate instead or shutting each other out, they share their grief and love for each other, they are true partners, equals with their own strengths and weaknesses. Rachel is a fighter, Logan is an inventor who thinks out of the box, although he can fight and track just as well if not better. Rachel is just far crazier than him, and I'm so proud of that girl! She was breathtaking!

So, I do recommend Defiance but with reservations. C.J. is a talented visual author who invokes visceral reactions from her readers, and I would definitely read any of her future books. show less

WHY didn't I read this sooner???? No, here is a better question: WHY did it take me so long to get into the story?
Here's the answer: I have pretty much no idea. Hence the five star rating.

I loved the characters, in fact I was amazed at how much I liked both sides of the dual point of view. The only reason I groaned when I saw the next chapter was from the other character's point of view was because I didn't want that bit to end. Rachael was such a great protagonist because she was brave and strong and....believable. There are quite a few books out there with strong heroines like her but some of them literally have the emotional extent as a wall. But Rachael? No, she actually thought and had feelings.

At first I wasn't sold on the idea show more of the story. I was kind of thinking along the lines of (this is after reading the synopsis) how can C. J. Redwine draw this out into 400 pages? But she managed extraordinarily well, producing a fast pace novel with a great plot and fantastic characters.

I found this to be fairly unpredictable. You'd think something, it would leave your mind under the thought that it would just be too cruel or good, then it would happen. Out of nowhere. Just like that *snaps fingers*.

Would I recommend this? Um, yes! To teens and above! Will I be reading the sequel? YES!!!! show less

Originally reviewed here.


Defiance has been on my radar ever since I saw the cover. Seriously, this is, without a doubt, one of my favorite covers. Having read the book, I also like that it seems to make sense for the book. Rachel does have hair like that, and both the forest and the walled city are important settings for the plot. While this may not have much to do with the quality of the book, I just had to express my obsessive love for this cover.

With all of those expectations in play, I was really afraid I would turn out to hate Defiance. Good news: I didn't! In fact, I was impressed with Redwine's writing early on. Her sentences are complex and I just love her syntax and diction. Nor does her writing ever seem forced, like she was show more writing with a thesaurus to sound smarter. Basically, it felt natural and worked well with the story.

I would rank Defiance as more of a fantasy than a science fiction novel. Personally, I think dystopias can go either way, and I have trouble really seeing our world evolving into this one. This is not to say that the dystopian society is not reminiscent of certain terrible elements in cultures I'm familiar with, particularly the past. The state of women in Baalboden, and perhaps other city states is horrific. Women must be constantly with their Protector, either father, substitute guardian, or husband. Girls are married off (Claimed) at 17 years of age, and have no say in who claims them, unless their Protector chooses to indulge their wishes.

Of course, Baalboden isn't scary just for that, although I must admit that would be the most immediately grating thing for me were I to live there. The town is ruled over by the Commander, a creepy dictator who does what despots like to do: whatever he wants. He manipulates people into doing his bidding by threatening them, and their loved ones with violence, and he certainly is willing, perhaps wanting, to follow through.

He came to power because he is one of the only men in the world (the others have their own city states to rule) who can defend against The Cursed One, a monster that emerged from deep in the earth when people dug down too far. To imagine the terrifyingness of this monster, picture a Balrog crossed with a dragon. And yet, scary as this creature is, the humans in the book are definitely the most fierce. I would rather face a quick death by fiery monster than by the Commander.

I loved the characters of Rachel and Logan individually. Rachel refuses to be put into a box (or a fancy dress); she learned to fight and to survive from her father. The fact that no one expects strength from a mere woman makes her even more powerful, because they won't know what hit them. Logan is brilliant and protective, but also wise enough to know that just because you want to protect someone doesn't necessarily mean you can or should.

The tension in their relationship at the beginning, when he finds himself appointed Protector of a girl just a couple years his junior who once confessed her love to him, is so awkward, which is precisely perfect. The whole situation could not be otherwise. I wonder why her father would appoint Logan, although my only answer is that perhaps he knew Logan's feelings better than Logan did and was extending his blessing in a way. As they came to respect and trust one another again, I loved their verbal sparring and, again, the awkwardness of it. Once they start recognizing their feelings, I was a bit less interested. For once, I am actually looking forward to the subtly hinted prospect of a love triangle to shake things up a bit.

My one issue with the book was in the use of multiple points of view. Telling Logan's and Rachel's narration apart was difficult. If I didn't read the name at the top of the chapter, I would have no idea whose head I was in until I flipped back, the other person appeared, or the location made it apparent. Rachel and Logan are quite different characters, which is apparent in the dialog. I think the difficulty is that the non-dialog writing is all in the same style. It seems unlikely Logan and Rachel would think so similarly.

All things considered, Defiance is a powerful, action-packed debut that would make an intense movie, something like The Hunger Games meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I am so looking forward to the next installment! show less

When I first read about Defiance, I didn't add it to my TBR and I never intended to read it. Not because I thought it sounded bad, but because this isn't the type of story I typically read. It's not that I don't like fantasy, I just don't prefer it. So I'm sure you are thinking, why did you read it if it's not your style? Well, I kept seeing people insisting that this story was so well written and so different, that it was a must read. I read some early reviews on it, re-read the synopsis and perused the authors website a bit. I decided that it's good to step outside of your reading comfort zone from time to time and that I really did need to read this story.

Well, let me tell you, after reading Defiance, I will definitely be picking up show more more books like this in the future. This book was good. The writing was excellent and kept me glued to the pages. Fantasy still isn't my favorite genre, but if the story is cool enough, I'll be giving more of them a shot. C.J. Redwin has also created some excellent characters. Rachel is fiercely independent and so, so stubborn, but she's also seriously loyal and totally badass. As villains go, Commander Chase was one seriously evil SOB. He intimidated me and I was just reading about him, so I can only imagine what the people in Baalboden felt around him. I also kind of loved him, though, because he certainly kept things interesting and had Rachel and Logan constantly on their toes. And Logan, how do I love thee, you beautiful, noble boy. He looked up to and loved Rachel's father like he was his own, so he took his role as Rachel's protector very seriously. This was made slightly more complicated, by the fact that he was seriously repressing his feelings for her. I loved reading when the two of them were together, but I also liked that a lot of the story took place inside their heads when they were seperated.

I will definitely be picking up the next installment of this series, after that ending, I am seriously curious about where things are going to go from here. show less