24. Nov. 2024
Bewertung:5

Wow, das war gut. Zunächst hab ich eine Weile gebraucht und zu verstehen, wer, wie und was und überhaupt aber dann als es klickt gemacht hat, konnte mich die Geschichte wieder voll mitreißen. Auch wie sich Band 1 und 2 näher kommen ist gut gelöst. Das Twist-Element war hier gut gewählt und passt in das spacige setting. Auch wenn ich kein großer Weltraumfan bin, konnte mich dieses Buch (wieder) sher überzeugen.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
9. Sept. 2024
Bewertung:5

“See you soon, Nik,” she whispers. “See you soon, Hanna,” he whispers. Ah where do I even begin with this book… Let me see. Over the course of 659 pages it felt as if I’d been set on the wrong track leading straight to some highly dangerous space ship reactor, followed by the encounters of not so pleasant parasites with way too many teeth, before being thrown down a malfunctioning wormhole and momentarily spaced while literally every rule of physics slapped me in the face (yes, maybe I should have paid attention back in school, because then maybe these crazy twists wouldn’t have surprised me the way they did

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
26. Aug. 2024
Bewertung:4

Hat mir besser gefallen als Illuminae! Anfangs war ich etwas verwirrt und gelangweilt, aber das hat sich mit der Zeit auch gelegt. Besonders die Szene, die parallel aus zwei Sichten erzählt wurde, ist mir in Erinnerung geblieben - wie im Kino! I wasn't a big fan of Illuminae, especially the characters. I am glad to say I enjoyed Gemina a lot more. I was a bit confused in the beginning, but then I got into a flow... it was like watching a movie!

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
11. März 2024
Bewertung:3.5

First book was better

I didn't like this as much as the first book. The visual makeup wasn't as versatile, a lot of the same thing (surveillance camera transcripts, which were just pages and pages of written text), a lot of verbal communication transcripts, and chat conversations. Less visual depiction of the space station or surroundings than in the first book. The plot wasn't as captivating as well. The story takes a long time to actually connect to the plot from the first book (it takes almost the entire book) and the events and protagonists just didn't interest me thaaat much. This feels like a gap-book to get to the juicy stuff in the third and final book. I hope that one will be closer to the first book graphics and plot wise.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
30. Jan. 2024
Bewertung:4

Meine Meinung: Ich habe wirklich eine lange Zeit auf dieses Buch gewartet und konnte es kaum erwarten es endlich in den Händen zu halten und es zu lesen. Wie auch schon bei "Illuminae", den ersten Band der Illuminae Akten, ist das Cover in einer Farbe gehalten. Dieses Mal ist es blau und die beiden Cover sehen sich von der Aufmachung auch ziemlich ähnlich. Dies führt zu einem Wiedererkennungswert der Reihe. Zwar kann man nicht sofort von dem Cover auf den Inhalt des Romans schließen, aber durch den kurzen Klappentext im Umschlag wird schnell deutlich, dass es sich bei Geminia wieder um einen Sci-Fi Roman auf der Heimdall handelt. Doch auch mit dem Hintergrund Sci-Fi kann man hier das Universum hinein interpretieren. Nimmt man den Umschlag nun ab, findet man Texte vor, welche an manchen Stellen geschwärzt oder mit rot kommentiert sind und so wie aus einer echten geheimen Akte wirken. Was mich tatsächlich überrascht hat, ist, dass die Textauszüge auch in der Geschichte noch einmal vorkommen. Der kurze Inhalt verrät eine Ausgangssittuation und eine Störung dieser und lässt einen damit neugierig zurück. Denn wie auch schon in "Illuminae" ist "Gemina" komplett unvorhersehbar und überrascht den Leser immer wieder aufs Neue mit Handlungssträngen und Auflösungen von Konflikten. Man denkt man wüsste, was kommt und wird dann immer wieder aufs Neue umgehauen. Der Aufbau ist auch hier wieder recht untypisch für ein Buch, denn es gibt keine zusammenhängenden Kapitel, sondern aus Akten, Tagebucheinträgen, Chats usw. Trotzdem baut das Buch eine unheimliche Spannung auf, die einen durch das gesamte Buch hinweg begleitet. Mich persönlich hat das Ende aus den Socken gehauen und ich bin aus dem Staunen gar nicht mehr heraus gekommen, da es eine Entwicklung hingelegt hat mit der ich nicht einmal im Traum gerechnet hätte. Durch die lange Zeit zwischen Band 1 und 2 fiel es mir am Anfang ein bisschen schwierig in das Buch rein zukommen. Ich war mir nicht mehr sicher an welcher Stelle "Gemina" an "Illuminae" anknüpft und in wie weit die beiden Bände zusammen gehören. Das Buch hat einen förmlich an den Leseplatz gefesselt. Man musste einfach dran bleiben und ist förmlich durch die Seiten geflogen, was zum großen Teil wahrscheinlich auch an der Art der Kapitel liegt. Die beiden Charaktere Nik und Hanna habe ich sofort ins Herz geschlossen und ich musste ab dem ersten Moment auch mit ihrer Beziehung mitfiebern. Denn unterschiedlicher könnten die Beiden einfach nicht sein. Hanna ist die verwöhnte Tochter des Kommandanten während Nik am unteren Ende zu einer Art Mafiafamilie gehört. Gerade diese Gegensätze machen ihre Konversationen recht unterhaltsam. Jedoch sind auch die Charaktere nicht so wie man sie anfänglich wahrnimmt und sie legen eine unglaubliche Entwicklung hin.Fazit:"Gemina" ist etwas schwächer als sein Vorgänger, aber trotzdem sehr sehr gut. Es hat mich nicht enttäuscht und ich kann diese Reihe nur jedem empfehlen, auch wenn er normalerweise nicht so auf das Genre steht. Das Buch erhält von mir 4/5⭐.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
2. Jan. 2024
Bewertung:5

Der zweite Teil der Illuminae Files beginnt wieder mit einer Gerichtsverhandlung, durch die wir einen Einblick in die Illuminae Files bekommen. Das Ganze setzt nach den Geschehnissen auf der Hypertia ein. Wir befinden uns auf der Sprungstation Heimdall, das Ziel der fliehenden Hypertia, die ihre eigenen Probleme bekommt. Die Sprungstation Heimdall steht kurz vor dem Terratag, einer großen Feierlichkeit, über die der Großteil der Menschen nach Hause zu seinen Familien unterwegs ist, aber auch das Wurmloch deaktiviert wird, um es durchzuchecken. Der perfekte Zeitpunkt für BeiTech dafür zu sorgen, dass das, was sie auf Kerenza begonnen haben auch beendet wird. Ohne Zeugen. Die Story ist wieder sehr spannend und ein bisschen blutig. Durchzogen wurde das Ganze aber von jeder Menge Humor. Es war mal wieder so, dass ich das Buch nicht aus der Hand legen wollte. Die Berichte, Protokolle, Chatnachrichten ... durch die verschiedensten Aufnahmen erfahren wir wieder, was vorgefallen ist. Hannah Donnelly ist die Tochter des Kommandeurs der Heimdall Station. Sie ist unsere Heldin des Buches und macht ihren Job sehr gut. Durch ihren Vater hat sie eine gute Ausbildung genossen, die ihr auf jeden Fall weiterhilft, um Heimdall zu retten. Ich mochte ihre Willensstarke, humorvolle aber auch weiche Art sehr. Man merkt ihr im Laufe des Bandes an, wie ihr alles zu schaffen macht, aber das sie sich davon nicht ablenken lässt. Sie hat ein Ziel. Genauso wie Niklas Malikow, ein Junge, der einer Art Mafia Vereinigung angehört. Das Haus der Messer. Er hat Kontakt zu Hannah und ist fasziniert von ihr. Seine schlechten Anmachen bringen viele Lacher in die Geschichte und lockert alles etwas auf. Gerade Niks Kommentare und seine Streitereien mit seiner Cousine sind sehr unterhaltsam. Auch er hat eine gewisse Ausbildung genossen und hat dadurch einen Vorteil um Heimdall und seiner Hoheit zu helfen. Das ungleiche Paar wird zu den Protagonisten, die das Problem erkennen und etwas dagegen zu unternehmen versuchen. Sie müssen über sich selbst hinauswachsen und alles anwenden, was sie gelernt haben. Die Beziehung zwischen den beiden kommt aber auch nicht zu kurz. Es gibt viele Charaktere, die eine mehr oder weniger wichtige Rolle in der Geschichte spielen und auch alte Bekannte, werden ihren Auftritt haben. Es war wieder ein fantastischer Trip in die Sphären des Universums. Fazit Spannend, humorvoll und mit sympathischen Charakteren lässt sich "Gemina" in null komme nichts weglesen. Es war wieder ein Erlebnis die Geschichte in Form von Protokollen, Nachrichten und Berichten zu entdecken.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
1. Jan. 2024
Bewertung:5

OMFG. Loved this one. Weiß gar nicht, was ich für ein Review schreiben soll, aber ich bin absolut geflasht und habe es die gesamte Zeit geliebt. Der Stil, die Handlung, wie sehr es mir zwischendrin wieder das Herz gebrochen hat und dann der Plot um Gemina und wie ich fast geheult habe, obwohl man das ganze doch nur durch Akten und Berichte und Chats mitbekommt. Einfach der Wahnsinn. Ich kann Band 3 kaum erwarten. Die Reihe wird eine meiner absoluten Favoriten aller Zeiten sein.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
31. Dez. 2023
Bewertung:4

First Read: 2019 • Reread: 2022 Meinung 2022: Auch der zweite Band konnte mich im Reread wieder begeistern. Ich liebe die Idee des Autorenduos die Geschichte mithilfe verschiedener Akten zu erzählen und auch die Illustrationen von Marie Lu geben dem Ganzen nochmals ganz viele Pluspunkte von mir. Der Plot gefällt mir größtenteils ganz gut. Manche Aspekte fand ich aber teilweise zu übertrieben wie z.B. die Sache mit den Lanima oder einfach zu unrealistisch. Die Charaktere sind ziemlich stereotypisch, weshalb sie mich auch sehr an das Pärchen aus dem ersten Band erinnert haben. Trotzdem fiebert man mit ihnen mit. Wovon ich allerdings überhaupt kein Fan bin, ist die übertriebene "Jugendsprache" inkl. sehr viel Gefluche. Kein Jugendlicher redet bzw. schreibt so, sodass es teilweise nervig war, die Chats zu lesen, da diese Nachrichten meistens nichts zum Plot beigetragen haben. Auch einige der Akten sind etwas gewöhnungsbedürftig. Mache fand ich echt toll und einige hätte ich am liebsten übersprungen. Der Einstieg in die Geschichte ist mir in Gemina schwer gefallen, denn es hat lange gedauert, bis die Geschichte endlich an Fahrt aufgenommen hatte. Und auch die "Wechselkapitel" ganz am Ende des Buches fand ich furchtbar anstrengend zu lesen. Das Ende an sich – natürlich ein Cliffhanger. Deshalb bin schon sehr gespannt, wie die ganze Geschichte im finalen Band enden wird, nun wo Obsidio endlich übersetzt wurde

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
17. Dez. 2023
Bewertung:5

Ahh the sequel to Illuminae was exactly as awesome as I had hoped for! It definitely kept me up longer than I should have stayed up :D I am still in awe! Gemina, exactly as its predecessor, consists of different files, most of them similar to the ones in the first book, others new and interesting. For example, the files showed scans of the diary of our main character Hanna. However, there was a bullet hole on the bottom of those pages and with the progression of those pages more and more blood was visible around that hole (ahh!). Hanna is, just like Kady from the first book, a very cool and tough main character. She starts out seeming really spoiled, but she fights back the moment her space station is taken over by enemy forces. Her parter in crime is Niklas, her drug dealer and a smuggler. He just happened to be at the same place at the right time together with Hanna. Both of them are supported by Nik's super cool cousin Ella who is a hacker prodigy. The setting is again in space, on the space station Heimdall. It rotates around a wormhole which acts as a gateway to other galaxies - one of them being the Kerenza system from book one. However, the wormhole is not exactly at its stablest when the story starts out. Combined with the invasion - a very bad coincidence. And did I already mention the soul sucking aliens that creep about?! And here I was, thinking that the zombie virus from book one would be the worst of all. The suspense in Gemina is just as high as in the first book. I wasn't able to put the book down! Although I did (after convincing myself for over an hour) eventually because I was so scared for the characters and I knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep after the book. I'm really, really glad that I bought the third book already, because the second book ends a bit more open. (Sleeping before the last 50 pages was a really good call). I am so excited to see how the overall story ends!

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
3. Aug. 2023
Bewertung:4

I loved Illuminae. I love Illuminae so much it surprised me. I haven't loved a book this much in quite some time, especially one that wasn't from my trusted authors. So I went into Gemina expecting to love it at least as much, if not more, especially cause I kept reading how it was so much better still. And at he beginning I thought so as well. I wasn't really into Nik, but I loved Hanna and Jackson and the journal parts where so adorable and lovely. When things started to really happen, I was also still into it. The thing with the invaders on one page and every one who died being marked was a super cool thing and adding alien drug monsters into the mix was super creepy as well. The Story up to like halfway in was super cool and intriguing. And then some things happened, that made me not love it and even go as far as say this is barely worth the four stars I gave it. My biggest problem was the romance and some similarities to Illuminae that took any tension out if this story. So I hated Nik and Hanna. I just hated it. I hated it with all my gut. I hated, that he constantly flirtet at her, while she had a boyfriend and singled him she wasn't interested, going as far as breaking his friggin arm. I hated this ship. Ezra and Kady were beautiful. They had history and I could feel how deeply they cared about each other. Nik and Hanna had nothing. When she kissed him, I wanted to throw the book. I did role my eyes very hard and sigh deeply. It felt so wrong and forced. I knew they were gonna force them together, it was pretty obvious. I know it pretty early and for that to happen they had to somehow make Jackson into someone Hanna would hate and they did. I guess they did, I haven't really gotten her intense hatred for him and especially how quickly she was over him after six months of dating. Six months of them together but she is pissed at him now so that dude who's arm she broke last time he touched her is available so that works. Jackson deserved better. I know he did stupid shit. Still deserved better. And now my other big issue. When Nik died, I was actually happy. This shouldn't happen. I shouldn't be happy the main character died. But I was and I thought this would get the story back on track. And then the whole two dimension thing happened. When I knew he was alive I just deflated again. I didn't worry about anything because apparently no one dies, so why should I be afraid for them? When Ezra wasn't dead in Illuminae, I was actually surprised. I had hoped for him to be alive, but the book did succeed in shocking me and making me mourn him. Nik coming back is just the whole thing all over again and not even as well done. One last thing: the drug aliens. It hasn't even occurred to me till now, but they were just there for such a short time. Then they were gone. They were there, they scared, they were convenient plot devices and that was it. I guess they were supposed to be as scary as the sick people in Illuminae but they just weren't. And now they seem as another thing just changed slightly and taking over from the first book. Okay, let's get back to it. I love the format of these books. It's what saved its rating and got it back to a four. I really enjoyed Hanna as a main character and I would have enjoyed her even more had the not been forced into a romance I didn't think was necessary. She was a cool character and that romance made me lose touch with her completely. I probably wouldn't have been as harsh with it, had I not been so hyped about this book. Just writing this kinda negative review down, so that other people who read it and felt the same can read it and feel understood. I def felt better after reading some reviews who addressed these issues, so this is my way of saying you're not alone.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
2. Apr. 2023
Bewertung:4

Illuminae habe ich vor fast einem Jahr gelesen und ich musste mich erstmal wieder an die Abkürzungen der Computersprache gewöhnen, genau wie an den ganzen Fachjargon. (leo.org war mein Freund.) Letztendlich kam ich aber schnell wieder rein und musste mich meinem größten Gegenspieler stellen: Dem Ekel. Denn in Gemina treffen wir auf eine Alien-Spezies die nicht lecker ist. Leider habe ich mit Aliens sehr schlechte Erfahrungen gemacht (aka Alien vs. Predator) und diese Exemplare waren auch nicht besser. Ich war ab da dann in einem kleinen Zwiespalt: Ich wollte weiterlesen und dann auch wieder nicht. Allerdings hat sich meine Paranoia als unbegründet herausgestellt, denn das Autoren-Duo hat das Buch nicht in die Richtung driften lassen, die ich befürchtet hatte. Unsere Protagonisten sind diesmal Hanna und Nik, zwei Figuren, die aus zwei sehr unterschiedlichen sozialen Schichten kommen. Nik gehört mit seinem Nachnamen Malikov nämlich dem House of Knifes an, einer Mafia-Organisation, die eigentlich nicht an Bord der Heimdall-Station sein dürfte. Sie sind unregistrierte Bewohner und betreiben einen regen Drogenhandel in allen Schichten der Station. Hanna ist eine der privaten Kunden die Nik versorgt, denn sie ist die Tochter des Stations-Leiters und sollte von den illegalen Machenschaften des HoK eigentlich nichts wissen. Da Nik aber scharf auf ein Date mit Hanna ist, ignoriert er diese Tatsache und verspricht ihr eine Dosis der Droge am Feiertag „Terraday“. Der Terraday verläuft aber ganz anders als geplant und mit ihm sämtliche Probleme, die Nik und Hanna bisher hatten. Ich habe von vielen Lesern gehört, dass sie Nik und Hanna weniger mochten als Kady und Ezra. Klar, kann ich verstehen, denn die süße und zarte Romanze von Kady und Ezra hat mit der Beziehung von Hanna und Nik nichts gemeinsam. Auch sind es zwei neue und grundverschiedene Figuren, die meiner Meinung nach auf eine eher breiteres Publikum abzielen, als Kady und Ezra es getan haben. Das Klischee von Bad-Boy und Good-Girl kennt man ja schon aus diversen NA-Romanen, aber was soll ich sagen, es funktioniert. Ich mochte beide sehr gerne und hatte persönlich kein Problem damit, dass sie in ein mir bekanntes Schema passen. Das Setting und die Umstände ändern die Entscheidungen, die sie treffen und geben ihnen einen sinnvollen Handlungsbogen. Auf der Pinterest-Wand von Amie Kaufman und Jay Kristoff ist ein Bild der Protagonisten zu finden und passenderweise haben sie Nik an Bellamy Blake aus The 100 angelehnt. Und das beschreibt Nik schon ziemlich gut. Er ist draufgängerisch, sexy und weiß, was er will. In diesem Fall: Hanna. Aber auch Nik trägt sein Päkchen an Gewissensbissen mit sich herum und im Laufe des Buches lernt man eine Menge über ihn. Hanna fährt alle Geschütze auf, die eine Protagonistin haben sollte: Sie kann den Leuten in den Arsch treten; ist schlau und ehrlich und steht nicht bei der ersten Gefahr schreiend in einer Ecke. (Das tat Kady zwar auch nicht, aber – ihr wisst schon. Die meisten Mädchen in Hannas privilegierter Position würden so reagieren.) Hanna trainiert jegliche Kampfsportart, die man an Board der Heimdall trainieren kann und spielt mit ihrem Vater Kriegs- und Strategiespiele. Sie ist also strategisch geschult, verliert somit nicht ihren Kopf, sobald es brenzlig wird und zögert nicht sich und andere zu verteidigen. Es hat mir großen Spaß gemacht, Hanna zu begleiten und ihren Werdegang zu sehen. Für mich hat sie das Potential zu einer meiner liebsten Figuren zu werden. Ich will natürlich nichts über den Plot verraten (Außer dem, was man bereits durch den Klappentext erfährt.), aber ich kann euch sagen, dass das letzte Drittel des Buches mich absolut überzeugt hat und denselben mind blowing Effekt wie auch Illuminae hatte. Als Leser weiß man zwar immer ein bisschen mehr, als die Figuren, kann dadurch aber auch schnell in die Irre geleitet werden. Ich fand es sehr cool, wie die Autoren mit Informationen und der tatsächlichen Wahrheit gespielt haben. Es war spannend zu sehen, wie sehr wir Menschen uns doch auf Protokolle und Videoaufnahmen verlassen und sobald irgendwo ein offizieller Stempel drauf ist, die Quelle nicht mehr hinterfragen. Die Akten und Chatverläufe, in die man als Leser Einblick erhält, sind super spannend gewesen und ich finde, dass mit Gemina die Reihe würdig fortgesetzt wurde und bin sehr froh, dass es bis Obsidio nur noch zwei Monate sind. Übrigens: Als aufmerksamer Leser kann man das ein oder andere Easter-Egg im Buch finden- Schon spannend, wer so alles in diesem Buch aufgetaucht ist. Kleiner Nachtrag: Ein Jahr später denke ich immer noch gerne an das Buch, weswegen ich meine Bewertung von 4 auf 5 Sterne erhöht habe.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
9. Jan. 2023
Bewertung:5

[4,5 stars] I liked this book even better than Illuminae I. At first I was a little surprised, because I didn't meet Kady and Ezra in this book (at first) but Hanna and Nik, but the story kind of picks up where I left it. I actually prefer Hanna to Kady, because I felt a little more connected to her. She is a badass as much as Kady is, but she keeps a diary, which doesn't make her less of a badass (diaries and emotions are very badass and powerful), but we got to see some of her entries in the Illuminae Files II. This made it easier to imagine her life and get an impression of her as a person. She grew up privileged and when I met her she was dating the hottest dude on the Heimdall (allegedly, because of course acutally that's Nik for sure. Don't tell him I said that though). Back to Hanna: she is so strong, intelligent, brave and fights back kicking and screaming. She is perfect! Then there's Nik -a bad boy. I love those and as you miht have already guessed, I also love Nik. He is the way we love pur bad boys: hard on the outside, but a softie and a romantic on the inside (yes, I know that's not real, but don't take that from me). He unfortunately is deeply in love with Hanna and who can blame him, but she isn't really on the market. That doesn't keep him from flirting pretty hard with her and winking ... a lot. He is funny, a little rough around the edges and would to anything for his family. And for Hanna of course. I am still in awe of this book, because it is literally still made up of files and still I felt so much while reading it. There is so much emotion in these pages, it hurts. A lot! The story is never ever boring and I couldn't put this book down even though I should have, because it is pretty heavy and I might have had some muscle achings. It gets a little confusing at the end though and it was pretty hard to wrap my head around everything that was happening. Maybe the story wanted a little to much there - when you are writing in files maybe the most complicated Sci-Fi plottwist is not the ideal way to go here. Still, I enjoyed this book so much (even though I actually saw the plottwist coming - very proud of that) and am looking forward to reading the finale.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
23. Nov. 2022
Post image
Bewertung:5

📖 Gemina von Amie Kaufman und Jay Kristoff 📖 Nun habe ich auch den zweiten Band der Illuminae Akten nochmal gelesen. Dieses Mal als ebook. Ganz ehrlich? Ich kann euch nicht viel anderes sagen, als schon zu Illuminae. Ich liebe das Buch, die Aufmachung, die Charaktere, die Idee (die Idee! 😍). Klar sind es Jugendliche und sie verhalten sich auch wie Jugendliche. Ich habe mal in einer Rezi zu Aurora erwacht gelesen, dass sich die (ebenfalls jugendlichen) Protas in lebensbedrohlichen Situationen sehr kindisch verhalten. Das könnte man auch hier sagen. Aber mich hat es nicht gestört bzw. Ich kann darüber hinwegsehen und es als Bewältigungsmechanismus in einer Extremsituation abtun. Aber ich verstehe die Kritik 😅 Ansonsten auch hier wieder: kauft euch das Print! Ich habe das englische eBook gelesen und weiss deshalb nicht, ob es im deutschen auch so ist, aber aufgrund der besonderen Aufmachung waren einige Seiten (vermute ich) als Bilder im Buch. Die waren aber sehr klein und konnten auch nicht vergrössert werden, wodurch es enorm schwierig wurde, es zu lesen. Ich habe mir dann mit der handykamera und deren Zoomfunktion beholfen. Keine befriedigende Lösung. Also nochmal: kauft das Print! Das meine ich ganz generell, das Buch ist klasse. Holt es euch! 😁

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
20. Okt. 2022
Bewertung:5

Alle auf der Raumstation Heimdall bereiten sich auf die Feiertage vor. Auch die inoffzielle Prinzessin Hannah ist mit Eifer dabei, sich für ihren Freund hübsch zu machen und eine beliebte Partydroge vom Badboy der Station zu besorgen. Nik flirtet gern mit Hannah, doch es sieht so aus, als hätte er nicht den Hauch einer Chance. Bis eine feindliche Kampfeinheit die Station übernimmt und sich daran macht die Raumstation zu vernichten. Womit aber keiner gerechnet hatte, ist das die Produktion der Partydroge in unentdeckten Winkeln der Station aus den Fugen gerät und die ganze Vertuschungsaktion nicht so läuft, wie die Beteiligten sich das vorgestellt haben. Hannah und Nik tragen kräftig dazu bei, die Auslöschung der Sprungstation zu verhindern. Gemina steht dem ersten Teil Illuminae in nichts nach. Ebenso phantasievoll illustriert wie der erste Band folgt man hier Hannah und Nik. Zunächst haben die beiden so gar nichts gemein, außer vielleicht den Konsum einer Bewusstseinserweiternden Droge. Aber durch ihren gemeinsamen Kampf, gegen das übergriffige Unternehmen, das Heimdall vernichten möchte, nähern sie sich an. Da man durch den ersten Teil schon an die ungewöhnliche Erzählweise der Geschichte gewöhnt ist, fällt es noch leichter sich auf die Story einzulassen. Ich bin gerade so durch das Buch geflogen. Insbesondere das letzte Drittel war so spannend, dass ich die Geschichte gar nicht mehr aus der Hand legen mochte. In Gemina haben mir die „Alienwürmer“, in denen die Partydroge hergestellt wird, eine Gänsehaut beschert. Gerade weil dem Leser zu Beginn mit einem Wikipedia-ähnlichen Eintrag über besagte Würmer, das Ganze doch recht anschaulich nähergebracht wird. Das diese Parasiten sich dann auch noch in den Hirnen von Kühen vermehrten, machte es nicht appetitlicher. Ich empfand zum Einen Mitleid mit den Kühen und zum Anderen Ekel vor diesen seltsamen Parasiten. Die Illustrationen im Buch fand ich wieder einmal bezaubernd. Substanz bekommt der Plot durch Chatverläufe und die Niederschrift von Videoaufzeichnungen. Es dauerte ein bisschen, bis ich alle Personen auseinanderhalten konnte, im Besonderen die Usurpatoren, aber mit Hilfe von Portraitphotos bekamen sie alle ein Gesicht und ich wusste wer gegen wen kämpft oder wer gerade in die Unendlichkeit des Weltall gespült wurde. Ich kann es kaum erwarten den dritten Band in die Finger zu bekommen. Schade das er bis dato noch nicht ins Deutsche übersetzt wurde. Sollte ich ihn in Englisch lesen, werde ich mir aber die physische Ausgabe zulegen, denn im Kindle leidet der grafische Charakter der Erzählung, besonders wenn er sich über eine Doppelseite erstreckt.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
10. Okt. 2022
Bewertung:5

Tatsächlich hat mir der zweite Band um einiges besser gefallen als der erste Band! Gemina schließt zeitlich direkt an Illuminae an, allerdings spielt die Geschichte diesmal auf Heimdall, einer Sprungstation. Somit lernen wir auch Hanna, die verwöhnte Kommandantentochter, und Nik, einen zweifelnden Mafioso, kennen. Beide sind nicht auf den Mund gefallen und ihre kleinen Streitereien geben dem Buch eine amüsante Atmosphäre. Auch Ella, Niks Cousine, kontert sehr gerne und bescherte mir das ein oder andere Lächeln. Die ersten Seiten haben sich etwas gezogen, wodurch man zwar die Protagonisten kennenlernte, allerdings nicht wirklich eine Handlung vorhanden war. Erst als Zerberus und seine Komplizen das Schiff überfallen, kommt Spannung auf. Und auch hier gab es wie in Teil 1 einige blutige Szenen, die mir aber um Längen besser gefallen haben! Die Stimmung war sehr angespannt und der Siegeswillen stand bei allen sehr hoch, weshalb auch keine Langeweile mehr aufkam. Es wurde einige Pläne geschmiedet, die auch logisch und gut umgesetzt wurden. Und in Mitten des ganzen Gefechts näherten sich Hanna und Nik an und verloren dennoch nicht ihren Humor. Auch hier glänzt die Aufmachung natürlich wieder und ich finde, dass die Raumschiffe und auch die Gefühle in diesem Band viel besser und anschaulicher beschrieben wurde, sodass das Lesen erleichtert wurde und es mir auch mehr Spaß gemacht hat! Gemina hat mich vollends überzeugt und ich freue mich schon sehr auf den dritten Band!

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
27. Sept. 2022
Bewertung:5

Do I need to scream my rating? YES I DO - 5372472465857348674890/5 !!!!!!!! Oh boy oh boy... I think writing a review seems impossible..coz' god damn this book. But then again, what is IMPOSSIBLE IN ILLUMINAE FILES? Nothing per se. I will be honest- I was hesitant to get into this book - after just hearing the non-spoilery section of Christine from polandbananaBOOKS that the book follows completely different characters, I was kind of married to Kady and Ezra, THEY WERE love, life, light for me. Also, the book hangover I got from Illuminae was unbearable and wanted the second book now, but anyway I kept this book on my shelf longer than I should have, I should have devoured it the day I received it. Yes, it is that amazing. 659 pages and you gulp the story in a day, max two days! What is the book about? It picks up from where Illuminae ends, a little while after that, I was a bit confused at times as to what is happening, I had to go back to my previous review to remember a little- Just to make sure I understand each and every bit of details. Moving on. The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault. Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter, a brat in short (Love and hearts *stupid grin*); Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family (pssst bad boy). But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station- like literally - Hannah's journal made it worth the while though, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion. (Sigh) When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one (I felt this part of the book was forced- just adding drama for no reason, though the cow part, in the beginning, was hilarious), and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands. (No pressure literally) It's no secret that the book has been compiled with beautiful journal entries, IMs, Surveillance reports etc. - I have a small comment on the graphic design part (Can't help I am a communication designer myself, technical faults annoy me a bit, but nonetheless EFFORT WAS GREAT - where else do we someone put in a great amount of effort?) Yay- Lets talk about how I feel? Or say the feelings I was made to feel while reading this damn book! Dear Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, I love what you do, keep doing that because you are making my life worth living - I don't know if this compliment suffices the amount of love I have for this series. :) I love how you are able to bring in the problems the world is facing, the quirkiness of characters, the character development and not to forget the romance? and over that not even in the format that we know but a format which is unique and I am sure it is difficult, it isn't easy to write a book from character's point of view, or a third person's view, but you top it with a completely different structure. (Okay I am going to stop talking about that now - Just so you know, It's great - Even my boss who doesn't like to read, got intrigued - well that's the power I think we need. We need more readers than writers) Okay some spoilers here and there, don't read if you haven't read the book, I would want you to read the book first please. Thank you. <3 I loved everything – the unusual format, the heart-stopping adventure, and the powerful romance. At the end of the first book, it was made very clear that the overall story arc of refugees from Kerenza trying to survive and make BeiTec Corporation answer for their evil deeds was far from over. But I was actually not sure where the romance between Kady and Ezra could go from there because it ended on such high powerful note and truth be told I WANTED MORE OF THOSE IMs AND LOVE <3 OH MY GOD!! I AM SCREAMING, I WANT EZRA, GIVE ME EZRA. Pffft! And I screamed when in the book they say that lollipop song was changed by KADY, aahahahaah, classy move! So much love to you Kady <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 However, I did not expect to love Nik and Hannah as much, and I do not, I like Hannah a lot more than I like Nik (even though Bad boy?? I didn't get the bad boy feels from him, he is nice, eesh) I love when a specific genre has another genre and it doesn't make the initial genre to take back seat because romance attracts more audience - I love romance but I hate when I am in fantasy action mood, the book has 3000949577 pages of description how lovely her hair, skin and eyes are. THANK GOD that didn't happen here. It was so very well executed action A+ (Kudos to the scene when Hannah encounters Kali-- BOO YEAH!) The characters were different, with the different skill set, bought the freshness and a new flavour to the story - we need more strong and nice characters who aren't similar to the one before. Romantic storyline is different <3 and thank the stars for that! My problem - I didn't want her to jump into another relationship so early, like give it time, chance, etc - You lost a lot, you are tired, maybe you are confused, maybe you are just looking for support- Give it a little time, kiddo. (Or maybe that's just how I think) The adventure plot really should not be spoiled, so I won’t. There are a lot of surprises - you do not know what is happening, why it happening - how it happening, oh my god, just couldn't stop turning the pages - Like literally I was in my office, book at the side and I am like oh nobody is watching let's just get over with it - but then I DO NOT WANT TO GET OVER WITH IT, but I did :( I will just warn you that the violence level is high and death rate is high too- yeah a lot of them die :( (Oops spoiler- maybe) – Beitech is truly ruthless after all. Like what the fuck Lianne or whatever the spelling of her name is I do not care to read your name in the book because I hate you!? LIKE WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK - think woman, think! kjsahfksdhfsghsghoisdgisdhgk you annoy me so much! Thank god she only comes towards the end or else I would have ripped the pages out of my book just to kill her (I wouldn't it's my precious) Okay coming to the one thing I mentioned before - Graphic design - A lot of times and places when the IMS where on Black background it was getting difficult to read the text with grey colour, I know printing the book, packaging etc costs a lot and then distribution so it has to be black and white, but it could have been done in a different style maybe - bolder text or something like that - Think about it? Read the book - the series, because it is worth it.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers
18. Sept. 2022
Bewertung:5

Of course BeiTech had someone on the inside blocking anything and everything Hypatia/Alexander! No news of the attack ever came through thanks to him! Still, Hypatia's captain, Syra Boll, kept on transmitting information and distress calls. In this book we are introduced to two new players: Hanna Donnelly and Niklas Malikov. She's the captain's daughter and he's the crime lord son. They only talk because she and her friends want what he's selling, but their banter and flirtation is cute and awesome. Besides their voices are just perfect! This trilogy makes me love audiobooks and in this particular case it would feels weird to read the book any other way (for me, of course). Nik's uncle injects a parasite with hallucinogenic properties into a cow's brain and it’s as disgusting as it sounds! All to create a drug! It's seriously disturbing! The kind of thing that if you knew how it's made, you'd never try it... I think Hanna uses an excuse to go to the bridge, a restricted area, but Sam, the only one working there, is patronizing and rude. If it wasn't for Isaac, Kady's dad, I don't know how things would have unfolded. Not that Hanna is weak or anything! But Sam is being used by BeiTech and this company is so greedy that even with the probability of things going haywire with Hypatia soon arriving, they continue on with the plan to destroy every evidence on Heimdall. The inside man is ordered to bring something aboard the station and he has to talk to the House of Knives, namely Nik, to do it without a record of it being done. He is too haughty for my taste. When they receive the shipment it's delayed and Nik has to make a deal with his uncle so he can go meet Hanna like he was supposed to. That's the reason he survives when the rest of the people in the docks die. And Hanna is also spared being imprisoned in the atrium andthe murder of her father, thanks to Nik being late. The inside man hated how things went with the audit team. It's not a massacre but it's still terrifying for all the people having fun and enjoying Terra Day to have people enter with guns blazing... When Falk asks the people on Heimdall to pretty please meet him or get in trouble with his team, Hanna is with Nik. She wants to go see about her father, but Nik manages to convince her that that's not a good idea and that she should hide. She ends up saying yes while he reaches out to his cousin for help. Hanna tries her boyfriend, but he thinks she needs his protection and can't understand that she's strong and smart enough to stay out of sight. Meanwhile, Ella opens doors to Nik so he can see what happened to the people in the docks where his uncle was, finding them dead as Ella tries to fight whomever is trying to lock her out of her network. And loses, leaving Nik locked on the docks... When the parasite worms' larvae are born it's disgusting and disturbing thing to read! Heavens, even I feel sick just imagining it! When BeiTech members come looking in the docks Nik has the good idea of using one of the special suits there to take out two of them and flee before the other two can kill him. It's not a brilliant plan but it gets him out alive, so that's something! My God, Hanna is awesome! On her way to the infirmary, after having retrieved the palmpad at Ella's request, Hanna runs into a BeiTech woman and for a long moment is caught. But then she's knocking the woman out, locking her hands and feet and taunting the enemy! It was a really nice scene! The dynamic between Ella, Nik and Hanna is amazing! Ella and Hanna are friends immediately and Nik is just an awesome addition to the team, now that he's free, with his love for his cousin and for Hanna. Even after finding out their dads are dead, the girls keep going, keep fight to stop BeiTech. And Ella was the one to flush the four people after Hanna out the airlock! The BeiTech killers have some s**** luck, though. One of them has to go outside to fix the wormhole at the center of the station and inside his suit is one of those parasites that hatched from the cows. Good thing it is more hallucinogenic than creepy in this particular case, and so unlike Phobos! Ezra's mom is a savage! Cold hearted! She is perfectly okay in killing everyone at Heimdall, Hypatia and every possible survivor back in Kerenza IV! Heavens above, Ezra's father was a very smart guy to run away from her! Nik has to kill a guy so he won't kill him, and a tiny bit of him dies with the other man. And as he's talking to Hanna, he tells her about how he had to shoot his dog, at 11 years old, because she broke her back and his father had ordered him to be a man and put her out of her misery and I'm not crying! You're crying! My heart aches for him... The horrible parasite fully turns into a thing of nightmares! More so than Phobos! It's horrible and disgusting and disturbing and traumatizing! But when this footage is narrated by AIDAN it's even worse! It can make it sound even creepier! Heavens! I felt a little sick... Falk is pissed he can't contact part of his team, but his mood lights up a bit when Kali brings in Jax. He calls Hanna's attention and gets her to talk to him, threatening her boyfriend's life and giving her something about Nik. He was in prison because he was accused, and pleaded guilty, of killing three people and a dog. I hate to be right! I knew Jax couldn't be trusted! *screams into a pillow until voice is hoarse* Jax is Rapier! *curses* I knew it, I just knew it! And Hanna is so smart! She figures out that Jax is not as good as he appears to be and is actually fighting against her and plays her part. She tells Falk exactly where she is and he sends a team after her. But he wasn't smart enough to be cautious and his team wasn't either! Hanna prepared an explosion for the moment they entered and took out some five crew members! Hanna, Ella and Nik make a great team! Falk kills 57 people because Hanna doesn't go to him, and Ella can't do anything to help, she had no time... But she bought the people in her part of the station time by opening every vent and making sure that of Falk tries to pull the same move again he'll go down too. Besides, people just need to be in envirosuits to survive oxygen depletion, and they can get to them. Hanna also has Chief Grant with her, which means she has the last person, probably, who can deal with the wormhole and she has a plan. But for Ella to be in, Hanna has to talk to Nik. So she does. And he tells her the truth, just like he has been doing this whole time. His father killed someone and when he was in jail he told his kids to kill the person who had called the cops. Nik didn't do it, he wanted a life without his father around and he was so close to having it...! But his brother did what his father told him... And, to save his brother, Nik took the heat... But his brother couldn't live with the guilt of what he had done and took his own life, but not before sending a note and proof to the police of who was behind the murder of that family. And his brother walked free... His uncle took him to Heimdall after he hit his dad... So now the angel in his neck is for real, he did kill that man in the bathroom... As Ella opens the door to Nik, so he can take a shuttle to where Hanna is, a BeiTech team enters the bay, since it sounded alarms. Nik hesitates before killing the two guys, but it was him or them... It doesn't make it easier on him... And, even worse, when he finally goes out, the last piece of hermium lodges in the ship he took. And worse! Mercury just turned on the wormhole! And can't turn it off because the stupid virus with the stupid song locked her out! I love how AIDAN narrates. Sometimes it's an incredible masterpiece (others just plain creepy, but I love it anyways). The way he describes the activation of the wormhole and Nik, unknowingly transporting what could turn into a bomb, nearly had me on the edge of my seat! It's really amazing! And terrifying! Nik and Hanna find each other and for a moment nothing happens. Then they are moving towards each other, and she's crying and then he's crying too. Then he takes off both their helmets (thank Heavens he found an envirsuit on the shuttle) and she kisses him. Finally. They then go to work on shutting down the reactor and the parasite is there. When Nik leaves Hanna's side, it attacks her. But she fights back, and Nik comes running and kills the thing! At least they had the envirosuits or else they'd be dead... But they are not safe yet, BeiTech is inbound to them. And Ella has a parasite up her air vents. Meanwhile, Hana and Nik are unable to know where the bad guys are coming from so he hatches a half-baked plan that ends up working: the two of them go to where the parasites are gathering, in the warmest place, and call them out, only to drop the temperature on them and pause them for a moment. While more prey arrives from BeiTech's side. They come in, guns blazing, and the parasites attack them because they are making so much noise! Hanna and Nik run away while they can, running right into Jackson. He tried to apologize but Hanna is having none of that! And just as he has to make the choice between letting them pass or block their passage, a parasite attacks him. Nik drags Hanna away, Kali on their tail. When they reach the train platform no train is there and the few seconds they have to wait cost them everything. Nik is shooting Kali but runs out of bullets so he asks Hanna for more. As she takes them from her suit, her journal falls but she leaves it. Nik goes after it though, getting shot in three places and bleeding out in the train car Hanna pulls him into. But Kali's not done. She enters too, goes after her, and the two fight hard. Hanna almost loses but then Kali corners her where she threw her journal to, where the drug she bought from Nik still is, and throws it to the woman. She wouldn't have made it out of Kali's grip without it. And then Hanna kills the woman. She tries everything she can to save Nik, but it's too late and with one last kiss he's gone... Hypatia finally answers back and Hanna has the chance to tell them exactly what to expect. What she doesn't expect is to be told that the ship is talking to both Hanna and Nik and they are both saying the other is dead! So they come up with the idea to use the fact that they said they have contact with Kady's dad to decipher who is speaking the truth. Meanwhile, Hanna and Chief Grant are dealing with other problems, namely trying to do something about assault fleet Kennedy. She goes to C & C, dressed up as if she's Kali, surprises the only two people there, who have to surrender or be killed, ties them up and starts doing what Chief Grant tells her. But just then the assault fleet is passing the wormhole. It shakes the station and it's left reeling. Back on Hypatia Ezra and some others are readying for attack but nothing comes... Enter a very confusing but seemingly reasonable explanation: the multiverse (which I have to say, even in a story like this I wasn't expecting it!). BeiTech put the wormhole online too fast and without all the necessary precautions so it's acting up and acting kind of as a link between two universes. And that's what happened to Nik. He's in a different universe than Hanna but still able to talk to Kady. The assault fleet on both sides tried to pass the wormhole at the same time so it destroyed each other in their impossibility. Which caused all the "thunderstorm-like" things happening on and around Heimdall. It's really awesome and I'm even more in love with this fantastic trilogy! It's complex and fascinating and has all the action and creepy rolled into an astonishingly well-written book that is so very different from any other book I have ever read! Oh my God! Another fleet is coming to wipe out the station, with everyone on board. The BeiTech crew didn't know so the two that were with Hanna are begrudgingly helping her and everyone else in the station. They were planning to leave via wormhole but Kady had Hanna talk to AIDAN. They can't leave the way they thought because then the wormhole becomes even more unstable and both universes collapse. So Hanna has to return the Nik in her universe to his own and retrieve her own Nik. They have to cross at the exact same time. Good thing AIDAN is helping out. Jesus, Mary and all the saints in this world, reading about Hanna's and Nik's journey as the clock is counting down to the wormhole's collapse is agonizing and stressful as hell! Nothing is helping! The BeiTech member who won't go down easy, Falk, for crying out loud, who is ignoring what Hanna and Nik are trying to say to him in both universes! Gaaahhhh! The agony! Ella's alive! She somehow killed the parasite and ducked into the vents! She saves Hanna! She saves Nik too, but dies anyway... But still she'd have to die so that everyone else could live, because Falk shot up the controls and someone needs to operate the wormhole manually, if not for Jackson He saves Hanna, Ella and Nik and everyone else on the Mao and even Hypatia by spinning a lie that kept them hidden from BeiTech! I say this somewhere near the ending of my review, but this is something that needs to be out of the spoilery part: this trilogy, not just this book, is complex and fascinating and has all the action and creepy things rolled into an astonishingly well-written story that is so very different from any other I have ever read! This was a thrill to read! Ups and downs and ups and downs and ups and downs! Constantly! It was this great, fantastic, incredible read!

Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)
Gemina (The Illuminae Files, Band 2)von Amie KaufmanKnopf Books for Young Readers