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Fearless #1-3
Fearless: Fearless; Sam; Run
Gaia is a brilliant, beautiful girl who is trained in three kinds of martial arts, has a reflex speed that’s off the charts, and can climb mountains, box, wrestle, and break codes in four languages. She has no trouble throwing a grown man over her shoulders. She doesn’t care what people think of her, and she’s never scared…
Because she is missing the fear gene.
In this action-packed bind-up, Gaia makes her way through the treacherous halls of high school and is forced to come to terms with herself, the boys in her life, and her completely MIA family.
But she can handle it.
She is....Fearless.
The release of Fearless coincides with the paperback release of the New York Times bestselling Sweet Valley Confidential.
Because she is missing the fear gene.
In this action-packed bind-up, Gaia makes her way through the treacherous halls of high school and is forced to come to terms with herself, the boys in her life, and her completely MIA family.
But she can handle it.
She is....Fearless.
The release of Fearless coincides with the paperback release of the New York Times bestselling Sweet Valley Confidential.
600 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 22, 2002
33 people are currently reading
897 people want to read
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,139 books1,832 followersFrancine Paula Pascal was an American author best known for her Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High, the backbone of the collection, was made into a television series, which led to several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University. Although most of these books were published in the 1980s and 1990s, they remained so popular that several titles were re-released decades later.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
September 3, 2012
I tried something new while picking up this book. I picked a random book based on its cover and title. I didn't even read the description till after I bought it. The description was interesting enough. But even if I didn't like the description I still couldn't return it.
I was a quarter through the book when I realized:
-This is a bind up
-This series was actually written about ten years ago
-There are about 37 books in the series
-Each book by itself was about 199 pages
My reaction after finding that out.
"37 BOOKS ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?" I bet no one has actually made it to the whole series. It was boring as hell! I hated all the characters. Except Ed. It was so obvious but also so damn frustrating.
The first part in the book "Fearless" was ok. It wasn't amazing, or even good. But it was better than the second book. Gaia was actually a good character and I didn't completely hate Sam. It was still pretty damn slow. After I finished the Fearless and was relieved that there was more. Because If I had bought only Fearless and NOT the bindup edition, then Fearless would have sucked shit. Because it would have ended abruptly. If that makes sense...
The second part of the bindup edition was Sam . That was where I began to hate Gaia. The whole damn point of the second book in the series was just about Gaia trying to get into Sam's bed. Sure, Gaia, wasn't Fearless but she was pretty damn stupid.
The last book, Run was better than the last two but still sucked. It had more actions and suspense than the last two. But BLECH! I was so disappointed with the whole book.
I liked the point of a girl born without a fear gene, but then the rest of the story was pointless and crap. I expected more from this book because it
1 out of 5 stars
August 6, 2012
I read half of the entire Fearless Series before the bind-up edition came out. The books are fast-paced and easy to read, not to mention they make your heart race. Gaia is probably the most kick-ass character in YA lit, except for maybe Maximum Ride and Katniss Everdeen. Born without the fear gene, Gaia can do anything she sets her mind too. Yet, she’s forever alone. Her mother died and her father disappeared without a trace. The only person who she has frequent two-sided contact with is Ed, her wheelchair-bound sidekick, and even he has some secrets to hide. Still, despite Gaia’s seemingly superhuman skills, the author makes sure she’s human and vulnerable on the inside. Gaia may be proud and strong as steel, but Sam threatens to ruin all of that. He’s the one boy that can draw feelings from her, and watching Gaia’s human side is definitely interesting.
The layout and style of the Fearless books can be hard to get used to simply because the point of view changed frequently, but I think it makes the book go by quickly. The reader is never bored for long and the pace picks up right away.
The Fearless Series is long, but thrilling, and I’m so glad Simon Pulse published the bind-up. This is a collection for anyone who likes a complex story paired with a strong hero.
~Jess
The layout and style of the Fearless books can be hard to get used to simply because the point of view changed frequently, but I think it makes the book go by quickly. The reader is never bored for long and the pace picks up right away.
The Fearless Series is long, but thrilling, and I’m so glad Simon Pulse published the bind-up. This is a collection for anyone who likes a complex story paired with a strong hero.
~Jess
May 7, 2012
first 3 books in series
___________________________
FEARLESS
4 stars.
really enjoyed this novel. i really liked the writing and the plot, very original story.
i breezed through it in one day. i enjoyed the short chapters, with the short subchapters.
very fast paced.
weird thing...applauded the author when she used he at the end of a sentence in stead of him...great job, but then when the same instance comes up regarding i vs me, she used me...the wrong one
"he was taller than me"
it should read: he is taller than I
0it just struck me as odd, that she did it correctly one way, and not the other.
this is consistent through the story.
and omg
read on i must!
oh, and what was up with Sam when they were fighting at the end? is he like her, just not tained?
______________________________
SAM
3 stars
what a way to start a story. picks up petty damn close to the ending of the other one. has been outed (to readers only) as a bad guy. she's working for someone who is possibly
Gaia has made up her mind to try and locate her dad; hopefully that will shed some light on the situation that is Gaia's life.
Oh, and she's decided to lose her virginity...nice.
okay, i could have done without this story. i think it should have gotten 2 stars, as it was pretty pointless, except for the last few chapters...perfect set up for the next book.
i feel this book would have done better as a companion novel/novella, like a 1.1 instead of #2.
still a fast paced book, just not sure it should have been it's own book...
___________________________
RUN
5 Stars
enjoyed this one a lot.
picked up right where the previous one left off.
Gaia's love is kidnapped and she's forced to undergo a series of tests to free him before he dies.
oh, and is Heather delusional? al this talk about how she's so popular and everyone loves her and woe is me...got a little tiring real fast.
i am eager for the next book.
here's what i hope will happen:
___________________________
reviewed as a whole....
could have done without sam...or maybe a super condensed version would have been better.
writing was pretty good for the most part...except for he vs him, but she got i vs me right AND who vs, whom, so major kudos!!!!
i really enjoy how the books pick up right where the previous one left off.
the pace is brea neck, i couldn't devour it fast enough.
i read one book each day, but it's completely possible to read all three in one day, all you need is a good 15-16 hours!
can't wait to get my hands on #4, or if they're going to reprint and make another omnibus, that would be great!
___________________________
FEARLESS
4 stars.
really enjoyed this novel. i really liked the writing and the plot, very original story.
i breezed through it in one day. i enjoyed the short chapters, with the short subchapters.
very fast paced.
weird thing...applauded the author when she used he at the end of a sentence in stead of him...great job, but then when the same instance comes up regarding i vs me, she used me...the wrong one
"he was taller than me"
it should read: he is taller than I
0it just struck me as odd, that she did it correctly one way, and not the other.
this is consistent through the story.
and omg
read on i must!
oh, and what was up with Sam when they were fighting at the end? is he like her, just not tained?
______________________________
SAM
3 stars
what a way to start a story. picks up petty damn close to the ending of the other one. has been outed (to readers only) as a bad guy. she's working for someone who is possibly
Gaia has made up her mind to try and locate her dad; hopefully that will shed some light on the situation that is Gaia's life.
Oh, and she's decided to lose her virginity...nice.
okay, i could have done without this story. i think it should have gotten 2 stars, as it was pretty pointless, except for the last few chapters...perfect set up for the next book.
i feel this book would have done better as a companion novel/novella, like a 1.1 instead of #2.
still a fast paced book, just not sure it should have been it's own book...
___________________________
RUN
5 Stars
enjoyed this one a lot.
picked up right where the previous one left off.
Gaia's love is kidnapped and she's forced to undergo a series of tests to free him before he dies.
oh, and is Heather delusional? al this talk about how she's so popular and everyone loves her and woe is me...got a little tiring real fast.
i am eager for the next book.
here's what i hope will happen:
___________________________
reviewed as a whole....
could have done without sam...or maybe a super condensed version would have been better.
writing was pretty good for the most part...except for he vs him, but she got i vs me right AND who vs, whom, so major kudos!!!!
i really enjoy how the books pick up right where the previous one left off.
the pace is brea neck, i couldn't devour it fast enough.
i read one book each day, but it's completely possible to read all three in one day, all you need is a good 15-16 hours!
can't wait to get my hands on #4, or if they're going to reprint and make another omnibus, that would be great!
May 15, 2017
The only book I have ever unhauled so far in my life. If you are above the age of a 17 year old (girl, imo) or that recommended age but mature, I would not recommend this book. My mistake: I bought it when I was about 18 and waited too long to read it. And it was preposterously long for not enjoying it but refusing to quit it until it ended.
March 16, 2012
I can't finish it.
January 31, 2012
I give up. I hate the characters and the plot is disjointed.
July 8, 2013
This compilation of three books was not what I expected. It was so far from my expectations that I ended up not enjoying it.
At first I charged through it but in the end , waited to days to finish the last couple of chapters. It can have four stars, in part for the way the author splits up the scenes, the scattered first person detours and the plot, which was solid, but because of my personal feelings after finishing it, it earns a three. I do regret the fact because I wanted to love it, but it just doesn't capture me like other long series. That was another reason that put off , the fact that there are 28 books and I won't get the answers at the end of this one.
Gaia herself is interesting and I love the author's idea of her fearlessness and how she included a band named Fearless. Miss Moore is stubborn, private, an incredible chess player and gorgeous because she doesn't know it. She snags Sam Moon's attention and vice versa, so much so that when her life is in danger, she wishes to seek him out for a last minute virginity loss. This was emphasized for much of book two, aptly named Sam. I also wish they had more encounters to build their relationship on because it's riding on a few chance encounters and only a couple of words.
Ed Fargo is my favorite part of the whole thing. He's funny, loyal, caring and determined. He doesn't deserve Heather or even Gaia but someone better who won't overlook him.
Surprisingly, I liked Heather though sometimes annoying and evil. She knows what she wants and she's good at getting it. She cares for Sam and her hatred for Gaia isn't unwarranted.
The whole thing with her family and bad guy is confusing. What exactly is his motive, a crazy infatuation with this fearless girl?
At first I charged through it but in the end , waited to days to finish the last couple of chapters. It can have four stars, in part for the way the author splits up the scenes, the scattered first person detours and the plot, which was solid, but because of my personal feelings after finishing it, it earns a three. I do regret the fact because I wanted to love it, but it just doesn't capture me like other long series. That was another reason that put off , the fact that there are 28 books and I won't get the answers at the end of this one.
Gaia herself is interesting and I love the author's idea of her fearlessness and how she included a band named Fearless. Miss Moore is stubborn, private, an incredible chess player and gorgeous because she doesn't know it. She snags Sam Moon's attention and vice versa, so much so that when her life is in danger, she wishes to seek him out for a last minute virginity loss. This was emphasized for much of book two, aptly named Sam. I also wish they had more encounters to build their relationship on because it's riding on a few chance encounters and only a couple of words.
Ed Fargo is my favorite part of the whole thing. He's funny, loyal, caring and determined. He doesn't deserve Heather or even Gaia but someone better who won't overlook him.
Surprisingly, I liked Heather though sometimes annoying and evil. She knows what she wants and she's good at getting it. She cares for Sam and her hatred for Gaia isn't unwarranted.
The whole thing with her family and bad guy is confusing. What exactly is his motive, a crazy infatuation with this fearless girl?
July 8, 2012
Though originally published ten years ago, the concept of Fearless was surprisingly fresh. Overall, I'm glad the Fearless series was republished and given a new attractive cover so I picked it up. Pascal's writing is brief, but very to the point and the character's reflections on themselves are believable and even relatable. Gaia was a tough heroine that did major ass-kicking for the boy she loved, though seemingly more than human, to proved herself time and time again that yes, indeed, she was human (meaning, she wasn't a perfect ice queen who could kill on cold blood without provocation or ). I liked this book throughly because it didn't have the typical stereotype of teen fiction where the girl has to be the damsel in distress, hopelessly in love (though Gaia was, in love that is), wailing for help while the guy does all the awesome butt-kicking. Also, the novel did have a couple (not too explicit) sex scenes and some mild suggestions that made me raise my eyebrows. The novel also talked about people in wheelchairs (namely Ed, who happened to be my favorite character). Those two concepts are not too common in teen fiction (where romance/physical problems are not the main plot) so it was quite interesting. All in all, Fearless, Sam, Run were action packed and definitely different from my usual reads and I'm looking forward to the next (SEVERAL AND I MEAN SEVERAL) installments in the series.
May 6, 2016
I am a big fan of YA books and often read them as an adult. Francine Pascal was a great author of my youth and I believed this book would have the winning combination, unfortunately it did not.
So many things "bugged me" about this book. The sheer length of the book, the lacking character depth, the ending just to name a few. I found that the book picked up its lackluster pace at the books halfway mark; I believe the book should have begun there. Lines like, "Thinking of me insofar as a guy in hypoglycemic shock (or whatever it's called when diabetics need insulin," really burn my biscuits (or whatever it's called when you don't pay attention to the biscuits in the oven). Another area of irritation: distances in which people could make out an amazing amount of specific details as if everyone had the eyes of an eagle.
I am so disappointed.
So many things "bugged me" about this book. The sheer length of the book, the lacking character depth, the ending just to name a few. I found that the book picked up its lackluster pace at the books halfway mark; I believe the book should have begun there. Lines like, "Thinking of me insofar as a guy in hypoglycemic shock (or whatever it's called when diabetics need insulin," really burn my biscuits (or whatever it's called when you don't pay attention to the biscuits in the oven). Another area of irritation: distances in which people could make out an amazing amount of specific details as if everyone had the eyes of an eagle.
I am so disappointed.
March 23, 2019
OMG, I can't believe this! When one picks up a book that's really three books rolled into one, One expects at the end, there should be a conclusion, not a cliffhanger!
yes, if you checkout/buy/read this book expecting the whole series to be wrapped into it, you shall be sorely disappointed.
Not that it's bad! In fact, it was amazing, which is why I'm so upset!
And not I'll have to wait to get a hold of the next one!
grr!
now I'm gonna go put it on hold at the library, if you'll excuse me.
OH. MY. GOD.
I just found out that there are thirty-six books in this series. Thirty-Six!
And now I'm going to have to check them all out, but my library doesn't have anything past the first three!
*bemoaning my dire situation* Why, O Cruel World, Why?
yes, if you checkout/buy/read this book expecting the whole series to be wrapped into it, you shall be sorely disappointed.
Not that it's bad! In fact, it was amazing, which is why I'm so upset!
And not I'll have to wait to get a hold of the next one!
grr!
now I'm gonna go put it on hold at the library, if you'll excuse me.
OH. MY. GOD.
I just found out that there are thirty-six books in this series. Thirty-Six!
And now I'm going to have to check them all out, but my library doesn't have anything past the first three!
*bemoaning my dire situation* Why, O Cruel World, Why?
May 28, 2013
It was a very good book overall. Nothing to get super excited about, but definitely worth reading. It was an easy read and it was really handy having the three books in one, because otherwise they would have been very short. I couldn't put it down for long before I came back, wanting to know what happened. It is still hard to think about someone being fearless. I'm glad that Gaia still expressed lots of other feelings though. I was scared that the author might forget about some feelings just because she is supposed to be fearless. But that didn't happen, and it was all good.
November 12, 2015
This book was by far one of the worst books I have read so far. It was a poor mans version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The story had all the right elements going for it considering there were superb action sequences, but the story line was lost amidst the main characters obsession in losing her virginity. The actual story line played side kick to this obsession.
September 16, 2016
Only read the first book. It's been a while. I don't really remember the plot. Might read it once again some other time.
September 7, 2020
**Spoiler Alerts**
When I picked this book up, I had no idea I was getting books 1-3. I thought I was trying out the first book of the series to see if I liked it. I could have been more aware, I admit. I am giving the compilation 4 stars.
Book 1 - Fearless - 5 stars
The character development is great. I love that I feel like I can think like Gaia. Even though you don't know a lot about her back story in the first book, you know her. You know her feelings and thoughts and feel for her. The other characters are not as fleshed out, but it is just the first book.
And, all the characters think and act like teenagers. Oh, how nice it was to read a book where a teenager actually thinks and acts like a teenager instead of some emotionally advanced little adult. Teenagers just don't solve problems like an adult - they solve problems like the cranky and mis-guided teens in this book.
Book 2 - Sam - 4 stars
As Pascal fleshes out the other characters, you start to care about them - even the ones you hate. That is one of my favorite author tricks - to get you to care about the bad guys even as you hate them.
You also meet Gaia's Dad and learn more about the cray cray out to get her (who is not her Dad). And, I have to admit, this is where I started having some concerns ...
Book 3 - Run - 3 stars
All I have to say about this one is: what poor agents her Dad and Uncle Loki are. How are they totally missing what is going on with them both in the picture? Didn't they train for subterfuge and to have deductive reasoning? Just leaving that there...
When I picked this book up, I had no idea I was getting books 1-3. I thought I was trying out the first book of the series to see if I liked it. I could have been more aware, I admit. I am giving the compilation 4 stars.
Book 1 - Fearless - 5 stars
The character development is great. I love that I feel like I can think like Gaia. Even though you don't know a lot about her back story in the first book, you know her. You know her feelings and thoughts and feel for her. The other characters are not as fleshed out, but it is just the first book.
And, all the characters think and act like teenagers. Oh, how nice it was to read a book where a teenager actually thinks and acts like a teenager instead of some emotionally advanced little adult. Teenagers just don't solve problems like an adult - they solve problems like the cranky and mis-guided teens in this book.
Book 2 - Sam - 4 stars
As Pascal fleshes out the other characters, you start to care about them - even the ones you hate. That is one of my favorite author tricks - to get you to care about the bad guys even as you hate them.
You also meet Gaia's Dad and learn more about the cray cray out to get her (who is not her Dad). And, I have to admit, this is where I started having some concerns ...
Book 3 - Run - 3 stars
All I have to say about this one is: what poor agents her Dad and Uncle Loki are. How are they totally missing what is going on with them both in the picture? Didn't they train for subterfuge and to have deductive reasoning? Just leaving that there...
November 15, 2017
I remember loving this series as a kid so when I saw it on Amazon I bought the 3in1 edition immediately.
However, I stopped reading after the first book. The characters are underdeveloped, and their relationships are no better. Gaia and Sam start talking about each other as reluctant crushes before we even see them meet. The Ella plot is tossed in without much explanation, save a couple mysterious emails about Gaia, which you have to assume Ella is EJ in the email.
The first book takes place in what seems like a week, although Gaia is the new student in the first chapter but friends with Ed and enemies of the ~popular~ group within the next couple chapters for no real reason.
There's also issue with the park they always seem to go to. Despite multiple Nazis assaulting people at the park, no cops ever patrol. With the occasional focus on this group you start to think Gaia is fighting some Nazis for the series, but no she swoons for Sam some more.
Lastly, the narrator shifts are awkward and inconsistent. It's mostly Gaia and Sam, but Ella and Ed get turns randomly. Some short chapters are told in 1st person, the rest in a strange 3rd person where you can kind of hear the character's voice but it's still told in 3rd person.
Props for having a semi diverse character (Gaia being a girl, Ed having a wheelchair, poc secondary characters playing chess) list and making our fearless girl flawed, but I felt like the book needed a couple more runs passes the editor.
However, I stopped reading after the first book. The characters are underdeveloped, and their relationships are no better. Gaia and Sam start talking about each other as reluctant crushes before we even see them meet. The Ella plot is tossed in without much explanation, save a couple mysterious emails about Gaia, which you have to assume Ella is EJ in the email.
The first book takes place in what seems like a week, although Gaia is the new student in the first chapter but friends with Ed and enemies of the ~popular~ group within the next couple chapters for no real reason.
There's also issue with the park they always seem to go to. Despite multiple Nazis assaulting people at the park, no cops ever patrol. With the occasional focus on this group you start to think Gaia is fighting some Nazis for the series, but no she swoons for Sam some more.
Lastly, the narrator shifts are awkward and inconsistent. It's mostly Gaia and Sam, but Ella and Ed get turns randomly. Some short chapters are told in 1st person, the rest in a strange 3rd person where you can kind of hear the character's voice but it's still told in 3rd person.
Props for having a semi diverse character (Gaia being a girl, Ed having a wheelchair, poc secondary characters playing chess) list and making our fearless girl flawed, but I felt like the book needed a couple more runs passes the editor.
April 30, 2018
I thought it was a good book, and I did like the main character Gaia. I felt like there were a lot of slow parts, and a personally thing that bugged me was some typing errors. I wish the love “triangle” was solved. They could have probably crammed all this into one book to move it along. I feel it’s left empty ending and I don’t really feel like finding the rest of the series to see what happens to everyone and get my questions answered. But we will see.
August 16, 2017
Bought this for my daughter to read because she takes karate. she won't be reading it. Too much talk about sex for her age. so disappointed
November 22, 2019
It was nice to revisit this series after more than a decade. Some parts didn’t stand up to the test of time, but still an overall enjoyable series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2020
Great read can't wait to read the next book.
Read
February 26, 2025this one took a while to get through and it was great at parts but still a lot of filler ... left it at quite a cliffhanger but not sure i will continue with this series .... hmmm
June 22, 2015
Please allow me a moment to calm myself down before I review. This book has triggered my gamer rage.
*assumes lotus position and breathes deeply for several minutes*
Okay. I think I can handle this now.
______________________________________________________________________________
The whole premise of this book is that Gaia is this awesome, kick-ass heroine who feels no fear. I picked it up (thank God I got it from the library instead of buying it) because I thought the concept of a girl without fear was fairly intriguing. Unfortunately, Gaia disappointed me within ten minutes. She claims to feel no fear, but she does possess rational thought, which is why she doesn't just go jumping off a cliff or something. The only thing she would jump into without thinking is a fight, but she's so super-special-genetically-engineered-awesome that it doesn't really put her in any danger because she wins every fight anyway.
So let me boil this down for you:
In the summary on the back, Gaia's fearlessness was presented as something that would give her problems. In reality, it just makes her more awesome.
Not only is she fearless, but she's also one of those girls who dresses like a hobo and is explicitly stated in the book to have poor hygiene skills, yet somehow she's devastatingly attractive and draws every guy in a five-mile radius anyway. Doubtless because she's blonde. Oh, hello, Ever Bloom. I didn't realize Gaia Moore was one of your past lives.
Let's tally up the list so far: she's fearless, she's genetically stronger than you, she's a highly-trained ninja, and she's effortlessly gorgeous. Oh, and naturally she has a tragic backstory. Anyone smelling a Mary Sue yet?
But let's put all that aside for now and get down to the one thing that bothers me most intensely about this book. Gaia is a despicable person, and yet she is presented as having no flaws. This is especially prominent in Sam. The fact that she is actively attempting to sleep with someone else's boyfriend doesn't bother her. If I recall correctly, she maybe thought about it once or twice...maybe. She then quickly disposed of the moral debate and went on about her business trying to seduce Sam. Heather is irrelevant, because she's a bitch.
The way Heather is portrayed disgusts me. She's more human than Gaia is, and I sympathize with her far more than I do with Gaia. Heather is revealed to have deeper motivations and a more complex character than her surface suggests, and right after that, she is dismissed as a shallow, superficial bitch. Pascal is always on Gaia's side. She makes a half-assed attempt to be fair and show Heather's side of the story, then immediately goes back to portraying Gaia as the sympathetic one. I had to slam the book shut and take a break when Gaia shoved Heather down the stairs. That could have done some serious damage, but Pascal just dismisses it and moves on with the more important things, like the crappy plot.
As for the plot, I knew who the "mysterious woman" was in the first scene she appeared in. Way to keep me in suspense, Pascal. Maybe next time don't give your villain distinctive red hair? This ruined all the mystery for me, but I held on for a while, until all of a sudden the plot started revolving solely around Gaia's nonexistent sex life. I kid you not, the entirety of the second book consists of Gaia running around trying desperately to seduce a hot, taken guy whom she barely knows. We have to take a two-hundred-page break from her life-or-death struggles while she tries to lose her virginity.
How did this piece of shit get published?
Oh, that's right. I always forget about the stupid-fifteen-year-old-girl demographic.
I, for one, don't understand the attraction between Gaia and Sam at all. They exchanged perhaps twenty words in the whole compilation. Somehow they managed to discover a beautiful love despite this. The word "love" is actually thrown around in this book after they've known each other a few days. Three weeks is usually enough to make me bitch. Three weeks sounds glorious right now.
So, anyway. I think I'm all ranted out for now. Thank you for your patience. I tried to control the angry gamer within me, but when she merges with my angry writer, there's just no stopping the torrent.
I shall end with a picture of cute puppies because I need a blood pressure reduction.
*assumes lotus position and breathes deeply for several minutes*
Okay. I think I can handle this now.
______________________________________________________________________________
The whole premise of this book is that Gaia is this awesome, kick-ass heroine who feels no fear. I picked it up (thank God I got it from the library instead of buying it) because I thought the concept of a girl without fear was fairly intriguing. Unfortunately, Gaia disappointed me within ten minutes. She claims to feel no fear, but she does possess rational thought, which is why she doesn't just go jumping off a cliff or something. The only thing she would jump into without thinking is a fight, but she's so super-special-genetically-engineered-awesome that it doesn't really put her in any danger because she wins every fight anyway.
So let me boil this down for you:
In the summary on the back, Gaia's fearlessness was presented as something that would give her problems. In reality, it just makes her more awesome.
Not only is she fearless, but she's also one of those girls who dresses like a hobo and is explicitly stated in the book to have poor hygiene skills, yet somehow she's devastatingly attractive and draws every guy in a five-mile radius anyway. Doubtless because she's blonde. Oh, hello, Ever Bloom. I didn't realize Gaia Moore was one of your past lives.
Let's tally up the list so far: she's fearless, she's genetically stronger than you, she's a highly-trained ninja, and she's effortlessly gorgeous. Oh, and naturally she has a tragic backstory. Anyone smelling a Mary Sue yet?
But let's put all that aside for now and get down to the one thing that bothers me most intensely about this book. Gaia is a despicable person, and yet she is presented as having no flaws. This is especially prominent in Sam. The fact that she is actively attempting to sleep with someone else's boyfriend doesn't bother her. If I recall correctly, she maybe thought about it once or twice...maybe. She then quickly disposed of the moral debate and went on about her business trying to seduce Sam. Heather is irrelevant, because she's a bitch.
The way Heather is portrayed disgusts me. She's more human than Gaia is, and I sympathize with her far more than I do with Gaia. Heather is revealed to have deeper motivations and a more complex character than her surface suggests, and right after that, she is dismissed as a shallow, superficial bitch. Pascal is always on Gaia's side. She makes a half-assed attempt to be fair and show Heather's side of the story, then immediately goes back to portraying Gaia as the sympathetic one. I had to slam the book shut and take a break when Gaia shoved Heather down the stairs. That could have done some serious damage, but Pascal just dismisses it and moves on with the more important things, like the crappy plot.
As for the plot, I knew who the "mysterious woman" was in the first scene she appeared in. Way to keep me in suspense, Pascal. Maybe next time don't give your villain distinctive red hair? This ruined all the mystery for me, but I held on for a while, until all of a sudden the plot started revolving solely around Gaia's nonexistent sex life. I kid you not, the entirety of the second book consists of Gaia running around trying desperately to seduce a hot, taken guy whom she barely knows. We have to take a two-hundred-page break from her life-or-death struggles while she tries to lose her virginity.
How did this piece of shit get published?
Oh, that's right. I always forget about the stupid-fifteen-year-old-girl demographic.
I, for one, don't understand the attraction between Gaia and Sam at all. They exchanged perhaps twenty words in the whole compilation. Somehow they managed to discover a beautiful love despite this. The word "love" is actually thrown around in this book after they've known each other a few days. Three weeks is usually enough to make me bitch. Three weeks sounds glorious right now.
So, anyway. I think I'm all ranted out for now. Thank you for your patience. I tried to control the angry gamer within me, but when she merges with my angry writer, there's just no stopping the torrent.
I shall end with a picture of cute puppies because I need a blood pressure reduction.
August 1, 2015
I think i would shoot myself in the foot before i ever would try reading the next two bind-ups of this series. and while reading another review, i realized that this "Fearless" series is 36 or so books long?! holy crap, i got nothing against long book series, but wowz there is no possible way that anyone has actually finished this series. i think you should get an award if you actually read the whole series without falling into your own grave, because you died of boredom after reading it all. if you are that special someone who actually finished this series without dying of boredom by the end, Congrats!
*may or may not have spoilers, read at your own risk*
seriously though, i liked the idea of this book, Gaia supposedly being kick butt and without fear, but crap man, after the first half, it became painful to read about this dramatic teenager. the blurb on the back of the book said one thing, and when you actually read the book its something almost entirely different!
middle part of fearless was all about poor little Gaia who 'might' die in the next few days from some pissed off gang member with a gun..... really? i thought Gaia was fearless? seems she is afraid of a gun. or just wants to take the easy route and give up before even trying.
and so since Gaia is so afraid of this teen gang dude with a gun, she decides that she does not want to die a virgin..... wow. uh, i don't know what to say to that. *ahem* other than that she is Vain and Selfish, and that apparently the worst way you can die, is die a virgin. ROFL seriously?!?!?
the only thing that made me finish reading fearless, was that at least in the last part there was some action, however by the end, i hated every character except Ed. he was the only decent person i liked. everyone else in the book can go jump in a lake for all i care.
the only thing i can actually say i liked was the name "Gaia", its different, and is somewhat original, that is literally the only thing i liked about Fearless.
so yeah, This waste of space book has earned itself that 1 star, i am still not even sure it deserves that.
this book disappointed me so much, that it hurts to even think about it now.
i don't normally hate a book this much, but fearless has earned my hate.
Congrats Francine Pascal, you wrote a book so boring that i have the urge to go smack my head against a wall just to wake my brain up.
*may or may not have spoilers, read at your own risk*
seriously though, i liked the idea of this book, Gaia supposedly being kick butt and without fear, but crap man, after the first half, it became painful to read about this dramatic teenager. the blurb on the back of the book said one thing, and when you actually read the book its something almost entirely different!
middle part of fearless was all about poor little Gaia who 'might' die in the next few days from some pissed off gang member with a gun..... really? i thought Gaia was fearless? seems she is afraid of a gun. or just wants to take the easy route and give up before even trying.
and so since Gaia is so afraid of this teen gang dude with a gun, she decides that she does not want to die a virgin..... wow. uh, i don't know what to say to that. *ahem* other than that she is Vain and Selfish, and that apparently the worst way you can die, is die a virgin. ROFL seriously?!?!?
the only thing that made me finish reading fearless, was that at least in the last part there was some action, however by the end, i hated every character except Ed. he was the only decent person i liked. everyone else in the book can go jump in a lake for all i care.
the only thing i can actually say i liked was the name "Gaia", its different, and is somewhat original, that is literally the only thing i liked about Fearless.
so yeah, This waste of space book has earned itself that 1 star, i am still not even sure it deserves that.
this book disappointed me so much, that it hurts to even think about it now.
i don't normally hate a book this much, but fearless has earned my hate.
Congrats Francine Pascal, you wrote a book so boring that i have the urge to go smack my head against a wall just to wake my brain up.
April 21, 2016
I only recently found out that my copy actually contained the three books in the series; Fearless, Sam and Run. I also learned that these books were written in 1990 so that accounts for the outdated clothing style and manner of speaking.
Fearless was really intriguing because of Gaia Moore. I thought that I would somewhat understand where Gaia was coming from as someone without the chemical compound that lets us feel fear. As I progressed throughout the book, I began to feel differently. She was a one dimensional character and I had trouble relating to her on an emotional level. Francine Pascal failed to show Gaia’s vulnerabilities and weaknesses. She was portrayed as physically strong yet it seemed as if that was all she was good for. Her feelings weren’t explored much and only her physical abilities were shown. It was mentioned somewhere in the first book that she was also good at picking locks yet this skill went unnoticed throughout the entire book. Another problem I had with Gaia was that I thought she was too perfect. It’s very difficult to empathize with a character who comes across as having no flaws whatsoever and that was exactly what happened to my relationship with Gaia.
The other characters, Sam and Heather specifically, weren’t developed either. It felt as if they were merely names in passing instead of actual characters. Ugh. This book was not for me at all. I thought that Ed should have been more developed and less of a background persona. Ed would have been a fun character to read about but unfortunately, he wasn’t explored much.
Francine Pascal’s writing style takes time to get used too. There are some parts in which it comes across brilliantly and fast paced but there were also a lot times when it seemed jerky and off-key. The pacing was good, not too fast and not too slow either. I can’t say the same for Sam and Gaia’s dysfunctional relationship, however.
Overall, I thought that Fearless had a very promising premise but I hated it because of the characters, pacing and the plot. I found out that there are 37 books in the series (Say w h a t?!) but I think that I’m done with the entire Fearless series.
Fearless was really intriguing because of Gaia Moore. I thought that I would somewhat understand where Gaia was coming from as someone without the chemical compound that lets us feel fear. As I progressed throughout the book, I began to feel differently. She was a one dimensional character and I had trouble relating to her on an emotional level. Francine Pascal failed to show Gaia’s vulnerabilities and weaknesses. She was portrayed as physically strong yet it seemed as if that was all she was good for. Her feelings weren’t explored much and only her physical abilities were shown. It was mentioned somewhere in the first book that she was also good at picking locks yet this skill went unnoticed throughout the entire book. Another problem I had with Gaia was that I thought she was too perfect. It’s very difficult to empathize with a character who comes across as having no flaws whatsoever and that was exactly what happened to my relationship with Gaia.
The other characters, Sam and Heather specifically, weren’t developed either. It felt as if they were merely names in passing instead of actual characters. Ugh. This book was not for me at all. I thought that Ed should have been more developed and less of a background persona. Ed would have been a fun character to read about but unfortunately, he wasn’t explored much.
Francine Pascal’s writing style takes time to get used too. There are some parts in which it comes across brilliantly and fast paced but there were also a lot times when it seemed jerky and off-key. The pacing was good, not too fast and not too slow either. I can’t say the same for Sam and Gaia’s dysfunctional relationship, however.
Overall, I thought that Fearless had a very promising premise but I hated it because of the characters, pacing and the plot. I found out that there are 37 books in the series (Say w h a t?!) but I think that I’m done with the entire Fearless series.
April 12, 2015
OH MAN THESE BOOKS WERE FANTASTIC. I READ ALL THREE IN 2 DAYS. GOOD GOLLY.
First of all Gaia Moore is the most fantastical, kick-ass heroine I have ever read about. Gaia is selfless, sarcastic, unaffected by other people's opinions and loyal. She's quite a peculiar character, which I love! I absolutely loved her personality and all of her little quirks. *Sigh* I wish I was born without the fear gene and was highly skilled in four types of karate... and playing chess.
Next character on my list, Sam Moon. (Oh my gosh). I find it so attractive that he's amazing at chess.. Is that too nerdy of me? ...NAH. Sam and Gaia are the cutest beings ever to exist in the novel world. THEY'RE SO ADOARBLE I'M GOING TO DIE. They barely have an intimate, close contact moments but how they act towards each other is just too awkwardly cute. Phew, it read quite a whirlwind of drama and unrequited love to last me a number of days. (Hah, just kidding, I need more Gaia and Sam ASAP.)
Overall, I just loved how the characters were all portrayed. You were able to get a well rounded impression of each characters' values and personalities. Such as how Ed is a hopeless romantic and Heather is a plain bitch. Sorry, not sorry, I cannot get over her hideous character. (Good job Pascal! That's some characterization right there!) What I truly appreciated about this novel that helped to develop the intense plot is the various view points readers are exposed to. Not only do you get to see Gaia's point of view, nooo, but also Heather's, Ed's, Sam's, Tom's, Ella's.... and sooo many more people's. The story progressed a thousand times better because of the alternative points of view and it helped to develop the suspense and action.
Ahh, there's just too much to rave about in this novel. You'll just have to read it yourself to experience the trouble that revolves around Gaia Moore.
You have no idea how happy I am to learn that there are many more books in the Fearless series! (HOLLAH, LET'S GO ON A FEARLESS MARATHON, AM I RIGHT?!)
First of all Gaia Moore is the most fantastical, kick-ass heroine I have ever read about. Gaia is selfless, sarcastic, unaffected by other people's opinions and loyal. She's quite a peculiar character, which I love! I absolutely loved her personality and all of her little quirks. *Sigh* I wish I was born without the fear gene and was highly skilled in four types of karate... and playing chess.
Next character on my list, Sam Moon. (Oh my gosh). I find it so attractive that he's amazing at chess.. Is that too nerdy of me? ...NAH. Sam and Gaia are the cutest beings ever to exist in the novel world. THEY'RE SO ADOARBLE I'M GOING TO DIE. They barely have an intimate, close contact moments but how they act towards each other is just too awkwardly cute. Phew, it read quite a whirlwind of drama and unrequited love to last me a number of days. (Hah, just kidding, I need more Gaia and Sam ASAP.)
Overall, I just loved how the characters were all portrayed. You were able to get a well rounded impression of each characters' values and personalities. Such as how Ed is a hopeless romantic and Heather is a plain bitch. Sorry, not sorry, I cannot get over her hideous character. (Good job Pascal! That's some characterization right there!) What I truly appreciated about this novel that helped to develop the intense plot is the various view points readers are exposed to. Not only do you get to see Gaia's point of view, nooo, but also Heather's, Ed's, Sam's, Tom's, Ella's.... and sooo many more people's. The story progressed a thousand times better because of the alternative points of view and it helped to develop the suspense and action.
Ahh, there's just too much to rave about in this novel. You'll just have to read it yourself to experience the trouble that revolves around Gaia Moore.
You have no idea how happy I am to learn that there are many more books in the Fearless series! (HOLLAH, LET'S GO ON A FEARLESS MARATHON, AM I RIGHT?!)
September 2, 2012
Hmm. This book was ok. It was another one of my boyfriend's picks for me. I dont know why he always picks out books for 12 year olds, but oh well. He tries. The back of the book had me hopeful. But once I started reading it it was typical YA lit. I am giving it 4 stars simply because I couldnt put it down. It is about a girl named Gaia (by the way love the name) who is "fearless" and abnormally strong. Other than that she is not really that special. In fact she is kind of whiny. So Gaia's dad is some CIA FBI agent type thing and isnt in her life. Her mom has died. Her foster dad is a great guy but Gaia likes to pretend like he isnt. So Gaia hangs out in the park alot where a gang also hangs out. The gang starts slashing people nightly. But no cops seem to care to patrol the area. Even though every night in the SAME PLACE at the SAME TIME women are getting cut up. I mean I know it is New York, but come on surely they would patrol the area. This leaves Gaia to fight the gang.
As it turns out her foster step mother is in on all this somehow. Her job is to sleep with the gang members? I still dont get it. She works for Gaia's real father's evil brother. Thats right .. evil twin brother.. reallll original. Well anyways Gaia thinks she is going to die and she decides before she dies that she wants to have sex. Not with her nice guy friend (actually her only friend)who happens to be in a wheelchair (dont worry it still works, as the book tells us 5 times). She picks Sam, a college guy who is in a serious relationship with Heather (one of Gaia's classmates and sort of enemy). I honestly didnt like Gaia. She was a homewrecking, disobeying, whiny, spoiled, typical american teenager. And her powers were not even that awesome.
I would reccomend this book for a younger audience. It was good (even though my review is harsh), but I will probably not be reading the following 30 books in this series.
As it turns out her foster step mother is in on all this somehow. Her job is to sleep with the gang members? I still dont get it. She works for Gaia's real father's evil brother. Thats right .. evil twin brother.. reallll original. Well anyways Gaia thinks she is going to die and she decides before she dies that she wants to have sex. Not with her nice guy friend (actually her only friend)who happens to be in a wheelchair (dont worry it still works, as the book tells us 5 times). She picks Sam, a college guy who is in a serious relationship with Heather (one of Gaia's classmates and sort of enemy). I honestly didnt like Gaia. She was a homewrecking, disobeying, whiny, spoiled, typical american teenager. And her powers were not even that awesome.
I would reccomend this book for a younger audience. It was good (even though my review is harsh), but I will probably not be reading the following 30 books in this series.
January 4, 2012
Gaia is almost a typical teenager. Well okay, not really. She does not have the capacity to feel fear. She does, however, have the capacity to kick ass. She's an expert in just about every type of martial art you can name. Her IQ is off the charts, astronomically high and she was trained by her ex (?) CIA agent father. Her dad is now who knows where- she hasn't seen him since her mother died 5 years ago.
I greatly enjoyed this book. As it says above, I picked this book up at Wal-Mart. The cover intrigued me because she does look pretty fearless. So I started reading the first page. I laughed out loud two or three times. Gaia really amused me. SCORE! I love it when books hook me right away. I didn't even register who the author was because it was a few days until this book came up in rotation. I was looking at the cover again and I thought "gee, that author's name sounds familiar. I wonder what else she's written?" So I go to my series resource and then had to give myself a head slap. Y'all have probably already remembered. Pascal is the author of the Sweet Valley books.
It seems like this is another endless series. (Can we use Pascal's imagination to somehow generate electricity? 'Cuz that would be great.) Still, it was very interesting, funny and action packed. I know I'm always biased in favor of kick-ass females but Gaia isn't just bad-ass. She's also the walking wounded when it comes to emotions. I intend to read more of the series. It may end up like Sweet Valley where I just eventually outgrew/got tired of it but for now, I'm a fan.
I greatly enjoyed this book. As it says above, I picked this book up at Wal-Mart. The cover intrigued me because she does look pretty fearless. So I started reading the first page. I laughed out loud two or three times. Gaia really amused me. SCORE! I love it when books hook me right away. I didn't even register who the author was because it was a few days until this book came up in rotation. I was looking at the cover again and I thought "gee, that author's name sounds familiar. I wonder what else she's written?" So I go to my series resource and then had to give myself a head slap. Y'all have probably already remembered. Pascal is the author of the Sweet Valley books.
It seems like this is another endless series. (Can we use Pascal's imagination to somehow generate electricity? 'Cuz that would be great.) Still, it was very interesting, funny and action packed. I know I'm always biased in favor of kick-ass females but Gaia isn't just bad-ass. She's also the walking wounded when it comes to emotions. I intend to read more of the series. It may end up like Sweet Valley where I just eventually outgrew/got tired of it but for now, I'm a fan.
January 4, 2013
This review was first posted on my blog Escaping With Books
The beginning of the combined book is really scattered. It's told in first person POV, and third person POV. The plot felt unstable because it didn't feel like anything was really happening. Many things happened that didn't feel like it was leading to anywhere. The real action and development came in the second book "Sam" and "Run" which were both like wild goose chases.
There was a lot of action that I did enjoy though, and also a lot of interesting characters through all three books. There were changes in characters that I didn't expect at all. I liked how there was a lot of mystery involved, in the way how Gaia actually became fearless. Was she born this way, or had her father really made her into the "thing" she is ? Who knows.
I'm not sure if I'm going to read the rest of the series (which is about 30 something books) just because I was always quite confused as to why things happened. Half of "Sam" was about Gaia wanting to lose her virginity, and in the end, she walked in on him doing it with another girl. Long story. Even if I want to know how Gaia became fearless, what's to become of her and Sam, if she'll forgive her father, I'm still not sure about reading the entire series.
I definitely didn't enjoy this book as much as I though I would. When I first read the blurb, I expected her to be more involved with the government, running for her life kind of thing. Right now, she doesn't even know who is after her, but we do.
The beginning of the combined book is really scattered. It's told in first person POV, and third person POV. The plot felt unstable because it didn't feel like anything was really happening. Many things happened that didn't feel like it was leading to anywhere. The real action and development came in the second book "Sam" and "Run" which were both like wild goose chases.
There was a lot of action that I did enjoy though, and also a lot of interesting characters through all three books. There were changes in characters that I didn't expect at all. I liked how there was a lot of mystery involved, in the way how Gaia actually became fearless. Was she born this way, or had her father really made her into the "thing" she is ? Who knows.
I'm not sure if I'm going to read the rest of the series (which is about 30 something books) just because I was always quite confused as to why things happened. Half of "Sam" was about Gaia wanting to lose her virginity, and in the end, she walked in on him doing it with another girl. Long story. Even if I want to know how Gaia became fearless, what's to become of her and Sam, if she'll forgive her father, I'm still not sure about reading the entire series.
I definitely didn't enjoy this book as much as I though I would. When I first read the blurb, I expected her to be more involved with the government, running for her life kind of thing. Right now, she doesn't even know who is after her, but we do.
December 26, 2014
My first review was on the first book only. I gave that one 3.5 stars. But I take it back I dont know. After reading a review that voiced some thoughts I had it was clear.
I would not finish this series. Ever.
I didnt think id pick up the second book or the third but I just skimmed through both of them without even getting most of the parts.
But it didnt matter. It was still complete crap. I just found out this series is very old like 12 years old and theres 37 books. Yeah no im not doing that stupid shit.
Like everyone else I hate basically all the character's except Ed. He seemed more rational than everyone.
And Gaia. I just hated her, I thought I liked her, mostly because of her strength but now.. no. All she cared about was sex with another persons boyfriend. She didnt even care about his girlfriend because the girlfriend is a so called cold evil bitch. Doesnt mean you go and try to fuck her boyfriend thats just fucked up. That actually just makes her the evil cold Bitch. I really dont even get the love sam and her so called have. Its just popped out of nowhere. They barely hold any good convos and scenes except that one chess scene in book 1.
So yeah fuck this. Im not into this series anymore.
I would not finish this series. Ever.
I didnt think id pick up the second book or the third but I just skimmed through both of them without even getting most of the parts.
But it didnt matter. It was still complete crap. I just found out this series is very old like 12 years old and theres 37 books. Yeah no im not doing that stupid shit.
Like everyone else I hate basically all the character's except Ed. He seemed more rational than everyone.
And Gaia. I just hated her, I thought I liked her, mostly because of her strength but now.. no. All she cared about was sex with another persons boyfriend. She didnt even care about his girlfriend because the girlfriend is a so called cold evil bitch. Doesnt mean you go and try to fuck her boyfriend thats just fucked up. That actually just makes her the evil cold Bitch. I really dont even get the love sam and her so called have. Its just popped out of nowhere. They barely hold any good convos and scenes except that one chess scene in book 1.
So yeah fuck this. Im not into this series anymore.
January 1, 2025
I loved rereading these! I read these when I was in my teens, and I absolutely could not get enough of Gaia and her action-packed life. The series is so nostalgic to me, and even though the books aren't perfect, they still give me immense joy.
February 22, 2015
While I was reading this I decided to look up the other books in the series and found out that it doesn't end at book 3 or 4 or 10 but this series goes on for about 36 books. The first three books were good but I have to read 33 more before I know how it ends? I don't think so. I don't even really care how it ends now that I know how long the series is and that my local book store doesn't carry the books.
Anyway...
Fearless is about Gaia and get this she's fearless. She's also not the best at making friends and relationships. She can make things awkward in a matter of sentences. There were also times where I just didn't want to read something because it was just too much information. But at the same time it was really good because it had action and romance and it wasn't sappy romance so I automatically enjoyed it even if Gaia is sometimes an idiot when it comes to Sam.
Bottom line: Did I like this? Yes. Will I read the next 33 books? No it just wasn't that good.
Anyway...
Fearless is about Gaia and get this she's fearless. She's also not the best at making friends and relationships. She can make things awkward in a matter of sentences. There were also times where I just didn't want to read something because it was just too much information. But at the same time it was really good because it had action and romance and it wasn't sappy romance so I automatically enjoyed it even if Gaia is sometimes an idiot when it comes to Sam.
Bottom line: Did I like this? Yes. Will I read the next 33 books? No it just wasn't that good.
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