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The Loop Trilogy #2
The Block
In the second book of The Loop trilogy, Luka is trapped in a fate worse than death. But now that he knows the truth about what he and his fellow inmates are being used for, it's more important than ever that he not only escape, but that he build an army.
Luka in a prisoner once again. But this time it's a fate worse than death. In the Block, he must toggle between enduring an Energy Harvest for twelve hours of the day and surviving complete immobilization. The only semblance of relief is the Sane Zone, created to keep prisoners from going completely mad. In this virtual reality, the prisoners live out their fantasies of life outside. But for Luka, it's different.
Happy is determined to find out the location of his friends, who disappeared after the Battle of Midway Park. But can Luka battle the descent into madness long enought to stop Happy's manipulation tactics and keep his friends' location safe?
Another prison break is the only chance to protect the Missing. And as reality becomes increasingly scrambled on the outside, it'll take an army to stop Galen from carrying out his plans.
Luka in a prisoner once again. But this time it's a fate worse than death. In the Block, he must toggle between enduring an Energy Harvest for twelve hours of the day and surviving complete immobilization. The only semblance of relief is the Sane Zone, created to keep prisoners from going completely mad. In this virtual reality, the prisoners live out their fantasies of life outside. But for Luka, it's different.
Happy is determined to find out the location of his friends, who disappeared after the Battle of Midway Park. But can Luka battle the descent into madness long enought to stop Happy's manipulation tactics and keep his friends' location safe?
Another prison break is the only chance to protect the Missing. And as reality becomes increasingly scrambled on the outside, it'll take an army to stop Galen from carrying out his plans.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 4, 2021
131 people are currently reading
2286 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
September 18, 2020
The Block is the best book I've written in my life! (so far) I'll give it 4.68, because there's always room for me to become a better writer... but I loved writing this book, and I hope you all enjoy reading it :)
June 17, 2021
CW:
Well I am ropeable!
What kind of ending is that, Ben! And why doesn't it say that there is a book three coming out? I have no further comments but, Ben, I assume you are tippy typing right now and creating book 3.
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4
Well I am ropeable!
What kind of ending is that, Ben! And why doesn't it say that there is a book three coming out? I have no further comments but, Ben, I assume you are tippy typing right now and creating book 3.
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4
April 16, 2021
Okay why am I crying over the death of a drone named Apple-Moth at 12:30am?
Seriously though, Pod’s death made me cry HARD. When Igby was repeating himself through the radio and got no response... the TRAUMA.
Seriously though, Pod’s death made me cry HARD. When Igby was repeating himself through the radio and got no response... the TRAUMA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2021
You can't just end it like that! Damn, this book was good. Really good. Like one of the best books I've ever read good. Ben Oliver you are a genius.
There was still all the same aspects as The Loop had, but as we had been in the world and with the characters for longer there were loads of really sweet and funny moments, parts with plot twists you'd never see coming, and entire scenes that left you creeped out. The purgatory chapters gave me ready player one vibes which I loved, the concept was a really creative way to show how technology could be used in what appears to be a useful way, but ultimately isn't all that great. And can I say, I loved Apple-Moth. One of my favourite 'characters', what a cool little dude. And the whole Pod and Igby situation, I didn't see that coming, but looking back it was somewhat obvious. The conversation they had on the intercom with each other at the end, I physically couldn't deal with it. Heart broken.
To summarise, this series needs more hype and recognition, because it's bloody brilliant and I've never read anything like it before. Please, please, please, go read it. I'm begging you.
There was still all the same aspects as The Loop had, but as we had been in the world and with the characters for longer there were loads of really sweet and funny moments, parts with plot twists you'd never see coming, and entire scenes that left you creeped out. The purgatory chapters gave me ready player one vibes which I loved, the concept was a really creative way to show how technology could be used in what appears to be a useful way, but ultimately isn't all that great. And can I say, I loved Apple-Moth. One of my favourite 'characters', what a cool little dude. And the whole Pod and Igby situation, I didn't see that coming, but looking back it was somewhat obvious. The conversation they had on the intercom with each other at the end, I physically couldn't deal with it. Heart broken.
To summarise, this series needs more hype and recognition, because it's bloody brilliant and I've never read anything like it before. Please, please, please, go read it. I'm begging you.
July 8, 2022
4/5 stars
The Block is the sequel to The Loop. Taking place over a month after the ending of the previous book, Luka Kane is now imprisoned within the titular Block with some of the other prisoners he escaped with in the previous book. He soon learns that two of his friends, Woods and Malachai, have been taken to the Arc for some unknown purpose instructed by the twisted AI called Happy. After days of torture, his energy being drained, and being made to witness false realities, Luka is finally broken out by his friends. He has freedom, but it is only so fleeting. The city under Happy's rule is a nightmare and many are still subjugated. But Luka will learn things about Happy's plan and those still fighting to survive that will shift his world.
The Block still keeps the fast past and plot twists of its predecessor, which is a good thing. I liked them in The Loop and I still like them here. We see more of the world here too. We saw some of it in The Loop, but most of it was spent near-constantly running from and fighting Happy's minions and other threats that we really didn't get time to settle with the new settings. Some past events of the city and Happy's takeover are explained with contextualizes things.
Luka is still very much the same boy he was the previous book. Kind but serious and heroic; he wants to do the best and be the best for everyone. Luka was a tiny bit naïve in the previous book, but that seems to slough off here. He's more suspicious (it pays to be suspicious in this world) and more careful and observant about what he does here. He is true to his believes that humanity can fight against Happy and are good at heart. As I said with the reveal in the previous book about why Happy took over the world, this series is very much one of those "Is humanity worth it" and "Does humanity deserve freedom?" kind of stories. They are nothing new and they seem often tired in this day in age, but I think Ben Oliver managed to write his own story with this message without being either too boring or too grating or too depressing. And with how this ties into Luka's character and his beliefs, I, personally, do see Luka as a believable character and one to root for. But it isn't all sunshine and roses for Luka and these beliefs. Oliver manages to throw in quite a few characters and situations who are meant to challenge Luka's beliefs and his path to his goals. There's a scientist who has taken Luka's sister Molly and all the others who escaped Happy's clutches and made them and himself--for the lack of better words--slumber into a virtual world to avoid detection. There's Luka friends like Igby and Pander who want to fight back. Luka's love interest Kina who simply wants to keep running until they found peace. All of these situations, choices, and arguments not only made Luka question things, but myself as well.
I felt tired when Luka was tired, I felt angry and agonized when he was. Happy's plans for humanity are basic Evil AI 101, but after failure Luka and his friends suffer in this book, you start wonder if it's better to accept the AI's terms and become an Alt soldier or a host.
All of the new characters bring some kind of edge of differing perspective to the story. The three I was most interested was Dr. Price (the aforementioned one above), Dr. Ortega, and Molly. Dr. Price wants safety and believes he has found a solution, but is it a perfect one? I didn't agree with his methods, but I could definitely understand why he did what he did. I am just steamed however that his literally first name was Etcetera.
No. I am not making that up. His real, legal name is Etcetera Price. Oliver, you can do better than that.
Dr. Ortega was a mysterious presence throughout the book. She clearly knew something, but the reveal was genuinely interesting. I wonder if she'll play a role, if any, in the forthcoming third and final book?
Out of all of the new characters--well, she's not really new since we saw her in The Loop--I think Molly was the one I liked the most. She's sapphic and she's a mixture of naiveite and a hardened fighter. She's tough, but much like her brother in the previous book there were some things she couldn't see clearly through that made her clash with Luka.
I also really liked the annoying, cute drone Apple-Moth. Such a cute little thing.
All of the characters who survived the previous book were a delight to see as well. I was saddened when some of them die. The deaths here are just as cruel as the ones in the previous book. These poor kids really go through the ringer.
Plot and structure-wise, I think everything came together well. I had a question about one thing though. Galen and Happy mention that original information for the healing nanotech got deleted or destroyed from everything saved physical and digital location the machine doing the surgeries for making people into Happy's hosts was the last thing with said information until Luka destroyed it. Couldn't they have somehow extracted it from the machine before it was destroyed? I am not an expert on robotics or computers, whether real life or cyberpunk sci-fi, but isn't there specific coding and information you could extract from a machine to see what it was trying to do and work with? I don't know, maybe I'm nitpicking.
The ending had me genuinely shocked. I felt a glimmer of hope...a glimmer. It was quickly surrounded by despair. However, there's a third and final book coming. SO, we'll see what happens.
The Block is the sequel to The Loop. Taking place over a month after the ending of the previous book, Luka Kane is now imprisoned within the titular Block with some of the other prisoners he escaped with in the previous book. He soon learns that two of his friends, Woods and Malachai, have been taken to the Arc for some unknown purpose instructed by the twisted AI called Happy. After days of torture, his energy being drained, and being made to witness false realities, Luka is finally broken out by his friends. He has freedom, but it is only so fleeting. The city under Happy's rule is a nightmare and many are still subjugated. But Luka will learn things about Happy's plan and those still fighting to survive that will shift his world.
The Block still keeps the fast past and plot twists of its predecessor, which is a good thing. I liked them in The Loop and I still like them here. We see more of the world here too. We saw some of it in The Loop, but most of it was spent near-constantly running from and fighting Happy's minions and other threats that we really didn't get time to settle with the new settings. Some past events of the city and Happy's takeover are explained with contextualizes things.
Luka is still very much the same boy he was the previous book. Kind but serious and heroic; he wants to do the best and be the best for everyone. Luka was a tiny bit naïve in the previous book, but that seems to slough off here. He's more suspicious (it pays to be suspicious in this world) and more careful and observant about what he does here. He is true to his believes that humanity can fight against Happy and are good at heart. As I said with the reveal in the previous book about why Happy took over the world, this series is very much one of those "Is humanity worth it" and "Does humanity deserve freedom?" kind of stories. They are nothing new and they seem often tired in this day in age, but I think Ben Oliver managed to write his own story with this message without being either too boring or too grating or too depressing. And with how this ties into Luka's character and his beliefs, I, personally, do see Luka as a believable character and one to root for. But it isn't all sunshine and roses for Luka and these beliefs. Oliver manages to throw in quite a few characters and situations who are meant to challenge Luka's beliefs and his path to his goals. There's a scientist who has taken Luka's sister Molly and all the others who escaped Happy's clutches and made them and himself--for the lack of better words--slumber into a virtual world to avoid detection. There's Luka friends like Igby and Pander who want to fight back. Luka's love interest Kina who simply wants to keep running until they found peace. All of these situations, choices, and arguments not only made Luka question things, but myself as well.
I felt tired when Luka was tired, I felt angry and agonized when he was. Happy's plans for humanity are basic Evil AI 101, but after failure Luka and his friends suffer in this book, you start wonder if it's better to accept the AI's terms and become an Alt soldier or a host.
All of the new characters bring some kind of edge of differing perspective to the story. The three I was most interested was Dr. Price (the aforementioned one above), Dr. Ortega, and Molly. Dr. Price wants safety and believes he has found a solution, but is it a perfect one? I didn't agree with his methods, but I could definitely understand why he did what he did. I am just steamed however that his literally first name was Etcetera.
No. I am not making that up. His real, legal name is Etcetera Price. Oliver, you can do better than that.
Dr. Ortega was a mysterious presence throughout the book. She clearly knew something, but the reveal was genuinely interesting. I wonder if she'll play a role, if any, in the forthcoming third and final book?
Out of all of the new characters--well, she's not really new since we saw her in The Loop--I think Molly was the one I liked the most. She's sapphic and she's a mixture of naiveite and a hardened fighter. She's tough, but much like her brother in the previous book there were some things she couldn't see clearly through that made her clash with Luka.
I also really liked the annoying, cute drone Apple-Moth. Such a cute little thing.
All of the characters who survived the previous book were a delight to see as well. I was saddened when some of them die. The deaths here are just as cruel as the ones in the previous book. These poor kids really go through the ringer.
Plot and structure-wise, I think everything came together well. I had a question about one thing though. Galen and Happy mention that original information for the healing nanotech got deleted or destroyed from everything saved physical and digital location the machine doing the surgeries for making people into Happy's hosts was the last thing with said information until Luka destroyed it. Couldn't they have somehow extracted it from the machine before it was destroyed? I am not an expert on robotics or computers, whether real life or cyberpunk sci-fi, but isn't there specific coding and information you could extract from a machine to see what it was trying to do and work with? I don't know, maybe I'm nitpicking.
The ending had me genuinely shocked. I felt a glimmer of hope...a glimmer. It was quickly surrounded by despair. However, there's a third and final book coming. SO, we'll see what happens.
April 21, 2022
It feels a bit difficult to write this review since I’m not 100% sure of what to say.
I’m giving it 4,5 stars because I enjoyed the first book a bit more than the second
This is my first ever review because I felt like I had to get this dump of thoughts off me :,)
This series really manages to give me the creeps 24/7 because of the sinister look it gives into the future which’s trigger are the people of today.
I found it a bit hard to find myself back in the story even though there is barely a month between me reading book one and two. The first 70 pages didn’t really catch me (it’s not that I didn’t like it but it just didn’t excite me the way the first 70 pages of “The Loop” excited me) however, I kept reading because “The Loop” convinced me that Ben Oliver knows what he is doing with the story. I’m very glad I did.
The reason it didn’t excite me too much was because I was scared that everything will just be a repetition of the pages before again and again, and I was certain that the book would be too predictable what then again sounded so stupid to me bc again “The Loop” proved that the author isn’t messing around and knows how to keep the reader on their toes.
The pace picked up very nicely, and we were introduced to new characters who I really liked!
Just one note that I think was disappointing: Samira is a beautiful name that holds a lot of meaning and information in it. One is that she’s not just another white character in a YA book. Therefore, calling her “Sam” all the time took away all the effect of her background and her being POC.
Continuing..
Purgatory:
I loved the name of that place. Even when it looked very peaceful and soothing in the beginning the name already made you alert and not give in to the temptation of finally settling down (even as a reader)
I gotta be really honest, in the beginning I really didn’t like the turn the story took when they entered a video game (also I found the NPC’s so scary, to imagine those zombie-like mute creatures in front of you was extremely unsettling)
However, when they started to feel dizzy and Molly’s warning slowly faded away from Lukas mind the whole thing started to get extremely exciting. As a reader you kept repeating “get out Luka get out Luka get out Luka” and hoped that Luka and Malachai would remind each other to leave that place, but then they actually started to settle down there.
Right when you thought they are completely lost that NPC receptionist managed to remind Luka that he needs to leave ASAP
Though I don’t really understand how that worked since he was a NPC. Like is that the whole point? Davis himself said “he barely manages to say his few lines” so were the warnings he said actually Luka’s subconscious? I think so.
Skipping to the part where they are back in the library:
That felt like the ultimate showdown to me since everything went down hill and everything escalated.
Tyco (someone please kill him already😩) showing up and shooting Akimi with the Deleter (I think she died very randomly, without any drama or anything. She was a great character and I would’ve loved to at least see her dead be a bit more emotional), Samira in absolute pain because of her baby, the Mosquitos crashing into the windows, the alts entering the library.
It was overwhelming but felt real since those things would’ve actually happened that hectic and stressful.
The author could’ve taken his time describing every little detail of everything going on but that would’ve killed the effect of the characters being in a fix.
They managed to get into the panic room:
Actually, I wasn’t shocked at all when Pod said that one person won’t be able to make it out. I don’t know I just felt it. It’s this “things weren’t shitty enough rn let’s make it worse” that made me certain.
(Samira btw just casually giving birth within 20 mins while everything happens and after that gets up and walks away)
Pod:
Y’all already know what’s coming.
My heart broke when I understood why Pod punched Igby in his face. He sacrificed himself to save the person he loves.
And as if his talk with Luka wasn’t enough, he had a final conversation with Igby. My heart broke.
DEAR MR BEN OLIVER, THE ONLY THING I ASKED FOR WAS FOR POD TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THE STARS AND YOU DID NOT GRANT ME THAT WISH. I HATE YOU 😭
I loved Pod A LOT and think he is extremely selfless (same as all the other characters) and a beautiful companion to his friends. I wished he could’ve finished his quest with Igby and looked at the stars.
Luka in the Arc:
I loved the things Luka told the readers about what’s right and what’s wrong. That genocide and evil cannot be justified with peace and a better future. These words can really easily be translated into today’s time (and in any other time since humans exist because power and the concept of “good and evil” are a constant issue)
Also, the way he talked about the rich that feed off the poor not only on a materialistic basis but also their pleasure of SEEING that they are “superior” to them due to their wealth.
I cannot wait for the final book, and I am so glad that I stumbled upon this series because it is eye opening and a gem as a survival guide for today’s world.
FINISHED REREADING IT OB APRIL 21ST
I can’t believe I didn’t give this book 5 stars the first time I read it. It was outstanding and I literally started crying when Pod died.
I am going to start “The Arc“ right now and I’m SO excited!!
I’m giving it 4,5 stars because I enjoyed the first book a bit more than the second
This is my first ever review because I felt like I had to get this dump of thoughts off me :,)
This series really manages to give me the creeps 24/7 because of the sinister look it gives into the future which’s trigger are the people of today.
I found it a bit hard to find myself back in the story even though there is barely a month between me reading book one and two. The first 70 pages didn’t really catch me (it’s not that I didn’t like it but it just didn’t excite me the way the first 70 pages of “The Loop” excited me) however, I kept reading because “The Loop” convinced me that Ben Oliver knows what he is doing with the story. I’m very glad I did.
The reason it didn’t excite me too much was because I was scared that everything will just be a repetition of the pages before again and again, and I was certain that the book would be too predictable what then again sounded so stupid to me bc again “The Loop” proved that the author isn’t messing around and knows how to keep the reader on their toes.
The pace picked up very nicely, and we were introduced to new characters who I really liked!
Just one note that I think was disappointing: Samira is a beautiful name that holds a lot of meaning and information in it. One is that she’s not just another white character in a YA book. Therefore, calling her “Sam” all the time took away all the effect of her background and her being POC.
Continuing..
Purgatory:
I loved the name of that place. Even when it looked very peaceful and soothing in the beginning the name already made you alert and not give in to the temptation of finally settling down (even as a reader)
I gotta be really honest, in the beginning I really didn’t like the turn the story took when they entered a video game (also I found the NPC’s so scary, to imagine those zombie-like mute creatures in front of you was extremely unsettling)
However, when they started to feel dizzy and Molly’s warning slowly faded away from Lukas mind the whole thing started to get extremely exciting. As a reader you kept repeating “get out Luka get out Luka get out Luka” and hoped that Luka and Malachai would remind each other to leave that place, but then they actually started to settle down there.
Right when you thought they are completely lost that NPC receptionist managed to remind Luka that he needs to leave ASAP
Though I don’t really understand how that worked since he was a NPC. Like is that the whole point? Davis himself said “he barely manages to say his few lines” so were the warnings he said actually Luka’s subconscious? I think so.
Skipping to the part where they are back in the library:
That felt like the ultimate showdown to me since everything went down hill and everything escalated.
Tyco (someone please kill him already😩) showing up and shooting Akimi with the Deleter (I think she died very randomly, without any drama or anything. She was a great character and I would’ve loved to at least see her dead be a bit more emotional), Samira in absolute pain because of her baby, the Mosquitos crashing into the windows, the alts entering the library.
It was overwhelming but felt real since those things would’ve actually happened that hectic and stressful.
The author could’ve taken his time describing every little detail of everything going on but that would’ve killed the effect of the characters being in a fix.
They managed to get into the panic room:
Actually, I wasn’t shocked at all when Pod said that one person won’t be able to make it out. I don’t know I just felt it. It’s this “things weren’t shitty enough rn let’s make it worse” that made me certain.
(Samira btw just casually giving birth within 20 mins while everything happens and after that gets up and walks away)
Pod:
Y’all already know what’s coming.
My heart broke when I understood why Pod punched Igby in his face. He sacrificed himself to save the person he loves.
And as if his talk with Luka wasn’t enough, he had a final conversation with Igby. My heart broke.
DEAR MR BEN OLIVER, THE ONLY THING I ASKED FOR WAS FOR POD TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THE STARS AND YOU DID NOT GRANT ME THAT WISH. I HATE YOU 😭
I loved Pod A LOT and think he is extremely selfless (same as all the other characters) and a beautiful companion to his friends. I wished he could’ve finished his quest with Igby and looked at the stars.
Luka in the Arc:
I loved the things Luka told the readers about what’s right and what’s wrong. That genocide and evil cannot be justified with peace and a better future. These words can really easily be translated into today’s time (and in any other time since humans exist because power and the concept of “good and evil” are a constant issue)
Also, the way he talked about the rich that feed off the poor not only on a materialistic basis but also their pleasure of SEEING that they are “superior” to them due to their wealth.
I cannot wait for the final book, and I am so glad that I stumbled upon this series because it is eye opening and a gem as a survival guide for today’s world.
FINISHED REREADING IT OB APRIL 21ST
I can’t believe I didn’t give this book 5 stars the first time I read it. It was outstanding and I literally started crying when Pod died.
I am going to start “The Arc“ right now and I’m SO excited!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2021
Sometimes book 2 of a series can be a disappointment, but not this time! The Block is packed with even more action than The Loop, and the ending left me reeling at the thought of book 3. A great read for reluctant readers or those in a reading slump, this series is rammed full of suspense and plot twists!
October 19, 2021
I can't wait to find out what happens next!
P.s. Apple-moth is a little cutie & I stan.
P.s. Apple-moth is a little cutie & I stan.
April 25, 2021
I need book 3 NOWWWWW
May 9, 2021
This series is this generation’s Maze Runner and I am soooo here for it!!! I can only hope and hope that this series gets as much attention and appreciation as Maze Runner did, if not more. (I need fanart, and merch is what I’m saying, not a mediocre movie adaptation lol)
In other words, this series is Patrick Ness meets James Dashner with Ben Oliver’s sincere originality and wow wow wow is the result incredible.
It’s shockingly original, the main characters are refreshingly smart, memorable, and DIVERSE. Luka is an excellent protagonist, it’s been so long since I’ve read a book with a genuinely good person as the lead role and it’s something I’ve missed seeing. I would prefer his romance with Kina was maybe a little more fleshed out before he goes around proclaiming her the love of his life but they do have genuine chemistry and their reoccurring inside joke is adorable.
The world building is reminiscent of Maze Runner in the way the story progresses and how we learn details as we go on and how they all seem random but they end up working together, but this series is more diverse than Maze Runner in its casting, in its treatment of female characters (in a good way!! All the girls were not only just as capable as the males, but also just as INcapable, in short, they were CHARACTERS not just WOMEN), and in its main character.
Oliver keeps pressing on these terrible odds and situations against his protagonists, so I was always on the edge of my seat. I have absolutely no idea what the third installment will be like with that ending but I am SO EXCITED for the grand finale. Oh, and I totally cried my eyes out.
I guess if I had to have a few notes, there are a LOT of side characters and it took a while to remember who’s who. There’s a quick line near the end that seems like a cop-out, something super crucial kinda gets explained way with one line of dialogue, but no spoilers, and it’s pretty minor.
Overall, I am so excited for the third novel in this trilogy and I will be keeping my eyes on Oliver for anything else this wacky genius comes up with.
In other words, this series is Patrick Ness meets James Dashner with Ben Oliver’s sincere originality and wow wow wow is the result incredible.
It’s shockingly original, the main characters are refreshingly smart, memorable, and DIVERSE. Luka is an excellent protagonist, it’s been so long since I’ve read a book with a genuinely good person as the lead role and it’s something I’ve missed seeing. I would prefer his romance with Kina was maybe a little more fleshed out before he goes around proclaiming her the love of his life but they do have genuine chemistry and their reoccurring inside joke is adorable.
The world building is reminiscent of Maze Runner in the way the story progresses and how we learn details as we go on and how they all seem random but they end up working together, but this series is more diverse than Maze Runner in its casting, in its treatment of female characters (in a good way!! All the girls were not only just as capable as the males, but also just as INcapable, in short, they were CHARACTERS not just WOMEN), and in its main character.
Oliver keeps pressing on these terrible odds and situations against his protagonists, so I was always on the edge of my seat. I have absolutely no idea what the third installment will be like with that ending but I am SO EXCITED for the grand finale. Oh, and I totally cried my eyes out.
I guess if I had to have a few notes, there are a LOT of side characters and it took a while to remember who’s who. There’s a quick line near the end that seems like a cop-out, something super crucial kinda gets explained way with one line of dialogue, but no spoilers, and it’s pretty minor.
Overall, I am so excited for the third novel in this trilogy and I will be keeping my eyes on Oliver for anything else this wacky genius comes up with.
April 6, 2023
*3,5 ⭐️ Auch Teil 2 besticht durch unglaublich viel Action und Wendungen des Geschehens. Ich fand die Idee mit dem Hotel richtig gelungen und cool umgesetzt. Was mir im ersten Teil schon aufgefallen ist und hier wieder deutlich wird, ist der Schreibstil, der leider nicht so mein Fall ist. Er kratzt sehr an der Oberfläche, wodurch Charaktere für mich häufig plötzliche und irrationale Entscheidungen getroffen haben. Was ich mir für Teil 2 gewünscht hätte, wäre eine Vergrößerung der Welt gewesen. Die Welt hat sich schon sehr einsam angefühlt mit Happy gegen die wenigen Jugendlichen, die es noch gibt. Ich bin dennoch gespannt, wie sich das Ganze auflösen wird.
July 2, 2023
Die letzten 50 Seiten haben so weh getan. Ich habe die Charaktere mittlerweile total ins Herz geschlossen, wodurch manche Szenen mir wirklich das Herz brechen. Der Schluss hatte einen unglaublich fiesen Cliffhänger. Weshalb ich auch direkt mit Band 3 weiter lesen muss.
January 9, 2022
excuse me Mr Ben why am I firstly crying over a flying childrens-toy-turned-drone and secondly what the FUCK WAS THAT ENDING sweet lord I need therapy
April 3, 2023
Der zweite Band schließt genau dort an, wo der erste Teil aufhört. Ich habe nach beenden des ersten Teils direkt "The Block" hinten angeschlossen und war darüber sehr froh, denn zu Beginn war ich doch ein wenig verwirrt über die Ergebnisse. Das hatte sich dann aber schnell gelegt und ich war wieder total drin im der Story.
Der zweite Teil steht dem ersten Band in nichts nach. Er ist mindestens genauso spannend, actionreich, gut konstruiert und bildhaft erzählt. Diese dystopische Sci Fi Geschichte macht mich einfach total süchtig und ich musste immer schnellstmöglich wissen wie es weitergeht 😱
Markus J. Bachmann hat schon den ersten Teil so unglaublich gut vertont und legt hier nochmal eine Schippe drauf. Das Hörbuch ist richtig atmosphärisch und ich hing dem Synchronsprecher immer gebannt an den Lippen 😁
Hier und da haben mich manche Plot Twists ein wenig überrumpelt oder gar ratlos zurück gelassen.
Aber alles in allem eine überaus gelungene Fortsetzung.
Hoffentlich lässt das dritte Hörbuch nicht mehr so lang auf sich warten 😱
Der zweite Teil steht dem ersten Band in nichts nach. Er ist mindestens genauso spannend, actionreich, gut konstruiert und bildhaft erzählt. Diese dystopische Sci Fi Geschichte macht mich einfach total süchtig und ich musste immer schnellstmöglich wissen wie es weitergeht 😱
Markus J. Bachmann hat schon den ersten Teil so unglaublich gut vertont und legt hier nochmal eine Schippe drauf. Das Hörbuch ist richtig atmosphärisch und ich hing dem Synchronsprecher immer gebannt an den Lippen 😁
Hier und da haben mich manche Plot Twists ein wenig überrumpelt oder gar ratlos zurück gelassen.
Aber alles in allem eine überaus gelungene Fortsetzung.
Hoffentlich lässt das dritte Hörbuch nicht mehr so lang auf sich warten 😱
September 3, 2023
there’s always some intense situation that the characters are getting into in these books. with all the mention of The Block in the first book, I was curious to see how things would play out in this new setting. The Block is definitely worse than the prison in The Loop but unfortunately we don’t actually spend that much time at The Block. this didn’t bother me personally, cause I was more interested in everything else going on. the Purgatory Hotel was such a interesting concept and it reminded so much of the show The 100. the characters grew on me even more and the scene with the water/radio .. omg. 😭
the ending .. wtf do you mean?! the author is NOT afraid to put his characters through it and i gotta respect that tbh.
the ending .. wtf do you mean?! the author is NOT afraid to put his characters through it and i gotta respect that tbh.
October 7, 2021
Nach The Loop kommt The Block und ich war sehr gespannt wie es mit der Geschichte um Luca und seinen Freunden weiter geht:
Luka ist wieder im Gefängnis und diesmal ist es schlimmer als jemals zuvor. Im Block kann er die manipulierten Bilder in seinem Kopf nicht länger von der Realität unterscheiden. Dennoch gelingt ein riskanter Ausbruch und führt ihn und seine Freunde wieder zusammen. Versteckt im Herzen der zerstörten Stadt wird Luka allmählich das Ausmaß ihrer Mission klar: Um den Krieg zu gewinnen, müssen sie Happy besiegen, das alles beherrschende System. Und so ziehen die Jugendlichen mit ihrer stärksten und einzigen Waffe in den Kampf gegen die künstliche Intelligenz: ihrer Freundschaft.
Ben Oliver erweitert das Universum seiner Sci-Fi Dystopie um The Block und wer dachte das The Loop schon brutal war, wird feststellen das The Block das ganze noch toppt. Die Geschichte ist eine Mischung aus Maze Runner und Ready Player One mit einer Brise Panem. Der Einstieg in die Geschichte ist mir wieder gut gelungen, ich hab aber einen Moment gebraucht, um die ganze Charaktere wieder auf die Reihe zu bekommen, war dann aber schnell wieder mitten im Geschehen und direkt von der Geschichte begeistert.
Für Luka und seine Freunde wird es nicht leichter, Happy spielt mit ihrer Wahrnehmung und ihren Erinnerungen, sodass es für die Charaktere schwierig wird zu unterscheiden, was Realität ist und was nicht. Besonders Luca ist hier betroffen und man merkt ihm richtig an wie er unter der Situation leidet und ich hab jeden Moment mit ihm gefühlt. Aber zum Glück sind seine Freunde da um ihn zu helfen und zu unterstützten. Diesmal bekommen wir sogar einen neuen Charakter hinzu, eine kleine Drohne namens Apfelmotte. Der kleine Kerl hat es mir besonders angetan und hat dafür gesorgt, dass die brutale Geschichte immer wieder mit Humor aufgelockert wird. Apfelmotte war für mich das absolute Highlight des Buches!!!
Der Schreibstil von Ben Oliver ist absolut packend und actionreich, sodass man direkt in die Geschichte katapultiert wird. Er schafft es eine gefährliche und dunkle Atmosphäre zu erschaffen und die Charaktere und die Leser durch die Hölle gehen zu lassen. Durch die unvorhersehbaren Plottwists ist man immer wieder erschrocken in welche Richtung die Geschichte sich bewegt, die Spannungskurve schnellt dadurch aber immer durch die Decke.
Markus J Bachmann macht mit der Vertonung des Hörbuchs einen hervorragenden Job und schafft es die düstere Atmosphäre und Stimmung der Geschichte sehr gut zu vermitteln. Dabei gelingt es ihm den verschiedenen Charakteren eine einzigartige Stimme zu geben. Er vermittelt die Gefühle und die Anspannung richtig gut und haucht den Figuren dadurch Leben ein.
The Block ist ein unglaublich actionreicher und spannender zweiter Teil der Jugend Dystopie die mit The Loop ihren Anfang nahm. Die Geschichte wird konsequent und mitreißend fortgesetzt sowie die Charaktere und die Welt weiterentwickelt. Von mir gibt es eine absolute Leseempfehlung für The Block, ich kann die Reihe nur jedem Empfehlen. Ich freu mich schon auf nächstes Jahr, wenn mit The Arc der Abschlussband erscheint.
4,5 von 5 Sternen
Luka ist wieder im Gefängnis und diesmal ist es schlimmer als jemals zuvor. Im Block kann er die manipulierten Bilder in seinem Kopf nicht länger von der Realität unterscheiden. Dennoch gelingt ein riskanter Ausbruch und führt ihn und seine Freunde wieder zusammen. Versteckt im Herzen der zerstörten Stadt wird Luka allmählich das Ausmaß ihrer Mission klar: Um den Krieg zu gewinnen, müssen sie Happy besiegen, das alles beherrschende System. Und so ziehen die Jugendlichen mit ihrer stärksten und einzigen Waffe in den Kampf gegen die künstliche Intelligenz: ihrer Freundschaft.
Ben Oliver erweitert das Universum seiner Sci-Fi Dystopie um The Block und wer dachte das The Loop schon brutal war, wird feststellen das The Block das ganze noch toppt. Die Geschichte ist eine Mischung aus Maze Runner und Ready Player One mit einer Brise Panem. Der Einstieg in die Geschichte ist mir wieder gut gelungen, ich hab aber einen Moment gebraucht, um die ganze Charaktere wieder auf die Reihe zu bekommen, war dann aber schnell wieder mitten im Geschehen und direkt von der Geschichte begeistert.
Für Luka und seine Freunde wird es nicht leichter, Happy spielt mit ihrer Wahrnehmung und ihren Erinnerungen, sodass es für die Charaktere schwierig wird zu unterscheiden, was Realität ist und was nicht. Besonders Luca ist hier betroffen und man merkt ihm richtig an wie er unter der Situation leidet und ich hab jeden Moment mit ihm gefühlt. Aber zum Glück sind seine Freunde da um ihn zu helfen und zu unterstützten. Diesmal bekommen wir sogar einen neuen Charakter hinzu, eine kleine Drohne namens Apfelmotte. Der kleine Kerl hat es mir besonders angetan und hat dafür gesorgt, dass die brutale Geschichte immer wieder mit Humor aufgelockert wird. Apfelmotte war für mich das absolute Highlight des Buches!!!
Der Schreibstil von Ben Oliver ist absolut packend und actionreich, sodass man direkt in die Geschichte katapultiert wird. Er schafft es eine gefährliche und dunkle Atmosphäre zu erschaffen und die Charaktere und die Leser durch die Hölle gehen zu lassen. Durch die unvorhersehbaren Plottwists ist man immer wieder erschrocken in welche Richtung die Geschichte sich bewegt, die Spannungskurve schnellt dadurch aber immer durch die Decke.
Markus J Bachmann macht mit der Vertonung des Hörbuchs einen hervorragenden Job und schafft es die düstere Atmosphäre und Stimmung der Geschichte sehr gut zu vermitteln. Dabei gelingt es ihm den verschiedenen Charakteren eine einzigartige Stimme zu geben. Er vermittelt die Gefühle und die Anspannung richtig gut und haucht den Figuren dadurch Leben ein.
The Block ist ein unglaublich actionreicher und spannender zweiter Teil der Jugend Dystopie die mit The Loop ihren Anfang nahm. Die Geschichte wird konsequent und mitreißend fortgesetzt sowie die Charaktere und die Welt weiterentwickelt. Von mir gibt es eine absolute Leseempfehlung für The Block, ich kann die Reihe nur jedem Empfehlen. Ich freu mich schon auf nächstes Jahr, wenn mit The Arc der Abschlussband erscheint.
4,5 von 5 Sternen
December 12, 2021
Nachdem der erste Teil im furchtbaren Gefängnis für Jugendliche, dem Loop, beginnt, startet der zweite Teil im Block, der noch mal eine Schippe an Grausamkeit und Unmenschlichkeit drauflegt. Luka wird gequält und immer wieder zum Aufenthalt seiner Freund:innen befragt und es wirkt alles ausweglos. Aus dem Loop zu entkommen war eigentlich schon unmöglich… Wie soll es Luka jetzt aus dem Block schaffen? Er muss doch Happy aufhalten und die Menschen vor ihr warnen und im besten Fall gleich noch vor ihr retten. Aber aus dem Block gibt es wohl kein Entkommen…
Der erste Teil konnte mich ja nicht so begeistern. Aber die Idee und die Geschichte an sich haben mir ganz gut gefallen, weswegen ich mich dann doch noch für die Fortsetzung entschieden habe. Festzuhalten ist: die Idee ist nach wie vor sehr gut, die Umsetzung ist nach wie vor sehr mittelmäßig.
Tatsächlich liegt es überwiegend am Schreibstil des Autors und an den Charakteren, dass ich auch diesen zweiten Teil der Reihe nicht so sehr mochte. Der Autor schreibt mir zu platt und plakativ, dazu kommen viele nervige Wiederholungen. Es lässt sich zwar leicht und schnell lesen, aber es liest sich irgendwie nicht schön, also nicht angenehm. Was dem Autor glaub ich fehlt, ist das Motto „Show, not tell“.
Auch die Charaktere, allen voran Luka, wirken auf mich nicht authentisch. Zudem war er mir auch nicht sonderlich sympathisch. Ich glaube, ich finde ihn irgendwie langweilig. Er ist so quengelig und war für mich auch insgesamt nicht greifbar. Es gab Figuren, die mochte ich ganz gerne, aber keine, die jetzt besonders herausstechen würde. Bei keiner der Figuren konnte ich eine Weiterentwicklung erkennen. Besonders negativ ist mir „Apfelmotte“ aufgefallen, weil sie vom Autor mit aller Gewalt lustig und gezwungen niedlich angelegt wurde, was aber bei mir überhaupt nicht ankam. Immer wenn diese Figur wieder Text hatte, musste ich mit den Augen rollen.
Der Plot an sich war wieder ganz spannend. Mir gefällt die Idee und die Welt, in der sich die Geschichte bewegt, auch wenn ich sie nicht ganz ausgereift finde.
Naja, also die Reihe ist eben einfach nicht meins, das muss ich wohl akzeptieren. Ich komme mit dem Schreibstil und den Charakteren nicht klar. Den dritten Teil werde ich eher nicht mehr lesen. Nichtsdestotrotz ist die Idee hinter der Geschichte echt nicht schlecht und ich kann mir vorstellen, dass es sie einige Lesende mitreißen und begeistern kann.
Der erste Teil konnte mich ja nicht so begeistern. Aber die Idee und die Geschichte an sich haben mir ganz gut gefallen, weswegen ich mich dann doch noch für die Fortsetzung entschieden habe. Festzuhalten ist: die Idee ist nach wie vor sehr gut, die Umsetzung ist nach wie vor sehr mittelmäßig.
Tatsächlich liegt es überwiegend am Schreibstil des Autors und an den Charakteren, dass ich auch diesen zweiten Teil der Reihe nicht so sehr mochte. Der Autor schreibt mir zu platt und plakativ, dazu kommen viele nervige Wiederholungen. Es lässt sich zwar leicht und schnell lesen, aber es liest sich irgendwie nicht schön, also nicht angenehm. Was dem Autor glaub ich fehlt, ist das Motto „Show, not tell“.
Auch die Charaktere, allen voran Luka, wirken auf mich nicht authentisch. Zudem war er mir auch nicht sonderlich sympathisch. Ich glaube, ich finde ihn irgendwie langweilig. Er ist so quengelig und war für mich auch insgesamt nicht greifbar. Es gab Figuren, die mochte ich ganz gerne, aber keine, die jetzt besonders herausstechen würde. Bei keiner der Figuren konnte ich eine Weiterentwicklung erkennen. Besonders negativ ist mir „Apfelmotte“ aufgefallen, weil sie vom Autor mit aller Gewalt lustig und gezwungen niedlich angelegt wurde, was aber bei mir überhaupt nicht ankam. Immer wenn diese Figur wieder Text hatte, musste ich mit den Augen rollen.
Der Plot an sich war wieder ganz spannend. Mir gefällt die Idee und die Welt, in der sich die Geschichte bewegt, auch wenn ich sie nicht ganz ausgereift finde.
Naja, also die Reihe ist eben einfach nicht meins, das muss ich wohl akzeptieren. Ich komme mit dem Schreibstil und den Charakteren nicht klar. Den dritten Teil werde ich eher nicht mehr lesen. Nichtsdestotrotz ist die Idee hinter der Geschichte echt nicht schlecht und ich kann mir vorstellen, dass es sie einige Lesende mitreißen und begeistern kann.
January 3, 2022
I need time to think about what I need to say about this one.
RIGHT, I’m back with my thoughts.
This book made me SOB. Let me tell you I was WEEPING. I was not okay.
The found family trope is so perfect in this, it made my heart ache, the love that they all have for each other is so pure and absolutely precious.
Also the turn that this took??? Hello?? Mr Ben Oliver?? Where did that come from sir?? I’m still shook 3 months later. This is easily one of the best sequels I’ve ever read, it’s a strong instalment in its own right and as a second book it doesn’t rely on filler content which is rare, honestly. I’m impatiently waiting for book 3.
RIGHT, I’m back with my thoughts.
This book made me SOB. Let me tell you I was WEEPING. I was not okay.
The found family trope is so perfect in this, it made my heart ache, the love that they all have for each other is so pure and absolutely precious.
Also the turn that this took??? Hello?? Mr Ben Oliver?? Where did that come from sir?? I’m still shook 3 months later. This is easily one of the best sequels I’ve ever read, it’s a strong instalment in its own right and as a second book it doesn’t rely on filler content which is rare, honestly. I’m impatiently waiting for book 3.
May 7, 2021
Review to come for the book tour
August 7, 2022
I don't even know how to process what I've just read.
The drama didn't stop for a second and I couldn't stop reading.
I read this whole book is one day.
We got some great new characters Samira, and Apple-Moth!
However, we lost some amazing characters too and I was devastated at all of them. This series is good at making you love the characters.
But what was that ending??!!! What does this mean for book 3??????
The drama didn't stop for a second and I couldn't stop reading.
I read this whole book is one day.
We got some great new characters Samira, and Apple-Moth!
However, we lost some amazing characters too and I was devastated at all of them. This series is good at making you love the characters.
But what was that ending??!!! What does this mean for book 3??????
February 23, 2024
O kadar kötüydü ki yazık oldu ilk kitabın başına... gerçi yazarın birden kurguyu carpitmasiyla zaten yazık olmuştu...
August 6, 2022
Book Review
Title: The Block by Ben Oliver (The Loop Book 2)
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Rating: 4.75 Stars
The opening to The Block was interesting as it almost seems like Luka and the others won the war against Happy but this is quickly revealed to be yet another simulation from Happy to extract the location of the others from Luka. However, Luka hasn't been idle during this time and has been gaining the trust of one of the guards in order to escape and for a moment it is working. He is able to learn that Kina, Wren, Woods and Malachai are all in the Block with him and they are the only ones since everyone else died but Luka doesn't know why. He is also coming to learn more and more about Happy's plan but right now he only wants to escape. Obviously, Happy stops this before it even begins but there are seeds planted in Luka for the next attempt it is just a question of whether he and the others can stay sane long enough to put a plan into action or for the others to rescue them but it has been over a month. Luka knows the others aren't dead since Happy is still asking for their locations but he is losing hope that they will rescue him.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, Luka continues the endless cycle he has been put in but he is comforted in the fact he has the Sane Zone. However, after months of trying Happy is getting nowhere with the information and decides to take the Sane Zone and use it as another form of torment to get the information out of Luka. He almost gives in a few times but managed to resist but it is taking its toll on Luka's sanity. Eventually Pander and the others do come to rescue them but Luka is slipping into insanity and it's Kina who keeps him sane. After escaping along with Wren who had suffered more than them since she doesn't have their enhancements they head underground. Woods and Malachai aren't rescued because they were moved from the block a few days before and they don't know where they were taken yet. However, in the old subway tunnels they realise that Wren had removed her hat covering the panoptic camera implanted in her forehead meaning Happy knows where they are and the group narrowly avoid getting hit by a train controlled by Happy because of her. As cruel as it sounds they should have left Wren behind, she isn't stable and throughout the course of the novel she does more harm than good for the group even if she doesn't mean it.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, they end making it back to the library that the group have turned into their bunker. The design of the building allows them to keep an eye out for Happy’s drone since Pod and Igby built a scrambler and they have built a panic room below the library in case they are found. However, Luka, Kina and Wren are knocked out and operated on by Doctor Ortega, when Luka comes around he knows that the cuffs inside his wrists and his panoptic camera have been removed but he can’t shake the feeling that he knows the crazy doctor from somewhere he just can’t place her. Now it is safe for them to talk Igby explains how they found them in the block and how they got them out and what he needs in order to find Malachai and Woods. He is also introduced to a new member to the group, Samira or Sam who is heavily pregnant. The processor Igby needs to find Malachai and Woods isn’t going to be easy to find since Happy is flooding the city with its army so they draw lots. Sam, Luka and Akimi are chosen and they head out, Akimi is going to look for supplies while Sam and Luka go in search of the processor. This is a difficult mission for them since the second they enter a burnt out home, Sam is attacked by a smiler before Happy’s drones and soldiers arrive and they barely make it out alive, hiding out in an old bar waiting for the soldiers to move on before returning to the library. Luka is also wrapped up in thoughts of his sister since he knows she made it to the financial district but currently there is no way for him to get to her and even know if she is still alive at this point but Luka is reckless and he won’t put the lives of the others at risk just to find out if Molly is ok.
As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, Sam and Luka end up costing together for a while getting to know each other but Luka ends up getting drink which isn't good when they have a chance to flee. Sam ends up killing a few soldiers and they take their uniforms as a disguise and get back to the library through sheer luck thanks to Sam's quick thinking. There Igby lots the processor to good use and learns that Malachai and Woods are still alive but they are in the ARC which means they are essentially dead since Happy is uploading itself into them today. Luka volunteers to go and rescue them since he is in possession of a tier two uniform meaning he can get access to the ARC and the others see him off believing that they won't see him again. Luka with the help of Apple Moth gets into the ARC and slips away but he had minutes to find where his friends are before happy uploads. He is also asking my Doctor Ortega to destroy something while he is there and he agrees. I remember what happens next very clearly and I'm less emotionally prepared for this as I was for the ending of the first book.
As we cross into the second half of the novel, Luka gets inside with the help of Apple Moth but by the time he Linares his friends he is too late for Woods. He reaches his friends seconds before Happy's upload is going to finish allowing how friend enough time to kill himself. Luka now has to focus on Malachai and the third person is Tyco who Luka thought was dead. He manages to get Malachai out of the arc but he needs to stop Happy's upload by removing his mechanical eyes. However, the soldiers aren't far behind and they are cornered until Molly and the missing come to their aid. Molly explains that she has been in a place called Purgatory and she is taking Luka and Malachai there. Once there Luka learns that the stories about Safe-Death were real and Molly is literally going to kill them in order to avoid detection. She warns Luka before killing him that something isn't right inside Purgatory and to get out as soon as he can but it's easier said than done. The whole setup of Purgatory is designed to disorient and confused those inside so they never want to leave and Luka is quickly falling into this trap.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, Purgatory is a trippy experience and very quickly Malachai and Luka forget why they had to leave in the first place. Luka seems to get snippets of memory but those quickly disappear thanks to Doctor Price. As days pass in Purgatory, Luka has no way of marking the passage of time but the feeling that something is wrong with the place goes stronger and stronger the longer he is there and eventually he wants to leave. Malachai and Luka decide to leave but are unable to for some reason and it isn't until Malachai literally kicks the doctor across the room that they are able to escape. Back in their bodies they realise that they were being drugged to be happy in Purgatory and that nothing there was real. Doctor Price follows them out since he doesn't want them destroying what he has built and he ends up shooting Luka but Molly puts a stop to this before he can do anymore damage. Despite being out when they are alerted to Happy's drones they know they have to go back and Pod quickly disables the drugging mechanism so they all enter Purgatory once more.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, we learn the truth behind what Happy is planning for humanity and why even hiding in Purgatory isn’t a good idea. Luka goes to summon the others from the library when he realises what Happy is planning to do with all the drone he saw in the arc. Luka and the other rush back to the library to learn that Sam is in labour and they are currently surrounded. In order to save his friends from the panic room that is quickly flooding Luka makes a deal with Tyco and Happy. He will go willing with Happy and be a battery in return for the safety of his friends but Tyco has a condition since he can’t kill Luka, he wants one of the others to die since Happy knows someone needs to say behind to hold the door open. Luka relays the plan and initially it is Igby staying behind but he is knocked and replaced by Pod. By the time he comes around Pod is locked in a room filling with water and the confession between the pair was heart-breaking to witness. Luka leads the others out of the library before heading back to meet with Tyco but not before he makes sure no one is going to follow him. Back in the arc they want him to retract his statement but Luka only further the rebellion before they kill him. Luka’s death wasn’t something I was expecting during my first reading but I think it carried a lot of weight this time when you realise what Luka is dying for but I can’t wait to get into The Arc and learn what becomes of everyone else after Luka’s death and how they coped with it.
Title: The Block by Ben Oliver (The Loop Book 2)
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Rating: 4.75 Stars
The opening to The Block was interesting as it almost seems like Luka and the others won the war against Happy but this is quickly revealed to be yet another simulation from Happy to extract the location of the others from Luka. However, Luka hasn't been idle during this time and has been gaining the trust of one of the guards in order to escape and for a moment it is working. He is able to learn that Kina, Wren, Woods and Malachai are all in the Block with him and they are the only ones since everyone else died but Luka doesn't know why. He is also coming to learn more and more about Happy's plan but right now he only wants to escape. Obviously, Happy stops this before it even begins but there are seeds planted in Luka for the next attempt it is just a question of whether he and the others can stay sane long enough to put a plan into action or for the others to rescue them but it has been over a month. Luka knows the others aren't dead since Happy is still asking for their locations but he is losing hope that they will rescue him.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, Luka continues the endless cycle he has been put in but he is comforted in the fact he has the Sane Zone. However, after months of trying Happy is getting nowhere with the information and decides to take the Sane Zone and use it as another form of torment to get the information out of Luka. He almost gives in a few times but managed to resist but it is taking its toll on Luka's sanity. Eventually Pander and the others do come to rescue them but Luka is slipping into insanity and it's Kina who keeps him sane. After escaping along with Wren who had suffered more than them since she doesn't have their enhancements they head underground. Woods and Malachai aren't rescued because they were moved from the block a few days before and they don't know where they were taken yet. However, in the old subway tunnels they realise that Wren had removed her hat covering the panoptic camera implanted in her forehead meaning Happy knows where they are and the group narrowly avoid getting hit by a train controlled by Happy because of her. As cruel as it sounds they should have left Wren behind, she isn't stable and throughout the course of the novel she does more harm than good for the group even if she doesn't mean it.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, they end making it back to the library that the group have turned into their bunker. The design of the building allows them to keep an eye out for Happy’s drone since Pod and Igby built a scrambler and they have built a panic room below the library in case they are found. However, Luka, Kina and Wren are knocked out and operated on by Doctor Ortega, when Luka comes around he knows that the cuffs inside his wrists and his panoptic camera have been removed but he can’t shake the feeling that he knows the crazy doctor from somewhere he just can’t place her. Now it is safe for them to talk Igby explains how they found them in the block and how they got them out and what he needs in order to find Malachai and Woods. He is also introduced to a new member to the group, Samira or Sam who is heavily pregnant. The processor Igby needs to find Malachai and Woods isn’t going to be easy to find since Happy is flooding the city with its army so they draw lots. Sam, Luka and Akimi are chosen and they head out, Akimi is going to look for supplies while Sam and Luka go in search of the processor. This is a difficult mission for them since the second they enter a burnt out home, Sam is attacked by a smiler before Happy’s drones and soldiers arrive and they barely make it out alive, hiding out in an old bar waiting for the soldiers to move on before returning to the library. Luka is also wrapped up in thoughts of his sister since he knows she made it to the financial district but currently there is no way for him to get to her and even know if she is still alive at this point but Luka is reckless and he won’t put the lives of the others at risk just to find out if Molly is ok.
As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, Sam and Luka end up costing together for a while getting to know each other but Luka ends up getting drink which isn't good when they have a chance to flee. Sam ends up killing a few soldiers and they take their uniforms as a disguise and get back to the library through sheer luck thanks to Sam's quick thinking. There Igby lots the processor to good use and learns that Malachai and Woods are still alive but they are in the ARC which means they are essentially dead since Happy is uploading itself into them today. Luka volunteers to go and rescue them since he is in possession of a tier two uniform meaning he can get access to the ARC and the others see him off believing that they won't see him again. Luka with the help of Apple Moth gets into the ARC and slips away but he had minutes to find where his friends are before happy uploads. He is also asking my Doctor Ortega to destroy something while he is there and he agrees. I remember what happens next very clearly and I'm less emotionally prepared for this as I was for the ending of the first book.
As we cross into the second half of the novel, Luka gets inside with the help of Apple Moth but by the time he Linares his friends he is too late for Woods. He reaches his friends seconds before Happy's upload is going to finish allowing how friend enough time to kill himself. Luka now has to focus on Malachai and the third person is Tyco who Luka thought was dead. He manages to get Malachai out of the arc but he needs to stop Happy's upload by removing his mechanical eyes. However, the soldiers aren't far behind and they are cornered until Molly and the missing come to their aid. Molly explains that she has been in a place called Purgatory and she is taking Luka and Malachai there. Once there Luka learns that the stories about Safe-Death were real and Molly is literally going to kill them in order to avoid detection. She warns Luka before killing him that something isn't right inside Purgatory and to get out as soon as he can but it's easier said than done. The whole setup of Purgatory is designed to disorient and confused those inside so they never want to leave and Luka is quickly falling into this trap.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, Purgatory is a trippy experience and very quickly Malachai and Luka forget why they had to leave in the first place. Luka seems to get snippets of memory but those quickly disappear thanks to Doctor Price. As days pass in Purgatory, Luka has no way of marking the passage of time but the feeling that something is wrong with the place goes stronger and stronger the longer he is there and eventually he wants to leave. Malachai and Luka decide to leave but are unable to for some reason and it isn't until Malachai literally kicks the doctor across the room that they are able to escape. Back in their bodies they realise that they were being drugged to be happy in Purgatory and that nothing there was real. Doctor Price follows them out since he doesn't want them destroying what he has built and he ends up shooting Luka but Molly puts a stop to this before he can do anymore damage. Despite being out when they are alerted to Happy's drones they know they have to go back and Pod quickly disables the drugging mechanism so they all enter Purgatory once more.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, we learn the truth behind what Happy is planning for humanity and why even hiding in Purgatory isn’t a good idea. Luka goes to summon the others from the library when he realises what Happy is planning to do with all the drone he saw in the arc. Luka and the other rush back to the library to learn that Sam is in labour and they are currently surrounded. In order to save his friends from the panic room that is quickly flooding Luka makes a deal with Tyco and Happy. He will go willing with Happy and be a battery in return for the safety of his friends but Tyco has a condition since he can’t kill Luka, he wants one of the others to die since Happy knows someone needs to say behind to hold the door open. Luka relays the plan and initially it is Igby staying behind but he is knocked and replaced by Pod. By the time he comes around Pod is locked in a room filling with water and the confession between the pair was heart-breaking to witness. Luka leads the others out of the library before heading back to meet with Tyco but not before he makes sure no one is going to follow him. Back in the arc they want him to retract his statement but Luka only further the rebellion before they kill him. Luka’s death wasn’t something I was expecting during my first reading but I think it carried a lot of weight this time when you realise what Luka is dying for but I can’t wait to get into The Arc and learn what becomes of everyone else after Luka’s death and how they coped with it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2021
The Block is a great sequel to The Loop. Full of tension, thrills and adrenaline. Like The Loop it is violent and contains graphic details of gore. Excited for the next instalment coming out next year!
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June 20, 2021
First of all, am I the only one that got some Terminator feels??! I mean seriously.
Okay, my rating...
4.5 hearts
Wow, talk about a cliffhanger. Just get ready!
For me, I always anticipate the worst when I'm reading the second book of a series, especially when I love the first book in the series so much. Typically, the second book is a boring and sluggish story that barely moves and nothing of importance really happens to progress the plot.
While this book does start out a little sloooooow, it is very similar to the Loop in that regard. Very on brand for Ben Oliver, but it does pick up pace quicker than I imagined. There are many things that happen in this that give this book much more depth than the typical second book in a series. I was pleasantly surprised.
I feel like there are not enough people that know about this series. It's legit good. I'm super picky and this one is so refreshing. So original. Goodness gracious!
I also must say that my MVP for this book is Apple-Moth. He's so tiny, but in my mind his personality is so this...
I will say, I have a few bones to pick. I don't want to give anything away, no spoilers, but I need to talk about this with someone who has read the book and see if they agree with me. Fine, I'll do the spoilers here. But don't read this if you haven't read the book.
This is the only reason that this book didn't get a 5.0. At the end of the day, I still adore this book. This series is very underrated. If you haven't read the first one, do yourself a favor. Stop everything you are doing, find the book and start readinggggggggg. Don't stop when it's slow, just keep going.
You won't regret it and if you do, talk to Ben about it.
P.S. Oh Malachai, you funny
If you know, you know.
January 13, 2022
This fell very short of my expectations. I loved the The Loop, I thought it was a breath of fresh air. It felt new yet familiar, a familiarity that helped push the boat out; keeping the story paced and steady and not discouraging newer elements but merging them together. I am pretty disappointed with this follow-up.
I don’t really know where to begin or where it went wrong for me. I think my first grudge, and probably most major, is that it was hardly set in the Block. We were informed of the ghost stories of the Block whenever Luka discussed this whilst held captive and scared for his life in the Loop (which I thought sounded pretty terrifying, the way he made it sound), gosh it’s going to be torture for him in the Block. It wasn’t even that bad. I mean, maybe slightly worse than the Loop, but no where near as intense or horrifying as explained in the first book. It may have been awful and pretty diabolic in there but for some reason, the story did not fixate on this enough to make me really feel the horrors experienced in the Block - that’s just what frustrated me.
I didn’t like how the story progressed in general. I felt the beginning was rushed for some reason only for the pacing to decrease significantly afterward (meaning the beginning didn’t need to be rushed). I struggled to even want to read on. I just think Luka lost his mojo and candid charm I liked from the first book. The rest of the clan were alright, still having some of their treasured quirks from the first book thankfully, but everything just seemed to lack a lot of personality and heart. I’m only a spectator to Luka’s story, the continuation of his journey just felt so lacklustre considering he’s in the middle of a post-apocalyptic world where A.I. seek dominion. That’s pretty terrifying, if only it could have come across that way.
I don’t really know where to begin or where it went wrong for me. I think my first grudge, and probably most major, is that it was hardly set in the Block. We were informed of the ghost stories of the Block whenever Luka discussed this whilst held captive and scared for his life in the Loop (which I thought sounded pretty terrifying, the way he made it sound), gosh it’s going to be torture for him in the Block. It wasn’t even that bad. I mean, maybe slightly worse than the Loop, but no where near as intense or horrifying as explained in the first book. It may have been awful and pretty diabolic in there but for some reason, the story did not fixate on this enough to make me really feel the horrors experienced in the Block - that’s just what frustrated me.
I didn’t like how the story progressed in general. I felt the beginning was rushed for some reason only for the pacing to decrease significantly afterward (meaning the beginning didn’t need to be rushed). I struggled to even want to read on. I just think Luka lost his mojo and candid charm I liked from the first book. The rest of the clan were alright, still having some of their treasured quirks from the first book thankfully, but everything just seemed to lack a lot of personality and heart. I’m only a spectator to Luka’s story, the continuation of his journey just felt so lacklustre considering he’s in the middle of a post-apocalyptic world where A.I. seek dominion. That’s pretty terrifying, if only it could have come across that way.
July 17, 2021
I enjoyed this book but something is just missing. It has lots of action and the world is interesting. Happy is a pretty good villain. But the characters just fall flat. With the exception of Apple-Moth who I thought was an adorable sidekick. There are a lot of characters in this one and in the first and I don't think any of them are given enough personality. The romances don't seem to be built on anything, the new characters all have just one or two main things about then and nothing more (pregnant, druggie doctor, etc.). Even the characters from the first book didn't develop into anything more and I had a hard time keeping track of who was who. I was able to easily overlook this in the first book when I was trying to figure out the root cause of the issues in the city and really enjoying the world building. But in this one, the world was built and the villain was revealed so all I had was the action and nothing else and it just wasn't enough. I did enjoy it overall but no major impression, 3.5 stars.
May 10, 2021
4.5 stars. Great sequel—the action barreled forward constantly with great character moments! This series is everything I wanted the Mazerunner to be but wasn’t. I have no idea what that ending means for the next book, but I am excited to see!
October 8, 2021
Darf ich bitte weinen? Das Buch ist SO gut!!
September 5, 2024
Another great book in this series!
I won’t write too much as I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone that would like to read it. But one thing I do have to say is damn I LOVE the side characters. I get sad when sad things happen to them, my heart breaks when they have to say goodbye to their loved ones. I just don’t care that much for Luka. lol.
I also wish that the chapters were shorter. The author does chapters as one per day which was fine when they were in the loop or in the block, but later it just gets a bit too long.
Also, the MC’s plot armor is crazy hahaha.
On to book 3!!!
I won’t write too much as I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone that would like to read it. But one thing I do have to say is damn I LOVE the side characters. I get sad when sad things happen to them, my heart breaks when they have to say goodbye to their loved ones. I just don’t care that much for Luka. lol.
I also wish that the chapters were shorter. The author does chapters as one per day which was fine when they were in the loop or in the block, but later it just gets a bit too long.
Also, the MC’s plot armor is crazy hahaha.
On to book 3!!!
March 25, 2022
Phenomenal sequel to The Loop and I cant wait to see where Ben takes it in The Arc.
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