The Moon Dwellers (The Dwellers, #1) in Shut Up & Read

Jun 30, 2012 Midu Hadi rated it it was ok

Shelves: serial-killers-and-other-murderers, abuse, apocalyptic-post-apocalyptic, really-ya, family, prison-take-overs, minions, doctors-healers, first-in-the-series, military-and-the-ilk

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 22, 2012 Terri rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, apocalyptic-dystopian-fiction

Humans live underground after devastation on the Earth's service. There are three decending layers - each a separate realm but ruled by the Sun Dwellers. What starts as a glace between two people -- Tristan (son of the Ruler of the Sun Realm who is a despot) and Adele (prisoner in the Moon Realm after her parents were branded treasonus), turns into much much more.

Full of battles and strong characters with bigger social implications, the story is very strong told alternately from tristan and Ade ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Dec 07, 2012 Marla rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, zz-2018, buddy, zz-2018-ammp-fairytales, zz-team-2013-challenge-wild-blue-d, adventure, romance, dystopia, fantasy, zz-2013

Enjoyable tale about a troubled world under the surface of the earth. Economic inequality has resulted in civil unrest and is the back drop for a budding romance and an action packed story of friendship and family.

Likes:
* Switching POVs between Adele and Tristan
* Bromance and friendship between Tristan and Roc
* Roc's constant wise cracks
(view spoiler) ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

May 13, 2014 Angie Taylor rated it liked it

Thank you David Estes for giving me a free copy of this book to read.
There are many things that I liked about this book, and a lot of stuff that I had a hard time overlooking to allow me to get lost in the characters lives.
First off, I really liked the setting David Estes establishes in this story. Although having a future society living under ground to survive isn't an original idea, I enjoyed the world Mr. Estes creates. I found the class distinctions believable, and it was easy to understand ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Nicole rated it it was amazing

Shelves: bought-and-in-my-queue

I'm not going to summarize the book, because that's been done a million times already, but I will tell you my impressions. That's what I do.

Adele is a great character. She's strong and interesting and her inner dialogue is really compelling. I love how this is a YA book about a girl wanting to save her family, but Adele is still mentally surrounded by her parents and her sister. She's not living in a vacuum where we hear little about the influence her family has had on her. Even though sixteen- I'm not going to summarize the book, because that's been done a million times already, but I will tell you my impressions. That's what I do.

Adele is a great character. She's strong and interesting and her inner dialogue is really compelling. I love how this is a YA book about a girl wanting to save her family, but Adele is still mentally surrounded by her parents and her sister. She's not living in a vacuum where we hear little about the influence her family has had on her. Even though sixteen- to eighteen-year-olds are growing away from their attachment to their parents, a teenager is still reliant on their parents. If not for physical support (shelter, food, clothing), then emotional support, which is Adele's case. As a reader, I got to learn about Adele's parents even though they weren't around and I loved them. I want to be the kind of influence on my kids that Adele's parents have so clearly been on her. I loved that. It made me love and respect Adele because she understood the lessons her parents had given her and she loved her parents so much. It reminded me, a bit, of the way Kvothe romanticizes his parents in The Name of the Wind (one of my favorite books).

Adele's respect for her parents is contrasted by Tristan's total distaste for his father. I felt that perhaps his father's horrible qualities are a little exaggerated, but it was nothing too surprising. We see him through Tristan's eyes and a bit through the resentment the citizens of the dystopian universe have for him and that is all--of course he's going to be a caricature--that is what they know of him and we never get any insight into him beyond that. Hint: David, a sister story to this universe that I'd love to see is the view of this empire from Tristan's father's view. HINT HINT!

No, joking, but that might be fun. I'd read it. I'm not against villains who are not three-dimensional, but I do appreciate an author who can twist me into having some measure of empathy for the bad guy. It's just that, no one is without reason for the way they are. There is no human who is pure evil. Tristan's dad is a total jerk, I get it and I didn't like him. But I'm the kind of person who is perplexed with questions about why. I read Grendel before I ever read Beowulf, and really? I think Beowulf is a jerk and my sympathies lie with the monster EVEN in the reading of Beowulf. I know. Totally idiotic of me. But that's how I am.

In any case, I thought Tristan was a well-rounded character and I enjoyed his relationship with Roc. I loved Cole and Tawni (but I've always been down on the name Tawni, but that's just me and it's kind of dumb, and it's to David's credit that I still managed to like Tawni despite my prejudice against the name ha ha). She was a bit flat to me, but I think that's because her personality is a bit more soft spoken and quiet while having a reservoir of strength below the surface. I appreciated that the characters all had reasonable motivations, and I really loved the way Cole's history was unfolded for us and we see exactly how he's coped with the horrible things that have happened to him. I liked him even more because of how strong his been.

David did an excellent job of revealing the world bit by bit in very small and tolerable pieces, but I did find myself asking, "Where'd they get plastic?" and "What are doors made of?" and "Where'd they'd get wood?" But none of that is central to the story--I'm just the kind of chick who asks questions like that and these puzzles in no way interfered with my enjoyment of the story.

All in all I think Moon Dweller's is a fantastic story with a satisfying end that left me wanting to read the sequel. The characters real and true and I appreciated the presence of so many puzzles that I kept reading without feeling prodded or obligated to. This book was given to me in return for my honest review, and that is why it was so cool to want to keep reading. I'm looking forward to reading the subsequent books and David's other series that begins with Fire Country.
...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jun 07, 2012 Elise rated it really liked it

Moon Dwellers was exciting, original, and well written. It was riveting from the very first chapter. David Estes made an incredible world for amazing characters that captured your heart from the first moment you read about them. The characters were well developed and the plot line original and unpredictable.

First the plot: This book is written from two points of view. First, we learn about Adele and her situation. Her parents were traitors against the president and so by default she is to so she Moon Dwellers was exciting, original, and well written. It was riveting from the very first chapter. David Estes made an incredible world for amazing characters that captured your heart from the first moment you read about them. The characters were well developed and the plot line original and unpredictable.

First the plot: This book is written from two points of view. First, we learn about Adele and her situation. Her parents were traitors against the president and so by default she is to so she was thrown in prison for life. There she meets Tawni and Cole, who help escape prison. Second, we have Tristan's point of view. Tristan is the presidents son. He doesn't agree with what his father is doing to the Star and Moon Dwellers and so he runs away from home with his servant and friend Roc. The other reason he ran away was he wanted to find Adele even though they have never met for some reason they have a very strong connection.
World: The Earth's surface was destroyed and for the humans to survive they moved underground. There are 3 groups of people: The Sun Dwellers these are the rich, famous, politicians, or connected people, The Moon Dwellers these are the middle class workers, miners, labors, etc., and the Star Dwellers these are the poverty level people. They are all connected by train system and tunnel system and they all hate each other. The Moon Dwellers are trying to rebel against the Sun Dwellers, The Star Dwellers are rebelling against the Sun Dwellers and hate the Moon Dwellers have having more than them and its all group against group with no end in sight.

Adele's character is strong, though a little naive and insecure in the beginning throughout the book she grows and changes into a confident and world wary individual. Even though she has been in prison for years and has seen death she still has an innocent yet strong quality to her that I find refreshing. Tristan start out arrogant though good-natured. He is selfish though trustworthy and very good with a sword. He would be lost without his friend and sidekick Roc. Roc is the good-natured, innocent, pure character that shows that even in this screwed up world good is still there. He is naive and at times his naivety gets on my nerves but he grows out of that pretty quickly.

I loved this book and I can't wait to read the next installment. I hope the best for David Estes in his writing and hope that he gets published. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 14, 2012 Jessica McQuay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-review, amazing-reads, favorites

It is hard to put my feelings about this book into words. Every now and then a book and an author come along and their writing, their story and their characters leave an impression imprinted upon your heart long after you've closed the pages of the story. This is what David Estes did with The Moon Dwellers. It's been a few days and I can't get the story out of my head. I always know when I am in love with a book because the characters and the world created feel real, not made up.

I don't like lea ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Nov 28, 2012 Olivia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, r2r

Fate friend or Foe??
One side of the coin:
The cruel hand of fate separated Adele from the rest of her family. Torn apart and imprisoned in some fashion or another. A family accused of treason against the government. Seventeen is an age of change and growth for our heroine. Doing time and becoming numb are no longer an option for her. Especially when confronted with the bizarre reaction she has upon coming into contact with the hierarchy's son.

Distance from everyone seemed to work while riding Fate friend or Foe??
One side of the coin:
The cruel hand of fate separated Adele from the rest of her family. Torn apart and imprisoned in some fashion or another. A family accused of treason against the government. Seventeen is an age of change and growth for our heroine. Doing time and becoming numb are no longer an option for her. Especially when confronted with the bizarre reaction she has upon coming into contact with the hierarchy's son.

Distance from everyone seemed to work while riding out her eighteenth birthday. So Adele thought until a chance encounter shows her having support from another is not so bad. One friend quickly turns into two. With her new friends willing to help her risk it all to gather her scattered family. She goes out to meet her fate.

The other:
Tristan loathing the life of luxury his forefathers carefully mapped out. Born the son of a President shouldn't be such a burden to bare. As life unfolds he realizes living on the sacrifice's of the lower ranking classes is not all it's cracked up to be. Heading out to take life by the hands is next on his agenda. Going to pursue a girl who bewitched him only with a stare. That and it was backed up by an electrical sensation that was to painful to forget.

I really loved this post apocalyptic tale. The way it jumped between the two rebels. The story just flows spinning from both of their points of views. It was great like both sides where written toward each other. Each chapter tied me into the chaos that Adele was drowning in and then the aftermath Tristan would dive into. I feel the writing was perfectly paced. The way it all unfurls Tristan and Adele both rushing out with so much to achieve. Constantly crossing paths. I was swept away from the moment I picked it up this morning. It was a gripping tale of these two at complete odds with life. Both with contrasting childhoods coming from two different classes of people. The writing and descriptive back rounds for the characters was tactfully done. So much life was poured into them. They stirred so many different emotions from me.

I found the writing from both Tristan's and Adele's POV a key player. It made the book dynamic. Hard to put down.!! ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 07, 2012 Yzabel Ginsberg rated it really liked it

Shelves: dystopia, science-fiction, requested

(Book read and reviewed for {Read It & Reap 78} in the Shut Up And Read group.)

I wish we could give .5 stars on GR, because I'd clearly put this one at 4.5/5 stars. Well, I'd put a 5/5 if not for one thing, that I'll expand on later on.

Having read David Estes's first novel, "Angel Evolution", barely a few days ago, I was amazed to discover to which extent this author's writing has developed in this new, beginning trilogy. This is clearly a work for which said author took into account various cri (Book read and reviewed for {Read It & Reap 78} in the Shut Up And Read group.)

I wish we could give .5 stars on GR, because I'd clearly put this one at 4.5/5 stars. Well, I'd put a 5/5 if not for one thing, that I'll expand on later on.

Having read David Estes's first novel, "Angel Evolution", barely a few days ago, I was amazed to discover to which extent this author's writing has developed in this new, beginning trilogy. This is clearly a work for which said author took into account various critiques, and used them to improve his writing and storytelling. The result is, frankly, very good.

"The Moon Dwellers" follows two characters on two opposite ends on the social scale: Adele, a young woman who's been sentenced to jail for life, but decides to escape with her friends Tawni and Cole and find her scattered family again; and Tristan, elder son of the allmighty President, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but intent on estranging himself from this life that doesn't feel like his own. The story is told in the first person, from the alternating points of view pf Adele and Tristan; while such an exercise in writing can be quite hazardous, here it works well, allowing us to learn more and more about those characters and what their lives are like.

I especially enjoyed said characters' personalities. Adele and her friends have had to become strong during their stay in jail, and they don't let anyone dictate them how to behave—they don't hesitate to fight, and they do it well and with spunk, too, both physically and through sarcasm. As for Tristan and Roc, the one isn't such the pampered prince as a lot of people believe him to be, and the other, albeit not the best when it comes to handling a weapon, is terrific in the way he managed to keep his sense of humour throughout dark times. Their friendship, too, is made of solid mettle, and feels genuine and very much present.

The one thing I wasn't too keen on was the 'insta-connection' between Adele and Tristan; it has nothing to do with "The Moond Dwellers" per se, it's simply I as a reader who's never felt convinced by such strong attractions upon first sight. Also, I thought that at times, events unfolded a little too neatly (the various bomb attacks, especially), reinforcing that aspect of 'destiny bringing everyone and everything together'. I suppose you either like it or not.

This said, I am nonetheless eager to read the next volume!

(As a side note, I find the cover's composition absolutely fascinating. The more I look at it, the more it grows on me.) ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Jan 14, 2013 Christyn (The Book Cafe) rated it really liked it

I received a free copy from author David Estes (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.

I will be the first to admit that I never really hopped on the Dystopian bandwagon. I'm not usually a sci fi-y reader. But I really enjoyed this book. The world that it is set in is (sadly) realistic and the characters are identifiable. Both MCs were caught in the web that their parents created. Whereas Adele was proud of her parents and stuck in a crappy circumstance, Tristan was pretty much the polar o I received a free copy from author David Estes (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.

I will be the first to admit that I never really hopped on the Dystopian bandwagon. I'm not usually a sci fi-y reader. But I really enjoyed this book. The world that it is set in is (sadly) realistic and the characters are identifiable. Both MCs were caught in the web that their parents created. Whereas Adele was proud of her parents and stuck in a crappy circumstance, Tristan was pretty much the polar opposite. I love strong female main characters and Adele was pretty kick-a**. She was stuck with the stigma (and life prison sentence) of traitor because of her Moon Realm parents' arrest, but whereas some would have wallowed in her unfair life she stood strong and accepted what had happened. She was strong and capable both mentally and physically. Tristan was exactly what his Sun Realm father the president/"king" didn't want for his heir. He was compassionate, strong willed and had a conscience. Both characters fought against what was expected of them and set out to do what they believed they needed to. After a very brief, somewhat painful, sort-of encounter both characters can't get the other out of their minds. Which is pretty much the catalyst for the book. I have to say, as much as I loved the MCs I loved their friends even more. Tristan's servant Roc was a bit of a comic relief which was welcome. And he repeatedly asked the question that crossed all our minds at least once, why is Tristan escaping and setting out after a girl he's never even met? Tawni and Cole (aww Cole) ended up being the support the strong minded and socially awkward Adele needed at exactly the moment she needed it. As each set of characters separately go towards their goals you uncover an even larger social problem than the simple Sun vs. Moon hierarchy.
I only had one issue, and that's pretty much because I'm a romantic at heart, Tristan and Adele's actual time together was far too short.
The ending definitely left me wanting more and I can't wait to dig into The Star Dwellers.
...more

1 like · Like · see review