DNF. This book is so slow. The journal entries were interesting last time, but it really slows down the story in this version. The dialogue comes across as tedious and makes any excitement distant. I just can't find the desire to care. Maybe I"m in the wrong frame of mind for this one, so I'll try it again later and update my review if I ever finish it.

As a big fan of Sylvain Neuvel's highly innovative and exceptionally compelling Sleeping Giants, I was peeing-my-pants excited to read Waking Gods. (Was that TMI?) The book picks up about a decade after the events in Sleeping Giants and continues with it’s unusual technique of storytelling through government documents, interviews, media transcripts and classified reports. Not sure this style is right for everyone but I thought it was fascinating.

For some reason, I especially love the mysterious, unnamed character at the center of the story. He has a cold, emotionless demeanor that allows him to logically assess any situation — including contact with an alien species — and calmly decide how to best deploy his almost limitless access to government assets. The dude is like blend of Spock and M from the James Bond series.

As usual however, I have a few nits to pick: (Warning: semi-spoilers ahead)
Mystery man’s decision to enlist the aid of Ryan, the guy who helped force Kara to undergo medical procedures against her will and almost killed Vincent, in his plan to secure the daughter Kara and Vincent were unaware of, seems like incredibly poor judgement on his part. Granted, he admits as much on multiple occasions but it still felt like an uncharacteristically huge miscalculation for someone who was so, well...calculating.
The lunch guest who constantly spoke in riddles got to be a bit tiresome after awhile, especially his quirky stories with supposedly deep meaning...or not. Enough already. Get to the point.
The twist towards the end involving Kara felt completely unnecessary. In my opinion it didn’t really serve the overall story and in fact removed a few really interesting possibilities.

All that said, these are very minor issues. On the whole, the story was an odd mix of strange, compelling and mind-blowing. It’s possible some people may not enjoy the unusual storytelling technique as much as I did but I thought it was an extremely interesting and powerful device. I have to admit to being a bit surprised to learn there will be a third (at least) installment of the story but not disappointed in the least. So far, this series has been a highly enjoyable departure from typical paranormal novels.

I had so much fun reading this book! I recently listened to the first book in this series so I was pretty eager to fit this book into my reading schedule. It turned out to be one of those books that are almost impossible to put down. Every time I would tell myself that I was just going to read one more chapter something would happen in the story and one more chapter just wouldn't be enough. I ended up reading the whole book in a single day and enjoyed every minute of it.

This book picks up ten years the events of the first book. This is a series that really does need to be read in order since it really is a continuation of the same larger story. Due to the nature of the series, there may be some spoilers for the first book in this review. If you haven't read the first book yet and plan to, I would recommend trying not to read anything about the later books in the series in order to avoid spoilers.

Things have been pretty calm for the Themis team since the events of the previous book. That changes quickly when a second giant robot shows up in the middle of London. It doesn't really do anything at first but its presence alone seems threatening enough. The world is at a loss as to what they should do about it and fear what the robot is planning. Events get exciting really quickly and there may be more danger than they ever imagined.

All of the characters from the first book are back for this installment. Since I recently listened to the audio of the first book, I had their voices in my head as I read through the journal entries, interviews, and reports. I think that this really added to the enjoyment of the story for me. Rose, Kara, and Vincent all have personal issues to deal with in this book in addition to the world events. There are some new characters that make an appearance and add to the story as well.

I would recommend this series to others. It is a really great mix of characters cast in an incredibly exciting story. The book is told in such an interesting manner through journal entries, interviews, and documents. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in this exciting series!

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via NetGalley.

A good continuation of the original story. Excited to see where it goes next!

Great sequel to Sleeping Giants. Troubles galore, more giant robots, and questions whether the human race is doomed, make this a fascinating and fast read.
I received this free from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

This sequel to Sleeping Giants picks up the pace from the first book, although it definitely could have done with a little summary preface of the events, character names etc, of the first book - it's been a few years and I couldn't quite remember how the story left off last time, so it took me a while to get engrossed in the story again.
While this sci-fi series has a lot going for it - novelty in some ways, fun characters, and most of all the way the author is happy to keep revealing answers to questions as new ones appear - the major problem, in my view, is tone. Because it's structured as a series of "documents", rather than conventionally narrated scenes, the author has to be very much in command of the tone, the atmosphere, of the story, and Neuvel isn't quite as much in control as one would wish. Mixing serious moments with lighthearted banter and romance isn't a problem - except that the tonal shifts here are so sudden that they become jarring. Examples include moments of torture that are (nearly) played for laughs, and unfathomable tragedies happening to very young people that are treated as hi-jinks. For all their differences, there's a bit of a "Chronicles of St. Mary's" problem here in terms of tone. None of the moments are really allowed to breathe, because the author wants us to have about three different reactions at once. I also think, in this kind of supremely unrealistic and almost camp sci-fi narrative, you want to go easy on the profound unpleasantness and corruption of the people you're wanting to root for. There were moments, towards the middle and end, when I was like "well you know if the aliens wipes out humanity, would that really be so bad? Clean slate?" and I don't think that's quite what Neuvel is going for.
But - this is still a hugely enjoyable sci-fi world, and I'll definitely read the next in the series.

Giant robots are back! Themis is no longer the only giant robot on Earth. A new one has appeared in London, standing right in the middle of the city and people are going crazy. What can the EDC, the United Nations or the British government do? Is it friendly? Hostile? A scout or the whole invasion force? Read Waking Gods and find out what all your favorite characters from Sleeping Giants are up to. Plenty of action, a bit of philosophy and dastardly deeds, not to mention plenty of disasters along the way. Enjoy the ride!

With the way Sleeping Giants ended, there's no way I was going to skip this. Waking Gods turned out to be a pretty good sequel.

I was surprised that it picks up years later, but it works. Shit really hits the fan when more giant robots show up causing death and distraction.

I was so curious about where they come from and their purpose. I'm not completely satisfied with what was learned, but I'm sure we'll get more in the next book.

There's plenty of action and intense moments. There are even a couple that surprised and saddened me. Overall, I enjoyed it and looked forward to what comes next.

Sleeping Giants was one of my favorite releases of 2016 and one of my most recommended books of that year. Needless to say, I was pretty hyped up for its sequels and I’m more than happy that Waking Giants kept true to what made me love the first book and did not disappoint but exceeded my expectations.

Sleeping Giants left us hanging on a cliff, leaving question marks floating above my head for the past year and I was glad to see we finally got some answers. More answers than I expected, to be honest. The biggest and most troubling question was answered and while I thought the characters made it seem more complicated than it actually is, I loved what it entailed. It definitely made for very interesting changes not just in group dynamics but especially for one character and their personal struggles. We get to know a lot more about some characters with quite a few surprises here and there.

Action wise, Waking Gods stepped up a level and once again did not only remind me of my absolute favorite movie, but featured Pacific Rim level of epic when it comes to the its action plot lines. I’m still highly impressed how Neuvel keeps me at the edge of my seat during those scenes by telling his story through documents which are mostly interviews. It takes some skill to turn something that is usually considered downright boring into such an engaging book.

Sleeping Giants shocked me most with its characters and some of their very questionable motives and doings, and I was glad, as weird as that sounds, that Waking Gods was just as messed up. At first I thought Waking Giants would lack in that department, but I was soon proven otherwise and once again shuddered at how far some people are willing to go, seeming just too real and therefor making for such a mind blowing book.

If one thing once again proves how epic this series is, it’s Waking Giants plot twist. I can’t say that I saw this one coming. It was such a tiny detail that was suddenly revealed but it changed SO MUCH. It made me want to reread both the first and the second book immediately because it shed a completely different light on events.

I might have been sad that it was already over again once I reached the end of the book, but Waking Giants features the first ever cliffhanger I was happy about. Waiting still isn’t fun but knowing that the one thing I really wanted to see in these books is going to happen, dampens the pain of that. I can’t wait to see where these metal giants take us in the next book.

I think I’m done with this series. I don’t know if there’s another book, but if there is I probably won’t read it.

I am smad.

Okay, storytime. I like to cook while I listen to audiobooks This is because I find cooking stressful and my anger tends to flare when I make food. And so. I was maybe halfway through this when I started making my dinner (pasta because I’m simple) and I was like, halfway through cooking my food when my book started doing the opposite of what it was meant to be doing for me. Of course, I would listen to a book distract me from my food anger, but instead the characters are soo annoying that the book causes my rage and I end up stressing out and giving myself heartburn and making my stomach acid issues flare up.

By this point, I think that the format is really out-staying its welcome. It was cool in Illuminae and cool in Sleeping Giants but now it’s annoying. Now, it’s pretty clear that it’s not a successful way for me, as a reader to get to know the character. I felt detached from all of the characters and the only real emotion I felt while reading it was annoyance. I didn’t enjoy this, and looking back I’m surprised I enjoyed Sleeping Giants as much as I did.

There was a character, we meet in this book, she’s only like 10 and she’s put through some really bad stuff during the novel. But do I care? No. It got to a point. where I was just so fed up with her and I was actually full on raging because this chick was so annoying.

Now this is how you do a sequel! The story starts off nine years after the events in SLEEPING GIANTS left off. We pick up with Rose coming to terms with what she is, who she is, and how she can continue when she lost so much time. Kara and Vincent are still the only people who can pilot Themis, the giant robot they assembled, and they are in love.

In the meantime, a robot similar to Themis materializes in the middle of London. Everyone has an idea of what to do, and no one is prepared for what happens. Once they figure out what these aliens might want, they have to somehow figure out how to demonstrate it for them. With a little help from “the interviewer” these characters prepare to stand against a faceless enemy hiding in a giant robot.

The format of writing is the same and the story is told through files, logs, and reports. Even with this impersonal style I was able to understand the emotions the characters were probably going through. Also, all of these characters have a story arc that is fun to read about. All of the characters from book one are represented here, and we meet a few new people who I know will be important as the story moves forward.

To be honest, I was shocked at the risks the author took in this story. Right away there is big action and it doesn’t seem like these characters stand a chance. For some of them, that was actually true. That’s right, people actually die in this story and I am still sad about it. The good news is that there is now room for these new characters to take their place. Sort of.

All in all, this was a great follow up. I was shocked by some of the revelations in this book but also very happy to learn so much. Major questions are answered in this story and a few new things popped up keeping my full attention. This is adult science fiction at it’s best! I think even non-sci-fi readers will enjoy this. The human stories within alone are worth checking out. This story is fresh and original and after reading that epilogue I am so ready for the next book.

A truly stunning sequel that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time.

Nine years after humans discovered the robot they named Themis, another metallic figure has appeared, this time in London. What alien beings guide this new robot and why are they here? The answers may prove to be both intriguing and deadly as more robots are coming… and no one knows how to stop them.

WAKING GODS is the second book in the <i>Themis Files</i> series but can be read on its own merits. However, I suspect that you’ll instantly be hooked and want to know more about this intriguing science fiction mystery. I was a little nervous that WAKING GODS couldn’t top the intrigue of the first book but oh boy was I ever wrong!

Sylvain Nuevel immediately ups the stakes in WAKING GODS. While the first book reminded me a bit of the X-Files with the mysterious interviewer behind the scenes (a la the cigarette smoking man), WAKING GODS is full on action! From the very first news snippet, it’s very apparent that Sylvain Neuvel is putting the whole world in jeopardy as diplomacy is out the window. Instead, Rose Franklin, Kara Resnick, Vincent Couture, and a host of other characters will have to use every bit of their ingenuity if earth is to survive the onslaught.

WAKING GODS, like the first book SLEEPING GIANTS, is told through an epistolary style. We see snippets from the news media, interviews, personal journals, and various other formats as Sylvain Neuvel creates a stunningly good science fiction thriller. If you read just one science fiction book this year, then WAKING GODS is the perfect choice!

*review is in the editing queue at Fresh Fiction*

I'm not sure "fun" should be the word to describe giant alien robots who might kill everyone, but these books are darn entertaining. I think this one didn't have quite the character building of the first in exchange for a much heavier plot, but I think we had built enough of the characters in the first book for me to forgive that to some extent. The interviewer is still such a fascinating character - and shouldn't be, he should be a huge cliche that grates on you, but somehow the author pulls it off. I stayed up late finishing this book because I just had to know what happens next - which is rare for me nowadays. Excited to see where the next one goes!

Another wonderful book from the author of Sleeping Giants. Just as addictive and readable. You cannot put this book down and you actually mourn when it is over.

One of my favorite reads of 2017! Hands down...This one was just as action packed as the first -and this series has such a unique storyline -its amazing in every way.
I had just finished reading Sleeping Giants about two weeks ago (which I absolutely loved) and was so grateful to have Waking Gods to pick up and continue with the story. So many questions and mysteries finally get solved-being reunited with old and now new characters and that ending! I can't wait till the next book is out.

I want to sincerely thank Sylvain Neuvel, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this.

I had to buy myself a copy of the finished book because I loved it so much-and seriously the cover art for the hardback is just as beautiful as the first book.

3 stars--I liked the book.

I liked this book more than the first one in the series. There's a lot to enjoy--mysterious giant robots, aliens who may or may not be trying to destroy earth, humans who are desperately working against the clock to save their planet.

Just like with the first one, I think the format (mostly presented as interview logs or memos) makes the action too distant. However, I thought characterization was better in this book, and the plot was fast-paced and kept me reading. I had a fun time with this book, and the pages seemed to fly by.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!