A very well written, exciting, and intriguing sequel to this author's debut novel, Sleeping Giants.

Taking place nearly 10 years after the events that lead to the development of the EDC (Earth Defense Corps), we return to find that not all is what it seems. The scientific team carefully curated by our mysterious narrator is struggling to accept the shocking events that occurred at the end of Sleeping Giants, as well as the appearance of yet another extra-terrestrial, titian-like robot that appears in London.

This read was immensely enjoyable, and practically un-put-downable. With 10 years between the events in the first book, the key characters have grown in a way that is rewarding for the reader. Especially, the development seen in the mysterious, unnamed narrator. Whom, in my opinion, is what makes these books so successful. There is something eeriely effective about a narrator whose allegiance is not clear. Though we learn a great deal about "our unnamed friend" in this installment, he remains a mystery.

I also appreciate the breadth of topics covered in Waking Gods, that really sets this novel apart from it's contemporaries. There is an almost perfect balance of human interest and scientific fact in the plot. Readers bounce from cloning to gender roles in the military, from micro-biology to genocide etc. I found that I was never not interested, even when we read a lot about math. And I hate math!

Ultimately, I strongly suggest this series, which if the ending of Waking Gods is any indication, is likely to be a trilogy. If you enjoy clever writing, a well develop, exciting, action-packed plot, and characters that jump of the page despite the fact that the tale is told in snippets of dialogue, news articles, and scientific logs... this is a candidate for your next read.

Just like the first book in this series, this was amazing!
The way the story is related through journal entries and interviews makes it feel so immediate and action-packed.
The second book addresses questions about what it means to be human and makes a great point about meddling with nature and "inferior" species.
While this made the book a bit quieter than "Sleeping Giants", it still has those wtf?!-moments I loved so much in part one.
Can't wait for the next instalment!

Well. This is sort of tricky. I was so convinced this book was going to be even better than the first because it had such a strong beginning. Reading Waking Gods felt like riding a fast train that slowed down the longer it operated.

The first half was exciting and engaging, a solid 4.5 stars. It had what I hoped for after reading Sleeping Giants and it was so fun to read! The second half however, felt more like a 3-star read. It had more info dumps than the first book with some information being quite repetitive. There were also chapters with only one-line dialogues that could have used more substance.

There were plot twists I loved and some I didn’t. I found one twist quite shocking and I’m left questioning whether or not it was a good decision.

Waking Gods did bring more elements I’m looking forward to exploring. This book expanded on the world it’s set in but I’m also concerned about the change in the format of its storytelling. I’m hoping it doesn’t affect how well the following book will be received because this series has so much potential to be amazing.

(This review will be published on my blog on April 1, 2017)

I didn't quite enjoy this second book as much as I did the first in the series, but that may be due to the format. I listened to the audio book of Sleeping Giants and read Waking Gods. Something about the books' format (a collection of files--letters, diary entries, and interviews) lent itself better to the audiobook, which was performed by several people so it really came to life. Reading Waking Gods was a less enjoyable experience, but I wouldn't say that was from any fault in the story as it's just as compelling as the first. I don't think fans of Sleeping Giants will be disappointed.

I am so enthralled in this series. The second book, Walking gods, was so much more action packed and fast paced. It shifted from the science aspect of the book to the action and the most anticipated part of the series (getting to see the other robots). Because of this shift from science to action, it opens the door for the range of readers because there is something for everyone. The same funny characters were apart of this book, making it so much more relatable and realistic (it didn't feel like everything they said was scripted... which it technically is, but that's what made it refreshing). There was a reflection of our society now, which gives the author an outlet of what I would assume is his opinions.
Basically, I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars..... no! 7 out of 5 stars. Love Themis and Love where the second book ended. I am definitely excited to see where the story goes from there.

Sleeping Giants, the first novel in this series, follows the journey of scientist Rose Franklin, who discovers a giant robotic hand that is alien in nature. Rose led a team to recover and piece together the other pieces to the robot, and unlock the secrets of how to activate and pilot the robot. Waking Gods picks up the story as a second robot descends and lands near London. The robot obliterates much of London, and all conventional weapons against it have no effect- humanity is challenged once again to face this alien threat using whatever means necessary. Inevitable questions arise- why has the second robot arrived? Who is piloting it and why is it being used as a war machine against humanity? Is a larger invasion on the way?

In a story that combines elements of War of the Worlds, 2001:A Space Odyssey, and The X-Files, humanity is in a race against time to discover a way to defeat this threat, and find out why the alien race is attacking them and try to negotiate with them. Scientist Rose Franklin has died, but has been resurrected somehow, and is humanity's best hope to defeat this menace- but Rose doesn't even trust that shes human anymore, as portions of her memory are incomplete and she seems not to have aged in the years before she was resurrected.

The story is much like the first, although more action-oriented, and most chapters are in interview fashion, as plans are constructed in secret rooms, by powerful men who sway governments and armies behind the scenes, unbeknownst to the general public. There is the rogue geneticist who is brilliant but morally bankrupt, who is seeking answers in the genetic makeup of the aliens. There is Mr Burns, a shadowy figure revealed to be one of the aliens who has lived among us for centuries, and has been providing help to the humans. There are the first robot's human pilots, whose unique DNA enables them to telepathically command the alien robot. There is the military commander who shifts armies and coordinates information between the scientists, the alien Mr Burns, and world leaders, in an attempt to save humanity.

The interview format and covert ops reminds me of The X-Files. where powerful men made decisions for the rest of humanity, with the general public unaware. If this interview style of writing is offputting to anyone, you may want to skip this novel. I found it to be great peeking behind the curtain as these people generally let morality fall to the wayside as they move their pieces on the chessboard, which is honestly what many of us suspect our world leaders to be doing.

Of course there is some morality at play, often from unlikely sources, and as Waking Gods pushes humanity to the brink, what will it reveal about humanity? Will our darker aspects be our undoing, or will our better aspects win out? Are we in the end not much more than intelligent beasts, or can we aspire to a higher destiny? Waking Gods left me a lot to think about afterward, and that is something rare.

I read the first installment of the series earlier in the year and was eager to read the next book. This is an interesting premise...aliens creating huge robot weapons and placing them on earth. It was a bit more science fiction than I usually read. The way the story was told through journals and memos was interesting, though sometimes confusing. The ending leads us to believe there will be a sequel.

Just as cinematic as the first installment, the stakes are higher not only because we have gotten to know the characters and are invested in them, but because what seemed like a dream come true has now turned into a nightmare. While reading Sleeping Giants I kept thinking that I wished something like that came true (meaning, knowing aliens are real). Seeing what happens in this second book, I take it back (really, I rather not know and if Stephen Hawking thinks it would not end well for us, who am I to doubt him?). So... ten years after volume one, another, bigger, more bad@ss giant robot appears in London. It doesn't do anything, just stands there. The Earth Defense Corps is no closer to figuring out how Themis, the robot in Sleeping Giants, works. When the new giant attacks, Earth can do nothing but watch as the world gets destroyed. How can humans possibly fight back? The answer was very surprising, the final part, satisfying and the cliffhanger more suspenseful than ever. The one thing I wasn't crazy about was a new character - I can't explain more because it's a giant spoiler, but... let's just say that nothing ever got better by involving children. I still need to know what happens next and I can't wait for the next volume, which promises to be awesome!

[Disclaimer: I received a free e-copy from NetGalley for review purposes.]

This book was gooooooooooood. Actually, it was a hell of a lot better than book 1. I was engrossed from the start. Again with the interviews and journals and stuff though. Really wish there had been a narrator. But I fell right back into it easily, irritating as it was. My major complaint with the style was that there were a lot of "wannas" and "gonnas" when they really didn't fit the rest of the speech patterns. And the brackets to denote who's speaking - very frustrating. However, it was a unique storytelling style and was done mostly well.

This read so much like War of the Worlds to me, especially considering the robots' methods of extermination and that ending. You can absolutely tell there was at least very strong homage, if not downright adaptation. I also loved the reference to Evangelion, because that's exactly the vibe I was getting about Themis.

Really loved this book, a lot more than the first book. I think because we got more story and less digging-up-a-robot-and-trying-to-figure-out-how-she-works. Now I'm definitely looking forward to book 3, where I wasn't particularly excited about this one but wanted to read it anyway. I'm glad I did. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read!

This series is so good! The format is original, the subject is entertaining, the characters are written well, and the plot is well-paced and interesting. I'm looking forward to recommending this one to readers at my library, whether they self-identify as sci-fi readers or not.

4 Stars

This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley for the early preview!

Nonstop is the word that sticks out to me when reading this story. The amount of cataclysmic events that occur between the pages was (are you ready for it...) Nonstop. The pace of this story in comparison to the original was Nonstop. The amount of cheesy, romanticized gestures was also Nonstop. The amount of times that I had to stop and think to myself "Really Bro" was only a fair couple of times.

The story picks up 9 years following the end of the previous novel. It follows a similar style of being told through journal entries, interviews and news reports that helped shape Sleeping Giants. The first entry entails a new robot, similar in form and presentation to the Themis robot, that appears in London out of thin air. From there, the story progresses on what actions Dr. Franklin, Kara, Vincent and our mysterious narrator take to see if this is a hostile invasion or merely an observation.

The pace and the witty banter really excel in the story and keeps things surprisingly light hearted amongst the dark and dreary circumstances of the characters choices. But in the end, it was a fun and somewhat thought provoking read. I'm not sure how this book progresses into a 3rd iteration, but the source material is definitely strong enough to merit a Trilogy.

When I read the original book in the series, I thought it was an interesting POV mixture. Sort of a mix of The Iron Giant meets Day by Day Armageddon, but sci fi based instead of zombie based. The sequel basically merits the same idea. It's a multi POV novel with a heavy (but good) sci fi base. The scifi is more of a "hard" sci fi for the stuff we are used to (i.e. cell phones work, giant robots exist but they are still very much a mystery, etc).

All in all, it's a terrific followup to the first book, and the author has polished their craft well, leading us to not only characters we care about, and situations that are both interesting and slightly terrifying, but also moments of introspection and regret, as well as hope and resignation. There are a few stand out scenes in the book, but as to not spoil anything, once the book starts up, the plot does not let up for a page.

It's a great adventure, filled with twists and turns throughout, and I heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a unique scifi read. It's one of the rare times that a sequel can outshine the original.

First time author Neuvel had a wonderful debut novel with Sleeping Giants. This effort was just as good as the first one and I LOVED the first one. Could not put down! Highly recommended!

This is a book about the place of the human race in the universe and claiming ownership of that place, even when we're barely clinging to it. It's a story about the mysteries within what we don't know about the universe and, even more so, it's about rediscovering the mystery and the wonder in what you thought you already knew about the universe. It's about finding wonder in realities that might otherwise look bleak. Don't get me wrong, this is a dark fucking book and a lot of bad stuff happens. But, ultimately, even though literally nothing went well for anyone throughout almost the entirety of the book, I came out of it with stars in my eyes and feeling small and wondrous in the face of the enormity and inexplicability of the universe and my/humanities place in it.

I am a Quaker, but I don't believe in God as He is traditionally thought of - as an entity. I believe in the divinity, the godliness of the universe itself, in the universe as a godly creation in and of itself even without the existence of an anthropomorphic God figure. And this book makes me feel that feeling and reminds me of the Quaker belief in the inner light. A core tenet of Quaker belief is that there is in every human soul an aspect of the divine - "that of God in everyone". Given that my interpretation of God involves the whole of the universe, the book does a look to connect my with my feelings surrounding these beliefs. I am reminded of Werner Heisenberg's words: “The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you.” And, also, all of this and the content of the book in mind (with as little spoiling as possible) a quote from the poetry of Mark Jarman: "God is not death, God is what survives."

If you've already read book one of the Themis Files, Sleeping Giants, you're more likely than not not going to need this review to be very excited about Waking Gods. If you haven't read Sleeping Giants, you should! Big robot! Mystery! Science! Waking Gods fulfills a lot of the promise spelled out in Sleeping Giants and sets the stage for an even more exciting third book. Some of the big reveals seemed a bit clunky but not enough to still not throughly endorse the book. Both Themis Files books are one's any sci fi fan will devour and any non sci fans, if they give it a shot, will go "oh wait, maybe I'm a sci fi fan."

This was an outstanding sequel that kept me on my toes. I was interested in where the author would take this story and I was pleasantly surprised. There were some events that happened in this story that I did not expect to happen until the last book. Many things happened in this book that actually left me speechless and I had to take a little break to process what had happened. I love the direction this series is taking and I really need the next book, please.

I was supremely impressed by <i>Sleeping Giants</i>, which was a great documentary-style science fiction book about finding the pieces to a giant robot littered across the planet. If <i>Giants</i> was about discovery, <i>Waking Gods</i> is about consequences, and that's what ultimately makes the sequel work. We get to delve even more into the worldwide response to the robots but, more importantly, we get a much more detailed idea as to what the robots might mean.

It's hard to discuss this book without completely spoiling what goes on, but there are more than enough shocking moments throughout that make this into another winning tale and ends in a way that makes me really look forward to what's coming next. As long as the style of the story doesn't take you out of it, this is a series worth watching.

This is the second installment of Themis Files, following Sleeping Giants. Waking Gods is much darker, but every bit as exciting as Sleeping Giants! I highly recommend both books and can't wait for the next one to come out!

Lovers of books about giant, human driven robots rejoice! Sylvain Neuvel has delivered a worthy and engaging sequel to his giant robot building debut Sleeping Giants. Waking Gods takes up the story ten years after the end of the first book – the giant robot Themis has become a promotional tool for the Earth Defence Corp and while individual countries would love to get their hands on it for themselves has stayed under the control of the UN. Mystery still surrounds the (SPOILER!) reappearance of scientist Rose Franklin, who is trying to deal with the fact that another version of herself was the one who got the project off the ground.
Neuvel immediately shakes up the status quo with the appearance of another giant robot in the centre of London. This sets the second book up to be very different to the first. These new robots are as powerful as Themis and have a seemingly deadly intent. With Themis outnumbered and outgunned, Waking Gods becomes a race against time as the world tries to discover what these invaders want or destroy them before humanity is wiped out.
Waking Gods is told in the same style as the first book – as a series of interviews and transcripts. Once again these are led by the shadowy unnamed figure who masterminded the Themis project and who is getting some advice from an alien living among us. But there are plenty of sections from other points of view including letters, news reports and diary entries. Neuvel has become more adept at this style and the action sequences work better in this volume than in Sleeping Giants.
Waking Gods is a fantastic easter egg hunt for science fiction fans. Neuvel’s acknowledgements make it clear (although it is obvious from the text) that he is a big Star Wars fan. But Waking Gods also pays homage to the manga roots of giant robot stories with, among other references, a character named after much loved Japanese manga and anime series Evangelion (in which teenagers pilot giant robots against giant monsters).
Waking Gods is not just a great book for manga fans, though, it is thoughtful, tense science fiction. Neuvel does not shy away from tragedy or consequences. Taking a leaf out of the George RR Martin playbook, it turns out that no one is safe. This adds to the tension and emotional heft to the narrative. Waking Gods took the premise of Sleeping Giants in a new direction and the cliffhanger end of the book shows that Neuvel clearly has something different again planned for the next volume.