Sleeping Giants, the first book in the Themis File series, was a very cool and exciting science fiction tale that introduced us to a universe in which we are clearly not alone. What that means exactly for humanity in the grand scheme of things is something that the sequel, Waking Gods, begins to explore.

Without giving too much away, this picks up shortly after the events of Sleeping Giants. Another giant robot has appeared. this time in London. The appearance sets off a series of events that furthers the conspiracy first touched on in the first book. It also presents some new questions about humanity, innocence, and the cosmos.

Much of what made the first volume great remains in this book: the interview format, tone, some familiar faces, cool sci-fi tech. I'd imagine not every reader likes interview-style storytelling but I think the format really works well for this series, and continues to do so. It may not always contain as many environmental or scenery details but it does enable the imagination to be further engaged as well cover a lot of time and events with out needlessly creating a huge page-count. There are a number of moments of learning mirrored with many moments of loss, which could have been diluted in the format but Neuvel manages to balance this very well. He's not afraid to add a little dialogue that, in more standard prose, might not seem natural but serves here to highlight the details necessary for the scene.

I really enjoy when a series raises the stakes and this book certainly does that. Stakes are raised not only for our main characters but for the planet and species as well. There are many exciting, sad, reveling moments through out. And, yes, there is another cliffhanger. But being the second book of a series, that is to be expected. If I have any negatives to point out it might be that some of the original thrill is missing simply because the discovery element that drove much, if not all, of Sleeping Giants isn't present as much. But the trade off is that you get to spend more time with and learn much more about the characters involved.

The Themis Files is shaping up to be a very cool, high-tech adventure. I can't wait to see where things go next!


Full disclosure: Special thanks to NetGallly and Random House for the ARC.

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.

This was a great sequel to Sleeping Giants.  I read the two books back to back so that I had a good flow of the story since it is interview based; it lives up to the story and hype of Sleeping giants.  Overall, a great read and the climax is stunning.  The characters are rounded-out in this story more than the previous, I had to dredge through that part since I'm not much of a romance/drama reader.  To that point, one of the main character's identity is altered from the previous to my dismay.  Had the book been a little less romance and more sci-fi I would have enjoyed it so much more.  In the end, Mr. Neuvel is great at painting the picture with words as an artist does with their paintbrush.  I look forward to the next book in the series.

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.

Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. A thrilling continuation to The Sleeping Giant saga. Set in the same format as book 1; interviews, mission reports and personal logs make for an interesting read. The author does an excellent job at character and plot development with this format. Well worth the read.

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.

★★★★
Set about 9 years after the events of Sleeping Giants, this story ramps up the action by introducing a new threat- a robot, very much like Themis, but much bigger, and with pilots who actually know what the heck they're doing. Because apparently Vincent and Kara have spent the last 9 years on a publicity tour and not, you know, LEARNING HOW TO WORK THEIR ROBOT.

Sigh.

Add to this a very confused Rose Franklin, who died (then returned)during the last book, not that she was there for it, her last memory being from years before the project. Confused? Imagine how she feels! 

This second book continues the "transcripts of recorded conversations" conceit, but still manages to be a lot more action-oriented than the first, and the addition of more first-person perspective (diary entries and such), makes it feel a lot less detached and uneven than the first book. 

I have to say I found the abrupt cliffhanger a bit of a letdown- it was a bit like being slapped in the face by a giant cod, Unhygenix-style*. I get what the author was going for, it just felt a bit unsubtle. 

But for the most part, a good, fun, smart read. Hopefully in book 3 Themis actually does something slightly cooler than  bear-hugging her opponents to death.

*Google it.

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!

Bring on the Gods!
Since many of us were left literally hanging at the end of "Sleeping Giants", "Waking Gods" was a very satisfying sequel that answered many questions while positing more for the last in the series.

I thought the book did a good job of transitioning from the discovery of the robots (in "Sleeping Giants"  to the interaction and use of them in the world. It was realistic that people learned to accept the existence of Themis, although they were probably not aware of all the ramifications.  

The author has done a commendable job of using the interview and epistolary format to create a mystery yet manage to keep the action going. There is enough science for those of us who like facts in our sci-fi, but ample action to keep the younger fans reading on.  The descriptions were excellent;  I could visualize them being underwater, walking into Central Park, being in the center of London, etc. 

This series might not rank as great literature (although nicely written...except maybe too many "aauuuggghh's"), but it is fun fiction, entertaining, and a great diversion.

[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!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I am almost sad that I read Waking Gods as an ARC (almost) because it means I have to wait even longer for the next book in the series.

The second book in the Themis Files continues in the same style as the first, through interviews, news reports, communication logs and the like. The mysterious benefactor of the the Themis project is of course back, and as I hoped at the end of the last book, you get to spend even more time getting to know them and their motivations in Waking Gods.

While the narrative style is the same, there is a lot in this book that is different. The time has jumped forward several years, and the stakes are now much higher in the first novel. In Sleeping Giants Neuvel tended to avoid the inclusion of many action scenes, preferring instead to lead the reader right up to the point where the action would begin, and then drop us back in immediately after to see how his characters were dealing with the consequences, allowing us to sort of fill in the blanks. I almost preferred this stylistic choice as I often find action scenes a bit difficult to follow and am much more interested in the characters and how they are affected by the events of the story.

However in this book Neuvel strays that tactic somewhat and there are a number of actions scenes that you see not only once, but several times through the perspectives of many characters. While I missed the style of the first, I think this was necessary because of the difference in stories being told, and action sequences are required for the sort of story telling happening here.

Neuvel does not pull any punches in this novel so be prepared for that. I won't say more because... well I just won't.

I'm so grateful for these books, and will be sitting here impatiently until May 2018 (I hope) for the conclusion, because that epilogue... I just... ugh (I mean that ugh in the best way possible).

AMAZING.  I didn't think it was possible to have such a fast-paced, heart-wrenching follow up.  When is the next one coming out?

I am going to be up front with something- I loved the first book in this series, Sleeping Giants. I thought it was original, fun to read, and who doesn't love giant robots? After I finished the first book, I thought, as long as the sequel is similar in quality, ups the ante a bit, and answers some questions, it will be a hit! I am glad to say the second book did not disappoint at all.

The book follows a similar style as the first book- a series of interviews to tell the story. Things happen in between the interviews and one is filled in during the conversation. Our cast of characters return from the first book as our two pilots are getting better, but have not perfected their use of Themis. The book begins 9 years after the first one.

A second giant robot has appeared in the middle of London and is just standing there waiting. The military tries to do what the military always does- go after it with tanks and weapons. Needless to say this doesn't work out too well and it is up to the crew of Themis to help out. I will simply add, this is just the first part of the book. There is a whole lot more to come.

It is hard to talk about this book without giving spoilers away and I am a fan of going into books cold, so I won't say much. There was some humor, there was some heartbreak, and there were more questions that develop even in the midst of answers. I only had one major issue with the book and that is how it was written during the last third of the book. The style changes a tiny bit and I got a bit lost here and there following the conversation. That was my only critique. Otherwise, this is worth it.

I gave this book 4.5 stars.

I want to thank NetGalley for the early edition of this book for review. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Neuvel's sophomore book in the series shines where the first fell slightly flat.  While the prose and formatting are still slightly confusing it won't stop you from reading this time around. 

The girl that fell to Themis's hand in her youth, Dr. Rose Franklin, is back from the dead; and more confused than ever. As loyalties and government ties are tested, the world hangs in the balance as a new titan shows its head in one of the most populated cities in the world. Do they mean harm? Or are they here to collect what's theirs? This book is fast paced and intriguing - and you won't be able to put it down.

Waking Gods picks up where Sleeping Giants left off, answering a lot of questions and actually coming to a pretty satisfying conclusion.  The logistics I  didn't really like about the first book are remedied in this one. Although formatting is still a problem, it's way easier to understand what's going on, with a lot more showing than telling.  I would highly recommend giving it a chance if you love scifi and alien encounters. 

(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

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.

I *LOVED* Sleeping Giants, and as soon as I finished it, I marched myself over to Netgalley to put in a request for Waking Gods. A day later, I had it on my Kindle and ready to devour. I finished it in one sitting.

HELL. YES. TO THIS BOOK.

Sometimes "part 2" books in a series can be underwhelming or just feel like filler. Absolutely not the case here. In fact, shit gets real in this book, and it broke my heart in a few parts. The author has made it clear that he owes us no favors or happy endings with this series, and I couldn't be more pleased with it. It NEEDS to feel dark in order to make the most impact, and it succeeds.

Like with the first book, I am impressed with Neuvel's ability to give us a story with absolutely no facial expressions or described actions--only blunt back and forth "dialogue"--and make us FEEL for these characters. Vincent, in particular, continues to ascend. He has quite a few of his snide quips that made us all love him in the first book; the one about unionizing had me actually laughing out loud. Ryan's creeper factor continued to be, well, creepy.

There's one aspect of the book--and I can't even mention which character it's about or that would be a HUGE spoiler--that I'm not sure about. It almost feels plot device-y, and it's a trope that a lot of people hate. I'm withholding my judgment until book 3 to see where it goes, but so far, the character's, er, character is eliciting a bit of "meh" from me. Nevertheless, I trust Neuvel to bring this character around, reject the cliche, and make him/her mesh better with the rest of the story.

As for the story itself, it's... well, it gets pretty insane--in a really good way. The first time "it" happened (the scene with the BBC reporter), I literally just kind of stared at my Kindle like woah, holy crap, that just happened. Then it just spiraled from there, and we were thrust into a series of frenetic events all unfolding at a wild pace over which we had no control. It felt exhilarating! You will think you have it all figured out--I certainly did--and you/I would be wrong. I was so glad to be wrong because I LOVE a good twist. We learn a lot more about our alien visitors.

And then the very last page of the book? That cliffhanger left me reeling. Needless to say, I'll be praying that no unfortunate accident befalls Neuvel to prevent him from releasing book 3!