Only Human is the satisfying conclusion of the Themis Files series. The trilogy as a whole was amazing and this was the strong, satisfying finish I've been waiting for. This book starts years later from we last left off, slowly filling in what happens to the characters — with plenty of action involved. Readers will notice though that this book in the series is much more international as well as taking place on another planet.

Neuvel's writing is great, as usual – told through the perspective of journal entries and recordings. This is sci-fi thats more accessible from what I normally see.

If you've read this far in the series you know you've got to pick up the last chapter in the saga.

There have been few series in recent memory for which I am this excited for when a new volume is released. But a series about giant robots? Yeah, that’s definitely one of them. The Themis Files wraps up with the soon to be released Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel, a story about giant robots and aliens, but also of family, love, and human nature.

Only Human is the final book in the Themis Files, a series which begins with a little girl who finds a giant metal hand, only later discovering the rest of the giant metal robot it belongs to and the alien race who left it on Earth long ago. After being whisked away to this alien planet at the end of the second book, Waking Gods, Rose, Vincent, Eva, and General Govender find a way home. During that time Earth remains on edge. Fear and extremist views take hold, and the home our protagonists return to looks nothing like the one they left.

If you’d like to catch up with our reviews of the first two books or would like a quick refresher of what happened in books one and two, check out what we thought of Sleeping Giants here and Waking Gods here.

This novel continues with the mixed media formatting the first two books in the series sported. Interviews, journal entries, and more make up entirety of the story.

The book is split between the character’s time among the aliens who originally created Themis and the time after they return to Earth. Sections about life on the alien planet function as flashbacks in a more practical sense despite the continued use of interviews, recorded conversations, and personal diary entries. The alien culture and planet was rather fascinating. These are an incredibly ancient people with a rich history that has greatly influenced their culture. We get a surprising amount of details about this society for the format the novel is written in mixed media formatting. I did wish we got a bit clearer sense of the aesthetics of this other world and the various peoples that called it home.

Characters and their relationships change throughout the course of the novel. Like the second book, this one also has a ten year time skip. The majority of that time is taken up with Rose and the rest trying to escape – or not escape – back to Earth. Friendship, family, and love are all tested.

Many characters from the first two books make appearances, even if they aren't in the novel for any great length of time. Side character's stories received the sort of closure they deserved without detracting from or taking time away from other matters. The mysterious interviewer is, of course, missing from the narrative. While I do quite miss his voice, I am all too used to having my favorite characters killed off. The character which takes up much of the nameless man’s duty as interviewer is a Russian woman whom is interviewing the main cast of characters after their return to Earth. Personality wise she is quite different than the still nameless individual from books one and two, but her function within the narrative is comparative.

Now, the pacing of Only Human is more akin to that of Sleeping Giants as opposed to Waking Gods. That is to say, the pacing is a bit slower with more focus on the characters and character interactions. If you’ve come for more epic battles with giant robots rest assured that you won’t leave disappointed. That said, some patience might be needed to get there as they don’t occur with the sort of frequency as the second book in the series.

I won’t go into any great detail about the ending in fear of spoilers, but it was very different. And I mean that in a good way. I really liked how the story wrapped up. It says something about people and human nature. I didn’t necessarily see the series ending in quite this way, but it didn’t feel at all out of place.

Only Human is more than just giant robots. It’s a story of love, family, home, and human nature. It is a wonderful end to a great series. I cannot wait to see what else Sylvain Neuvel has in store for us. If you haven’t already begun this series, I highly recommend giving it a try.

I can’t believe it’s “yokits” over. This final saga is more political than ever, really hitting home during this time of unrest in the United States and with foreign embassies. While this novel didn’t feature some of my favorite characters, I still enjoyed the characters we follow in the narrative. Not as great as the other two, but still a solid four stars.

I was first introduced to Sylvain's work a few years ago, and was astounded by his talent, especially so because of his young age. Characters are flawlessly portrayed and dialogue was smooth and realistic. I seldom give books a 5-star rating; but Neuvel was a rare and well-deserved exception. Every one of his novels warranted a 5-star rating. If you've never read one, I strongly recommend that you do so. You won't be disappointed.

4.7 Out of 5 "Themis Inspired" Stars

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~ABOUT THE BOOK~
Only Human
Sylvain Neuvel
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In her childhood, Rose Franklin accidentally discovered a giant metal hand buried beneath the ground outside Deadwood, South Dakota. As an adult, Dr. Rose Franklin led the team that uncovered the rest of the body parts which together form Themis: a powerful robot of mysterious alien origin. She, along with linguist Vincent, pilot Kara, and the unnamed Interviewer, protected the Earth from geopolitical conflict and alien invasion alike. Now, after nearly ten years on another world, Rose returns to find her old alliances forfeit and the planet in shambles. And she must pick up the pieces of the Earth Defense Corps as her own friends turn against each other.

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~MY REVIEW~
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If you love audiobooks, then this amazing series is a must listen. I know...I did read this. And, I only did so because I was preapproved for an ARC, and I couldn't wait until the release date to find out how this all ended. I will be listening on Audio, once it is released.

I am sure that once I listen to this on Audio, my rating will be a full 5-STARS. My .3 deduction is because in book format; it's really difficult to follow the conversations because of the format it's written in. Every chapter is a transcript between two or more people (with a few journal entries thrown in every so often). And I seriously could never keep it straight. Luckily, I didn't really need to all the time, to get the full effect of the story. Also, it will be irrelevant since Sleeping Giants and Waking Gods has had a full-cast narration, therefore, I am confident that Only Human will also have a full-cast narration. And in case you didn't know...full-cast narration rocks!

If you've been searching for your next thought-provoking, easily-digestible Science Fiction series to start on. The Themis Files really has it all...

From the intense action to the meaning of life, and everything in between; it has it all. Plus...it has giant robots…that are hopefully coming to the big screen, soon.

Only Human comes out soon, and that's the last edition of this trilogy...so what are you waiting for?!?

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~MY RATING~
4.7/5 STARS - GRADE=A
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~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
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Plot~ 4.5/5
Main Characters~ 5/5
Secondary Characters~ 5/5
The Feels~ 5/5
Pacing~ 4/5
Addictiveness~ 4/5
Theme or Tone~ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 4/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 5/5
Originality~ 5+/5
Ending~ 5/5 Cliffhanger~ Nope.
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Book Cover~ Amazing, all three of them are amazing
Series~ Themis Files #3
Publisher~ Random House - Ballentine
Setting~ Earth and Esat Ekt
Source~ I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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I've thoroughly enjoyed the first two books, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed the third. Neuvel's writing style is addictively easy to read, and the plot moves very quickly making it (as the others were) a very fast and entertaining read. I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed - I found myself wondering if it truly was going to be a trilogy for most of the third book, but overall, I thought it was satisfying.

Oh man, I am so bummed to say that I was disappointed with the final installment in the Themis Files Trilogy. I felt like this book didn't have any redeeming characters and it felt like old characters were brought back unnecessarily. I couldn't stand Katherine Lebedev and thought Vincent's daughter Eva was a whiny brat. I was also let down with the details provided about Esat Ekt, the planet where the Ekt are from. I wanted to feel as though I had been there on an alien planet with Dr. Franklin, Vincent, Eva and Eugene but I didn't. Since the story is broken up in "Files", the details are all over the place. For some reason, the jumping around in the story bothered me. this time. Not having a linear story hadn't affected my reading in first two books, but this time it was part of the challenge I had in connecting to the story. Although I didn't enjoy the final book, the first two of the series were very good. I especially LOVED the second book. I tore through that one and gave that book the highest rating of the three. Below are the summaries of all the books in the series so that you can make a decision on your own whether or not to read them.

This book will likely wrap up the Themis Files, a trilogy about what would happen if an alien giant robot was discovered on our planet. It's told, as is the rest of the trilogy, in the form of journals, transcriptions of radio and video exchanges, and other sorts of ways to record information.

The book jumps ahead ten years from the previous book, and starts with the reader finding out that Themis disappeared from Earth for 10 years and has just reappeared. Most of the book is backstory about this. A major development on Earth during this time is that the United States government managed to get the robot that Rose Franklin disabled operational again and has embarked upon consolidating a global empire. This doesn't seem unlikely, quite frankly- it seems like exactly the sort of thing our government might do.

Themis reappears in Russia, which now hopes to use Themis as a sort of deterrent to the US government conquering further. Rose, Victor, Victor's daughter Eva , and one of the people from the alien world where Themis has spent the last decade all return with Themis.

Much of the book is flashbacks that fill in the humans' time on the alien world. This ended up being disappointingly vague and disappointingly like earth. The people who made the giant robots have an extremely democratic way of governing (every citizen votes on every issue on which they have knowledge) but there are of course still injustices, uneven social classes, and dissatisfied people. The world was vague but other than some of the political system, it all feels a bit too close to Earth.

So, I wasn't too satisfied with the story that took place far from Earth. As far as the Earth storyline goes, a lot of it revolved around Eva being angry at Victor for decisions he made without consulting her. I'm usually not too drawn in by parent/child conflict storylines, and this book didn't succeed in hooking me.

I missed the nameless character of the first two books. The Russian intelligence officer Katharina didn't really feel believable in her insouciance and was not a good replacement.

The climax of the book felt like it was winding toward a scenario that could only be resolved by outside intervention, and I was right about that. The deus ex machina ending disappointed me too.

And I feel like for a series about giant robots, the giant robot fights were not all I hoped they would be! I feel like this series had a very strong beginning and a solid middle, but I wasn't satisfied with the end. That being said, I'd still strongly recommend at least the first two books.

The last book in the Themis Files hit the ground running. Our heroes are now on the planet of Themis' creators with no way out, as of yet, and so much to learn from their new home. Meanwhile things back on Earth have changed after millions of lives were lost at the hand of Themis' creators. How will this series end is anyone's guess and you will quickly turn the pages as you rush to get to the conclusion of this exciting thrill ride series.

I was so eager to read the third book in this series! Only Human continues off from where the second book ended, and I really enjoyed reading about life on another planet. The pacing felt a little off from the first two books, but the author's exploration of race and genetics kept me hooked. Also important to note- this is NOT a series where you can pick up at random. They must be read in order. It's challenging to write a review for the third book without completely spoiling the first two for readers.

The Themis Files trilogy has reached an end and I'm sorry it's over but hope the author will leave this one right here. If there are other books to come in the future with a vague tie-in to this theme, that would be fine, but I like where Only Human ended - with the opportunity for some serious discussions between friends and book readers.

This trilogy is one of those exceptions to my own rule about jumping into a book series at any point and digging out what happened in the past while you read. It will be so much more enjoyable for you to follow the route the author set and make your discoveries at their proper place in the story arc. Book one concerns a hunt throughout Earth for buried parts of a giant robot. Once the robot is reassembled and functioning as a weapon book two tells the story of what happens when a similar robot arrives in London and death and destruction results. Now book three shows what happened when the first robot, Themis, disappeared from earth and came to rest on Esat Ekt. Only Human covers what was happening during the nine years the crew of Themis was gone from Earth and the impact they had on the planet Esat Ekt. Once again the story is told in the form of files and reports of conversations or interrogations where two worlds are trying to deal with changes brought about by a long ago visit to Earth.

This is the type of science fiction series that really excites my imagination because you can have wonderful conversations about how the author constructed the two worlds the humans and the aliens found themselves in. How hard would it be for Earth to be in the position shown by this author? The frightening conclusion I reached is: not long at all. Read all three books and see what you think.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Del Rey for a digital copy of this novel.

** spoiler alert ** I was thrilled to get to review this for NetGalley!

First of all what's the deal with the description saying it's a cross between World War Z and The Martian? Did we read the same book?

I really loved books 1 and 2. I was highly anticipating this one after the ending of book 2. Would we get to see the alien world? What would it be like? Etc etc.

This one is told in the same format through transcripts. I devoured books 1 and 2, but I had to force myself to keep reading this one. It just didn't grab my attention.

I feel like the author must have written this in the aftermath of the 2016 election shocker. There was just constant xenophobia throughout the book. It's vaguely talked about on the other planet, but when they get back home, the good ol’ USA has turned into basically nazi Germany. If you're part alien or Muslim, you are headed to a concentration camp. If the US wants to take your land, they'll just vaporize you with their new robot.

What’s even weirder is the total unnecessary Islamophobia that's mentioned. So an alien race comes to our planet, kills 100 mil people and yet you’re still worried about Muslims? Really Muslims? Why? It felt so out of place in the book, but it kept being mentioned.

I desperately want to learn what happened on the other planet as they were there for 9 years, but it unfolds so slowly between all that's happening on Earth, you get tired of waiting for it. And, it all felt so vague. They don't really go into the xenophobia that's going on over there, and there are terrorists, or maybe not? They don't really go into much over there.

And the ending...the ending is ok, I guess, if you like it when your mom says "don't do that because I said so." That's basically the ending. It just comes out of no where and feels so forced.

I had been obsessively watching Netgalley like a hawk waiting for this to be posted, and then becoming even more obsessive as I waited to see if I was approved. The Themis Files has been one of the best sci-fi series I’ve ever read, and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to read these!

Only Human takes place almost 10 years after Waking Gods, and the majority of the story takes place on the home world of the robotic giants, where Rose, Vincent, and Eva ended up at the end of #2. It was really fascinating reading about this other world, and the people in it, who were more human like than not. When the group finally make it back to Earth, they find things have changed, and not for the better. The world has gone to hell, and people who are considered to have more alien DNA than human DNA, are being forced into camps, where the ultimate end-game seems to be mass-execution. Rose, Vincent, and Eva aren’t exactly welcomed back with open arms, and immediately find themselves part of essentially WWIII. Action, battle, and drama ensues as they try to find their place on an Earth that is starting to feel more alien than the alien planet itself.

I’m not going into any more detail, but suffice it to say that I felt like this was a solid ending to the trilogy. Nothing will live up to that first book, Sleeping Giants, but most series never live up to the first book. I enjoyed that everything was still basically told through journal entries, log entries, and the conversations happening between characters over comms. But, man, did I miss the interviewer from books 1 and 2. Not having him there had the 3rd book losing some of its charm for me.

All that being said, I’ll definitely end up re-reading this series in the future, and would highly recommend to any sci-fi fan.

Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved the other 2 books in this trilogy, and have waiting for this, the last book, to come out. While I didn’t love it quite as much as the first two, it was a great ending to the series. I missed “our friend”, aka the original interviewer in the first two books, which I think is one reason I didn’t love it as much. I loved getting to know more about the alien race that built Themis though, and enjoyed the “twist” at the end. These books are fun, easy reads, so if you’re looking for a new trilogy to enjoy, pick them up!

I must confess, this was the book in the trilogy that I least enjoyed... It felt like a political manifesto as much as (rather than?) than the conclusion to the series. The parts that focused on the continuation of the existing relationships (between Terrans and Ekt, between Eva and Vincent, between Rose and Vincent), and on the establishment of new characters/relationships and bits of fill-in backstory that fleshed out what has been happening to Rose et al. since the end of Book Two were very well done and very engaging. But there was A LOT of "this is what's wrong with the world" played out in the interstices - and those interstices often resembled canyons or trenches (ala Marianas) more than anything actually interstitial...

I understand and appreciate what Neuvel was doing with this book, and how the terrapolitical and geopolitical expositions played into the overarching story. I just felt at times like I was reading an indictment of contemporary political thought and global activity - a philosophical treatise, almost - rather than a scifi novel. That's fine, but it made the pacing uneven for me and slowed things down a lot. I found myself skimming at times in the middle - and honestly, don't feel like I missed anything by doing so. Still, the trilogy as a whole was a vastly entertaining enterprise and very original and well plotted and well characterized. I'm just glad it started with the first book - which was five stars all the way for me - because if it had opened with a focus akin to this final book, I probably wouldn't have made it all the way through...

The final chapter in the them is files was AMAZING. I kept finding ways to talk about it in casual conversation: oh, you have an opinion on politics? Let me tell you about this fascinating democracy structure on a fictional planet. I honestly feel like my life is better for having read this series. Of course, I wish there was more. One can only hope for a spin-off?

It's always bittersweet to see a series I've loved come to an end. On the one hand, I'm getting answers and conclusions.  Things are wrapping up.  Characters are getting on with their lives.  But I've been in love with the Themis Files series since page one of Sleeping Giants when it came out a few years ago.  It's hard to let go.

For those of you not familiar with the Themis Files, you may want to skip this review... it's spoilery.  Here's a brief overview of the first two books, courtesy of Goodreads:

Sleeping Giants (Book One) - A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand.

Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved—its origins, architects, and purpose unknown. Its carbon dating defies belief; military reports are redacted; theories are floated, then rejected.

But some can never stop searching for answers.

Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top secret team to crack the hand’s code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the provenance of the relic. What’s clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unraveling history’s most perplexing discovery—and figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result prove to be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction?
Waking Gods (Book Two) - As a child, Rose Franklin made an astonishing discovery: a giant metallic hand, buried deep within the earth. As an adult, she’s dedicated her brilliant scientific career to solving the mystery that began that fateful day: Why was a titanic robot of unknown origin buried in pieces around the world? Years of investigation have produced intriguing answers—and even more perplexing questions. But the truth is closer than ever before when a second robot, more massive than the first, materializes and lashes out with deadly force.

Now humankind faces a nightmare invasion scenario made real, as more colossal machines touch down across the globe. But Rose and her team at the Earth Defense Corps refuse to surrender. They can turn the tide if they can unlock the last secrets of an advanced alien technology. The greatest weapon humanity wields is knowledge in a do-or-die battle to inherit the Earth . . . and maybe even the stars.
Like the two before it, Only Human is told through transcripts of audio/video diaries, conversations and pilot logs.  I think, outside of the plot itself, this method of delivery makes this series even more addictive and readable.  I kept finding myself thinking "ok, just one more quick chapter before I stop for a bit."  The chapters are short and punchy and keep you pulled into the story.

I'm not going to lie... I missed Kara and the Interviewer.  I know their deaths were necessary in Waking Gods, but I couldn't help but miss their characters.  Kara was one badass chick.  Rose and Eva are great and are very strong characters, but I just loved Kara and her attitude.  The Interviewer had a great, dry sense of humor (not to mention mystery) that I thought added another layer of awesome to the previous installments.

Often in series, I feel cheated at the end.  I feel like I've invested so much time and emotion into books and characters, only for things to wrap up unrealistically in the final book.  Thankfully, the last book in the Themis Files didn't disappoint.  Only Human fit well with its predecessors.  It didn't come off as rushed or too easily wrapped up.  I didn't feel like Neuvel was trying to write an ending to please anyone but the characters. I was a bit thrown by the start of the book, with several main characters being transported to an alien planet.  It was weird and unexpected, but oh-so-perfect once you get used to the idea.  Once back on Earth, friendships are tested and right and wrong are no longer clear cut in a world that has changed beyond recognition.  I couldn't help but draw parallels from current political situations we're in now, which I'm sure was Neuvel's intent.

Book one had me hooked.  Book two broke my heart.  And Only Human, book three, was the perfect ending to an amazing trilogy.

I really looked forward to the final book in the Themis trilogy and it surpassed my expectations. I was so excited to see where they would go at the end of the second book and loved the new world of aliens. It was good to explore how the human race would cope after the events in the second book and to understand why it happened. The book delivered a super imaginative tale full of gripping action and a fantastic ending. I was sad to finish it and will definitely read anything else that Sylvain writes.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone. I have reviewed it on Goodreads and will do on Amazon once it is available for review.

Only Human (Themis files #3) by Sylvain Neuvel

This is the third & final book of Themis files trilogy.

Well, I'm going to miss this series but I thought it really ended well !!

At the end of Waking Gods Rose, Vincent, Eva and Eugene are transported along with Themis to the alien planet.

Nine years later , they escape to Earth. What do they find?

Earth is a mess! There is fear & turmoil everywhere.The giant robot that Rose defeated is rebuilt by the US army and US is controlling half the world. People are divided based upon their alien genetics. Rose feels responsible as she was the one who started all of this by discovering Themis. How is she going to restore humanity back on Earth? Have we reached a point that it couldn't be restored at all ?Thats what " Only Human" is about.

This book has past & present type narrative. It alternates between Rose's life in alien planet vs the things happening at Earth currently. The characters really carry this novel like they did the previous onel. The emotional struggle between Eva & Vincent is the part I loved most. NOTE to the audio book producers, please change Eva's voice from the last book ( it was unbearable).

Only human isn't as fast paced as it's predecessors. But it's deeply emotional. It makes you feel the I'm significance and ignorance of human race or infact any race.
There is lot of politics. It touches upon racism, socialism, Muslim politics etc. Annnddd it has giant robot battles !. What else do you need ?

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

Verdict : A great conclusion to an amazing trilogy. 4/5 Stars

Great conclusion to a terrific Sci-fi series! Only Human is the third and final installment in the Themis Files Series. Once again, it follows Dr. Rose Franklin, Vincent and Eva.
*There may be some spoilers for the first two books in the series.*

This book definitely surprised me in a good way. I really didn’t have any idea how everything was going to wrap up. We knew at the end of Waking Gods, that Themis was forced back to her planet and that the main characters were aboard.
When the book begins we learn that they spent 10 years on the planet Esat Esk before escaping back to Earth. So the book goes back and forth detailing their time on the other planet and what is happening in present time on Earth. Rose, Vincent and Eva learn that that the world is now in chaos and there is deep mistrust among countries. This is all a result of what happened in the first two books where we also learn that all humans have a percentage of alien DNA. At the opening of the third book, the government is now arresting and killing those with high percentages.
On another note, with the return of Themis, the Russian government now has a way to combat the U.S. who we learn has been taking over countries by using their own robot who they found called Lepetus.

I really enjoyed this conclusion. There wasn’t as much action as the first two books but it was still amazing. I really loved the details of Esat Esk. The author did a phenomenal job describing this other planet, especially the politics and the culture. I loved seeing the characters interactions with the aliens. If you liked the first two books, this third one will not disappoint.