This was such a fun, action packed new story fr the author of I Am Number Four. This is great for sci-fi lovers. The characters and lore were well developed and the ending leaves you NEEDING the second book.

This book feels geared more towards middle-grade readers, or those that prefer middle-grade books, of which I am not. So if you are a middle-grade reader, take my review with a grain of salt, as you will most likely enjoy this more than I did.

I felt like this book was too broad in all aspects. The world-building didn't seem to get down to the nitty-gritty and explain all the things I wished it would have, and the characters were the same way. Often times there were way too many characters with not nearly enough explanations and backstories.

The storyline did take some very interesting twists and turns that I did not expect. I also didn't like the overarching and shoved-in-your-face theme of HUMANS ARE BAD. I read sci-fi to escape the fact that humans are bad.

This book was a slow start for me, but it evolved into a truly gripping story. I was invested Syd, his mom, and his story. It was an amazing job of world building and layering sci fi in with “real life” relationships. I look forward to continuing the story!

This was a fun trip down memory lane for me. I loved lores writing as a teenager when he did I am number four and this did not disappoint me.

I wanted to enjoy this book but it just wasn't my cup of tea. I liked his other series but this one was far off of that. If you enjoy books about space you will probably like this one but not me. I was hoping for more from it.

Ashfall Legacy is the newest offering of Pittacus Lore, author of I Am Number Four from the Lorien Legacies series. For Sydney Chambers, his teen years are defined by being on the run with his mother because of his unique parentage, all while hoping for the return of his father. A series of events leads him to pursuing his alien heritage with the intent of tracking down his dad. While some do not want him finding his father, and the cure for humanity he set out to find, others want to help Syd in his quest, but for nefarious reasons of their own. He quickly learns that sometimes it’s your “enemies” who are your friends, and your “friends” are the ones you really need to watch out for.

The Lorien Legacies were made hugely popular after the release of I Am Number Four as a movie. Ashfall Legacy uses the same successful combination of science fiction, epic alien conflicts, and snarky adolescent jargon to appeal to teens and young adults.

While in many settings this type of dialogue may be fitting for the story, the idea that alien “teens” would talk and act in the same way as kids from earth seems a stretch. I also found Ashfall Legacy to be more sci-fi lite than true science fiction, even with the story revolving around aliens, other worlds, and space travel. That’s not to say that some concepts weren’t given detailed explanations, but the overall flavor was more along the lines of a fictional tale.

I have to admit that I really struggled getting into the first 3/4s of the book. Between the dialogue and all the world/interpersonal dynamics building it seemed to take forever to get the heart of the conflict and action. This made a little more sense when I realized that Syd’s story does not end with this book; it is really only just beginning. Lore hasn’t announced or identified if this is the case, but it only makes sense, based on the ending. Knowing this put my overall impression of the book in a different light. If there is a next book, and it picks up where Ashfall Legacy left off, it might be the making of a highly entertaining series.

I read this book thanks to NetGalley. I enjoyed the book which is about half-human, Sydney, traveling to The Vast to find his father. There is racism, politics, mutiny and lots of action. Great characters and great worlds. I think this is a great companion to the rest of the Pittacus Lore series.

You just have to love this fun engaging romp of a young adult sci-fi novel in which Sydney, an Australian boy with a missing Dad is on the run in the U.S. with his mom using false identities and constantly changing locations. So why are they on the run?

Oh, it turns out that he’s half-alien, with his Dad from a far flung planet of peace-loving Denzans, who had been working with humans to recruit them for help in fighting off attacks from another alien species. On Denza, humans take on super-hero level strength. Syd gets sent off with his father’s brother to try to locate his Dad who went missing on a mission to locate an elder species known as the Lost Ones.

Once you acclimate to all that, the story unfurls with humor, action, plot twists, and secrets revealed. Syd has a locator ring left for him by his Dad, and it still shows his Dad is alive out there somewhere in the universe. Syd’s off on a quest to figure out what happened. He teams up with engaging other kids of multiple alien species, with some Harry Potter-ish grown-up teachers.

It’s not super deep or original, but I’m hooked and often found myself laughing out loud at the unfolding antics. As an avid reader young adult dystopian fiction, I found the story ultimately uplifting and engaging.

With a cliff hanger ending, I’m truly looking forward to the next installment from the anonymous author Pittacus Lore, fresh off the wrap of the Lorien Nine series.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reader’s copy.

This book starts out right from page one. I loved the premise and the overall mystery of the book, as well as the character development in general. I loved that the story was focused on the search: it didn’t spiral into a love story or veer off course.

My only issue was that I want to recommend it to my 8th grade students: no sex or rampant drugs. But just a touch too much cursing for me to be able to blanket recommend to them. Not an issue for me or even high school, and my students have heard (and say) worse, but it is a disappointment when I need to think about it and what parents may say.

I know others might take issue with slight predictability, but I also read with the mindset of jr high/ high school readers and who it is meant for. So, not an issue here!

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

Sydney is a human-alien hybrid that his spent his entire life on the run with his mom after his father went missing on a mission. But when he gets sucked into a video game (almost literally?), he discovers that he is more than half alien; he is the only hope of finding his still-alive father.

I found the premise of the book very interesting. It took me awhile to get into it, but once I did, I enjoyed it. Sydney is ok character, nothing about him I love. I was a little bothered by the fact that he was told if he leaves Earth, he can't come back or he'll die, and he just does it. No second guessing leaving his mother behind, no hesitation, and then he basically NEVER THINKS ABOUT HER AGAIN. Ok, so maybe I'm a lot bothered by it.

I wish we would have gotten to know our side characters a bit better; I honestly liked most of them better than Sydney. Especially Zara. I need more Zara info. The author did a pretty decent job giving us info about the different races and technology, so I never felt I was confused or lost. I didn't feel like the big reveal at the end was a twist-there was enough not subtle comments that I saw it coming. Did it still horrify me? Yes. Yes, it did.

If you like books with fascinating alien races and epic space battles, you will probably enjoy this book. I will most likely read book 2 when it is available.

I received this book as an eARC from Netgalley. All opinions are my own!

Syd has always known that extraterrestrial life exists - he's descended from them. But when he finds a tether that tells him his long-lost father is out still out there in the cosmos, Syd knows he has to go find him. But along the way, can Syd save Earth - and the universe - from world-ending secrets?

Where do I begin with how much I enjoyed this book?! I have never read anything by Pittacus Lore, and now I will be trying to get my hands on everything! From chapter one, this book was super easy to get sucked into. The writing was easy and quick, but also the world and the story itself pulled me in and I didn't want to escape.

I think my favorite thing about this book was how unique the plot ended up being. A lot of sci-fi can feel very repetitive, but I was not expecting the place that this story would go. I was genuinely surprised and shocked at the end, and I enjoyed every second of the world-building and the way that the plot unfurled and left me reeling!

If you're looking for your next sci-fi obsession, this is the book for you!

Ashfall Legacy by Pittacus Lore is a well-written, fast-paced sci-fi young adult fantasy that pulls you in from the beginning. Pittacus Lore's writing style is one that keeps you on the edge of your seat and reading late into the night. I look forward to reading more from this author.

What I Loved
First, I loved Ashfall Legacy's setting, a distant planet whose beings live alongside humans on Earth. The Denzans even have a consulate in Australia. I enjoyed going off-planet into the void of space and imagining new alien races and planets that Sydney Chambers, the main character, met as he traveled to his destination. Nothing makes the imagination soar more than taking it out of its comfort zone.

I also loved the idea of a space academy, which is Sydney's destination on the planet Denza. Serpo Institute houses a student body of intergalactic beings that dedicate themselves to space exploration. That, along with common pop culture ideas of space travel, helped to bridge that gap into this alien world for me as a reader. Having some more familiar aspects made the unfamiliar aspects easier to understand and imagine making disbelief easy to suspend.

Sydney is on a mission to discover what happened to his father, which is an emotional plot thread. He barely remembers his father, and he and his mother always thought he must be dead since he never returned. New evidence makes everyone question their belief, though, and only Sydney can follow the trail that will eventually discover what happened. The final discovery is so touching and unexpected as only a family theme in a story can generate.

There are some great plot twists and turns along the way and evil creatures that I interpreted as resembling space dragons. I love this blend of genres incorporated to make this story the fascinating tale that it is. There is mystery and intrigue, plus a few thrills as the mission takes one dangerous turn after another to the point where the pages turned very quickly, and I couldn't take my eyes off of the page.

Characters
I've already mentioned Sydney Chambers, the main character. He is 16 and is coming into adulthood at a rapid pace. When he found out that he is half-alien, half-human, that explained so much and opened up a world of possibilities that he desperately wanted to explore. Life on the run with his human mother, who was afraid that the aliens would like to take him away from her, gave him no connections and no sense of belonging that may have made him reluctant to explore.

But my favorite character had to be H'Jossu, a Panalax, which Sydney described as an undead Chewbacca. He exhibited all my favorite characteristics as the unsung heroic best friend of the hero protagonist. He sees everything as a fun adventure, loves and regularly refers to Earth pop culture, and is always the first to stand by Sydney and aid him no matter how dangerous the task is.

What I Wish
When the story begins, and for a while after, the dialogue read clunky – like a forced stereotypical teen way of speaking. I wish a typical solid manner of speech had been used throughout the novel, as I believe it is used later, once Sydney left the planet. The dialogue either changed, or I just grew to accept it as the story went on.

To Read or Not to Read
If you are looking for a story that will take you on a fun and sometimes quite moving space adventure, then you must pick up Ashfall Legacy.

I was really excited to read this I loved all of the Lorien Legacies books! Once again Pittacus Lore didn’t disappoint! This book was engaging and captivating from the start! I loved Sydney and it had a great supporting cast! There was also an unexpected ending that made me super excited to see what comes next!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It started a bit slow for me to get into it properly. I did not enjoy reading this book, it was super confusing to me. The premise itself has potential, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. I did not connect with it at all, and DNF’d around 35%

4.5 Stars
I loved the Lorien Legacies series, so I picked up this new series by the same author as soon as I could. After the first few chapters, I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but after about a 1/3 of the way through, I'm so glad I pushed through it. It's a little dark and foreboding at times, but the worldbuilding was spectacular and the ending will definitely keep you wanting more. Characters, setting, and the plot were enjoyable. Looking forward to the next one. For YA fans and Sci-fi readers.

Net Galley Feedback

I want to thank the author/publisher for giving me an advanced reading copy of this book for this review. Although I am very grateful for their generosity, the following review is completely my own and not influenced by either the author or the publisher.

Before reading <i>Ashfall Legacy</i>, I had not read anything by Pittacus Lore. I didn't even realize he was the author behind <i>The New York Times</i> bestselling <i>I Am Number Four</i> and Lorien Legacies Reborn series. I really went into this book not realizing who the author was. I only found out who Pittacus Lore was when I sat down to review the book itself. I say this because my opinion is not clouded by being a fan of his pre-existing work.

As for <i>Ashfall Legacy</i>, I really liked it. I found it interesting. It kind of reminded me of a number of major Sci-Fi hits including elements of <i>Ender's Game</i> with movie throwbacks like <i>The Last Starfighter</i> and <i>Prometheus</i>. I'm not saying that the author stole from these books and movies, but I definitely see how the great works of Sci-Fi have influenced the author's own narrative.

The story centers on Syd Chambers. Syd and his mother have been running from "the man" since he was a young kid. In this case, Syd is half-Denzan, and alien race that has a lot of fingers in earth politics, so he's running from those who want him for whatever nefarious desires they have. As a toddler, someone tried to kidnap Syd, which is why his mother went on the run in the first.

Of course, their past catches up with them and the next thing you know Syd is on a spaceship heading to Denza to hopefully find his father. Oh yeah, his father disappeared when he was a kid, but there's a ring that Syd is tethered to that can help them find his father.

As with any good space opera, there are those who want to stop Syd from achieving his goal. The book is filled with a lot of political intrigue. The story deals with a number of contemporary problems from the nature of humanity, climate science, racial tensions, etc... Of course, it does this using sci-fi tropes so it doesn't feel heavy-handed or like a treatise on any of these subjects.

I think this is a good book and I'm sure it's going to be a <i>New York Times</i> bestseller when it's released. I think the book would be a hit with young adults even if the author didn't already have a massive, built-in following.

I totally loved this book as much as I have loved the author's previous books. Sydney, a teenager who has been on the run his whole life with his mother, has finally been caught and now he is on a mission into outer space to find his father, who is an alien from another planet. There is mystery and intrigue in this fun to read science fiction novel!

I was given this book as an ARC from Netgalley and Harper Collins. In exchange for an honest review.

I tried to read this over several months and did not enjoy it at all. It is not as good as the Lorien series and it feels like the author is trying to recreate the Lorien. Seres with a different group of aliens. So not that enjoyable. Super confusing premise.

The books started off good, the mother and son on he run. Once you find out who and why they are on the run, and that after years of running Sydney makes a really dumb mistake that leads the people following them to catch him. It was just too perfect of a circumstance and I don’t think someone who had been on the run for that long would make such a mistake. Then when they got to space I thought it would be more interesting but it was just boring. This book could have been a lot shorter.

Syd has spent his life on the run. His mother has a series of identities they can easily use to hide and stay safe. It hasn’t been long since he learned the truth. His father is an alien from the planet Denza and has been missing for years. Everyone assumes he is dead. When Syd beats an unbeatable game that is connected to the Internet … he is found. Lucky for him he is found by his uncle. Now Syd must leave Earth and complete his own mission. What will he learn about humans and himself? Will Syd be able to adjust to being half human and half alien in a world of aliens?

Ashfall Legacy is the newest Science Fiction novel by Pittacus Lore. This book is currently listed as a stand-alone novel, but any reader who makes it to the end will see that more books should be written in this world. This book had me quickly turning pages AND wanting to throw my device across the room. There is a lot of world-building and I am hopeful the next installment (if there is one) will jump more quickly into the story. This book is not related to the Lorien stories and should be judged on its characters. Not one of my favorite reads this summer, but I will look out for a continuation to see if things improve.