The Changes Trilogy by Peter Dickinson

3 stars

490 Pages
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media, Open Road Media Teen & Tween
Release Date: January 27, 20155

Fiction, Teen, Young Adult, Sci Fi, Fantasy

Three stories based in London. A farmer digging in the dirt hits something hard. He clears it off and sees a line in what looks like two stones. He pries it open, and a glowing light appears. This begins the change. No one can use machines without danger of death. All three stories have children and young adults as the main characters. My favorite was the first story, “The Devil’s Children.”

The book had a steady pace, the characters were not very developed, and it was written in the third person point of view. If you like dystopian stories, you may like this book.

I reviewed each book individually:

The Devil's Children

I don't know what to think about these books. I was unfamiliar with the series, but came across it on Netgalley when a new ebook version of the entire trilogy was published. What I didn't realize was that the books had first been published in the late 60s.

And I have to admit that to me this first novel The Devil's Children felt rather outdated. It had some interesting ideas and some themes that remain relevant today (xenophobia; a country whose inhabitants have lost their minds and isolated themselves from all other countries and all technology (looking at you, Brexit)), but it ultimately fell flat on many of the same aspects.

All Britons have developed an overnight fear for everything with machines or technology and are reverting back to pre-industrial times. Nicky joins a group of Sikhs who are looking for a new place to stay.

What was so strange about this particular apocalypse was that it was a) confined to Britain, b) had some very special rules about what was allowed and what not in terms of technology. Evacuation of the island seemed fine. Also immigrants were not affected by this plague and we are not given a clue as to how the apocalypse came to be. The story was wrapped up a bit too smoothly for my liking, and book two features different characters, so I think this ends Nicky's story.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Heartsease

This second book in the Changes Trilogy is set five years after the first, but follows a different set of characters. The Changes have become more grounded is this book and there is a whole generation emerging for whom this life is becoming the norm.

The society is one built on fear. When an American spy is caught, he is stoned as a Witch and left for dead. A couple of youngster conspire to help him escape from Britain, still mysteriously the only country affected by this apocalypse.

I liked this part a bit better than the first. It felt less dated, and the world seemed a little bit more explained, although many questions remain. The story is also rather concise, since it is not very long and like I noticed in The Devil's Children, the book has a very closed and neat end, which seemed a bit too simple after what happens in the book.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Weathermonger

I haven't finished a book in almost two weeks. It feels unnatural, and The Weathermonger is not to blame, but not a single book could keep my attention over the last 10 days. I miss the rest I can usually get from reading.

Anyway, I read this was actually written and published first, with the other books being prequels, and I kind of would have liked to see it that way. There are some things that are being explained in the Weathermonger which make that the other books make more sense. However, I also sort of see why the publisher would switch the order, because some part of the excitement will be spoiled this way.

There are once again two new main characters who are forced to flee to France, only to be immediately sent back to England in order to spy and search for what has been causing the changes. What they will uncover is some much sought after explanation for what has been going on in the other two books. I liked this one best, it felt slightly less cut and closed as the previous two books and the start especially I found gripping.

I think I would recommend starting with this one.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I was unable to finish the book, but thank you for the opportunity.