As with Sleeping Giants, I enjoyed this book a lot. It amazes me how well written it is and how this series have made me be more open to the Sci-Fi genre, which I didn't use to read a lot. A well crafted writing style, action, and a great continuation to book one which I highly recommend.

It's sequal time. I did read the first book in this series. I'm glad to say that this was a BIG improvement over the first book. I started to not read it, but I hoped to have questions that weren't answered solved. I'm not sorry that I got it. It's still log/journal entry style, but at least we are more involved in the plot and outcomes now.

If you liked the first book even 2 stars worth, this has jumped to 4 stars. My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

The sequel to <i>Sleeping Giants</i> definitely raised the stakes. I almost want to think of the first book as the training montage for both Vincent and Kara piloting Themis, but also for the reader's understanding of this version of earth's history. It's a fascinating exploration into the human psyche from the perspective of empathy and bureaucracy told in case files and audio interviews.

As with many SFF sequels, this one was an easier read because the reader knew most of the rules. Or so they thought. There was so much left to learn about the giant robots and the way they functioned. There was a palpable terror with the amazing abilities these aliens had. There were definitely more nods to the ways the mechs work that remind me of <i>Pacific Rim</i>, but more directly, <i>Neon Genesis Evangelion</i>.

Where the book falls apart is that less time was spent delving on the magnitude of human suffering. In the first book, Neuvel spent more time from multiple POVs looking at the disasters that happen. Perhaps because it's hard to understand millions dying in an alien-induced apocalypse, but that global feeling of hopelessness and sadness could have been executed better.

With that cliff-hanger ending, I can't wait to see what comes up next in <i>The Themis Files</i>.

This second in the series was very good, but I didn't feel it had quite the impact on me as the first book.

Sleeping Giants was one of my favourite books of 2016 - I had absolutely no idea what it was about, or what to expect, but I loved every page of it. So, I could not wait for the release of its sequel, Waking Gods. However, unlike Sleeping Giants, I did not enjoy every page. The first half was amazing, and then things kind of fell apart for me.

Sleeping Giants was mainly about finding and assembling all the different pieces of the alien robot, Themis, learning how she operated, how the countries of Earth react to this new threat in the hands of the United States, and ultimately banding together to form a defense league against potential alien threats . In Waking Gods, the stakes are much higher. When additional robots start appearing in major cities across the globe,

One of my favourite things about Waking Giants was its tone. The idea of giant robots suddenly appearing across the globe, threatening major cities, is a pretty discomforting one. However, the irreverent banter between the characters made it much more fun to read about as opposed to them being serious all the time.

In the first book, the format was something I really enjoyed. For the most part, it was written as a series of personal journal entries and interviews conducted by an unidentified character. This meant that the reader played a somewhat passive role - as we generally learnt about events after the fact. However, Waking Gods introduced some new elements that I didn't like anywhere near as much. The ones I found to be the most problematic were the scenes of pure dialogue. I know I said I enjoyed the banter between the characters, but it just wasn't very exciting or as engaging to read scene after scene with no exposition whatsoever.

While I didn't think it was as good as Sleeping Giants, I still thought that Waking Gods was a very interesting, fast-paced read, and will definitely be continuing on with the series.

Ten years after scientists discover a giant robot on Earth, the world must deal with a second robot that appears without warning. Unlike the first robot, however, the second one exhibits malicious intentions. The scientists who found the first robot will have to use every resource at their disposal to stop the new evil visitor before every person succumbs. Author Sylvain Neuvel continues the thrilling story of Themis with aplomb in the second novel of the Themis Files series called Waking Gods.

It's been a decade since scientist Rose Franklin and her team excavated and assembled the mysterious pieces of metal that turned into the robot she named Themis. The world has become complacent about Themis in that time. Since her appearance, nothing terrible has happened and Themis seems more like a fascinating scientific oddity than anything else.

So when another robot just appears one morning in London, residents of that city as well as others think Themis’s “family” may finally be joining her. Rose doesn’t know what to think about the new robot. As a scientist she’s intrigued, but an unnamed government source told Rose that Themis wouldn’t be the only one to visit. Nor would the other robots necessarily be as benign as Themis.

The prediction becomes truth when the second robot in London emits a deadly gas and kills thousands. Before anyone can formulate a plan, robots begin arriving in other cities. They, too, begin emitting deadly gasses.

The citizens of the world are under attack.

Not everyone dies, however, and Rose races to find out why. The survivors don’t seem to have any connection to one another. Why do they get to live?

Along with all this, Rose deals with her own insecurities about her abilities. Years earlier she was found after an accident in which she supposedly died. When she wakes up, four years have passed and she questions everything she knows about herself and her life.

It doesn’t help that Kara and Vincent, the cracker jack team of scientists who actually pilot Themis, also treat Rose like a delicate vase. They want to restore the friendship the three shared, but they’re not sure how to go about doing that. With the progression of world events, however, Rose, Kara, Vincent, and all the others involved may not get the time they want to sort through their personal challenges.

Author Sylvain Neuvel brings back his flair and innovative storytelling method for the second book in the Themis Files series. Once again Neuvel doesn’t stick to a conventional narration. Like Sleeping Giants, its predecessor, Waking Gods reads like a collection of files recovered from some sort of aftermath. With the events in Waking Gods, the overall concept for Neuvel’s story world becomes more clear and more opaque all at the same time.

Neuvel spends more time sharing the characters’ lives in this book, which sets it apart from the first novel. In particular readers will find out more about the unnamed government source who Rose and others have turned to time and again for access to information and other resources. Like the characters, readers will find themselves in turns delighted and frustrated by him.

The frustration is purely by Neuvel’s design, though, which is what makes this such a fantastic read. Nothing is out of place in the book in terms of pacing or character development, and readers will most likely finish it wishing they already had the third book on hand. Current world events sometimes suggest the kind of society Neuvel proposes, which makes his books timely, frightening, and necessary escapist reading all in one.

Fans of the first book will find everything they love about Themis, Rose, and the others in this second story. I recommend readers Binge read Waking Gods!

Sleeping Giants was one of my favourite books of 2016, it absolutely blew my mind with the concept and Neuvel’s immersive writing style. I’d never read such wonderful plot twists… until Waking Gods that is. Waking Gods surprised me at every turn and was even more impactful than book 1.

The book opens 9 years after the events of Sleeping Giants, with a new robot having appeared out of thin air in the middle of London. Everybody is in a tizzie because what could this mean and what do they do, when do they bring Themis in?

Since coming back to life at the end of Sleeping Giants, Rose has been struggling with who she is for the past 9 years. The 4 years she spent working on discovering Themis are not a part of her, and while she’s still a brilliant scientist she questions the ‘Rose’ during those 4 years which she can’t remember. I can’t blame her for continuing to question her existence – I mean who wouldn’t be if they were brought back to life? Sleeping Giants Rose approached the discovery of Themis with a positive energy and fervour that made Themis her life. The Rose after is much more hesitant. She is no less brilliant but she’s now seeing things in a much more cautious and negative light. Everybody basically tells her to harden the eff up but it takes her the course of the book to develop and come to terms with who she is.

Kara and Vincent have gotten a lot closer since book 1 and I love their dynamic. I never would have pictured them becoming a couple when they were first introduced but oh how far things have come. Kara is still kind of reckless but hilarious with her witty comebacks, and Vincent is still a genius but I could totally see that they’re in love. Vincent especially has a smaller ego and is always considerate of Kara and it’s so damn sweet. Their life as a couple is also their work and I admired their ability to maintain such a strong relationship despite their differences. Their banter was fun and delightful as always and showed how well they got along.

The unnamed man who I think of as the mastermind behind all of this is still pulling strings and manipulating people throughout the story, however I feel like he’s grown softer. I really admired the way Neuvel did this character’s voice. He elicits such reactions from people with his calm and blunt comments and I could always ALWAYS tell when it was him speaking. There’s something so penetrating about the structure of his words and sentences that cannot be misinterpreted. It’s jarring to the receiver, and to those who aren’t used to him it’s kind of hilarious the way they get angry. Then you’ve got Rose and Vincent who answer normally while Kara responds with her usual wit because they’re so used to him. Neuvel has really done a fantastic job with this unique and recognisable voice through both books. He’s managed to give the character growth in his subtle and infrequent shows of emotion with the way he protects those he’s come to care about.

As with the first book there’s a lot of science and I’m no scientist but I could tell Neuvel had really done his research. The science is in-depth yet Neuvel is also able to explain it in layman terms, presenting these in interview style as a scientist talking to a pleb like me, ahem, I mean non-scientist. There’s more maths, more chemistry and metallurgy, and heaps of biology with talk of DNA and evolution. It was fascinating and planted a lot of seeds in my brain with the direction this story was going. Neuvel’s writing style is easy-going, flowing well and immersive – I couldn’t stop turning the pages!

The plot though, my goodness! Alien robots that are posing to be a threat to mankind seems standard but there’s so many plot twists and mind-fuck moments. There’s punch you in the feels moments too that left me in denial (I’m STILL in denial damn it) and an ending to end all endings with a whopping cliffhanger.

To say Waking Gods is one of the most breathtaking and thought provoking books I’ve ever read in my lifetime is an understatement. It messed with my brain and my heart. Thank goodness there’s a book 3 – I made sure to check with Neuvel and he’s confirmed it’s in the works!

Though it's technically possible to read [book:Waking Gods|30134847] not having read [book:Sleeping Giants|25733990], I wouldn't recommend doing so. These books are quite short and the story is really good. Giant metal limbs are found in different parts of the globe and it is discovered that they attach to each other to form a robot. What great havoc wouldn't that cause?

This was a sequel that did not disappoint. A giant robot - not Themis - shows up in London. We learn more about our nameless narrator (not his name, though), Mr. Burns has some great tales to tell, Kara and Vincent are their same old selves. And so is <spoiler>Rose. Well, not quite. </spoiler>

The ending promises a fantastic third book. Can't wait for it!

(Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy!)

Another massive robot has arrived in London. They call it Chronos. It's bigger than Themis, and no one knows what it wants...

-----------------------------------------------

Wow, I enjoyed Waking Gods a lot more than Sleeping Giants. Not that its predecessor was bad, I just didn't find the story as engaging. This series is very technical, and has a lot of background scientific information which needs to be waded through in Sleeping Giants in order to make way for the action.

The continuation of the story takes place ten years after the first book. Almost immediately, a new giant makes its appearance, and begins wreaking havoc on London. Unfortunately, he's only one of the first. The team constructed by the unnamed interviewer scrambles to try and figure out how to stop the genocide of mankind, literally standing at their doorsteps.

"This is why I wish we...I...had never found Themis. They're here. Her family's here, now."

The characters we met in Sleeping Giants take overwhelming steps toward complexity. I wasn't expecting some of them to go as deep into their emotions as they did. Unfortunately, there are a lot of casualties in this book, including some of the more interesting characters (in my opinion), and we only get to know so much about them. I would suggest not to get too attached to anyone...

"I came to realize that good and evil were out of my reach, that time was the only thing I had any control over. I could buy time, create intervals. I could not truly make the world a better place, but I could make part of it a better place for a short while."

I've discovered that there are a few drawbacks to this writing style---using a dossier to tell the story---It tends to leave a lot out. There is a lot of undisclosed information that I'm dying to know more about. Also, some of the live action parts aren't explained in full. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of action, but at times I felt lost to the setting, and what exactly was happening around me. Lastly, the time frame would sometimes jump drastically from one entry to the next. I felt like my body was shifting along with the story, but my mind was left back in time.

Overall, this was a great story. There are several facets, angles, agendas, and wars of all shapes and sizes interfering with one another. Despite everyone's differences, they are working towards one goal: keeping mankind alive.

Vulgarity: Quite a bit.
Sexual content: Minimal.
Violence: Minimal.

4 stars.

Rather, that if one gave thought to the assumptions generated by the first book (sorry to be vague, but spoilers are the death of great books, and I won’t risk them), the direction of this one would be one of a number of likely options. But the fact of that direction/the major plot line here is not the point – the point is entirely in the execution and the details, and that is where this series is so exceptional…

If you are not familiar with the series, check out the book blurb for Sleeping Giants, the first in the series. Given how things ended, I was not sure what on earth (that’s a rather silly pun, if you’re familiar with the series at all) to expect – but it wasn’t this. Things have heated up rather significantly between books one and two – years have passed, seemingly in the blink of an eye. That’s rather how time passes in these books all the time – there are no benchmarks for time, no sense of whether Themis was found in the past, present, or future, no sense of how much time elapses between the various “files” that comprise the story. This is one of the things I like – and also find frustrating. I do think it’s smart, especially in a series and in science fiction, to avoid dating your story (hello, 2001: A Space Odyssey…) since that can create expectations (and disappointments) when the “future” comes and goes. It is challenging, however, to keep things straight without any explicit internal timeline in a complex and ever-developing story like this one. The text of each file does always explain the time-lapse, but the jumps are often uneven in duration and the timeline can be difficult to maintain if you read speedily like I do (I flip back and forth a bit in these books). Still, it’s not at all a distraction – it contributes to the feeling of authenticity in the “series of files” format.

Interestingly enough, this format has never been an issue for me. Generally speaking, I do NOT like epistolary or non-traditional narratives – I usually find them jumpy and difficult, and rarely am I able to really lose my self in the story when it is presented that way. Not so at ALL here. Despite the unusual format and varying styles of each “chapter”/”file”, somehow the whole thing comes perfectly together into a coherent narrative that tells a most compelling story about a brilliant and extraordinarily well-developed cast of characters facing a set of wild circumstances utterly beyond their control.

This is an excellent series – beautifully crafted, insightful in its exploration of the dark side of humanity (and its responses to dark events), and utterly original. I’ve read alien stories before. I’ve read discovery stories before. I’ve read end of the world stories before. I’ve read “let’s learn who we are through strife and conflict” stories before. But I’ve never read a story that comprises all of those concepts into one unified tale full of science and miracles, despair and possibility. And wait until you get a load of the cliffhanger THIS TIME… If you haven’t read Sleeping Giants yet, start the series right away. Then rush out to get this one. You won’t be sorry.

A daring sequel to a thrilling first novel, however slightly inferior. Second book syndrome, or perhaps not enough spent with my favorite character may contribute to my indifferent to this continuation.

Plot-wise it's absolutely fascinating and was moving along quite rapidly. Planet Earth is being invaded by more and more of these "alien robots" that are threatening the very international safety. Chaos ensues and the storyline goes from there, involving all of the same characters that were featured in the first book.

There was more of a sense of deathly urgency, which of curse ensured that there was a decrease in solid character development that I was desperate to see. However this (endearing) train wreck didn't keep my on my toes. I think that the author tried, and quite frankly failed at creating that authentic urgency that's needed in this thriller-esque thing. The format stays exactly the same as it was in the first installment (interviews and short diary entries) however because of certain event and the need for more narratives to fully flesh out the character.

Funny, I expected this alternative world to expand, but instead I felt like it was narrowing. We spend a significant among time solving mysteries in the details of under the microscope and examining DNA. Sure, there were some profound passages that explore the idea of space, infinity, etc. just as could have been expected from Neuvel.

<spoiler>My main problem is that there was emotional distance. Without giving too much, in the world millions of people are dying, and I just didn't seem to care. Major characters also died, and I just kept on going, not really being affected in any way as a reader with the enormous amounts of death and destruction that was sown everywhere. I don't know, maybe the birdseye just wasn't enough for me here, I wanted the author to make these main characters more approachable.</spoiler>

Lastly the ending: omg! Neuvel really has a knack for writing abstract cliffhangers. Not only did you not expect them, but they are completely out of the world of things that happened; that they change the playing board completely. I'm expecting that this is a set-up for the third installment.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**

When I first heard of Sylvain Neuvel’s novel “Sleeping Giants” I was wary of all the hype surrounding it. It couldn’t be THAT good, could it? Of course when I eventually read it I was swept away by the twists and turns and unanswered questions of the storyline. It was an action packed reading experience. Today I can easily say “Giant Robots! What’s not to like?”

The sequel “Waking Gods” takes place ten years later when an even bigger robot materialises in London with devastating consequences. Dr Rose Franklin is still coming to terms with some of the events of the previous novel and the mysterious unnamed interviewer is still there asking questions. Soon more robots arrive…

I don’t want to give much away here, especially in case you’ve not read the previous book, but Waking Gods is even better than Sleeping Giants. There is a third book on the way, as well as two other stories from the Themis Files. I only hope I have enough patience to wait for the next book!

It’s nine years after the end of the events in Sleeping Giants. Our anonymous and dry-witted handler is still pulling strings and manipulating events and people behind the scenes. Vincent Couture and Kara Resnick are still in a relationship, and still the only people on earth who can pilot Themis, the two hundred foot tall alien robot that scientists found and assembled. Dr. Rose Franklin ― or the younger copy of her that was found by a road in Ireland, a year after the original Rose died ― is the head of research in the Earth Defense Corps, formed to deal with whatever alien threats might appear. And now, it appear, the EDC will get its chance.

A new robot suddenly materializes in the middle of London, a little taller and more muscular-appearing than Themis, striated with veins of yellow light rather than Themis’s turquoise, and likely six thousand years newer than her. For a week the new robot, called Kronos, stands motionless and silent while humanity in general, and the British Parliament in particular, argues about what to do. Finally the British military calls in tanks and soldiers to confront Kronos with a show of military force, hoping that those who control the robot will choose to leave. Kronos turns its head. And then all hell breaks loose.

More giant robots mysteriously appear around the world, and are wholly uncommunicative about their intentions … but not so much, unfortunately, about their combat abilities. Humanity is in trouble, and at an alarming disadvantage.

The characters we know and love (or, in the case of a couple of them, love to hate) all play a role in the events of Waking Gods. There are some truly surprising character arcs during the events of this novel. The handler character is still nameless, but discloses an intriguing background. Kara is as impulsive and smart-mouthed as ever, but shows a new side of her personality when she gets some astounding and highly personal news. Rose is a darker character in her new iteration. Nine years after her mystical reappearance as a younger version of the character who died in Sleeping Giants, Rose is still traumatized by the idea that she’s just a clone or copy; she spends a lot of time, perhaps too much, gloomily navel-gazing. But the answers to the questions about how and why she was brought back may give her a new purpose.

There are also a couple of key new players: Brigadier General Eugene Govender, commander of the EDC, and Eva Reyes, a ten year old girl in Puerto Rico with disturbing visions that often come true. I’m not always convinced about the wisdom of adding a child character to an otherwise adult adventure tale, but Sylvain Neuvel uses Eva’s character to good effect here.

While Waking Gods retains the same file-based structure and interview and report-based narrative style as Sleeping Giants, the focus shifts from the wonder of discovery and research about an alien artifact and the political ramifications of that discovery, to more of a science fictional disaster film vibe. While the nature of the story being told in Waking Gods didn’t have the innate appeal to me as Sleeping Giants’ story did, it’s still a gripping tale. It’s slightly marred by just a few plot developments that struck me as either overly convenient or pat, or (I’ll admit it) painfully shocking.

Waking Gods is an epic story, global in its scope. Even it didn’t engage me quite to the extent the first book did, it’s unquestionably a solid follow-up. And with that last sentence in the novel, Neuvel had better be planning on publishing a third book soon!

Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel

Waking Gods is the second novel in Sylvain Neuvel’s science fiction series, the Themis Files, and follows on a few years later from Sleeping Giants. You most definitely need to have read Sleeping Giants first and this review assumes you’ve had the pleasure.

When little Rose Franklin fell into a hole in the ground, right into the palm of an extraordinary, enormous metal hand, of unknown construction and astonishing age, the world changed forever. Humanity now knew that it did not exist alone in the universe. This was the hand of a giant robot of alien origin, buried aeons ago, as were the robot’s other parts, which were scattered across the planet. Over the years Rose, now grown and a scientist, led the project to rebuild the robot – Themis. But not just to rebuild it – to pilot it, to understand it. The question of whether this was the right thing to do continues to haunt Rose. She has suffered for it in the worst of ways and many have died or been irrevocably altered, especially its pilots, Vincent and Kara.

A shock is coming. Another robot, bigger than Themis, appears out of the blue in London. It stands still. Nobody knows what it will do. Some flee while some can’t keep away from it, even picnicking by it. But while the world makes up its mind, the robot does it for them. It begins to move. And all hell breaks loose.

As with Sleeping Giants, the narrative is presented as a series of interviews conducted by the mysterious and enigmatic interrogator, as well as journal extracts, news reports, reflections. This means that we spend time with all of the key protagonists in the most immediate fashion and in the most tense circumstances. It’s a style that definitely works in these novels. We sometimes circle around the same critical event from a range of perspectives. There is conflict between the individuals as well as great affection in some cases. Themis herself feels almost alive although she continues to be enigmatic and unknowable.

Waking Gods US ednI’m so fond of these characters, particularly Vincent and Kara but also the interrogator. We learn a little more about him here and some of what we learn surprises. He’s almost as impossible to know as Themis but there are glimpses of his true nature – and it is ambiguous. Kara and Vincent continue to make me care for them and their relationship is central to the novel. Rose Franklin is an intriguing character but her struggle to identify herself makes us keep our distance. She also embodies some important questions about the nature of the origin of these robots. While others bring the militaristic, strategic or political element to the story, Rose brings the science.

Sylvain Neuvel tells a great story. Waking Gods is thoroughly exciting – aliens, giant robots, intrigue, danger, explosions, mystery. All of the ingredients for an entertaining science fiction thriller are here and they’re mixed to perfection. It’s a fast read, very hard to put down, and this is speeded up even further by the dramatic structure. There are surprises and shocks in this novel, far more than I was expecting and some left me reeling and wondering where on earth the story could go from this. But proceed it did and its fantastic ending left me wanting much, much more and soon.

I read Sleeping Giants last year when it came out in hardcover, and was surprised to find that it was nothing like what I expected. I had expected something more like Iron Giant, and got giant robots and politics and war, told through interviews and files.

With the second novel, we go even further. It's about ten years later, and the world has (mostly) come together, with Themis (the giant robot) mainly used as a peacekeeper and propaganda driver. But now, new robots start appearing, and they are anything but peaceful. As well, one of the acts against the pilots of Themis in the previous book bears fruit (almost literally).

And even though book one was nothing like what I expected, I was shocked by events in book two. Especially two deaths that I would never have thought possible. This book also ended on more of a cliffhanger, leaving me anxious for book three. Sylvain Neuvel is proving himself a writer to watch.

Title: Waking Gods
Genre: Science-fiction
Publication Date: April 4, 2017
Rating: 4.25/5




“I just thought… I thought he’d be able to weasel his way out of this, twist God’s arm, tell him he had nude pictures of him or something.”

Waking Gods is the anticipated sequel to Sleeping Giants. You can check out my non-spoiler review HERE or HERE. I am so excited that I was able to get an ARC through the NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Waking Gods takes place 10 years after Sleeping Giants. After the discovery of a giant robot the world has now been exposed to the reality that there is life outside of Earth. These aliens are technologically more advanced than we could have ever dream of. Now that we know they exist, should we begin to prepare for an apocalypse?

Ten years later society is forced to answer that question when robots begin falling from the sky and landing all around the world in the Earth’s most populated cities and begin to kill us by the millions.

The story is told in the same format as Sleeping Giants. There are a series of interviews, military reports, journal entries, and live news broadcasts. The same characters that were in book 1 are in book 2, as well as some new faces. Questions are answered regarding our nameless mystery guy. And, the fate of the world is in the hands of two pilots, a geneticist, a physicist, and a ten-year old girl.

The story keeps you hooked the entire time. Just when you think that things are finally settling down something happens that makes you say ‘WHOA’. You keep wondering what this alien civilization wants from us and how can we possibly defend ourselves when they can so easily erase all human life on earth?

Despite the millions of deaths that occurred, this book was funny and filled with sarcastic characters that I love. The story is somewhat predictable yet there were a few outcomes that I did not see coming that kept me wanting more.

One thing about this story that doesn’t make me jump over the moon and want to shove this book in people’s faces is that the format in which the story is told makes it more difficult to connect with the characters. You never really know what the character is thinking. Your perception of them is solely based on the things they say and do rather than reasoning behind their actions. It's easier to empathize with a villain if you know his reasoning behind their madness.

Besides that this book is funny, has a unique format, and it involves alien civilizations with GIANT ROBOTS. What’s not to love?

SO GOOD. SO SO SO GOOD. I LOVED THIS, I'M GRINNING AND I CAN'T STOP.

Sleeping Giants was one of my favorite sci-fi books of 2015, and I had really high expectations for Waking Gods. This book had everything I loved about the first book, but everything was even better the second time around. Definitely no second book slump here!

Waking Gods picks up a few years after the events of Sleeping Giants, with many of the same narrators. There are a few new voices and I loved seeing how they fit into the larger story. Even though the story is mostly told through journals, reports, and interviews, which can seem a bit emotionally distant, this book was a huge emotional roller coaster. I was grinning, crying, shocked, freaking out...let's be real, I was freaking out for a good 90% of the book because everything was so intense.

This book pulls no punches. None of your favorite characters are safe. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I love how this book is so tightly plotted and intelligent. It's rare that a book is a suspenseful page-turner, a profound meditation on human nature, and a hard-science sci-fi story all at once, but that's exactly what this is. Just when you think you know how this story is going to go, it completely up-ends genre tropes and goes in an entirely new direction. I cannot wait to see where book 3 will take us.

3.5 of 5 stars

While Sleeping Giants was not without its flaws, it did succeed in leaving me curious about where the story will go next. So when the opportunity to read the sequel presented itself, it didn’t take much convincing for me to jump on board.

Ten years have passed since the events of the first book. The world has accepted the presence of Themis, the giant robot first found buried in pieces all over the world, later assembled to become humanity’s greatest weapon. Ancient aliens had left her here to be our protector—or that’s what the Earth Defense Corps wants everyone to believe. Which is why when a second robot—even more massive than Themis—suddenly materializes from out of nowhere in the middle of London, the local population’s reaction to it is decidedly nonchalant and calm. Despite being larger, the robot’s appearance is familiar, and in a way…comforting.

However, with each passing day and with no further movement from the robot, its looming presence is quickly becoming a source of anxiety for the EDC and people are starting to ask some difficult questions. What is this second robot doing there? Where did it come from? Who is piloting it? What do they want and what are they waiting for? Before answers can be forthcoming though, the robot makes its move—and no one is quiet prepared when it finally happens. The resulting devastation in London is unspeakable, the death tolls staggering—and unfortunately, these horrors are just the beginning. As more of the giant robots start appearing in big cities across the globe, Dr. Rose Franklin and her team must figure out Themis’ secrets before humanity faces its impending extinction.

No question about it, Waking Gods is better than its predecessor. Like Sleeping Giants, it is presented as collection of journal entries, transcribed interviews and dictations, textual communications, etc. making it a very quick read, so if you enjoyed the structure of the first book then you should have no problems getting into this sequel. The ideas are also just as unique and imaginative. Second book slump? Nope, not here. From colossal robots of alien origin to conspiracies involving ancient factions on Earth, all these elements introduced in Sleeping Giants are just the tip of the iceberg. There’s simply so much more to this story to discover, and the shockers and plot twists here make the ones in the first book feel tame in comparison.

Thing is though, epistolary novels are not always that conducive to character development, so it’s a good thing that most of the main players from the first book also return for the sequel. The author has an incredible talent for writing dialogue (you sorta have to, in order to pull off a project like this!) but revealing most of the plot through interview transcripts also sacrifices a lot of emotional connection to the characters, which was one of my biggest issues with Sleeping Giants. Thankfully I found this “distancing effect” to be less of a problem in Waking Gods, or perhaps I simply needed at least two books to really get a feel for Rose, Kara, Vincent, and of course our mysterious unnamed interviewer.

That said, I still find the format limiting in certain situations. While the info-dumping is not quite as bad as it was in the first book, you still get the occasional awkward moment, especially in the sections with oral dictation. Imagine if you will that a giant robot was in the process of falling right on top of you. Most people in this situation would be running helter-skelter for their life, not stating ludicrous things like “I’m not sure I can outrun a twenty-story building!” or “I can hear it crumbling down behind me!” into a microphone while trying their darndest not to die. There’s a fine line between keeping things interesting and convincing when it comes to epistolary novels. Compared to the first book, Waking Gods may a strike a better balance in this regard, but I feel we’re still not all the way there yet.

Nevertheless, I’m glad I read it. If you had fun with Sleeping Giants, this sequel will be definitely worth your time. I have to say any criticisms I have are pretty minor; on the whole this book is an improvement over the first one, pushing the story and characters to greater heights while dropping plenty of surprises. I devoured Waking Gods and enjoyed every moment, and all I have to say about that ending is, there’d damn well better be another book!

I've been looking forward to this one ever since I read the ARC for the first, and I cannot even begin to describe how excited I was when I got the second. :)

In the first, we get an adventure and the assembly and the loss and the regaining of the Giant Robot Themis, with our motley pilots and oh-so-mysterious Interviewer.

In this one, we dive right into the thick of things ten years after the adventure began with the arrival of rival robots from right across the universe. We'd already heard tales of them in the first, from strange long-lived people who'd stayed behind to see through the bloodlines, but this is where things get really wonky.

And where the death-count starts rising.

And if you're more interested in the characters and their arcs, never fear. Some very interesting developments are happening. Am I just as thrilled for the Neon Genesis Evangelion nod? Hell yeah. Do I love this tale and the odd kinds of twists and turns surrounding our original researcher? Double hell yeah.

As for our not-so-favorite geneticist? I feel nothing but loathing. That's kind of the point. She rather deserves it. :)

No spoilers since this won't be released for several more months, but suffice to say I really enjoyed it and I really want to sing its praises. I love my big robots! I love ALL my big robots, even if they're not on our side. They still give me the warm tingles. :)


All told, if you guys haven't enjoyed the first novel, then get on it. The second is just as delicious and its satisfying all types of unfulfilled SF niches for us. :)

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Last year, Sleeping Giants made my Best of 2016 list and I’m fairly confident Waking Gods has secured a spot on the 2017 list. While Sleeping Giants dealt with the discovery, assembly, and control of Themis, the buried robot relic of unknown origin — book #2 shows how a newly emboldened Earth deals with a threat far beyond what they are prepared to handle. Author Sylvain Neuvel takes the overall story in a bold direction that sees our returning protagonists confronted with a dozen new giant alien robots with unclear aims. Waking Gods is larger in scale, yet more personal in nature.

I love the continued use of interviews with shadowy characters who know much more than they are letting on. By slowly feeding crumbs of intel to the protagonists (and to us, by extension), they’re able to guide them into finding solutions for seemingly unsolvable problems; this serves to drive the narrative forward in a compelling way.

The epistolary format combines with Neuvel’s sharp writing to make for an infinitely readable sci-fi adventure that twists and turns its way to a big cliffhanger ending. I’m excited to see where the series goes from here.

4.25 out of 5 stars