Alive: Book One of the Generations Trilogy

By: Scott Sigler

Narrated by: Emma Galvin

Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

For fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Red Rising comes a gripping sci-fi adventure in which a group of teenagers wake up in a mysterious corridor with no knowledge of who they are or how they got trapped. Their only hope lies with an indomitable young woman who must lead them not only to answers but to survival.

A teenage girl awakens to find herself trapped in a coffin. She has no idea who she is, where she is, or how she got there. Fighting her way free brings little relief - she discovers only a room lined with caskets and a handful of equally mystified survivors. Beyond their room lies a corridor filled with bones and dust but no people and no answers.

She knows only one thing about herself - her name, M. Savage, which was engraved on the foot of her coffin. She finds herself in charge. She is not the biggest among them or the boldest, but for some reason the others trust her. Now, if they're to have any chance, she must get them to trust one another.

Whatever the truth is, she is determined to find it and confront it. If she has to lead, she will make sure they survive. Maybe there's a way out, a rational explanation, and a fighting chance against the dangers to come. Or maybe a reality they cannot comprehend lies just beyond the next turn.

©2015 Del Rey (P)2015 Empty Set Entertainment

I will definitely be reading more of Sigler

First off, Emma Galvin does a wonderful job with the audiobook narration and I may have to grab the Divergent series for just that reason.

So, here we go. Alive begins with a girl who awakens to find herself locked inside of a coffin. No idea who she is, where she is or why she is in this predicament. She struggles to break free, and when she finally does, she realizes that she is not alone. Among her are several other closed coffins, all coated in dust…and bone. A noise startles her and she realizes that some of these coffins contain other people; kids her own age and who just so happen to have the same birthday as her: today. But why is that tid-bit of information the only thing they can remember?

After freeing a few other “survivors”, she comes to realize that names are engraved on each and every coffin. She looks to hers: M. Savage. Since she was the first to awaken and help free the others, she ends up being in charge. They must leave this room. They must find food, water…an adult. But what awaits them outside of this room, nothing could have prepared them: a hallway of bones, dust, and flesh but no people. At least, none that are still living…

M. is determined to lead, though she is not the biggest and baddest of the survivors. For some strange reason, the others follow her and fight for survival. What is at the end of this hallway? Will I find my parents? Food? Water? Will I find out why I was in that coffin? Will I find out just who I am?

There are a lot of people who compare this book to ‘The Maze Runner’, especially the beginning scenario. But, to be honest, even if there are some comparisons that can be made, Alive stands on its own. And don’t forget that. The action, though there is little, is enough to keep the blood pumping. The story itself is a good one as the runt of the group becomes the leader, though she has no confidence at all.

The only issues I had with the book were: A. It could’ve been a little bit shorter. There are a lot of scenes where the survivors are just walking around and M. has to describe, in detail, every single thing that is seen/head/touched/etc. B. I didn’t particularly love the Twilight-esque ‘Team Jacob vs Team Edward’ scenario that was going on with her “love” interests. I felt as if there was too much back and forth and it detracted from the story a bit.

Overall, I will be continuing this series, especially for the narration. On top of that, I will definitely be reading more of Sigler’s books because the dude can write.

Audiobook purchased for review by the ABR.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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The Ending: You never see it coming

The story:
From the very beginning I was thrust into the world of the narrator M. Without ever making
me feel I was being misguided, I never knew what would happen next. Wonderfully written. Alive leaves you feeling like you are there in the story. I looking forward to the rest of the series.

Narrator: Emma Galvin
She is fantastic. Each character has a unique, realistic voice. Emma has a great performance voice. Whether the character is afraid, happy, angry, or determined it is conveyed not just in the words but how those words are spoken.

amazing!

it's amazing, and I believe it can only get better. Now, I have to wait for 2. *get in coffin and wait*

Book 1-The Generations Trilogy-Simply Outstanding

This was my introduction to the writings of Scott Sigler in the form of a podcast... I was hooked on the story and the writer. As the series came to Audible so did I. I'm so glad I did as the book is even better HERE than piece by piece as a podcast! Simply Outstanding. #Dystopian #FemaleProtagonist #Apocalypse #HiddenTalents #ComingOfAge#tagsgiving#sweepstakes

YA dystopia with strong story

It was quite enjoyable, the story was a classic YA dystopia with interesting storyline. It is part of a trilogy however this piece could be a standalone one.

Lord of the Flies meets Teen dystopian novel.

Interesting premise for a book that asked some though provoking questions. It was interesting to listen to, but I'm thinking the only thing that will change in the second book is the environment.

OK Book

Starts off a bit slow but the story begins to pull you in. Turns out OK but not Scott Sigler's best work. I will have to listen to book 2 and see what happens.

A claustrophobic roller coaster ride.

What did you love best about Alive: Book One of the Generations Trilogy?

The similarities to 'Lord of the Flies" by William Golding while giving things urgency as the novel progresses.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The protagonist because of her many layers; most of which she discovers throughout the book.

Which character – as performed by Emma Galvin – was your favorite?

All the characters were well done.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

After I finished the book, I was excited for the next one and contemplative; it is a good, mixed feeling.

Any additional comments?

If you are looking for a complex story that has mysteries within mysteries to be solved and a well-rounded cast of characters including a strong (yet vulnerable) female protagonist, this book is definitely for you. While the slow burn approach and the first person, present tense narrative may irk some listeners, the payoffs and the overall journey getting to those rewards make it all worthwhile. This being the first book in a trilogy, there is a true sense of discovery as the scope of things expands and the stakes are raised. Loose ends are tied up to a degree by the novel's conclusion but the dust is far from settled. It is a claustrophobic roller coaster ride with many jolts, bumps, and twists along the way.

Loved it.

Emma did excellent on voices Very good story. Riveting. Could not stop listening.Reccomend Highly. Great.

Great Story, poor narration.

I hate to poorly review this, because I don't want the author to suffer for the choice in narrator, but I found it very frustrating to listen to the same inflection repeated on every word even when it was directly conflicting with the tone of the scenes.
Ugh