Skyhunter

By: Marie Lu

Narrated by: Natalie Naudus

Length: 11 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's Summary

"Natalie Naudus turns in a blockbuster performance of this riveting saga...Her performance demonstrates how a strong, consistent narrative voice can amplify the intricacies within a text. Fans of Marie Lu will not be disappointed." (AudioFile Magazine)

This program includes a bonus conversation between the author and narrator.

A broken world.

An overwhelming evil.

A team of warriors ready to strike back. Number-one New York Times best-selling author Marie Lu is back with an adrenaline-laced novel about the lengths one warrior will go to fight for freedom and those she loves.

Talin is a Striker, a member of an elite fighting force that stands as the last defense for the only free nation in the world: Mara.

A refugee, Talin knows firsthand the horrors of the Federation, a world-dominating war machine responsible for destroying nation after nation with its terrifying army of mutant beasts known only as Ghosts.

But when a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front to Mara's capital, Talin senses there’s more to him than meets the eye. Is he a spy from the Federation? What secrets is he hiding?

Only one thing is clear: Talin is ready to fight to the death alongside her fellow Strikers for the only homeland she has left...with or without the boy who might just be the weapon to save - or destroy - them all. Loyalty is life.

A Macmillan Audio production from Roaring Brook Press

©2020 Marie Lu (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

Ghostly. Grueling. Gripping.

Probably the most complex of Marie Lu’s plots yet. I read it twice to make sure I knew how I felt about it. A extremely unique read for me indeed. And with such a fabulous narrator as Natalie Naudus, one cannot very wrong.

⚖️ Plot: It was amazing to walk amongst the thoughts of a protagonist who can’t speak. I found it stunning to have words explains in signs in writing. What a feat! It would have been an enriching experience just for this. The only part that kept it from a full 5 stars was the ending. I wanted more.

🗺 World: What a world! Ghosts being the villains army is such a great idea. I truly want to read more about this. It’s such a flawless intertwining of technology and mythology.

💑 Characters: I absolutely loved both of the main characters. What a superb combo to have with Talin’s grief and the wreck that is Red! This is one place I think Lu could have developed a little more. Although it is YA, an even deeper connection would’ve had me hanging by a ledge.

Copy Cat?

There were so many similarities between Mortal Engines and this book. Strikers were in Mortal Engines as people who died and were bought back as hard to kill, empty soul, ghosts. They killed for the “villians” of the book.

In this book strikers were the soldiers in battle....but ghosts were people who died and were bought back as hard to kill, empty soul, ghosts. They also said killed for the “villians” of the book.

I feel like the author read Mortal Engines and then write this.

Normally a huge fan. Could get by the similarities.

Excellent YA storytelling & action

strong female characters, exciting fight scenes, sign language usage and lgbtq+ representation as we
ll

Amazing!

Definitely one of the best books I have read in a long while! I really recommend you check it out too!

Edgy and Predictable

If you want a super edgy but predictable story this it. Normally I wouldn't rag on this not everything needs to be unique, its very hard to have new ideas especially in the fantasy genre. However if you also have some nonsensical characters with super common tropy personalities..... Let's just say this book was a slog to get through.

Let's talk characters. I think part of the big problem is not only are the characters tropy as hell they also don't have any meaningful interactions with each other. I can't really think of any compelling moments in the story where these characters felt real. There wasnt any character depth in the story (aside from Jarren and its lightly explored) making it really difficult to care about anyone in the story. Part of the problem was the author overexplained each character interaction really interrupting any flow being created. It was pretty annoying having every conversation interrupted with and the main character felt this way and here's a piece of information. It just kills the scene. Maybe I'm missing something here, but I don't think so.

Another problem was the action and more specifically the consistency in it. To say I was confused during the fighting would be an understatement. The ghosts were cool I guess but they're supposed to be some of the fastest things and strongest things alive and yet these Strikers kill them like they're almost nothing. Granted maybe its just the main character Talon being the best at killing them but still the amount of bs that happens while fighting ghosts takes me way out of the fight. All thats needed to alleviate the problem is just not make them ad fast or strong, because their unkillable nature is already pretty scary. The characters do so many flashy things against them that if the ghosts were as strong as made out to be everyone would be dead by like chapter 5. Speaking of everyone being dead. Guns exist in this world and just aren't used for some reason. The amount of times the main villain walks up to anyone and doesn't die just is like what? Not only that but we have open battle lines against soldiers armed with guns. I dunno it was just so hard to get excited when the entire time I can't get into the fight because it doesn't make any sense.

The narrator was honestly the saving grace of this book and I probably wouldn't have finished if her performance wasn't so good.

Either way if you liked the book you liked the book. I personally can't recommend it. Too edgy and cringe for me but if you like that you might enjoy it.

Loved this book

Loved the story but didn’t hold the detail or depth of her other books. The story moved very quickly and didn’t bog down so it had both advantages and disadvantages.

great listen

I really enjoyed this audible but the final Battle scene went on too long with no development. the voice performance is okay

It's ok

Not my favorite Lu book but not bad. it's probably just me and my preferences though. It felt rushed, more story driven than character driven. Like there was a outline written somewhere and she was just filling in a story between the lines. There were unfinished moments that did not explain obvious holes in the story and left them to be as if it just fixed itself. There were the token character moments but even those repeated themselves. I couldn't feel connected to them. And the narrator, just not my style. Great with voices which is the biggest challenge but the whisper voice and constant breathing loudly after every sentence made it seem like a teenager trying to sound dramatic.

Fantastic Story

I was enthralled the entire time! Such an amazing read. I am recommending this to everyone at every turn and everyone I have told to read it has already started loving this series.

Not my usual taste but thoroughly enjoyed it!

Honestly, when I’d first started this book I was hesitant since it’s not my usual taste but after the first few chapters, I was definitely hooked into Talin’s journey with Mara against The Federation. It was different to only hear from Talin’s POV but I found that I didn’t mind at all. I don’t know if it had more to do with the writer or the narrator but either way, it worked out great for me. I do wish that I would’ve known when I’d first read the book that it ended with a cliffhanger because sheesh, the wait has been killing me! I’m dying to know what happens next but luckily the sequel, Steelstriker, is set to be released soon and I already have my preorders in so I’ll be all good ;)
Anyway, I loved the story and I’m grateful to both the author and narrator :) Thanks for giving us a badass female MC!