A world battered by climate shift and war turns to an ancient method of keeping peace: the exchange of hostages. The Children of Peace - sons and daughters of kings and presidents and generals - are raised together in small, isolated schools called Preceptures. There, they learn history and political theory, and are taught to gracefully accept what may well be their fate: to die if their countries declare war.
Greta Gustafsen Stuart, Duchess of Halifax and Crown Princess of the Pan-Polar Confederation, is the pride of the North American Precepture. Learned and disciplined, Greta is proud of her role in keeping the global peace, even though, with her country controlling two-thirds of the world's most war-worthy resource — water — she has little chance of reaching adulthood alive.
Enter Elián Palnik, the Precepture's newest hostage and biggest problem. Greta's world begins to tilt the moment she sees Elián dragged into the school in chains. The Precepture's insidious surveillance, its small punishments and rewards, can make no dent in Elián, who is not interested in dignity and tradition, and doesn't even accept the right of the UN to keep hostages.
What will happen to Elián and Greta as their two nations inch closer to war?
From Goodreads:
Greta Stuart has become AI. New transmitters have silvered her fingerprints. New receptors have transformed her vision. And the whole of her memory has become one book in a vast library of instant knowledge. Greta is ready to rule the world.
But the new technology is also killing her.
Greta is only sixteen years old, but her new enhancements are burning through her mortal body at an alarming rate. Of course the leader of the AIs, an ancient and compelling artificial intelligence named Talis, has a plan. Greta can simply do what he's done when the time comes, and take over the body of one of the Swan Riders, the utterly loyal humans who serve the AIs as part army, part cult.
First though, Greta will have to find a way to stay sane inside her new self. Talis's plan for that involves a road trip. Escorted by Swan Riders, Greta and Talis set out on a horseback journey across the strange and not-quite-deserted landscape of Saskatchewan. But there are other people interested in Greta, people who want to change the world…and the Swan Riders might not be as loyal as they appear…
My first review of The Scorpion Rules, The Swan Riders
My Review:
Wow, I really enjoyed reading this books again, and back to back as well! I thought I had when I first read The Swan Riders for the first time, but nope. So this was a first, and it was so great to read the two of them together!
There are three things that I really love about this series. The amazing writing, the wonderful plot with interesting ideas on how to limit bloodshed, and the characters who I just want to read more about! Greta, Xie, Elián, Talin, they were all so great to read about!
The first book has a lot of hilarious one liners, mostly to do with the goats. Just hilarious, especially because of of the Bonnie Prince, who is named after an ancestor of Greta. Like the big food fight. Or when they use him as a distraction near the end. The way it's written just amplifies the humour!
The second book is more serious. What with the whole "she's the first new A.I." thing and thus it isn't safe to travel via aircraft. With Elián stabbing the body that Talin was occupying, meaning that this version of him was stuck in this body. And the Swan Riders themselves, and their heart-breaking loyalty!
I could really see us getting a 3rd book, and I would really love one, from curing the brain damage holding an A.I. does to a human brain, to the new world that Grace (because A.I.'s choose new names) created, without the weapons platform and all. I would really love a 3rd book. I can do without, but I want to spend more time with these wonderful characters.
These books were just both so freaking amazing and I love them and I wish we could have more!
Author: Erin Bow
Series: Prisoners of Peace #1, 2
First Read: September 30th, 2015, August 5th, 2016
Read: May 26th, 26th, 2018
Source: Own
Reason Why: Rereading! And they're 2018 Dystopia Books and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Books!
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: September 22nd 2015, September 20th 2016
The Scorpion Rules:
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| 5/5 Hearts |
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| 5/5 Books |
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| 5/5 Stars |
The Swan Riders:
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| 5/5 Hearts |
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| 5/5 Books |
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| 5/5 Stars |
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