Week 32 Reviews: The Scorpion Rules, The Swan Riders

From Goodreads:
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 second review of  The Scorpion Rules, The Swan Riders
My Review:
I of course loved reading these books again! They're so great, and I love the world and Greta is an amazing character! The first book is just slightly better for me, because it has the humour I love with the goats, and the second is a bit more serious, with the AI's and the Swan Riders and everything. But they're both so great to read! 

The goats are some of the best parts of this series, which is a big reason why I love the first book just a little bit more. The chaos that they bring, and Greta's dry comments about them, are some of my favourites! I love more, but this is the top.

Greta goes on such a journey in this series. With the fear of being a Prisoner to Peace, to becoming an A.I.-with the knowledge that she'll burn out her body, and have to find alternatives, it sucks. Plus there's her friends and loves that she leaves behind. Though Elián comes back in The Swan Riders, which is great! 

My question is, why doesn't Talis work on better technologies? Water is the second most important need a human has, and it sems to be the leading cause of wars. If they could use what they had better, that would be a bit better then the prisoners of peace solution? Or maybe he's doing this, but it's not mentioned. Besides Erin Bow, and maybe her team, who knows? Another reason for a 3rd book! 

I loved rereading these books, and I still hold out hope for a 3rd book because I love them so much! 

Author: Erin Bow
Series: Prisoners of Peace #1, 2
First Read: September 30th, 2015, August 5th, 2016
Second Read: May 26th, 26th, 2018
Read: August 11th, 11th, 2022
Source: Own
Reason Why: Rereading! And they're 2022 Dystopia Books and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2022 Books!
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: September 22nd 2015, September 20th 2016

The Scorpion Rules:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Swan Riders:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars