Let the ‘Illuminae’ illuminati rejoice
Beloved sci-fi romance trilogy ends well
Challenges abound in writing a trilogy. The authors have to finish the series, and finish in three books, not four.
Readers must to be persuaded to return after at least one year’s hiatus, often after having forgotten most of what occurred in the prior installment. Once hooked, the reader can be easily disappointed, comparing the final installment unfavorably to its predecessors.
If you’re reading this review of “Obsidio,” the third and final installment of Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff’s “Illuminae Files” trilogy, then chances are you are already a fan of the series. Good news: Unless you’re looking for something radically different than the first two installments (spoiler alert: no scratch-’n-sniffs or popups), you will not be disappointed. But what if you are a newbie who is wondering, “Can I start with ‘Obsidio’ and skip the first two books?”
This reviewer’s advice is to start at the beginning: book one, page one. Not because it’s impossible to dive into the third book without having read the other two, but because they’re all just that entertaining. Don’t deprive yourself of the fun.
“Obsidio” begins where the prior installment, “Gemina,” left off: the trial of the Bi-Tech (ruthless, killer interstellar corporation) high command. How does evidence of Bi-Tech’s unconscionable conduct exist? The Illuminae Files are the answer; documents cobbled together by the survivors of BiTech’s extermination of countless people, spacecraft, planets and time-travel “jump” stations.
How these survivors have managed to withstand Bi-Tech’s murderous wrath and deliver the damning evidence to the tribunal is the story of “Obsidio.”
Our heroes from book one, “Illuminae,” Kady and Ezra, and their counterparts from book two, “Gemina,” Hannah and Nik, band together with their AI nemesis AIDAN to attempt the impossible: rescue the few remaining survivors from the assault on Kady and Ezra’s home planet, Kerenza, and return to the civilized world to present their Illuminae Files and bring evil to justice.
“Obsidio” is stuffed with snarky dialogue, teenage romance, taut action sequences and compelling characters. The plot lines are cleaner than in “Gemina,” and the battles are thrillingly described. New characters are introduced and quickly absorbed into both the romantic and adventure story plot lines.
But “Obsidio” strives to be more than just a sci-fi, action-romance novel. In this well-imagined interplanetary universe evil is not always pure and virtue is not always rewarded.
Throughout the novel, “Obsidio” reflects on societal and personal values and the never-ending choices made that define what and who we are and will become, individually and as a community. “Live a life worth dying for” is circled in red on the cover of the novel, the only color graphic appearing in this book.
While readying her troops for battle, the Captain tells her warriors, “None of us are perfect. Not people, not corporations. But we have the opportunity to determine our fates day by day. Hour by hour, minute by minute, with the choices we make and the actions we take.”
As was the case in the two prior installments, the hardback book itself remains a visual delight. Bold graphic designs are juxtaposed with smudged, crumpled notes, bulletin-board flyers exist side-byside with AI love poems.
The prose and graphics mash-up style of “The Illuminae Files” trilogy remains at the vanguard of the metamorphosis of the contemporary novel into a multimedia document.
With so many different ways to enjoy this book, readers should not hesitate to dive in — “Obsidio” for the initiated; “Illuminae” for the novice. Rewards abound.