Invincible: Book Review

For some reason, I there isn't much to say about this installment to the Chronicles of Nick. I found it a little bit confusing to be quite honest.  I found it a little bit hard to follow and it took a little bit more effort in order to understand what was going on and get through the novel.  There were also some parts I found repetitive and wrapping the fact that this is and isn't a prequel series around my head.  The book itself was written to be understood by teen, which works because this is a teen series.  I did like the book, and I did get to enjoy it by the end, but by then there were only about 20 or so pages left.  Overall, I would have to say that it was good, not overly great, but not quite as bad either.   It's just average in my opinion.  I had a hard time getting through it, but it did get better in the end. 

One of the elements I had a hard time getting my head around was the idea that this is a time-warp (I really have no idea what else to call it).  It came to light in Infinity that time itself was going to change and it may even change what we all know and understand about the very first Dark Hunter novels.  Like Nick meeting Simi in Infinity; that never happened in the first novels and that's part of the reason why Nick is the way he is now.  It's really just understanding that this is not truly a prequel series in the sense of the word - it does go through the events of Nick's life before we meet him in Night Pleasures, but with Ambrose in there "changing" the course of the history, it isn't truly telling us, as readers, what really happened with Nick.  I'm not saying that this is a bad or negative thing.  It's just extremely different and I have never seen any author undertake this kind of writing before, especially with the amount of detail that is present in the series to begin with.  It's rather impressing! Actually, what I really want to know is how Nick's meeting with Simi is going to affect the outcome of Seize the Night...

If there was one thing I did not like about this novel, it's simply the fact that I feel there is too much filler material in it.  Much of it was repetitive, such as Nick's inability to get a girlfriend or ask a girl out and his battle with his conscience, which I do understand is needed since the series is about him battling good and evil within himself as well as in his world.  I also wish that we saw more of the characters we know and love instead of getting introduced to new ones all the time.  Especially now, since a lot of characters are still in need of their own books. 

What I did love was the number of quotes I could gather from this book.  I absolutely love Ms. Kenyon's incorporation of life lessons in few words in all of her novels.  It's one of the things I look forward to reading the most, whether it is serious or just comedic, I definitely take them with me in life as well.  Here are a few:

There are those born to succeed and those who are determined to succeed.  The former fall into it and the latter pursue it at all costs.

Your destiny is shaped by choice, never by chance. Beware the decisions you make, no matter how small, for they will be your salvation...or your death.

There are some things sorry can't fix.  Life is all about regrets.  Don't let those regrets be that you've hurt someone who really loves you.  Keep those to a minimum.  It's bad enough that you have to carry then through a single lifetime.  When you carry them through a thousand, it's brutal.

Now I really want to know what the time-warp deal is about.  Infamous next year!