Steve Review: Variant by Robison Wells
Title: Variant
Hardcover, 356 pages
Author: Robison Wells
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: October 4, 2011
Source: Publisher
Buy: Amazon
Add To: Goodreads
Book Summary:
Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.
He was wrong.
Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.
Where breaking the rules equals death.
But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.
Steve Review:
No huge spoilers found here. This book is going to make its name based on its huge plot twist. Hopefully if you haven’t read the book and are interested in the premise based on the summary above, you won’t have the surprise spoiled for you anywhere else (but I promise you won’t have it spoiled here!).
I’m a huge Ender’s Game fan. There was a quote on the back of the book from James Dashner leading me to believe that this was “the next best plot twist since Ender’s Game”. I’m here to tell you guys that this is an exaggeration. The plot in this book is great, the twist is very interesting and surprising, but comparing this to Ender’s Game is a bit far reaching. Good but not on that level.
That being said, I did very much enjoy this book. It had surprises, compelling characters, and a cliffhanger ending that makes you want the rest of the series as soon as possible. My large concern with the book was a little inconsistency with the characters and their ages. Many of the characters were upper teens but acted far younger than that. Not only that, but though the main character was 17, the story read a lot younger but had very adult elements in several parts. Just a tad inconsistent.
Once again I find myself giving a good book several criticisms. No doubt this book is quite readable and the start of a hit series. Just don’t go overboard when reading its praise 
.
Points Scale:
Cover: 2/5 – It’s an ARC cover but I sincerely hope they make it better.
Title: 4/5 – More like VariCAN.
Plot: 8/10 – Very interesting twist, fast paced, and shocking in some parts.
Characters: 7/10 – Good but not outstanding.
Writing: 7/10 – Job well done for a debut novel.
Ending: 6/10 – Way too cliffhanger for my taste.
Total: 34/50 – Really a pretty good opening to a series. An excellent plot twist that’s impossible to see coming and a lot of well laid groundwork, definitely looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
Buy: Amazon
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Great review! Very well-rounded. I always hate when books are raved about and then you read it and think it’s good but not great. Even so, I might pick this one up. I don’t mind cliffhanger endings and I love a good mystery!
Alyssa (Reader’s Refuge) recently posted..Book Review: Alvin Journeyman by Orson Scott Card
I’m quite curious about this one. Thanks for the review!
Jules recently posted..Book Review: Blood by K. J. Wignall
Wow! Another “Steve Book” I am interested in reading! You’ve outdone yourself.
This one sounds good. I’ll have to add it to the wish list.
wall-to-wall books-wendy recently posted..Home to Woefield, by Susan Juby (review and giveaway)
curious to read this one! been waiting for awhile!
here’s my latest review, just posted it! for the predicteds! stop by!
http://lindsaycummingsblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-predicteds.html
The plot twist totally made this book. All the gang war stuff didn’t do much for me but as a diversion it worked really well. I’ve not read Ender’s Game yet so I can’t speak to the comparison but I will say that even though I’m inclined to read the sequel it’s not one that I’ll run out and pick up the day it releases.
Michelle recently posted..Winner of Beautiful Creatures Giveaway
Twitter: bookworm1858
I thought of Ender’s Game while reading this but I also agree that EG is far superior to Variant. Still the plot twist helped improve the story and I’m interested in what will come next.
Bookworm1858 recently posted..Updates and To-Do List 11SEP11
Twitter: BookwormAsheley
I have this one and I haven’t read it yet. I hate cliffhangers. Boo.
But I’m still excited about reading it. But I hate those doggone cliffhangers.
Asheley (Into the Hall of Books) recently posted..My Thoughts On: Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer