Began reading: 3.9.2015
Completed reading: 7.9.2015
Overall rating: 4 stars
Kira Jordan was just a common street thief, dreaming of a better life in the Colony — a place of safety and opportunities. That is until she was abducted and forced to compete in Countdown with the dangerous Rogan Ellis. With the promise of access to the Colony, Kira and Rogan must successfully complete six levels of Countdown, each more challenging than the last. Kira must learn to trust Rogan in order to survive the game, while searching for an escape. Kira’s reliance on her instincts and Psi abilities will determine whether she can survive the dangerous competition that is Countdown.
Countdown by Michelle Rowen is a young adult novel that combines science fiction, dystopia, romance, fantasy and thriller to create an adventure-packed story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I didn’t have very high expectations for this book. I got it for $3 and thought it would be a book that could keep me entertained while I completed assignments. BOY WAS I WRONG!
The book was a fun, action-packed, quick read. It was full of adventure and plot twists that kept me turning the page. I never wanted to put it down!
The plot was really interesting, as I haven’t read The Hunger Games series. I have read that there are many books that are similar to this one, but I haven’t come across any. Still, I found it very intriguing. The novel was well-written, and had only a couple of grammatical errors. Here are some of my favourite quotes:
Some secrets can kill faster than any level in this game (p. 156).
You don’t simply get used to what you fear. It gets worse and worse and harder to deal with every single time. Even if you tell yourself it’s irrational to be afraid (p. 159).
Words failed me. How could you thank someone who’d forever changed your life for the better? (p. 227).
…the moment we reached our destination I might never see him again.
This was the way it was supposed to be.
Even though I knew that, it still hurt like hell (p. 230).
‘Being human means that you have to feel pain and doubt and fear and grief. But that doesn’t always make it a bad thing’ (p. 309).
The characters and their environments were described in detail, which made it easier to imagine. I didn’t like how almost every male character in the novel was perverted and sexual in nature. It made it a bit seedy, which grossed me out.
I really wished that there was a sequel to Countdown. *WARNING: SPOILER* I would have loved to know how Kira went with her education at the Iris Institution, and what Rogan decided to study at university. I have questions like: what happened to the Subscribers? Were Rogan and his father successful with rebuilding their medical research empire? Did Rogan and Kira develop a relationship? A sequel would answer so many of my questions!
My favourite character was Kira Jordan. I really sympathised for her story about her family and the reason behind her fear of the dark. I wished there was more about them. Kira was such a badass, but she could be a bit childish at times. I was left confused after her confrontation with Oliver in the mall. Anyway, she was loyal and feisty, which I loved. An example:
I did like the idea of finding whoever was in charge […] and giving their groin a nice, sharp introduction to my knee (p. 57).
I also really liked Rogan because he was loyal, compassionate and cheeky. For example:
Kira: ‘Screw you.’
Rogan: He shrugged and then grimaced as if the wound on his shoulder caused him massive pain. ‘We could do that, too, if you like, but I’ll need to be unchained first. Then again, we can bring the chains with us if you’re into that sort of thing’ (p. 20).
My favourite parts of the novel included anything to do with the game. It was filled with action and tension, which I enjoyed. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* I especially liked the tension that came from level 6 of the game. Being forced to kill each other just created so much apprehension, which kept me turning the page.
I also loved when Kira and Rogan flirted.
Rogan: ‘When they [implants] were in our heads, we couldn’t go more than ninety feet apart or we’d die.’
Kira: ‘That’s right.’
Rogan: ‘Well, now that they’re out, I still feel like I shouldn’t be more than ninety feet away from you or I might die. Isn’t that strange?’ (pp. 323-324).
Recommendation time! If you like The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, Naughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman, and Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Elysium.
Happy reading!
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