Review: A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Title: A Million Suns

Author: Beth Revis

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: 5^th April 2012

Source: Bought

Rating: 4 out of 5

Description: Trapped on board the spaceship Godspeed, Amy trusts no-one. The ship's ruler is dead and a rebellion threatens. Amy wants to help Elder as he tries to take charge, but she's torn between her feelings for him and the chaos that's pulling everything apart. As more harrowing discoveries are made about Godspeed, Amy is caught in a desperate race to unravel its secrets. Only one thing is certain. They have to get off this ship.

A Million Suns is the perfect sequel to Across the Universe. This science fiction adventure pulled me in again from the get go and set up another mystery, but this time there is plenty of added chaos threatening the inhabitants of Godspeed. The ship is holding on by a fragile thread that could snap at any moment.  There is so much more left to explore aboard the ship and this universe. In A Million Suns, Beth Revis takes us deeper into the rabbit hole. If you thought that the secrets aboard Godspeed were exposed, then you’re wrong because nothing is what it seems. This ship still has plenty of secrets contained within its metal walls.  The secrets exposed are game changers, which will change the trajectory of this story.

If Across the Universe was about uncovering the secrets hidden aboard Godspeed, then A Million Suns is about the consequences of exposing the harsh truth. A Million Suns picks up 3 months after the end of Across the Universe. Elder made a decision and took everyone of Phydus. He is now the leader of Godspeed, but taking everyone off the drug has caused its own set of problems. People are not happy, production is down and a rebellion is imminent. Elder’s trying to keep the peace, but Amy discovers a new secret that is set to change everything. This secret could either be their salvation or destruction. Intense, emotional and action packed are the words that come to mind to when I think about the plot. There is so much action and movement. You never know what’s coming next. At the end of nearly every chapter a new discovery is made or a new devastating problem crops up. Revis takes what’s been established and turns it on its head, creating the perfect atmosphere of mayhem and disorder.

This book is a lot more political than the previous one and provides a great discussion on leadership and choice. Taking everyone of the drug caused new problems and unrest. The people aboard the ship are for the first time being confronted with emotions and experiences that they have never experienced before.  Freedom and choice are now available to them. As a result there is a lot of hostility and fear of the unknown. Change is always full of fear and uncertainty and you can see where the people are coming from and their reasons behind the rebellion.  Elder is put in the unfortunate situation of being the leader of this ship. He might be the leader, but people don’t trust him or his decisions. Elder struggles with this new role, but as the book progresses, he grows up and embraces his role.  Amy is a bit more withdrawn and stubborn in this book. She is determined to do things her way. The events in the previous book still haunt her and were addressed instead of ignored.

The romance in this book is not on the front burner, but is subtle and realistic. The build up between Elder and Amy is slow and complicated. These two care for each other but current events and their conflicting views of leadership cause these two to think about their relationship. It’s also refreshing to see Elder being more invested in this relationship than Amy.  My only minor issue with this book was Orion’s clues. I didn’t understand why he didn’t just tell Amy upfront about everything instead of having her search the ship for the information. Sure, it added tension and mystery but in the end seemed a little unnecessary.

I cannot wait to see where the story goes next as the ending has changed the game and the action. It full of so much possibility. A Million Suns is a terrific sequel with more secrets, murder and mayhem. It packs a punch and the twists and turns keep coming. A definite must read for those who love science fiction.