Book Review of Isolation (The Partials Sequence) by Dan Wells

Synopsis:

Two decades before the events of Partials, the world was locked in a different battle for survival: a global war for the last remaining oil reserves on the planet. It was for the Isolation War that the American government contracted the ParaGen Corporation to manufacture the Partials—our last hope in reclaiming energy independence from China. And it was on these fields of battle that the seeds of humanity's eventual destruction were sown.

Isolation takes us back to the front lines of this war, a time when mankind's ambition far outstripped its foresight. Heron, a newly trained Partial soldier who specializes in infiltration, is sent on a mission deep behind enemy lines. What she discovers there has far-reaching implications—not only for the Isolation War, but for Partials and humans alike long after this war is over.

A powerful take of our world on the brink, Isolation gives readers a glimpse into the history from which Partials was born—as well as clues to where the Partials Sequence is heading next.

Review:

Isolation by Dan Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a short story that is a prequel to the Partials Sequence, but is set during the Isolation war, nearly twenty years before. I loved it!

Heron is a Partial, a human hybrid super soldier. She is designed for espionage, and is trained to infiltrate and blend in with the humans. I was a bit unsure, when I first met her in Fragments, and then again in Ruins, if I liked her or not. This short story allowed me to get to know and understand her better.

Any war, in my opinion, is a terrible waste. Men and women are sent into battle because of greed or tyranny in one form or another, with no guarantee of coming out of it alive. In the case of the Isolation war, this was because of greed. Partials were created in the hopes of reducing the death toll and, because of their superior genes, were the ultimate weapon. This story follows Heron as she is "born", trained and, ultimately, sent into battle. She begins to question her existence and her role in the war. it was an interesting experience to see the world through her eyes. I can now better understand why she did what she did near the end of Ruins; she is even more heroic in my eyes.The characters in this book are all well described, and were very lifelike. I could picture them, and the scenes, with clarity in my head. I was a little disappointed that the story was so short, but I am glad that this was written, as it explained even Samm's role in the Partials Sequence trilogy somewhat, and it did answer a few unanswered questions I had from the end of Ruins. I would love to see this series made into a movie, as I think it could give The Hunger Games and Insurgent a run for their money. If not, then a TV series.

Dan Wells has written a fantastic YA dystopian series. I love his writing style, which is fast paced and exciting, and the story flowed wonderfully. This author is already on my Favourite Author's list, and I am looking forward to reading more books by him in the future.

I highly recommend this book, and the entire Partials Sequence trilogy, if you love YA, Dystopian or Science Fiction genres. - Lynn Worton

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