thisguywrites:

Book Bucket List 29: Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars (Skyship Academy #1)
I&rsquo;ve been waiting to read this book ever since I read the synopsis on Goodreads. The dystopian world seemed very different from the other books I&rsquo;ve read, especially The Hunger Games and Divergent. I wanted to buy this book, but I had to make sure that the story, characters, and plot were worth the money. After reading the first page online, I thought that the beginning was super slow. I had several doubts. As much as I wanted to, I couldn&rsquo;t get pass the first page. I had to set aside this book for a while and wait until the right moment comes. Finally, after several weeks, I went to Barnes &amp;amp; Noble and found myself staring at this book for quite some time. &nbsp;I told myself, &ldquo;If I get past the first chapter, then I&rsquo;m buying this book.&rdquo;
Five minutes later, I was walking out of the store with excitement on my face, holding the Skyship Academy in my hand.
(Note: It always take a lot of time for me to write a synopsis for my review, so I&rsquo;ll just copy and paste it from Goodreads)

Synopsis:&nbsp;A devastated Earth&rsquo;s last hope is found in Pearls: small, mysterious orbs that fall from space and are capable of supplying enough energy to power entire cities. Battling to control the Pearls are the Skyship dwellers&mdash;political dissidents who live in massive ships in the Earth&rsquo;s stratosphere&mdash;and the corrupt Surface government.

Jesse Fisher, a Skyship slacker, and Cassius Stevenson, a young Surface operative, cross paths when they both venture into forbidden territory in pursuit of Pearls. Their chance encounter triggers an unexpected reaction, endowing each boy with remarkable&mdash;and dangerous&mdash;abilities that their respective governments would stop at nothing to possess.
&nbsp;Enemies thrust together with a common goal, Jesse and Cassius make their way to the ruins of Seattle to uncover the truth about their new powers, the past they didn&rsquo;t know they shared, and a shocking secret about the Pearls.
1. After reading The Hunger Games and Divergent, I thought that this book was the most structured and most creative out of the three. While reading the book, I could tell that Nick James took his time on creating this&nbsp;magnificent&nbsp;and futuristic world very carefully.The world was very different and new. The government was corrupt and divided. America is now called the Unified Party, divided into 50 Chosen Cities to protect its citizens from chemical substances caused from the war and bombings. Unless you cannot pay the taxes, you are forced to live outside, the Fringes. There were so many things I wanted to know about this dystopian world. It felt like I was actually living in it. I hope that Nick James would reveal more information about the war, bombings, pearls, the sky-ships, and what happened to other nations.
2. The plot was very fast-paced and easy to read. I wished Nick James could have toned it down a little, but the approach was fantastic. It would have made the story dull if a different style was used.
3. The action, the suspense, the mystery. They were all written in a perfect way. I wished I could create a story in an action-packed, fast-paced way, yet still maintaining the imaginative detail that makes a story real. I salute Nick James for creating, not just a wonderful story, but a very different planet and futuristic Earth.
4. The characters felt real from the start. Each of them had their own stories. Nick James did not just put a character in his book as a placeholder. None of them were ever a supporting character. I love it when authors introduce a character from the book, and 5 chapters later, they become an important part in the story. Nick James did not waste time in his own idea. The story seemed organized and very well planned. I hope they&rsquo;ll be more characters in the next book, then I&rsquo;ll be wondering what their roles would be while reading the book.
5. I really did not expect the ending. It was so different. I thought that Nick James would have delve into another story, but it was also creative indeed. I wanted to know more about the planets outside Earth, the history and creation of Pearls, and the wars that happened years ago before this story started. I can&rsquo;t wait for the sequel, Crimson Rising!&nbsp;
For Nick James, I think this book deserved a 5/5 stars. Knowing that this was his first published book, the story was excellent.
Check out my&nbsp;Goodreads&nbsp;account and my 2011 reading challenge!

After reading this review:
