Jessica (HDB)

You all know me, if a book is hugely polarized in the blogger world I have to read it. When there's so much hate spewed against it on one side, and so much love on the other side, I must figure out which side I fall on. I had absolutely no expectations one way or the other when I picked up Elusion from the library. I just wanted to give this book a shot and, you know what? I actually really liked this.

Regan lives in a world that is a shattered version of our own. Acid rain falls from the sky, black poisonous clouds hover overhead, and an O2 shield is pretty much necessary most days if you don't want to choke to death on the chemicals floating in the atmosphere. Nature as we know it is gone. So how do people get away from their problems? An Escape. An Elusion. Before he mysteriously died, Regan's father invented this amazing way to take a "trip" to somewhere new. Sounds amazing, right? Or is it?

I have to say, I was impressed with the world that was built around Regan. Although it wasn't flat out explained, it was immersive enough that I didn't even question it. I was lost in the desolation around these people, and the fact that they just ignored it all. I'm a sucker for new technology, and Elusion was amazing to me. Imagine a way to travel to somewhere new, to somewhere that hasn't existed in years, in complete safety. Of course that kind of technology always comes with its fair share of flaws. This one was no exception.

There was nothing I could do but hold on as Regan flew through one part of the mystery after another, uncovering all the dirty laundry that her father's company was trying to hide. Once again I'll admit, it wasn't exactly a perfectly plausible story line. Still, this was a new world. It was a vividly built world, and I was willing to forgive a lot simply because I couldn't help but feel caught up in it all. I wanted to know what Orexis was hiding, and you couldn't have stopped me if you tried.

The absolute only thing that slightly irked me was the quasi-romance that Elusion brings to the table. Regan was such a strong character. She fought for what she believed in, and never gave up no matter how many people tried to break her down. Seeing her loose it over a guy she just met, no matter how handsome he was, bothered me. I can't deny it. It also made for an ending that, although the cliffhanger is killer, was rushed as well. Still, I know I'll be back for more. This series has hooked me. You can mark me solidly on the "I liked this" side of the Elusion camp, and I'm proud of it.