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Freefall
In the Upperworld, the privileged 1% are getting ready to abandon a devastated planet Earth. And Cam can’t wait to leave. After sleeping through a 1,000-year journey, he and his friends will have a pristine new planet to colonize. And no more worries about the Lowerworld and its 99% of rejects.
Then Cam sees a banned video feed of protesters in the Lowerworld who also want a chance at a new life. And he sees a girl with golden eyes who seems to be gazing straight though the feed directly at him. A girl he has to find. Sofie.
When Cam finds Sofie, she opens his eyes to the unfairness of what’s happening in their world, and Cam joins her cause for Lowerworld rights. He also falls hard for Sofie. But Sofie has her own battles to fight, and when it’s time to board the spaceships, Cam is alone.
Waking up 1,000 years in the future, Cam discovers that he and his shipmates are far off-course, trapped on an unknown and hostile planet. Who has sabotaged their ship? And does it have anything to do with Sofie, and the choices—and the enemies—he made in the past?
Then Cam sees a banned video feed of protesters in the Lowerworld who also want a chance at a new life. And he sees a girl with golden eyes who seems to be gazing straight though the feed directly at him. A girl he has to find. Sofie.
When Cam finds Sofie, she opens his eyes to the unfairness of what’s happening in their world, and Cam joins her cause for Lowerworld rights. He also falls hard for Sofie. But Sofie has her own battles to fight, and when it’s time to board the spaceships, Cam is alone.
Waking up 1,000 years in the future, Cam discovers that he and his shipmates are far off-course, trapped on an unknown and hostile planet. Who has sabotaged their ship? And does it have anything to do with Sofie, and the choices—and the enemies—he made in the past?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 2017
8 people are currently reading
1744 people want to read
About the author
Joshua David Bellin
21 books271 followersI've been writing novels since I was eight years old (though the first few were admittedly very short). A college teacher by day, I've published numerous works of science fiction and fantasy: the Querry Genn Saga (SURVIVAL COLONY 9 and SCAVENGER OF SOULS), the deep-space adventure FREEFALL, the 5-part Ecosystem Cycle (ECOSYSTEM, THE DEVOURING LAND, HOUSE OF EARTH, HOUSE OF STONE, THE LAST SENSOR, and THE GREAT FOREST), and the 3-part Book of the Huntress series (DAUGHTER OF DUST, DARK'S DOMINION, and SCARRED CITY). My latest novel, the time-travel thriller MYRIAD, released in May 2023.
In my free time, I love to read, watch movies, and spend time in Nature with my kids.
Oh, yeah, and I like monsters. Really scary monsters.
In my free time, I love to read, watch movies, and spend time in Nature with my kids.
Oh, yeah, and I like monsters. Really scary monsters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
August 25, 2017
This review was featured on my Mini Review Monday segment:
3.5 STARS
I found Freefall to be a fast paced, intriguing read that, while not perfect, was certainly enjoyable. I was a bit torn on my overall feelings, which is why I went with a 3 star rating, but felt it had just enough umph to give it that extra half star increase. That's a long description above and it tells you just about everything you need to know for the story, so I'll just dive into what I thought about it. The narrative is ever-changing between past and present, keeping things fresh and unique without being overly challenging to follow. I really enjoyed this form of story telling, and I found myself engrossed in the sections focusing on the time jump forward where the ship finds itself stranded on the hostile planet. I love survival stories, so this was a huge bonus for me as a reader. While the writing and prose were lovely, it did get a bit over the top at times and made it difficult to follow what was happening. I didn't seem to ever develop the emotion I should have conveyed toward the romance in the early sections; honestly I could have done without that entire part of the story and just focused on the survival aspects, but I understand why it was written this way for credibility and it's partially due to my natural aversion to most romantic plot lines. Overall, I think any fans of YA Sci-Fi and space travel will enjoy this book and encourage you to pick it up.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy
3.5 STARS
I found Freefall to be a fast paced, intriguing read that, while not perfect, was certainly enjoyable. I was a bit torn on my overall feelings, which is why I went with a 3 star rating, but felt it had just enough umph to give it that extra half star increase. That's a long description above and it tells you just about everything you need to know for the story, so I'll just dive into what I thought about it. The narrative is ever-changing between past and present, keeping things fresh and unique without being overly challenging to follow. I really enjoyed this form of story telling, and I found myself engrossed in the sections focusing on the time jump forward where the ship finds itself stranded on the hostile planet. I love survival stories, so this was a huge bonus for me as a reader. While the writing and prose were lovely, it did get a bit over the top at times and made it difficult to follow what was happening. I didn't seem to ever develop the emotion I should have conveyed toward the romance in the early sections; honestly I could have done without that entire part of the story and just focused on the survival aspects, but I understand why it was written this way for credibility and it's partially due to my natural aversion to most romantic plot lines. Overall, I think any fans of YA Sci-Fi and space travel will enjoy this book and encourage you to pick it up.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy
October 3, 2017
Realy enjoyable, fast-paced story.
Joshua has once again created a world of interest and relatable characters.
I did find the since confusing, but I never was able to grasp the subject at school.
Really SCI-FI with a dash of horror.
So good!
Joshua has once again created a world of interest and relatable characters.
I did find the since confusing, but I never was able to grasp the subject at school.
Really SCI-FI with a dash of horror.
So good!
August 30, 2017
In the year 2151 Earth is ruled by the 1% of rich and elite that live in the Upperworld. Cam has been raised in Upperworld all of his life and is now training to join a mission to take citizens to a new planet now that Earth is dying out. The voyage will have the passengers sleeping through a 1000 year journey to a new pristine planet to colonize but those of the Lowerworld are not happy to be left behind.
At the forefront of the uprising in the Lowerworld is Sophie and when Cam sees her on a video feed he immediately is taken with her. Cam is so infatuated that he does whatever he can to get near Sophie but when gunshots ring out at the meeting Cam had attended he finds himself being whisked away with her and her guards and suddenly brought into the middle of the battle between the 1% and the other 99% that Cam had never known.
Freefall by Joshua David Bellin is a young adult science fiction read with a bit of a dystopian twist with the imminent downfall of the planet. The story is told by starting the reader off in the year 2151 with Cam and his friends preparing to leave Earth when Cam gets involved with Sophie and the rebellion. But every other chapter then jumps the 1000 years into the future to pick up with Cam after the journey to another planet. So while learning of Cam and Sophie in the past we find that he'd left her to go on the voyage but is now stranded.
Now Freefall did have a bit of a different vibe to it by giving the reader a glimpse at the past while progressing the story after having left Earth but I ended up disappointed in what the author did with the story in the past with Cam and Sophie. Not only was it instant attraction for Cam but I never felt his obsession was returned which put a damper on the future events for me. Instead of insta-love between them it felt a bit more obsession on one side and using on the other, somewhat a turn off.
But as much as the relationship aspect in the read fizzled out I still thought this was an alright read as far as the plot. There was enough action and suspense as the story unfolded that it kept my interest in wanting to know just what would happen in the future chapters to bring everyone to the point where they were. A bit of creativity there with what was going on salvaged my disappointment in the earlier years and held my interest to the end.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
At the forefront of the uprising in the Lowerworld is Sophie and when Cam sees her on a video feed he immediately is taken with her. Cam is so infatuated that he does whatever he can to get near Sophie but when gunshots ring out at the meeting Cam had attended he finds himself being whisked away with her and her guards and suddenly brought into the middle of the battle between the 1% and the other 99% that Cam had never known.
Freefall by Joshua David Bellin is a young adult science fiction read with a bit of a dystopian twist with the imminent downfall of the planet. The story is told by starting the reader off in the year 2151 with Cam and his friends preparing to leave Earth when Cam gets involved with Sophie and the rebellion. But every other chapter then jumps the 1000 years into the future to pick up with Cam after the journey to another planet. So while learning of Cam and Sophie in the past we find that he'd left her to go on the voyage but is now stranded.
Now Freefall did have a bit of a different vibe to it by giving the reader a glimpse at the past while progressing the story after having left Earth but I ended up disappointed in what the author did with the story in the past with Cam and Sophie. Not only was it instant attraction for Cam but I never felt his obsession was returned which put a damper on the future events for me. Instead of insta-love between them it felt a bit more obsession on one side and using on the other, somewhat a turn off.
But as much as the relationship aspect in the read fizzled out I still thought this was an alright read as far as the plot. There was enough action and suspense as the story unfolded that it kept my interest in wanting to know just what would happen in the future chapters to bring everyone to the point where they were. A bit of creativity there with what was going on salvaged my disappointment in the earlier years and held my interest to the end.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
September 24, 2017
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
*Add on to my #ARCAugust tag reading list!
Release date September 26, 2017!
For you fans of The Illuminae Files here is another one for you! Freefall not only satiates fans of space travel, foreign planets, and interterrestial turmoil, it also incorporates a lot of meaningful content. In this area, Freefall is unlike the books of The Illuminae Files, (which are no doubt action-packed, riveting, and unique in their premise.) I really liked what Bellin was able to accomplish with this story.
The plot is told through the perspective of the main character, Cam Newell--an Upperworld young man who knows little about the true tyranny happening between the two nations. He and his friends have decided to volunteer and train to be passengers of the Executor, a massive spaceship traveling to a distant planet looking for a new place of residence as Earth’s resources have been depleted.
Cam’s Upperworld deception stays intact until he and his tech-savy friends hack into a forbidden network, broadcasting uprisings led by a mysterious woman and protege going by the name of Sofie. Intruiged by her prowess, Cam becomes enamored with her and needs to know more about her and the movement she represents.
Events ensue in a way that allowed the two to meet in person. From that moment, Cam decides to adandon the life that he knows, in order to follow Sofie into foreign territory. Cam realizes then how lied to he’s been about what is actually happening between the two nations. Now, his goal is to help Sofie advocate for the Lowerworld citizens to be able to travel to other planets too.
Let's start with a few things that I really enjoyed about this book:
#1 The way that the story is told between past, and present tense, is so engaging.
#2 Despite what you may believe from my comments further on in this review, I really enjoyed the incorporation of current events into the plot. It gives the reader the ability to connect with the characters on a deeper level of understanding, no matter what opinion they have of what’s happening in reality.
#3 I appreciated how the representation of powerful, and respectful speeches were and are more effective than any other method to reach people. Sofie used this method, and was searching for peaceful resolutions to issues. She was like a female Martin Luther King Jr.
Now, for a few things that I didn't necessarily like, or had some issue with:
In the opening few chapters, the reader immediately feels the hostile atmosphere between the Upperworld and Lowerworld--two countries inhabiting Earth created through means of segregation, racism, and prejudice. The ironic “wall” separating the two nations not only refers to recent points of political debates, but is also metaphorical in showing the divide between social classes.
#1 While I believe this is an important current event to discuss, it was clear which opinion was being represented throughout this plot. This opinion is not necessarily wrong, but I felt there were definite times of misrepresentation, assumption, and also prejudism being exploited that people don’t always tend to realize. This is a fiction story, so I’m not going to discuss this point further, but I think it needs to be pointed out.
#2 Another point I wanted to discuss was that I found it odd how Sofie’s character was portrayed. Several times, it was brought up about how “civilized” she was, or, more “Upperworld” she acted. In a world where the speaker of the suppressed group needs to be like an Upperworlder, is she really standing for what she is supposed to?
#3 That insta-love showed up againnnn. Cam's reason for instantly falling for Sofie (other than her beauty) didn't have enough backing.
Overall, I thought this was a very interesting story. I appreciated the integration of current politics into a interstellar Sci-Fi novel.
Vulgarity: Far too much for my liking.
Sexual content: Just kissing.
Violence: Like most sci-fi's, there's a decent amount.
3.5 stars.
A big thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this book!
*Add on to my #ARCAugust tag reading list!
Release date September 26, 2017!
"We are the world's people! We have come to you not as beggars pleading for a handout, but as children of the Almighty, demanding at long last the rights we have been denied. You may hide behind your walls of wealth, walls built by the blood and suffering of our people, but those walls will not hold forever. They will fall, as do all walls founded on injustice, and may God then judge who among us is in the wrong and who is in the right!"
For you fans of The Illuminae Files here is another one for you! Freefall not only satiates fans of space travel, foreign planets, and interterrestial turmoil, it also incorporates a lot of meaningful content. In this area, Freefall is unlike the books of The Illuminae Files, (which are no doubt action-packed, riveting, and unique in their premise.) I really liked what Bellin was able to accomplish with this story.
The plot is told through the perspective of the main character, Cam Newell--an Upperworld young man who knows little about the true tyranny happening between the two nations. He and his friends have decided to volunteer and train to be passengers of the Executor, a massive spaceship traveling to a distant planet looking for a new place of residence as Earth’s resources have been depleted.
Cam’s Upperworld deception stays intact until he and his tech-savy friends hack into a forbidden network, broadcasting uprisings led by a mysterious woman and protege going by the name of Sofie. Intruiged by her prowess, Cam becomes enamored with her and needs to know more about her and the movement she represents.
Events ensue in a way that allowed the two to meet in person. From that moment, Cam decides to adandon the life that he knows, in order to follow Sofie into foreign territory. Cam realizes then how lied to he’s been about what is actually happening between the two nations. Now, his goal is to help Sofie advocate for the Lowerworld citizens to be able to travel to other planets too.
Let's start with a few things that I really enjoyed about this book:
#1 The way that the story is told between past, and present tense, is so engaging.
#2 Despite what you may believe from my comments further on in this review, I really enjoyed the incorporation of current events into the plot. It gives the reader the ability to connect with the characters on a deeper level of understanding, no matter what opinion they have of what’s happening in reality.
#3 I appreciated how the representation of powerful, and respectful speeches were and are more effective than any other method to reach people. Sofie used this method, and was searching for peaceful resolutions to issues. She was like a female Martin Luther King Jr.
Now, for a few things that I didn't necessarily like, or had some issue with:
In the opening few chapters, the reader immediately feels the hostile atmosphere between the Upperworld and Lowerworld--two countries inhabiting Earth created through means of segregation, racism, and prejudice. The ironic “wall” separating the two nations not only refers to recent points of political debates, but is also metaphorical in showing the divide between social classes.
#1 While I believe this is an important current event to discuss, it was clear which opinion was being represented throughout this plot. This opinion is not necessarily wrong, but I felt there were definite times of misrepresentation, assumption, and also prejudism being exploited that people don’t always tend to realize. This is a fiction story, so I’m not going to discuss this point further, but I think it needs to be pointed out.
#2 Another point I wanted to discuss was that I found it odd how Sofie’s character was portrayed. Several times, it was brought up about how “civilized” she was, or, more “Upperworld” she acted. In a world where the speaker of the suppressed group needs to be like an Upperworlder, is she really standing for what she is supposed to?
#3 That insta-love showed up againnnn. Cam's reason for instantly falling for Sofie (other than her beauty) didn't have enough backing.
Overall, I thought this was a very interesting story. I appreciated the integration of current politics into a interstellar Sci-Fi novel.
Vulgarity: Far too much for my liking.
Sexual content: Just kissing.
Violence: Like most sci-fi's, there's a decent amount.
3.5 stars.
A big thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this book!
February 7, 2017
Will we be living in some version of Josh Bellin's vividly imagined political satire-slash-sci-fi thriller in the next thirty to forty years? Or, ahem, even the next four? I hope not, but this author (of the wonderful duology SURVIVAL COLONY NINE and SCAVENGER OF SOULS) has all the chops to turn such a dystopian scenario, where the world is firmly under the thumb of greedy, soulless corporate overlords, into a page-turning space opera that is pure pleasure from start to finish.
Chapters alternate between past and present, slowly revealing the story of star-crossed love at the heart of the book. Sophie is the young, idealistic leader of the oppressed Downworlders (the 99 percent), while Cam Newell is a privileged son of the Upworlders (think 1 percenters). He's a decent sort though, and falls hard for Sophie's powerful oratory and sheer magnetism, leading him to question all the master-race propaganda he's been silver spoon-fed his whole life.
Cam and Sophie end up on massive ships headed into deep space with the aim of colonizing a new planet since ours has been stripped clean by the corporate locusts. A saboteur kicks the present-day plot into motion, stranding them on a hostile planet with very nasty native life forms (a Bellin specialty) and bringing simmering tensions to a boil.
The opening sequence, in which Cam wakes up after a lengthy hypersleep to find himself trapped in a damaged pod, is heart-pounding and cinematic, and Bellin excels at both these suspenseful action scenes and the quieter moments (mainly in flashback) where we get to dig deeper into the backstory and key characters, including Cam's two best friends, Adrian and Griff. As always, it's the relationships that drive the plot, even when it's as high-octane as this one, and the tale of Cam and Sophie – basically two kids from different sides of the tracks trying to find their way together – will not be easily forgotten.
FREEFALL is an allegory of the times, but Bellin keeps his story fresh and even light-hearted in places, with corporate jargon taken to its final black-comedy extreme (corponation names include SubCon, Frackia, ConGlo, MicroNasia and Can-Do Amortization!).
The upshot? If I had to live in such a screwed-up future, I'd want it to be Joshua David Bellin's.
Chapters alternate between past and present, slowly revealing the story of star-crossed love at the heart of the book. Sophie is the young, idealistic leader of the oppressed Downworlders (the 99 percent), while Cam Newell is a privileged son of the Upworlders (think 1 percenters). He's a decent sort though, and falls hard for Sophie's powerful oratory and sheer magnetism, leading him to question all the master-race propaganda he's been silver spoon-fed his whole life.
Cam and Sophie end up on massive ships headed into deep space with the aim of colonizing a new planet since ours has been stripped clean by the corporate locusts. A saboteur kicks the present-day plot into motion, stranding them on a hostile planet with very nasty native life forms (a Bellin specialty) and bringing simmering tensions to a boil.
The opening sequence, in which Cam wakes up after a lengthy hypersleep to find himself trapped in a damaged pod, is heart-pounding and cinematic, and Bellin excels at both these suspenseful action scenes and the quieter moments (mainly in flashback) where we get to dig deeper into the backstory and key characters, including Cam's two best friends, Adrian and Griff. As always, it's the relationships that drive the plot, even when it's as high-octane as this one, and the tale of Cam and Sophie – basically two kids from different sides of the tracks trying to find their way together – will not be easily forgotten.
FREEFALL is an allegory of the times, but Bellin keeps his story fresh and even light-hearted in places, with corporate jargon taken to its final black-comedy extreme (corponation names include SubCon, Frackia, ConGlo, MicroNasia and Can-Do Amortization!).
The upshot? If I had to live in such a screwed-up future, I'd want it to be Joshua David Bellin's.
did-not-finish
July 22, 2017DNF at page 45.
I've been on some kind of sci-fi streak recently, and the premise was interesting, but I could not finish this book. A few chapters into the book introduces us to the world and why the top 1% of the population are going into space, but frankly, the prose was so incredibly tedious - paragraphs detailing the why and the how took up literal P A G E S. Looking at these pages gave me headaches.
Overall, if you enjoy sci-fi and if you can stand a major info-dump in the beginning of the novel, be sure to check this one out. This just wasn't for me.
Thank you to McElderry Books and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I've been on some kind of sci-fi streak recently, and the premise was interesting, but I could not finish this book. A few chapters into the book introduces us to the world and why the top 1% of the population are going into space, but frankly, the prose was so incredibly tedious - paragraphs detailing the why and the how took up literal P A G E S. Looking at these pages gave me headaches.
Overall, if you enjoy sci-fi and if you can stand a major info-dump in the beginning of the novel, be sure to check this one out. This just wasn't for me.
Thank you to McElderry Books and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2017
It would be easy to dismiss this as yet another dystopian novel in the SciFi genre; another socio-examination of politics, disparate economic issues, and the unfairness that inevitably follows when the minority get to call all the shots for the majority. Somehow the author rose above the stereotypes and clichés to bring something unique; something more than a SciFi-ish version of the Hunger Games.
There is whispers of revenge, anger, and despair but also hope, love and the belief there should be something more than a world where human beings treat each other like animals.
Cam is an interesting teen whose voice comes through as the kind of character the reader will want to get behind and wish more like him existed to bridge the gap between those who have no voice and those who have no conscience. You’re treated to different worlds, different stories, different time periods but the author whips it all together in an easy to read pace.
Though you will be treated to the perfect conclusion, before you get there you’ll have to endure a climatic ride and some intense twists but it will all be worthwhile.
Teachers, librarians and parents will find this a great book for their teens to read and apply the themes to the current socio-political climate particularly in the States. It’s definitely one of those books that will raise questions, peak critical thinking skills and make the reader decide where they stand; would they stay behind or get on the ship?
There is whispers of revenge, anger, and despair but also hope, love and the belief there should be something more than a world where human beings treat each other like animals.
Cam is an interesting teen whose voice comes through as the kind of character the reader will want to get behind and wish more like him existed to bridge the gap between those who have no voice and those who have no conscience. You’re treated to different worlds, different stories, different time periods but the author whips it all together in an easy to read pace.
Though you will be treated to the perfect conclusion, before you get there you’ll have to endure a climatic ride and some intense twists but it will all be worthwhile.
Teachers, librarians and parents will find this a great book for their teens to read and apply the themes to the current socio-political climate particularly in the States. It’s definitely one of those books that will raise questions, peak critical thinking skills and make the reader decide where they stand; would they stay behind or get on the ship?
December 17, 2017
This story follows Cam: Upperworld (Earth's white upper-class, the privileged, the 1%ers) boy and Sofie: Lowerworld (Earth's non-white lower-class "terrarists", the 99%, the rejects) girl and prophet of the masses. It is a story of alternating time-periods. 3151 when the ship meant to take the few and lucky away from a destroyed Earth (in a huge ship full of pods of humans in a 1,000-year-long deep sleep), crash-lands on a seemingly dead planet which was NOT the original destination. And 2151, when we flashback to Cam finding out about and becoming obsessed with Sofie and her cause of bringing equality to the world; allowing some Lowerworlders to join the exodus from Earth and into the stars. There are twists, turns, and lots of windy plot elements. There's some sci-fi and some space travel and some romance and some friendships and betrayals. There's diversity as well in the races portrayed.
Anything you didn’t like about it? Pretty much everything. This book fails on every level. It's dull, repetitive, and nearly 80% or more "telling" instead of "showing". After over 300 pages of alternating chapters of Cam you come to realize that he has no character arc: His "voice" both in 2151's flashbacks and the current 3151 chapters is identical. He speaks as one who is already "woke" even as he's flash-backing but it's the kind of "aware" that is cringe-worthy in that it's NOT truly wise to the ways of the world of racism and classism and inequalities he presumes to understand.
Plus? When Cam is supposedly "slumming it" with Sofie and learning all about the woes of the 99% it's never mentioned how these people are living! It's as if she and her guards are all travelling around like Upperworld dignitaries; there are no dirty living conditions or horrors to open his eyes to the vastly unequal worlds of Upper versus Lower. in fact; she has to take him to see a village completely destroyed (bodies all laying around and all) for ANYTHING to even have an impact on him. It's no wonder Sofie left him behind!
Only in the last few dozen pages do we get any truly interesting insights into the plot and it's all given via evil villain monologues. The "romance" is laughable and forced: it's 99% Cam obsessing from afar about a girl he only knows from a viewscreen and never really connects without outside of surface level interactions and yet he proclaims he "loves" her. The other 1% is a completely forced reciprocal scene at the end which doesn't mesh and falls flat.
The "science fiction" aspects are the only mildly interesting bits (held in the 3151 chapters) and even those are undermined by not giving the reader enough information to form our own thoughts just so that we can have those evil villain (and surprise double-agent good guy) mass-exposition monologues at the end explain EVERYTHING in the most boring way possible. "Oh yeah; these characters we've never before mentioned? They were INTEGRAL TO THE ENTIRE PLOT!" is a rather horrible way to go about ending a story that was a slog from start to finish.
This book tried to be a social commentary; and struggled. It tried to be a romance; and ends up being a one-sided boy-crush. It tried to be science fiction but we don't even get to really explore the planet or space.
To whom would you recommend this book? No one
Who should buy this book? No one
FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Anything you didn’t like about it? Pretty much everything. This book fails on every level. It's dull, repetitive, and nearly 80% or more "telling" instead of "showing". After over 300 pages of alternating chapters of Cam you come to realize that he has no character arc: His "voice" both in 2151's flashbacks and the current 3151 chapters is identical. He speaks as one who is already "woke" even as he's flash-backing but it's the kind of "aware" that is cringe-worthy in that it's NOT truly wise to the ways of the world of racism and classism and inequalities he presumes to understand.
Plus? When Cam is supposedly "slumming it" with Sofie and learning all about the woes of the 99% it's never mentioned how these people are living! It's as if she and her guards are all travelling around like Upperworld dignitaries; there are no dirty living conditions or horrors to open his eyes to the vastly unequal worlds of Upper versus Lower. in fact; she has to take him to see a village completely destroyed (bodies all laying around and all) for ANYTHING to even have an impact on him. It's no wonder Sofie left him behind!
Only in the last few dozen pages do we get any truly interesting insights into the plot and it's all given via evil villain monologues. The "romance" is laughable and forced: it's 99% Cam obsessing from afar about a girl he only knows from a viewscreen and never really connects without outside of surface level interactions and yet he proclaims he "loves" her. The other 1% is a completely forced reciprocal scene at the end which doesn't mesh and falls flat.
The "science fiction" aspects are the only mildly interesting bits (held in the 3151 chapters) and even those are undermined by not giving the reader enough information to form our own thoughts just so that we can have those evil villain (and surprise double-agent good guy) mass-exposition monologues at the end explain EVERYTHING in the most boring way possible. "Oh yeah; these characters we've never before mentioned? They were INTEGRAL TO THE ENTIRE PLOT!" is a rather horrible way to go about ending a story that was a slog from start to finish.
This book tried to be a social commentary; and struggled. It tried to be a romance; and ends up being a one-sided boy-crush. It tried to be science fiction but we don't even get to really explore the planet or space.
To whom would you recommend this book? No one
Who should buy this book? No one
FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
June 21, 2017
Freefall is Joshua David Bellin's third novel published through Simon & Schuster, and this book does not disappoint. Often times, I struggle to follow a non-linear narration, but Bellin handled the narrative skillfully and I actually found myself highly engaged when jumping back and forth in the story's timeline.
With the story set in space in the future, Bellin utilizes fun word plays such as "corponations" and "MexSanto" to help build the world of the novel. The words I did not enjoy as much were the cuss words, which included taking the Lord's name in vain quite a bit. But those are my personal preferences.
While it is necessary for teenagers to solve their own problems in a young adult novel, I did wish that Cam's parents had been more involved. I wanted to see more interaction with them at the beginning and in the middle to help justify their involvement at the end of the story.
Those were the only two minor details that bothered me. EVERYTHING else I loved!
I'm telling you . . . if you enjoy Sci-fi and/or young adult novels and/or adventures and/or monsters . . . this story is a must read, because Freefall is an engaging novel from the master world-builder and storyteller, Joshua David Bellin.
Bellin amazes me with his ability to develop characters, settings, and monsters, allowing readers to envision every aspect of the story.
I am a fan for life, and I look forward to reading his next story.
[I received an advance copy for free from the publisher, and this had no influence on my opinions.]
With the story set in space in the future, Bellin utilizes fun word plays such as "corponations" and "MexSanto" to help build the world of the novel. The words I did not enjoy as much were the cuss words, which included taking the Lord's name in vain quite a bit. But those are my personal preferences.
While it is necessary for teenagers to solve their own problems in a young adult novel, I did wish that Cam's parents had been more involved. I wanted to see more interaction with them at the beginning and in the middle to help justify their involvement at the end of the story.
Those were the only two minor details that bothered me. EVERYTHING else I loved!
I'm telling you . . . if you enjoy Sci-fi and/or young adult novels and/or adventures and/or monsters . . . this story is a must read, because Freefall is an engaging novel from the master world-builder and storyteller, Joshua David Bellin.
Bellin amazes me with his ability to develop characters, settings, and monsters, allowing readers to envision every aspect of the story.
I am a fan for life, and I look forward to reading his next story.
[I received an advance copy for free from the publisher, and this had no influence on my opinions.]
October 3, 2017
I was gifted this ebook via Netgalley.
I usually try to get two chapters into a book before I decide to put it down, but I didn't get very far with this one. The description of the Lowerworld people really rubbed me the wrong way. Reading from Cam's perspective was not going to work for me. I hate to feel that way towards a character, but I cannot force myself through a book if I don't like reading it.
I usually try to get two chapters into a book before I decide to put it down, but I didn't get very far with this one. The description of the Lowerworld people really rubbed me the wrong way. Reading from Cam's perspective was not going to work for me. I hate to feel that way towards a character, but I cannot force myself through a book if I don't like reading it.
July 15, 2017
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the author/publisher via Netgalley for review purposes.
Freefall follows the journey of Cam, a privileged member of the elite, also known as the Upperworld. They're getting ready to abandon the devastated planet Earth, leaving the Lowerworld to die along with the planet. A 1,000 year long deep sleep and the privileged Upperworld can colonize a new planet. But when Cam sees prohibited footage of the Lowerworld protests, he feels a connection to a girl named Sofie. When the chance arises to join Sofie's cause for Lowerworld rights, Cam begins to see the unfairness of the world they live in. Cam begins to fall in love with Sofie, but she has her own battles to fight, and Cam has no choice but to board the spaceship to a new life alone. 1,000 years later, and Cam wakes to find himself and his crew-mates far off course, stranded on a hostile, uninhabitable planet. Who sabotaged their ship? And does Cam, Sofie and his past actions to have anything to do with it?
I'm always on the look-out for well-developed, YA science fiction books. Freefall is just that. Bellin created a fantastic world, one highlighting social, racial, and economic inequalities that you see today, but translated it into a very dystopian-esque setting, where corporations run the world. The book narrates between past and present, how Cam and Sofie fell in love and recounts how Cam and his shipmates ended up stranded 1,000 years in the future on an uninhabitable planet, surrounded by hostile creatures. The present-day setting was fantastically done, and I really enjoyed the science fiction horror/survival aspect.
Whilst I enjoyed the romance, it wasn't my favourite part. It felt too much like insta-love, especially on Cam's part. But it also felt like Sofie was just there to educate Cam on the blatant inequalities of the world. But then again, I think one of Cam's learning curves was realizing that he wasn't fully giving himself to the cause.
Despite how much I enjoyed it, I also had issues: the Lowerworld protesters are called Terrarists – not sure if the word was a play on Terra as in Earth, but the fact that the Lowerworld protestors were multiracial, and Sofie herself was of Indian descent, I felt the word was too closely associated with Terrorist (not entirely sure if that was the point, but it made me uncomfortable). I can't speak for the Indian rep, but Sofie was, at one point, seen as exotic by Cam. That's pretty much my only issue with Freefall, but it's was a significant problem for me.
Freefall follows the journey of Cam, a privileged member of the elite, also known as the Upperworld. They're getting ready to abandon the devastated planet Earth, leaving the Lowerworld to die along with the planet. A 1,000 year long deep sleep and the privileged Upperworld can colonize a new planet. But when Cam sees prohibited footage of the Lowerworld protests, he feels a connection to a girl named Sofie. When the chance arises to join Sofie's cause for Lowerworld rights, Cam begins to see the unfairness of the world they live in. Cam begins to fall in love with Sofie, but she has her own battles to fight, and Cam has no choice but to board the spaceship to a new life alone. 1,000 years later, and Cam wakes to find himself and his crew-mates far off course, stranded on a hostile, uninhabitable planet. Who sabotaged their ship? And does Cam, Sofie and his past actions to have anything to do with it?
I'm always on the look-out for well-developed, YA science fiction books. Freefall is just that. Bellin created a fantastic world, one highlighting social, racial, and economic inequalities that you see today, but translated it into a very dystopian-esque setting, where corporations run the world. The book narrates between past and present, how Cam and Sofie fell in love and recounts how Cam and his shipmates ended up stranded 1,000 years in the future on an uninhabitable planet, surrounded by hostile creatures. The present-day setting was fantastically done, and I really enjoyed the science fiction horror/survival aspect.
Whilst I enjoyed the romance, it wasn't my favourite part. It felt too much like insta-love, especially on Cam's part. But it also felt like Sofie was just there to educate Cam on the blatant inequalities of the world. But then again, I think one of Cam's learning curves was realizing that he wasn't fully giving himself to the cause.
Despite how much I enjoyed it, I also had issues: the Lowerworld protesters are called Terrarists – not sure if the word was a play on Terra as in Earth, but the fact that the Lowerworld protestors were multiracial, and Sofie herself was of Indian descent, I felt the word was too closely associated with Terrorist (not entirely sure if that was the point, but it made me uncomfortable). I can't speak for the Indian rep, but Sofie was, at one point, seen as exotic by Cam. That's pretty much my only issue with Freefall, but it's was a significant problem for me.
October 17, 2017
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult, Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.0
*Thoughts*
Freefall, by author Joshua David Bellin, is a standalone, young adult, science fiction, space opera featuring Cameron Newell, with guest appearances by Sofie Patel, the object of his obsession. The story alternates between the years 2151 & 3151. In the year 2151, Cam, his friends Griffin and Adrian, and their hot shot families are preparing to leave Earth for a new planet called Tau Ceti E. They are part of what is called Upperworld, where the rich have had years to prepare to depart Earth which is doomed to an extinction level event. Then, Cam sees Sofie.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Young Adult, Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.0
*Thoughts*
Freefall, by author Joshua David Bellin, is a standalone, young adult, science fiction, space opera featuring Cameron Newell, with guest appearances by Sofie Patel, the object of his obsession. The story alternates between the years 2151 & 3151. In the year 2151, Cam, his friends Griffin and Adrian, and their hot shot families are preparing to leave Earth for a new planet called Tau Ceti E. They are part of what is called Upperworld, where the rich have had years to prepare to depart Earth which is doomed to an extinction level event. Then, Cam sees Sofie.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
December 14, 2017
OK just no. I hate rating books so low, but this book had all of the ew elements that make a really bad teen scifi. It had, first of all, really bad language, and that made the character and writing seem crude. Second of all, insta love. If you could even call it love. It was more like lust, and you actually never got a good perspective of how either of them felt.
Third, it was choppy story telling the way it was written. It started in two separate spots, with the same main character, and it switched between the two times and settings every chapter. This didn't allow for any detail, so no matter how hard I tried I couldn't comprehend the world the main character was in, or basically anything. This style of writing can be done (and in some cases REALLY COOL) but this was poorly executed.
The last thing that irks me, especially as a writer was that there were too many coincidences. Some were resolved in the end in some way or another, but many were just "Meant to happen I suppose" attitude. And characters in the ending seemed to go without mention. Or they were never thought about by the main character after those characters died, and he did not show any signs of mourning.
The only possibly good thing was that it was futuristic with respect to the political things happening now (Such as feelings between us and Mexico currently.)
All in all I do not recommend reading this book. With more work before publishing I could have seen it executed pretty well, and it being captivating, but it isn't right now.
-Library Rebel
PS sorry for the negative review, it was actually really difficult for me to rate this at only 2 stars.
Third, it was choppy story telling the way it was written. It started in two separate spots, with the same main character, and it switched between the two times and settings every chapter. This didn't allow for any detail, so no matter how hard I tried I couldn't comprehend the world the main character was in, or basically anything. This style of writing can be done (and in some cases REALLY COOL) but this was poorly executed.
The last thing that irks me, especially as a writer was that there were too many coincidences. Some were resolved in the end in some way or another, but many were just "Meant to happen I suppose" attitude. And characters in the ending seemed to go without mention. Or they were never thought about by the main character after those characters died, and he did not show any signs of mourning.
The only possibly good thing was that it was futuristic with respect to the political things happening now (Such as feelings between us and Mexico currently.)
All in all I do not recommend reading this book. With more work before publishing I could have seen it executed pretty well, and it being captivating, but it isn't right now.
-Library Rebel
PS sorry for the negative review, it was actually really difficult for me to rate this at only 2 stars.
Read
August 18, 2017DNF.
When I read the synopsis for this book, honestly? I was confused. The synopsis set the book in "a thousand years after Cam gets off the ship" and Cam had to solve a mystery relating to a girl he met a thousand years before. I was intrigued, though!
This book switches perspectives between Cam who's ON the new planet vs. Cam BEFORE he got onto the ship to the new planet. It was a unique take on narrating and I liked the creativity!
I've enjoyed lots of sci-fi, but this one just didn't really... fit me. The writing was stifling and I had to re-read pages to understand what was really going on. The flowery style of writing- I did enjoy- but it masked a lot of what was really happening, and I was confused as I went from one page to the next.
I've looked through a lot of the other reviews, and it seems like most of them are positive and a lot gave this book five stars! So, I'm most likely the odd one out, but this book just didn't suit me as much as I hoped and thought it would.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a review copy!
When I read the synopsis for this book, honestly? I was confused. The synopsis set the book in "a thousand years after Cam gets off the ship" and Cam had to solve a mystery relating to a girl he met a thousand years before. I was intrigued, though!
This book switches perspectives between Cam who's ON the new planet vs. Cam BEFORE he got onto the ship to the new planet. It was a unique take on narrating and I liked the creativity!
I've enjoyed lots of sci-fi, but this one just didn't really... fit me. The writing was stifling and I had to re-read pages to understand what was really going on. The flowery style of writing- I did enjoy- but it masked a lot of what was really happening, and I was confused as I went from one page to the next.
I've looked through a lot of the other reviews, and it seems like most of them are positive and a lot gave this book five stars! So, I'm most likely the odd one out, but this book just didn't suit me as much as I hoped and thought it would.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a review copy!
October 3, 2017
In 2151, humans have ruined the planet Earth. In an attempt to save the human race, they will send two spaceships of people to other planets, waking up 1000 years in the future. But nothing goes as planned when both ships land in the same uninhabitable place among a desolate landscape where deadly creatures lurk in the shadows and unethical leaders remain in charge. Friendships are tested and unexpected betrayals occur as Cam hopes to reunite with his true love and somehow save the remaining survivors. Alternating between the dire events that precipitate the launch from Earth and the unpredictable circumstances on the new planet, Joshua David Bellin explores themes of social justice in this twisty science-fiction adventure.
December 4, 2017
I did not like the writing style or the plot itself. Also the switching of two different settings was confusing.
October 5, 2017
3.5 Stars
Freefall by Joshua David Bellin is a YA dystopian space adventure with a touch of love. I would not go into it specifically for the romance because that was the weakest aspect of the book. The romance was less than mediocre, and it needed to be incredibly ramped up or completely taken out. Cam was feeling insta-love to the extreme and Sofie didn't seem to reciprocate.
I definitely enjoyed the world building here. Earth is dying, corporations run the world and there are no formally recognized countries anymore. There are 2 classes of people "Upperworlders" and "Lowerworlders". They are kept segregated and the Lowerworlders are treated like they are less than human. I also liked that the story was told in alternating chapters between present time and the past. It was really smart to tell this story this way, because you get alternating chapters of world building and adventure.
The writing held promise and I would definitely be interested in reading future books from Joshua David Bellin.
I received an advance reader copy of this book that I have chosen to review.
Freefall by Joshua David Bellin is a YA dystopian space adventure with a touch of love. I would not go into it specifically for the romance because that was the weakest aspect of the book. The romance was less than mediocre, and it needed to be incredibly ramped up or completely taken out. Cam was feeling insta-love to the extreme and Sofie didn't seem to reciprocate.
I definitely enjoyed the world building here. Earth is dying, corporations run the world and there are no formally recognized countries anymore. There are 2 classes of people "Upperworlders" and "Lowerworlders". They are kept segregated and the Lowerworlders are treated like they are less than human. I also liked that the story was told in alternating chapters between present time and the past. It was really smart to tell this story this way, because you get alternating chapters of world building and adventure.
The writing held promise and I would definitely be interested in reading future books from Joshua David Bellin.
I received an advance reader copy of this book that I have chosen to review.
February 15, 2018
This book tells about Cameron's story on Earth in the year 2151 and year 3151. In the year 2151, Earth is beginning to be unhabitable that's why people are moving to a new planet. To do that, people have to be under deepsleep and travel for 1000 years to reach their new home.
When you read the plot, it definitely sounds so interesting. But this was one of the books that was actually quite hard to finish. I just think that it had to much politics in it to be enjoyable. And since I'm the type of person who doesn't care much about politics, it wasn't as much fun. But this contains moral lessons sprinkled through the book.
I did like the twist in the climax of the book. Just very unexpected. And that was the moment the book caught my interest. So I did like reading it in the end.
I do like the science in here. Though fictious, the author definitely read his reasearch.
A book about falling in love, survival, and acceptance, this book has a lot to share.
*i was given an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review
When you read the plot, it definitely sounds so interesting. But this was one of the books that was actually quite hard to finish. I just think that it had to much politics in it to be enjoyable. And since I'm the type of person who doesn't care much about politics, it wasn't as much fun. But this contains moral lessons sprinkled through the book.
I did like the twist in the climax of the book. Just very unexpected. And that was the moment the book caught my interest. So I did like reading it in the end.
I do like the science in here. Though fictious, the author definitely read his reasearch.
A book about falling in love, survival, and acceptance, this book has a lot to share.
*i was given an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review
September 15, 2017
The earth has come to its end and people must now leave the planet or die. The Upperworld people have built a large spaceship, but it will only hold 1% of the population. Cam is one of the lucky ones that gets to leave and have a new life. However, one day he watches an illegal broadcast about the people that live in the Lowerworld and his heart flips over Sophie, a young leader of her people.
He risks everything to find her and join her cause, equal treatment for Lowerworlders and inclusion into the space program. With his help, Sophie and others are able to have another ship, the Freefall, retrofitted and filled with their own people.
The two ships are meant never to meet, but 1,000 years in the future, Cam wakes up on a strange planet, not the one his ship was meant to find. There, strange metal creatures hunt his people at night and a blazing sun burns people to a crisp during the day. All seems lost, until the Freefall appears, also crashing into the dark planet. With hope, Cam desires to find Sophie, but a warped Commander will do anything to keep Lowerworlders from existing, and plans to use them as fodder.
My Thoughts-
This book is told in alternating chapters reflecting the past, when Cam is training for the space program and meets Sophie, and the future, where he is struggling to survive on a hostile planet and rescue Sophie. I found the future to be where all the action lie. I eagerly wanted to read the chapters describing this new world and the horrors present. These creatures that the author creates are horrific and when I found out the truth behind what they really were, holy smokes! I couldn't believe it. Only a truly warped mind could have done that, and the author relates the dealings with the Commander so well, that I had no problem connecting him to the evil. It was chilling.
Now, the chapters about the past are important, but they felt a little heavy to me. I just wanted to get to the good stuff in the future. However, there is a twist ending which I would not have understood if I hadn't read the chapters in the past. So, though I feel like these chapters didn't have to be every other one and could have been more condensed, you do need to read them to understand the ending and Cam and Sophie's relationship.
There is great tension and action in the future chapters that will pull a reader into the journey. Solving the mysteries of what happened to the ships, what the creatures are, and if the people can survive are great plot lines and make this book worth the read. I'm giving it 4 stars!
He risks everything to find her and join her cause, equal treatment for Lowerworlders and inclusion into the space program. With his help, Sophie and others are able to have another ship, the Freefall, retrofitted and filled with their own people.
The two ships are meant never to meet, but 1,000 years in the future, Cam wakes up on a strange planet, not the one his ship was meant to find. There, strange metal creatures hunt his people at night and a blazing sun burns people to a crisp during the day. All seems lost, until the Freefall appears, also crashing into the dark planet. With hope, Cam desires to find Sophie, but a warped Commander will do anything to keep Lowerworlders from existing, and plans to use them as fodder.
My Thoughts-
This book is told in alternating chapters reflecting the past, when Cam is training for the space program and meets Sophie, and the future, where he is struggling to survive on a hostile planet and rescue Sophie. I found the future to be where all the action lie. I eagerly wanted to read the chapters describing this new world and the horrors present. These creatures that the author creates are horrific and when I found out the truth behind what they really were, holy smokes! I couldn't believe it. Only a truly warped mind could have done that, and the author relates the dealings with the Commander so well, that I had no problem connecting him to the evil. It was chilling.
Now, the chapters about the past are important, but they felt a little heavy to me. I just wanted to get to the good stuff in the future. However, there is a twist ending which I would not have understood if I hadn't read the chapters in the past. So, though I feel like these chapters didn't have to be every other one and could have been more condensed, you do need to read them to understand the ending and Cam and Sophie's relationship.
There is great tension and action in the future chapters that will pull a reader into the journey. Solving the mysteries of what happened to the ships, what the creatures are, and if the people can survive are great plot lines and make this book worth the read. I'm giving it 4 stars!
September 28, 2017
FREEFALL
by Joshua David Bellin
On many levels, Freefall, by Joshua Bellin is much, much more than a Young Adult science fiction adventure. Extremely well written, provocative, and expertly imagined, this Older Adult reader was impressed.
Freefall, though taking place on a future Earth and beyond, resonates with a number of topical issues from today’s fractured society. The narrative explores immigration, racism, poverty, friendship, young love in sometimes powerful and moving passages.
As part of the Otherworld Colonization Protocol, seventeen-year-old Cameron Newell is included in a select group of people picked for emigration to a distant, uninhabited planet to restart civilization. The journey will take a thousand years, with Cam and the other passengers aboard the Upperworld starship Executor and those on the Lowerworld starship Freefall in deepsleep the entire time.
But when Cam awakes, at the correct future time, he and everyone else on both ships have landed on the wrong planet – a bleak, blasted, deadly world filled with hideous nocturnal predators – with the ships’ propulsion systems deactivated. What happened to cause this horrible mistake? That’s only one of the mysteries Cam sets out to investigate.
When Cam discovers the leader of the Lowerworld colonists, Sofie Patel, the young girl he loves against all societal mores, is in danger, he puts his own life on the line to save her. Sofie is a terrific, inspiring character, putting me in mind of real-life hero Malala Yousafzai.
More than one shocking twist awaits the reader in the story. All I can say here is – reader beware! These are well done.
My only complaints are minor. Though some very inventive phrases have been created for this future world – Corponation, nanoroids, TransSpeak, terrarist – there’s no new slang the young people use. In fact, “dude” and “dorky” are still around in the year 2150, which is fine, but I would have liked to see something more unique to the time.
Also, a couple coincidences slow the narrative a little. Some essential characters mentioned throughout the book do eventually take on visible and important roles, but seem to be inserted too late in the story to be completely convincing.
Nevertheless, Bellin takes on many important topics in Freefall, reflecting on our own divided world, making Freefall shine in the process. Thought-provoking, exciting, and recommended.
by Joshua David Bellin
On many levels, Freefall, by Joshua Bellin is much, much more than a Young Adult science fiction adventure. Extremely well written, provocative, and expertly imagined, this Older Adult reader was impressed.
Freefall, though taking place on a future Earth and beyond, resonates with a number of topical issues from today’s fractured society. The narrative explores immigration, racism, poverty, friendship, young love in sometimes powerful and moving passages.
As part of the Otherworld Colonization Protocol, seventeen-year-old Cameron Newell is included in a select group of people picked for emigration to a distant, uninhabited planet to restart civilization. The journey will take a thousand years, with Cam and the other passengers aboard the Upperworld starship Executor and those on the Lowerworld starship Freefall in deepsleep the entire time.
But when Cam awakes, at the correct future time, he and everyone else on both ships have landed on the wrong planet – a bleak, blasted, deadly world filled with hideous nocturnal predators – with the ships’ propulsion systems deactivated. What happened to cause this horrible mistake? That’s only one of the mysteries Cam sets out to investigate.
When Cam discovers the leader of the Lowerworld colonists, Sofie Patel, the young girl he loves against all societal mores, is in danger, he puts his own life on the line to save her. Sofie is a terrific, inspiring character, putting me in mind of real-life hero Malala Yousafzai.
More than one shocking twist awaits the reader in the story. All I can say here is – reader beware! These are well done.
My only complaints are minor. Though some very inventive phrases have been created for this future world – Corponation, nanoroids, TransSpeak, terrarist – there’s no new slang the young people use. In fact, “dude” and “dorky” are still around in the year 2150, which is fine, but I would have liked to see something more unique to the time.
Also, a couple coincidences slow the narrative a little. Some essential characters mentioned throughout the book do eventually take on visible and important roles, but seem to be inserted too late in the story to be completely convincing.
Nevertheless, Bellin takes on many important topics in Freefall, reflecting on our own divided world, making Freefall shine in the process. Thought-provoking, exciting, and recommended.
June 30, 2017
The fate of the human race hangs on the actions of two teens from very different backgrounds in this thrilling sci-fi adventure.
In the Upperworld, the privileged 1% are getting ready to abandon a devastated planet Earth. And Cam can’t wait to leave. After sleeping through a 1,000-year journey, he and his friends will have a pristine new planet to colonize. And no more worries about the Lowerworld and its 99% of rejects.
Then Cam sees a banned video feed of protesters in the Lowerworld who also want a chance at a new life. And he sees a girl with golden eyes who seems to be gazing straight through the feed at him. A girl he has to find. Sofie.
When Cam finds Sofie, she opens his eyes to the unfairness of what’s happening in their world, and Cam joins her cause for Lowerworld rights. He also falls hard for Sofie. But Sofie has her own battles to fight, and when it’s time to board the spaceships, Cam is alone.
Waking up 1,000 years in the future, Cam discovers that he and his shipmates are far off-course, trapped on an unknown and hostile planet. Who has sabotaged their ship? And does it have anything to do with Sofie, and the choices—and the enemies—he made in the past?
Bellin is one of my favorite sci-fi authors and this book does not disappoint. It is a perfect read for summer or any time with a believable scenario that makes you feel like we are already living in 2051. Compelling food for thought...which side are you on?
In the Upperworld, the privileged 1% are getting ready to abandon a devastated planet Earth. And Cam can’t wait to leave. After sleeping through a 1,000-year journey, he and his friends will have a pristine new planet to colonize. And no more worries about the Lowerworld and its 99% of rejects.
Then Cam sees a banned video feed of protesters in the Lowerworld who also want a chance at a new life. And he sees a girl with golden eyes who seems to be gazing straight through the feed at him. A girl he has to find. Sofie.
When Cam finds Sofie, she opens his eyes to the unfairness of what’s happening in their world, and Cam joins her cause for Lowerworld rights. He also falls hard for Sofie. But Sofie has her own battles to fight, and when it’s time to board the spaceships, Cam is alone.
Waking up 1,000 years in the future, Cam discovers that he and his shipmates are far off-course, trapped on an unknown and hostile planet. Who has sabotaged their ship? And does it have anything to do with Sofie, and the choices—and the enemies—he made in the past?
Bellin is one of my favorite sci-fi authors and this book does not disappoint. It is a perfect read for summer or any time with a believable scenario that makes you feel like we are already living in 2051. Compelling food for thought...which side are you on?
November 9, 2017
This one just didn't quite hit it for me -- there are some great elements -- an all too believable dystopian future of have and have-nots, a wildly imaginative off-world experience, and a quick pace, with adventure piling on adventure.
However, some of the key plot points just weren't believable to me, and I found the romantic angle troubling at best -- from the protagonist's wildly extravagant attempts to engage with the object of his affections, to the extreme objectification of Sofie, who at least doesn't quite obligingly fall in line with Cam's romantic overtures, but is still just troubling. She's a prize to be won. She's a love interest that never shows any of her real personality. She's a betrayer of a relationship that never existed outside of Cam's mind. If you're looking for a chilling depiction of young male entitlement in our society, then I think you might really enjoy this book. She seems to be considering falling in love with him at the end, so I guess there's hope for the obsessed and unrequited.
Sorry, man, I'm pretty sure I missed the whole point of the book, but it gives me the ick.
Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.
However, some of the key plot points just weren't believable to me, and I found the romantic angle troubling at best -- from the protagonist's wildly extravagant attempts to engage with the object of his affections, to the extreme objectification of Sofie, who at least doesn't quite obligingly fall in line with Cam's romantic overtures, but is still just troubling. She's a prize to be won. She's a love interest that never shows any of her real personality. She's a betrayer of a relationship that never existed outside of Cam's mind. If you're looking for a chilling depiction of young male entitlement in our society, then I think you might really enjoy this book. She seems to be considering falling in love with him at the end, so I guess there's hope for the obsessed and unrequited.
Sorry, man, I'm pretty sure I missed the whole point of the book, but it gives me the ick.
Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2017
Make no mistake, FREEFALL by Joshua Bellin is clearly a swoon-worthy Romance. However, it is also a socio-ecological-economical-political treatise set in a futuristic sci-fi world. This story is told from Cam Newell's point-of-view in an authentic male teen voice and emotions.
Teachers, I recommend this novel for reluctant readers. I haven't seen the Lexile rating, but I doubt it's above a 6.5. The time and place shifts consistently, alternating between past on Earth and present on a distance planet. However, the reader is given guidance with these shifts with year-dates in the headings. More subtly, the tenses change--past for past on Earth, and present tense for the space-planet chapters.
Interesting twists await in the climax and resolution, ending on a satisfying note. Bellin is a master at world-building.
I received an ARC of FREEFALL in exchange for an impartial review.
Teachers, I recommend this novel for reluctant readers. I haven't seen the Lexile rating, but I doubt it's above a 6.5. The time and place shifts consistently, alternating between past on Earth and present on a distance planet. However, the reader is given guidance with these shifts with year-dates in the headings. More subtly, the tenses change--past for past on Earth, and present tense for the space-planet chapters.
Interesting twists await in the climax and resolution, ending on a satisfying note. Bellin is a master at world-building.
I received an ARC of FREEFALL in exchange for an impartial review.
October 5, 2017
For those who have read Joshua Bellin’s riveting duology following Querry Genn as he and his colony try to survive in a hostile environment, Survival Colony 9 and Scavenger of Souls, it would seem that Bellin exhausted his imaginative trove of scary creatures and diabolical humans. Not so. Bellin’s latest sci-fi fantasy of post-apocalyptic Earth, Freefall, provides another sobering look at environmental devastation and human frailties.
Bellin retains a teenage protagonist in his new contribution for Young Adult readers with Cameron Newell, a privileged Upperworld seventeen year old, who must channel his adolescent angst into productive efforts to keep himself and those he cares about safe from the onslaught of terrifying encounters with deranged humans and bio-mechanical creatures. In a story of love, friendship, betrayal and forgiveness, Cam comes to understand his capacity for controlling the impulses of his heart so that his all-consuming attraction to Sofie, the young spokesperson for the Lowerworld, does not compromise long-standing friendships he cultivated in the Upperworld. In a thinly-veiled parody of the current tensions in the United States between the affluent 1% and the other 99%, Bellin offers a commentary on the extent to which those hostilities would affect the survival of the human race when faced with such an environmental catastrophe that the Earth becomes uninhabitable.
Told in alternating chapters between the demise of Earth in 2150 and the effort to colonize a distant planet in 3151, Bellin shows Cam’s evolving maturity from a love-struck narcissist who is superficially attracted to Sofie’s golden eyes to a deeply committed advocate for social justice. In the process, his relationship with his parents is compromised and he strains the friendships he originally had with Adrian and Griff. When confronted with otherworldly life or death contests that test Cam’s physical and emotional limits, he must learn to rely on his wits when events go seriously awry and his instincts when the human race is threatened with extinction.
Bellin’s stand-alone book is a fast paced, imaginative tale that draws on his enduring interest in sci-fi thrillers with terrorizing monsters, and his intense allegiance to environmental sustainability and scientific inquiry. Along the way, he offers characters that are richly drawn and recognizably flawed. It’s the way he presents edgy situations that are both real and surreal for the characters to tackle that keep the reader engrossed and the story relevant to today’s youth with teen vernacular and anxieties that threaten to spiral out of control. Freefall demonstrates that Bellin has refined his ability to weave environmental and social commentary into gripping tales on future landscapes that hold the worst-case scenarios of our willful disregard for our fragile environment and selfish refusal to include diverse perspectives in order to endure as a species. The stakes couldn’t be higher and the implications won’t be lost on his readers.
Bellin retains a teenage protagonist in his new contribution for Young Adult readers with Cameron Newell, a privileged Upperworld seventeen year old, who must channel his adolescent angst into productive efforts to keep himself and those he cares about safe from the onslaught of terrifying encounters with deranged humans and bio-mechanical creatures. In a story of love, friendship, betrayal and forgiveness, Cam comes to understand his capacity for controlling the impulses of his heart so that his all-consuming attraction to Sofie, the young spokesperson for the Lowerworld, does not compromise long-standing friendships he cultivated in the Upperworld. In a thinly-veiled parody of the current tensions in the United States between the affluent 1% and the other 99%, Bellin offers a commentary on the extent to which those hostilities would affect the survival of the human race when faced with such an environmental catastrophe that the Earth becomes uninhabitable.
Told in alternating chapters between the demise of Earth in 2150 and the effort to colonize a distant planet in 3151, Bellin shows Cam’s evolving maturity from a love-struck narcissist who is superficially attracted to Sofie’s golden eyes to a deeply committed advocate for social justice. In the process, his relationship with his parents is compromised and he strains the friendships he originally had with Adrian and Griff. When confronted with otherworldly life or death contests that test Cam’s physical and emotional limits, he must learn to rely on his wits when events go seriously awry and his instincts when the human race is threatened with extinction.
Bellin’s stand-alone book is a fast paced, imaginative tale that draws on his enduring interest in sci-fi thrillers with terrorizing monsters, and his intense allegiance to environmental sustainability and scientific inquiry. Along the way, he offers characters that are richly drawn and recognizably flawed. It’s the way he presents edgy situations that are both real and surreal for the characters to tackle that keep the reader engrossed and the story relevant to today’s youth with teen vernacular and anxieties that threaten to spiral out of control. Freefall demonstrates that Bellin has refined his ability to weave environmental and social commentary into gripping tales on future landscapes that hold the worst-case scenarios of our willful disregard for our fragile environment and selfish refusal to include diverse perspectives in order to endure as a species. The stakes couldn’t be higher and the implications won’t be lost on his readers.
November 18, 2017
One word that I would use to describe this book: unique. This word represents just the book in general, because of multiple things, including the writing style, the story itself, and the new futuristic worlds that the author creates.
As I was reading this book, there were many things that I liked, but also many things that I disliked. For example, I loved how the author would describe the differences between the "Lowerworld" and the "Upperworld," which in this society, are the poor and the rich. The Lowerworld has hunger, poverty, crime, and small villages. The Upperworld has cities, money, no crime, and some even have the option of travelling to other planets. This is described well in the book and was interesting to read about. But, I didn't always like the writing style. Every time there was some type of intense situation, the author would start a new paragraph, but only say one sentence and/or action to keep up the suspense.
Also, the ending had some big twists that made no sense to me because they got in such deep detail. Some of it made sense after I finished the book and re-read some parts of it, but a lot of it was just too much. The ending of the book was also just kind of too happy for the circumstances, in my opinion.
One other thing that I disliked about the book is the fact that I could not find myself to like the characters all that much. Cam and Sofie are supposed to be meant for each other, or at least in Cam's eyes. He expresses that throughout the story so much it gets annoying, even though that's what keeps the entire story together and running. I got really tired of him saying over and over again how much he loved her. It's great and all that he's found love, but we don't need to be reminded of it every single chapter.
You really have to be a certain type of person to enjoy this book. I don't think that adults would like it if they're not into space travel, or teenage relationships. You have to like both of those things, because that's the whole book. I think that it was good in the creative story sense, but not as descriptive in small details, not that those types of things always matter. So, I would recommend it to teens who just like a good, long, creative story with action and love.
As I was reading this book, there were many things that I liked, but also many things that I disliked. For example, I loved how the author would describe the differences between the "Lowerworld" and the "Upperworld," which in this society, are the poor and the rich. The Lowerworld has hunger, poverty, crime, and small villages. The Upperworld has cities, money, no crime, and some even have the option of travelling to other planets. This is described well in the book and was interesting to read about. But, I didn't always like the writing style. Every time there was some type of intense situation, the author would start a new paragraph, but only say one sentence and/or action to keep up the suspense.
Also, the ending had some big twists that made no sense to me because they got in such deep detail. Some of it made sense after I finished the book and re-read some parts of it, but a lot of it was just too much. The ending of the book was also just kind of too happy for the circumstances, in my opinion.
One other thing that I disliked about the book is the fact that I could not find myself to like the characters all that much. Cam and Sofie are supposed to be meant for each other, or at least in Cam's eyes. He expresses that throughout the story so much it gets annoying, even though that's what keeps the entire story together and running. I got really tired of him saying over and over again how much he loved her. It's great and all that he's found love, but we don't need to be reminded of it every single chapter.
You really have to be a certain type of person to enjoy this book. I don't think that adults would like it if they're not into space travel, or teenage relationships. You have to like both of those things, because that's the whole book. I think that it was good in the creative story sense, but not as descriptive in small details, not that those types of things always matter. So, I would recommend it to teens who just like a good, long, creative story with action and love.
December 27, 2019
As a freshman in high school, I was reading the book Freefall by David Bellin. As I read the book I recognized that the book had a magnetic pull. Bellin wrote the story from a privileged upper class citizens view, Cam, who meets Sofie, a lower class destitute citizen. It drew my attention in with its undeniable climate change realization. Bellin used his climate change knowledge to show the realistic aspect that humans play in the role of climate change. As a result he used the personal stories of those who would be impacted by climate change to draw the reader's attention. I dove into the love story of Cam and Sofie ready for any past clues that could help me get insight to what caused this climate outbreak.
The climate was changed by both by upper-world and the lower-world but others are always looking to point fingers. This relates to the climate change that we see in the world that we live in today. We are slowly warming them earth from all the CO2 being released into the atmosphere and if we don't slow it down it down the consequences will be deadly. The reader is affected by how soon this heartbreaking climate change has come for example the book is based in the year 2151, which in realization only 130 years away.
Though this novel was mostly romance it did have an enormous socio- ecological- economical- political cli-fi world. This book can interest anyone who is interested in a climate romance novel or someone who is involved in changing the rate our climate change is continuing. I loved reading how Cam and Sofie grew closer or further apart, it can give you an insight look on how climate can change society and the world we live in. Overall the book was able to draw young love into an issue that the world faces as a political and social argument. The only thing I was confused about was if it was cli-fi or sci-if because of the enormous amount of science the book contains. I would recommend this book not only because of the great knowledge it contains but also because of how close to home it hit.
The climate was changed by both by upper-world and the lower-world but others are always looking to point fingers. This relates to the climate change that we see in the world that we live in today. We are slowly warming them earth from all the CO2 being released into the atmosphere and if we don't slow it down it down the consequences will be deadly. The reader is affected by how soon this heartbreaking climate change has come for example the book is based in the year 2151, which in realization only 130 years away.
Though this novel was mostly romance it did have an enormous socio- ecological- economical- political cli-fi world. This book can interest anyone who is interested in a climate romance novel or someone who is involved in changing the rate our climate change is continuing. I loved reading how Cam and Sofie grew closer or further apart, it can give you an insight look on how climate can change society and the world we live in. Overall the book was able to draw young love into an issue that the world faces as a political and social argument. The only thing I was confused about was if it was cli-fi or sci-if because of the enormous amount of science the book contains. I would recommend this book not only because of the great knowledge it contains but also because of how close to home it hit.
October 21, 2017
This read is a blend of intriguing plot and disappointing sudden emotional attraction (instant love). Overall the book is well-written although at times the wording feels unnecessarily complicated. The science side of things sounds solid and flows with the overall plot thus giving credence to the situations and reasoning although there is an overabundance of information provided that I didn't feel was necessary to enjoy the book. I wasn't thrilled with the choice of words or descriptions for the people remaining on Earth or the other political elements that just seem taken from current headlines rather than original. For a book that's supposed to be YA, I felt there was entirely too much unnecessary language I wouldn't want my youngest son (13) to hear, much less read in a book. I stopped reading at this point and was going to list this read as a DNF but my eldest son picked up the book and decided to read it and offer me his thoughts. He pointed out that the planet Cam's ship landed on sounds an awful lot like a blend of Crematoria from The Chronicles of Riddick and the planet from Pitch Black. He agreed with most of my points although he did state that YA books seem to all have that instant love. Overall, there are good aspects about this read and some areas that could use polish, editing, and some general improvements. We received an ARC through the author in exchange for an honest opinion, which may or may not align with yours.
August 11, 2017
This science fiction tale centers on earth, a dying planet, and the planned re-settlement of colonies on planets light-years away. Cam is set to go with a privileged group of earthlings who will travel for 1,000 years to a planet that can sustain human life. Before he leaves, he sees a video of rebels protesting the fate facing the Lowerworlders who will not get the opportunity to escape the dying planet. Cam is transfixed by one of the rebel leaders, a girl named Sophia. He’s obsessed with meeting her and becomes sympathetic to their cause. Cam’s friends turn on him for betraying their elitist way of life and sympathizing with the lower eschelons. Eventually the rebels apply enough pressure and get permission to have a separate spaceship that will take them to their own planet of refuge. Hundreds of years later, when Cam’s spaceship lands, it’s not the inviting planet they expected and all is not as they were told it would be. Complicating matters even more, the Lowerworlders have landed on the same planet. Just how could these mistakes have happened and what are the dangerous creatures that inhabit this planet?
This book should have been better. The characters lack depth and there’s a failure to follow-through on plot developments. An absence of passion and of consequences makes the book fail to achieve its full potential.
This book should have been better. The characters lack depth and there’s a failure to follow-through on plot developments. An absence of passion and of consequences makes the book fail to achieve its full potential.
May 1, 2018
I found this book to have a slow start, but a very interesting topic. The book is about a guy named Cam who lives in the top 1% families of the world, called the Upperworld. The Upperworld has control of the world, over the Lowerworld, and there is extreme prejudice against them. The planet is dying and the world decides to take 1% of the Upperworld to a new planet. The main character, Cam, is one of these passengers, and before he leaves, he finds a banned video and meets a revolutionary leader, named Sofie, and falls in love with her and her cause. The Lowerworld gets their own starship, the Freefall, and the ships of both worlds meet on a dead planet, unplanned and suspicious. The book continually goes between the present and the past every other chapter, kind of breaking the flow of the book, but overall, when the book came together, It had a very good ending. The past did provide some useful information on the future and its setup did make the book a little unique, but it probably could of had a better flow and effect if the past and present were separate sections of the book. This book was still good as a whole, and the ending was good.
July 27, 2017
I received an advance copy of this via Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this but I didn't. I had two big problems. The insta love aspect that the protagonist, Cam, feels for the girl he sees, Sofie. I also had a problem with the Terrarists - the Low world protesters (it's most likely an earth pun but they were described in a way that left me feeling not so great).
Aside from that I loved the world building in this I think it was really well thought out aside from the minor quibbles I had and I could easily envision the world that exists without too much of a thought. The back and forth between past and present also added another dimension to the way things developed which I thought was unique but at points the insta love story dragged down what I thought was an interesting sci-fi premise.
I liked this but I didn't. I had two big problems. The insta love aspect that the protagonist, Cam, feels for the girl he sees, Sofie. I also had a problem with the Terrarists - the Low world protesters (it's most likely an earth pun but they were described in a way that left me feeling not so great).
Aside from that I loved the world building in this I think it was really well thought out aside from the minor quibbles I had and I could easily envision the world that exists without too much of a thought. The back and forth between past and present also added another dimension to the way things developed which I thought was unique but at points the insta love story dragged down what I thought was an interesting sci-fi premise.
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