Stephanie Jane
New Member
IA: B.O.S.S.
by John Darryl Winston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Having enjoyed the first book in John Darryl Winston's dystopian trilogy, IA: Initiate, in December last year, I have been looking forward to the second installment, IA: Boss. Fortunately I was lucky enough to win copies of both in a Goodreads giveaway! Thanks John!
IA: Boss starts pretty much exactly where I A Initiate left off which ensures strong continuity. Winston does indulge in recaps of important information, but these are concise and placed at relevant moments so they don't slow the story's pace unnecessarily. Naz is coming to terms with his new-found chess playing skill and wonders at what else he may unknowingly excel. This, and a glance from an attractive girl, leads him to try out for the basketball team. Much of IA: Boss' plot is driven by action on the basketball court or centred around interactions between the team members and Coach Fears. Knowledge of the game would definitely help understand these scenes in depth, but, as a complete ignoramus(!), I don't think I actually missed any vital story elements and I did enjoy watching Naz's personal growth as he learns to trust his team mates. Winston does a great job of promoting qualities such as loyalty and reliability without ever seeming to preach to his readers.
IA: Boss did feel much like part of a larger tale rather than a story in its own right so I wouldn't recommend reading it as a stand-alone book. It concentrates more on Naz's school life so we see less of the wider city this time around. I felt this created a more claustrophobic feel to the prose, as though the outside world is closing in. We get more mysterious glimpses of Cory, Naz's father, and I am intrigued by foster mother, Miss Tracey. (Not just wondering who on earth thought she was a suitable carer for troubled children either!) Emotionally charged events (no, I won't say what happens) are well-handled considering the YA target readership and it was interesting to see Naz's responses and increasing maturity. I will admit to being shocked by the ending and according to Goodreads, the third novel, IA: Union, isn't out until 2017. I am hoping Winston writes faster than that!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Having enjoyed the first book in John Darryl Winston's dystopian trilogy, IA: Initiate, in December last year, I have been looking forward to the second installment, IA: Boss. Fortunately I was lucky enough to win copies of both in a Goodreads giveaway! Thanks John!
IA: Boss starts pretty much exactly where I A Initiate left off which ensures strong continuity. Winston does indulge in recaps of important information, but these are concise and placed at relevant moments so they don't slow the story's pace unnecessarily. Naz is coming to terms with his new-found chess playing skill and wonders at what else he may unknowingly excel. This, and a glance from an attractive girl, leads him to try out for the basketball team. Much of IA: Boss' plot is driven by action on the basketball court or centred around interactions between the team members and Coach Fears. Knowledge of the game would definitely help understand these scenes in depth, but, as a complete ignoramus(!), I don't think I actually missed any vital story elements and I did enjoy watching Naz's personal growth as he learns to trust his team mates. Winston does a great job of promoting qualities such as loyalty and reliability without ever seeming to preach to his readers.
IA: Boss did feel much like part of a larger tale rather than a story in its own right so I wouldn't recommend reading it as a stand-alone book. It concentrates more on Naz's school life so we see less of the wider city this time around. I felt this created a more claustrophobic feel to the prose, as though the outside world is closing in. We get more mysterious glimpses of Cory, Naz's father, and I am intrigued by foster mother, Miss Tracey. (Not just wondering who on earth thought she was a suitable carer for troubled children either!) Emotionally charged events (no, I won't say what happens) are well-handled considering the YA target readership and it was interesting to see Naz's responses and increasing maturity. I will admit to being shocked by the ending and according to Goodreads, the third novel, IA: Union, isn't out until 2017. I am hoping Winston writes faster than that!
