Breaker (Break, Burn, Build Book 1)

Ship Breaker

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They had insane chemistry and are fantastic together. They are now one of my favorite couples. Jude and Henry were great side characters and besties to our guys. I was hoping they would get coupled up but I've read that they will be involved with different people. Bummer for sure, but then again I am just happy that they will get their own book. Dylan's family was a great addition to the story. I loved how close they were and enjoyed their banter and the stories they told about one another. I liked how welcoming they were to Gabe.

His mom was really funny as was his brother. I can't say enough how much I enjoyed this book. I love a story that can make me laugh and make me lose myself enough to where I forget the world and all my problems. Pick this one up dolls! I just know you will love it! View all 34 comments. Aug 21, Judith rated it really liked it Recommended to Judith by: Heather the Queen of Smut Books.

I was a bit sceptical going into this one,let's face it,it's a story line that's been done to death Dylan has been working for Gabe for two years and he's getting more and more infuriated with his grumpy boss. Despite their seemingly hatred for each other there's a bubbling attraction and lust that's just waiting to be unleashed There was a lot I liked about this and a few things that infuriated me, -I absolutely loved the banter between them,especially from Dylan.

This was British humour at it's best. I didn't skim any These two are deliciously filthy and Gabe likes the dirty talk.

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And what's better than a bit of desperate office sex? And don't get me started on the scene with the Fleshlight I couldn't put it down once I started. Slight niggles, -the subject of Dylan being a doormat seems to be a contentious issue. Whatever you think of Gabe he made it very clear from the start that he wasn't looking for a relationship or commitment. The fact was, Dylan just wanted him any way he could get him in the beginning and thankfully he did man up. This seems to be one people either love or hate.

Personally I enjoyed it a lot and would definitely recommend it.

View all 66 comments. Dylan was very good at his job, but wasn't strict on adherence to always following office protocols, like not confronting your hard-ass boss when he's being an unreasonable, temperamental douche. And if Dylan had been wronged, he was a master at the subtle art of getting a motherfucker back. Sure, unless someone caught something on video, let's go with that. And that was after he'd had his morning sludge, I mean coffee. He also had a reputation of going through assistants like Kleenex. And then Gabe met Dylan, who somehow managed to remain in his employ for over two years, despite how they constantly and actively tormented one another.

Both of these MC's gave as good as they got, so the story was rife with snark and banter , yet I still found myself wanting a bit more of both, because I freaking live for witty comebacks and slack-jawed takedowns. For those first two years, the guys had managed to hide their mutual attractions pretty well, then a ski holiday just prior to an upcoming conference required that Dylan accompany Gabe and his dick-hole, model boyfriend on the trip to help finish up work preparations.

During their time away, both MC's got to know a lot more about the other, enough for the UST to start bubbling over and masks to begin slipping. From that point on, the book is one big ole' rollercoaster ride of emotions running hot and cold , as Dylan began to develop feelings for Gabe, and Gabe did everything within his power to keep those feelings from taking root. My favorite part of the book was the Christmas visit to Dylan's family farm , which I felt was the beginning of, well, the beginning for Dylan and Gabe to finally start coming together.

Then there was some major high drama , which was not quickly, but thankfully worked through. With the help of a few friends. Loads and loads of patience. The steamy bits were pretty smoldering ; however, I couldn't really decide if there was just enough steam or a bit too much. It was a fine line, and I wasn't entirely sure on which side the story had landed.

But the eventual bareback scene? They showed just how much Gabe had grown to both trust and value Dylan for the amazing person and partner that he was. I'd rate this book at around 4. View all 49 comments. Sep 09, Heather K dentist in my spare time rated it liked it Shelves: Part of me adored this book! I couldn't put it down, and I read the majority of the story in one sitting.

For one, the editing needed to be cleaner. That is a pet peeve of mine in self-publishing, and I noticed the errors a few times while reading. But my main issue was that Gabe really treated Dylan like crap. I know he had his super special reasons , but he was really, really bad to Dylan, and I kept wanting Dylan to leave him and take a stand.

However, I could get past Gabe being awful if Dylan had made him grovel and wait and suffer when Gabe got his act together Dylan was a total doormat, and while he was a really fun character with lots of spunk most of the time, Gabe was just not deserving of him. I also didn't quite get Gabe's split personality.

If you are going to make a character a hard-ass, let him be a hard-ass. Gabe vacillated between being a total jerkweed and no-nonsense business man and a mush. I just didn't quite connect the two as part of the same person. Though I was disappointed with Gabe and Dylan's relationship dynamic, I found the writing and the storyline to be really engaging. Like I said, I couldn't put it down, and I didn't quite want it to end. For most readers, this will be a home run, but if you are sensitive to one-sided relationships, YMMV.

View all 8 comments. I feel like I've been steamrolled. This little book just came out of nowhere, popping up on my feed. A LOT of great reviews, while some seemed to hate it. I knew when some of my friends who've got similar tastes to mine started posting about it, I had to dive into this one. Holy crap, people, this was totally my cup of tea. Snarky banter at its finest, great writing, heavy steam, AND relationship angst!!!!!!

Dylan is an assistant to a wealthy lawyer, Gabe Foster. He h I feel like I've been steamrolled. He hates him and plots his death regularly. Dylan would have us believe that as the narrator, but Dylan always protested way too much Did Gabe say things that were out of line? But Dylan gave him a run for his money right after he started. So that by two years later, as the book opens, it's snarky-banter-foreplay at its finest. It's not in the bloody cupboard where it should be. But Dylan is staying far, far away from any temptation. Gabe is his boss, of course. Who has a boyfriend. Although said boyfriend is a completely vapid wanker, and neither Gabe nor Fletcher are faithful to the other.

And Dylan, who only does relationships, knows that anything with Gabe would be a monumentally bad idea. After two years, a sequence of events lead to Dylan seeing sides to Gabe that he's never seen. None of these seemed manufactured. It all seemed to unfold organically, and the UST was done so freakin' well, folks, I thought even I was gonna combust. Taking care of Gabe when he was sick, meeting his closest friend, learning about his awful childhood, it all led to a level of intimacy for Dylan that flowed right off the page.

The long looks and eye fucking were done so well, I thought I'd have to get a hose for these two. Gabe plays hot and cold really well. Every time he and Dylan share a "moment," he backs off and uses cutting words to establish their place. As boss and employee. But the UST can only go on so long. How much these two want each other is a tangible thing, and they do eventually wind up giving in and slipping between the sheets.

Holy forest fire, Batman! I haven't read a sex scene done that well in quite a while. Maybe it was the build up and tension. Maybe it was the way the scene was written. Here is where the story got complicated and riddled with relationship-angst. Gabe was completely honest with Dylan from the beginning. He told Dylan he wasn't looking for a serious relationship, that it could only be one night of sex.

And Dylan was ok with that. I wish I could be the one for you. Maybe we can just make each other feel good while it lasts. Gabe is honest, and Dylan knows what he's getting into. This is where some readers got ranty in their reviews, and I completely get it. Some people didn't appreciate Gabe's actions after this point in the book, but it totally worked for me. It seemed authentic to his character, and the author clearly showed Gabe's development from his preconceived notions about love. He is so tender and affectionate one minute, and he pulls away the next. He constantly tells Dylan that he doesn't want to hurt him, but does over and over again.

He does this all the time, little moments of care and warmth in a sea of hot sex followed by indifference. But Dylan's heart is fully engaged. And because Gabe shows such a different side to himself with Dylan, he knows Gabe feels something. The shared moments of intimacy just can't be one-sided. It's because of this that Dylan lets it go on as long as he does. But one "too intimate" moment shatters everything.

It's a downward spiral from there, and you can literally feel the foundation of their relationship crumble. What could've happened is Dylan being a complete doormat. But that just wasn't the case. I was so proud of the way he handled himself. There were some jaw-dropping moments, Gabe's actions or words followed by Dylan's backbone.

This story was truly executed amazingly well. These characters were so fleshed out. It's easy to see why Dylan fell so hard for him. It's easy to see why Dylan stood up for himself. I felt every tender moment, every piece of Dylan's heart breaking The author shattered me and put me back together. The HEA is hard-won in this book, and the author didn't disappoint with this either. The last chapters and epilogue show things full circle. I tore through this book in one sitting, and it goes straight to my "Best of " shelf. View all 29 comments.

Sep 15, Gigi rated it really liked it Shelves: I now see why this book is so beloved by readers! It was witty and funny and sexy and smart and heartfelt. Christ, it was perfection. Best epilogue I've even read. This is a kick-ass romance. View all 11 comments. Aug 22, Nazanin rated it really liked it Shelves: It was really an unexpected read! I hated and loved it!

Not at first, I mean I liked it at first then hated it at the middle and then liked it again! It took me out of my comfort zone but maybe because I was in the mood I enjoyed it! With two characters that I loved one o 4. Both of them were poisonous for each other! I loved it, hope you enjoy it as well! View all 36 comments. Oct 25, Wendy rated it it was amazing Shelves: I was a bit worried about reading this one, because of the mixed reviews, but I am happy to say that I absolutely loved it!!

I was hooked from the very first page. The writing style really pulled me in, and the MC's were awesome. I love myself a redeemable asshole, and Gabe totally hit the mark ; I am a big fan of "office" romances. It has a "forbidden" element to it, that always gets to me. It was also quite hilarious at times, which really upped the rating for me I am still fanning myself Dylan has been Gabe's assistent for two years now.

Both of them are out and proud gay men. These two had such amazing banter going on I laughed my ass off!! Even the emails above every new chapter had me laughing out loud. I loved how Gabe was a bit of an asshole and how Dylan didn't take his shit. He was pretty snarky himself ; Talking about assholes I was a bit worried about Gabe being a huge one. For me this was not the case. Sure he was snappy and he did make a huge mistake towards the end, but it was nothing I consider to be unforgiveable. Believe me when I say Gabe never lied to Dylan.

He was honest about what he wanted from the get go, and Dylan knew what he was getting himself into. That said, I was glad that Dylan wasn't a push-over either, and when it became too much These two were HOT, funny and made for each other. I really enjoyed this one and I highly recommend it. I just hope there will be another book soon, about the side-characters My reviews are posted on DirtyBooksObsession View all 30 comments.

My oh my oh my oh my. I seriously had my doubts about this one. This was an absolutely fantastic fun and angst-lite read full of yummy delicious goodness. Fabulous snarky banter, wonderful hot UST, and oh so satisfying culminations intermixed with that lovely push pull of insecurity, doubt, and longing. Yes, Gabe is a huge commitment phobe and does he a 4. Yes, Gabe is a huge commitment phobe and does he at times, treat Dylan poorly?

Unfortunately, he does, but the important thing to know is that he has valid reasons. Gabe comes around, and these two get their wonderful HEA. View all 16 comments. Sep 14, Dia rated it it was amazing Shelves: I don't know why it took me so long to get to it. I saw many great reviews from my friends, but I still didn't expect to enjoy it so much! Oh the banter was delicious! And the chemistry was great!!! Dylan and Gabe were SO hot together.

To round up or down?!?! Initially I was going to round down. There were just too many times I wanted to junk punch Gabe. Then he would do something sweet and he'd be back in my good graces. And then there was the banter. Which let's face it.

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Good banter will win me over every. And in the end, Gabe did redeem himself. So yeah, I loved this one. Pretty much gobbled it up in one sitting. View all 4 comments. Every single time it gets me. If you can throw in a made family I'm likely to be putty in your hands. I got choked up a couple times. I found myself grinning and, most importantly, I didn't want it to end. Gabe and Dylan are boss and employee. They've worked together for two years and maybe at one point Dylan actually thought he hated Gabe, but all the "hating" was more lip-service to me, so if you're looking for an enemies who become lovers via hate sex this is not that book.

What you can count on is witty banter, tension so thick you can cut it with a knife, sexy times and feels. I was not mad at it, but sex is just one component of their relationship. The romance and the erotica were well balanced, IMO. Dylan narrates the story of he and Gabe and he is sassy, snarky, witty and generally hilarious. He also has the biggest heart, a heart big enough to make up for the dearth of love in Gabe's past. What impressed me was how well developed Gabe was even though we don't get his perspective until the epilogue.

Morton did an incredible job of doling out pieces of the Gabe puzzle so that by the time the Christmas sequence happened, I knew. I do wish I understood that club scene better, though. I'd dance a jig for a short from Gabe's perspective.

Gabe is a grump and an alpha, but it was so hard for me not to like him. It's obvious that most of his curmudgeonly ways are a defense mechanism, because everybody leaves. He just can't handle losing anyone else so he's closed himself off and told himself he's happy inside his beautiful and sterile shell. The trajectory of their story was predictable in a broad sense but I found it no less compelling for it; it had to happen that way to balance their relationship otherwise Dylan would always question it.

So, yes, expect a glorious HEA. I have a weakness for the possessive and growly ones and Gabe gets about eleventy kabrillion different kinds of possessive and growly once he's committed to Dylan. Maybe it did get a little sappy and maybe I thought Gabe's turnabout was quick, but the flip side of that coin is he's in love for the first time in his life.

Weren't we all a little punch drunk and heart eyed the first time? But then he played "In Your Eyes" for Dylan and even the cynic was slow clapping while surreptitiously grabbing a tissue for acute onset allergies. Also, for all two of you who haven't read it already, here's the link to Gabe's proposal that we sort of got dangled with in the epilogue. A review copy was provided. View all 32 comments. Aug 25, Ele rated it it was amazing. And in the end, I rate my books based on my enjoyment. I didn't see a doormat in Dylan, and I 've seen worse assholes than Gabe.

I truly believe that love can bring out the worst in people sometimes, before it gets better. I loved the emails, my favourite being the last one. One of the most satisfying endings ever. View all 26 comments. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. But I decided to give the author another shot for the gorgeous cover by Natasha Snow and because the blurb hooked me. Top shelf banter, friends. Dry and snarky with a bit of innuendo turns my book crank. The MC's are likeable.

Gabe is a snarky prick with a touch 4. Gabe is a snarky prick with a touch of vulnerability and Dylan is all heart and sass. I loved Dylan's bff, Jude and I'm hoping the author gives him his own book. Gabe is damaged and the more you get to know him you see glimpses of how amazing and vulnerable he is underneath the snark and asshole behavior.

You know all through the book that his walls are titanium and nothing can tear them down He has what he feels are valid reasons for being afraid, this isn't your usual commitment-phobe MC. He is absolutely honest from the beginning with Dylan about not wanting a relationship. I wanted to kick his nuts up into his throat, no joke At first, Dylan goes with it because he thought he could handle it and tries to hang on because he agreed to it and just wants to love him through it. Until he can't anymore. I was so scared Dylan was going to slide right into the doormat behavior but even though he fumbled around, he never took Gabe's shit.

For awhile their relationship is toxic but when Gabe pushes too far Dylan threw his shit right back at him and actually sticks to his guns. There's a separation period for those that hate that. Those of you that know me, know I hold a grudge and once a MC does something unforgivable he is unredeemable to me.

Gabe opens himself up to finally admit his feelings and realizes that even though he's terrified, he'd rather live with Dylan than ever be without him again. There's not much groveling, but there is a heartfelt moment where Gabe poors his heart out and that's HUGE for him and a big step in the right direction. Usually I like a bit of groveling but this felt truer to the characters. Gabe never opens up and Dylan has such a big heart, this just worked for them. The story is told in Dylan's POV.

The author did a good job in conveying Gage's vulnerability and fear despite his asshole tendencies. But the drama with Gabe was OTT and contrived. Really who fucking does THAT??!? I don't think a lot of readers will find him redeemable or even very likeable. Seeing how Gabe has evolved not completely changed because snark and their relationship has thrived was great. Getting to see Gabe meet Charlie Hunnam however was absolutely amazing: Nothing much far-fetched or impossible here. This future is grim and rusty. The planet's natural resources are exhausted, the global warming is happening, Antarctica is gone, cities drowned.

Nailer, the main character, makes his living stripping old ships off of their metals which will be then so As seen on The Readventurer So, a reread after a dystopia-overstaffed year, and Ship Breaker still stands out. Nailer, the main character, makes his living stripping old ships off of their metals which will be then sold to big corporations to be recycled over and over again. His life takes a turn when he comes across a wrecked ship whose only survivor is a girl who is the heir to one of the biggest corporation in the world.

Nailor has to decide what to do about this girl - to help her or take advantage of her strained circumstances However, the reread highlighted the fact that, compared to Bacigalupi's adult works pretty much all of which I devoured after reading Ship Breaker , this book is a tad juvenile, middle grade almost, and it touches only the surface of the issues the author explores so well and so thoughtfully in his adult fiction. Reading Ship Breaker for the second time, I just wanted more, because I knew how much more there was to this world Bacigalupi imagined. I am not trying to dismiss Ship Breaker 's accomplishments.

Judged on its own, this novel is one of the strongest in the genre of dystopian YA. But if you are first a fan of Bacigalupi's adult work, I am afraid this book might just not be enough. If you are new to Bacigalupi, go ahead, take a gentle dip into his dark imagination, Ship Breaker is a good primer. What he offers in his adult fiction is much uglier and more terrifying. View all 41 comments. Mar 05, Maggie Stiefvater rated it it was amazing Shelves: The packaging is fantastic.

I know this is shallow of me, but the rusty, oily cover effects on the hardcover?

Rule Breaker

Completely won me over. And after reading the book? Loved it even more. Also, I thought I understood the title when I began, and then I thought it stopped being relevant, and then suddenly it was much more relevant than it was to start.

It has effortless world-building. In pages, I felt like I knew exactly how this incredibly different future America worked and what it looked like, and it felt horrifyingly plausible. But I like it. It gets in and gets out and nobody even knew it was there. Just what this sort of story neded. This world is subtle and scary. It looks plausible -- and the attitudes are recognizable even from this side of the printed page. I love reading dystopic fiction, but I hate hopelessness.

My mom might read it. Just read it and find out. Just a neat and satisfying package, all in one. Do yourself a favor and read it. View all 21 comments. Apr 01, karen rated it liked it Shelves: Queens Museum and Colden Center are community landmarks to frequent with family and friends. Queens Theatre erupts with vitality and emerald trees with concerts by Ugandan children and more to excite us. Hall of Science for budding scientists and curious.

In Queens there's so much to do, or relax and stare at a rainbow or invite black, white, red, yellow and brown for rainbow gatherings. Play a little music for your community of neighbors. They know thoughtful or buoyant talk abounds with us. They leave admiring the breeze and the trees. View all 35 comments. May 05, Nancy rated it it was amazing Recommended to Nancy by: It was fun, gripping, violent, tense, bleak and there was even a little sweetness at its core. As soon as I started reading this story, I had a dream I was salvaging copper wire from grounded ships.

My boss reprimanded me because I was not making quota and also because I was rapidly gaining weight, which made it difficult to fit into small places. My fingers were like sausages, unable to retrieve the copper wire, and I was soooo hungry… I woke up, made myself some scrambled eggs and sausage, and continued reading.

Thank the Fates it was not me who was performing this dangerous, back-breaking labor, but Nailer, an uneducated teenage boy. He works with a crew of kids his own age who face a similarly grim future. Violent storms have devastated the Gulf Coast region and rising seas have submerged entire cities. I love how this story explores poverty and class differences, friendship, family and survival.

It does not shy away from violence or death. But it will still be there. It never goes away. It was the people that mattered. If they covered your back, and you covered theirs, then maybe that was worth calling family. Everything else was just so much smoke and lies. Sure, there are a few flaws. This is an exciting, well-written, and highly imaginative story. What are you waiting for? View all 32 comments. In a dystopian future wracked with environmental disaster, a young salvager named Nailer's world is turned upside down when he stumbles upon the find of a lifetime, a magnificent clipper ship, and and its beautiful owner, a rich girl named Nita Paolo Baciglupi crafted quite a tale in Ship Breaker.

You've got familial conflict, ecological disaster, young love, dystopia, what's not to like? Not a lot, frankly. The world Bacigalupi has created is quite something. The cultures are very believable, In a dystopian future wracked with environmental disaster, a young salvager named Nailer's world is turned upside down when he stumbles upon the find of a lifetime, a magnificent clipper ship, and and its beautiful owner, a rich girl named Nita The cultures are very believable, especially in today's uncertain economic and ecological times.

Nailer, Nita, and the others are three dimensional characters and Ship Breaker easily rises above just being another young adult novel. Did I mention I loved the cultures depicted within? The scavengers had a rough yet believable life and Nita's transformation from swank to pseudo-scavenger was very well-done. One thing that was foremost in my mind was Paolo Bacigalupi's skills as a writer. When Nailer was in danger of drowning in oil, I found myself getting more and more frantic, even though, rationally, I knew that since pages were left, he'd probably survive.

While a lot of people mention the budding romance between Nailer and Nita, by far my favorite part was the filial showdown between Nailer and his father. Yeah, I'm way past the point in my life where I feel like kicking my dad's ass but I remember those days. Actually, the plot is my least favorite part of the book. The world-building easily super-cedes it. The characters and the world take center stage.

Yeah, it wouldn't have been as good if it had ended differently but what are you going to do. Don't let the YA label sway you. View all 26 comments. Aug 01, Maggie Boehme rated it it was ok. I read this in early summer looking forward to seeing it live up to all the awesome reviews I read. I was totally disappointed. To sum things up, I think it shouldn't have been published. He has a great world and a great story -- the whole idea of ship breakers is AMAZING and his world building is solid -- but three things really bugged me the whole time I was reading: I thought he needs editing, big time.

His sentences didn't flow for me and he re-used the same words I read this in early summer looking forward to seeing it live up to all the awesome reviews I read. His sentences didn't flow for me and he re-used the same words about a hundred times, until I was ready to personally mail him a dictionary.

Like the word 'feral'. I've never known a writer to use the word 'feral' so many times. I think the MC was the wrong person. I felt like the main story was about this girl that he rescues. I would have preferred to be in her head, since she was the one with all the secrets and the excitement and the danger at her heels. The MC just felt -- to me -- like he was useless to the story. One of the villains and a pretty main villain didn't really have motivation for what he did.

He just killed and killed and killed like a destructive machine. There was nothing to make us feel sorry for him or get into his phsychie. I like complex villains, and even better ones that are slightly slightly sympathetic. At least none I ever picked up on. That being said, you should go read it and tell me what you think. These things tend to bother me in whatever book I read. I'm kinda amazed Ship Breaker won an award. View all 24 comments. Jan 27, David Schaafsma rated it really liked it Shelves: So what happens to old ships when they die? And what will happen to the thousands of ships as the oil runs out and we return to sailing clippers, as the cities drown and the poor scramble for their small share of the diminishing resources?

Ship Breaker is a YA dystopian novel about a time in the not too distant future when the coasts are significantly diminished, when the oil is gone, when category 6 hurricanes—city killers—have finally destroyed key coastal cities like New Orleans. The rich—the So what happens to old ships when they die? But what do the poor do? It is a brutal life, violent, with people scrambling close to starvation. Our hero is maybe 15 year-old Nailer, whose abusive Dad is a drug addict; they live in a hut on the beach.

He is protected somewhat by Pima and her Mom, Sadna. He belongs to a scavenge crew, just barely surviving, but tenacious, and resourceful. One day a city killer wipes out everything on the beach, as it sometimes does, and Pima and Nailer travel down the beach to find a broken clipper with one swank survivor, Nita, and unbelievable riches on the boat.

They get there first, but soon they are not alone. Something to do with ethics in the face of disaster, and the nature of family. What will we cling to, what matters to us as we fearfully face each other? It speaks of ethics and belief systems that support ethical actions. But it is better at world-building by far than story.

That world will stay in my head for a while. Atlantic Monthly article on Ship Breaking: National Geographic article on Ship Breaking in Bangladesh: A YouTube video copy of a documentary on Ship Breakers. View all 4 comments. Apr 16, Melki rated it liked it Shelves: The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.

Somewhere, Newt Gingrich will be beaming. Meet a generation of Lost Boys and Girls. They don't wanna grow up because getting bigger means they can no longer squeeze into those narrow passageways. Might as well sell your body for medical experiments, or in this case, organ harvesting. Creepy and fascinating stuff, and if the whole book had carried on in this vein, it would have been an instant 5-star read. Nailer, our hero, finds a clipper ship, wrecked in a recent storm.

Boarding this veritable gold mine, he discovers "Princess" Nila, and THIS is where the story hits a wall, then limps off in the wrong direction. Nila is not technically "a princess", but she is a rich girl. Had Nailer not been smitten by her loveliness, perhaps he would have cut her fingers off, stolen her rings, and started his own, "kinder, gentler" ship breaking company. But, instead we descend into "Rescue the Princess" mode, and pfffftt Sorry if my disappointment is showing.

The first 90 pages held SUCH promise View all 11 comments. Aug 03, Patrick rated it it was amazing. I read this earlier this year and really, really dug it. Very tight and well-written. Gritty without being bleak, and sometimes dark without being depressing. View all 3 comments. Aug 02, carol. Four and a half stars of young adult goodness. His short stories are hard for me, as in hard-edged, hard-hitting, hard-healing. I liked The Wind-Up Girl, mostly, though I was troubled by the lack of feminism and the bleakness of the dystopia.

Young adult might be the area where Bacigalupi and I best intersect; Ship Breaker is full of his evocative prose, great world-building, and is generally more Four and a half stars of young adult goodness. Young adult might be the area where Bacigalupi and I best intersect; Ship Breaker is full of his evocative prose, great world-building, and is generally more hopeful, more identifiable, and more empowering.

View all 5 comments. May 05, Stephen rated it really liked it Shelves: While his catalog is not yet extensive, I have yet to read a novel or short story by Paolo Bacigalupi with which I have not been impressed. This is another great book with sharp, well written dialogue, a fast-paced story and an interesting main character.

As a YA book it is a home run. The only reason is does not get the full 5 stars from me is that, as a YA novel, the det 4. The only reason is does not get the full 5 stars from me is that, as a YA novel, the detailed world-building that was so incredible in The Windup Girl is less prevalent in this story in order to keep the narrative moving and the page count manageable.

I only hope that there is a sequel that will allow the author to expand and fill in some of interesting "hints" that were made about the state of the world. A good read but not, I eventually realised, for me. The story is about a boy called Nailer who works hard gathering copper wiring from old oil tankers in order to make quota and keep his pitiful job. A bleak and miserable future years from now. One day he finds something on board a wrecked clipper ship that is destined to change his life forever in ways he could never have imagined But, ah, there was a bit too much oil and ships and copp A good read but not, I eventually realised, for me.

But, ah, there was a bit too much oil and ships and copper wiring for me. There were some great fast-paced action scenes, some real gritty nastiness and the author had a tendency to describe the gory details very accurately. I thought some parts were better written and more interesting than others but, on the whole, the story failed to grab me and, thereby, failed to hold my interest. One of my favourite parts of this book were the constant moral battles the characters faced of self-preservation vs doing the right thing.

Getting rich or saving a life? Helping your colleague out of a sticky situation or using their misfortune to further your own career prospects? The tagline of the book is: But loyalty is scarcer. And that couldn't be a better summarisation of what the novel is about. I was thankful that, even though a lot of the story is built around trust or lack of and relationships, there was no birds-singing, cupids-flying, starry-eyed romance; it seems to be an almost unavoidable component in modern dystopian fiction and it made a nice, refreshing change.

Jul 25, unknown rated it it was ok Shelves: This book is a really good example of why I almost always find YA literature unsatisfying: I am, sadly, no longer a YA though my A status might be called into question from time to time. See, I just finished this book called The Windup Girl , which is about a post-oil society in which man's unchecked manipulation of the environment - from drilling into the ground to extract oil to drilling into the very DNA see what I did there? It's an ambitious, harrowing, difficult book, with an expertly drawn cast of characters, none of whom you'd want to call a hero or even a friend, but you ache for them because you know exactly why they do, and are forced to do, the sometimes terrible things they do to survive in a world we might be making right now.

Ship Breaker, which happens to be by the same very talented guy, Paolo Bacigalupi, takes all those big ideas and crams them into a wholly pedestrian YA template, sketches the interesting details, and concentrates too hard on a simplistic, predictable plot. Don't get me wrong: The notion that in a society strapped for resources, the remains of the excessive waste of our era - including huge oil tankers - would be stripped for resources by bands of glorified slave laborers many of them children, because they can slip their soft, supple bodies into tight ducts and tubes and such is a pretty good one, and from what we see of it, not at all far-fetched, since its a condition that basically already exists in much of the third world, where children literally live in the dumps they scavenge for scrap they sell to survive.

Then there are the other amusements, like hey, genetically bred creatures that are half-man, half-dog, which is obviously a commentary on, um, our modern day exploitation of I had fun debating whether this one takes place in the same world as Windup Girl, and if so, if it's the same era. But an interesting world doesn't make an interesting book, and the plot really didn't do it for me, mostly because once it finally gets going, it's a lot of waiting around, then a lot of traveling, then a big action scene, and it all goes exactly how you think it will, right down to the rather lame and poorly justified romantic angle.

The people who expect to be good are good, the ones you think are secretly eviiiil are evil, etc. I know it's for teenagers, but I am writing this review for other adults if not, sorry about any swearing , and I was bored. Credit where it's due: Bacigalupi lets his main character do some nasty stuff, like contemplate muder and even kill a few people.

In this respect, at least, he has more balls um than Suzanne Collins, who never quite lets Katniss be totally badass in Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset you know what I mean: I think she only murders for sport once in the series to date, and it's not a very cold-blooded killing at that. Not to rag on that series, because I like it a lot more than Ship Breaker, and Katniss would totally annihilate whoever the nondescript main character of Ship Breaker is name?

Provided, you know, he wasn't first unexpectedly attacked by genetically modified bees. View all 8 comments. Jan 22, Arlene rated it liked it Shelves: Let me point out upfront that Ship Breaker is an award winner of the Michael L. This novel does a good job of setting the stage to portray the struggles of loyalty, integrity and ethics. It begs the questions of: How far will someone go to rise above their desperate means in search of something better? Overall though, the plot is compelling, the writing is solid and the cast has a good balance of good versus evil.

So what was my hang up? It was more like being navigated through bleak events as a complicit bystander with no real vested interest in any of the characters or outcome. That just goes to show you that mood, perspective and timing is everything in the reading experience. I guess I needed something a bit more uplifting at the moment.

View all 6 comments. Jul 20, Stephanie rated it really liked it Shelves: Please tell me this is the first in a series! I really liked this and I hope to read more about Nailer, Pima and Nita and the world they live in. I live along the Gulf Coast and this world captured my imagination.

The story is set on the oil slicked Gulf Coast in a world where everything has fallen apart and the cities of today are now under water. Nailer and Pima work the "light crew", stripping valuable copper and aluminum from the hulking wrecks of old freighters and oil tankers. The crews tha Please tell me this is the first in a series! The crews that work this stretch of beach are divided into light crew and heavy crew and once you get too large for light crew, you have to fight for a spot on a heavy crew.

Life on Bright Sands Beach is full of back-breaking labor, dangerous conditions, and near-starvation. If the job doesn't kill you, the polluted environment will. Things take a radical turn for Nailer and Pima after a "city-killer", a massive hurricane, sweeps through their beach, nearly killing Nailer's father, the evil Richard Lopez. Only due to the efforts of Pima's mother, does Lopez survive. In the aftermath of the storm, Nailer and Pima decide to scavenge through the debris far up the beach, to an area that is an island during high-tide but accessible by a strip of sand during low-tide.

What they find there could change their lives. It's a clipper ship, beached and broken, and one lone survivor, a beautiful "swank" girl, with more riches on her fingers than Pima and Nailer could hope to earn in their entire lives. Could she be their ticket out of Bright Sands? Maybe, but they would have to keep alive and safe until her people come for her. And Bright Sands is full of predators, including Richard Lopez, who will stop at nothing to get his "lucky strike", even if it means killing his only child to get it. Love this book, can't wait to read more!

Jul 12, Clouds rated it it was amazing Shelves: Following the resounding success of my Locus Quest , I faced a dilemma: It took my 5 days to read Ship Breaker , because real life kept getting the way. Left to myself, I would have easily blitzed through this puppy in a single sitting — not even stopping to eat. The world as we know it has gone to wrack and ruin. He works for the Light Crew, scavenging copper wiring from the beached hulks of oil tankers. This is gritty, likeable, fast paced and enthralling reading. Guess which was my favourite? This is about great human qualities — loyalty, trust, faith, determination, self belief, resourcefulness, and never-say-die attitude.

The characters have depth and flaws — I cared about them. There are definitely elements in common, but not enough to be sure. My instinct said same world, but earlier in the timeline. I loved Ship Breaker. After this I read: Aug 28, Michael rated it liked it Shelves: In Michael Springer's review of Ship Breaker , he uses a narrative account of his experience working at Rally's Hamburgers as a parallel to the type of work the book's characters are engaged in, and follows this lengthy digression with a political rant that goes on in one seemingly endless sentence for several hundred words.

The actual time invested in discussing characters or events from the book come in a brief paragraph at the end, almost as an afterthought to the rants that have come before. This is fairly typical for the reviewer's style, although it's a vast improvement over his review of the children's book, In the Night Kitchen: That said, what can we say about the quality of this review of Ship Breaker?

If one were interested in deciding whether or not they'd enjoy the book, it's hard to imagine how the reviewer's multiple experiences wounding himself while cooking hamburgers will help us determine whether we ought to read it or not. Likewise, the reviewer's ravings about the madness of the political system in the United States, and his accusations that "all of us, every one of us on this website, all of my goodreader friends, are just pawns to the American Empire, forever blinded by the superficial bickering of political hacks while those with the money lurk behind the scenes, pushing an agenda that subjugates those in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and all of the middle east, those most of us would rather embrace than marginalize It seems that overstatement is the rule of the day, considering the reviewer chooses to portray his own mediocre job at a fast food restaurant which he admits he only worked at for two months with the slavery-like conditions experienced by the children in the book.

At their jobs extracting copper from abandoned ships, they ran the risk of death on a daily basis, whereas Michael's worst experience involves a fairly mild burn on his finger. In one of the few evaluative statements in the entire review, Michael states that, in comparison to Paolo Bacigalupi's previous novel, The Windup Girl , "This book gargles donkey cum. When attempting to actually review the book in his final paragraph, Michael proves himself inept: He mentions the book is part of the science fiction movement known as "biopunk," but quickly moves on to other territory without defining this term, or explaining why this term matters in our understanding of the book.

Perhaps, if the reviewer were to view this "review" as a rough draft, or a brainstorm for ideas, he might eventually develop something worth reading. However, the review seems to have happened as a stream-of-consciousness rant that only tangentially has any connection with the novel in question, and then attempts to flesh out a review at the last minute before fizzling out ambivalently. If one is inclined to read a review of Ship Breaker on the goodreads. In comparison to these reviews that actually contain substance, Michael's review clearly gargles donkey cum.

Dec 25, Morgan F rated it really liked it Recommended to Morgan by: Ship Breaker takes places in a gritty, grim future, where the divide between the rich and the poor is deeper than ever.

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