You don't want to mess with Durango.
He left his crew behind.
His father is dead.
And he's going to prove himself to Vienne,
even if he dies trying.
As he races through flood
and fire and across a violent
and terrifying planet,
there's a 97% chance he's
going to die trying.
But who's counting.
Invisible Sun
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
In this stand-alone companion to Black Hole Sun (2010), Gill returns to his fascinating future world: a postapocalyptic Mars trashed by Earth emigrants. Our guides to this strange new world are two renegade teenage mercenaries: Durango and Vienne. Durango, the son of a morally corrupt politician, is a rowdy, carefree teen seeking to escape his roots, and he is hopelessly in love with Vienne. We learn about Vienne’s past and then see her embark on a dangerous odyssey as she is captured by an enemy corporation and used as a killing machine. This swift read features constant, bombarding action and subplots to spare. Durango’s clever banter with his interior sidekick—the acerbic Mimi, his former chief who has been installed in his brain as an artificial intelligence system—is a highlight, employing the witty, realistic thoughts and retorts of a teen boy. Mimi calls Durango “Cowboy,” and indeed, there is a strong western flavor to Gill’s science fiction. The tense cliff-hanger ending, with a cute Star Wars reference, will leave readers poised for more. Grades 8-11. --Debbie Carton
Review
Praise for Black Hole Sun: “Rockets readers to new frontiers . . . action-packed.” (Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games )
“Black Hole Sun grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go until the last page. In the best tradition of Heinlein and Firefly, Black Hole Sun is for readers who like their books fast-paced, intense, and relentless. Buy it, read it, pass it on!” (Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Wintergirls and Speak )
“Science-fiction fans will cheer Durango on in his exploits and enjoy the twists in the novel’s satisfying conclusion.” (School Library Journal (starred review) )
“Fast-paced, compulsively readable, and outright funny.” (The Horn Book )
“Action, adventure, sci-fi, and horror buffs will all find this an almost perfect mix of all of the genres.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books )
“In this stand-alone companion to Black Hole Sun (2010), Gill returns to his fascinating future world: a postapocalyptic Mars trashed by Earth emigrants. . . . Durango’s clever banter with his interior sidekick . . . is a highlight.” (ALA Booklist )
“Black Hole Sun grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go until the last page. In the best tradition of Heinlein and Firefly, Black Hole Sun is for readers who like their books fast-paced, intense, and relentless. Buy it, read it, pass it on!” (Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Wintergirls and Speak )
“Science-fiction fans will cheer Durango on in his exploits and enjoy the twists in the novel’s satisfying conclusion.” (School Library Journal (starred review) )
“Fast-paced, compulsively readable, and outright funny.” (The Horn Book )
“Action, adventure, sci-fi, and horror buffs will all find this an almost perfect mix of all of the genres.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books )
“In this stand-alone companion to Black Hole Sun (2010), Gill returns to his fascinating future world: a postapocalyptic Mars trashed by Earth emigrants. . . . Durango’s clever banter with his interior sidekick . . . is a highlight.” (ALA Booklist )
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
First Impressions: I read Black Hole Sun late last year and I really enjoyed it, so I was happy to receive Invisible Sun for review. This is a series that I think both guys and girls will enjoy because it contains a little something for everyone. Both books have a male lead, which is awesome, but I really do think that girls will like this book too. I know I did! If you haven't read Black Hole Sun yet, I would definitely suggest checking it out before you pick up Invisible Sun. You could read the second book before the first, but you may end up confused. It can work as a stand-alone novel though if need be.
First 50 Pages: The writing in Invisible Sun is fantastic and it contains just enough science fiction lingo without becoming overbearing. That is one thing I have to give major props to the author for; I'm usually confused with most sci-fi novels, but not with these books. David makes these books easy to follow and understand. Not only that, but his dialogue is perfection and highly entertaining, which makes his characters have a very likable quality. Honestly though, the best thing about both books is that nothing overshadows anything else. The author found the right balance in all aspects of his books that it makes it difficult to come up with anything negative to say.
Characters & Plot: Invisible Sun follows two central characters, Durango and Vienne, who are Dalit, or Regulator Mercenary Soldiers who get paid very little to do dirty jobs nobody else really wants to do. In this book, Durango's mission is to steal data from the crime lord, Lyme, before he can get his own hands on it. And let all of Durango and Vienne's crazy adventures begin!
Both Durango and Vienne are just plain old awesome! Durango is smart, witty, and has a good head on his shoulders. I love that he can ask for help and not feel ashamed doing so, while at the same time, he never gives up trying to accomplish what he has set out to do. He grew quite a bit in Invisible Sun and doesn't seem as childlike and innocent as he did before. We also are able to learn more about his background in this book, which helps to know why he is the way that he is. I have a feeling that there is still more back story when it comes to Durango and I am hoping that I'll find out what it is in the next book. Something seems to still be missing.
Vienne is my favorite type of female character. She is a total badass and she knows how to handle her own business. She has absolutely no problem taking on the tough guys and she doesn't try to hide it from anyone. In Black Hole Sun, we really didn't get too much back story about Vienne either, but we do in Invisible Sun. Why Vienne is the way that she is makes SO much more sense now after reading this book, and I can't wait to read more about this particular character.
Final Thoughts: If I have any complaints about this series, is that maybe it isn't as edgy as I would like it to be. I believe it is geared towards a younger reader, so that may be why I feel like it could use a little extra drama or emotion. Other than that, I'm not disappointed at all with how Invisible Sun turned out. If you are into science fiction writing and enjoy very likable, funny characters, definitely check out this series!
First 50 Pages: The writing in Invisible Sun is fantastic and it contains just enough science fiction lingo without becoming overbearing. That is one thing I have to give major props to the author for; I'm usually confused with most sci-fi novels, but not with these books. David makes these books easy to follow and understand. Not only that, but his dialogue is perfection and highly entertaining, which makes his characters have a very likable quality. Honestly though, the best thing about both books is that nothing overshadows anything else. The author found the right balance in all aspects of his books that it makes it difficult to come up with anything negative to say.
Characters & Plot: Invisible Sun follows two central characters, Durango and Vienne, who are Dalit, or Regulator Mercenary Soldiers who get paid very little to do dirty jobs nobody else really wants to do. In this book, Durango's mission is to steal data from the crime lord, Lyme, before he can get his own hands on it. And let all of Durango and Vienne's crazy adventures begin!
Both Durango and Vienne are just plain old awesome! Durango is smart, witty, and has a good head on his shoulders. I love that he can ask for help and not feel ashamed doing so, while at the same time, he never gives up trying to accomplish what he has set out to do. He grew quite a bit in Invisible Sun and doesn't seem as childlike and innocent as he did before. We also are able to learn more about his background in this book, which helps to know why he is the way that he is. I have a feeling that there is still more back story when it comes to Durango and I am hoping that I'll find out what it is in the next book. Something seems to still be missing.
Vienne is my favorite type of female character. She is a total badass and she knows how to handle her own business. She has absolutely no problem taking on the tough guys and she doesn't try to hide it from anyone. In Black Hole Sun, we really didn't get too much back story about Vienne either, but we do in Invisible Sun. Why Vienne is the way that she is makes SO much more sense now after reading this book, and I can't wait to read more about this particular character.
Final Thoughts: If I have any complaints about this series, is that maybe it isn't as edgy as I would like it to be. I believe it is geared towards a younger reader, so that may be why I feel like it could use a little extra drama or emotion. Other than that, I'm not disappointed at all with how Invisible Sun turned out. If you are into science fiction writing and enjoy very likable, funny characters, definitely check out this series!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Young mercenary Durango survived some pretty wild stuff in Book 1, Black Hole Sun. Now he's going to learn some hard life lessons when he counts on his youthful invincibility to save him and his kinda girlfriend/loyal lieutenant Vienne from a whole new kind of enemy: humans. Corrupt, warlord/mafioso-type humans, naturally. Sure, Durango has his AI, Mimi, to help him, and Vienne is the ultimate warrior, but even that might not be enough in the decaying Mars colonies. Durango does get taken home to meet the equivalent of Vienne's family (think Buddhist shrine with martial arts), saves some refugees, and tries to find out the truth about his late father's experiments. But everything blows up in his face (often literally), and Durango mishandles things right and left. I really like Gill's ruthless take on Book 2. It reminds me a little of what Megan Whalen Turner puts supposedly invincible thief Gen through in her own Book 2. Not very many writers have the guts to go this far in making life hard for their heroes, frankly.
Like Black Hole Sun, Invisible Sun has a lot of violence. It's pretty dark stuff with high guy appeal. Durango's adventures make Mad Max look like a Sunday drive through the Australian desert. if you want gut-wrenching sci-fi dystopian with a real dose of testosterone, read both these books and join me in waiting breathlessly for Book 3.
First line: "Vienne points the gun, squeezes the trigger, and fires a live round square into my chest."
Like Black Hole Sun, Invisible Sun has a lot of violence. It's pretty dark stuff with high guy appeal. Durango's adventures make Mad Max look like a Sunday drive through the Australian desert. if you want gut-wrenching sci-fi dystopian with a real dose of testosterone, read both these books and join me in waiting breathlessly for Book 3.
First line: "Vienne points the gun, squeezes the trigger, and fires a live round square into my chest."
By Kris
Format:Hardcover
This is going to be a short review for a book that deserves way more than this. However, it's a good book, and I do not want to give away too much.
The world building and culture development are excellent. The Martian laws and the people's ways of life both incorporate Chinese elements from Chinese philosophy to swearing in Chinese. It is amazing to read about, and I can only imagine what it would be like to live there. The characters are strong as well. I'd be pressing hard to ask for a better character to follow than Durango. He is a fun character with great humor, and I enjoyed reading his conversations with Mimi. Vienne is mysterious and interesting, the latter of which applies to many secondary characters. Not to mention the terrific villains.
The writing is as witty and interesting as the characters. There was never a dull moment. Overall, Invisible Sun is an epic read that I highly recommend. Silly me didn't realize that this is the second book in a series. While it works as a stand alone, I definitely missed out on something here and will be revisiting this book as soon as I've read book one.
The world building and culture development are excellent. The Martian laws and the people's ways of life both incorporate Chinese elements from Chinese philosophy to swearing in Chinese. It is amazing to read about, and I can only imagine what it would be like to live there. The characters are strong as well. I'd be pressing hard to ask for a better character to follow than Durango. He is a fun character with great humor, and I enjoyed reading his conversations with Mimi. Vienne is mysterious and interesting, the latter of which applies to many secondary characters. Not to mention the terrific villains.
The writing is as witty and interesting as the characters. There was never a dull moment. Overall, Invisible Sun is an epic read that I highly recommend. Silly me didn't realize that this is the second book in a series. While it works as a stand alone, I definitely missed out on something here and will be revisiting this book as soon as I've read book one.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pure awesomeness!
For those of you who don't remember or who didn't read the blog a year ago, BLACK HOLE SUN by David Macinnis Gill was one of my absolute favorite reads of 2010. Read more
Published 13 months ago by P. J. Hoover
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not Your Usual YA Gender Roles
I read the first book Black Hole Sun after I got an ARC at ALA 2010. I liked it, but wasn't especially into it. Actually, I gave away my copy of that one. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Christina (A Reader of Fictions)
5.0 out of 5 stars
Action-Packed, Humor, and Romance! Love It!
Invisible Sun is an action-packed roller coaster ride, with lots of humor and cute romance. I have been reading a lot of Young Adult novels written by men lately, and I'm loving... Read more
Published 14 months ago by I Heart YA Books
