Monsters of Men (Reissue with bonus short story) - Chaos Walking

2nd time through & enjoyed it just as much!! Meant for young adult readers, but still so much us "old farts" can learn or be reminded of! Leaders of people show be required to read it - they'd do their jobs better!!

Needed something to read so grabbed Knife of Never Letting Go and couldn't stop there. Monsters of Men proved to be another great piece to the story of life lessons, knowing and practicing right from wrong and following ones heart.

I totally agree with the other 2 star reviewers that this book need serious editing. HOW many times can Todd and Viola be betrayed the same way and NOT do anything about it?!? Also, if I never hear the names Todd or Viola again it will be too soon.

A most brilliant, beautiful, breathtaking conclusion to an amazing series. Whereas I read the prequel, and the first two books, I listened to this one. The narration here was as close to perfect as one can get. I was completely immersed in the story. Hearing this third and final installment was a seamless transition thanks to how wonderfully it was performed.

The story itself deserves a mention, if only to address an issue others may confront when beginning this final chapter in this stunning trilogy. My best friend of nearly three decades, she and I almost always read the same books. Our tastes are that well matched. Given that she had a similar reaction, I’m betting we aren’t the only ones.

The first two books, they are full of hope, and promise. There’s a foreshadowing throughout in them, that just maybe, things will find a way to settle, such that all the groups at the center of the story will ultimately come to a satisfying compromise. This third book, however, from its very beginning, it buries its readers in violence and cruelty, followed by evil beyond what most of us may have come to expect from the series.

Much of the book occurs in a setting that is rife with such wickedness. There is so much of everything that is BAD and WRONG with humanity reflected in here. My best friend abandoned the book less than 15% into the story.

Me personally? I struggled with it all. Whereas the first two books only took me a day or two to complete, this one took over a week. It wasn’t until at least 60% in that I began to trust in Ness, and in the series, enough to know that I would not abandon it until I had read the last page.

I am so very thankful that I stayed with it! It was fantastic. Such a rare treat. Especially given that each book in and of itself was a gorgeous wonder. And the series? Absolutely one of the best I’ve ever read.

So speaking to anyone who may have had similar issues with this final book, I urge them to stay with it, to trust that Ness has his reasons ... that our vicarious suffering for the people in this story for whom we have developed a real affinity, that our emotional investment in them, none of it is misplaced. And the reward of having completed this last book, and therefore the series, it feels great.

An awesome conclusion to an exceptional series.

Dun. Dun. Dun. The unpopular opinion curse has punished me once again… Because behold: I didn’t love the final book of the Chaos Walking trilogy as much as I expected and hoped I would. And trust me, I am still shocked myself I feel this way as well. Despite some minor issues with the slang used in the first two books, I was actually really enjoying this series so far. Like most people who have read at least part of this trilogy, I have really grown attached to both Todd and Viola and I was really looking forward to find out how things would end for both of them. I was expecting to devour Monsters Of Men despite its whopping 600 pages… But that wish didn’t came completely true in the end. Why? First of all, I want to make clear I didn’t hate this story despite the things Patrick Ness does to make my poor heart suffer. I just don’t think it was as good as the first two books. I have been wondering if this has to do with the fact I read A Monster Calls in between and nothing will ever be able to live up to that story… But here’s me trying to explain why I gave Monsters Of Men a lowish rating compared to most. I will not take into account the use of the slang, which I have repeatedly said I didn’t like and since the use is consistent throughout the series won’t affect my relative opinion of Monsters Of Men. It wasn’t the how Patrick Ness decided to end it all or how he made us readers suffer along with the characters either. No, my mean problem with Monsters Of Men is the new POV that is suddenly introduced into the story. A new POV, would you ask? Isn’t this series just about Todd and Viola? Well, the third book is now also about ‘The Return’. This new POV and its chapters left me mostly feeling confused and instead of adding an interesting new angle to the story, I mostly struggled trying to understand what they were talking about or who/what they were referring to. Honestly, I was never able to warm up to those chapters and even confess I started skimreading them at one point. I can’t deny they are beautifully written and Patrick Ness is a pro at creating creative and unique prose, but this POV just wasn’t for me and put a real damper on the rest of the story. I just wish he would have sticked with the Todd/Viola POVs instead… But I guess we can’t have it all. I feel really sad I wasn’t able to like this final book better though.

Like most reviewers I liked the first book, managed to slog through the second with difficulty and couldn't finish the third. I lost interest in this one by page 100 or so, but continued skimming an increasingly silly story until page pg. 546. Then I finally said "Why am I doing this?" and quit. I don't care what happened to any of these increasingly dumb characters. Pet peeve: this are people who recently fought a lengthy and difficult war with the alien Spackle before winning and essentially enslaving the surviving enemy (nice touch that). However, throughout these books (especially the third) they seem to have absolutely no idea how to accomplish even the most elementary military tasks. Meanwhile the formerly hapless Spackle come up with a bunch of magical weapons never hinted at before. The story finally falls apart with a tired wheeze under the weight of coincidence and contrivance.

Chaos Walking Book 3
*Monsters of Men*
I am literally overwhelmed after reading this book. I was literally shaking while reading the last sentence, ''Keep Calling Viola, Cuz here I come', this book is astonishingly the best dystopian Fantasy book that I have read in my life. Even if I read a thousand more stories they wouldn't give me the feeling that this book did. It is complicated, philosophical, emotional and makes you think about peace and how to live life. Its the first time a Fantasy book has shook me so much. Absolutely fantastic and remarkable. As compelling as it is original. This is the third book in the Chaos Walking Trilogy as you must have already known. Here, 3 characters narrate the plot, namely our major Protagonist Todd Hewit a.k.a The Knife, Viola Eade and finally a Spackle branded as 1017 a.k.a The Return a.k.a The Sky. I never though 1017 would be a major charachter in the book but Patrick Ness gives you things that you never imagine, even in your dreams. The book starts of from where it was left of previously, when the Spackle charge against the people of the New Prentisitown and later about the efforts of the Mayor, Todd, Viola and Mistress Coyle to attain peace for once and for all for the betterment of the world. But things turn very nasty as various characters realize their own needs and their own monsters hiding beneath them and unleash them at the moment of truth and destroy everything that they hoped for. It is a very powerful philosophical book that is also fun to read, with witty dialogues, facts about humanity, humanism and human feelings and emotions. Let no my words demotivate you to read this book! There are a lot of action scenes, combat scenes, Noise Wars, Witty humour and dialogues that just blow away your mind. I really wonder how much the characters have grown since I started this series. It has really influenced me and changed the way I think, this book is unique if anything. I would strongly recommend you to read this book as fast as you can withing 3-4 days and that's really difficult as it is a bit more than 500 pages but still worth everything and better than I have read so far. The Mayor is another attraction, I bet no other author could frame and develop such a influential and moving anti-hero such as the Mayor David of the New Prentistown. He is formidable, powerful, dominating and a lot more scary if you let him out of hands. I cannot explain the feeling in words. The end is particularly nice and there's a bit of mystery at the conclusion that Ness leaves to the reader to figure out. This is truly a bookbuster. Viola and Todd finally realize their motive in the world and how it works. Patrick Ness has personified human characters and shaped them in such a way that they will please you and also they will make you think and reflect upon the way you live. The dialogue 'Wars make monsters of men' is essentially true. The book also gives us a message of peace and harmony. I bet I'll remember the last sentence in the series, 'Keep Calling Viola, Cuz Im Coming' till eternity and why that is so I'll leave it for you to find out! Ness is nothing more than a God for me now! Thanks for writing such a good material. Readers stop scrolling, and purchase a copy of The Monsters of Men and I bet you will devour this book. In the end it really make you realize how much our young heroes have worked to attain peace. Extremely Well planned, Excellent and remarkable beyond words book. Nice Reading!

Yet again, Patrick Ness has my emotions all over the map. I loved the characters and the way the story moved at such a fast pace. I loved the alternating voices telling the story and how your view of what is truly evil can change in the blink of an eye. But again, I struggled with parts of this book. All of the doom and gloom, endless war and suffering made my heart hurt. I ached for those struggling and in pain, and it seemed as though we never got a break from that. And then that ending? I was definitely left wanting more, A LOT more. I'm all for imagining what happens after you close the book but with that ending, there were too many what ifs. I wanted something more concrete and solid. But all in all, I enjoyed this series. It was a little outside of my comfort zone, but I will definitely be thinking about this series for a long, long time.

Yes, I think. Here it comes. The end of everything. The end of it all. - Todd

War is coming! The battle cries and bombs can be heard. It is only a matter of moments before it will arrive on their doorsteps and change their lives forever. Therefore Todd makes the split decision to untie Mayor Prentiss (sorry, but he'll always be the mayor to me). Whether that was a smart decision or the worst idea on the face of the planet, only time will tell. They are now off to protect their town. With the mayor and Todd fighting side by side against the new threat, Viola racing off to be the first one to get to the pilot ship and Lee trying to reach The Resistance, everyone's fate is in the air. No one is safe in war, especially when you are smack dab in the middle of it.

Shockingly, I loved Todd throughout this whole book. I agreed with the majority of his decisions except (view spoiler). Plus he tries his hardest to redeem himself and not let past events happen again. While I don't believe anything can be done to make up for his past actions, I did admire his current actions and it made me love him that much more. I was so happy because I saw a Todd I thoroughly respected. And he finally became the person I always knew he could be!

Again, I loved Viola. Her strength, morals and decisions are all admirable. Her actions, which are sometimes with fault, are understandable and so real. When you are doing things in the name of love during war, are they really right or wrong? Black and white lines can become a blur and your moral compass can definitely change, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. And the third voice thrown in the mix? I LOVED it! The understanding and insight was remarkable, and I'm so glad it was there.

This was a great series. The action was intense, the characters were interesting, I loved how the story flowed and the fact that I could never guess what was going to happen next was wonderful. But I was deeply disturbed by some events that happened and I struggled to stay afloat in the doom and gloom of war. And even after reading Snowscape I was still left wanting more of a solid ending. I had so many unanswered questions and that will always bug me. So if you aren't as sensitive as me and don't need an iron clad ending like I do then you'll love this series! Just be prepared for a whole lot of crazi-ness. ;)

Monsters of Men is, without a doubt, the culmination of the moral ambiguity that surrounds this trilogy like a blanket fog. So much happens and so much is at stake and there is this incredible weight of responsibility that Ness asks the reader to consider at every bend and turn, questioning the reader about the very beliefs that the characters are struggling with in the face of world-wide change.

To speak of the entire trilogy: Chaos Walking is one of the clearest examples of showing (not telling) that I've ever come across.

Showing (not telling) means the characters' actions are what dictate who they are, what they do, and what the reader sees. Ness doesn't tell the reader jack s*** (pardon my French). Instead, he gives you his characters and challenges you to figure out what you believe about each of them (and their intentions) by judging them based on what they do.

I'm blown away. I'm in total awe of what Ness has accomplished here. He's doing in his trilogy what every writer needs to: he's letting his book do the talking by letting the characters live, and gives his reader a whole barrage of messages without preaching.

The Chaos Walking Trilogy is one of those where the story comes first. The messages in it are brought forth only because they live within the story-not apart from it, not at war with it, but within it. That fact alone makes this trilogy more powerful (aside from, you know, the story itself, the character development, the language, and the demand that this series has for the reader to finish it). Sure, the messages are there-and Noisy enough to hit you over the head with-but Ness isn't shoehorning them in. They exist because they come with the story that the characters are telling. I should make a mention of the fact that Ness's voice cannot be heard at all in these books.

I highly recommend these books. I think they're incredible and true and they have a lot to show us about ourselves. Amongst all of the other great books and series out there, the Chaos Walking Trilogy is proof that words have power.

And, like its main character, this trilogy has unbelievable power, whether it wants it-whether it's even aware of it-or not.

As a world-ending war surges around them, Todd and Viola face monstrous decisions. The indigenous Spackle, thinking and acting as one, have mobilized to avenge their murdered people. Ruthless human leaders prepare to defend their factions at all costs, even as a convoy of new settlers approaches.

Ok lets get one thing out of the way first – although I thought the ending was pretty perfect and certainly lived up to the overall feel of the series, I was not as enamoured of this third and final part of the trilogy as I was with the first two novels.

I’ll be as honest as I can about why. Mainly I think it was that I felt that I was pretty much reading Book two again, albeit with the addition of another side to the conflict and some further building on the world as a whole. I totally feel like I could have skipped half of this novel and still ended up in exactly the same place with exactly the same emotions. Now don’t get me wrong – the writing is superb as always, with the quirky and extremely readable style that Mr Ness has created in order to tell his tale – and there is no dropping of the standard. Still, didnt quite do it for me when I look at it in comparison.

Todd and Viola face some moral dilemma’s and as always that was compelling – still I felt that some of their decision making was kind of half hearted – after all they have both had to make tough choices in the past and their reasoning had already been well developed, so a lot of the thinking felt more forced than natural to me – a kind of “woe is me” attitude if you like. For me personally that didnt quite resonate with what had gone before. Still, even with that caveat, I wanted to keep reading and find out what the heck was going to happen and at no point did I grow frustrated during the actual experience – its just now I look back I’m kind of “meh”.

So Book One and Book Two get 5 stars, this one gets 4. And even with everything I have said above I would still hold the “Chaos Walking” trilogy as one of the best YA has had to offer so far. Without a doubt still highly recommended as a whole.

Happy Reading Folks!

**Paperback purchased via the store UK***

"War makes monsters of men"

Patrick Ness's conclusion to Chaos Walking exceeded my expectations entirely. Monsters of Men is chock full of plot twists that kept me cringing and cheering for my favorite characters. When I finished it I was entirely upset not about the ending but how Chaos Walking was over. The ending was satisfyingly dramatic as I expected but I really wish Patrick Ness would announce a new novel or series.

The quote I referenced "War makes monsters of men" is where the title is derive from and it is definitely a fitting title. Monsters of Men is almost entirely a war between the Spackle, the Answer and the Mayor. The action scenes in Monsters of Men were brutally action-packed and I couldn't stop reading. I felt so overcome with emotion during this book and I was tempted to just ignore everything around me while reading. I really enjoyed seeing Todd's metamorphosis change from a little boy in Knife of Never Letting Go to a mature man in Monsters of Men.

Monsters of Men isn't just purely entertaining because it also a powerful and deep novel. Patrick Ness explores topics such as terrorism heroics, colonialism, and so much more. What does being a terrorist mean? Do the needs of the many exceed the needs of the few? What does it mean to be a humane person? Is doing the wrong thing okay in the name of love? Patrick Ness really created a novel that really makes you question what does it mean to be human and your morals. After reading Monsters of Men 3 days ago, it wasn't over for me because I kept thinking about it. Monsters of Men will make shatter all your beliefs and have you questioning what does it mean to be good or evil.

Honestly no review could ever compare to this novel of epic proportions. I kid you not this is one powerful and heart-breaking book that only a Grinch wouldn't like. Patrick Ness's understanding of human nature makes everything I have ever been told look primitive. I really enjoyed how the point of view in Monsters of Men alternates very frequently because it gives you so many different outlooks on the New World.

I really enjoyed 1017's point of view because we saw an entirely new angle of the Spackle unlike we have ever seen. There are not some dumb natives, the Spackle are a people entirely corrupted and destroyed by the settlers. 1017's narration was brutal but unfeigned we see how the Settlers completely destroyed their way of life selfishly and how the Spackle try to defend their culture.

Viola and Todd's perspectives were also fascinating to read because we got to see the war from both opposing sides. Even when Todd or Viola did something horribly wicked, I didn't care because I know they had good intentions. It was very interesting to see how they conquered all obstacles and defied all limits with their relationship. Todd and Viola are definitely my favorite literary couple because they are absolutely perfect for each other. I could honestly blog all day about how much I love the two of them but I'm not going to.

Monsters of Men left me speechless and it's hard to express how much I loved this book. Patrick Ness is a literary god who needs to write more books for the sake of his readers. The writing style of Monsters of Men is compelling enough to make you want to read this whopper of a book in one sitting. There's no review I could ever write that could justify my love for this mind-blowing book. Everything in Monsters of Men is just so perfect: the action, the adventure, the romance, and the plot twists. I don't have anything negative at all to say about this book and I really think Chaos Walking deserves more hype. I'm sorry for rambling and rambling but I just need to unbottle about this genre-bending book. Excuse me while I continue to fanboy and rant about how spectacular this series is.

In The Knife of Never Letting Go, Patrick Ness created an intriguing sci-fi/fantasy world, full of interesting ideas and promising characters. The Ask and the Answer was a truly great follow-up: the violence was even more brutal, but less gratuitously over-the-top; it was more about thoughtful thematic and character development, as the characters learned what it means to be adults.

Unfortunately, it all kind of falls apart in this final installment. There are some ideas that could have gone somewhere---the Spackle character 1017 had a lot of potential, particularly the issue of whether his species' "groupthink" way of life is good or bad (or good for them but not for us, or what), and Ness examines the question of the role of personal values in physical conflict (whether it's right or wrong to "make war personal", as he puts it)---but in the end he not only doesn't answer these questions, but the final resolutions of the plot conflicts simply have nothing to do with them...plot and theme are not integrated in the end, and the whole exercise thus becomes somewhat pointless. Indeed, Ness ends up equivocating on or vaguely passing over most of the deeper issues he had raised throughout the series. In short, he made a lot of promises and failed to deliver.

Still, though this last book in the series is a disappointment after the excellent middle installment, it's still better than a lot of young adult fiction out there, and the series as a whole is definitely worth a read.

Monsters of Men is, without a doubt, the culmination of the moral ambiguity that surrounds this trilogy like a blanket fog. So much happens and so much is at stake and there is this incredible weight of responsibility that Ness asks the reader to consider at every bend and turn, questioning the reader about the very beliefs that the characters are struggling with in the face of world-wide change.

To speak of the entire trilogy: Chaos Walking is one of the clearest examples of showing (not telling) that I've ever come across.

Showing (not telling) means the characters' actions are what dictate who they are, what they do, and what the reader sees. Ness doesn't tell the reader jack s*** (pardon my French). Instead, he gives you his characters and challenges you to figure out what you believe about each of them (and their intentions) by judging them based on what they do.

I'm blown away. I'm in total awe of what Ness has accomplished here. He's doing in his trilogy what every writer needs to: he's letting his book do the talking by letting the characters live, and gives his reader a whole barrage of messages without preaching.

The Chaos Walking Trilogy is one of those where the story comes first. The messages in it are brought forth only because they live within the story-not apart from it, not at war with it, but within it. That fact alone makes this trilogy more powerful (aside from, you know, the story itself, the character development, the language, and the demand that this series has for the reader to finish it). Sure, the messages are there-and Noisy enough to hit you over the head with-but Ness isn't shoehorning them in. They exist because they come with the story that the characters are telling. I should make a mention of the fact that Ness's voice cannot be heard at all in these books.

I highly recommend these books. I think they're incredible and true and they have a lot to show us about ourselves. Amongst all of the other great books and series out there, the Chaos Walking Trilogy is proof that words have power.

And, like its main character, this trilogy has unbelievable power, whether it wants it-whether it's even aware of it-or not.

As a world-ending war surges around them, Todd and Viola face monstrous decisions. The indigenous Spackle, thinking and acting as one, have mobilized to avenge their murdered people. Ruthless human leaders prepare to defend their factions at all costs, even as a convoy of new settlers approaches.

Ok lets get one thing out of the way first – although I thought the ending was pretty perfect and certainly lived up to the overall feel of the series, I was not as enamoured of this third and final part of the trilogy as I was with the first two novels.

I’ll be as honest as I can about why. Mainly I think it was that I felt that I was pretty much reading Book two again, albeit with the addition of another side to the conflict and some further building on the world as a whole. I totally feel like I could have skipped half of this novel and still ended up in exactly the same place with exactly the same emotions. Now don’t get me wrong – the writing is superb as always, with the quirky and extremely readable style that Mr Ness has created in order to tell his tale – and there is no dropping of the standard. Still, didnt quite do it for me when I look at it in comparison.

Todd and Viola face some moral dilemma’s and as always that was compelling – still I felt that some of their decision making was kind of half hearted – after all they have both had to make tough choices in the past and their reasoning had already been well developed, so a lot of the thinking felt more forced than natural to me – a kind of “woe is me” attitude if you like. For me personally that didnt quite resonate with what had gone before. Still, even with that caveat, I wanted to keep reading and find out what the heck was going to happen and at no point did I grow frustrated during the actual experience – its just now I look back I’m kind of “meh”.

So Book One and Book Two get 5 stars, this one gets 4. And even with everything I have said above I would still hold the “Chaos Walking” trilogy as one of the best YA has had to offer so far. Without a doubt still highly recommended as a whole.

Happy Reading Folks!

**Paperback purchased via the store UK***

"War makes monsters of men"

Patrick Ness's conclusion to Chaos Walking exceeded my expectations entirely. Monsters of Men is chock full of plot twists that kept me cringing and cheering for my favorite characters. When I finished it I was entirely upset not about the ending but how Chaos Walking was over. The ending was satisfyingly dramatic as I expected but I really wish Patrick Ness would announce a new novel or series.

The quote I referenced "War makes monsters of men" is where the title is derive from and it is definitely a fitting title. Monsters of Men is almost entirely a war between the Spackle, the Answer and the Mayor. The action scenes in Monsters of Men were brutally action-packed and I couldn't stop reading. I felt so overcome with emotion during this book and I was tempted to just ignore everything around me while reading. I really enjoyed seeing Todd's metamorphosis change from a little boy in Knife of Never Letting Go to a mature man in Monsters of Men.

Monsters of Men isn't just purely entertaining because it also a powerful and deep novel. Patrick Ness explores topics such as terrorism heroics, colonialism, and so much more. What does being a terrorist mean? Do the needs of the many exceed the needs of the few? What does it mean to be a humane person? Is doing the wrong thing okay in the name of love? Patrick Ness really created a novel that really makes you question what does it mean to be human and your morals. After reading Monsters of Men 3 days ago, it wasn't over for me because I kept thinking about it. Monsters of Men will make shatter all your beliefs and have you questioning what does it mean to be good or evil.

Honestly no review could ever compare to this novel of epic proportions. I kid you not this is one powerful and heart-breaking book that only a Grinch wouldn't like. Patrick Ness's understanding of human nature makes everything I have ever been told look primitive. I really enjoyed how the point of view in Monsters of Men alternates very frequently because it gives you so many different outlooks on the New World.

I really enjoyed 1017's point of view because we saw an entirely new angle of the Spackle unlike we have ever seen. There are not some dumb natives, the Spackle are a people entirely corrupted and destroyed by the settlers. 1017's narration was brutal but unfeigned we see how the Settlers completely destroyed their way of life selfishly and how the Spackle try to defend their culture.

Viola and Todd's perspectives were also fascinating to read because we got to see the war from both opposing sides. Even when Todd or Viola did something horribly wicked, I didn't care because I know they had good intentions. It was very interesting to see how they conquered all obstacles and defied all limits with their relationship. Todd and Viola are definitely my favorite literary couple because they are absolutely perfect for each other. I could honestly blog all day about how much I love the two of them but I'm not going to.

Monsters of Men left me speechless and it's hard to express how much I loved this book. Patrick Ness is a literary god who needs to write more books for the sake of his readers. The writing style of Monsters of Men is compelling enough to make you want to read this whopper of a book in one sitting. There's no review I could ever write that could justify my love for this mind-blowing book. Everything in Monsters of Men is just so perfect: the action, the adventure, the romance, and the plot twists. I don't have anything negative at all to say about this book and I really think Chaos Walking deserves more hype. I'm sorry for rambling and rambling but I just need to unbottle about this genre-bending book. Excuse me while I continue to fanboy and rant about how spectacular this series is.

In The Knife of Never Letting Go, Patrick Ness created an intriguing sci-fi/fantasy world, full of interesting ideas and promising characters. The Ask and the Answer was a truly great follow-up: the violence was even more brutal, but less gratuitously over-the-top; it was more about thoughtful thematic and character development, as the characters learned what it means to be adults.

Unfortunately, it all kind of falls apart in this final installment. There are some ideas that could have gone somewhere---the Spackle character 1017 had a lot of potential, particularly the issue of whether his species' "groupthink" way of life is good or bad (or good for them but not for us, or what), and Ness examines the question of the role of personal values in physical conflict (whether it's right or wrong to "make war personal", as he puts it)---but in the end he not only doesn't answer these questions, but the final resolutions of the plot conflicts simply have nothing to do with them...plot and theme are not integrated in the end, and the whole exercise thus becomes somewhat pointless. Indeed, Ness ends up equivocating on or vaguely passing over most of the deeper issues he had raised throughout the series. In short, he made a lot of promises and failed to deliver.

Still, though this last book in the series is a disappointment after the excellent middle installment, it's still better than a lot of young adult fiction out there, and the series as a whole is definitely worth a read.

This thrilling conclusion to the Chaos Walking Trilogy is nonstop action and suspense. I could barely put it down, and then only when I absolutely needed to. I'll try to review this without giving anything away from this book, or the previous books.

I love how it's told from all sides of the conflict, short snippets of several main character's perspectives. I breezed through the book because one character's section would end on a cliff-hanger, then it would switch abruptly to another and leave me with another cliff-hanger when the perspective moved back to the first character! The way the story is told reflects the confusion the characters are feeling-things are happening so quickly, it's almost impossible to digest one development before another major plot-bomb is dropped on the reader.

I also love that throughout this entire series, not one character has been essentially `perfect'. Everyone has their flaws and weaknesses, diferrent hopes and dreams. Their actions show this, and I love how a character's personally isn't twisted to suit the plot-the plot turns because of the character. I often find it annoying when a character suddenly changes just because it's not convenient for them to act that way anymore. These books take that thought and turn it upside-down.

I think this is one of those books that will stay with me for a long, long time. Even though it's set in the future, on another planet, with an alien species, it still focuses on issues most prevalent today. War, love, hate, desire, and hope all reign free. Dictators, revolutionaries, and every leader in between is featured.

One last thing I'm fanatic about is the writing style. Not only how the Noise is portrayed, but the abrupt, cut off sentences that nearly replicate human thought and really conveyed the emotions of the characters.

I love the Chaos Walking Trilogy! Of course I'm sad that it's all over...but then I can always go back and reread it! Everyone should definitely give this trilogy a chance. I give Monsters of Men 5/5 stars.

[WARNING: spoilers for the first two books of the series will necessarily follow.]

In the end, each of the Chaos Walking novels has its own themes, arcs, and stories, even as they all add up to one continuous tale. The first novel was an exploration of the world that Ness created, but also an allegory for how we function in an overwhelming amount of information, and how that men can learn to control that flood for their own purposes. The second was a novel about what we could find ourselves doing for a cause we thought was right, and just how far we could stretch our moral fibers. And book three? Book three is a novel about war, and what it does to us all - but it's also a book about morality, and redemption, and politics, and the way we can become so focused on winning that we neglect what may be right or wrong. And it does all of this while telling a riveting, powerhouse tale that left me stunned, unable to do much other than process the book for a while after I finished it. Just as threatened at the end of The Ask and the Answer, Monsters of Men is the tale of the war between humans and the Spackle. But it's also the tale of the conflict between the Mayor and the Answer, both of whom are so focused on their own beliefs as to what the future should hold that they find themselves unable to accept anything short of complete victory by their own terms. More fascinatingly, though, Ness also adds another narrator to the novel, one whose introduction adds an entirely new language, perspective, and view to all of the events of the novel. It's this character whose arc may be the most moving, ultimately, coming together in a climax that literally made me gasp with its honesty and painfulness. I've been floored by the whole Chaos Walking series, but even in the greatness of this series, Monsters of Men may be the most beautiful and powerful of the series. There's a beauty and a quiet hopefulness that emerges at the core of the novel that's hard to shake, especially in the midst of such horrors, and Ness's fusion of so many themes, ideas, strong characters, and great plotting all come together to make not just one of the best YA books I've read in recent memory, but one of the best books, period. I can't recommend this series enough. Go out and immerse yourself in Ness's world - it's a hard place, to be sure, but it's an incredible one as well, one that may affect you more than you ever expect it to.

In this third and final book of the Chaos Walking trilogy, Patrick Ness has managed to combine the high-stakes action from the first book with the deeper questions about humanity from the second book. Monsters of Men asks whether any man, and mankind, can truly change- if redemption is possible, and if so, what price it costs.

I found myself, once again, yelling at characters, gasping at events, and crying a few times. Todd and Viola continue their journeys of self-discovery and growth. And despite the fantastical science fiction setting, the events and attitudes are echoes of our own history.

What can I say? You should read this, but you should start with book one, The Knife of Never Letting Go. And be prepared for an emotional journey, and one hell of a ride.

I recommend this book for fans of classic "what is mankind" science fiction, those who've read the first two books in the series, readers who enjoy mature (not racy) YA literature, and folks who enjoy a mix of political intrigue with action and true coming of age journeys.

In a world where every thought reverberates into the connected yet disconnected minds of thousands a single word can mean devastation during a time of war and turmoil. Thus is the way of life for Todd and Viola. Growing up in a matter of weeks they've quickly learned the nearly instant repercussions of a thought misconstrued, even between the two of them. With violence swirling around them and the hope of peace at a minimum it takes every bit of concentration to keep this new Spackle War from turning into the destruction of everything they know and love. Most of all each other.

First of all, how in the world do I review this book? It's one of those situations where I end up sounding like a raving fangirl screaming outside the theater waiting for a rockstar to appear. In my case the door would open and Patrick Ness, Nick Podehl, Angela Dawe and MacLeod Andrews would all walk out waving there arms in the air and half the crowd would faint. Yes, it's simply that good. And if you've read the print version and thought it was good, wait until you listen to the audiobooks. Wow! Unbelievable. I don't care if you don't normally like audiobooks, you simply must try this series! Okay, I think I'm done with my fangirl moment...now onto my thoughts on the book.

From the beginning of the Chaos Walking Trilogy the issue of "Noise" (the thoughts of all the men that everyone can hear) has been a central theme. With it being a constant stream of information, for good or bad, leading to both positive and negative outcomes. In the Monsters of Men the Noise takes on a new dimension with the added narration of the Spackle, specifically "1017." In the case of the Spackle it's very different and much more positive. With years of practice the Spackle have learned to use Noise or information, if you will, to the betterment of their society. In the case of war the Spackle prove to be a formidable opponent because of their collective unity through their shared Noise, which is quite the opposite of the people of the "Land" (the humans). It leads me to wonder, in our own society, would we use the technology & information we've accumulated for the better of the people or for the eventual annihilation of others with no regards to its cost? I'd wager to say the verdict is still out on that topic.

I'm so absolutely in love with the characters in this book. Each is so incredibly rich and full of life that it's hard to believe they don't exist in some other place that you could physically visit. My favorite would, without a doubt, be Todd. When I finished the series I couldn't help but reflect back on the person he was when he started out in the series. In The Knife of Never Letting Go he was so young, so completely innocent and extremely sheltered. Over the course of the books and especially in Monsters of Men his visual innocence is stripped away in moments with death and destruction happening only feet in front of him. At times it was difficult to feel him going through all of it. His life, even after all of the war and lies he's been told, is still pure in every way that counts. He's so trusting and loving, human. It's no wonder why Viola, and all those around him for that matter, love him so much. I'd only hope that despite the information overload of our society today that children will grow up with the same passion and love for those things that are worthwhile in life.

To be completely honest I could go on about this series for days, and I have no doubt that I will with friends and family. The Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness is set of books I believe everyone should read, at the very least, and I'd hope everyone would listen to. It's themes of information, hope & love and war & violence are, unfortunately, issues that face nearly every child living today on varying levels. Ness has created a believable world through a cast of characters that are so vivid it's hard to believe they don't exist in reality as well. Without any doubt in my mind Monsters of Men is the perfect ending to a superb trilogy that begs to be devoured by anyone who enjoys brilliant literature.

This has been an outstanding trilogy to read. It's one of the handful of stories I can remember where and when I read each book. It's such an epic series it will stay with you a long time.

The breath and scope of the storyline is amazing. It deals with wide panaromas of space and travel to minute - literally in your head - personal conflicts and struggles with the genius idea of 'noise' laying all mens' thoughts open to the world which creates a whole lot of paranoia and action between men and women, Spackle aliens and human settlers. Ness cleverly finds something positive in the noise (if you love Avatar you'll love this!) and turns all the preconceptions about the dangers of noise from the previous books upside down. While at the same time keeping up a level of action, suspense and fear waiting for the other settlers to arrive from space. What will they find? You are left guessing as the power shifts and turns in this breathtaking book. Lots of different fonts for the different voices, action and characters make this an easy book to read (I almost threw the first book away due to frustrations of not being able to make head or tail of it but this book is much better laid out).

I found myself forgetting what a villian President Prentiss was in this book much the way Todd gets sucked into his warped world but beyond the old struggles this book details an epic war between the infighting settlers and the Spackle. How war affects and changes the characters is amazing to read and probably will resonate with teenagers a lot more than some turgid history lessons about suffragettes and World Wars ever will.

A must read trilogy.

Reading this book is like getting punched in the stomach. In a good way. And if I learned anything from Monsters of Men, it is that there is, in fact, a good way. It's basically when you're keeping someone else from getting decked, or when you're getting pummelled to protect the one you love.

Monsters of Men was the most satisfying end to a series or trilogy that I've read in a long time. A really long time. Like the previous books, the plot runs at a breakneck pace that left me breathless, and it covers a lot of ground. Coming into the book I couldn't have even imagined things that happened in the middle, let alone how it would end. There are a lot of loose ends that are tied up over the course of the book, but ending is not finite. I don't think Ness will be writing another book in this world or with these characters anytime soon (ever), but the ending is open to possibility and to the imagination of the reader. This book is full of passion, action, and general umph.

I know I'm being really vague, but I think the best way to read these books is to go in blind.

And, word to the wise, it can reduce just about anyone to a sobbing mess. There were a few moments in the beginning that had me looking out the train window and blinking a lot during my commute, but the real stuff is saved for the end. I wouldn't advise that anyone read beyond page 400 or so outside of the comfort of their own home. We're talking hug the book, can't see through the tears crying for the last 100 pages. But oh-so-good!

Book 1: The Knife of Never Letting Go
Book 2: The Ask and the Answer
Book source: Philly Free Library

This trilogy blew me away. This book in particular left me speechless. I love science fiction and I often wish I could write it - but when I read a book like Monsters of Men, I can't express just how happy it makes me that there are people out there like Patrick Ness writing books like this for the genre.

How do I review this book without giving too much away? First of all - Todd and Viola. The relationship between these two is everything a romantic relationship should be. The devotion and the give and take of trust - all without any unnecessary intimate scene's.

This book contains so much heartbreak and triumph - all wrapped up together. The magnitude of the emotional investment needed is huge, however. There were times I couldn't breath because of the emotion rising inside of me and, I confess, to crying my heart out over one specific part.

These books are so. good. I could use adjective after adjective to describe them - but then I would just sound like some inane fan girl jabbering away so I'll not gush too much, also so that I don't reveal too much.

My advice for when you pick up these books (and you should):.

1. Have them all.

2. Set aside a large block of time.

3. Read them as soon as possible.

This book came out a few weeks after Mockingjay, and they are both the third and final volumes of teen science fiction series dealing with the problem of oppression on an alien planet. The similarity ends there. Mockingjay is a piece of isolationist propaganda whose message is, there is never any point in fighting a war regardless of the nature of the evil; your best bet is to find a place to hide and try to wait it out. Monsters of Men, in marked contrast, actually addresses the difficult issues: if you have control of the machinery of war, why you must separate your purely personal goals from worthwhile political ones, what happens when you allow your personal passions to control your decisionmaking, how to know when your adversary has actually had a change of heart and when s/he is simply manipulating you, how to fight an ethical war, how to make peace. It goes without saying that Mockingjay is #27 on the the store bestseller list, is promoted on the store's Gifts page (notwithstanding the unusually large number of reader-reviewers who hated it), and has 900 reader reviews. Monsters of Men is approximately #10,000 and has a handful of reviews.

Well, I thought that the first 2 books were good, but this one really blew them both out of the water.

At the end of The Ask and The Answer, the Spackle were coming and the war was about to start. Todd and Viola are still seperated throughout most of this book with Todd following the Mayor and Viola staying with the Answer. Still not sure whom to trust as well as each other. More characters come to play when the first ship finally settles in New World. The war goes back and forth between the Spackle, the Answer and the Mayor's soldiers. The fighting literally does not end until the very last pages of the book.

This was a very fast paced read and I also finished this book in one day although it does consist of 603 pages. The one difference that I really enjoyed in this last book was that along with Todd and Viola, we get to see the Spackles point of view through #1017.

I am sad to see this trilogy come to an end. Mr. Ness gave us a very unique society with characters that were intriguing and ones you were really able to feel compassionate for.

*Thanks to Candlewick Press for the review copy for this review!

This is the 3rd book in the Chaos Walking Trilogy. Even though I very much enjoyed this book, I do not think it was as good as the first two. In those books I was literally drawn to each page. When a chapter ended, I couldn't put it down. It seemed they always ended in cliffhangers and I just had to find out what was going to happen. This one didn't really have chapters. It just switched points of view from Todd, Viola and 1017. Which was fine but it didn't have that pull that I found in the first two books. It was also a lot of war going on. This is natural for what the books were leading up to but also did not draw me in. 1017 had his way of getting on my nerves as well. Even though I could understand him and understand what he felt, he still tried my patience. I just kept thinking "enough already". Even with those not too great of points, I still liked the book. It kept a good pace and brought the other books together well. The end of the book had me glued to it and was very content when it did end. I can't wait to see more books out by this author. He spins a wonderful tale.

The message that war makes monsters of men is explored and played out in this final installment of the Chaos Walking trilogy. The necessary but impossible choices which must be made could certainly breed monsters. The question is not whether monstrous situations create monstrous individuals, cause it's not just men, (not just women either) but whether redemption is possible or even desirable. At what point does the line between personal ambition and the good of all blur to make the wrong path seem equally valid as tfhe right one? What cost to his soul does the man who maintains his humanity when all around him are losing theirs suffer. Is such a thing even possible?
I can't find a way to say much about the plot without spoiling something but I don't believe anyone who enjoyed books one and two would be disappointed with its conclusion.