The Diabolic
S.J. Kincaid
The Diabolic #1
416 Pages
YA Sci-Fi | Dystopian | Space
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published: November 1st 2016
Book Summary
A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for.
Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.
When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia—a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.
As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life—and the empire.
Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Thoughts
*ARC provided by Publisher*
*Hardcover Purchased Through Amazon*
The Diabolic is a young adult novel that is unlike anything I’ve ever read. This book is riveting, both in its subject matter and in its phenomenal characterization and writing style. It pulled me in right from the start and kept my attention on it until I hit the end—and then held it further by making me think about everything I’d just read. I loved this book so much, in fact, that I was only two chapters into reading the ARC when I bought the hardcover from Amazon and got it shipped to me. I knew right away this was a book I wanted to own, and make all kinds of notes about because this book made me think and feel things.
I will admit that I saved this book until New Year’s Day so I could devote the time I wanted to spend to reading it. It completely captivated me and I wanted to fully immerse myself in reading it because even those first few chapters I read boggled my mind and I knew then, I’d found a book I could completely and wholly escape into. And it just so happens that I was right.
Nemesis is a Diabolic, created and trained to love and protect only one person in its life. Trained to kill or to die to protect its Master, and yet Nemesis feels more than she should, though she does her best to pretend she doesn’t. She might not understand everything that goes on around her, but she thinks about it. Analyzes, calculates, and plans for it. She feels things differently, for sure, but she does feel, and she will stop at nothing to protect the one she’s been programmed to love and protect above all else. Even if it means sacrificing herself in their stead.
The Diabolic is a mega-compelling science fiction, dystopian, space novel that mesmerizes with its brilliance and enchants with its phenomenal characterization and storyline. It’s a fast-paced, action-packed, as violent as it is emotional, and it completely captured my attention and imagination right from the get-go, taking me deep into a world unlike anything that has come before it. A truly unique story that I utterly devoured and want to display on a shelf all its own for its sheer brilliance and entertainment factor.
This book reminded me of Star Wars in spots, Shakespeare,too, and yet, also something completely original and all its own. I didn’t get much of a Hunger Games vibe, unless you count the survival of the fittest evil world ruler high society aspect, but the space aspect and a few other elements hit upon my love of all things Star Wars and space right off. Which obviously made me even more invested in reading this book since I love Star Wars and anything space related.
If you’re even thinking about reading The Diabolic, do it. Then come back here and share your thoughts about it Or e-mail me about if, if you prefer. Because this book deserves to be talked about. It’s brilliant, and entertaining, and I’m so glad I chose it for my first review post for 2017.
5 Mega-Brilliant Stars
