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Overview
Overview
A page-turning debut in the tradition of Michael Crichton, World War Z, and The Martian, Sleeping Giants is a thriller fueled by an earthshaking mystery--and a fight to control a gargantuan power. A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand. Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved--its origins, architects, and purpose unknown. Its carbon dating defies belief; military reports are redacted; theories are floated, then rejected. But some can never stop searching for answers. Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top secret team to crack the hand's code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the provenance of the relic. What's clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unraveling history's most perplexing discovery--and figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result prove to be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction? Praise for Sleeping Giants
"As high-concept as it is, Sleeping Giants is a thriller through and through. . . . One of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory, and] a smart demonstration of how science fiction can honor its traditions and reverse-engineer them at the same time."--NPR "Neuvel weaves a complex tapestry with ancient machinery buried in the Earth, shadow governments, and geopolitical conflicts. But the most surprising thing about the book may just be how compelling the central characters are in the midst of these larger-than-life concepts. . . . I can't stop thinking about it."--Chicago Review of Books
"A remarkable debut . . . Reminiscent of Max Brooks's World War Z, the story's format effectively builds suspense."--Library Journal (debut of the month) "This stellar debut novel . . . masterfully blends together elements of sci-fi, political thriller and apocalyptic fiction. . . . A page-turner of the highest order."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Don't miss any of The Themis Files by Sylvain Neuvel:
SLEEPING GIANTS - WAKING GODS - ONLY HUMAN
"As high-concept as it is, Sleeping Giants is a thriller through and through. . . . One of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory, and] a smart demonstration of how science fiction can honor its traditions and reverse-engineer them at the same time."--NPR "Neuvel weaves a complex tapestry with ancient machinery buried in the Earth, shadow governments, and geopolitical conflicts. But the most surprising thing about the book may just be how compelling the central characters are in the midst of these larger-than-life concepts. . . . I can't stop thinking about it."--Chicago Review of Books
"A remarkable debut . . . Reminiscent of Max Brooks's World War Z, the story's format effectively builds suspense."--Library Journal (debut of the month) "This stellar debut novel . . . masterfully blends together elements of sci-fi, political thriller and apocalyptic fiction. . . . A page-turner of the highest order."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Don't miss any of The Themis Files by Sylvain Neuvel:
SLEEPING GIANTS - WAKING GODS - ONLY HUMAN
- Format: TradePaperback
- Author: Neuvel, Sylvain
- ISBN: 9781101886717
- Condition: Used
- Dimensions: 8.20 x 0.90
- Number Of Pages: 336
- Publication Year: 2017
Customer Reviews
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Sleeping Giants is an A+ read
Douglas W. - 2 years 8 months agoI didn't know what to expect from Sleeping Giants when I picked it up on sale, but I was blown away by the story as it developed. It starts out fairly slow, building the setting around mysterious metal body parts found all over the world. Eventually, the plot brings together a group of geniuses trying to solve a mystery about this alien artifact. Tension arises between some of the personalities and events nearly resulting in armed conflict as things escalate. The end of the book sets up nicely for what should be a fantastic sequel involving an amnesiac scientist, shadowy organizations, and an alien invasion. The most interesting part of Sleeping Giants is the narrator. He is some sort of shadowy government figure that is unnamed but is in possession of untold resources. He manipulates the other characters and reveals much of the plot through interviews with the various scientists he recruits to the project. I cannot wait to see what more is revealed about him in the sequel. Overall Sleeping Giants was a terrific impulse-read. The characters are interesting and have enough emotional conflict to keep readers guessing as to what will happen. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a new read in science fiction, especially if one likes government manipulation and aliens sprinkled over their stories.
HPB Staff Review -
The politics of constructing a mystery giant robot
Connie A. - 5 years 7 months agoA strange story, told through a series of interviews with the characters rather than a straightforward narrative. We go from a little girl discovering a giant metal hand in the woods, to a secret pseudo-government agency trying to put a lot of giant mystery body parts together to see what will happen. It takes a turn from the semi-benign when the characters begin acknowledging the robot's potential as a weapon in global conflict. Very different from anything else I've read with giant robots, and full of unexpected twists.
HPB Staff Review -
Two words: GIANT. ROBOT. A phenomenal debut sci-fi novel.
Michael Y. - 7 years 10 months agoScience fiction featuring a mysterious giant mech? Sold. I immediately had to track down a copy of this book distributed at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con. Sylvain Neuvel's debut novel Sleeping Giants kicks off with a girl in the forest of South Dakota stumbling upon a giant hand, seemingly human, exposed after being underground. Jump forward twenty years, the girl, Rose Franklin, has become a physicist and is in charge of unearthing the secrets of the massive hand. The whole story is told in interviews of sorts, a la World War Z, conducted by a mysterious man with seemingly endless connections to the United States government and beyond, whose intentions are as enigmatic as the origins of the hand. Franklin's team grows, and numerous international incidents are incited as they endeavor to unearth more pieces of the massive body that the hand belongs to. Needless to say, I greatly enjoyed this book. Plenty of action and mystery, Sleeping Giants doesn't necessarily feel like a science fiction novel, but pays a great deal of attention to scientific detail, which leads me to classify this as a sort of "light hard sci-fi." There are twists and turns around every corner that keep you captivated through the end, and a massive cliffhanger during the epilogue. I can see this being a very easily accessible sci-fi novel in the same vein as The Martian. Highly recommended.
HPB Staff Review -
Stop everything you're doing and read this book!
Kristen B. - 8 years agoA giant metal hand is found underground one day after a little girl, Rose falls into a hole. Seventeen years later, that same little girl is employed to help find the rest of the metal body parts and put the giant back together. She puts together a team of people and they go on a quest to find the body parts and them put them back together so that the metal giant can come back to life. Words cannot express how much I loved this book. It's a totally unique story, told in interview form and journal entries. I literally read all 300 pages in one sitting. I think I may have stood up once to get a fresh cup of tea. It has a complete surprise ending that leaves it open for a sequel in the future. I really can't wait to see what happens next. I highly recommend Sleeping Giants for anyone who is looking for something different and fun to read!
HPB Staff Review