Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Fragments
    Fragments
    Fragments
    Audiobook16 hours

    Fragments

    Written by Dan Wells

    Narrated by Julia Whelan

    4/5

    ()

    Switch to ebook

    About this audiobook

    Author Dan Wells is back with the sequel to the sci-fi blockbuster Partials, which Pittacus Lore called a ""thrilling sci-fi adrenaline rush, with one of the most compelling and frightening visions of Earth's future I've seen yet.""

    After discovering the cure for RM, Kira Walker sets off on a terrifying journey into the ruins of postapocalyptic America and the darkest desires of her heart in order to uncover the means—and a reason—for humanity's survival.

    Dan Wells extends his richly imagined, gritty world and introduces new memorable characters in this second installment in the Partials Sequence.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateFeb 26, 2013
    ISBN9780062224545
    Author

    Dan Wells

    Dan Wells is the author of the john Cleaver series: I Am Not a Serial Killer, Mr Monster, and I Don’t Want to Kill You. He has been nominated for both the Hugo and Campbell award and has won two Parsec Awards for his podcast, Writing Excuses. He plays a lot of games, reads a lot of books and eats a lot of food, which is pretty much the ideal life he imagined for himself as a child. You can find out more online at www.fearfulsymmetry.net.

    More audiobooks from Dan Wells

    Related to Fragments

    Titles in the series (3)

    View More
    • Partials
      Partials

      Audiobook

      Partials

      Dan Wells
      4/5
    • Ruins
      Ruins

      Audiobook

      Ruins

      Dan Wells
      4/5
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    YA Science Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Crapshoot In Cassino

      Dec 29, 2020

      Crapshoot In Cassino
      16 min read

    • Article

      Roger’s PROFANISAURUS

      May 18, 2023

      Roger’s PROFANISAURUS
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Clues To ROMANCE

      May 4, 2021

      The Clues To ROMANCE
      6 min read

    • Article

      Dublin Area Rowdy Teens

      Mar 10, 2023

      Of course, later on he would tell the police and anyone who would listen that what had happened was symptomatic of a larger problem—disaffected youth, fear of stabbings, the bystander effect, the growth of unmanned train stations, the loss of conduct

      7 min read

    • Article

      Hook, Line And Sinker

      Oct 18, 2018

      Hook, Line And Sinker
      4 min read

    • Article

      Memoirs Of A Fox

      Jan 1, 2019

      My year of graduate work in Cambridge, England was a somewhat bleak and desperate affair, coinciding with a bout of depression that could perhaps have been shortened or ameliorated if I had been assigned hard agricultural labor, a daily column of loc

      14 min read

    • Article

      Pedro Almodóvar

      Jun 6, 2023

      Pedro Almodóvar
      8 min read

    • Article

      Frank’s Fable

      Mar 18, 2021

      Frank’s Fable
      4 min read

    • Article

      Excerpts From The Works Of The 2024 Whiting Award Winners

      Apr 10, 2024

      The 2024 Whiting Award winners were announced Wednesday night. Below are excerpts from their work.

      19 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Sep 21, 2022

      Readers’ Letters
      6 min read

    • Article

      Lost In Time

      Oct 5, 2022

      Lost In Time
      5 min read

    • Article

      Novel

      Jul 1, 2020

      The first time he stared down a barrel it was his fingers cradling that clot of steel, and I do mean stare down, because he was sitting cross legged, the pistol was in his lap, he watched both his thumbs flutter around the stiff trigger. It was very

      1 min read

    • Article

      Jethro Tull

      Nov 28, 2022

      PLG UK CATALOG Disgruntled by critics having labelled the previous year's Aqualung a concept album, Ian Anderson ramped up his perversity and constructed the band's often-misunderstood parody of one, Thick As A Brick. One long track spread over two s

      1 min read

    • Article

      Smrtss

      Apr 10, 2024

      In the dim, wet oven of the Huey’s troop compartment, the corporal sat on a flak jacket behind the sweat-stained backs of First Squad. Simms, the big machine gunner for Fire Team 2, leaned back against him, jamming the corporal’s knees right up to hi

      13 min read

    • Article

      LaKeith Stanfield

      Sep 14, 2023

      LaKeith Stanfield
      15 min read

    • Article

      Sublime in Seville

      Oct 28, 2021

      Sublime in Seville
      4 min read

    • Article

      An Occurrence at sierra Mojada

      Jul 6, 2021

      An Occurrence at sierra Mojada
      16 min read

    • Article

      This Family Saga Finds Grace And Beauty In Ordinary Lives, Fully Lived

      Jun 10, 2021

      Simon Van Booy's new novel Night Came With Many Stars follows several generations of a Kentucky family, their crossroads and choices, their curses and hard memories, their luck and their chances.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Vietnam My Son, The Soldier

      Sep 1, 2021

      Vietnam My Son, The Soldier
      9 min read

    • Article

      Good Yarn

      Apr 1, 2022

      Good Yarn
      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Fragments

    4/5

    252 ratings25 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Brilliant, gripping book from the start. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this!
    • 5/5
      I love this book iys one of the first trilogy I ever got into and I'm loving it just as much as the first time
    • 4/5
      It was a bit slower and my mind sort of stopped listening at certain parts but that cliff hanger though!! Ahhh
    • 4/5
      It took me just a little while to get back in to this world and the series but, once I did, it was impossible to put the book down (and at 564 pages that's quite a long sitting). After hours of changing positions and turning trying to find something to prop this brick of a book on so that I could lessen the pain in my hands from holding it, I finally read that last page and instantly felt like I was missing something. I am so ready for the third book! I loved Kira and Samm in this book. I am so anxious to see where that goes. This book was very good. The book starts a bit slow but once it picks up, the pace is non-stop.

      I think Kira is an excellent heroine. She is so strong. She thinks things out. She knows what she wants and, even if she loses faith at times that she'll be able to accomplish her goals, she doesn't give up. She doesn't judge herself by her boyfriend or even need a guy to complete herself. Kudos to Dan Wells for writing so a wonderful female role model.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoy how different this was from other YA post apocalypse novels I've read. I didn't get quite as sucked in this time as I did for book 1, but I am still eager to read book 3.
    • 4/5
      Be aware that this review contains details about Partials (book one in the series) that may be considered spoilers if you haven't read book one.

      Kira is back and looking for answers. She found the cure for RM, but, she now has even more questions. Only one baby has been saved. The human scientists have been unable to replicate the cure. And she still doesn't know how to cure the partial expiration date. And what about Kira herself? If she is a partial, why was she created and what is her purpose? And who is part of the Trust and what was their plan?

      The partials are about to invade Long Island. Marcus finds himself in the middle of the war. Kira is searching for answers and will stop at nothing. She goes to ParaGen offices in Manhattan and beyond looking for clues.


      My opinion
      I loved the first book. And the sequel doesn't disappoint. Kira is a determined young woman. She seems to be one of the only people left in the world who understands that if humans and partials don't work together, they will both become extinct. The leaders of the partials are determined to control or destroy the humans and the humans are terrified of the partials. If the humans just do nothing, the partials will die out due to the expiration date. But within one generation, the humans will die out too. No babies can survive without the cure that only comes from the breath of the partials.

      This book is fun to read and exciting. I finished it quickly and can't wait to finish the third book (which I already started reading). The story is original and the writing draws you in. I connected with the characters and was really rooting for Kira. Can't wait to see how this ends!!
    • 4/5
      3.5/5Intriguing sequel to Partials. Plenty of action and some nice character development. Still frustrated by the plot holes and some of the science I just cannot buy (I know its in the future, but still) Enjoyed this more than Partials, with the exception of I missed some of the dark humour. A tad predictable but I still enjoyed. Now have to wait for the next book to be available from the library for me. Perfect for reluctant readers
    • 5/5
      I really liked this one and for me it didn't suffer from middle book syndrome. Lots of plot advancement and we actually find out answers to quite a few questions. My only real gripe with this book would be how little attention was given to Afa's death. It's literally about 2 sentences and then they just move on. They wake up, he's dead, they bury him, done. It felt kind of heartless and anticlimactic to basically have no character reactions until a few conversations much later in the book.
    • 4/5
      First, I want to end on a high note, so let me say what I didn't enjoy too much first. To begin with, I feel like it took me too long to get into the book. For some reason the beginning just seemed too slow for me. Next, it seemed that perhaps from the middle of the book to the end there were so many writing errors, misspelled words and added words or misplaced words, that at times I felt a little frustrated because I had to mentally correct the problem while obviously trying to enjoy the book. Despite the few hiccups, I think the book is great. It really keeps you on the end of your seat. The fighting and action have definitely increased in this book. The reader also comes to learn a bit more about the complexity and mystery surrounding everything about the RM virus. Ultimately, the ending leaves you speechless and wanting more.
    • 3/5
      Better than the 1st installment. Finally some concrete info on the various subplots. I still don't know what "RM" stands for. Call me a bit anal retentive but I do enjoy having as much pertinent info as possible. The plotting still has some ambiguous spots and certain characters (Haru Saito) act outside their original parameters.

      Still like the overall story and the protagonist is likeable.
    • 5/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A slower paced, but still unpredictable and dramatic, sequel to Partials that launches Kira on a ridiculously awesome journey and hurls us straight into the final book of the Partials series, Ruins.Opening Sentence: “Raise a glass,” said Hector, “to the best officer in New America.”The Review:Fragments is an interesting and exciting sequel that almost lives up to the rest of the Partials series but falls a smidgeon short in a few areas. The main characters remain just as captivating (but still believable), however, the plot just had a hint of filler thrown in. With a really good book or series it’s hard to say that less is more but they could have cut out a little more of the monotony in this particular part of the series and maybe even added on some more details at the end of the series, or to the most exciting portions, particularly as a certain romantic relationship starts to develop.Kira is as compelling as ever, as she fights heartily against everything that comes between her and saving humanity. She is too driven and stubborn to succeed easily as a liaison between the Partial and Human races, but the best characters are ones that have to overcome themselves, in addition to outside forces, to succeed. Samm, Heron, and Marcus all develop much more as characters and it is quite refreshing to see their points of view. This style keeps the focus on Kira while serving a utilitarian purpose of keeping the audience informed as the characters are separated by a much wider surface area in this novel. Emotionally, however, rotating points of view is much more rewarding, as a bit of our anticipation is quenched when we find out that Kira’s interpersonal skills really are lacking in some areas and most of the characters are not actually thinking what she thinks they are. The new characters that are introduced in Fragments do not play minor roles. They are fully integrated into the plot and become more important than we can initially comprehend. When Kira teams up with a highly unlikely hero, Afa, he adds interest to the book by being so raw and plain. On the other hand, especially with his limitations and his skill set, he seems just a little too convenient.With Afa as the most obvious example, for as long as the book is, several factors in Fragments seem to trend more toward convenience than believability. The other books didn’t have that same effect, which made it seem almost as if the focus was on the first and third books in the series, with the second thrown in with less thought and less core. The plot was still necessary to the collection, just somewhat rudimentary in comparison to Partials and Ruins. Part 3 of Fragments is where the Partials story truly grips its audience. There is definitely a curve ball thrown in a totally unexpected way, and everything from that point on is unpredictable, hurling us straight into the raucous events of Ruins. The last chapter of Fragments leaves us hanging on an edge and ready to dive straight into the third book. This is definitely not a book that could stand alone.Fragments really shines in everything that is unpredictable. The landscaping for Kira’s journey is well thought out and absolutely enthralling at times. Several moments are literally jaw-dropping, “I never saw that coming” experiences, which is totally entertaining. Wells does not disappoint at all in keeping the creativity and surprises coming one after the other.It is noteworthy that certain elements of this book have a definite, but not overdone, horror element to them. The audience is questioning exactly how far Dan Wells will go in the Partials sequence, and although he flirts with that line, he doesn’t end up crossing it. The creativity of the entire story is intriguing, as are the details. There are definitely points that are creepy and even shocking. The Partials series is for those who appreciate imagination and thrill, and that isn’t just flattery. The entire series does not disappoint in that department. In the romance and pacing departments, we could use a little more discretion, but Fragments will keep you wanting more Partials.Notable Scene:“What does that have to do with anything?” asked Kira.“You tell me,” said Heron. “What’s your little boyfriend Marcus likely to do when he finds out what you are?”“Easy,” said Samm. “Everybody just calm down. This argument is not going to get us anywhere.”“Neither is this bridge,” Kira growled, and turned Bobo’s head to lead him back down to the highway. She wanted to yell, to scream at them both, even at Afa–that this was their fault, that they had fought this war and destroyed the world before she was even old enough to defend it. But this one part of it, this massive act of destruction, she couldn’t even blame on them. That was the worst part of all. “Let’s find another way around.”FTC Advisory: Balzer + Bray/HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Fragments. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 5/5
      It's a page turner. He leaves crucial information just out of reach. I look forward to the next book.
    • 3/5
      Plot: 3 stars
      Characters: 3 1/2 stars
      Style: 3 stars
      Pace: 3 stars

      Like most second books in a trilogy, this one's about laying all the pieces out. Unfortunately, a lot of this means boring scenes between action scenes that don't really give as much as they could. *shrugs* Who am I kidding, I'll still read the third.
    • 5/5
      The story beginning in Partials continues a few months down the road with Kira searching for the Trust and trying to come to terms with what is must mean that she is a Partial who ages. Samm still searches for an answer to the expiration date that has been killing off Partials after 20 years. And Marcus is left behind in the human community on Long Island dealing with the political aftermath of Kira's dealings with Samm and a Partial invasion.As the second book in a trilogy this book definitely does not stand alone, and it took me about a hundred pages to feel invested in the story. Once I reached that point, however, everything suddenly clicked and I was carried along by the fast pace and the ethical dilemmas with which the characters are faced as they search for a cure for both humans and Partials. A lot of revelations make the story complex and compelling. Though the idea of Partials - genetically engineered beings intended as perfect fighters - and the virus created seem potentially far-fetched, the very human actions and reactions make for believable scenarios.
    • 5/5
      After a grueling journey into the toxic wasteland, dragging the last human live along with her, Kira's suspicions are confirmed, she is the latest "partial" model.
    • 3/5
      [Cross-posted to Knite Writes]This was a journey book. I don’t really like journey books because they quickly start to feel repetitive to me. And that’s exactly what happened in the middle of Fragments. Kira and the gang, traveling along…and traveling along…and traveling along. They faced the same dangers over and over and over again. That always annoys me. Thankfully, the beginning and the end of this really long sequel were quite exciting, and I feel that Wells has set up the series for an amazing third installment. There is a lot going on.I mean, we’ve got a Partial virus, a nuke, a war, a cure for human RM, our protagonists split up all across the country…man, something will be going down in the next Partials book, that’s for sure. If Dan Wells is an expert at anything, it’s juggling a lot of complex plot elements. He managed to give answers to a number of questions from Book 1 while simultaneously introducing many more questions within those answers–perfectly setting the stage for an exciting Book 3.I also greatly appreciate the subtle romantic elements. I’ve read so much YA lately where the teen romance overpowers the actual dramatic sci-fi plot that the entire dystopian/apocalyptic YA genre is starting to grate on my nerves. But Wells is fantastic at keeping the romance as an undertone while having the protagonists focus on the actual issues at hand. Samm and Kira don’t get a romantic moment until the very end of the book–and it’s a long book. So, hats off to Dan Wells, who manages to cover YA issues while actually keeping a strong post-apocalyptic plot going! Yay!Anyway, this book does have its issues. I mentioned the whole drawn-out journey thing. That was my biggest issue. I also think Wells needs to work a bit on POV. The Partial sequence is written in close third, and for the majority of this story, Wells switches back and forth between two POV characters, Kira and Marcus. But every now and then, he randomly throws in another character (Ariel, a few times, and Samm…once, for a part of a chapter). This is slightly irritating to me because it comes off as sloppy. Wells needs to introduce information, but he can’t do it without adding more POV characters? Seems he wrote himself into a corner.Other than that, I enjoyed this installment, and I feel it has a great setup for Book 3.
    • 4/5
      Note: There are some spoilers for Book One in this series, Partials, but none for this book which is Book Two.This book is the second in a post-apocalyptic dystopian trilogy, the first of which is Partials. I enjoyed the first book, and eagerly picked up the second.In Partials, we learned that eleven years have passed since the last war and the release of a devastating virus known as “RM.” Only some 40,000 people are left in the world, but there are also a a million or so “Partials,” biosynthetic soldiers created by the U.S. Government (contracting with the biotech company ParaGen) to fight in the great Isolation War. The Partials were genetically programmed to be stronger and faster, and to have an enhanced ability to communicate through pheremones called “The Link.” [In real life, humans have pheromones mainly associated with sexual attraction. They are naturally occurring odorless substances the body excretes, conveying an airborne signal that provides information to, and triggers responses from, the opposite sex of the same species.] In this future world (around the year 2075), the function of pheromones has been enhanced; Partials can sense each other’s presence through this link, and detect, for example, whether or not one of them is in danger. This aids both reaction time and stealth, not to mention survival.After the Isolation War, the Partials were kept on in a subservient position, and they rebelled. In the meantime, the RM virus was released, and the human population was decimated. Not only were most humans killed, but no baby is able to live, since it succumbs within 3 days to the RM virus. Humans have not been able to come up with a cure, and in the first book, Kira, a budding scientist, decides the key to the cure is kidnapping a Partial to find out how and why they are immune to the virus.But in the first book we also learn that the Partials are dying too. Apparently they were constructed with an expiration date, and after twenty years, they quickly deteriorate and die. They too are desperate to find the key to survival, and so they want to capture a human. At the end of Book One, we are left at an impasse between the two groups.In Fragments, the heroine, sixteen-year-old Kira Walker, sets off across the country to locate the headquarters of ParaGen, because it is there, she believes, the answers will be found. Kira is determined to save the world - a little naive, you might think, except that she happens to be in a unique and believable position to think this way. She is also struggling to figure out just who and what she is: is she a human or a Partial, and with which group do her loyalties lie? She is accompanied on her journey to ParaGen by two Partials: Samm (of possible romantic interest) and Heron (a female who is possibly untrustworthy). Meanwhile, back home in Long Island, her sort-of-boyfriend Marcus is on his own campaign to save the world. Time is running out though; both the humans and Partials are dying at a rapid rate, not only for biological reasons, but because each group is also at war with themselves and with one another.Discussion: This book has a lot in common with at least a big chunk of Stephen King’s The Stand. Much of the story consists of a challenging journey across what is left of a country devastated by war, disease, and toxic waste. The characters are a veritable U.N. of diversity, representing many races, including Indian, Chinese, and Hispanic, and yet there is still one group that serves as a target for all the prejudice and hate mankind usually has to offer. This offers a rich mine for thought and discussion.There is also an interesting complication discussed in this book about a modification made to the Partials, so that they would have overactive consciences. Understanding why that was so, and what the repercussions are, is also an intriguing addition to the story.Evaluation: This series is quite thought-provoking, as the characters struggle with issues that concern us all, viz.: How do we determine what makes us human? How do we define morality in a complex world? How do you draw the line between “leadership” and “dictatorship”? And perhaps most importantly, how do we rein in our short-term desires for the long-term good of humanity and of the planet that harbors us? I liked this book, but I would definitely recommend waiting to read this until all three books are out. It’s a good middle child, but it is just that; it doesn’t actually end at all, and will probably be deemed unsatisfactory to readers without the third on hand.
    • 4/5
      Fragments did not disappoint. It did feel a bit disjointed at times with the numerous plot lines and PoV characters but I still enjoy the series and am looking forward to the conclusion next year.
    • 4/5
      This book was definitely better than the first in the series. I loved all the action in this one and all the secrets that get revealed. I enjoyed the point-of-view changes and getting to understand some of the characters better from that (although I did find that I didn't like it much when Marcus and Haru were the point-of-view). There were some bombshells thrown in at the end of this book and I can't wait to see what happens in the third book. I loved the ending between Kira and Samm because, even though I hate when people say something like this, I am 100% Team Samm. If you liked the first book in this series than I would highly recommend that you read this one.
    • 4/5
      Diving into a sci-fi I couldn't forget, Partials took me away. I knew the sequel would have loads in it, since the first book left off with the one secrets revealed at the very end...1. Plot. This plot is very complex. There are some point of view of switches, so you must pay attention. Lots is going on so you need to be sure you read every single sentence so that you don't get lost or confused.2. Characters. All the characters have grown so much. Now that all that was revealed in the last book, Fragments is just picking up the pieces of the last book with much more action. I really like that some of the characters took charge while others betrayed. There is even a new character who changes a lot of things.3. Love interest. Love interest didn't go far, but some how some way it form a love triangle. At least, Kira is not bouncing back and forth between guys. Still, love interest does get complicated.4. Action. There is much movement from place to place. Lots of fighting and on the run scenes. It gets your heart racing! I love the build up for such excitement and the scenes themselves are devouring!5. Back round history. Now that the secret is out, there is much to learn about ParaGen and their motives. The reader get LOTS of juicy info of the planning that ParaGen is doing and has done.Overall, I think that this story lives up to the first. It is much more define and the bigger picture is coming together nicely. An endless entertaining story, Fragments is great!
    • 4/5
      Kira is searching to find the key to saving both humans and Partials. She also struggles with where she belongs as she still identifies with the human race even though she is a Partial. Kira begins her journey only with a photograph telling her to locate the Trust and she assumes they will have information on a cure for RM and the Partial expiration. As things at home begin to unravel, Kira, and crew happen upon something they thought impossible and a harsh truth she never expected. Marcus finds himself caught in the midst of chaos back home as he tries to replicate a cure for RM. He attempts to make peace with the Partials as another war with them would be detrimental to the human race but what he learns about his girlfriend and her family is more unsettling than he could ever imagine. The Partials aren't looking for peace they want Kira and will stop at nothing until they have her.

      The romance does not appear to be the main focus but there is a lot of tension and uncertainty pouring from Kira and Samm. She seems oblivious to how he feels about her and he has hard time expressing himself. I liked this scene where she tries to explain that humans talk with more than words but with their hands, tone of voice or body language which in turn perplexed Samm because Partials communicate through the link. Samm, appears to be this strong capable Partial yet has a vulnerability about him that is engaging in this book and his trust in Kira is touching.
      Now, supporting characters, Herron with all of her superiority is the most obtuse and naive to me. She complains so much in this book, which grated on my nerves I wanted to throttle her. She doesn't know how to trust what she can't see; she desires an attainable fix rather than betting on chance. Now, the next character, Afa, the only "human in the world" is an absolute loon and makes for comedy relief and frustration but when his mind is on, he becomes this wealth of information that Kira and crew needs to lead them to the Trust.

      Fragments is a long and very detailed installment that answers many questions about the Partials and Kira's origin but leaves room for more speculation. When I envision the landscape for what this world looks like for them, my first thought is of the movie the Book of Eli because everything was so desolate and full of chaos and destruction. In my mind, I see a decaying land destroyed by war yet struggling to live again. Kira made me like her even more as a character in Fragments because she chooses not pick sides over which race to save rather she is adamant about trying to save both. Wells writing is fluid and evenly paced, though some portions are slower but the action packed sequences make up for that. The world building Wells has created makes the story come alive and easy to picture in one's mind. Overall, a great continuation of a thrilling series.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book in the Partials trilogy. It was an excellent continuation of the series and I enjoyed it a lot.I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was very well done. The narrator does an excellent job of distinguishing between voices and characters and also conveys character emotion well.Kira is determined to figure out the secrets behind her origins, so she journeys to the deserted Manhattan to find a business office for ParaGen and hopefully find the answers to her questions there. Meanwhile Marcus is still desperately trying to find a cure for RM; issues are complicated when the Partials threaten to invade Long Island. There are many twists and turns and many secrets are revealed. This was a fast-paced and well done YA dystopian/post-apocalyptic type of novel. Some parts have more of an adventuring feel to them as Kira heads out west to find answers about her origin and I enjoyed these parts a lot. I also enjoyed how we got to see other parts of the United State, for example the wastelands that Kira and crew have to cross. The book switches between Marcus and Kira; I found the parts from Kira’s POV to be a lot more engaging. Kira is out exploring and finding new things while Marcus is mainly trying just to survive from day to day. This book has more of a science fiction and less of a dystopia feel to it than the last book. There is also a lot of survivalist stuff going on.Kira comes off as a bit bull-headed and determined throughout the book. While I understood her drive to solve the problem and save the world, she comes off as incredibly selfish at times. Heron calls Kira out on this multiple times, finally Kira starts to question the morality of some of her decisions. Kira does have a point though, she has determined that it is okay to sacrifice a few people to save many...although she struggles with this decision towards the end of the book.Along with Kira for much of the story are Samm and Heron. Both Samm and Heron were more interesting and fascinating characters for me than Kira. Samm always seems so emotionless but this book explores a lot more about Samm, his life up to this point, and what he wants out of the future.I thought this book was more consistently paced than the first book. The story is engaging and there were some interesting plot developments. There are lots of twists and turns. Also this book is much darker than the first, all of our characters end up in very bad situations. So while it wasn’t exactly an uplifting story, it was intriguing.The one thing that really bothered me was that there were a few inconsistencies throughout the novel. For example Kira didn’t even know what a computer looked like early on, but then a short while later she is running searches on a computer without any help. When did she suddenly get so computer savvy? There were also some things that seemed implausible and contrived. For example the wastelands caused by oil rigs burning and off gassing; this seemed a bit contrived for me...especially in the way it was isolated to only a certain region. It made for an interesting story, but I couldn’t help occasionally thinking “this totally does not make any sense”.Overall I thought this book was an enjoyable read. It’s fast-paced and engaging. There’s a lot of interesting secrets revealed and I enjoyed spending more time with Samm and Heron and getting to understand them better. The world-building is a bit weak and contrived and there were a couple inconsistencies in the story. Despite these I still found this to be an entertaining read. Recommended to fans of YA science fiction/dystopia.
    • 4/5
      Since this is the second book in the series, proceed with caution. This review may contain minor spoilers. Now that Kira has a better understanding of the RM virus, she has left home in search of answers to who/what she is, and to figure out why the cure to RM lives inside of the Partials. With the Partials expiration date growing ever closer, Kira must find a way to permanently cure RM, or once the Partials go extinct, so will the human race. As Kira searches for answers, she is joined by Samm and Heron, two Partials she isn’t sure she can fully trust, as well as Afa, a mentally troubled man who used to work for ParaGen, the company responsible for manufacturing the Partials. As the group searches for answers far from home, a new war threatens to break out in East Meadows. There are people who desperately want Kira, and they’ll stop at nothing to get her back. In the first book, the story takes place primarily in and around a dystopian New York. In this installment, the author takes us across a desolate and dangerous USA, from New York, to Chicago to Denver. While I liked the characters in the first book, the only one I really connected with was Kira. I liked her determination and drive, but there was something lacking. After reading Fragments, I feel like I know her so much better. She’s strong and smart and totally selfless. What made me really happy was that we get a lot more Samm development in this story. I was intrigued by Samm in book one, and after this book I am a total Samm fan. Herron is interesting, and while not especially likable at first glance, she grew on me. I think my favorite new character by far had to be Afa — the gentle giant with the broken mind who may know how to help Kira find the answers she is looking for. Mr. Wells does a wonderful job of creating tension and moving the story forward at a decent pace. I remember feeling like the first book dragged, and I was afraid that would be the same here. This book is MUCH longer than the first, and despite a couple of slower areas, I felt it moved a lot faster than the first book. There’s a lot going on and plenty of twists and turns that Mr. Wells handles like a pro. Action-packed and full of surprises, Fragments is even better than its predecessor. I was glued to the pages for about the last quarter of the book, and while the ending left me scratching my head a bit, it definitely has me wanting the next book in the series.
    • 4/5
      Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyHow does an almost 600 page book end up feeling too short? Masterful plotting, harrowing danger, meticulously detailed worldbuilding with a complex history, and truly human characters even when they aren’t actually human.I called PARTIALS, the first book in the Partials Sequence, ‘the first truly great dystopian debut of the year!’ in 2012, and FRAGMENTS is even better. So much so that I’m calling the Partials Sequence one of the best dystopian series since The Hunger Games. The medical thriller elements are just as prominent as in the debut, and while the concepts became necessarily more complex, I found them to be more easily comprehended this time. We learn more about the geneticists who created the Partials, how and why they were made, and how the RM virus that attacks humans is connected to the expiration date for Partials. Not to mention Kira’s unique role and explanation for her existence.Books with amazing concepts often fall into a rut with their sequels either regurgitating essentially the same story or breaking so far from their original premise that they alienate fans of the debut. FRAGMENTS neatly sidesteps both common pitfalls. Author Dan Wells has carried over his brilliant balance of characters who possess opposing viewpoints and has still made them all sympathetic to readers. He raises numerous ethical quandaries in FRAGMENTS and Mr. Wells respects both his characters and his readers enough not to give them easy answers. At the same time, he forces his characters into new environments and drops MIND ALTERING revelations that we rarely see in middle books for trilogies.The beginning of FRAGMENTS was a little slow, and I did prefer the chapters with Kira more than Marcus back on Long Island (fortunately the ratio is 3:1 so most of the book follows Kira). The plot is crazy dense and amazingly well paced, but it didn’t leave a lot of room for character development until the showstopping end (which will leave readers breathless). But those criticisms are so minor in the face of everything that this book gets so right. The conclusion to the Partials Sequence can’t come soon enough.Sexual Content:Kissing
    • 5/5
      4.5/5 stars!While I do think that there was a nice chunk that wasn't really quite needed (or needed to be edited out) in this follow-up to "Partials", I really, really, really enjoyed "Fragments". Seriously. This is some bold biopunk YA going on right here - daring to bring issues like apartheid, slavery, bioethics, and other such matters to the table when most YA is still stuck in contemporary or PNR-only zones. The "Partials Sequence" series is definitely in the realm of the next frontier for me when it comes to thinking of the future of YA, so I can only hope that we get more authors to be just as daring. If you liked "Partials", you're definitely going to love "Fragments" if just for Wells getting bolder in his storytelling.Okay, so biggest issue with this installment: one, the editing. I feel like a lot of the journey across the country could have been cut down a fair amount (at least 50 pages) and the book wouldn't have suffered for it. While I do understand the need to show the external journey to Chicago/Denver and the internal journey that Heron, Afa, Samm, and Kira are making within themselves, I just feel like there was too much of the external journey to deal with. Two: Afa. I'm not sure if he's supposed to be autistic (somewhere on the spectrum, since he was high-functioning enough to run ParaGen's IT department at one point, or if he's supposed to be a regular guy with some severe PTSD issues, or if he's a savant. Or all of the above? He was a bit hard to get a read on, and while I do feel he was very important to the story, I wish we could have gotten a bit more detail on him. What hinted that he might be autistic was the thing about touch and the savantism re: IT and computers, but at the same time, he obviously was pretty damaged (but wasn't everyone?) after the Break. So I wished Wells would have made him a little bit more declared/obvious in his description of Afa, since it was starting to gnaw at me after awhile. Maybe we'll get a late reference to him in book three? I hope so.The other technical areas in this book were more or less flawless, so I won't be examining them too much instead in favor of exploring some of the themes that Wells more heavily asserted in this installment of the "Partials Sequence".I literally could not put this book down. There are so many issues (and two main storylines eventually converging into one) that are talked about in here, all very mature and serious - apartheid (kids, look it up on wikipedia if you don't know what it is), bioethics, slavery, self-identity and more. There's also the question of can these two species co-exist, or if one needs to die so that the other can live, which is pretty heavy stuff. To put it one way, this is not the light, fluffy feel-good book of the year. There's a lot of heavy issues which overcome the "tough stuff" genre of YA (more like blows it out of the water), but it does come around to one of the most common themes of YA books: who am I? What am I? Am I human? What makes me human? All of these are explored slowly but surely throughout the book, mostly throughout the journey to Chicago/Denver, by a lot of internal reflection on Kira's part, and through talking with everyone else on the journey along the way.There's also the very important question for all literature that's hidden in here that works so easily within the sci-fi genre as a whole - what makes us human in a post-human age? What does it mean to be human in a post-human age? I can safely say that with the ridiculously explosive growth of the internet and devices post-year 2000, we're in a post-human age, and Wells really digs into these questions, using them as a large part of the heart of the "Partials Sequence" series as a way to really explore the idea of humanity in the face of something perfectly engineered and synthetic, and to compare the two. The answers that come up in "Fragments" specifically may really surprise you - I know I was really surprised by some of the Big Reveals in that arena of humanity versus "the other" throughout the book. And while there were some Big Reveals I saw coming thanks to some very heavy foreshadowing at the end of book one, when you gather them all together as a whole, it makes for not only very compelling reading, but a good reason for navel-gazing (a negative term, usually, but here it needs to be used) for humans right now as a whole. We're growing and evolving at such a rate digitally right now...well, I'm not sure we were ever made to go this fast in all areas of life. We text people, but not call them. Email but not write. We're forgetting the old ways of things, and "Fragments" asks us through comparing us to the Partials, talking about the Partial War and the Break itself - is this for the best? Is growing so digital and so...well, almost arrogant with our hold over nature for our greater good? Or, instead, is Wells warning us - with our pride comes our fall, just like the RM plague (which we'll be getting some very interesting answers about in this book) and the Break itself? Is it time we get "reset" as a society, a planet, a species as a whole? So, yeah. A lot of thinky-stuff in this book, though there is romance (and very well done - light, gentle, and almost sneaky until it hits us at the end), and other stuff. There were times where I was wondering if Wells was channeling James Kirk through Samm's views on "no-win" scenarios, and that was a nice little surprise that made my fangirl heart skip with glee. This is a compulsively readable sci-fi piece, but it's also a very philosophical bit of YA that seems almost too mature for the genre - but that's not a bad thing. We definitely need more books in this vein, and soon. Final verdict? Definitely a must-read for 2013, I can't wait to see where Wells goes with this series next. I'm definitely dying for book 3 now, and hopefully we'll get another novella thrown in the mix soon, too. "Fragments" will drop in North American stores February 26, 2013, so be sure to check it out when you get the chance!(posted to goodreads, shelfari, librarything, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)