Mortal Coils

For all the Halo fans out there, this review is for you

Let me first say that I am a long time fan of Nylund's, so know that when I started reading this Mortal Coils I was rather biased. But I'm not writing this review for the people who have never heard of Nylund, but for the throngs of Halo fans out there that are afraid Mortal Coils sucks because it's not another Halo book. Let's dispel that lie right now; Mortal Coils is amazing.

To be honest, like most people, I was rather upset when I first found out that Mortal Coils was not another Halo novel. After all, that is what got me reading Nylund's work. But the action that Ghost of Onyx did, Coils does better. The origin story that the Fall of Reach did, Coils does better. Mortal Coils surpasses everything else in every way. Which is saying a lot considering Onyx is one of my all time favorite books.

I bought Coils when it first came out but it took me a while before I got around to reading it (even longer before I wrote its long overdue review). I have to say I absolutely loved it. The words captured me from the first page; it was as if every sentence dripped with Nylund's love for his story; from the descriptions to the twists to the dialog to the capturing of the awkward-yet-hilariousness of being a teenager. This is truly amazing stuff.

But what makes this tale ever greater, is it culmination of all mythologies. Now, I'm not mythology buff, but I am a fan. And the way Nylund ties so much popular lore together is astounding. Also, I was thoroughly impressed with Nylund's skill at not making anything too gratuitous or over-the-top; there's not much cussing and there's no sex. But the amazing part is, you don't miss any of that stuff because of how intense this story is and how artistically it is written.

This is by far my favorite book of the years and a great read/buy for anyone.

Here's to hoping the sequel, All That Lives Must Die, can live up to the awesome potential laid out by its predecessor.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great read

One of the books i have ever read. I read it like three times already and the second book is just as awesome =3

Great intro to new series - definitely worth the time

I love finding a new book series where I know that I'll enjoy re-reading the books prior to the next book coming out. Mortal Coils is a longish book, but the story doesn't lag so it feels like you're pushing yourself to get through it. I love books that refer to history and mythology while still retaining a unique voice.

A great start!

I enjoyed the story, characters, writing style and "atmosphere" of this book! Fantasy is not normally a genre I read, but I am glad I gave this book a try. I'm looking forward to the continuation of this series as there is plenty of room within the premise to explore all sorts of storylines. For fans of thrillers, horror, fantasy and adventure, this series opener holds great promise. The characters are diverse, entertaining and complex enough to hold one's attention and they make "suspending belief and just enjoying the story" easy---which is a big part of the fun in this book!

Great use of mylthology

Good if you are a fan of mordern use of mythology.

Mortal Coils: An Unforgettable Tale of a Not-So-Typical War of Good an Evil

Eric Nylund, author of Halo: Ghosts of Onyx and many other great books (Halo and otherwise), does not disappoint with his newest title, Mortal Coils. Throughout the book we follow Eliot and Fiona Post: a nerdy, boring pair of just-turned-fifteen-year-old orphaned twins. They live in a Californian town with their grandmother, whom enforces a lengthy list of rules, and Cee, their great grandmother. Always wishing they had an exciting life and a family to go along with it, the Post twins follow their list of rules to the tee, leaving no room for any fun or otherwise interesting events. But with their fifteenth birthday comes changes that will alter Fiona's and Eliot's life forever.
Mortal Coils keeps you captivated from the moment you open its cover. It's almost impossible to put down! From the slower-paced chapters in Del Sombra to the intense chapters of conflict and suspense, this book's changing pace is sure to keep you on your toes. Mortal Coils blurs the line of good and evil and makes you second guess everything and everyone.
This book is definitely movie material, so don't be surprised if this hits the big screen. And with the second installation of what promises to be a great series in the works, once you finish Mortal Coils you'll by dying for more.
I'd recommend this book to anyone from thirteen to three hundred. From the casual reader to the I-eat-books-for-breakfast literary fanatic. It's a must read for everyone with family . . . by blood, marriage, or circumstance.

Great tale

I really really loved this book, and was sad when it ended. It surprised me that this is such a departure from this authors typical work, but it was in the best way because I loved the story told, and am dying for the next book in the series to come out

Engaging, intelligent...and just the right amount of creepy!

I just finished reading Mortal Coils...once I started, I couldn't put it down! I have been looking for another good series to get into, and it looks like Eric Nylund's new series, about twins who must deal with somewhat...abnormal...heritage (what with their mother being a goddess and their father being Lucifer and all), will fill that void quite nicely.

I don't think there's anyone out there who won't be able to relate to the twins in this story--I mean, who hasn't felt like a complete loser with a crappy job and crazy family?--which is what makes this book so engaging. Despite the crazy adventures the twins get involved with, they are still relatable and human. (Well, maybe not ALL human...)

The pacing of the book perfectly mimics what's going on in the twins' lives. The earlier chapters reflect the twins' life prior to their trials, and as the story unfolds the chapters get more and more intense. Too many books involving kids skimp on the darker stuff, but I'm happy to report that this one didn't...there were some moments that actually had me creeped out. Awesome!

All in all, a great start to what promises to be an exciting series!

Great read! I have a feeling I'll enjoy this book again & again...

I lucked into reading a pre-release copy of Mortal Coils, not knowing anything about it. Given Eric Nylund's range of other work, I figured it would be good, and I was not disappointed!

From the introduction of the Post twins' odd life, to the events which expose their true identity, to the twists and thrills of their trials and adventures of meeting and trying to survive their families, I was hooked. Nylund delivers great characters, an intriguing, layered and well-paced story, and a richly realized world that I am looking forward to revisiting, both when I get to re-read this book and -fingers crossed- its sequels!

I was privileged to receive an advanced reading copy of Mortal Coils. It's a GREAT READ!

I literally had to force myself to put Mortal Coils down so that I could attend to basic activities of daily living - such as sleep and work.

Mortal Coils has it all: enthralling action, intriguing and relatable main characters, villains that leave you guessing, and wicked smart humor - all packaged in a modern mythic reincarnation of the struggle between good and evil.

If you like the works of J.K. Rowling, you will love Nylund's newest book: Mortal Coils.

The cover art is a bit of a disappointment in that for me it didn't really capture the essence of Mortal Coils. Of course, once I started reading Mortal Coils, I didn't care if it came in a plain brown wrapper.

Mr. Nylund Creates a Wonderful New Tale of Immortal Gods and Demons in the Modern World

Two ordinary teenagers, a brother and a sister, whom the reader discovers are anything but ordinary, find themselves in the center of a battle for the future of our world¿as two warring clans of powerful immortals each claim them as their own. Eric Nylund, well known to readers as the author of several Halo-based novels, strikes out in a new direction by creating two original young characters who are compelling, powerful, and extraordinary¿and, surprisingly, typical teenagers facing the universal problems of growing up. At once both funny and thrilling, Mr. Nylund will delight readers of all ages with his new modern-fantasy adventure with cyberpunk overtones. Mortal Coils is a combination of J.K. Rowling¿s Harry Potter, Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash, Edith Hamilton's Mythology, Milton's Paradise Lost, and Susanna Clarke¿s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel (with Mr. Nylund¿s fascinating use of illuminating footnotes). I approached this novel not knowing what I would find, and found that I couldn't put it down. I couldn¿t have enjoyed it more. One hopes this is the just the beginning of a wonderful new series of novels based upon Mortal Coils¿ cavalcade of interesting and engaging heroes, villains, situations, and difficult choices.

Saving Grace For The Fantasy Genre

Odds are a lot of people will come across this booking hoping it¿s another Halo book. Some might stick around and give it a chance anyway because Nylund is one of our more brilliant sci-fi/fantasy authors as of current and we need to support him to keep that hope for this genre alive. Others might view it with disdain because they¿ve marked him as The Halo Guy and refuse to let him budge from being that guy. Those people will be cheating themselves with their tunnel vision. This is a good book. A great book. Everyone needs to pick it up and read it.

As a geek who wasn¿t exactly in the popular clique at school, I immediately related to the Post siblings, though I¿ll admit I didn¿t have it nearly as bad as they do. It¿s an impressive feat to still be the lowly dog in your peer group when you¿re homeschooled and not really allowed to have friends. For Eliot, it seems his only friend may be the drunken homeless man with the violin they pass every day on their way to their terrible job with their terrible boss. Fiona¿s only friend is chocolate, though it¿s a fleeting friendship. Still, these are friendships that change their lives, both for the better and the worse and very permanently.

While this seems to be cut and dried gods vs. devils, the gods aren¿t entirely pure goodness and the devils aren¿t pure evil. There¿s a balance in this book¿a grasp of reality that deserves a lot of respect. Nylund is able to take real characters shaped by their lives as they would be in real life and make them interesting. These people are nuanced, flawed, characters in a book, yes, but appear molded by their histories more than the plot driven whims of the author. This book is presented as a retelling of a ¿true¿ myth complete with footnotes and references to sources. Reading it, you honestly feel that is exactly what Nylund¿s doing. It¿s as though he actually did the research, met the Post family, and they¿re letting him tell their story. You will go to Google in search of the referenced books and towns, just in case they might actually be there.

With all the drivel out there on the sci-fi/fantasy shelves, this book should stand out as a bastion of hope that this genre hasn¿t completely lost all respect for itself. It¿s also proof positive Nylund can stand on his own. I¿m to understand this is the first book of a series. That means everyone should read it and tell their friends to read it to keep the series going, keep the publishers willing to let him write it. It would be a horrible shame to let it fall to the publishing scrapheap.

A winner

In Del Sombra, California, Audrey abetted by her mother is a martinet dominating her increasingly angry teen twin grandchildren Eliot and Fiona Post. The two matriarchs rule with iron fists inside velvet gloves. In fact Audrey hides the real reason why she has them living a boring life under her thumb with home schooling, working at a pizza parlor, and increasing the rules now at 106 she expects them to obey. Audrey fears for their safety and much more; the pair are the offspring of the eldest Immortal Fate Atropos and the Infernal Lucifer. Their existence threatens the treaty between the two groups.

However, on their fifteenth birthday, the siblings learn the truth of what they are and who their parents are. The Immortals and the Infernals also learn of their existence and each side wants the hybrid loyal to their group. The gods devise three tests of heroism that sends the pair into the most dangerous realms of mythology while the Infernals counter with three trials of temptations to separate the twins from each other. To survive the tribulations and treachery fostered on them from both sides, Eliot and Fiona must remain united covering each other¿s back.

The story line purposely opens with a boring suburban lifestyle that even when the impossible occurs the twins write it off as just a bit of weirdness, refusing to accept their DNA is not purebred Homo sapiens. As the trials begin, the action picks up dramatically with the teens getting increasingly aware that this no longer normal California. Loosely mindful of Paul Park's "Princess of Roumania" saga, fans will enjoy the trials and tribulations of two formerly red blooded American teens caught in immortal coils.

Harriet Klausner

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