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The Lord of Opium (2013)

door Nancy Farmer

Andere auteurs: Rick Britton (Maps)

Andere auteurs: Zie de sectie andere auteurs.

Reeksen: Matteo Alacran (2)

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5881940,048 (3.47)6
In 2137, fourteen-year-old Matt is stunned to learn that, as the clone of El Patrón, he is expected to take over as leader of the corrupt drug empire of Opium, where there is also a hidden cure for the ecological devastation faced by the rest of the world.
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1-5 van 19 worden getoond (volgende | toon alle)
4.5 stars
A satisfying sequel to House of the Scorpion. Both books ended with enough resolution for the story to be complete, but I really liked where she went with this follow-up. Like the first book, there's a lot to ponder, and there's much more focus on the eejits. Also like the first book, characters who make Mateo's life more complicated tend to get killed off. It's gratifying in a way (except with Mirasol-but I think that was convenient too-better that than a love triangle, though), but it also feels too easy. The flashlight killing Glasseye wasn't very convincing to me.

The appendix at the end is not to be missed-I had no idea how much of the novel was inspired by actual people, places and events.

If you listen to it on audio, there's a nice interview at the end between Nancy Farmer and the reader, Raul Esparza. The author seems like someone I'd like to have coffee with. In her home in Arizona. Because that would be cool. ( )
  Harks | Dec 17, 2022 |
Not nearly as good as the first book. The story really drags about half way through and the ending is very unbelievably perfect. I don't like endings that are so happily ever after. There are too many random tangents that do not add anything to the plot. ( )
  mabeling | Sep 7, 2022 |
I thought the story could easily have been over after "House of the Scorpion," but I appreciate all of the worldbuilding that takes place in the sequel. ( )
  leahsusan | Mar 26, 2022 |
I loved The House of the Scorpion so much, and I was really excited when I heard about this. But it was a slog to get through for me, unfortunately. I'm not sure where it fell flat, but I just couldn't get into it. ( )
  readingjag | Nov 29, 2021 |
While not quite as immersive and compelling as The House of the Scorpion, The Lord of Opium continues Matteo’s story after the major event at the end of the first novel. While the tension I remember from Scorpion wasn’t present in this book, I was nevertheless drawn in by Farmer’s unique dystopian story and Matteo’s personal journey.

I think the concept is interesting – what happens when someone rises to power who wants to undo the carefully crafted dystopian world? It’s a perspective I’ve never seen before. The new characters introduced in The Lord of Opion hold their own against the long standing characters from Scorpion, and each in their own way contributes to the careful unraveling of the empire. My favorite of these was Mushroom Master, who managed to be charming and insightful in every scene.

Farmer remains true to the original premise of this duology in that the teens and children run the show. I remember feeling like this was an unusual YA series when I read Scorpion, and I stand by that now. The writing here is more formal than most modern YA. However, the characters still do a decent job acting their age, something I can’t necessarily say for all YA novels. There are scrapes that Matt and the others find themselves in that really do require adult intervention. One thing I do love, though, was that the adult characters – particularly the allied ones – never underestimated Matt because of his age. At most, they warned him that others might. It was well done to show the power and respect his position brought, and not fall into common tropes.

As with Scorpion, the world building here is fabulous. Opium and the state of the extended world has already been established, but in The Lord of Opium we explore a few new locations that add richness and depth to our previous understanding. The best of these is the Biosphere, though conceptually, the Scorpion Star is worthy of mention as well. I also appreciated the fact that the voice and story felt consistent, despite the eleven year publication gap between books.

The plot is very slow and if anything, I’d say The Lord of Opium is more of a character-driven novel, pushed forward by Matteo’s desire to undo the mess left to him. It still carries many interesting themes, including personhood and freedom, which were strong themes in Scorpion. We also cover grief and love a bit in this one, mingled with explorations of trust and power. A good chunk of the book also explores environmental themes within the dystopian world and attempts to restore the land, which I appreciated. It’s funny – so many dystopian novels focus on the degradation of the planet and on famine, but I don’t know that I can really think of any where the protagonist is trying to solve that problem instead of just enduring it. So that was good.

Because The Lord of Opium is written in a different tone than most YA, I think this is the perfect duology for “people who think YA is too young”. It’s a great bridge story with a more serious tone but still age appropriate characters dealing with the challenge of fulfilling their roles in society and making the sorts of choices that define their character. I really enjoyed both these books, but they’re still the sort I’d be cautious recommending unless I knew the person’s style well. For example, I don’t know that fans of Serpent & Dove would love this one, but I think that fans of The Giver and The Hunger Games and Illuminae may be more open to it. All and all, though, these novels are really worth a try if they pique your interest at all. They’re creative and unique and immersive and would make a fabulous HBO series. ( )
  Morteana | Jan 27, 2021 |
1-5 van 19 worden getoond (volgende | toon alle)
*Starred Review* This highly anticipated sequel to Farmer’s National Book Award–winning The House of the Scorpion (2002) begins soon after the funeral of the drug lord El Patrón and the murder of nearly everyone who attended the event. Fourteen-year-old Matt, the dead drug lord’s clone, was originally created to provide spare parts for El Patrón, but is now the Lord of Opium. Surrounded by people who have been surgically conditioned to satisfy his every whim, many of them mindless and virtually helpless eejits, Matt must come to terms with the deep immorality upon which his wealth is based, while fending off another drug lord, the rapacious Glass Eye Dabengwa, and a fanatical U.N. representative, Esperanza Mendoza. Complicating matters further are Matt’s involvement with the beautiful eejit Waitress; his lifelong relationship with Mendoza’s strong-willed daughter María; and the machinations of the mad physician, Dr. Rivas, who created Matt. Once again, Farmer’s near-future world offers an electric blend of horrors and beauty. Lyrically written and filled with well-rounded, sometimes thorny characters, this superb novel is well worth the wait.
toegevoegd door mphashla | bewerkPublishers' Weekly
 
In the 22nd century, the US and Aztlan (Mexico) have ceded control of the border to powerful drug lords. When El Patron, ruthless ruler of the Land of Opium, dies at age 147, his only survivor is his fourteen-year-old clone, Matteo. Thrust suddenly into leadership, Matt is determined to unravel the drug empire and neutralize the microchips with which El Patron made zombie-like "eejit" slaves of thousands of illegal immigrants. He will open the border, restore the environment, and, not least, impress his childhood love, Maria. But Opium is a complex system where moral choices are unclear, people do bad things for good reasons, and decisions are rife with unintended consequences. Worse, Matt wonders whether his conscience is any match for the genes he has inherited from his brutal progenitor. How much choice does he really have as Lord of Opium? This sequel to the award-winning House Of The Scorpion (Simon & Schuster, 2002/Voya October 2002) is both science fiction and a reflection of contemporary issues. Politically savvy teens will recognize the dilemma of leaders caught in an intricate web of choices and consequences (Guantanamo, anyone?). Cloning, legalization of drugs, environmental degradation, runaway technology—all make an unsettling appearance. Matt's bewilderment and naive missteps are convincingly portrayed. Action abounds and the characters, while not deep, will interest readers and enlist their sympathy. The story is stronger and more cohesive, the moral questions more subtle than in House Of The Scorpion. Encourage students to read the two in order, and prepare for a rousing book discussion.
toegevoegd door mphashla | bewerkVOYA, Kathleen Beck
 
*Starred Review* Matteo Alacrán was created to be an organ donor for El Patrón, but he is spared this fate thanks to El Patrón’s death and his assisted escape from Opium, a country between the U.S. and what was once Mexico. Matt has now returned to his nation and taken the reins of power as the new Lord of Opium. With its borders closed, the country’s drug supply is piling up and imported resources are running low. Global nations are growing aggressive waiting for their drugs, while others want the natural resources only Opium can supply them—flora, fungi, animals, and other denizens of the preserved ecosystem that thrive there but are destroyed elsewhere. Matt is also trying to achieve his personal goals of stopping the drug trade, growing crops for food, and returning the eejits, Opium’s preserved labor force, from their current state as microchipped mindless robots to fully functioning humans, all while making Opium self-sustaining. Most young readers who loved The House of the Scorpion (2002) when it was first released are now adults, and today’s teen audience will need to read the first title in order to fully understand Farmer’s brilliantly realized world. The satisfying ending is left open enough to allow for further stories, and Farmer includes an appendix that links real people and places to the book. A stellar sequel worth the wait. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: International best-seller The House of the Scorpion took home all the big prizes: the National Book Award, the Newbery Honor, and the Printz Honor. Expect a big national marketing campaign for the sequel (not that it needs one). Grades 7-10. --Suanne Roush
toegevoegd door mphashla | bewerkBook List, SuAnne Roush
 

» Andere auteurs toevoegen

AuteursnaamRolType auteurWerk?Status
Nancy Farmerprimaire auteuralle editiesberekend
Britton, RickMapsSecundaire auteuralle editiesbevestigd
Gardner, SteveCover photo-illustrationSecundaire auteursommige editiesbevestigd
Gordon, RussellOmslagontwerperSecundaire auteursommige editiesbevestigd
Rosamilia, MikeOntwerperSecundaire auteursommige editiesbevestigd
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In 2137, fourteen-year-old Matt is stunned to learn that, as the clone of El Patrón, he is expected to take over as leader of the corrupt drug empire of Opium, where there is also a hidden cure for the ecological devastation faced by the rest of the world.

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