the fantastic prelude to a science fiction adventure of a lifetime

In order to stay with her parents, agrees the 17-year-old Amy a to accompany them on the first manned interstellar exploration mission. Since the ship about three hundred years needs to aim to reach another habitable planet, they are to be cryogenically frozen before the trip and brought back to life after the arrival again.

But when Amy wakes up from her cryogenic sleep or rather forcibly awakened from it and barely escapes death, is, Godspeed 'far arrived. Completely to fend for themselves discovers Amy, that almost all people on the ship behave very strangely and follow all instructions of the elders, is nothing more than a disturbing factor for Amy, blind. Junior, the one to take the place of elders as a leader, is one of the few who did not meet her with hostility. Together they try to find out what really goes on really, Godspeed 'right and who is not only Amy's cryogenic sleep but eventually also ended the other people of the earth, and then leaves it to the death ...

Across the Universe provides the reader with a breath-taking story you its continuation can be expected will not forget so quickly and certainly by the end of the first volume barely.

After the action on the first hundred pages where Amy is in her cryo-sleep and therefore not actively participating in the event, a little pulling, she wins from the date on which Amy on, Godspeed 'wakes, scary momentum and becomes more interesting and captivating from one chapter to another.

Along with Amy explores the reader the ship and the people who live there and keep asking themselves the question why they all behave so differently and what this extreme change may have caused. Life on, Godspeed 'is not necessarily desirable because it is due to the limited space and thereby also limited possibilities very monotonous. Residents look the same and almost all are under the absolute control of the elders, who tolerates no opposition and even concealed some relationships before his successor. Even worse, however, is the behavior of people, where the ability for independent thinking and emotions to express or at all once which seems to have come to have completely lost. This stupid kind is not only scary, but is actually pretty scary as almost go the inhabitants on Amy, just because they are outwardly very different from them.

Amy and Junior are two very strong and multifaceted protagonist. The whole plot is alternately portrayed from the first-person perspective of both figures, which enables a detailed insight into the inner workings of both characters, so you can understand them very well.
After Amy has to be perhaps caught the initial shock forever on the ship and overcome the strong sense of loneliness, she is regaining self-confidence and even has the courage to disagree or to question his actions, despite the fact their own lives the elders brings in danger. But they can not get them down, no matter what happens, what you need they simply admire.
Amy is also developed through the junior and for which he begins to rebel against the elders and his tyranny after having initially also always obeyed. Only when she opens his eyes to the things that, Godspeed 'are not correct on, he gains the courage and strength to demand answers from the elders, who had him as a successor already granted, and will reveal the many secrets of the elders ,
As the story progresses, the two get closer and slowly develop feelings for each other. These are described nice and always understandable, because Beth Revis its figures for existing from the beginning of attraction, the time is to know one another better and also love to learn eventually.

Unlike Junior, who has a very open character, the eldest has an extremely one-sided view. He despises everything is different in some way and sees only perfection in the absolute equality. For him, not about lack of tolerance is a cause of strife, but the otherness itself. It is a cold-hearted dictator and tolerates nothing that is beyond his control, which is why he considers Amy solely as a nuisance.

In addition to these three central figures, there are numerous interesting secondary characters, of whom one but unfortunately only a few get to know a little closer. This includes eg Juniors best friend Harley, the completely different from the other inhabitants of the ship and you must simply love for its open nature, its tolerance and because he is very nice to Amy from the outset. Doc, the only doctor on the ship, and Orion, the archivist, are also two interesting characters whose true faces but one gets to know until later.

For voltage Beth Revis ensures especially through the awakening of people from the cryogenic unit, which unlike Amy but not all were lucky to survive this too. To prevent even more people are killed in this way and especially to Amy's parents to save them from this fate, Amy and Junior must quickly find out who is behind it and above all why.
But not only by the hunt for the killer has been frozen, but also by Amy diverse discoveries about the conditions on board and the truths that Junior finally learns of the elders, the plot remains constant exciting.

With the end of the first part Beth Revis may also convince, because it has some terrible and shocking revelations to offer, from which one could imagine a few indeed already, but was hit by another completely unpredictable.
Overall, the conclusion is kept relatively open, although there are at least no annoying cliffhanger. Nevertheless, of course, is very excited about the successor and will prefer to know immediately how the life of Amy and Junior as well as all other residents of, Godspeed 'after this successful start continues.

* CONCLUSION *
Across the Universe is the great prelude to a science fiction adventure of a lifetime! The conditions on the ship are shocking and fascinating at the same, the plot is incredibly captivating and with the multi-faceted characters you just have to cheer.

The story of Beth Revis has so much potential, that neither side feels that the act would be unnecessarily protracted to create necessarily a series of it. The sequel holds so many options available and there are so many unresolved issues that you can not wait to finally learn how it Junior and Amy, goes on with the, Godspeed ', in particular, of course, and if they ever make it well will reach the planet to be able to leave the ship.