BookLife Reviews
01/09/2023
Batchelder offers a present-day sci-fi thriller full of futuristic technology, time travel, and themes of life, death, legacy, and reincarnation, centered on Giselle “Zelly” Oliveira, Ouyang Ying, and Simon Green, three teenagers tasked with the important job of becoming overseers for the ancient “Soul Identity” collective. The organization is a grabber of a story hook: among other things, Soul Identity runs the world’s “oldest and richest bank,” handling the trillions of dollars that have accumulated, over centuries, for the organization’s depositors, to benefit “their future, reincarnated selves.” Zelly can’t step into her overseer position until she turns nineteen. But Ying reaches that age months before Zelly does, and Simon and Zelly suspect that Ying will be out to eliminate them both to gain sole control, as other overseers have done to their counterparts in the past.
It’s a wild ride, full of action and suspense, as Zelly learns about friendship, betrayal, and her own strength. For all the high-concept excitement, Batchelder does a wonderful job with world-building and character, making the stakes and people seem real, especially the ambitious, highly intelligent Zelly, whom readers will relish rooting for. The teens get introduced to technology that allows them to "vike,” vaulting into past lives of their soul ancestors. Zelly's fear of Ying leads her to want to know more about her past soul line, and it is through this process she discovers that she and Ying have been rivals in a past life.
One of the many clever twists: Zelly notices after her first vike experience that she’s taken on some of the characteristics of the past self she'd encountered. In the present she must come to terms that she may not be the best judge of character of the people around her, including herself, as she takes some extreme measures to try to stop Ying—or what she suspects Ying might do. This is a fast-paced, action packed adventure that readers up for time-crossed, head-spinning adventure will devour.
Takeaway: This tense and clever adventure of reincarnation and a secret society will please lovers of YA sci-fi.
Great for fans of: Lauren James’s The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, Alechia Dow’s The Sound of Stars.
Production grades Cover: A Design and typography: A Illustrations: N/A Editing: B Marketing copy: A
From the Publisher
"... an intricate, well-conceived metaphysical thriller... a tale that's told with intelligence, paranoid suspense, and a few good messages about trust, friendship, and holding on to one's values." - Kirkus Reviews
"A dramatic tale of past lives, dark treachery, and the true nature of good and evil, Oversight by Dennis Batchelder is a stunning work of YA science fiction." - The Independent Review of Books
"YA sci fi fans should flock to this ingenious tale of reincarnated teenagers vying for control of their world." - BestThrillers.com
"Oversight should appeal to both young readers and adults with its refreshing burst of emotional complexity and a riveting plot centered on our existential battle with destiny, where art, science, theory, fact, morality, and justice blur together in a character-driven spree of imaginative YA writing." - The Independent Review of Books
"... a wild ride full of action and suspense..." - Booklife Reviews, Editors Pick
"Marked by continual intrigue and mystery, the fabulistic science fiction novel Oversight follows daring teenagers as they work to thwart a would-be tyrant." - Foreword Reviews 4 Stars
"...fans of young adult novels will appreciate Oversight's original concept and find Zelly's courage inspiring." - Blueink Review
"Batchelder has done what seems impossible in this day-and-age by creating a refreshing new world." - Hollywood Book Review, Starred Review
"When it comes to fantasy worlds inhabited by fierce teenagers, the Oversight universe feels entirely fresh, and at times, even hopeful." - BestThrillers.com -
"This is a fast-paced, action packed adventure that readers up for time-crossed, head spinning adventure will devour." - Booklife Reviews, Editors Pick
"Dennis Batchelder's young adult science fiction thriller OVERSIGHT pulls out all the stops-time travel, reincarnation, a secret society that controls all the banks on the planet, a friend that could be a villain, or vice versa-in a page-turner narrated by a wry and resilient 17-year old orphan from Brazil who may or may not be tasked with saving the world." - Indie Reader Starred Review
"... a present-day sci-fi thriller full of futuristic technology, time travel, and themes of life, death, legacy and reincarnation..." - Booklife Reviews, Editors Pick
"Oversight is a much recommended YA sci-fi. There's adventure, action, and exciting technology." - Independent Book Review
"Oversight is an ambitious yet appealing blend of technology, intrigue, and emotional conflict, with some unique metaphysical twists." - Author Stephen Cobb
"I am *obsessed* with this book. The idea is something completely new to me, and I am a sucker for anything about past lives and destinies. I'm excited for a potential sequel, and to read all of the older books!" - Netgalley 5 Star Review
"I can see many kids in my library enjoying the story." - Netgalley Librarian
"...a really unique concept in the scifi genre." - Netgalley 5 Star Review
