Incarceron

Incarceron () is a young-adult fantasy and science fiction novel written by Catherine Fisher that was first released on May 3, Published by Hodder.
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Catherine Fisher "wanted to write a book about a prison" and conceived Incarceron, an automated world controlled by a personified mechanical power. Incarceron is vast and expands through whole villages, forests, cells and corridors. Incarceron is a futuristic prison and an artificial world—a living artificial world run by Incarceron, an artificial intelligence.

This tireless, inhuman "overlord" controls all life as it monitors inmates by means of cameras that appear as glowing red lights and dispenses punishment and death on a daily basis without mercy. Escape from Incarceron is a concept which few believe in, except those who insist that Sapphique, the legendary Sapient, has in fact achieved this very act. The prisoners and seventy Sapienti inside were sealed off from the world in order to control all variables in this experiment, with the exception of the prison Warden to oversee the project.

The Sapienti created Incarceron during a time of advanced technology and discovery. With a title like "Nine-Fingered One", what were you really expecting? Follow in My Footsteps: Claudia's father, the Warden of Incarceron, has raised her to succeed him and become the ruler of the Realm.

The characters often reference real-life works of fiction Alice in Wonderland, Moby-Dick, Sleeping Beauty, Scandinavian mythology, etc. The Realm at first looks like a perfect place for the rich at least , but it's actually ruled by a tyrannical elite who enforce Protocol. Just like in Incarceron, people are not free.

God Save Us from the Queen! Queen Sia is the Big Bad , and oppresses her people. Lord Evian, though "good" may be a speculative term. Good Is Not Nice: Keiro is a callous Combat Pragmatist that everyone but Finn seems to assume will betray them the second it's convenient for him, but he honors his bond with Finn and saves him and Attia several times throughout the books. A heroic example; Jared puts on Sapphique's glove and enters the body Incarceron was trying to use. Before he was put into Incarceron, Finn was a gentle prince.

His time in Incarceron changed him a lot, as lampshaded by many. Jared's sickness tacks an "invalid" label on him that most everyone agrees upon. It doesn't make him any less of a badass. The Wardenry, in keeping with its fancy manor house status, has one.

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It's mostly portrayed positively, as a place Claudia and Jared can get privacy. Incarceron treats its prisoners as playthings to manipulate for its own enjoyment. Incarceron doesn't approve and casts him down. Incarceron's goal in Sapphique. Keiro uses it to steal Jormandric's rings.


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Incurable Cough of Death: It Was with You All Along: Claudia had been looking for an entrance to the Prison behind the gate, but found nothing. Only later is it revealed that the Warden keeps it as a charm on his watch. Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He can't remember his childhood, but recalls vague bits from his past. Incarceron can make them when it locks down. A creation of Jared's. Luke, I Am Your Father: Claudia is revealed to not be the Warden's daughter; she was born in Incarceron. Sapphique's glove in the sequel. Attia starts out as Jormanric's dog-slave, having been captured by the Comitatus during a raid on the Civicry.

A bit literally for Half-Men and Keiro. A collection of laws, simply known as Protocol, forbid progress in the outside world although the Era they are trying to emulate is more like the Renaissance or later than the Middle Ages. Incarceron is contained within a cube that the Warden wears, and people enter it by crossing some kind of time-space barrier.

You can read wh How many different forms of imprisonment are there? You can read why I came to this decision here. In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook Mar 12, R. I love this book with a mad passion. Boy, that was an incoherent review. But you get the idea.

Amber Comes Aboard ‘Incarceron,’ ‘Sapphique’ (EXCLUSIVE)

View all 13 comments. I have a good feeling about rereading this; it'll be even better than the first time. Although, my first read was pretty awesome: Not the type of nightmare that will have you waking up screaming, or soaking your bed sheets with sweat, but more like an annoying dream. I dreamed I was in Incarceron and I had to pee really, really bad; but the prison kept shifting and I couldn't find a bathroom.

If I dream of Incarceron again, it better have a bathroom close by so I ca I have a good feeling about rereading this; it'll be even better than the first time. If I dream of Incarceron again, it better have a bathroom close by so I can take care of my peeing business to then explore the setting. View all 4 comments. Dec 23, Luz Balthasaar rated it liked it Shelves: Selesai baca ini, saia speechless.

Ini lebih seperti jenis speechless yang, "Idenya keren banget Gilanya lagi, ekosistem penjara ini punya kes Selesai baca ini, saia speechless. Gilanya lagi, ekosistem penjara ini punya kesadaran dan kepribadian kayak manusia, yang memungkinkan dia mengatur diri sendiri dan mengawasi semua hal yang terjadi di dalam tubuhnya.

Sebagai contoh, Incarceron bisa mengubah keadaan tubuhnya sendiri dengan menciptakan fenomena alam seperti gempa dan badai, yang bergerak sesuai kehendaknya. Tapi contoh yang paling keren adalah bahwa Incarceron bisa mendaur makhluk-makhluk mati di dalamnya menjadi makhluk hidup baru. Konsepnya mirip sama daur kehidupan di pelajaran biologi SMU, tapi jauh lebih keren. Misalnya dengan memasukkan faktor bahwa bahan organik itu ternyata menjadi semakin sedikit dari masa ke masa. Akibatnya bermunculanlah makhluk-makhluk campuran seperti domba berkaki sirkuit plastik, pohon-pohon berdaun logam, dan manusia-manusia yang badannya ditambal mesin.

Di dalam ekosistem itu, manusia-manusia hidup dalam kegelapan dan kebusukan. Banyak di antaranya pasrah pada keadaan. Tapi beberapa dari mereka berusaha untuk meninggalkan Incarceron. Pertama adalah Finn, tokoh utama amnesia yang "Spesial" karena sering mengalami flashback tentang hal-hal yang tidak ada di Incarceron--hal-hal yang seharusnya datang dari dunia Luar. Dia percaya kalau dia berasal dari dunia Luar dan karenanya berusaha untuk kembali ke sana.

Kedua, Keiro, saudara angkat Finn yang digambarin ganteng necis tapi tingkah lakunya culas. Begitu baca namanya saia memerhatikan satu hal. Nama Finn berasal dari bahasa Irlandia Fionn, yang artinya "terang" atau "putih. Pantesan aja tokoh ini dibikin 'jahat' sementara Finn 'baik'. Lalu ada Gildas si Sapient tua. Dia pengen keluar karena terobsesi sama Legenda Sapphique, yang bercerita tentang satu-satunya orang yang pernah keluar dari Incarceron. Dan yang terakhir, Attia. Agak sop iler spoiler maksudnya, tapi 'kan saia pemakai bahasa Indonesia yang Baik dan benar, kalau saia cerita siapa dia.

Sementara itu, di Dunia di luar Incarceron, ada Claudia.

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Dia anak dari sipir Incarceron, yang mau mengeluarkan Finn karena suatu sebab--yang benernya demi keuntungan dia juga. Sekalipun dia berada di dunia Luar yang 'bebas', dia sebenarnya terikat dalam penjara jenis lain: Kalau dia membebaskan Finn, dia bisa bebas dari penjara tak kasatmata ini. Yang satu di dalam, yang lain di luar. Tapi keduanya sama-sama terpenjara. Tapi sayangnya, awesome-nya cuma sampai disini. Gaya bahasa Mbak Fisher bukan gaya yang saia sebut gaya bahasa Tour Guide. Ini bukan gaya yang pas dibaca menuntun kita ke dalam dunia yang ingin dia sampaikan. Ini gaya bahasa Profesor, dimana kita harus konsentrasi penuh untuk paham dia sebetulnya ngomong apa.

Saia baca yang edisi terjemahan, dan saia kira masalahnya bukan pada penerjemah. Masalah utamanya ada di si pengarang. Gaya bahasa Mbak Fisher ini kayaknya sulit, dan itu diperparah dengan segala macam detail yang bikin perhatian saia meleng dari apa yang sebenernya tengah terjadi, dari hal utama yang ingin dia sampaikan. Dah gitu karakter-karakternya ga ada yang beneran nancep di saia. Mereka ga jelek, tapi nggak berkesan aja.

Ketutupan sama karakter Incarceron, si penjara itu sendiri. Yang, nyebelinnya, baru kelihatan jelas di bagian akhir, ketika dia mulai bicara. Ada satu plot twist yang keren: Tapi konsep mengenai di mana Incarceron terletak itu Pertama adalah karena untuk memercayainya agak-agak butuh Suspension of Disbelief.

Soalnya penjelasan yang dipakai adalah teknologi, bukan sihir. Tapi cara kerja portal menuju Incarceron dan cara kerja kunci Incarceron sendiri itu kayak sihir. Cukup berdiri di teleporter dan Dan mumpung kita sudah ngomongin cara keluar dari Incarceron Kalau Finn mau teliti sedikit, sudah dari dulu dia keluar! Konsep Incarceron mengenai penjara yang hidup itu baru. Saia bahkan sempat kecele dimana letak Incarceron, karena, sesuai kehendak penulis, saia ngebayangin penjara itu skalanya gede banget.

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Tapi begitu ketemu tokoh Blaize, saia mulai curiga kayaknya saia keliru. Dan pas halaman , saia dah menduga kalau bentuk asli Incarceron sebenernya Ini jauh sebelum mekanisme penciptaan Incarceron diungkap di halaman , dan bentuk aslinya akhirnya kelihatan di halaman Read at your own risk. Ini langsung bikin worldbuilding Incarceron berantakan di kepala saia.

Kalau pake sihir, atau gabungan teknologi-sihir, saia bisa terima bahwa sebuah dunia bisa disihir jadi kecil dan ditempatkan di dalam benda seukuran gantungan kunci. Saia juga bisa menerima urusan teleport-teleport itu. Kalau pake teknologi, saia ga bisa ngebayangin kenapa manusia, yang sudah menguasai teknologi anomali spasial untuk mengerutkan sebuah dunia, mau-maunya MEMILIH untuk hidup di dalam era Victorian, dengan protokol-protokol untuk mengekang diri sendiri dan segala macam kepalsuan, dan plot device yang aneh?

Raja mengawini perempuan cantik yang muncul secara misterius? Ini mah plot device buat fairytale! Saia mengerti kalau banyak kejadian di Incarceron ini semacam alusi kepada mitos dan legenda Dunia nyata. Desas-desus sembilan lapis Incarceron misalnya adalah alusi untuk neraka dalam Divine Comedy-nya Dante. Atau cerita tentang gadis yang makan apel yang diberikan seorang Sapient sebetulnya merujuk pada cerita Ular dan Hawa di Firdaus. Bahkan cerita raja-jatuh-cinta di atas mungkin sekali adalah alusi ke Snow White.

Incarceron

Tapi masalahnya, ini dunia yang katanya berbasis teknologi. Gak cocok dong kalau cerita-cerita mitos yang imajinatif dimasukin begitu aja tanpa dikasih penjelasan yang masuk akal. Kalau ini dunia sihir atau kalau teknologinya berbasis sihir--apapun istilah yang dipakai untuk menyebut sihir itu--ya silakan saja.

Balik ke alasan kenapa manusia yang udah hightech mau-maunya berpura-pura hidup dalam era victorian: Pertanyaan saia, sesuatu itu APA? Apa yang bisa bikin manusia--atau setidaknya warga kerajaan Endor--mau mengambil pilihan itu? Memangnya nggak ada cara mencapai perdamaian tanpa mengorbankan kemajuan? Kenapa pula harus era Victorian? Kenapa gak era Renaissance, misalnya?

Sekalian aja, kenapa nggak Jaman Majapahit? Oke yang terakhir itu ngelantur, my Bad. Bagaimana pemerintah Endor bisa mencapai konsensus penduduk untuk mengambil pilihan itu? Terus, kenapa mereka mau-maunya mengadopsi sistem pemerintahan monarki yang bahkan bukan benar-benar monarki, tapi karikatur dari sebuah monarki? Apa yang terjadi pada sistem social welfare? Memangnya mereka ga bisa menciptakan sistem pemerintahan baru dimana perdamaian bisa kurang-lebih tercapai? Memangnya Ilmu Pengetahuan Sosial, Filsafat, dan etika nggak ikut berkembang seiring kemajuan teknologi?

Setahu saia teknologi menyebabkan masyarakat berubah, dan kalau masyarakat berubah, ilmu Pengetahuan sosial PASTI berubah. Saia ga tahu apakah saia mau membaca Sapphique atau tidak Jul 01, Trin rated it did not like it Shelves: Basically, it's Escape From New York , except with fantasy instead of post-apocalyptic trappings. The characters are stock, and the action is propelled along by a lack of information and dull action setpieces that transpire without any real sense of excitement or danger. Wait, that's not true: I found it pretty funny that Fisher expected me to believe that the great legendary hero of Incarceron is called Sapphique.

That's not a hero's name, it's a Vegas revue. I really like the idea of a sentient prison. The mystery of Claudia and her relationship with her father is something my mind worked on through the entire book. Claudia's tutor was my favorite character.


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    5. May 09, Rusty's Ghost Engine also known as Jinky Spring rated it did not like it Shelves: Turned the last page. And I'm so glad. What a royal waste of time it would have been better spent sleeping cos yup this book was as boring as watching paint dry lol. For a long time I've been excited about the premise of this book and ordered it from my library being very excited to read it. While it did start off promising with the promise of shocking revelations to come, the book soon went down and by the end it fell flat on its face.

    Finn had so much pot I'm finished. Finn had so much potential in him to become an epic hero but the way the author described him made him as bland as porridge with no sweet additive.

    Incarceron trailer

    I also felt that we didn't see enough of him, that his asshole "oathbrother" Kiero stole nearly all the light plus the revelation about him hardly registered at all as his character was so dull. The other main character Claudia. While she was still a cardboard cutout like everyone else, it did feel like she had a little more spark to her. But her story and situations were so boring I could see many ways in which they ould have been made more exciting. All the revelations when they came, while I wasn't expecting them, they were delivered in an unremarkable way view spoiler [Incarceron is actually the size of a small cube key charm the warden caarries around and all thats inside it and all its inhabitants are shrunk to about the size of atoms a whole landscape world in a tiny cube.

    So for me, I felt that hardly anything happened in this book and I had long since lost interest in it and perhaps people who like really slow going mysteries would like this? But is was a huge letdown for me. Sadly, I was unable to really get into Incarceron , let alone finish it. Gave up on page The main problem with the story was believability.

    Incarceron is a self-sustaining prison experiment that is in a secret location and sealed off from the rest of the world. Presumably the prison holds the normal thugs, rapists and thieves. But it also holds political dissenters and volunteers. Well this, like many other things, was never actually explained. The idea is interesting, but I Sadly, I was unable to really get into Incarceron , let alone finish it. The idea is interesting, but I have a hard time accepting the fact that any society would put so much effort into a prison if those sent to it are never meant to be released to normal society again.

    I mean, why not just kill them? Or ship them off to an island? What is the purpose of the experiment and why is it necessary for regular citizens to volunteer to enter Incarceron as well? Granted, the story is built on mystery but really crazy ideas have to have a grain of possibility to be enjoyable, and this one just never sold me on the idea. Regarding the mystery, neither the characters nor the reader fully knew what was going on. Many reviews praise this novel for being so intense. Which, indeed it is. Both Finn and Claudia happen to be experiencing an incredibly tumultuous time and that does make for powerful reading.

    Sort of like literary caffeine. Finally, I was not captivated by Claudia or Finn. Both of them are good people caught up in a bad circumstance. Aside from their intentions we never really learn who they are as people, and I had a hard time giving a crap about either one of them. Feb 09, Seth T. This prison is alive. That pretty much sums up Incarceron 's selling point. It's probably even a better marketing line than the book's actual hook, "a prison like no other"—which could really mean just about anything, from a prison made of pineapples and everything-bagels to a prison in which the cells are made of popular song lyrics to a prison that is an exact replica of the First Continental Congress.

    At least with "This prison is alive," you have a pretty good idea of what's special about the This prison is alive. At least with "This prison is alive," you have a pretty good idea of what's special about the book and why you'll want to read it.


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    It's a really cool idea and the prison Catherine Fischer builds in her story is worth exploring. It's just too bad the rest of the story isn't as awesome as the premise of a prison that is basically a person. Her characters are those we've met a thousand times before and they act in all the silly ways that we've come to expect from paper-thin caricatures. They even come with prepackaged sci-fi names like Finn and Keiro and Sapphique.

    All the novel's surprises are telegraphed in such a way that the reader wonders why Fischer even bothered making them surprises, as if she included them reluctantly, having heard somewhere that stories required twists and turns but all the while thought better of it. It's not that Incarceron is particularly bad. It's more just a matter of being too pedestrian, too common. This prison is alive is a concept so full of life and possibility and I wish so much that it had a great book to go along with it.

    Fischer will occasionally prompt interesting questions, speculating on the nature of the human beast and the purpose and power of the human institution, but those moments of interest would do better being shored up by a more powerful author. Maybe for her next book, she can accumulate all her interesting ideas and then sell them to someone with a better talent for literature. Although I found this book a bit slow to start, I did end up thoroughly enjoying it!

    I thought the world building was truly great and loved the world that the author created. And the concept of the prison being alive really intrigued me as I haven't read anything quite like it before.

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    The story took many twists and turns and kept me guessing as to what would happen next. And then th Although I found this book a bit slow to start, I did end up thoroughly enjoying it! And then the ending was totally not what I had expected and it's left my dying to pick up the sequel! From now on nothing will change. After the Years of Rage, King Endor's Decree bans progress, pausing the world in an old-fashioned era of medieval dress and travel by horse-drawn carriage. Though advanced technology exists, it is expressly forbidden, and everyone must abide to Protocol. Incarceron is an exception to this rule.

    A prison that some are born into and that nobody ever escapes, Incarceron is not a building, but a Reviewed by Amber Gibson for TeensReadToo. A prison that some are born into and that nobody ever escapes, Incarceron is not a building, but an entire underground network of cities and wilderness entrapping prisoners in its vastness.

    Most prisoners have never seen the Outside and can only imagine what the stars and sky might be like. Surely more spectacular than Incarceron's Lightson and Lightsoff. Finn believes that he came from Outside. Though he cannot remember a previous life, his mysterious seizures and visions hint that he was not always an Incarceron captive. When he discovers a mystical crystal key through a tragic turn of events, he just knows that the key will lead them to Escape from the treacherous clutches of Incarceron once and for all.

    A duplicate of the key that Finn found belongs to the Warden of Incarceron. He lives on the Outside and is thrilled that his daughter, Claudia, is about to wed Caspar, heir to the throne. After years of scheming and social climbing, he will finally have the power that he craves. Claudia, while groomed since birth to be a queen, is not merely her father's puppet.

    With a mind of her own, and no intention to marry the arrogant Caspar, Claudia pines for the one to whom she was first betrothed - Giles. Giles was the prince and heir to the throne before his unexpected death while riding alone. An investigation was never officially undertaken, but Claudia has always suspected that the new queen, Sia, played a role in Giles' death so that her son, Caspar, could ascend to the throne.

    Refusing to be pawns in a royal power struggle, both Claudia and Finn are determined to uncover Incarceron's secrets. What they don't count on, though, is that Incarceron is not just a prison. Catherine Fisher creates a fantasy world unlike any other, playing upon classic themes of courage, justice, and truth to weave a page-turning adventure tale.

    Fisher's plot twists are clever and her ambiguous ending leaves the reader craving more. Wow this book is one hell of a ride. Non stop intensity, suspense, and action. Frankly, not only is it a great book it would be an awesome movie. This craziness made for a great twisted plot but did leave a bit to be desired when it came to characterization. This book is about a melding of 2 worlds. Finn from the prison Incarceron, and Claudia from 'Outside' who also happens to be the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron come into contact through a communication device in the shape of a crystal Wow this book is one hell of a ride.

    Finn from the prison Incarceron, and Claudia from 'Outside' who also happens to be the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron come into contact through a communication device in the shape of a crystal key. Each are running from something - Finn from the horrors of the prison and Claudia from the horrors of an arranged marriage. This merging of their two worlds revolved around royal assassinations, political intrigues, and historical cover ups. It was all really fascinating and I a pretty unique resolution to their society's issues.

    The 2 main characters were OK I guess but not my favorites. Finn was overly whiny considering how long he had lived in the prison but he had good morals. Claudia was supposed to have 2 sides to her, her fake side whenever her father is present which is stuffy, snobby, and proper. Her other side when he is gone is supposed to be more carefree, sweet, and good natured, but this was proven not true when she left for her wedding and most of the staff was basically happy to see her and her snobbiness go.

    The secondary characters provided a lot more insight into the story that Finn and Claudia - namely Kiero, Jared, and the Warden. They each showed a different side to society and the effects of upbringing and environment. I spent more of the book agonizing over whether or not both Kiero and the Warden were really bad or not!

    All in all a fantastic book that I highly recommend. I totally can't wait for the sequel Sapphique to come out in December! Jan 30, TheBookSmugglers rated it really liked it Shelves: Instead of steel bars and cell blocks, however, Incarceron is a world in itself; it is a metal world where nothing is created nor wasted, where stars and sky are near forgotten fairy tales, where all live in a cutthroat world, fighting for food and survival.