(A Young Adult Science Fiction Dystopian Novel)
by Norma Hinkens
File Size: 3717 KB
Print Length: 295 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Dunecadia Publishing; 1 edition (February 21, 2016)
ASIN: B01C39SVT2
Genre: Dystopian, YA
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0
The Undergrounders prevail. The Craniopolis falls. But victory proves bittersweet.
Against all odds, Derry and a handful of survivors escape the malevolent Doctor Lyong’s clutches, but no one knows if Owen is dead or alive. The shaky plan to rescue him falls apart when the Council splits over rumors of Owen’s ties to the Craniopolis. Forced to find new recruits Derry makes the treacherous journey to Shoshane City, home of the mysterious riders. Mutiny and sabotage is afoot and Derry finds herself caught up in a desperate struggle to save the city from being destroyed by The Ghost, a man who swears allegiance to no one. Time is running out to save Owen, and tensions are rising between Jakob and Sven, who may turn out to be a deadly distraction.
Will Derry emerge victorious from the showdown at the Craniopolis, or will the price of freedom mean sacrificing the man she loves?
Embattlement is the second book in The Undergrounders Series, a sci-fi dystopian thriller trilogy. If you like captivating apocalyptic tales, gritty complex heroines, and twists you won’t see coming, then you’ll love this fast-paced, end-of-the-world adventure!
Review:
Derry and a handful of undergrounders have escaped from the evil Dr. Lyong and the city of Craniopolis. Derry saw her brother, Owen, struck down and fall even as he facilitated the escape of their Hovermede. She believed he sacrificed himself for the mission but she is told that as the craft flew away, Owen was seen alive and captured by the Security Cyborgs.
Derry is intent on rescuing Owen from Craniopolis, hopefully before Dr. Lyong uses his horrible synthesizer equipment to experiment on him like so many of the damaged humans abandoned within the city. Some of the Undergrounders are willing to support her but others vote not to be involved. Derry knows she will need huge reinforcements before attempting to reenter Craniopolis. She hopes to recruit the dangerous Rogues whose camp is beyond Shoshane City. She goes to the city first and discovers a community of survivors led by a strong leader, Jerome, who has his own secrets. These survivors live under the threat of the Sweepers from Craniopolis so Derry convinces them to join in the attack to wipe away the common enemy. One of Jerome’s conditions is that the deformed and damaged humans are rescued too.
Convincing the brutal Rogues to cooperate is more dangerous and trickier. Derry is using Rummy, Blade’s brother, as a hostage for negotiation. They manage to capture Blade and then use both to obtain a meeting with the mysterious, dark Rogue leader known as The Ghost. Finally, a combined group proceed with the mission. Each step of the attack has its own risk and it will take a lot of coordination and a bit of luck to overcome the security force.
This is book two and I enjoyed the intense action and the new characters added in this sequel. I also liked the plot dilemmas of trusting enemies in a combined effort and weighing attempts at negotiation rather than violence. Ms. Hinkens’ style of presentation in first person present is a bit differed but works fine once the reader adjusts. This story has an end point but includes a surprise that leaves more danger ahead. I do recommend this to readers who like dystopian with action.
I received this from the author for an honest review.
