Review: A dystopian gem!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 12, 2013
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*Earth is under a new regime that cures disease, ends wars, unites people under one religion and rule. For those in the population centres life is controlled and ordered. For those outside or who want more freedom, life is tough and brutal. Now a dark force rises and only The Twelve can stop it. Six men, six women of all creeds and colours with supernaturally gifts that they must learn to control if they want to save the world.This was a really great dystopian paranormal fantasy kind of book with the best bits of X-Men thrown in! A group of humans living on the edge of the new society are recruited as a team to fight this evil. The characters are all different and at first there were some I liked and two I didn't, but you learn to love them all as the book progresses and you see them become a team and uncover each others gifts, fears and secrets. My favourite has to be the Irish anti-hero Tavis. Maybe it's because I'm Scottish that I relate so well to him, and I certainly know people very like him(but without the superpowers)! My favourite overall character is Poe. I love that little guy! Despite their powers, you see these characters as real human beings so you can relate to them which is very important. They make mistakes, they have doubts. They have superpowers but they aren't perfect.Usually I don't like books that are more slow building towards a big finale than all out action throughout, but this book was different. It was necessary to fully introduce The Twelve and their mentors so you could bond with them and care for them. And the story of how they are tested to find their power sweeps you along so fast that the lack of action doesn't matter. The descriptive work and worldbuilding has the perfect balance of fully informing you, without drowning you in detail. The book is extremely well written and I found it difficult to put down which is a joy in a book. The action sequences when they come are exciting, tension filled and you really want to know what will happen next.Dislikes? Nothing. I really enjoyed the story, the way it was presented and the characters within it. When you have such a big main cast it can be difficult to engage the reader with each one but the authors here do it perfectly. I am certainly going to be looking out for book 2 in the series and beyond. I recommend this to those who enjoy a good v evil dystopian read, and those who enjoy the paranormal and fantasy genres. Young Adult and Adult alike will enjoy this book though be prepared for colourful language from Tavis!Excellent read!