Frozen

June 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-This title suffers from "second book syndrome." The dystopian novel, which continues protagonist Gray's story set in a war-torn United States separated into two distinct territories-AmWest and AmEast-is broken up into four parts and starts slowly as the members of a rebel group journey across land and sea, looking for allies and a secondary base. The action picks up in the third section when the characters finally reach the walled-in compound where they hope to find new supporters in their fight against the dictator Frank and his cloned soldiers of The Order. Many of the standard genre elements are present including a barren future landscape where water is a rare and valuable commodity, a power-hungry leader, and the requisite love triangle. What is lacking in this volume are thoughtful questions that give the narrative a deeper meaning. While Frozen may not garner the series any new fans, those who enjoyed the first title will appreciate the continuation of Gray's adventures and the novel's plot twists. Buy where the author is popular or readers' appetites for dystopian is insatiable.-Carrie Shaurette, Dwight-Englewood School, Englewood, NJ

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2014
Fans of dystopian-adventure tale Taken (2013) can follow protagonist and narrator Gray on his dangerous mission to find potential allies in Group A, inhabitants of a distant experimental village/prison. He's joined on his long, wintry journey by his newly discovered father, both of his love interests--childhood friend Emma and daredevil rebel Bree--and several others. Along the way, they encounter Gray's twin, who has captured Jackson, one of the replicated warriors that the evil leader of AmEast has been crafting. Jackson undergoes an unexpected transformation, perhaps showing signs of overcoming the programming that makes Forgeries so dangerous. But not all is what it seems among the travelers, although only the most canny of readers will pick up on this developing peril. Their destination provides no refuge--just further complication and pain. Blood abounds. While Bowman doesn't revel in the gory details, few characters are safe from grievous, albeit survivable, injury or death. Gray often--annoyingly--agonizes over his divided heart--a conflict that, like many others, remains unresolved, setting up the next in the series. A surfeit of enemies and a constant sense of danger heighten the suspense; it's an almost grueling read. (Dystopian adventure. 12-18)

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July 1, 2014
In this sequel to Taken, Gray and the other rebels have left Claypool in search of a group of survivors who might help them take down the Laicos Project and its army of Forged human machines. Derivative prose detracts from an otherwise suspenseful, dark, and fast-paced dystopia.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)