BOUNDARY

The second volume of Terrell’s formulaic series picks up right where Relic (2013) left off.

Having succeeded beyond all expectations, Eva is now an Archon as well as a Maiden and must manage both her Betrothal to Jasper and her Archon duties. These involve excavation of the Founder’s ship, last seen by the last female to Test, 150 years ago. As in the first volume, Eva continues to excel for little discernable reason, which is presumably what makes her the Boundary’s Angakkuq, or chosen one, despite her protestations that she only wants to find her brother's killer. In a somewhat repetitive and tension-free first-person present-tense narration, Eva relates finding the Tech on board the Genesis, sneaking out at night, and eventually her discovery (assisted by her second love interest) that her entire society is built on a foundation of lies. What with thin plotting, some angst over which boy she’d rather be kissing and an entirely too easy resolution, this is dystopia lite, although the girl-power message at the end is a nice touch.

Strictly for any fans of the first volume.