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THE NIGHTMARE VIRUS

May satisfy Christian fans of dystopian science fiction.

After Cain is infected with the Nightmare Virus, he only has 22 days to find a cure and save humanity.

Cain wanted to build dream worlds as a professional Draftsman, but then the Nightmare Virus arrived. It traps sleeping people in the nightmarish state Cain’s older brother, Nole, called the Tunnel, adding one hour of sleep per day until, after 22 Sleeps, you never wake up. When Cain is infected after Nole’s death, he fights his way through the Tunnel by sheer force of will and finds Tenebra, a dreamscape reminiscent of ancient Rome that’s inhabited by other infected people. Cain makes a bargain with young Emperor Luc—save Luc’s infected father (who’s in a Life Support Pod that needs charging in the Real World), access the cure that’s locked in his mind, and get an exorbitantly expensive LifeSuPod of his own. While Cain is asleep, he must earn his Tenebran citizenship by surviving the Arena and dangerous Spores who enter and exit the Nightmare at will. When he’s awake, he faces the apocalypse. If he dies in one world, he also dies in the other. While this genre-bending work features an interesting premise, it’s slow to start, the worldbuilding is muddled, and the ending may not satisfy readers who are unfamiliar with Christianity. The author’s approach to dealing with mental health and emotional struggles is confusing, potentially communicating blame for sufferers. Most characters read white.

May satisfy Christian fans of dystopian science fiction. (Christian science fiction. 13-18)

Pub Date: July 16, 2024

ISBN: 9798886051308

Page Count: 368

Publisher: Enclave Escape

Review Posted Online: May 30, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024

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POWERLESS

From the Powerless Trilogy series , Vol. 1

A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.

The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.

Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.

A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)

Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023

ISBN: 9798987380406

Page Count: 538

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023

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THE CRUEL PRINCE

From the Folk of the Air series , Vol. 1

Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.

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Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.

Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.

Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)

Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018

ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017

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