Reaper’s Legacy by Tim Lebbon
Synopsis:
Heroes and monsters clash with government forces in an apocalyptic London. Two years after London is struck by a devastating terrorist attack, it is cut off from the world, protected by a large force of soldiers (known as Choppers), while those in the rest of Britain believe that their ex-capital is now a toxic, uninhabited wasteland. Jack and his friends know that the truth is very different. The handful of survivors in London are developing strange, fantastic powers. Evolving. Meanwhile, the Choppers treat the ruined city as their own experimental playground. Jack’s own developing powers are startling and frightening, though he is determined to save his father, the brutal man with a horrific power who calls himself Reaper. Jack must also find their friend Lucy-Anne, who went north to find her brother. What Lucy-Anne discovers is terrifying-people evolving into monstrous things and the knowledge that a nuclear bomb has been set to destroy what’s left of London. And the clock is ticking.
Review:
This sequel moves back and forth between Jack, trying to rescue his mother and sister from the Choppers and Lucy-Anne accompanied by Rook, searching for Lucy-Anne’s brother. Jack and his friends team up with some unlikely allies as they begin to form a plan to attack those holding Jack’s family and other “evolved” people stuck inside London. In the meantime, Lucy-Anne and Rook journey through London’s most dangerous areas.
As before, both the setting and characters are dark and gritty. Jack’s power-hungry father is an emotional roller coaster for him. The powers that the humans have developed are more times a curse than a blessing. Especially the monstrous ones that Lucy-Anne and Rook encounter. It’s funny that everything that the teens have been through, that Jack and his friends don’t want any more killing – even in self-defense. This didn’t seem realistic, as their hatred for the evil, torturous Choppers should warrant killing them in self-defense when attacked. Despite that annoyance, I really enjoyed this fast-paced sequel. Full of suspense, surprising twists, and a bit of childish humor to lighten the dark mood – Reaper’s Legacy is a thrilling adventure. The cliffhanger ending will leave readers eager for the last installment in this exciting trilogy.