Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I absolutely love dystopian, end-of-life-as-we-know-it, type of novels. George Orwell's 1984 (Signet Classics) and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale happen to be two of my favorites. This novel started with great promise...And then it fell short. Very short. The novel is about Wisty and Whit Allgood, two teenage siblings who are kidnapped by the New Order, a form of government that has taken over the world. During this time, Wisty and Whit discover that they have magical powers, and that is why the New Order considers them a threat. The story opens up with Wisty and Whit being led to the gallows in a sports arena, with thousands of people cheering on their hanging. As the proceedings commence, Wisty and Whit take us into the backdrop of the story, how they found themselves condemned to death.
In a trite and oversimplified manner, we learn that our political system crumbled overnight and was replaced by the New Order headed by "The One Who Is the One." As Wisty and Whit continue to battle some of their challenges, they become more aware of the magnitude of their supernatural powers. The story crosses over from Wisty and Whit's time in prison, over to other worldly dimensions (such as the Shadowland where spirits dwell) back to an unrecognizable world overwrought with despair, war, and hopelessness. But none of this is captured with any depth.
What I thought would be a great dystopian story seemed more like a cat-and-mouse fantasy under a dystopian backdrop. I do enjoy fantasies and stories of magic along with mayhem, but there was something missing in this story. It was entertaining in some areas but it lacked the thrilling suspense I would expect in a novel written by Patterson.
This is the first book in a new series and unfortunately, it leaves readers with a rather weak cliffhanger. This series may have some promise and hopefully, the next book will delivery on that.
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