bibliopenguin

Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Series: Yes: a trilogy. The second book (no title yet) is schedule for Fall 2012.
Categories: YA, dystopia, action, male pov, female pov, conspiracy, intrigue, future, prodigy, romance, corrupt government, rebellion/revolution
Other works by Marie Lu: none
Notes:

If you haven't had enough dystopian YA fiction, check this book out. While it does not have the non-stop action of the Hunger Games, the Republic in which it is set is plenty sinister, and there is action and high tension throughout.

The story is told alternately through the eyes of June, upper class prodigy (who admittedly takes some warming up to), and Day, guerrilla criminal. Their paths cross when Day is accused of murdering June’s brother while escaping after stealing medications from a hospital. The medications are for his younger brother, who has caught the mysterious plague which riddles the poorer sectors of future-Los Angeles. June is pulled from training by her brother's former commander and given the chance to prove herself--by tracking down the elusive Day and bringing her brother's murderer to justice. June, driven by vengeance and the desire to prove herself, is single-minded in her pursuit...until she realizes that she is raising more questions than she is finding answers.

What is the truth? Why does the plague always come back? How does it constantly evolve? What is different about the plague that Day's brother has? Who killed Metias if it wasn't Day? How does Metias' death connect to the plague or Day's family? Who is trustworthy?

June and Day confront these questions and struggle to discover the true nature of the Republic, and confront the ethics of the paths they have chosen. How far will they each go for what they believe in?

Title: Fever Crumb
Author: Philip Reeve
Series: 1st book, Fever Crumb quartet
Categories: YA, dystopia, future, technology, coming of age
Notes: appropriate for younger readers of advanced reading skills
Other works by Philip Reeve: The Mortal Engines Quartet (Hungry City Chronicles)

Philip Reeve packs so much into what seems like too few pages to hold all of the characters and events that unfold in the first volume of his new series. Set in the same world as his Mortal Engines quartet, in a distant future London.

Fever Crumb is a foundling girl raised by the super-rational Order of Engineers. She ventures into the wider world in the employment of archaeologist Kit Solent. As she is confronted with the irrational world outside of the Order, her confusion is compounded by strange memories that could not possibly be her own. Where did these memories come from? Who is she really, and why did her parents abandon her?

Fever is a different sort of female hero, but she doesn’t disappoint, and neither does Philip Reeve. Reeve's writing is perfectly suited to the world he has created, but (like a good storyteller) the skill and artistry of his writing does not distract from the story he is telling. I love the way he envisions how culture will evolve in a post-Apocalyptic world where so much technology and history has been lost. Staples of our own culture have been twisted and confused as they filtered through time to Fever's world. I also felt for Fever as she navigates her own turbulent emotions and problems with her rational mindset and engineer training. She finds herself assaulted with irrational emotions and situations--both her own and those of the people around her--and her upbringing among the Order of the Engineers has hardly prepared her to deal with them. At first I was worried that I wouldn't like Fever or be invested in her, but she is actually quite endearing.

As soon as I finished Fever Crumb, I immediately snatched up the second book (A Web of Air). I cannot wait for the last two books to be available. A Web of Air was not in any way a letdown or disappointment, it pulled me even further into Fever's world.

I cannot say enough good things about this series. Why are you still here reading this? GO GET IT!

Note: The audio for this book (though not A Web of Air) is read by the author himself.