This is the second book in the After Light Saga, I was given the opportunity of an ARC review of book 1, ARV-3 when I reviewed for the lovely Jenna Martinez at Late Night Books and Reviews. Book 1 was a 5* read for me so I was excited to get to read book 2.
Set immediately after the events of Book 1, Finn is still in recovery and Abi still falls to be punished for her escapade to the restricted area with Tina. From the start, no punches are pulled and Abi is thrown into a truly terrifying situation, which has nothing to do with the Arvies. Her narrow escape from her torture is only met with yet more bad news about the Arvies, who are continuing to attack the fuel supplies. Plans to move to the larger Government bunker are speedily put into motion, the injured being the first to go, which includes Abi and Finn. Never a book to allow any plans to go right, for reasons unknown, their chopper flies off course and is spectacularly downed. Stuck with few soldiers but many wounded the group make their way to the remains of an old town and seek solace in the town Church. A small hive within the church refer to it as Sanctum. Is it their sanctuary or will it ultimately become their tomb? One things for sure, they are on a countdown and they are most definitely not alone……but when Abi has Hellfire at her side……..
Right from the get go the same relentless pace of this story continues, thrown straight back into the action, I was left horrified at idea of Abi’s first ordeal which is amazingly written in true “don’t want to read, but can’t stop reading” style. After being lulled into a sense that, actually things might be ok, the chopper goes down and we are back into familiar territory. There is a bit of a “Star Trek Away Team” feel about the Chopper Crew and their heart-stopping battle to reach sanctum, the naivety of those who are new to the outside world is a necessity though, to keeping the story believable in it’s own world. I love the introduction of the Sanctum Hive, giving hope to the fact that people who weren’t mad preppers also stood a chance and they had the right mix of welcome and apprehension to the new group. Abi’s journey is particularly intriguing with the curious link she has to the Arvies, which stems back to what she witnessed whilst in the vents with Tina in book 1. Her relationship with Finn, ramps up but still in a very sweet, first time love way and is written sensitively to the genre. There are massive set pieces in this book which are spectacular in their execution and I love that the Arvies are no longer mindless mutants, but calculating and adaptive foe.
There is so much action in this book, it is again very hard to put down. It has such a cinematic feel to it, it’s a series which is crying out to be made into a franchise and I am just heading to add book 3 to my TBR!
If you are interested in reading my review of Book 1, ARV-3, please head over to Late Night Books and Reviews to take a look! http://latenightbooksandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-max=2016-06-18T23:36:00-04:00&max-results=7&start=7&by-date=false
