Into the Still Blue

February 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-This heartfelt, action-packed conclusion to the dystopian series begins where the second book Through the Ever Night (HarperCollins, 2013) ends. Liv is dead and Aria's recovering from a disabling gunshot wound. Roar and Perry blame each other for Liv's death and it's tearing them apart. The magnetic Aether storms are getting worse. Before it's too late, they must find the Still Blue, a paradise where they can live safe from the storms. Sable, the ruthless and cruel Horn tribe leader, kidnaps Cinder to use his ability to generate an Aether to destroy the Aether currents. Perry, Aria, and the others determine to rescue Cinder, knowing that a showdown between rival tribe leaders Sable and Hess, the cowardly Dweller leader, is inevitable. Perry and Aria are strong yet imperfect characters struggling to balance their love for each other with their responsibilities as tribe leaders. Some of the book's most interesting characters, such as Liv and Cinder, aren't fully developed and are, sadly, short-lived. The inclusion of the identity of Aria's father, while not essential to the story, is a nice surprise. The humorous quips made by Roar and the 6, so welcome in the series' previous books, are largely missing here. The fact that Perry, Aria, and company are repeatedly captured by Sable does become a bit repetitive. Still, the forthright and compelling plot has just enough of a twist to make this book, and the series, stand out from others like it. Fans will be desperate to find out how it all ends.-Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2013
This conclusion to the Under the Never Sky trilogy begins as increasingly destructive electromagnetic Aether storms ravage the landscape. Desperate, Perry and Aria decide to use hovercraft to transport the surviving members of the Tides tribe and the Dweller population to the mythic Still Blue, a region rumored to be free of storms. Hijacking the hovercraft from the bloodthirsty rival Horn tribe leader's control will require combining Aria's Dweller technological knowledge with Perry's Tides wilderness survival skills. But uniting the Dwellers and Tides demands painful personal sacrifices from the two inexperienced young leaders. Here, the inventive worldbuilding of the first two novels is replaced by a heavy reliance on contrivances--the origin of the Aether storms is too easily explained, yet the improbable existence of the Still Blue remains mysterious. The novel focuses largely on Perry's and Aria's struggles to balance their personal feelings with their leadership responsibilities. Unfortunately, their increasingly repetitive inner monologues, while believable, offer few surprises for returning readers. The attempts at increasing suspense by injecting jealous tension between Perry and Aria falls flat, as the previous novels so firmly established their strong commitment to each other. Several other emotional moments, including a revelation about Aria's father, feel more distractingly melodramatic than necessary. In spite of the shortcomings, loyal fans will still enjoy the (predictably) happy ending. (Science fiction. 12-18)

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November 15, 2013
Grades 9-12 In this conclusion to the Under the Never Sky trilogy, Dwellers and Outsiders converge in the race to the Still Blue, the mythical pocket of calm beyond the Aether. The Tides have found shelter in a network of caves, but their safety is temporary. Soon, the Aether storms will trap them underground. Aria must corral Soren and the rescued Dwellers before they destroy the Tides' fragile trust. While Perry is more confident as Blood Lord, Roar returns from his mission cold and distant, with terrible news. Meanwhile, Hess and Sable, rival leaders, have forged an opportunistic partnership and possess everything needed to find the Still Blue: transport, coordinates, and Cinder, the boy who can channel the Aether. Confused? Better start from the beginning. Old hands will notice that narrators Perry and Aria have grown as leaders and lovers, and while their romance stays rock solid, the rest of the story remains suspenseful. After such a riotous buildup, the final battle is over too easily, but with several character deaths behind them, the survivors earn their happy ending. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: With twenty-some countries reading along and a film perhaps in the offing, the publisher's The End Is Here media campaign is out to drum up big-time awareness.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)