No Escape

May 1, 2019
Complete assimilation is the name of the game in the final installment of Scarrow's Plague Land trilogy. Shortly after the events of Reborn (2018), siblings Leon and Grace and their friend Freya become separated. Freya is on a U.S. Navy ship bound for Cuba, aka the New United States, along with Leon and Grace's father, Tom, who is desperate to locate his children. Leon is still in the U.K. with a small band of survivors after having fled the chaos that befell their last refuge, and Grace, who is now infected and more than human, is on a Chinese carrier carrying a shocking message. Over two years ago, the world was invaded by the horrifying virus that liquifies its victims, and though the discovery that salt water is an effective weapon has offered hope, it hasn't been enough to stop the ruthless otherworldly intelligence that makes it clear that assimilation is humanity's only choice. Is there a way to stop the takeover before humankind is annihilated? Scarrow's devastated landscape and the terrifying entity that has taken it over are vividly rendered, and the plentiful, visceral imagery of bodies in various states of transformation is not for the squeamish. The conclusion may prove divisive among series fans, but it will linger. Main characters are assumed white, but there's some diversity in the international supporting cast. Adrenaline-laced post-apocalyptic fun. (Horror. 14-18)

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June 1, 2019
Grades 9-12 Scarrow rounds out his violent Plague Land series with a surprisingly thoughtful, philosophical rumination on the nature of humanity, the future of our planet, and the definition of intelligent, extraterrestrial life. For years, Leon and Freya have managed to narrowly avoid the virus that has annihilated most of the world. Now, separated by an ocean, they are about to discover what the next phase of the virus is. Leon's sister, Grace, has been assimilated into the virus' collective consciousness, and?acting as the collective's ambassador?intends to show everyone how vital it is to submit to the virus' benevolent plans for humanity. This series is a unique ride: readers are led to root against the virus and regard the story as a classic outbreak narrative, and in this last installment, Scarrow manages to take a sharp turn with the resolution and get readers on board. To the author's credit, loose ends are tied (despite a meandering series overall) and the reader is left feeling simultaneously uneasy but satisfied.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)