Dead Zone

August 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-In this sequel to Blackout (HarperCollins, 2013), the Russians have taken Alaska back and have moved on to Seattle, using a mysterious device that deactivates any electrical or mechanical object from jets to computers to wristwatches. Aubrey and Jack-along with a cohort of other teens with superpowers-have completed their semi-voluntary military training and are deployed on their first missions. Aubrey, Jack, and a small team of lambdas whose abilities complement one another's, making them ideal for discovering the secrets of the device, are sent to work with a team of Green Berets, but not everyone seems to be as committed as they are, and Aubrey struggles with her role in the death that accompanies war. While the previous entry followed American teens and Russian terrorists, Dead Zone focuses on Aubrey and Jack, with chapters from other characters' points of view revealing information the protagonists do not have, piling on the tension as the teens are surrounded by dangers known and unknown to them. The ethical issues here-what it means to be a soldier but to have one's own moral code-are still only given cursory treatment, but Wells explores more extensively the interplay between the lambdas' powers and what they're capable of as a team. A solid duology for teens who like their sci-fi heavy on action but light on backstory and social commentary.-Gretchen Kolderup, New York Public Library

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2014
Picking up where Blackout (2013) left off, Wells continues to look at the impact of terrorism and the morality of war. The United States is under attack, with Russia landing troops in the Pacific Northwest and saboteurs striking without warning. Aubrey and Jack have been recruited into the military, and after just a few weeks of basic training, they are forced into the field on their first mission. With Aubrey's ability to become invisible and Jack's to read minds, they hope they can find the secret weapon deployed against them: an electromagnetic-pulse device that knocks out all electrical functions with no warning, wreaking havoc. Little do they know the secret weapon is just like them-a pair of teens infected with an enhancement virus as youngsters. Zasha and Fyodor have trained their whole lives for this, and Zasha in particular isn't about to let anything-or anyone-get in their way. Amid the action, Wells raises deep questions. As Aubrey struggles to understand why killing enemy soldiers isn't murder, Jack and their platoon mates (other "lambdas" like themselves) struggle to understand why the burden of warfare is being thrust on their young shoulders. Jack and Aubrey wrestle with these issues and more as the story races to a satisfying conclusion. This thoughtful, considered action-adventure will have readers pondering even after they've closed the book. (Science fiction. 13-16)

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