The Point

March 19, 2018
More Than Human meets Dress Gray in Dixon’s rousing mash-up of military SF thriller and paranormal adventure. Rebellious 18-year-old Scarlett Winter comes from a military family, but military life is the last thing she wants for herself. All that changes after she accidentally foils a terrorist threat to the life of a friend’s senator father and is recruited by West Point as part of a secret new unit, Operation Signal Boost, made up of posthumans whose various paranormal abilities are controlled and studied. Scarlett, who has the power to absorb and re-release energy at will, will be trained as a supersoldier for future wars. But Scarlett soon comes up against the long gray line of tradition and discipline, knocking heads with superiors and fellow posthuman cadets alike. Then the cadets face off against the High Rollers, a rogue band of paranormals led by the dangerous mind-controlling Antonio Jagger. His audacious scheme could spell the end of the posthumans, West Point, and maybe even the United States—unless Scarlett can harness her powers in time. Scarlett is a resourceful and endearing heroine, and her maturation from heedless teen to dedicated cadet forms the dramatic spine of this story. Anyone who can buy the concept of a secret supernatural society beneath West Point will thrill to Scarlett’s adventures.

July 1, 2018

Scarlett Winter has (barely) made it through high school and is ready to toss away her military family bonds for some free time. However, that there is something unusual about her has not gone unnoticed, and Scarlett has been tapped to attend The Point, a secret West Point unit that trains cadets with abilities ranging from telekinesis to dream walking. Even here Scarlett finds herself subject to more scrutiny, as her abilities to absorb and release energy make her a powerful person--and weapon. As she begins to find her place within the Point, the school's past comes back in a dark and deadly way, forcing Scarlett to test her limits both emotionally and physically as she fights for her life and those of her classmates. This action-packed military thriller keeps a fast pace and will appeal to fans of the X-Men's Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters and TV military series such as The Unit and SEAL Team. VERDICT Bram Stoker Award winner Dixon (Phoenix Island; Devil's Pocket) delivers an exciting military sf adventure with strong YA crossover appeal owing to the characters' ages and energetic story line.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

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