The Hunt

July 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up- The Cage introduced readers to Cora Mason, a young teen who wakes up in a desert with no memory of how she arrived there. As she explores her environment, she discovers that the setting changes from desert to tundra to farm to jungle. She meets four other teens, and eventually they are introduced to their jailer, Cassian, an alien who informs them that they have been abducted from Earth to be living exhibits in an otherworldly zoo. Cora and Cassian develop an attraction to each other, and Cora faces a difficult decision: choosing between Cassian, who could help her escape, and her fellow humans. The Hunt opens after the teens' failed escape attempt as Cora, Mali, and Lucky are punished by being placed in the Hunt-a safari-themed exhibit where humans and animals must serve the Kindred masters. Rolf and Nok end up in a dollhouselike exhibit where Kindred scientists poke Nok, interested in her human pregnancy. Lastly, Leon, the only teen to succeed in escaping, teams up with some black-market traders. Amid the dangers of their new confinements, Cora is selected to represent humanity in the Gauntlet-a series of tests to prove the worthiness of humans. But can Cora learn to trust the person in charge of training her-Cassian-who betrayed her during their escape attempt? Shepherd's latest series takes the famous human zoo concept from Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five and gives it a YA survival twist. Give to fans of dystopian novels looking for a unique twist or fans of Lynne Matson's "Nil" series.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2016
After a failed escape from their enclosure, Cora and her friends fight to find a way out of alien control for good in this sequel to The Cage (2015). Locked in a cell, Cora yearns to know if her friends are safe. Soon Cassian, the Kindred she once trusted, appears with a plan: he'll train her to face the Gauntlet, a test separating the intelligent species from the lesser. Not only might she be free--so could the rest of humanity. Armed with increasing telekinetic abilities, Cora agrees, but she doesn't trust Cassian; she's determined to trick him and the testers via mind control. But as her plan ramps up, so does the danger her friends face: a Kindred threatens to take away Nok and Rolf's unborn baby, Leon's indebted to smuggler Bonebreak, and Lucky only has days before he turns 19 and the Kindred dispose of him. Through it all, Cora can't help but wonder if she can trust Cassian, who claims he loves her--he may be her only hope. Nonstop action and intrigue follow Cora and her friends, making for a compelling, fast read. However, only Cora and Cassian shine; with so many characters, there's little room to grow attached to anyone else. The intricate world of the extraterrestrials further unfolds, leaving ample room for exploration in the finale. A thrill ride in space with new danger and intrigue around every corner. (Science fiction. 13 & up)

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