The Infinite Sea

Starred review from September 22, 2014
From an explosive start that reveals the boundless malevolence of Yancey's conquering alien Others, this gut-wrenching sequel to The 5th Wave careens on a violent course of nonstop action. Heroine Cassie, renegade soldier Ringer, and fellow survivor Ben have led a band of military camp escapees to a decaying hotel somewhere in Ohio. With winter approaching, they squabble over how to attempt survival, with Ringer questioning whether Cassie's refusal to budge until they know what happened to Evan, who helped them escape but who may be an Other, means she's fallen in love with the enemy. Reversals and double-reversals abound. At one point, Ringer admits to dizziness, a sensation readers may share. "Bluffs inside bluffs, feints within counterfeints. I'm in a game," she says, "in which I don't know the rules or even the object." Despite the gore, inhumanity, and senseless losses, Yancey manages an ending that both shatters and uplifts. While readers may not yet fully understand what the Others are up to, the title, an allusion to a speech made by Shakespeare's Juliet, is a clue to what's driving the survivors: love. Ages 14âup. Agent: Brian DeFiore, DeFiore and Co.

Narrators Phoebe Strole and Ben Yannette present the gripping and anguished revelations of an alien takeover of Earth. Strole, the main narrator, maintains a relentless intensity that matches the impotent rage and emotional priorities of the hemmed-in humans. Her narration focuses on telling the separate adventures of Cassie and Ringer, who are both desperate to evade death--or the worse fate of recapture by the aliens. Yannette delves into the psyche of Evan Walker, who is part human and part alien. While both Strole and Yannette's dialogue would benefit from greater vocal differentiation, listeners who enjoy dystopian battle tales will find this series appealing. C.A.