Archon

November 1, 2013

Gr 6 Up-In this dystopian sequel to Freakling (Candlewick, 2012), 12-year-old Taemon must face the consequences of removing the power of PSI (telekenesis) from those who have it. He thought that taking it away would unite the city of Deliverance and eliminate the segregation between those with PSI and those without it. He was wrong. The city remains in shambles as the people struggle to accept a life of manual labor. The novel begins with Taemon and his close ally, Amma, searching abandoned asylums for his parents, who were separated from him before a great earthquake. He finds his mother and learns that his father has been taken to the Republik; to rescue him, he and Amma must cross Mount Deliverance. Readers who liked the breakneck pacing of the first book will not be disappointed in this one. The action never flags, leaving little time for character development or introspection, which just might appeal to reluctant readers. Archon bears striking similarities to Ally Condie's Crossed (Dutton, 2011), but is a better fit for the middle-grade crowd as it steers clear of romance and relies heavily on battle scenes. Krumwiede has done a masterful job of creating and sustaining suspense.-Jennifer Furuyama, Pendleton Public Library, OR

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2013
This sequel to Freakling (2012) offers a solid story and character development that can be enjoyed by fans of dystopia whether or not they've read the first installment. Thirteen-year-old Taemon is tormented by guilt, knowing he is responsible for the loss of psi--or telekinetic ability--among his people. His guilt is compounded when he discovers he alone still possesses psi. When Taemon discovers his missing mother, now in a fragile and untrustworthy mental state, she hints that his father has been taken to the Republik, a land that exists over an impassable mountain range. Armed with this tenuous knowledge, Taemon undertakes a dangerous journey to save his father. Joining him is Amma, a wonderfully strong friend on whom Taemon must rely heavily, both figuratively and literally. While some of the events of the book feel a bit convenient and the conflict is resolved too quickly and easily, these are minor quibbles with a story that has solid worldbuilding and a satisfying conclusion. The main weakness of this book is Krumwiede's reliance on old tropes: While Taemon and Amma are both described as having dark eyes and hair and light brown skin, the book's villains are described as dark-complexioned. Isn't it time to retire this stereotype? All in all, though, a better-than-average addition to the plethora of dystopias being published today. (Dystopian adventure. 10-14)

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