Aries, Clementine, Michael, and Mason have survived the first wave of the apocalypse that wiped out most of the world’s population and turned many of the rest into murderous Baggers. Now they’re hiding out in an abandoned house in Vancouver with a ragtag group of fellow teen survivors, trying to figure out their next move.
Aries is trying to lead, but it’s hard to be a leader when there are no easy answers and every move feels wrong. Clementine is desperate to find her brother Heath, but it’s impossible to know where he’d be, assuming he’s alive. Michael is haunted by the memories of his actions during his harrowing struggle to survive. And Mason is struggling with something far worse: the fear that he may be a danger to his friends.
As the Baggers begin to create a new world order, these four teens will have to trust and rely on each other in order to survive.
There's something to be said for a book that can make you feel as utterly desperate and afraid as I did, reading this book. I was so terrified that I stopped reading when it started to get dark outside and started reading again the next day, even though I had to force myself to put it down. This book is gripping, terrifying and total on-edge-of-seat thrilling.
I really enjoyed Dark Inside when I read it last year and Rage Within did not let me down. From page one of this book I was gripped and by the time I finished it - in the pure daylight of the next day's afternoon - I was still gripped, this book did not let go of me, even when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it. Even now i'm a little bit terrified, good terrified though, the kind of terrified you get when a book has grabbed you so much that you enter that world and become the characters and feel how they feel and go through what they're going through. I felt elation when the characters escaped a tricky situation and fear when the Baggers got too close for comfort. I am praying for a third book because I am just so not ready to let these characters go yet, there are so many ends that need to be tied up - Mason? Joy? Daniel? What's going to happen next?!
I have nothing bad to say about this book except from that the split narrative meant that we never really get to see every part of any one character's story. I still felt a little out of the loop at times, but once again this is a teeny little complaint and it barely affected my enjoyment.
Overall, I adored this book. It had my heart racing and my fingernails have been chewed down to nothing. Bring on book three!
Overall Rating: A
Book released August 30th 2012 by Panmacmillan in the UK and September 4th by Simon and Schuster in the US. I am reviewing the UK edition.
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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