Synopsis from Amazon:
As one of the last Untamed humans left in the world, Seven’s life has
always been controlled by tight rules. Stay away from the Enhanced.
Don’t question your leader. And, most importantly, never switch
sides—because once you’re Enhanced there’s no going back. Even if you
have become the perfect human being.
But after a disastrous raid on an Enhanced city, Seven soon finds herself in her enemy’s power. Realizing it’s only a matter of time before she too develops a taste for the chemical augmenters responsible for the erosion of humanity, Seven knows she must act quickly if she’s to escape and save her family from the same fate.
Yet, as one of the most powerful Seers that the Untamed and Enhanced have ever known, Seven quickly discovers that she alone holds the key to the survival of only one race. But things aren’t clear-cut anymore, and with Seven now questioning the very beliefs she was raised on, she knows she has an important choice to make. One that has two very different outcomes.
Seven must choose wisely whose side she joins, for the War of Humanity is underway, and Death never takes kindly to traitors.
But after a disastrous raid on an Enhanced city, Seven soon finds herself in her enemy’s power. Realizing it’s only a matter of time before she too develops a taste for the chemical augmenters responsible for the erosion of humanity, Seven knows she must act quickly if she’s to escape and save her family from the same fate.
Yet, as one of the most powerful Seers that the Untamed and Enhanced have ever known, Seven quickly discovers that she alone holds the key to the survival of only one race. But things aren’t clear-cut anymore, and with Seven now questioning the very beliefs she was raised on, she knows she has an important choice to make. One that has two very different outcomes.
Seven must choose wisely whose side she joins, for the War of Humanity is underway, and Death never takes kindly to traitors.
>>>>>>>
My Review:
This was a book I bought on one of those "Only Spend Gift Card
Money" buying binges... I swear, it's the only way to ration myself; I
could very easily just go broke with how many awesome writers there are
out there.
So anyway, this British writer is not a frequent
poster in the group where I most frequently pick up indie books for these featured reviews, but everybody keeps mentioning her book, and so I
added it on a whim to my watchlist, waiting for a gift card to spend it
on. I got the card, I bought the book, and finally, I get the chance to
sit down and read it.
This book just about
destroyed any semblance of productivity in me every time I picked it up.
Two nights of staying up WAYYY past my bedtime and one afternoon of
completely ignoring my chores, and I reached the end. I couldn't just
read a few chapters here and there. I was blowing through whole chunks
until I had no choice but to set it aside and move on with my life.
That's how compelling it is.
It starts out
sounding a bit like Scott Westerfield's "Uglies", like there's the "in"
society of drug-sucking "perfect people" who become plastic, "perfect" superhumans
by taking addictive drugs that suppress negative emotions and enhance the senses; then there
are the outsiders, the Untamed, who want nothing to do with this life, they want to be free, to survive.
But that's where similarity ends. "Uglies" got too wrapped up in
conspiracies and sappy romances and love triangles to hide weak
characters. "Untamed" was just getting started.
Seven is an
Untamed who lost almost all of her family to fighting the Enhanced
except her brother Three, and whose mother may or may not have betrayed
her team and chosen to become Enhanced. Seven travels with Rahn and his
nephew Corin, the self-appointed leaders of a band of Untamed trying to
find a safe place to settle and survive. Meanwhile, there's something
special about Seven, something that has to do with her mother being one
of the Enhanced, giving her a natural "in" with them, but also something
that makes it dangerous for her to just give up and give in. She is on
the run between two worlds; if she stops running, she dies.
Betrayal
around every corner; her closest friends might be wise enough to defend
her from the darkness inside herself—or trusting them could mean her
undoing.
Dyer's characters leap off the page,
each with his and her unique voice and face clearly etched in my head.
The plot, as I stated before, just didn't let up for a moment. It got a bit disorienting at times, particularly with the visions and dreams Seven keeps having, but I did note that these were always explained afterward in a way that made sense. The
twists and turns kept me frantically turning pages to find out what
happens next. And even then, I could never once predict the outcome. The
dialogue flowed naturally, the conflict made me breathless, while at
last, I sighed with relief at the stunning and incredibly fitting
resolution.
Untamed is a sheer thrill ride
from start to finish. Readers looking for a female character with
realistic struggles and not too much romance, a dystopia with an
important message of hope, and an epic new world to discover will not be
disappointed!
Untamed is absolutely worth the
price of admission! I give it the full *****5 STARS***** and add an
Upstream Writer Certified ABSOLUTELY RECOMMENDED! I am definitely
looking forward to the sequel!
Further Reading (Also By The Author/Dystopian/sci-fi/thrilling)
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