Defiance by C. J. Redwine
Book 1 in Defiance series
Book provided by Edelweiss and the publisher
Release date: August 28,2012
Genre: Young Adult/Dystopian
At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.
As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.
AH’s Review – 4 skulls – A-
Dystopian books fascinate me. Just how horrible can society become? In Defiance, the population cowers in their walled city of Baalboden. Outside the walls, there is only barren wastelands populated by The Cursed One a cross between a big giant worm and a fire breathing dragon. (Think Tremors). Life in the city is not that much safer. The citizens of Baalboden are ruled by the ruthless Commander Chase, a power-hungry, sadistic, and generally evil leader. His Brute Squad patrols the streets of the city, ensuring compliance of the populace.
This is a patriarchal society. The women of Baalboden are trained to be obedient and dependent upon their male protectors. No woman ventures outside her home without a male protector. Women wear only skirts. Women barely receive an education, taught only life skills such as sewing, cooking, etiquette, and bargaining. At age 16 a woman is “Claimed” by a male in the community and begins to start a family.
Defiance is told from alternating points of view of the protagonists. The chapters are quite short, making this a quick read. Rachel is fierce, brave, and smart. She is rather impulsive, often acting before she thinks out the consequences of her actions. Rachel has not had the typical upbringing of a Baalboden girl. Her father made sure that she learned how to protect herself with a sword. Logan struck me as a little bland at first; however his character grew on me after a while. Logan is a thinker, constantly plotting out best case/worst case scenarios. Logan is an inventor and some of his inventions used a surprising amount of technology. Logan was especially adept at creating large explosives, a most useful skill.
If you are reading this book for the romance, yes, there is a romance. Rachel and Logan have a nice little relationship going on. It begins as a friendship, and then as they get to know each other better, it does bloom. It’s pretty tame, but they do spend a lot of time declaring their love for each other at one point in the book.
Defiance was an action packed read, full of chase sequences, sword fights, and explosions. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.
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Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for a review copy of this book.
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AH
Hi all! Bonjour! I’m AH and I am obsessed with reading. I read all kinds of books, but my favorites are paranormal romance and urban fantasy. What is it about those vampires and shape-shifters? Lately, I seem to be reading a lot of dystopian books as well. Are zombies the new vampire? I hope not. I have 3 boys – all reluctant readers so I tend to read a lot of young adult books aimed at boys. I want them to catch the reading bug too! I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts about books with you. Hope we can discover some great reads together.