quippe | Entries tagged with charlie higson

The Blurb On The Back:

Keep moving. Keep fighting. Stay alive.

The sickness struck everyone over fourteen.

First it twisted their minds.

Then it twisted their bodies.

Now they roam the streets – crazed and hungry.

Sickos swam the streets of London. Gathered in the centre of the city, they lie in wait.

The survivors have one final epic battle to overcome. Together they must work out a plan of attack and stop the grown-ups reign of terror before it’s too late.

The end is coming.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The last in Charlie Higson’s YA horror ENEMY SERIES is a fitting conclusion packed with action, violence and heart-breaking character deaths. One of the things I’ve loved about this series is how Higson examines different ways of governing and grouping together – Matt’s religious cult, David’s monarchy, Jordan’s military set-up, Nicola’s parliament and Justin’s academy of boffins – and I thought the way he shows the petty arguments and personal agendas at play between them was credible. As has been the case throughout the series, there are a lot of character deaths, some of which were unexpected (with one in particular making me quite upset) and others that have been set up over the last few books but which were nonetheless handled effectively. Higson handles the set-piece battles well, conveying the chaos and violence but leaving a clear sense of what exactly is happening (which is helped by the inclusion of a map). I particularly enjoyed finding out what’s happened to both Paul since leaving the Natural History Museum and Matt since the attack on St Paul’s and it was good to see Jordan and the Tower of London crew again but I really would have liked more Ed, especially given the events in THE HUNTED. I was also a little disappointed by the portrayal of Einstein who’s looking for a cure – the unfeeling nerd cliché is overdone and I wanted something more. That said, Higson never forgets how young his characters are and I love the moments where they realise and accept that there are some things they can’t do. Also worth a mention is the useful timeline at the end of the book that shows how the events in each book in the series fits in with each other. Ultimately, this book ties up the loose ends well and serves as a fitting conclusion to an entertaining series.

The Blurb On The Back:

”You don’t even know where she’s gone, do you?”
“I’ll find her.”
“You’ll probably find her body … It’s sicko central out there.”

The sickness struck everyone over fourteen.

First it twisted their minds.
Next it ravaged their bodies.
Now they roam the streets – crazed and hungry.

The others told Ella that the countryside would be safer than the city. They were wrong. Now Ed wants to assemble a crew and find her, though he has no idea who – or what – they’ll meet out there. Or if Ella is even alive …

But the sickos are moving as one towards the capital as if being called – and will kill anyone who stands in their way.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The sixth in Charlie Higson’s THE ENEMY SERIES is another slickly plotted, fast-paced and violent affair that advances the overall story arc while also giving more background on what’s caused the sickness. I enjoyed the way Higson brings back some old faces from THE ENEMY and the focus on Ella, who grows as a character while still being a believable scared little girl. I also enjoyed the interaction between Ed and Brooke, which shows how they have both grown over the course of the books and been shaped by their experiences. Having been raised in Slough, I was less thrilled with Higson’s depiction of the Slough kids as a mix of losers and psychos and I would have liked to have seen more of how the Bracknell, Windsor, Maidenhead and Ascot crews were organised (although that would have doubled the length of the book). Once again, Higson closes events with another massive cliffhanger and I will definitely buy the next book to find out what happens.

The Blurb On The Back:

First the sickness rotted the adults’ minds. Then their bodies. Now they stalk the streets, hunting human flesh.

The Holloway crew are survivors. They’ve fought their way across London and made it to the Natural History Museum alive – just. But the fight will never end while the Enemy lives, unless there’s another way …

The kids at the museum are looking for a cure. All they need are medical supplies. To get them means a journey down unknown roads. Roads where not only crazed, hungry sickos hide in the shadows.

Suddenly it’s not so clear who – or what – they’re fighting.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The sixth in Charlie Higson’s ENEMY SERIES is another dark and twisted survival YA tale, filled with violent scenes as the characters continue their struggle to survive. I loved the Twisted Kids and the cause of the Sicko virus is gloriously explained. However, I missed Sam, the Kid and Shadowman and the way Higson jumps between timelines in books left me frustrated given that the story had previously felt as if it building to a central point. There’s also an increasing repetitiveness to the Sicko skirmishes while the wide cast of characters mean that some of the character deaths lack impact. I still enjoy this series and the jaw-dropping cliff hanger ending will ensure I buy the next book but I need the plot to start coming together in a definite direction.

The Blurb On The Back:

The sickness destroyed everyone over the age of fourteen. All across London diseased adults are waiting, hungry predators with rotten flesh and ravaged minds.

Small Sam and his unlikely ally, The Kid, have survived. They’re safe with Ed and his friends at the Tower of London, but Sam is desperate to find his sister.

Their search for Ella means Sam and The Kid must cross the forbidden zone. And what awaits them there is more terrifying than any of the horror they’ve suffered so far …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The fourth in Charlie Higson’s ENEMY SERIES finally returns to Sam’s storyline and the various plotlines from the preceding books finally begin to come together. Personally I found the Kid’s stylised dialogue a little much to take and the pacing sagged in places but I loved the way the sickos are developing and organising and the book does end with a great set-up for the next in the series. The ending is a great set-up for the next in the series, which I’m really looking forward to reading.

The Blurb On The Back:

He doesn’t know it, but DogNut is about to set off a chain of events that will affect every kid in the city.

The sickness struck everyone over the age of fourteen.

Mothers and fathers, older brothers, sisters and best friends. No one escaped its touch. And now children across London are being hunted by ferocious grown-ups …

They’re hungry.
They’re bloodthirsty.
And they aren’t giving up.

DogNut and the rest of his crew set out to find their lost friends on a deadly mission from the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace and beyond, as the sickos lie in wait.

But who are their friends and who are the enemy in this changed world?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The third in Charlie Higson’s excellent zombie-style series is another chilling and entertaining read with plenty of bleakness and dark humour. However, it is effectively another prequel to THE ENEMY, which I did find a little irritating given that it’s been so long since the events in that book and I’m keen to find out what happened to the Morrisons and Waitrose crews.

The Blurb On The Back:

A terrible disease is striking everyone over the age of fourteen. Death walks the streets. Nowhere is safe.

Maxie, Blue and the rest of the Holloway crew aren’t the only kids trying to escape the ferocious adults who prey on them.

Jack and Ed are best friends, but their battle to stay alive tests their friendship to the limit as they go on the run with a mismatched group of other kids – nerds, fighters, misfits. And one adult. Greg, a butcher, who claims he’s immune to the disease.

They must work together if they want to make it in this terrifying new world. But as a fresh disaster threatens to overwhelm London, they realise they won’t all survive ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Although this bone chilling sequel to the excellent THE ENEMY is actually a prequel, it’s nevertheless a cracking YA horror read, with plenty of violence and death and a fascinating take on zombies. I’ll definitely be checking out the next book.

The Blurb On The Back:

When the sickness came, every parent, police officer, politician – every adult – fell ill. The lucky ones died. The others are crazed, confused and hungry.

Only children under fourteen remain, and they’re fighting to survive.

Now there are rumours of a safe place to hide. And so a gang of children begin their quest across London, where all through the city – down alleyways, in deserted houses, underground – the grown-ups lie in wait.

But can they make it there – alive?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

This is 28 DAYS LATER for a young teen audience and is a must for budding zombie or horror fans. It’s a thrilling, action-packed read with a lot of violence and gore and an unsentimental attitude to its characters (many of whom get whacked). It’s not a book for sensitive readers and parents should be aware of the language (no f-word, but it gets close) but I’d have no hesitation in recommending it to all readers from age 13 up.