Book Review - Fear

Title: Fear

Author: Michael Grant

Series: Gone (Book 5)

Publisher: Egmont Books UK

Release Date: 3rd April 2012

ISBN13: 9781405257633

 

 Synopsis

It's been one year since all the adults disappeared. Gone.
Despite the hunger and the lies, even despite the plague, the kids of Perdido Beach are determined to survive. Creeping into the tenuous new world they've built, though, is perhaps the worst incarnation yet of the enemy known as the Darkness: fear.
Within the FAYZ, life breaks down while the Darkness takes over, literally—turning the dome-world of the FAYZ entirely black. In darkness, the worst fears of all emerge, and the cruelest of intentions are carried out. But even in their darkest moments, the inhabitants of the FAYZ maintain a will to survive and a desire to take care of the others in their ravaged band that endures, no matter what the cost.

My Review

I was left rather disillusioned after the previous book, but I feel invested in this series now and was interested enough to see where the book would go next. This one starts about 2 months after Plague ended and there are now 2 separate civilizations - Sam has taken a group and set up next to the Lake he found in the last book, he has a couple of girls who work and tend a vegetable patch, some people who can fish and he still trades with those left in Perdido Beach, life is hitting a rhythm and whilst not perfect, it's calm for now. Only thing missing for Sam is Astrid, and maybe a bit of adventure. Meanwhile Caine is running things as 'King' down in Perdido, with Albert still in control of business. Things aren't as peaceful there, but it's still working.

But nothing can ever stay peaceful for long inside the FAYZ and there is a new threat - the barrier is starting to turn black and it's spreading fast, if it keeps climbing the entire area within will be forced into darkness, no more natural light, which means no more growing food, and everyone's biggest fears will start to come true. People do crazy things when their minds go into panic. 

Not only do they have to contend with the darkness, Drake is still out there somewhere, the gaiaphage is trying to regain power and is going after Diana's still unborn but rapidly growing baby, and Penny has gone crazy and seems to get thrills out of torturing people. Once again its a handfull of shockingly bad situations all accumilating in mess, fights and panic. 

I liked that in this book we also get chapters from 'Outside' that feature the adults who were removed on that fateful day. The main focus in Connie Temple - Sam and Caine's mum, and we get a glimpse at how they are reacting to the sphere barrier and what they feel about what could be happening inside. We also find out what happened to Mary and apparently someone called Francis - but there are so many characters in this book I don't even remember him being inside or how he left. 

I'm still not massively attached to any of the characters, Sam is still rather annoying at times and although you can see a development with Astrid, she still doesn't seem all that relateable and I don't really care what happens to her.

Quinn is becoming my favourite character and it was good to see a different side of Diana, but I still feel like Grant could show us a lot more about the people. I just don't feel that attached to any of them, and I really wish he would just get rid of Drake already - he annoyed me right from the first book but he's like a cockroach that just won't die - but I don't feel like he's an asset to the story, he's just a pain in the ass and hasn't really changed at all from the start.

Overall this book was a lot better than the last few, I feel like more happened, some answers were given and some more questions were raised. I definitely want to know how it all comes to a close and am really intrigued by how this one ended. I actually read this entire book in one day. His books are always quite easy to read and even if not much is happening, they still move quite fast. And yes there is still unnecessary gore and violence throughout. Though i think I am becoming desensitized to it, as I just read through now and wasn't particularly shocked or moved.

I am definitely invested enough in the series to finish it, but I don't think I would ever want to read them again.     

My Rating