Just Finished Reading ... Defiance

Review of

Defiance
by C.J. Redwine

To be published by Balzer + Bray
on August 28, 2012

Source: bought

My summary: 

Rachel is devastated when her father, a missing courier for the cruel Commander, is declared dead. Angry and grieving, Rachel insists that her father was in possession of a valuable package and she's the only one who can find it. Logan, Rachel's father's trusted apprentice, has vowed to protect Rachel no matter what. In a strange world where monsters lurk and no one can truly be trusted, can Rachel and Logan find anything but heartbreak?

My take:

Defiance is an interesting story that's both dystopic (a walled community ruled by a cruel despot who has promised to protect the residents from a monster) and post-apocalyptic, with some fantasy elements. 

For me, one of the strengths of Defiance was the way that the story set up a big ol' tangle of interpersonal conflicts. Rachel doesn't want to be dependent on Logan, because she thinks doesn't return her romantic feelings. Logan feels responsible for Rachel and is trying to keep his feelings for her in check. The Commander wants the package and needs Rachel alive, but realizes he can use Logan to manipulate her. This is the kind of juicy-good stuff I love in a book, and it kept me on the edge of my seat as I read.

The book's writing style was also a strength -- clean and crisp, with short chapters that alternated Rachel's POV with Logan's. I know that some readers aren't a fan of the dual POV, but since these two characters are separated for some of the book, this narrative choice was practical and added suspense.

For those of you who like action and fight scenes, there were some great ones. Plus, some plot twists that zigged when I was expecting them to zag. I also thought Rachel and Logan were an interesting couple. I liked the fact that she's more the brawn in the relationship and he's the brains. She has more of the warrior spirit -- in the Department of Kickbutt Heroines, they don't make them any tougher and fiercer than Rachel -- while Logan invents gadgets that are half MacGyver, half Q from James Bond. 

The book's monster (a beast called The Cursed One that was released from the bowels of the earth as humans drilled for fuel) reminded me of that weird black cloudmonster from the TV show LOST. 

I found the Commander a much more scary and convincing villain and wished he'd been present in more of the book. 

I also wanted to understand the story world a lot better. Does Defiance take place in the future or the past or was this alternate history? I called the book post-apocalyptic because it seemed to me that the appearance of monsters sent the whole society (or world?) plunging into backwardness -- wearing cloaks and oppressing women and throwing people in dungeons -- but I wasn't sure. I got glimpses of other groups, both harmful and helpful (Rowansmark and the Tree People) but I never quite understood who they were and how they fit in. I'm assuming that perhaps some of these questions will be answered in a future book. 

All in all, this was an enjoyable read. If you love action-packed, suspenseful stories with kickbutt heroines, you'll love this book!

Have you read this one? Tell me what you think in comments!

AND... I'll be offering this up as a prize choice in my Back to The Books Giveaway!  Check back tomorrow to enter!