Outgoing Outpost

Outpost by Ann Aguirre

* ARC provided by the publisher via the Shelf Awareness Newsletter

5 out of 5 gnomes

Now, this is what I call a superb sequel.  It looked like the group was headed into a safe place after all the trouble in the first book.  The safe place they are in now might not stay safe for long.  The people on the surface live a much different life then Deuce, Fade, Striker, and Tegan are used to.

Deuce is a Huntress but in this new place that kind of title holds no sway, especially since she’s a woman.  The other problem is that before she was considered an adult and ready to make her own decisions but now in the town of Salvation, she’s considered a child.  She was taken in by a family and now has to go to a traditional school.

Deuce is not so good at making friends but she slowly begins to understand people and I think herself too throughout this book.  She has to come to terms with the two ways that she sees herself.  She is afraid to just be the girly version of herself and feel feelings, the Huntress version of herself seems to be a lot more comfortable for her.  

The freaks are made, if it’s even possible, more truly scary.  These aren’t just your run or the mill mindless zombies either, they are even creepier in this book.  There is one singular spoilertastic type thing that you find out that may just change your outlook on these creatures.  I know that the more I read about them the scarier they became.  Thinking about all the scenarios that could have led to this world and why everything is like it is may just keep you awake and contemplating.   

There is an overwhelming palpable tension throughout Outpost that will leave you freaking out waiting for everything to boil over.  The tension doesn’t just abound while fighting freaks either, the attitudes of others are extremely problematic.  This feeling of foreboding makes this book even scarier than its predecessor.

The ending is pretty darn perfect.  It leaves it in a place where there’s the group dynamic again but you also have even more people and responsibilites to worry about.  Caring about a place and even more people adds a real edge to everything.  I am looking forward to the next book Horde because I can’t wait to see how this series ends.