The Expedition

Author: Chris Babu

Series: The Initiation #2

Publisher: Permuted Press

Release Date: December 5, 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

The initiation was child’s play compared to the new quest bestowed on the four champions!

Shortly after completing the initiation, Drayden, Catrice, Sidney, and Charlie are presented with a new quest: to travel to the City of Boston and represent New America in an attempt to seek aid.  New America is failing as battery life is coming to an end and wind turbines desperately need maintenance.  Food production has been shortened and people are now being randomly exiled so that the colony as a whole can survive.  Unfortunately, this shortens the time that Drayden has available to look into his mom’s exile.  Trying to bargain for more time or a change of expedition has only frustrated their superiors to the point they have been threatened with execution and their families exiled.  Fortunately, they have a team of elite guardians with them for protection on the way to Boston.  But once out of New America, things don’t go quite as the group had planned.  Could there be different missions between them and the guardians?  Will Boston even still exist?  Why hasn’t there been talk about their future once they return?

This book picks up right where the first one left off.  Four scared and confused teenagers with no idea what awaits them are thrown into yet another scenario of seemingly ensured failure.  We get to see how the world has developed post confluence outside of the New America walls and to say the least, humanity has gone back to being fairly primitive, but there are a few surprises along the way.  This installment focuses on the teens continued survival as well as a challenge against the guardians.  A consistent element was that of Drayden’s insecurity.  It smeared throughout all the pages of the book, especially his relationship with Catrice.  I would really like to know what is going through Catrice’s head most of the time but may never get to see that.  I would like to see the next installment with alternating points of view.

If you enjoy this style of book, then you will likely enjoy this one as well.  There is some mild language throughout, but nothing that is not expected in today’s society.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher.  The views and opinions express within are my own.