Prototype

This disappointing follow-up to Archetype develops its predecessor’s weaknesses rather than its strengths. The first novel believably showed the emotional turmoil of Emma, a beautiful young clone, as she recovered from her past and found herself torn between two men: Declan Burke, a ruthless tycoon who had her cloned and loved her as a possession, and Noah, her true lover and a leader of the underground resistance against the oppressive system. Uncertain of her identity, Emma fled from both. The sequel begins with Emma on the run, but when Declan’s attempts to recapture her become too bothersome, she takes refuge with the resistance, where she finds Noah and their daughter comfortably settled into a relationship with another woman. Much hullabaloo follows, sometimes in martial arts combat, sometimes in swoony romantic moments, and sometimes in both simultaneously. Emma’s tortured psyche is still impressive, but the plot is too clumsy to carry the heavy load of passion. (July)