The Fearless

Civilization ended after a drug intended to cure PTSD turned those who took it into aggressive monsters intent on converting or killing the rest of humanity. Seven years after society’s fall, 17-year-old Cass ekes out a meager existence with other survivors on an island refuge. Everything changes after the Fearless sneak onto Hope Island and kidnap Cass’s younger brother. Breaking a fundamental rule of her home, Cass journeys to the British mainland on a rescue mission; her sole ally is Myo, a mysterious young man who claims to be from another colony of survivors. Cass and Myo grow close, but their secrets may tear them apart as they contend both with the Fearless and with the Magpies, a military organization dedicated to ending the Fearless scourge. Pass (ACID) creates a vivid post-apocalyptic world, subverting several familiar zombie tropes (while her Fearless are intent on spreading their condition, they’re more coordinated and intelligent than the typical shambling hordes). However, the meandering plot suffers from predictability and a lack of focus, and Cass’s developing romance feels overly engineered. Ages 14–up. Agent: Carolyn Whitaker, London Independent Books. (Apr.)