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Dark Inside #2
Rage Within
In this apocalyptic sequel to Dark Inside four teens continue the struggle for survival as they face a world gone mad.
Aries, Clementine, Mason and Michael have survived the first wave of the apocalypse that wiped out most of the world’s population, and turned many of the rest into murderous Baggers. Now, they’re hiding out in an abandoned house in Vancouver with a ragtag group of surviving teens, and trying to figure out their next move.
Aries is trying to lead, but it’s hard to be a leader when there are no easy answers, and every move feels wrong. Clementine is desperate to find her brother Heath, but it’s impossible to know where he’d be, even if he is still alive. Michael is still haunted by the memories of his actions during his harrowing struggle to survive. And Mason is struggling with something far worse: the fear that he may be a danger to his friends.
As the Baggers begin to create a new world order, Aries, Clementine, Mason and Michael will have to trust and rely on each other in order to survive.
Aries, Clementine, Mason and Michael have survived the first wave of the apocalypse that wiped out most of the world’s population, and turned many of the rest into murderous Baggers. Now, they’re hiding out in an abandoned house in Vancouver with a ragtag group of surviving teens, and trying to figure out their next move.
Aries is trying to lead, but it’s hard to be a leader when there are no easy answers, and every move feels wrong. Clementine is desperate to find her brother Heath, but it’s impossible to know where he’d be, even if he is still alive. Michael is still haunted by the memories of his actions during his harrowing struggle to survive. And Mason is struggling with something far worse: the fear that he may be a danger to his friends.
As the Baggers begin to create a new world order, Aries, Clementine, Mason and Michael will have to trust and rely on each other in order to survive.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2012
128 people are currently reading
5678 people want to read
About the author
Jeyn Roberts
11 books711 followersJeyn Roberts (pronounced Jen - the Y is silent)grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and started writing at an early age, having her first story published when she was 16 in a middle-grade anthology called LET ME TELL YOU.
When she was 21, she moved to Vancouver with dreams of being a rock star, graduating from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Writing and Psychology. For the next few years she played in an alternative/punk band called Missing Mile before moving to England where she received her MA from the prestigious Creative Writing graduate course at Bath Spa University. Jeyn is a former singer, songwriter, actress, bicycle courier and tree planter.
An avid traveler, she’s been around the world, most recently, teaching high school in South Korea.
A lover of animals, Jeyn volunteers regularly with helping abandoned and abused animals, especially cats.
When she was 21, she moved to Vancouver with dreams of being a rock star, graduating from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Writing and Psychology. For the next few years she played in an alternative/punk band called Missing Mile before moving to England where she received her MA from the prestigious Creative Writing graduate course at Bath Spa University. Jeyn is a former singer, songwriter, actress, bicycle courier and tree planter.
An avid traveler, she’s been around the world, most recently, teaching high school in South Korea.
A lover of animals, Jeyn volunteers regularly with helping abandoned and abused animals, especially cats.
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April 29, 2020
ooh, even better than the first one. (hopefully this review will be better than the first one; the one that i wrote and then accidentally deleted when i told my computer, "sure i would enjoy updating my security features very much" or whatever, and it rebooted this machine, erasing my first attempt...doofus)
this one brings us even further along in the situation of what happens when, in the aftermath of massive earthquakes (in canada!) many people turn into psychopathic killers with black-veined eyes. the book, not the review. keep up, guys.
so for all the things i liked in the first book: her willingness to have her characters make regrettable decisions in stressful situations; decisions which frequently led to the death(s) of others, this book has a different tone. relationships are more entrenched. living in a house together, trying to escape the threat that awaits them outside, the non-turned survivors develop stronger attachments, and no longer have the luxury of the impulsive, selfish decision, and are more thoughtful than self-serving; more "wrong" decisions being made for the right" reasons.
but even though i am sad to acknowledge that with emotional attachments come the clipping of the balls, so to speak, and there is more sentimentality than practicality, it is okay because there is still plenty of bloodshed for l'il sicko me.
my only question is, and i don't think this is at all a spoiler, but better safe than sorry - you can trust me or not, but those of you that trust me get to hear a song!
so i definitely recommend this series, because she has sidestepped the "curse of the second novel" and managed to write a fast paced, multiple POV that managed to fool me (ME!!) with something i should have seen coming, but didn't, and was so thrilled, that i murmured "well, done, roberts..." kind of with this inflection, even though i am not british.
it comes out in september, so that's all i want to say for now, in the meantime, if you haven't, you should read Dark Inside to catch up. for serious.
come to my blog!
this one brings us even further along in the situation of what happens when, in the aftermath of massive earthquakes (in canada!) many people turn into psychopathic killers with black-veined eyes. the book, not the review. keep up, guys.
so for all the things i liked in the first book: her willingness to have her characters make regrettable decisions in stressful situations; decisions which frequently led to the death(s) of others, this book has a different tone. relationships are more entrenched. living in a house together, trying to escape the threat that awaits them outside, the non-turned survivors develop stronger attachments, and no longer have the luxury of the impulsive, selfish decision, and are more thoughtful than self-serving; more "wrong" decisions being made for the right" reasons.
but even though i am sad to acknowledge that with emotional attachments come the clipping of the balls, so to speak, and there is more sentimentality than practicality, it is okay because there is still plenty of bloodshed for l'il sicko me.
my only question is, and i don't think this is at all a spoiler, but better safe than sorry - you can trust me or not, but those of you that trust me get to hear a song!
so i definitely recommend this series, because she has sidestepped the "curse of the second novel" and managed to write a fast paced, multiple POV that managed to fool me (ME!!) with something i should have seen coming, but didn't, and was so thrilled, that i murmured "well, done, roberts..." kind of with this inflection, even though i am not british.
it comes out in september, so that's all i want to say for now, in the meantime, if you haven't, you should read Dark Inside to catch up. for serious.
come to my blog!
September 23, 2012
I am trying so hard to like this series. Dark Inside was three stars for me and I'm also giving this three stars even though it is a better book than the first. The way I feel about Roberts' series is similar to how I feel about Revis' Across the Universe series. I like them well enough to be curious about what happens next, enough to search out the next book and hope I will like it more than I did the last one... but I do not care one teeny tiny bit for the characters. Where Revis' characters lack personality, Roberts' are too many.
It is rare to find a situation where five perspectives (four main ones) works and I do not think this is one of them. Even towards the end I was still getting mixed up between Mason and Michael - which I initially put down to them having the same first letter in their names - but then even Aries and Clementine. Names aside, I find them uninteresting and recognisable only by facts such as "she's the one trying to find her brother". It's a good job their names are written at the beginning of every chapter and that it's written in third person because it would be impossible to work out who was who from their "voices".
Though, like I said, Rage Within is better than book one, largely because the four protagonists face bigger moral dilemmas and they are allowed to make crucial and shocking mistakes that get people killed. I'm weird, I know, but I like that things are not all nice and there are no "heroes" in this story. Also, I have to give Roberts major points for two twists she decided to throw in. I saw neither coming and, though clever readers might pick up on one of them, I doubt many people will get the biggie. Twists are good, even otherwise bad books deserve a little cheer for well-placed twists.
I like Ms Roberts' plots and twists and moral dilemmas a lot more than I like her characters, which is somewhat problematic. But I also dislike the lack of answers. I understand and appreciate the reasons why you don't want to give everything up at once, that would be silly. But... we're two books in now and I feel like I know nothing more about why the earthquakes happened and why people started randomly going crazy and killing others than I did when I read the blurb for book one. The action scenes are cool, but I think Rage Within should have delivered more on the answers front. Let's hope they're seriously epic when we get them!
There is one more thing that stops me from giving these novels a higher rating and it's strange because it's at odds with other parts of the books. They sometimes seem juvenile in their handling of certain matters... which is weird when you think that the stories actually contain plenty of violence and scenes of torture. Very weird indeed. Or perhaps the word I'm looking for isn't juvenile but "cheesy", like when one of the girls - I forget which - is in a bad situation and she hears the voice of her mum speaking to her and she is able to overcome her immediate problems. That's a little Nicholas Sparks-ish, right?
Oh, and I think I'm a little morally incompatible with the characters at times, I don't understand their ways of thinking.
Like this:
"Stealing from the dead! Clementine was horrified. She'd seen a hell of a lot of bad things over the past six weeks. She'd even done some of those unmentionables herself. But taking personal items from the dead... well, that seemed wrong on levels she couldn't even begin to imagine.
Clementine didn't think. The anger surged forth, forcing her into action. Raising her baseball bat, she charged."
Okay. So it's wrong to steal from the dead but perfectly fine to bash a living person's brains in with a baseball bat? Right. Also, get real. It's the end of the world, just be thankful you don't have to eat the dead... yet. Another issue of morality arises when Mason and Daniel are faced with some child Baggers (what they call the people who were affected by the earthquakes) and Mason is unsure whether he can harm them: "It was one thing to kill Baggers. But child Baggers?"
Let me ask you something. Could you harm this?
Only if you're a psycho, right? So how about this?
One would bloody well hope so. Sometimes children are monsters when the apocalypse comes and if you don't kill them they're going to eat or do something equally nefarious to you. When it's you or the evil freaky children there's no need to pretend to think about it, we won't judge you.
So whether this is a trilogy or a series or whatever, for now I am reading on. This is quite a big thing because I don't often carry on after three star books. I expect a really good ending. Or else.
It is rare to find a situation where five perspectives (four main ones) works and I do not think this is one of them. Even towards the end I was still getting mixed up between Mason and Michael - which I initially put down to them having the same first letter in their names - but then even Aries and Clementine. Names aside, I find them uninteresting and recognisable only by facts such as "she's the one trying to find her brother". It's a good job their names are written at the beginning of every chapter and that it's written in third person because it would be impossible to work out who was who from their "voices".
Though, like I said, Rage Within is better than book one, largely because the four protagonists face bigger moral dilemmas and they are allowed to make crucial and shocking mistakes that get people killed. I'm weird, I know, but I like that things are not all nice and there are no "heroes" in this story. Also, I have to give Roberts major points for two twists she decided to throw in. I saw neither coming and, though clever readers might pick up on one of them, I doubt many people will get the biggie. Twists are good, even otherwise bad books deserve a little cheer for well-placed twists.
I like Ms Roberts' plots and twists and moral dilemmas a lot more than I like her characters, which is somewhat problematic. But I also dislike the lack of answers. I understand and appreciate the reasons why you don't want to give everything up at once, that would be silly. But... we're two books in now and I feel like I know nothing more about why the earthquakes happened and why people started randomly going crazy and killing others than I did when I read the blurb for book one. The action scenes are cool, but I think Rage Within should have delivered more on the answers front. Let's hope they're seriously epic when we get them!
There is one more thing that stops me from giving these novels a higher rating and it's strange because it's at odds with other parts of the books. They sometimes seem juvenile in their handling of certain matters... which is weird when you think that the stories actually contain plenty of violence and scenes of torture. Very weird indeed. Or perhaps the word I'm looking for isn't juvenile but "cheesy", like when one of the girls - I forget which - is in a bad situation and she hears the voice of her mum speaking to her and she is able to overcome her immediate problems. That's a little Nicholas Sparks-ish, right?
Oh, and I think I'm a little morally incompatible with the characters at times, I don't understand their ways of thinking.
Like this:
"Stealing from the dead! Clementine was horrified. She'd seen a hell of a lot of bad things over the past six weeks. She'd even done some of those unmentionables herself. But taking personal items from the dead... well, that seemed wrong on levels she couldn't even begin to imagine.
Clementine didn't think. The anger surged forth, forcing her into action. Raising her baseball bat, she charged."
Okay. So it's wrong to steal from the dead but perfectly fine to bash a living person's brains in with a baseball bat? Right. Also, get real. It's the end of the world, just be thankful you don't have to eat the dead... yet. Another issue of morality arises when Mason and Daniel are faced with some child Baggers (what they call the people who were affected by the earthquakes) and Mason is unsure whether he can harm them: "It was one thing to kill Baggers. But child Baggers?"
Let me ask you something. Could you harm this?
Only if you're a psycho, right? So how about this?
One would bloody well hope so. Sometimes children are monsters when the apocalypse comes and if you don't kill them they're going to eat or do something equally nefarious to you. When it's you or the evil freaky children there's no need to pretend to think about it, we won't judge you.
So whether this is a trilogy or a series or whatever, for now I am reading on. This is quite a big thing because I don't often carry on after three star books. I expect a really good ending. Or else.
November 21, 2012
(Just to clarify, this is a good three stars, not a reluctant 3 stars, so maybe 3.5 is more accurate. Or 4. I don’t know, I can’t decide.)
Rage Within opens three months after the earthquakes, with Aries, Michael, Mason and Clementine hiding out in Vancouver with a group of survivors. The Baggers are becoming organised, their homicidal rampage now punctuated with hunting down and rounding up the uninfected. Nobody is safe – whether it’s from the Baggers, or the threat of their own darkness inside.
This time around Roberts delves deeper into the group dynamics, the tenuous balance of trust and fear that exists amongst the survivors. In a world overwhelmed by evil, the danger of betrayal looms large. Each of the characters have reason to question each other, while at the same time having to rely on them for survival. Throughout Rage Within, this fragile combination of reliance and distrust is challenged, along with the system of order and relationships that have emerged in the group. Michael’s actions in Dark Inside cause him to doubt his ability to protect others. Aries questions her role as a leader. Clementine is consumed by her vow to find her brother. And Mason knows there’s something different about him..
Like Dark Inside this is a brutal, action-based novel – but Roberts has built on the charactisation in the first book, further developing each member of the core group. In this respect I found it a better book than the first. The situations and choices the characters face in the sequel are more complex, the ramifications more severe, and their actions occasionally less sympathetic. While Dark Inside introduced the characters and set up their individual journeys, Rage Within is concerned with their interactions as a unit, and how their internal conflicts not only parallel the violence that surrounds them, but threaten their relative security. A question that underpins the novel is whether the biggest danger to the group is from within.
Roberts’ characters feel more fleshed out in Rage Within. Even though it’s also written in multiple points of view, the sequel has the added advantage of allowing the reader to see each character through the eyes of the others. Being able to observe from different angles allows a fuller picture of each character to emerge, particularly in how they relate to each other. I appreciated how Roberts chose to write Clementine and Aries – highlighting their individual strengths as well as their friendship. They’re both great female characters: tough, relatable and not stereotypical. (I love that Clementine is a cheerleader and yet she never reads like a trope.) Of the central four, I thought Michael was the least developed. Or rather, that his story felt the least compelling to me. (Which is probably a horrible thing to say considering what’s going on in the poor guy’s head.) On the other hand, Mason’s dilemma feels the most vital to this story. It’s his internal conflict that provides much of the unease that fuels the story.
As in the first book, the plot of Rage Within is tense and fast-paced. Granted, I did see some of the climactic events coming , but these had been fairly heavily foreshadowed so I’m not sure they were supposed to be a huge surprise. That said, Roberts did throw some curveballs at the end that I was unprepared for, keeping this series wide open in terms of where it’s heading.
While the premise of this series requires some suspension of belief, I think Roberts uses her concept more successfully than some other apocalyptic YA of late. The idea of the earth routinely purging itself by unleashing evil and causing human civiliation to cannibalise might sound too out there, but Robert’s balances the obvious horror with a more subtle form. In a violent, self-destructing world, she zeros in on very real and human fears, which makes this series all the more powerful.
Rage Within opens three months after the earthquakes, with Aries, Michael, Mason and Clementine hiding out in Vancouver with a group of survivors. The Baggers are becoming organised, their homicidal rampage now punctuated with hunting down and rounding up the uninfected. Nobody is safe – whether it’s from the Baggers, or the threat of their own darkness inside.
This time around Roberts delves deeper into the group dynamics, the tenuous balance of trust and fear that exists amongst the survivors. In a world overwhelmed by evil, the danger of betrayal looms large. Each of the characters have reason to question each other, while at the same time having to rely on them for survival. Throughout Rage Within, this fragile combination of reliance and distrust is challenged, along with the system of order and relationships that have emerged in the group. Michael’s actions in Dark Inside cause him to doubt his ability to protect others. Aries questions her role as a leader. Clementine is consumed by her vow to find her brother. And Mason knows there’s something different about him..
Like Dark Inside this is a brutal, action-based novel – but Roberts has built on the charactisation in the first book, further developing each member of the core group. In this respect I found it a better book than the first. The situations and choices the characters face in the sequel are more complex, the ramifications more severe, and their actions occasionally less sympathetic. While Dark Inside introduced the characters and set up their individual journeys, Rage Within is concerned with their interactions as a unit, and how their internal conflicts not only parallel the violence that surrounds them, but threaten their relative security. A question that underpins the novel is whether the biggest danger to the group is from within.
Roberts’ characters feel more fleshed out in Rage Within. Even though it’s also written in multiple points of view, the sequel has the added advantage of allowing the reader to see each character through the eyes of the others. Being able to observe from different angles allows a fuller picture of each character to emerge, particularly in how they relate to each other. I appreciated how Roberts chose to write Clementine and Aries – highlighting their individual strengths as well as their friendship. They’re both great female characters: tough, relatable and not stereotypical. (I love that Clementine is a cheerleader and yet she never reads like a trope.) Of the central four, I thought Michael was the least developed. Or rather, that his story felt the least compelling to me. (Which is probably a horrible thing to say considering what’s going on in the poor guy’s head.) On the other hand, Mason’s dilemma feels the most vital to this story. It’s his internal conflict that provides much of the unease that fuels the story.
As in the first book, the plot of Rage Within is tense and fast-paced. Granted, I did see some of the climactic events coming , but these had been fairly heavily foreshadowed so I’m not sure they were supposed to be a huge surprise. That said, Roberts did throw some curveballs at the end that I was unprepared for, keeping this series wide open in terms of where it’s heading.
While the premise of this series requires some suspension of belief, I think Roberts uses her concept more successfully than some other apocalyptic YA of late. The idea of the earth routinely purging itself by unleashing evil and causing human civiliation to cannibalise might sound too out there, but Robert’s balances the obvious horror with a more subtle form. In a violent, self-destructing world, she zeros in on very real and human fears, which makes this series all the more powerful.
June 9, 2012
I was so lucky to win a signed ARC of Rage Within from Jeyn Roberts herself, that in itself is awesome but what makes it even better is that this books is so good! It's even better than Dark Inside, and that's saying something as book one was great. You can tell the Roberts has grown as a writer while writing the two books, and I can't wait to see how good her next book will be. Rage Within is a truly chilling novel, just like the first one it keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. The horror of the baggers makes the reader clutch on to the book, hoping that everyone will make it away alive. The fear of this dark reality makes the reader really think about the horror's that could be hiding in the shadows of the future.
We join the group of survivors three months after the earthquakes. The group are still struggling to survive as the Bagger's search the streets looking to round up the remaining survivors. The Bagger's have organised camps for survivors that promise protection but you can never trust a bagger. Instead they are using the survivors as a clean up crew, so they can start a new world order. The gang are facing problems of their own, as if hiding was easy to begin with. Aries is struggling to keep a clear head as she leads the group. So many people look to her for orders but does she really know what's she's doing? The pressure is beginning to make her crack. Clementine and Michael are still searching for Heath, but instead they stumble across something rather unexpected. Mason, disappears suddenly making a new range of fear sweep through the group. Are the baggers closer than they realise?
I loved the characters so much in the first book and in Rage Within they grow even more. They are very well fleshed out, and even now we're still seeing new bit's of their personalities shine through. I want to say I have a favourite but I love all the main characters equally, Roberts has done a really good job of making the reader care for her characters. Aries is still the leader and she's as kick ass as ever. She tries her best to make the decisions that will benefit the group as a whole. After a horrifying trip back to her home, it leaves her emotionally scarred and questioning herself. Clementine, remains strong throughout the books even standing up to Aries when she feels Aries is letting the group down. She's motivated by the need to find her brother and she will not stop until she's finds him. Michael takes on the role of leader again, his past dawns on him and stays at the front of his mind. Last time he lead a group there were horrifying consequences, will this time end the same way? Mason's story in Rage Within is probably the one that hooked me the most. We got to understand more about him and why the Baggers are so interested in him. My heart went out to him whenever he was in pain, the poor guy deserves a break but alas that will never happen. We also still get the point of view of Nothing, the tortured soul that wavers between the horrible memories of what he's done and falling into the darkness. I now have a pretty good idea of who it is but for it to be confirmed I guess I'll have to wait until the next book.
The setting was still as good as ever. There was probably more gore in this book, that was vividly described. If you're squeamish you may want to step back, but don't let it ruin this awesome book. It's the vivid description of the horror of what the world could become that makes this book even greater. It truly makes the reader think about the consequences of their actions and even more terrifying if they have the potential to be a bagger if the world comes to it. It's pretty scary, but that's what makes this book so very awesome! The way that the bagger's are described with their black veined eye's and love of gore makes them scary but add in a few human characteristics, they become even scarier. It just gives me the creeps thinking about them.
The plot was fast paced making the reader cling on for the ride. The action was as good as before, maybe even better, it was great to see characters who fight for what they believe in and also the girls being just as kick ass as they boys. Although this book isn't even out yet, I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book, I hope there is one? I can say that this is one of the best books I've read this year, it is just so freaking good! I cannot tell you enough that this is a truly thrilling book, and a brilliant sequel. It's a heart-pounding, hair-raising roller coaster of fear and scary truths, that make the reader grip onto the book from start until finish. It's so good, if you loved the first one, you'll definitely love this!
We join the group of survivors three months after the earthquakes. The group are still struggling to survive as the Bagger's search the streets looking to round up the remaining survivors. The Bagger's have organised camps for survivors that promise protection but you can never trust a bagger. Instead they are using the survivors as a clean up crew, so they can start a new world order. The gang are facing problems of their own, as if hiding was easy to begin with. Aries is struggling to keep a clear head as she leads the group. So many people look to her for orders but does she really know what's she's doing? The pressure is beginning to make her crack. Clementine and Michael are still searching for Heath, but instead they stumble across something rather unexpected. Mason, disappears suddenly making a new range of fear sweep through the group. Are the baggers closer than they realise?
I loved the characters so much in the first book and in Rage Within they grow even more. They are very well fleshed out, and even now we're still seeing new bit's of their personalities shine through. I want to say I have a favourite but I love all the main characters equally, Roberts has done a really good job of making the reader care for her characters. Aries is still the leader and she's as kick ass as ever. She tries her best to make the decisions that will benefit the group as a whole. After a horrifying trip back to her home, it leaves her emotionally scarred and questioning herself. Clementine, remains strong throughout the books even standing up to Aries when she feels Aries is letting the group down. She's motivated by the need to find her brother and she will not stop until she's finds him. Michael takes on the role of leader again, his past dawns on him and stays at the front of his mind. Last time he lead a group there were horrifying consequences, will this time end the same way? Mason's story in Rage Within is probably the one that hooked me the most. We got to understand more about him and why the Baggers are so interested in him. My heart went out to him whenever he was in pain, the poor guy deserves a break but alas that will never happen. We also still get the point of view of Nothing, the tortured soul that wavers between the horrible memories of what he's done and falling into the darkness. I now have a pretty good idea of who it is but for it to be confirmed I guess I'll have to wait until the next book.
The setting was still as good as ever. There was probably more gore in this book, that was vividly described. If you're squeamish you may want to step back, but don't let it ruin this awesome book. It's the vivid description of the horror of what the world could become that makes this book even greater. It truly makes the reader think about the consequences of their actions and even more terrifying if they have the potential to be a bagger if the world comes to it. It's pretty scary, but that's what makes this book so very awesome! The way that the bagger's are described with their black veined eye's and love of gore makes them scary but add in a few human characteristics, they become even scarier. It just gives me the creeps thinking about them.
The plot was fast paced making the reader cling on for the ride. The action was as good as before, maybe even better, it was great to see characters who fight for what they believe in and also the girls being just as kick ass as they boys. Although this book isn't even out yet, I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book, I hope there is one? I can say that this is one of the best books I've read this year, it is just so freaking good! I cannot tell you enough that this is a truly thrilling book, and a brilliant sequel. It's a heart-pounding, hair-raising roller coaster of fear and scary truths, that make the reader grip onto the book from start until finish. It's so good, if you loved the first one, you'll definitely love this!
April 12, 2016
An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher for review. Quotes pulled from the ARC may be incorrect and may be subject to change.
I had high expectations for this one and I'm super glad all of them were met. The pacing is fast and the tone is creeptastic. Sprinkled in every few chapters is the viewpoint of Nothing. This is the evil that resides in all the Baggers. It raises a lot of questions as to what or who it is. The characters know just as little as we do, so it's safe to say that I can't wait to bring until that evil is brought down for good. I want a happy ending. I want everything to go back to normal for these characters. They deserve it. I still can't believe how creepy the "evil"'s thoughts are. I had goose bumps just reading some of its entries.
I rather enjoyed the four different viewpoints in this book. Everyone has a story to tell. Each with their own horrors and secrets, and I wish more books did this. Mason's view was so much more interesting this time around. He battles a lot with himself and his hold on his sanity and you feel like you should do something about it to help him. Aries is the one character that I identify with the most. She's a leader and being one has its consequences. She has to weigh the options of each of their decisions and make sure they're the right ones. They don't always go as planned that's for sure. Clementine is still as determined as ever to save her brother Heath, and I rather loved that about her. People lose hope in a post-apocalyptic world, but she holds on to the positive and it moves her further ahead. Michael on the other hand, is still the coward I think he is. Although, I liked him better in this book. He redeemed himself for the better.
A hodge podge of plot twists and turns,, characters losing their marbles, betrayals and alliances breaking and forging all within Vancouver's city streets. I love her writing style. There's not a thing to be missed or added and that is why I've given it a five star rating. She's done it again and I rather can't wait until the last book.
I had high expectations for this one and I'm super glad all of them were met. The pacing is fast and the tone is creeptastic. Sprinkled in every few chapters is the viewpoint of Nothing. This is the evil that resides in all the Baggers. It raises a lot of questions as to what or who it is. The characters know just as little as we do, so it's safe to say that I can't wait to bring until that evil is brought down for good. I want a happy ending. I want everything to go back to normal for these characters. They deserve it. I still can't believe how creepy the "evil"'s thoughts are. I had goose bumps just reading some of its entries.
I rather enjoyed the four different viewpoints in this book. Everyone has a story to tell. Each with their own horrors and secrets, and I wish more books did this. Mason's view was so much more interesting this time around. He battles a lot with himself and his hold on his sanity and you feel like you should do something about it to help him. Aries is the one character that I identify with the most. She's a leader and being one has its consequences. She has to weigh the options of each of their decisions and make sure they're the right ones. They don't always go as planned that's for sure. Clementine is still as determined as ever to save her brother Heath, and I rather loved that about her. People lose hope in a post-apocalyptic world, but she holds on to the positive and it moves her further ahead. Michael on the other hand, is still the coward I think he is. Although, I liked him better in this book. He redeemed himself for the better.
A hodge podge of plot twists and turns,, characters losing their marbles, betrayals and alliances breaking and forging all within Vancouver's city streets. I love her writing style. There's not a thing to be missed or added and that is why I've given it a five star rating. She's done it again and I rather can't wait until the last book.
August 26, 2012
Last year, I picked up a copy of Rage Inside from my local library, not knowing much about it and having not read a zombie-type book before (okay, they're technically not zombies, but some characters are in a zombie-like state). I was very glad that I did pick it up as I really, really enjoyed it. The only problem was, I had to wait for the second book to be released! When I finally held a copy of Rage Within, I was so excited to delve into it.
I'll be honest and say that I can't remember Dark Inside very clearly, despite how much I liked it - I could only recollect snippets of events, though I had a good memory of the characters. This wasn't a problem for me though, by around only 50 pages in, I was absolutely absorbed into the story, reacquainted with the characters and didn't want to put the book down. I was surprised that I enjoyed Dark Inside so much and even more surprised that I enjoyed this instalment even more. In this book, we follow a group of teenagers as they unite to try and survive a world that has completely changed after a catastrophic earthquake. They are up against a load of people who have turned into what are known as 'Baggers' - the bad guys of the books. Baggers are still human and it's very hard to know who is a bagger and who is not, which makes things a whole lot scarier and unnerving.
Again, this book is narrated by Mason, Michael, Clementine and Aries. Each character was strong and for me, it felt very equal - I didn't warm particularly to one character as I was interested in them all. Whilst all characters are well formed, I personally thought it was quite easy to get them mixed up, however this didn't cause any difficulty whilst reading. Though I won't mention who they are incase of spoilers, we also got to meet some new characters in this book who were very intriguing. There was a huge twist with one character in particular in this book and although it did sadden me as I'd come to like and know the character, the twist was indeed very effective! I loved all of the twists and turns in the book. There were some things that were slightly predictable but a lot of twists did shock me and make me gasp, which was fantastic. I was totally hooked, desperate to know what was going to happen next.
The one aspect of the first book that troubled me was the point of view of a character known as 'Nothing' - someone/thing that we don't know anything about. despite it being effective, I didn't like it in the first book as it was too vague for me. However, in this book we get to learn a lot more about 'Nothing' and begin to really discover who/what Nothing is.
As you should be able to tell, I really liked this book and now begins the torturous wait for book three! Absolutely addictive, edge of your seat reading with fantastically developed, fun and loveable characters, this series is definitely one that I'd recommend.
I'll be honest and say that I can't remember Dark Inside very clearly, despite how much I liked it - I could only recollect snippets of events, though I had a good memory of the characters. This wasn't a problem for me though, by around only 50 pages in, I was absolutely absorbed into the story, reacquainted with the characters and didn't want to put the book down. I was surprised that I enjoyed Dark Inside so much and even more surprised that I enjoyed this instalment even more. In this book, we follow a group of teenagers as they unite to try and survive a world that has completely changed after a catastrophic earthquake. They are up against a load of people who have turned into what are known as 'Baggers' - the bad guys of the books. Baggers are still human and it's very hard to know who is a bagger and who is not, which makes things a whole lot scarier and unnerving.
Again, this book is narrated by Mason, Michael, Clementine and Aries. Each character was strong and for me, it felt very equal - I didn't warm particularly to one character as I was interested in them all. Whilst all characters are well formed, I personally thought it was quite easy to get them mixed up, however this didn't cause any difficulty whilst reading. Though I won't mention who they are incase of spoilers, we also got to meet some new characters in this book who were very intriguing. There was a huge twist with one character in particular in this book and although it did sadden me as I'd come to like and know the character, the twist was indeed very effective! I loved all of the twists and turns in the book. There were some things that were slightly predictable but a lot of twists did shock me and make me gasp, which was fantastic. I was totally hooked, desperate to know what was going to happen next.
The one aspect of the first book that troubled me was the point of view of a character known as 'Nothing' - someone/thing that we don't know anything about. despite it being effective, I didn't like it in the first book as it was too vague for me. However, in this book we get to learn a lot more about 'Nothing' and begin to really discover who/what Nothing is.
As you should be able to tell, I really liked this book and now begins the torturous wait for book three! Absolutely addictive, edge of your seat reading with fantastically developed, fun and loveable characters, this series is definitely one that I'd recommend.
September 29, 2018
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed the first book back when I read it and I was really excited for the sequel. Unfortunately, I had kind of a hard time getting into this book. I didn't remember much from the first book and had to get to know the characters all over again. The more I got into the book, the more I enjoyed it, and the second half was worth 4 stars to me. Only the first half was more of a 3 star rating, and that's where the 3.5 stars come from.
I found the beginning of the book to be quite slow. It wasn't boring, but somehow it wasn't enough. I liked the overall post apocalyptic feel: a group of teens trying to survive on their own in a wrecked world. But I didn't quite get the idea of the bad guys: they kinda act like zombies, but they talk and plan like humans. I didn't really know what to think of them, and I didn't really understand why they're acting like this. Maybe it was explained in the first book, but I don't remember.
The characters were interesting enough and I liked the different POVs. I especially liked Aries, she had great character development, and Michael also seemed like a nice guy. There's dynamic in this group of teens, they struggle with both their terrible situation and normal teen problems like their feelings. Even though the story is fictional, the characters felt very real.
I was a bit disappointed when I found out that obviously this isn't the conclusion but there's a 3rd book out there. I'd always thought of this as a duology. But the ending was so cliffhanger-like, I couldn't believe it!
So all in all an entertaining book and a good sequel, even though I had somewhat higher expectations.
I really enjoyed the first book back when I read it and I was really excited for the sequel. Unfortunately, I had kind of a hard time getting into this book. I didn't remember much from the first book and had to get to know the characters all over again. The more I got into the book, the more I enjoyed it, and the second half was worth 4 stars to me. Only the first half was more of a 3 star rating, and that's where the 3.5 stars come from.
I found the beginning of the book to be quite slow. It wasn't boring, but somehow it wasn't enough. I liked the overall post apocalyptic feel: a group of teens trying to survive on their own in a wrecked world. But I didn't quite get the idea of the bad guys: they kinda act like zombies, but they talk and plan like humans. I didn't really know what to think of them, and I didn't really understand why they're acting like this. Maybe it was explained in the first book, but I don't remember.
The characters were interesting enough and I liked the different POVs. I especially liked Aries, she had great character development, and Michael also seemed like a nice guy. There's dynamic in this group of teens, they struggle with both their terrible situation and normal teen problems like their feelings. Even though the story is fictional, the characters felt very real.
I was a bit disappointed when I found out that obviously this isn't the conclusion but there's a 3rd book out there. I'd always thought of this as a duology. But the ending was so cliffhanger-like, I couldn't believe it!
So all in all an entertaining book and a good sequel, even though I had somewhat higher expectations.
June 23, 2017
4 часа и готово) быстро же я расправилась с этой книгой, а почему ? а потому что понравилась , короче начала читать и не могла остановится.
Вторая книга выдалась получше первой. И да характеры персонажей действительно раскрылись, не так как бы хотелось, но все таки надо радоваться хотя бы этому.
Клементину раскрыли больше всех: она показала, что не просто тупая чарлидерша, а смелая и сильная, и вспыльчивая очень.
Майкл тоже показал себя с хорошей стороны: лидером , а так же парень стремится загладить вину перед теми кого бросил тогда в дачном домике, спасая всех кто попадается на глаза, даже безнадежно раненых. Но и сглупил паренек чуток: поверил хитрому загонщику на слово и принял за разыскиваемого брата Клементины. Эти двое друг друга стоят, так что дальнейшие событие в виде поцелуев и признаний в любви не заставили себя ждать.
Мэйсон. А вот этот, да, скрытный, всю свою злость срывает на ночных вылазках с целью уничтожения загонщиков, после встречи с остальными почти ни с кем не общался кроме Аирес и Даниеля (ну у этих двоих свои особенные взаимоотношения), и оказалось влюбчивый очень, раз уж думает об Аирес постоянно, отдал ей свой талисман и еще поцеловал. эх ... если бы не загонщики и Даниель болела бы за эту парочку
Ариес, или как я ее называю Овен, по знаку зодиака Близнецы, но судя по всему имя все таки имело значения, так как наша девчонка выступает лидером их небольшой компании, смелая и глупая одновременно, но что сказать, влюблена же, но не в того, а жаль.
Даниель, он же Ничто. Тот еще философ, если почитать речь его как бы второй личности. Становится его жалко, в самом начале показали период из жизни троих персонажей до землетрясения, был спокойным студентом, ни к кому не лез, а тут на те: голоса всякие и необъяснимые поступки о которых он ничего не помнит. Сильный духом, раз уж сколько сдерживает свою тьму, и готов на самопожертвование, а ради кого, ради нее - Ариес. эх ... ты хорош, но мне чего то не очень нравишься.
Джек и Джой. Хэх ... тут катастрофа, а они голубки. Не ну а чо, каждый имеет право на счастье.
Эва и Натан. Сестра и брат. Натан погиб, глупо, а такой потенциал у персонажа был, а Ева свихнулась слегка после смерти брата, главное что бы не окончательно, а то мало ли.
так же химик Радж, которого они в универе надыбали. Ему лишь бы что-нибудь взорвать, понимаю, сама химик, все химики слегка пришибленные.
и как там его, не большое дополнение, главный раздолбай книги, имя на К начинается, я правда забыла его имя. эх ... как же хотелось придушить, прям руки чесались, и чего они его не прикончили, сколько бы провизии и нервов с экономили.
что ж, не знаю как они все разруливать собираются в третей книге, она ведь последняя, а многое еще раскрыто. Ждем с нетерпением продолжения
Вторая книга выдалась получше первой. И да характеры персонажей действительно раскрылись, не так как бы хотелось, но все таки надо радоваться хотя бы этому.
Клементину раскрыли больше всех: она показала, что не просто тупая чарлидерша, а смелая и сильная, и вспыльчивая очень.
Майкл тоже показал себя с хорошей стороны: лидером , а так же парень стремится загладить вину перед теми кого бросил тогда в дачном домике, спасая всех кто попадается на глаза, даже безнадежно раненых. Но и сглупил паренек чуток: поверил хитрому загонщику на слово и принял за разыскиваемого брата Клементины. Эти двое друг друга стоят, так что дальнейшие событие в виде поцелуев и признаний в любви не заставили себя ждать.
Мэйсон. А вот этот, да, скрытный, всю свою злость срывает на ночных вылазках с целью уничтожения загонщиков, после встречи с остальными почти ни с кем не общался кроме Аирес и Даниеля (ну у этих двоих свои особенные взаимоотношения), и оказалось влюбчивый очень, раз уж думает об Аирес постоянно, отдал ей свой талисман и еще поцеловал. эх ... если бы не загонщики и Даниель болела бы за эту парочку
Ариес, или как я ее называю Овен, по знаку зодиака Близнецы, но судя по всему имя все таки имело значения, так как наша девчонка выступает лидером их небольшой компании, смелая и глупая одновременно, но что сказать, влюблена же, но не в того, а жаль.
Даниель, он же Ничто. Тот еще философ, если почитать речь его как бы второй личности. Становится его жалко, в самом начале показали период из жизни троих персонажей до землетрясения, был спокойным студентом, ни к кому не лез, а тут на те: голоса всякие и необъяснимые поступки о которых он ничего не помнит. Сильный духом, раз уж сколько сдерживает свою тьму, и готов на самопожертвование, а ради кого, ради нее - Ариес. эх ... ты хорош, но мне чего то не очень нравишься.
Джек и Джой. Хэх ... тут катастрофа, а они голубки. Не ну а чо, каждый имеет право на счастье.
Эва и Натан. Сестра и брат. Натан погиб, глупо, а такой потенциал у персонажа был, а Ева свихнулась слегка после смерти брата, главное что бы не окончательно, а то мало ли.
так же химик Радж, которого они в универе надыбали. Ему лишь бы что-нибудь взорвать, понимаю, сама химик, все химики слегка пришибленные.
и как там его, не большое дополнение, главный раздолбай книги, имя на К начинается, я правда забыла его имя. эх ... как же хотелось придушить, прям руки чесались, и чего они его не прикончили, сколько бы провизии и нервов с экономили.
что ж, не знаю как они все разруливать собираются в третей книге, она ведь последняя, а многое еще раскрыто. Ждем с нетерпением продолжения
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2024
This book is phenomenal!!! So I haven't been into reading for a while. I am like a light switch. Sometimes I wanna read and sometimes I don't. Anyway I read this book and I was obsessed and I couldn't put it down. It was like watching a movie and it was so addicting. It's more of a young teen book. The things that I found were more teen was that the first chapter the man talking said that he had a dirty site that he looks at and his wife would not approve off but then he is like oh no worries cause I killed her. Which the killing is like okay cause if your gonna read the book you have to be okay with the killing cause it's the whole half of the story. I mean there are some parts that are very detailed. But the dirty site I was like oh okay! And the other main thing that made me think of this now my level then I was reading was that there are some swears in it. There is a lot of the A word and SH word and also there are couple times of the B word but either then that's it's decent for swears. But yeah this book is awesome I accidentally read this one before the first one (Dark inside) but I can't wait to read that one too. And I was wondering if there is a third because they LEFT AT A CLIF HANGER!!! LIKE ARE THEY GONNA SAVE MASON? But this book is filled with Clif hangers and it keeps you on your toes! I love it so much thanks for making this come into my life ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2015
Meine Meinung
Nachdem mir der erste Band schon nicht so gut gefallen hat, wollte ich dennoch wissen, wie das ganze ausgeht und ob es mich doch noch mitreißen kann: das ist leider nicht gelungen.
Am Anfang gibt es ein paar kurze Rückblicke in das Leben der Teenager vor dem Chaos, die wohl die Vorzeichen der Katastrophe zeigen sollen. War für mich schonmal komplett überflüssig; es hat mir nichts offenbart, was wichtig gewesen wäre - oder ich habs einfach nicht gesehen.
Obwohl es vor allem auch durch die Perspektivenwechsel wie in Band 1 viel Abwechslung verspricht, konnte ich der Handlung nicht viel abgewinnen. Angst haben, fliehen, verstecken, kämpfen, alles dreht sich immer im Kreis. Es gibt zwar zum Glück wenigstens mehr Action wie im Vorgänger, trotzdem konnte mir die Autorin weder die beklemmende Atmosphäre noch die ängstliche Spannung rüberbringen, die ich bei so einer Geschichte erwartet habe. Und obwohl der Schreibstil um einiges flüssiger zu lesen ist, hab ich oft nur gelangweilt weitergeblättert. Ein paar kleine Spannungsmomente haben meine Aufmerksamkeit wieder aufleben lassen, aber so richtig erreichen konnte mich das ganze nicht. Die unterschiedlichen Protagonisten waren gut gewählt, durch die ständigen Wechsel sind sie mir aber nie wirklich nah gekommen.
Viele Klischees, unlogisches Verhalten und vorhersehbare Aktionen sind das, was bei mir hängen geblieben ist. Der Grund, warum ich bis zum Ende durchgehalten habe, war zu wissen, was hinter dem Ganzen steckt, denn die Andeutungen dazu haben mich neugierig gemacht. Es gab gute Ansätze, doch auch hier wurde ich enttäuscht. Keine konkreten Erklärungen und ein offenes Ende, das wirklich mittendrin aufhört, als hätte jemand die letzten Seiten herausgerissen.
Fazit
Die Dunkelheit und die Wut in uns - wie der Titel schon sagt, wären ein guter Ausgangspunkt gewesen. Obwohl der Schreibstil um einiges besser war als in Band 1 konnten mich weder die Handlung überzeugen, noch gab es besondere Momente oder gar Spannung.
© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer
1 - Dark Inside
2 - Rage Inside
Nachdem mir der erste Band schon nicht so gut gefallen hat, wollte ich dennoch wissen, wie das ganze ausgeht und ob es mich doch noch mitreißen kann: das ist leider nicht gelungen.
Am Anfang gibt es ein paar kurze Rückblicke in das Leben der Teenager vor dem Chaos, die wohl die Vorzeichen der Katastrophe zeigen sollen. War für mich schonmal komplett überflüssig; es hat mir nichts offenbart, was wichtig gewesen wäre - oder ich habs einfach nicht gesehen.
Obwohl es vor allem auch durch die Perspektivenwechsel wie in Band 1 viel Abwechslung verspricht, konnte ich der Handlung nicht viel abgewinnen. Angst haben, fliehen, verstecken, kämpfen, alles dreht sich immer im Kreis. Es gibt zwar zum Glück wenigstens mehr Action wie im Vorgänger, trotzdem konnte mir die Autorin weder die beklemmende Atmosphäre noch die ängstliche Spannung rüberbringen, die ich bei so einer Geschichte erwartet habe. Und obwohl der Schreibstil um einiges flüssiger zu lesen ist, hab ich oft nur gelangweilt weitergeblättert. Ein paar kleine Spannungsmomente haben meine Aufmerksamkeit wieder aufleben lassen, aber so richtig erreichen konnte mich das ganze nicht. Die unterschiedlichen Protagonisten waren gut gewählt, durch die ständigen Wechsel sind sie mir aber nie wirklich nah gekommen.
Viele Klischees, unlogisches Verhalten und vorhersehbare Aktionen sind das, was bei mir hängen geblieben ist. Der Grund, warum ich bis zum Ende durchgehalten habe, war zu wissen, was hinter dem Ganzen steckt, denn die Andeutungen dazu haben mich neugierig gemacht. Es gab gute Ansätze, doch auch hier wurde ich enttäuscht. Keine konkreten Erklärungen und ein offenes Ende, das wirklich mittendrin aufhört, als hätte jemand die letzten Seiten herausgerissen.
Fazit
Die Dunkelheit und die Wut in uns - wie der Titel schon sagt, wären ein guter Ausgangspunkt gewesen. Obwohl der Schreibstil um einiges besser war als in Band 1 konnten mich weder die Handlung überzeugen, noch gab es besondere Momente oder gar Spannung.
© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer
1 - Dark Inside
2 - Rage Inside
September 4, 2012
Oof. Devastated. Uplifted. All of it. Everything I hoped for. More, really.
Deft, thought provoking, illuminating, full of fragile hope and endless heartbreak.
RAGE WITHIN picks up pretty much where DARK INSIDE leaves off, with Michael, Mason, Clem, and Aries (along with their small group of survivors) still figuring out how to stay alive in the new, Bagger-run world. As with the first installment of the series, the characters are believable and well-rounded, with honest motivations and the endless need to question what's right and what's wrong.
I absolutely LOVED the author's decision to begin the novel with several snippets - some from our characters, some from strangers - of events that preceeded the apocalyptic earthquakes and emergence of the evil within humanity. It's terrifying, really, when events that we experience every day are described as the quiet precursors to a mass implosion of society.
There are some new characters, all of which I enjoyed, but the pages written from Nothing's POV are still the ones that punch me in the gut, that twist my heart, and that whisper truths about people, what they're capable of - be it giving in to their desires or fighting them. While the rest of the novel exceeded expectations, the Nothing chapters blew me away. Again.
I will say that when we learn Nothing's identity in RAGE WITHIN, I wasn't surprised. What makes Jeyn such a great writer, though, is that even though I had guessed correctly, the scene in which the characters learn who among them is a betrayer still made me sick to my stomach. He or She brings a new angle, a new idea to the DARK INSIDE story, one I'll be quite curious to follow in the coming installment.
I've certainly made no secret of the fact that DARK INSIDE was my favorite genre YA of 2011, and RAGE WITHIN ranks in the same position among my 2012 reads. I love this series because it forces the reader to examine not only the world and its terrifying inhabitants in the book, but how they might relate to the one we live in, the people we live among.
Deft, thought provoking, illuminating, full of fragile hope and endless heartbreak.
RAGE WITHIN picks up pretty much where DARK INSIDE leaves off, with Michael, Mason, Clem, and Aries (along with their small group of survivors) still figuring out how to stay alive in the new, Bagger-run world. As with the first installment of the series, the characters are believable and well-rounded, with honest motivations and the endless need to question what's right and what's wrong.
I absolutely LOVED the author's decision to begin the novel with several snippets - some from our characters, some from strangers - of events that preceeded the apocalyptic earthquakes and emergence of the evil within humanity. It's terrifying, really, when events that we experience every day are described as the quiet precursors to a mass implosion of society.
There are some new characters, all of which I enjoyed, but the pages written from Nothing's POV are still the ones that punch me in the gut, that twist my heart, and that whisper truths about people, what they're capable of - be it giving in to their desires or fighting them. While the rest of the novel exceeded expectations, the Nothing chapters blew me away. Again.
I will say that when we learn Nothing's identity in RAGE WITHIN, I wasn't surprised. What makes Jeyn such a great writer, though, is that even though I had guessed correctly, the scene in which the characters learn who among them is a betrayer still made me sick to my stomach. He or She brings a new angle, a new idea to the DARK INSIDE story, one I'll be quite curious to follow in the coming installment.
I've certainly made no secret of the fact that DARK INSIDE was my favorite genre YA of 2011, and RAGE WITHIN ranks in the same position among my 2012 reads. I love this series because it forces the reader to examine not only the world and its terrifying inhabitants in the book, but how they might relate to the one we live in, the people we live among.
October 22, 2012
I must have a high bar for YA dystopian books, because I can't seem to figure out why people love these poorly written paperback mill novels.
Yes, the subject matter of these books (end of the world, survival, etc.) is intriguing, but some of these emerging authors consistently fail to deliver anything but cliches. I can only hope that they're doing it on purpose to reach a certain audience; otherwise, it's maddening to think how often these genuinely interesting concepts are so poorly executed.
When characters in books act so stupidly that you can't help but to be irritated, you know it's time to give up on trying to like the book. In addition, the "Nothing" chapters were truly cringe-worthy, like an embarrassing filler text to beef up that extra section of binding.
I must say, if you couldn't foresee Daniel being one of the Baggers...then I guess I can understand why you might've liked this book.
Yes, the subject matter of these books (end of the world, survival, etc.) is intriguing, but some of these emerging authors consistently fail to deliver anything but cliches. I can only hope that they're doing it on purpose to reach a certain audience; otherwise, it's maddening to think how often these genuinely interesting concepts are so poorly executed.
When characters in books act so stupidly that you can't help but to be irritated, you know it's time to give up on trying to like the book. In addition, the "Nothing" chapters were truly cringe-worthy, like an embarrassing filler text to beef up that extra section of binding.
I must say, if you couldn't foresee Daniel being one of the Baggers...then I guess I can understand why you might've liked this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2012
I was so lucky to get an ARC of Rage Within! It is just as amazing as Dark Inside! I could not put it down. The story continues with all the characters from the first story only they are trying now to figure out how to survive in this new world. All the while "Nothing" is still trying to find it's place in the world, too.
I loved it!
I loved it!
April 16, 2019
Yikes that hurt, I hope the third book gets here soon! I've ordered it because I can't stand not knowing what happens next.
January 1, 2015
This review will be vague and without spoilers.
I hated it..then loved it..hated it once more, and then loved it again. Okay, love is a rather strong word, but I did like it.
This book had me all mixed up. The tone was much different in Rage Within than with Dark Inside. Dark Inside was gritty, exciting and scary. Rage Within seemed to be more focused on the characters, which included an unfortunate love triangle.
Yes, you heard right. A love triangle in a horror novel where the world is ending due to people turning into psycho murderers. Oh, that makes sense. No, just no.
People were still ravenous murderers, but the overall tone seemed more light-hearted when compared to book 1. There was a good amount of teenage drama and it just seemed a little off to me. This works in other books, but for me, it just didn't work in this one. Who has time for teenage drama when there are raging psycho's murdering the entire population? I would think ones main objective would be to stay alive...but well...I guess that's just me.
This book was not what I expected.
Even after the issues listed above, I still enjoyed Rage Within and Dark Inside has been one of my favorite books of the year. I would highly recommend reading Dark Inside (the first book) to anyone (as long as violence doesn't bother you). I can't say that I would recommend reading Rage Within, but you'll most likely read it anyway if you read Dark Inside. And who knows, you may love it.
Do know that this book did not wrap up the series. I was not satisfied with the ending because it was left open for another book. I don't even know if this author plans on continuing this series. It has been years and still no mention of a book in the works (or at least that I have seen). If anyone knows anything different, inquiring mindswant need to know.
I hated it..then loved it..hated it once more, and then loved it again. Okay, love is a rather strong word, but I did like it.
This book had me all mixed up. The tone was much different in Rage Within than with Dark Inside. Dark Inside was gritty, exciting and scary. Rage Within seemed to be more focused on the characters, which included an unfortunate love triangle.
Yes, you heard right. A love triangle in a horror novel where the world is ending due to people turning into psycho murderers. Oh, that makes sense. No, just no.
People were still ravenous murderers, but the overall tone seemed more light-hearted when compared to book 1. There was a good amount of teenage drama and it just seemed a little off to me. This works in other books, but for me, it just didn't work in this one. Who has time for teenage drama when there are raging psycho's murdering the entire population? I would think ones main objective would be to stay alive...but well...I guess that's just me.
This book was not what I expected.
Even after the issues listed above, I still enjoyed Rage Within and Dark Inside has been one of my favorite books of the year. I would highly recommend reading Dark Inside (the first book) to anyone (as long as violence doesn't bother you). I can't say that I would recommend reading Rage Within, but you'll most likely read it anyway if you read Dark Inside. And who knows, you may love it.
Do know that this book did not wrap up the series. I was not satisfied with the ending because it was left open for another book. I don't even know if this author plans on continuing this series. It has been years and still no mention of a book in the works (or at least that I have seen). If anyone knows anything different, inquiring minds
December 29, 2015
In this sequel to Dark Inside, we continue along through the multi-POVs of Clementine, Aries, Micheal, Mason, and the Nothing after their safe arrival in Vancouver, CA. Coming together (at last!) the character assume a life of normalcy in a suburban home, just minutes from the city centre; which also happens to be home of the new prison-like colony of Baggers, A.K.A the infected. They've come up with another maddening plan: rather than killing, Baggers have begun capturing and imprisoning those with a certain set of credentials fitting their needs to bring new world order within the city.
I enjoyed Rage Within, though not as much as it's prequel- there was tons more action, but there were some moments in particular that became so repetitive that I'd begun to get annoyed with a couple of characters and their déjà-view of bad decisions. (To commit the same fault three times in one- albeit long- scene was plain ridiculous.) But other than that, and an awkward failed attempt at a would-be decent plot twist- a missed gem in my opinion!- it may have reached the five stars I'd give to Dark Within.
Though with three stars, it is still a terrifying and emotionally-testing book worth giving a read.
I recommend this to fans of The Walking Dead; zombie enthusiasts; apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fans; lovers of badass-ery; emotionally-testing reads; survivalists; and books based in Canadian cities.
I enjoyed Rage Within, though not as much as it's prequel- there was tons more action, but there were some moments in particular that became so repetitive that I'd begun to get annoyed with a couple of characters and their déjà-view of bad decisions. (To commit the same fault three times in one- albeit long- scene was plain ridiculous.) But other than that, and an awkward failed attempt at a would-be decent plot twist- a missed gem in my opinion!- it may have reached the five stars I'd give to Dark Within.
Though with three stars, it is still a terrifying and emotionally-testing book worth giving a read.
I recommend this to fans of The Walking Dead; zombie enthusiasts; apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fans; lovers of badass-ery; emotionally-testing reads; survivalists; and books based in Canadian cities.
February 29, 2016
Well, I think the first book was better.
Some scenes made me cringe so much, I though I won't even finish the book. Most of dialogues were really terrible and uncomfortable.
That's not a bad book, the plot is good and suspenseful, it's interesting to read and it makes you think about some things, but all those little details like weird dialogues, atrocious love triangle, some really stupid decisions kinda ruined the book. And all those feminist-sexist jokes were a little eeeeeeh.
I've seen that author is planning book #3, but I'm not sure if I will read it :/ The first book is one of the best dystopian novel I've ever read. This one? Not so much.
Some scenes made me cringe so much, I though I won't even finish the book. Most of dialogues were really terrible and uncomfortable.
That's not a bad book, the plot is good and suspenseful, it's interesting to read and it makes you think about some things, but all those little details like weird dialogues, atrocious love triangle, some really stupid decisions kinda ruined the book. And all those feminist-sexist jokes were a little eeeeeeh.
I've seen that author is planning book #3, but I'm not sure if I will read it :/ The first book is one of the best dystopian novel I've ever read. This one? Not so much.
April 7, 2017
Хорошая книга. Не великолепная, но очень хорошая. Почти не хуже первой. Оторваться сложно, герои интересные. И по-прежнему мало что понятно, как жаль, что третья часть только в 2015 выйдет. Хотя закончилось не то чтобы прямо на самом интересном (наверное, с «Голодными Играми» в этом смысле ни одна серия не сравнится, там было невыносимо ждать, когда следующие книги на английском выйдут, почти ад), тут вполне можно дождаться.
Но все же очень стоящая книга, советую.
Но все же очень стоящая книга, советую.
September 28, 2012
The second book in this series definitely lived up to the high expectations I had after the brilliant first one. Thrilling story, lots of action and characters you really get attached to - this book adds a few more of the latter to the mix. I really like switching POVs if the author can pull it off, and Jeyn Roberts has once again proven that she definitely can. Can't wait for the third!
October 24, 2013
Four stars: A dark, gritty, exciting, apocalyptic tale!
Michael, Aries, Clementine and Mason have found a safe refuge for now. The four of them, along with with the rest of their small band of survivors, are holed up in a large house in Vancouver. However, they know it is just a matter of time before they are forced to move on. The Baggers are swarming the city, and they seem to be banding together and organizing. Daily, The Baggers patrol the city in white vans blaring messages urging survivors to head to downtown where they will be safe. It is yet another scary reminder that their world is overrun by evil. Right now they are focused on surviving, and Clementine is determined to find her brother Heath. How long can they hide from the Baggers?
What I Liked:
*I loved being plunged back into this scary, apocalyptic world. Ms. Roberts has created a dark and horrific world where human kind has been taken over by an ancient evil. This evil has seeped into people's souls and caused them to give into all the horrible impulses that normal humans repress on a daily basis. Ever feel like strangling the guy who cut you off on the freeway but you don't for fear of reprisal? A Bagger doesn't have a moral compass and they do murder the guy on the freeway and anyone else who stands in the way of their hedonistic desires. It is a truly terrifying world, and I am horrified and intrigued by it at the same time. This is certainly a series that is different from any other dystopians out there. It is dark, scary and fascinating.
*Even though it takes a bit of time getting used to, I enjoy the five different narratives. This book is told through the eyes of Clementine, Aries, Michael and Mason, and the Nothing. Each person is strong in their own way, and they all have endured some terrifying circumstances in order to survive. I like seeing how each one of them handles the danger. Michael and Clementine are much more optimistic and, on the whole, they have a more positive attitude. Mason is more troubled and he, unlike the others, battles more with his dark side. He seems to have a propensity to succumb to the evil, but yet he doesn't. Aries is a fierce and courageus girl who is the leader of the group. She is determined to keep them together and safe. The Nothing is the haunting voice of the evil that is creeping into one of the characters. It is the voice of malice, and it is downright chilling. I know that multiple view points can be challenging for many readers, but I had no problems with the switch in narration because the chapters are clearly labeled so there is no doubt as to who the narrator is and second, each character has a distinct voice so it is easy to differentiate between them. I would recommend reading the first book, Dark Inside, before jumping into this one so you will have the full back story on each character.
*I like that even amidst the chaos of death and destruction, there is still a spark of goodness and love. Despite all odds, there are a couple of blossoming romances. One is just hints and a hope, while the other actually takes root and flowers. It was a breath of fresh air, and a beacon of light in all the darkness.
*This is a fast paced book that rarely pauses for you to catch your breath. You are swept away in the danger, and you watch anxiously as the characters you have grown to love fight for their own survival and those they have chosen to protect. If you like your books quick and full of adrenaline, you won't be disappointed.
And The Not So Much:
*The ending is a bit frustrating. It isn't exactly a cliffhanger as everything settles for the moment and it pauses during a rare lull in the action, but one of the main character's fate was left hanging in the balance and I desperately wanted to know what was in store for him.
*Colin is a character I absolutely want to throttle. He is a leech, hanging on to the others and he is worthless, nasty and a waste of time and resources. How I want to see the group stand up to him and throw him out on his sorry ass. Hopefully, he will get what he deserves soon.
*I wanted to know a bit more about the organized Baggers, and how they grouped together and functioned. There are just the barest hints of what is going on amongst them, but not enough to satisfy my curiosity.
*Finally, as of right now, there is no definite date in sight for the release of book three. According to Ms. Roberts, the publisher has put a hold on the next book for right now. I am angrily shaking my fist.... darn you publisher, give us what we want, and that is another book in this heart pounding series!
Rage Within is a solid sequel. This book picks up right after the finale of the first book. It has all you love in a great dystopian: sound world building, survivalist characters, exciting, action packed storyline and plenty to make your heart pound. If you are hungering for a thrilling apocalyptic adventure that is original, I highly recommend you check out this series. I only hope that book three will be along soon!
Favorite Quotations:
“I used to love my things so much. I couldn’t live without them. Today I looked at it all and I hated it.”
“Dark days. They change a man. They’ve changed all of us.”
“There are three sides to every story.
Yours.
Mine.
What really happened: The truth.”
“She is a song written for someone else.”
“Some things you can’t take back. Some things take you farther into the darkness.”
I purchased a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Michael, Aries, Clementine and Mason have found a safe refuge for now. The four of them, along with with the rest of their small band of survivors, are holed up in a large house in Vancouver. However, they know it is just a matter of time before they are forced to move on. The Baggers are swarming the city, and they seem to be banding together and organizing. Daily, The Baggers patrol the city in white vans blaring messages urging survivors to head to downtown where they will be safe. It is yet another scary reminder that their world is overrun by evil. Right now they are focused on surviving, and Clementine is determined to find her brother Heath. How long can they hide from the Baggers?
What I Liked:
*I loved being plunged back into this scary, apocalyptic world. Ms. Roberts has created a dark and horrific world where human kind has been taken over by an ancient evil. This evil has seeped into people's souls and caused them to give into all the horrible impulses that normal humans repress on a daily basis. Ever feel like strangling the guy who cut you off on the freeway but you don't for fear of reprisal? A Bagger doesn't have a moral compass and they do murder the guy on the freeway and anyone else who stands in the way of their hedonistic desires. It is a truly terrifying world, and I am horrified and intrigued by it at the same time. This is certainly a series that is different from any other dystopians out there. It is dark, scary and fascinating.
*Even though it takes a bit of time getting used to, I enjoy the five different narratives. This book is told through the eyes of Clementine, Aries, Michael and Mason, and the Nothing. Each person is strong in their own way, and they all have endured some terrifying circumstances in order to survive. I like seeing how each one of them handles the danger. Michael and Clementine are much more optimistic and, on the whole, they have a more positive attitude. Mason is more troubled and he, unlike the others, battles more with his dark side. He seems to have a propensity to succumb to the evil, but yet he doesn't. Aries is a fierce and courageus girl who is the leader of the group. She is determined to keep them together and safe. The Nothing is the haunting voice of the evil that is creeping into one of the characters. It is the voice of malice, and it is downright chilling. I know that multiple view points can be challenging for many readers, but I had no problems with the switch in narration because the chapters are clearly labeled so there is no doubt as to who the narrator is and second, each character has a distinct voice so it is easy to differentiate between them. I would recommend reading the first book, Dark Inside, before jumping into this one so you will have the full back story on each character.
*I like that even amidst the chaos of death and destruction, there is still a spark of goodness and love. Despite all odds, there are a couple of blossoming romances. One is just hints and a hope, while the other actually takes root and flowers. It was a breath of fresh air, and a beacon of light in all the darkness.
*This is a fast paced book that rarely pauses for you to catch your breath. You are swept away in the danger, and you watch anxiously as the characters you have grown to love fight for their own survival and those they have chosen to protect. If you like your books quick and full of adrenaline, you won't be disappointed.
And The Not So Much:
*The ending is a bit frustrating. It isn't exactly a cliffhanger as everything settles for the moment and it pauses during a rare lull in the action, but one of the main character's fate was left hanging in the balance and I desperately wanted to know what was in store for him.
*Colin is a character I absolutely want to throttle. He is a leech, hanging on to the others and he is worthless, nasty and a waste of time and resources. How I want to see the group stand up to him and throw him out on his sorry ass. Hopefully, he will get what he deserves soon.
*I wanted to know a bit more about the organized Baggers, and how they grouped together and functioned. There are just the barest hints of what is going on amongst them, but not enough to satisfy my curiosity.
*Finally, as of right now, there is no definite date in sight for the release of book three. According to Ms. Roberts, the publisher has put a hold on the next book for right now. I am angrily shaking my fist.... darn you publisher, give us what we want, and that is another book in this heart pounding series!
Rage Within is a solid sequel. This book picks up right after the finale of the first book. It has all you love in a great dystopian: sound world building, survivalist characters, exciting, action packed storyline and plenty to make your heart pound. If you are hungering for a thrilling apocalyptic adventure that is original, I highly recommend you check out this series. I only hope that book three will be along soon!
Favorite Quotations:
“I used to love my things so much. I couldn’t live without them. Today I looked at it all and I hated it.”
“Dark days. They change a man. They’ve changed all of us.”
“There are three sides to every story.
Yours.
Mine.
What really happened: The truth.”
“She is a song written for someone else.”
“Some things you can’t take back. Some things take you farther into the darkness.”
I purchased a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
October 30, 2024
Another reread and man I forgot how intense this book is! Wild ride from start to finish. Not much to say as this is a sequel and I don't want to spoil anything but we get so much character growth, higher stakes, insane plot twists, and a little more romance. I just love the found family vibes of this trilogy along with the action
February 7, 2018
3.75* same rating, but way better than the first one. I really enjoyed the twists that came later in the story. Can’t wait to read the last in this trilogy.
June 12, 2023
This book was such an interesting read. Twist and turns that I was not expecting. Would highly recommend this series for people who enjoy reading end of the world fiction books.
December 7, 2023
Absolutely in love with this series.
Daniel deserves better and he has my entire heart.
I’m sad I’m coming to the end of the series.
Daniel deserves better and he has my entire heart.
I’m sad I’m coming to the end of the series.
July 10, 2023
I just love this world that the author's created. I'm a huge fan of end of the world movies, but dark inside is the only real apocolypse book ive read. Its very very entertaining and I feel like it's just what I want to read right now. Jeyn Roberts utterly shocked me twice in this book with what she did with certain characters lol but this world is pretty awful and you can't trust anyone. not even the author. I look forward to seeing what happens in the next and final book :)
September 23, 2012
"The truth is we all have a dark side. Every single one of us. The truth is we all have bad thoughts at one point or another. We've all done things that were mean and awful, and we almost always regret it when we act on these dark desires.
Almost."
I wanted to like this book. Scrap that, I wanted to love this book.
And guess what? I did!
It not only met my expectations but exceeded them, and I'm so glad it managed to stray away from Middle Book Syndrome. Rage Within was different to Dark Inside; there was a different tone to this one and it stood on its own as a solid book in the series. We got to learn a little more about the Baggers and the rage that is infecting them as well as seeing the main characters faced with more difficult decisions where not everyone can walk away unscathed.
Basically, this one's set a couple of months after the last. Mason, Aries, Clementine and Michael are holding their group of teen survivors together in a safe house in Vancouver, whilst the Baggers are organizing the earth they destroyed and gathering up all the young or "useful" survivors for their new world order. Aries is playing at leader, but the way her friends constantly turn to her to make decisions is taking its toll; Clementine's as determined as ever to find her brother Heath; Michael's still struggling with the guilt of leaving Evans and the rest of his old group to die; and Mason's doing all he can to handle his grief whilst not letting anyone in. In addition to the main protagonists, we've also got the reappearance of Daniel, who's still his usual evasive self and reluctant to come live with the group, and new guy Raj, the English chem student whose light-hearted attitude helped break up some of the tension and provided some great comic relief. There are loads more secondary characters, but those two were the ones that stood out for me. As always, I loved the characters. Even though it's a switching-POV book, I never have trouble distinguishing between them. They all bring something different to the table, and I'd be hard-pressed to pick a favourite. I was a little sad we didn't get to see as much of Jack in this one, though. He really grew on me in book one, so it was a shame to see him take a backseat due to his blindness. Oh, and need I say that Collin's just as big an ass as always? You didn't honestly need me to tell you that though, did you?
There was tons of action and a number of twists -- some I guessed, some I didn't. I think my favourite parts of these books still have to be the small segments from "Nothing's" perspective, however. He/She's back and just as freaky as ever, but this time round we actually get closure on the mystery narrator's true identity! (I was right all along. I feel smart for once!) I'm not sure if the Nothing chapters are still gonna be included in the next book now because of that, but I hope so. There's something about them that's just beautifully disturbing.
There were a couple of things that nagged at me a little but it's nothing major that I can't get over. Seriously, I can't recommend this series enough. For fans of action, suspense and all the post-apocalyptic jazz, you've got to check this out.
Roll on, book three!
Almost."
I wanted to like this book. Scrap that, I wanted to love this book.
And guess what? I did!
It not only met my expectations but exceeded them, and I'm so glad it managed to stray away from Middle Book Syndrome. Rage Within was different to Dark Inside; there was a different tone to this one and it stood on its own as a solid book in the series. We got to learn a little more about the Baggers and the rage that is infecting them as well as seeing the main characters faced with more difficult decisions where not everyone can walk away unscathed.
Basically, this one's set a couple of months after the last. Mason, Aries, Clementine and Michael are holding their group of teen survivors together in a safe house in Vancouver, whilst the Baggers are organizing the earth they destroyed and gathering up all the young or "useful" survivors for their new world order. Aries is playing at leader, but the way her friends constantly turn to her to make decisions is taking its toll; Clementine's as determined as ever to find her brother Heath; Michael's still struggling with the guilt of leaving Evans and the rest of his old group to die; and Mason's doing all he can to handle his grief whilst not letting anyone in. In addition to the main protagonists, we've also got the reappearance of Daniel, who's still his usual evasive self and reluctant to come live with the group, and new guy Raj, the English chem student whose light-hearted attitude helped break up some of the tension and provided some great comic relief. There are loads more secondary characters, but those two were the ones that stood out for me. As always, I loved the characters. Even though it's a switching-POV book, I never have trouble distinguishing between them. They all bring something different to the table, and I'd be hard-pressed to pick a favourite. I was a little sad we didn't get to see as much of Jack in this one, though. He really grew on me in book one, so it was a shame to see him take a backseat due to his blindness. Oh, and need I say that Collin's just as big an ass as always? You didn't honestly need me to tell you that though, did you?
There was tons of action and a number of twists -- some I guessed, some I didn't. I think my favourite parts of these books still have to be the small segments from "Nothing's" perspective, however. He/She's back and just as freaky as ever, but this time round we actually get closure on the mystery narrator's true identity! (I was right all along. I feel smart for once!) I'm not sure if the Nothing chapters are still gonna be included in the next book now because of that, but I hope so. There's something about them that's just beautifully disturbing.
There were a couple of things that nagged at me a little but it's nothing major that I can't get over. Seriously, I can't recommend this series enough. For fans of action, suspense and all the post-apocalyptic jazz, you've got to check this out.
Roll on, book three!
October 10, 2016
Registered duplicate because I want that the book counts ffor my books read in 2016.
Reading again because it has been a while and I am very forgetful and want to know what happened when I can finally read book 3 the last one.
October 10-2016:
Finished last night. Good book but still having the same issues as I have with the first book. Characters have their own chapters but it is still hard to know who is who because Michael, Manson and Daniel are interchangeable. They are the same, they act the same, they think the same so I sometimes had to check whom's chapter I was reading.
The same with the girls really. Aries and Clementine. Both very strong girls, stubborn heroes.
That last word reminds me of another flaw. it seems the characters are also black or white. There is no grey. Well not much. Then the girls and boys are all so courageous even one who is afflicted with the darkness.
That being said I still very much enjoyed this book (but one is my favourite). So I can now read the last of the trilogy.
Reading again because it has been a while and I am very forgetful and want to know what happened when I can finally read book 3 the last one.
October 10-2016:
Finished last night. Good book but still having the same issues as I have with the first book. Characters have their own chapters but it is still hard to know who is who because Michael, Manson and Daniel are interchangeable. They are the same, they act the same, they think the same so I sometimes had to check whom's chapter I was reading.
The same with the girls really. Aries and Clementine. Both very strong girls, stubborn heroes.
That last word reminds me of another flaw. it seems the characters are also black or white. There is no grey. Well not much. Then the girls and boys are all so courageous even one who is afflicted with the darkness.
That being said I still very much enjoyed this book (but one is my favourite). So I can now read the last of the trilogy.
April 15, 2013
By Jeyn Roberts. #2 of Dark Inside Series. Grade A.
After reading the first book, Dark Inside, I wanted to read the next book as the adventure that began in book 1 was too intriguing to leave… Here’s what I thought about this book :
The thrilling sequel to DARK INSIDE.
Rage Within By Jeyn Roberts
Time to stop running. Time to start fighting back.
After the earthquakes came the infectious rage, turning friends into deadly enemies.
For survivors Michael, Aries, Mason and Clementine the battle to stay alive is about to get even tougher. The new world is organising itself, with camps that promise protection for the uninfected. But the reality of the sites is far more sinister. Besides, nobody is safe from the rage within their own soul . . .
Few months after massive earthquakes destroy half of the population of the Earth and most of the remaining population turns mad and start killing of people brutally, few teenagers survive this apocalypse and start staying together… Of these, the four protagonists are sort of leaders to the other remaining kids.
Aries is trying to keep her friends together and alive with what resources are available to her, which are really minimal as there is no electricity supply since the earthquakes, also there is no water supply and food has to collected by raiding the nearby stores, which is difficult as the Baggers (as the mad people are called by the teens) keep prowling down the streets for rounding off or killing people.
Our second protagonist is Clementine, who is looking for her brother Heath, who wasn’t in the town where Clementine’s parents were killed along with the entire town’s population by the Baggers. Michael is helping Clementine with this and Mason is struggling to control himself as he thinks he would turn into a Bagger as well. As time passes, more deaths of their companions or people they have come to know over the period send the four friends over the edge and they start fighting among themselves and struggling with the rage within them – hence the title.
There is also a hint of romance when Michael and Clementine grow closer to each other and a love triangle is building between Mason, Aries and Daniel (a character who has always helped Aries from the very beginning but has kept his distance from the group). Mason has pushed everyone he’s living with from him and the only one who he would let in near him is Aries. But Aries only wants Daniel. However there is something dark and mysterious about Daniel which no one can understand…Oh, the predictability of YA fiction…
I really liked the first book and wanted to read this one. The characters are extremely well explained. Roberts paints a realistic picture and wields her pen cleverly, easily reeling you in and taking you along on a joyride as you live through the situations with the characters. You easily understand their feelings, and understand the conflicts that they undergo – all signs of a good writer.
There is also a sense of mystery that the novel creates that makes you want to keep reading as the story progresses. Dark Inside was a story about how the apocalypse starts and what effect it has on each of four protagonists, which was scary and frightening, but Rage Within shows how organised Baggers have become and also tells us about the aftermath of the apocalypse… it’s actually more scarier that the previous book. There are strong elements of horror fiction here, and readers will not be disappointed with the graphic writing.
Originally reviewed at http://vaultofbooks.com/
After reading the first book, Dark Inside, I wanted to read the next book as the adventure that began in book 1 was too intriguing to leave… Here’s what I thought about this book :
The thrilling sequel to DARK INSIDE.
Rage Within By Jeyn Roberts
Time to stop running. Time to start fighting back.
After the earthquakes came the infectious rage, turning friends into deadly enemies.
For survivors Michael, Aries, Mason and Clementine the battle to stay alive is about to get even tougher. The new world is organising itself, with camps that promise protection for the uninfected. But the reality of the sites is far more sinister. Besides, nobody is safe from the rage within their own soul . . .
Few months after massive earthquakes destroy half of the population of the Earth and most of the remaining population turns mad and start killing of people brutally, few teenagers survive this apocalypse and start staying together… Of these, the four protagonists are sort of leaders to the other remaining kids.
Aries is trying to keep her friends together and alive with what resources are available to her, which are really minimal as there is no electricity supply since the earthquakes, also there is no water supply and food has to collected by raiding the nearby stores, which is difficult as the Baggers (as the mad people are called by the teens) keep prowling down the streets for rounding off or killing people.
Our second protagonist is Clementine, who is looking for her brother Heath, who wasn’t in the town where Clementine’s parents were killed along with the entire town’s population by the Baggers. Michael is helping Clementine with this and Mason is struggling to control himself as he thinks he would turn into a Bagger as well. As time passes, more deaths of their companions or people they have come to know over the period send the four friends over the edge and they start fighting among themselves and struggling with the rage within them – hence the title.
There is also a hint of romance when Michael and Clementine grow closer to each other and a love triangle is building between Mason, Aries and Daniel (a character who has always helped Aries from the very beginning but has kept his distance from the group). Mason has pushed everyone he’s living with from him and the only one who he would let in near him is Aries. But Aries only wants Daniel. However there is something dark and mysterious about Daniel which no one can understand…Oh, the predictability of YA fiction…
I really liked the first book and wanted to read this one. The characters are extremely well explained. Roberts paints a realistic picture and wields her pen cleverly, easily reeling you in and taking you along on a joyride as you live through the situations with the characters. You easily understand their feelings, and understand the conflicts that they undergo – all signs of a good writer.
There is also a sense of mystery that the novel creates that makes you want to keep reading as the story progresses. Dark Inside was a story about how the apocalypse starts and what effect it has on each of four protagonists, which was scary and frightening, but Rage Within shows how organised Baggers have become and also tells us about the aftermath of the apocalypse… it’s actually more scarier that the previous book. There are strong elements of horror fiction here, and readers will not be disappointed with the graphic writing.
Originally reviewed at http://vaultofbooks.com/
January 13, 2013
Rage Within was an exercise in pain. At one hand, I couldn't wait to find out what happens next. But how to deal with this awesome book slowly coming to an end? It was hard. I couldn't find it in me to stop since Jeyn Roberts always left me wanting for more. It had been painful. Extremely painful. Because on the other hand, I had to watch characters I had come to love go through so much. Jeyn Roberts has been merciless. And that is exactly why I love this book. It is a conjunction of such strong emotions that it leaves you jarred. Pretty much like a jump in icy cold water, leaving you feeling both shaken and numb.
When I started Rage Within, I was afraid that it won't be able to pull me in like Dark Inside did. While Dark Inside had shown the beginnings of a hopeless world being ravaged by darkness and death, I had feared its sequel won't be able to provide anything new as sequels usually are not-so-original anymore and tend to be disappointing. But I was wrong. Not only did Rage Within continue the story with the same breathtaking pace and plot, it also took it to another level. But, sadly, this book was not as much creepy and intensely breaking as Dark Inside was. And I believe it was mostly because when I started Rage Within, I was pretty much set to the distressing, hopeless tone that this series is set on. Yet, the story was compelling and difficult to keep down. The characters were no longer trying to survive, but were fighting back too.
As in Dark Inside, I loved Aries, Mason and Daniel in Rage Within as well. The direction their lives and relationship with each other took was more than I could ask for my fangirling side. Though Jeyn Roberts has an army for supporting characters, all of them are unique with their own personalities and voices and none of them are a least bit forgettable. Nothing and his infinite wisdom were the star of the show all over again. And I still strongly believe that Daniel is Nothing.
Mind you, this book is neither for those who are faint- or soft-hearted nor for those who prefer their characters perfectly flawless, extremely selfless, annoyingly unreal and one-faceted. The characters in this book are raw and real, they make mistakes and they regret it, they fight and sometimes they lose. Sometimes they give up and they are always changed.
There is no official news of a third book in the series as of yet, but Jeyn Roberts did mention of there being one. That is good enough for me put on my "This Fangirl Awaits" cap and well, wait.
When I started Rage Within, I was afraid that it won't be able to pull me in like Dark Inside did. While Dark Inside had shown the beginnings of a hopeless world being ravaged by darkness and death, I had feared its sequel won't be able to provide anything new as sequels usually are not-so-original anymore and tend to be disappointing. But I was wrong. Not only did Rage Within continue the story with the same breathtaking pace and plot, it also took it to another level. But, sadly, this book was not as much creepy and intensely breaking as Dark Inside was. And I believe it was mostly because when I started Rage Within, I was pretty much set to the distressing, hopeless tone that this series is set on. Yet, the story was compelling and difficult to keep down. The characters were no longer trying to survive, but were fighting back too.
As in Dark Inside, I loved Aries, Mason and Daniel in Rage Within as well. The direction their lives and relationship with each other took was more than I could ask for my fangirling side. Though Jeyn Roberts has an army for supporting characters, all of them are unique with their own personalities and voices and none of them are a least bit forgettable. Nothing and his infinite wisdom were the star of the show all over again. And I still strongly believe that Daniel is Nothing.
Mind you, this book is neither for those who are faint- or soft-hearted nor for those who prefer their characters perfectly flawless, extremely selfless, annoyingly unreal and one-faceted. The characters in this book are raw and real, they make mistakes and they regret it, they fight and sometimes they lose. Sometimes they give up and they are always changed.
There is no official news of a third book in the series as of yet, but Jeyn Roberts did mention of there being one. That is good enough for me put on my "This Fangirl Awaits" cap and well, wait.
“Some things you can't take back. Some things take you farther into the darkness.”
October 2, 2012
Rage Within is the amazing sequel to the phenomenal Dark Inside. I love the insight the author provides with the glimpses into the characters’ lives pre-earthquake. Normally, I like being dropped back into a story exactly where the author left off, but Rage Within’s beginning is an exception to that rule. I LOVED reading about what happened in the days before, all the while knowing what was about to transpire and wanting to claw my way inside this novel to warn these beloved characters of the impending doom and mayhem… well, provided I could find my way out before all hell started breaking loose - I was quite content to be on the outside of this particular story.
Rage Within is just as thrilling as its predecessor. I lost an entire night’s sleep staying up to finish this book and it was well worth it .
“There were warnings. There are always warnings. But we missed them.
We chose not to see. We didn’t believe. And now we are finished.
Game over.”
Aside from the thrills, I found this book to be a bit more poignant than the first and was moved to tears at one particular part in the story. I was dying for answers after finishing Dark Inside; and, while Ms. Roberts placated me a bit, she still leaves me wanting so much more!
“Fewer people means less damage to the world. If we can control everything,
we can keep it from getting overpopulated. It wants to put the world back in balance.”
****************************************************
“Then what? We’d ride off into the sunset?
I’ve got news for you. There is no Happily Ever After.”
I love this author in spite of the fact that she can give hope and crush it within seconds of the other. She has definitely made a forever fan of me and I cannot wait to read more of her work.
Full review at A Belle's Tales
Rage Within is just as thrilling as its predecessor. I lost an entire night’s sleep staying up to finish this book and it was well worth it .
“There were warnings. There are always warnings. But we missed them.
We chose not to see. We didn’t believe. And now we are finished.
Game over.”
Aside from the thrills, I found this book to be a bit more poignant than the first and was moved to tears at one particular part in the story. I was dying for answers after finishing Dark Inside; and, while Ms. Roberts placated me a bit, she still leaves me wanting so much more!
“Fewer people means less damage to the world. If we can control everything,
we can keep it from getting overpopulated. It wants to put the world back in balance.”
****************************************************
“Then what? We’d ride off into the sunset?
I’ve got news for you. There is no Happily Ever After.”
I love this author in spite of the fact that she can give hope and crush it within seconds of the other. She has definitely made a forever fan of me and I cannot wait to read more of her work.
Full review at A Belle's Tales
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