Tooth and Nail

Underdogs #2

by Chris Bonnello

Three weeks have passed since the events of Underdogs. The British population continues its imprisonment in Nicholas Grant's giant walled Citadels, under the watchful eye of innumerable cloned soldiers. The heroes of Oakenfold Special School remain their last chance of freedom.

As a result of their last mission, Grant has been forced to speed up his plans for Great Britain and beyond. Ewan, Kate, McCormick and the rest of the Underdogs must face the horrors of his new research, knowing that it raises the stakes as high as they will go. Failing this battle will not merely result in losing soldiers and friends, but in losing the war entirely.

According to the odds, the Underdogs are near-certain to fail. But they have spent their whole lives being underestimated and did not survive this long by respecting the odds.

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction

368 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 18, 2020

Reviews

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you win this war - if this small, untrained militia of less than a dozen brings down Nicholas Grant – if a group of teenagers from a special school defeats an army of millions – it will prove the might of underdogs, once and for ever. We are Britain’s last line of defence – outnumbered, outgunned, but not outwitted. We are the people who will bring civilisation back, who history will remember for a thousand years. We are the Underdogs of Spitfire's Rise.

I read this book (and its predecessor in the series) due to it being shortlisted for the 2020 Guardian Not The Booker prize after a very strong show of support (which is easy to understand given how many followers the author has on You Tube and Facebook channels from his “Autistic not Weird“ website, and given the 500+ people who subscribed in advance to crowdfund this book on Unbound and are listed at the start and end of the book).

My review of the first in the series https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This book is very much in the same simple, dystopian, young adult adventure story style as the first; but like the first book gains its strength from its neuro-diverse group of teenagers and the sensitive but also positive way in which it explores how each is hindered by their condition (not least with the additional stress of their predicament) but also assisted by their unique world views.

Even more so than the previous book this one explores how many (but not all) of the characters learn over time how they have agency over the extent to which they allow their past and their conditions to define and limit them, and over the way in which they react to the extreme circumstances in which they find themselves. Interestingly in this book that list extends outside the Underdogs to one of Nicholas Grant’s trained teenage assassins. We also in this book get our first understanding into Grant’s ultimate aims.

A worthy addition to an important series of books.

I also checked out the Autistic Not Weird website and was extremely impressed with the content I read and can easily see how it both inspired the author to write this series and for so many people to back, read, enjoy and enthusiastically support the series of books.

Even though we don’t get to decide what happens to us, we do get to choose how we respond. And even if people tell you your future is predestined, you have more control over your personality than you think

So never let your troubled past get in the way of your self-belief . Never think that your diagnoses make you a lesser person, or ‘not good enough’ to be who you’re meant to be.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great storytelling. And although I don't normally read dystopian literature, I'm really glad this group of neurodiverse teens get to be action heroes - because why on earth shouldn't they be?!!!

[John Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant second book in the Underdogs series. Even better than the first book, has a fantastic storyline and the characters are so interesting. Looking forward to the next instalment.

[Katie Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of the original Underdogs story, I couldn't wait for the second book to be released - and I was not disappointed. In this book, the characters of the group of unlikely heroes in this near-future dystopian novel develop and grow even more. The fast-paced storyline, like the original, kept me turning the pages. It made me laugh, cry and question all the way through. A recommended read. I can't wait for the third in the trilogy.

[Caryn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

So enthralling - the second book in this series sucked me in as quickly as the first. An interesting concept for a dystopian future and one where even the "baddies" have well developed characters and understandable motives. Would definitely recommend.

[Linda Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

As suspenseful, engaging and thrilling as the first novel. I couldn't put it down. Chris Bonnello has not only created a world in fiction, he has also created neurodiverse characters who make me want to jump into the book and help!
A fabulous read.

[Ted Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

A superb sequel that improves on the first instalment and provides some of the best neurodiverse characters for young adult fiction.

Chris Bonnello's Underdogs: Tooth and Nail is a really cathartic read. I want it to be made into a TV series just for some of the excellent scenes he writes, especially at the start of this novel. Things like Simon wielding a machine gun, Mark ingeniously pulling through for his teammates and Kate's struggle with anxiety, all serve to make this a fantastically fun read. Bonello's writing is honest, accurate and important for young adult fiction, because his protagonists all live with a range of neurodiverse skills. It's extremely satisfying to read about people who are competent clone-killers and master strategists, have to confront their own internal hurdles, rather than the more moustache twirling external evils of this world.

Another superb feature of Bonello's writing is his gift for knowing just when it is the right time to switch perspectives. By far and away my favourite character in this was Kate, but it'd be very easy to see any other characters taking that spot. This is because Bonello's character writing is so well done, and you never get bored spending too much time in one persons head.

The book very comfortably makes use of the YA genre. The villains are generally quite overtly evil, the plot is over explained and the momentous beginning isn't able to keep up its pace through the second half. It also has a tendency to lean a little too much into over the top dialogue, but never to the extent that it becomes uncomfortable. Moreover, in the Kindle edition I found a distracting amount of typing errors, which I'm assuming come down to the format. It made it especially difficult to focus on what was going on and I hope these sorts of issues are just a bit of bad luck on my part.

More than anything else, I am just so glad a book series like this exists. With an increasing amount of diversity in today's media, this is a vital and meaningful series to be at the forefront of neurodiverse fiction.

[Kat Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow, Tooth and Nail managed to be even better than the first book in the series, and I'd already given that one five stars.

I read the first book in a day and initially thought this would be the same. I was wrong. Not because it didn't grip me (it did); not because I didn't want to know what was going to happen next (I did), but because I needed time to process what I was reading.

I was far more invested in the characters. I really cared about them, and I needed space to think about what they were going through before I could move on to the next part. At one point I actually rage quit because I couldn't see something coming, and it really shook me.

I can't write too much without inadvertently spoiling the series so far, so I'll end with this: I wish I had the Underdogs series growing up. I love the books as an adult, but pre-teen/teen me *needed* them. I may be Kat now, but I was often Kate or Katy as a child, and Kate's character is one I identify with strongly.

I highly recommend this series, and I can't wait to read the final two instalments.

[Sandy Wild · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is even better than the original. Characters are developed to the point that it is really gutting when the author kills a loved character off. Heavily invested in this series now - can’t wait for Acceleration.

[Collin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

A thoroughly enjoyable read with well described characters keep this book interesting all the way to the very end. Highly recommended.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It had suspense, plot twists, action. Some of the scenes were a little slow paced and I found it boring at times but the overall story was amazing. The morally grey villian, Nicholas Grant, is really interesting to me because his character is a lot more complex than we are lead to believe in the first book. I hate it when the villians in books are really stereotypical and one dimensional and they have no real reason to be doing what they're doing other than "being evil" this was one of the many reasons why I loved this book. There is very good autism representation which I really appreciate, being autistic myself. My only complaint was that some scenes just failed to grip my attention and I was left bored.

[Amy Hudspith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant Underdogs novel! Cannot wait to read the next one! (Just need it to be released on Kindle). The twists near end had me on the edge of my seat! Chris has created such a rich world with these characters.

[Erin S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Tooth and Nail at least as much as the first volume of the Underdogs series. YA dystopia set in near-future UK and featuring a cast of characters heavily composed of neurodivergent teens (written by an actually autistic author who has also worked in special education). Tooth and Nail rides a nice line between raising the stakes while leaving clear room for the third volume to go further. Characters that weren't deeply explored in the first volume (the nature of the ensemble cast) got more attention-- especially the villains. I am both devastated by some events of the novel and full of questions and hopes. I can't wait until volume 3 comes out in February!

[Tina Masterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I loved the first and this sequel had me just as gripped. Working in a Special Needs school, I find myself contemplating the personal difficulties my pupils face in a daily basis and wondering if we do enough to try and understand them. A great set of characters to follow

[Tom Catton · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/10

best book yet!

better-plotted and better character development, with more show-stopper action scenes than before that stick in my head long after I read the book

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review for Underdogs and Underdogs : Tooth and Nail. I'm not a fan of dystopia but this series is gripping and well done.
I found the idea of the teens who fights to save humanity vs the horror of the adults or how they are prisoners and not rebel.
FAst paced, interesting world building.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Jen Nishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good as the first one. Loved the character development and how the author doesn’t shy away from the trauma connected with the dystopian genre. Had me flipping through the pages late into the night.

[Alexander J. Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just keeps getting better and better.