Monday, January 7, 2013

Outpost by Ann Aguirre [REVIEW]

TITLE: Outpost (Razorland #2)
AUTHOR: Ann Aguirre
PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends
PUB DATE: Sep 4 2012
Summary from Goodreads:

"Deuce’s whole world has changed. Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she’s a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn’t fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.

To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide."

Rating:

It has been months since Deuce and Fade were exiled from down below. After an aggressive encounter with a group of Freaks as they travelled top side with their new companions, Stalker and Tegan, they find refuge in Salvation.

Having to live in a world where she was valuable as a huntress, Deuce feels insignificant living in Salvation. Her once earned status as an adult does not apply in the ways of the people in her new found habitat. Deuce longs to do what she was trained to since she was a brat, but all eyes are on her for trying to take on a man’s job. Not only is she struggling to fit in, her former partner, Fade has detached himself from her. And she feels all the more empty without him.

But trouble steers in the quiet dwellings of Salvation. The Freaks are changing. They are getting more and more cautious, the once reckless and flesh-greedy creatures are beginning to get... organized? Now, Deuce is willing to bring out her inner warrior and finally make use of her skills again...

Outpost seems to be both a step up and a step down from the first book, Enclave. Outpost made up for the lack of romance in Enclave, which I refer to as the step up. I love Deuce and Fade’s sweet moments. Oh boy, I just knew it was too good to last. Anyway, the draw back on this book would probably be that it has lesser action scenes than its predecessor. Enclave had embraced readers with full on throttle with the Freaks, I got used to seeing the protagonists fight for their lives in between chapters, but Outpost gave off more of the speculating and waiting approach. There still are action scenes, only not as much to satisfy; and you know how much I love good blood and gore scenes. (Am I coming out too barbaric here?)

It’s quite refreshing to see another side of Deuce. With Enclave, she was the proud warrior and although she questioned the life down below, she always had a place among her former people. Now she is all but a mere trivial girl. Talk about culture shock, huh?

As for the love triangle going on between Fade, Deuce and Stalker. I kind of wish it didn’t have to be like that. Although I have to admit, as much as I loathe Stalker, the scenario given made me feel that he isn’t that bad after all. It’s true that how he was brought up, doesn’t make up for his mistakes, but I understand him better now. I’m still team Fade though, no questions asked.

I kind of freaked out on what I discovered about the Freaks. As if they’re not hard enough to kill already! Seriously, that was shocking! Even though they are creeping me out and I’m completely baffled by the changes in them, I am eager to see how this would turn out.

The ending was a little bittersweet, and a bit annoying at some point (the Salvation women and the talk about Deuce). Knowing the kind of life Deuce was accustomed to, it was heart-warming to see she found her own sort of family. One that she never thought she’d ever have. As for Fade, *sigh* I want to wrap him up in my arms if it would make him feel better.

Another adventure awaits the Razorland series readers, and I can’t wait to read Horde!