*From best-selling author Michael Grant, comes the highly anticipated, terrifying, and mind-bending second book in the BZRK trilogy. *
The entire BZRK cell--including Noah and Sadie--has been left in pieces after the last round of battle with the Armstrong Twins, conjoined brother who plot to rob mankind of its free will. Vincent's mind is shattered, and his memories hold dangerous secrets--secrets that Lear, BZRK's mysterious leader, will stop at nothing to protect.
Meanwhile, Bug Man has taken control of the President's brain, but playing with sanity is a dangerous game. The consequences can spiral way out of control, and the Armstrong Twins are not people Bug Man can afford to disappoint.
The nano is as terrifying, exhilarating, and unpredictable as ever. But the wall of secrets that surrounds it is cracking. What will it reveal? And once the dust has settled, who will be sane enough to find out?
*Releases simultaneously in electronic book format (ISBN 978-1-60684-395-6)*
**
### From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up—Sadie and Noah have escaped from the brilliantly insane Armstrong twins, and the fallout from their first battle as twitchers continues in this exciting followup to BZRK. Vincent has been left mostly catatonic with occasional outbursts of madness after the destruction of his biots. Najinsky is trying to maintain control of BZRK, the guerilla group of teens fighting for their right to be fully human, as the main contact with Lear. Bug Man has control of the president's brain and the Armstrongs are kidnapping young women to use in their disturbed plan to take over the world. Listeners will definitely need to read or listen to the first book before this one because there is little, if any, background given. Nico Evers-Swindell has an incredible ability to build energy and voice a variety of multinational characters. His descriptions of the biots and nanobots "in the meat" holds interest and may even encourage curiosity about life at the microscopic level. There is quite a bit of violence, especially in the final chapters, and some potentially offensive language throughout. Give this series to your virtual reality gamers.—Ann Brownson, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston
### From Booklist
In the not-too-distant future, war can be waged at the cellular level, and the BZRK biots (genetically engineered extensions of humans) battle Armstrong Fancy Gifts Corporation (AFGC) nanotechnology for control of the country and the fate of humanity. AFGC’s number-one (human) operative, the Bug Man, is intent on wiping out mankind and controls the American president, while BZRK is attempting to rebound from the death and insanity resulting from its last encounter with AFGC. BZRK’s only hope is to destroy or subvert Bug Man, and it is a slim hope at best. Readers will need seat belts and a road map to keep up with the frequently gruesome nonstop action in this middle title of a trilogy that explores the intersection of morality and technology. Caution: read this after BZRK (2012) because Grant doesn’t pause for definitions or recaps, although Plath, Keats, the Twins, and other familiar characters reappear and are further developed as the plot careens through a second AFGC-BZRK close encounter. A shocking, violent, yet engrossing thrill ride of a story. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: With Grant’s Gone series finished, this looks to be the best-selling author’s flagship project. Expect it to be treated as such. Grades 10-12. --Cindy Welch
Description:
*From best-selling author Michael Grant, comes the highly anticipated, terrifying, and mind-bending second book in the BZRK trilogy. * The entire BZRK cell--including Noah and Sadie--has been left in pieces after the last round of battle with the Armstrong Twins, conjoined brother who plot to rob mankind of its free will. Vincent's mind is shattered, and his memories hold dangerous secrets--secrets that Lear, BZRK's mysterious leader, will stop at nothing to protect. Meanwhile, Bug Man has taken control of the President's brain, but playing with sanity is a dangerous game. The consequences can spiral way out of control, and the Armstrong Twins are not people Bug Man can afford to disappoint. The nano is as terrifying, exhilarating, and unpredictable as ever. But the wall of secrets that surrounds it is cracking. What will it reveal? And once the dust has settled, who will be sane enough to find out? *Releases simultaneously in electronic book format (ISBN 978-1-60684-395-6)* ** ### From School Library Journal Gr 9 Up—Sadie and Noah have escaped from the brilliantly insane Armstrong twins, and the fallout from their first battle as twitchers continues in this exciting followup to BZRK. Vincent has been left mostly catatonic with occasional outbursts of madness after the destruction of his biots. Najinsky is trying to maintain control of BZRK, the guerilla group of teens fighting for their right to be fully human, as the main contact with Lear. Bug Man has control of the president's brain and the Armstrongs are kidnapping young women to use in their disturbed plan to take over the world. Listeners will definitely need to read or listen to the first book before this one because there is little, if any, background given. Nico Evers-Swindell has an incredible ability to build energy and voice a variety of multinational characters. His descriptions of the biots and nanobots "in the meat" holds interest and may even encourage curiosity about life at the microscopic level. There is quite a bit of violence, especially in the final chapters, and some potentially offensive language throughout. Give this series to your virtual reality gamers.—Ann Brownson, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston ### From Booklist In the not-too-distant future, war can be waged at the cellular level, and the BZRK biots (genetically engineered extensions of humans) battle Armstrong Fancy Gifts Corporation (AFGC) nanotechnology for control of the country and the fate of humanity. AFGC’s number-one (human) operative, the Bug Man, is intent on wiping out mankind and controls the American president, while BZRK is attempting to rebound from the death and insanity resulting from its last encounter with AFGC. BZRK’s only hope is to destroy or subvert Bug Man, and it is a slim hope at best. Readers will need seat belts and a road map to keep up with the frequently gruesome nonstop action in this middle title of a trilogy that explores the intersection of morality and technology. Caution: read this after BZRK (2012) because Grant doesn’t pause for definitions or recaps, although Plath, Keats, the Twins, and other familiar characters reappear and are further developed as the plot careens through a second AFGC-BZRK close encounter. A shocking, violent, yet engrossing thrill ride of a story. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: With Grant’s Gone series finished, this looks to be the best-selling author’s flagship project. Expect it to be treated as such. Grades 10-12. --Cindy Welch