United By Pop received a free copy of The Fever Code in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are our own.
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Title: The Fever Code
Authors: James Dashner
Purchase: Available in the UK and the US
Overall rating: 4/5
Great for: Fans of Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Scott Westerfeld
Themes: Young adult, science fiction and dystopian
UK: The Fever Code is released in paperback TODAY. Got a little something coming soon to celebrate #CrackTheFeverCode pic.twitter.com/rJ76wHpKgy
— James Dashner (@jamesdashner) September 7, 2017
Review: For an ardent dystopian fan such as myself, ‘The Maze Runner’ series is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only are there three books in the original trilogy, but two full-length prequel novels and three films (the third of which is out in cinemas this January). But of all these instalments I think the most recent addition is my favourite.
‘The Fever Code’ takes place directly before the events that occur in ‘The Maze Runner‘, yet should be read last, as per Dashner’s specific instructions. The book chronicles the conception of the WICKED organisation, as well as how Thomas, Teresa, Newt, and the rest of the beloved gang, came to be affiliated with it.
As in the other books, the reader is invited into this near future vision of our world through the eyes of Thomas. His astute observations give us an honest insight into events but his young age, and the plethora of information that his kept for him means the truth of the situations are unfurled slowly for both the reader and himself.
With the suspense at an all-time high, and the reader already aware of the traumatic events that are to follow, this is possibly the most poignant and emotional franchise instalment. The young cast of characters are depicted as innocent bystanders helplessly caught up in an organisation that has no regard for them as humans. The moment they stepped through the compound doors, however unwillingly, they became WICKED test subjects and nothing more. Whilst this fact has always been known, ‘The Fever Code’ confronts the reader with the reality of this utterly heartbreaking scenario and disallows any of our sorrow to be spared.
Despite the brutality of the organisation and the loneliness and confusion experienced by the children imprisoned there, this isn’t a book without its joyous moments. And knowing how hard each smile was fought for made every fleeting moment of happiness that much more precious for both reader and characters alike.
By this alignment of emotion, it meant that as the novel progressed, the action increased, and the suspense rose in intensity, the reader was already placed firmly on one of the two opposing sides. With differing opinions on what was deemed an acceptable action to save the world, this also posed a multitude of philosophical questions that added some levity to the previous action-dominated plot-lines of this series.
With ‘The Fever Code’ answering all of fans’ questions and the story finally coming full circle, the only thing left to discover is if you’ll be the one to #crackthefevercode?
Will you join together to #CrackTheFeverCode? Details coming soon… pic.twitter.com/PNbcIoca08
— James Dashner (@jamesdashner) September 7, 2017
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