New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer rose to fame with her debut series “The Lunar Chronicles” and is now a well renowned author. She published a book last year, called “Renegades.” This book is about a world in which enhanced individuals called prodigies are gifted with superpowers, and the fight that ensues between the superheroes (Renegades) and the villains (Anarchists). I picked it up a couple of weeks ago and immediately knew it was unlike any book I had ever read. This is my review of “Renegades.”
My first compliment for this book would be the impressive way its action scenes are written. The battles between the Renegades and Anarchists are incredible, and read as if you were watching a movie or TV show. The use of all sorts of different powers and abilities become very creative throughout the novel. These parts of the book are fast-paced and intense, and you can't go more than a couple of chapters without being treated to one of these amazing scenes. This is a place where I think the author tried to do something new with her writing, and in my opinion, it definitely worked.
Something else that really kept this story going, and that was effective in making me want to read more, was the variety of dynamic characters. Each person in this book has their own distinct personality, and they all are fleshed out very well, so that it feels like you know and understand every single character. Some in particular have their own internal struggles, which really caused me to feel for them, and care about what happened to them next. When characters can drive and move a plot along on their own, you know that they are great fictional creations, and “Renegades” has no shortage of these.
Finally, the greatest aspect that this first book in a trilogy has going for it, is its amazing way of having separate storylines all come together. The author relied heavily on the use of dramatic irony, meaning that there are a lot of situations where the reader knows something that the characters do not. This is where the book really shows how high-calibre it is. Having all these different story arcs and plot points happening simultaneously kept me excited, and in anticipation of when they would all come together, which added to my reading experience.
“Renegades” by Marissa Meyer is a fantastic book in my opinion, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting, action-filled, and dramatic read.