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After stopping global crop destruction and concocting an eleventh-hour cure for a mysterious virus that was causing much of Earth's population to begin aging rapidly, members of the team of superpowered teenagers known as the Saplings of Aegis are running low on morale. One of their own, Jag, remains kidnapped. The aftermath of the evil machinations put forth by the shadowy Phoenix Corporation and its secretive arm, Arcane Ventures, has led to unimaginable losses, supply shortages, riots, and chaos worldwide. And the evil and mysterious Reyor behind it all continues to elude them. With the doomsday clock continuing to tick towards midnight, the remaining four youths and their allies both in the field and the hidden village of Dema-Ki have no time to rest, as more attempts to destroy human society and see it rebuilt are looming on the horizon.
This fourth book in a series of five is all about ratcheting tension higher and higher in preparation for an epic climax. The toll of so much conflict and fighting in the young characters is multi-faceted and comes across as compelling in its honesty. Even their victories have carried high prices, and for a young adult story to paint so bleak a picture hooks the readers not just for this book but for the following one as well. That's not to say that the entire story is doom and gloom. There are still opportunities for cracked jokes, heartfelt dialogue, and plenty of room for hope that the heroes will win. Jet-setting and globetrotting, with locations in major world cities as well as isolated jungles and remote islands, each chapter builds on the last, leading up to a tense and frantic finish that sets the stage for one last entertaining and action-filled adventure.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review