This is a YA Dystopian Fantasy that starts with children dumped into an abandoned setting, but soon takes a dark turn into “Lord of the Flies.” The basic premise is a bit of a stretch, but this is YA Fantasy, after all. The science element is downplayed, a wise choice in this case.

The practicalities of the setting are secondary, because it’s the personalities of the children — on both sides of the conflict — that draw us in.

Billy, the main character, is well-rounded, believable and sympathetic. His self-analysis is perhaps a bit mature for his age, but it allows us to understand exactly what he is going through as he deals with the disintegration of his childhood milieu and learns the truth about his parents. His sister, Megan, gets less attention, and the rest of the children are painted with broad strokes of the brush, although their personalities ring true. The two villains are especially effective and believable.

Given the situation and the characters, there is plenty of opportunity for conflict, both internal and external. The opening section where they escape from their bunker and find themselves in the reality of an empty town is especially tense.

Likewise, the final action scene is fraught with physical danger and duplicity, leading to great suspense. Unfortunately, the final battle ends in serious violence, raising the intended readership to twelve-year-olds.

I must mention, sentence structure could use some cleaning up. Younger teens aren’t into complicated sentences. Look at the last paragraph of the story if you want an example.

Better yet, read the book, and by the time you get to the end, you’ll have forgotten all about sentences. It’s a great read.

Five stars.