Lies

Lies is the third instalment of Grant’s series set in the FAYZ – a mysterious bubble which has settled over the town of Perdido Beach, California, trapping its residents – but only those under the age of 15. All of the adults are gone – and on turning 15 the children face a choice of vanishing to the unknown fate of the adults, or resisting and continuing existence in the town.

Seven months have passed since the creation of the FAYZ and the town is turning feral. After the events in Hunger, they have food – of sorts. Now the kids have conquered the challenge of surviving, they need to learn how to live. But coming up with a set of rules to live by which aren’t based solely on fear and intimidation is proving a difficult and divisive task, and some of the natural leaders are beginning to lose focus – and hope.

Some are turning to the Prophetess, who claims to walk the dreams and minds not just of those inside the FAYZ, but of the adults in the real world outside. But is what she has to offer real hope – or damnation in disguise?

Meanwhile the tensions between the ‘freaks’, a minority who have developed special magical powers, and the ‘normals’, who haven’t, reaches boiling point and a declaration of all out war serves mainly the purposes of the Darkness, the evil force which the inhabitants of the FAYZ must face once more.

Grant is a master of tightly woven plots and the excitement and tension from the first two books are kept up. This book also widens the cast of characters, fleshing out some we are already familiar with and introducing new ones via a neat device. There are a few quite harrowing scenes which some may find offensive or upsetting, but for fans who have followed events in the FAYZ so far this won’t disappoint, and will leave them waiting for the next instalment.