The Sowing

by Steven dos Santos

Overview

This time, there are no choices. Lucian “Lucky” Spark leads a double life. By day, he trains to become one of the Establishment elite. At night, he sabotages his oppressors from within, seeking to avenge the murder of his love, Digory Tycho, and rescue his imprisoned brother. But when he embarks on a risky plot to assassinate members of the Establishment hierarchy, Lucky is thrust into the war between the Establishment and the rebellion, where the lines between friend and foe are blurred beyond recognition. His only chance for survival lies in facing the secrets of the Sowing, a mystery rooted in the ashes of the apocalyptic past that threatens to destroy Lucky’s last hope for the future. Perfect for fans of Suzanne Collins and James Dashner, the fast-paced action begun in The Culling—hailed by VOYA as “a heart-pounding page-turner”—continues in The Sowing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738735405
Publisher:	North Star Editions
Publication date:	03/08/2014
Series:	The Torch Keeper , #2
Pages:	408
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Steven dos Santos (Miami, FL) spent most of his working career in the legal field, even going to law school for a couple of years before realizing that if he was going to be telling “creative truths,” he’d prefer to be writing novels.|

Steven dos Santos (Miami, FL) spent most of his working career in the legal field, even going to law school for a couple of years before realizing that if he was going to be telling “creative truths,” he’d prefer to be writing novels.

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Editorial Reviews

"Revels in plot twists and big reveals ... expect many readers to devour this installment in one sitting." —VOYA

From the Publisher

04/01/2014
Gr 8 Up—Lucian "Lucky" Spark has made it through the brutal Trials and almost completed training to become an Imposer for the Establishment, all while secretly fighting the status quo as a rebel called the Torch Keeper. Lucky is still recovering from the loss of his boyfriend Digory Tycho, and the kidnapping of his little brother by the Establishment's Prefect and Lucky's sworn enemy, Cassius Thorn. Cassius will stop at nothing to either destroy Lucky or turn the rebel to his side, including making him an Incentive in the next round of Trials. Lucky must navigate tricky political alliances, rescue his brother, and try to stay alive while fighting a cruel Establishment that isn't everything it seems. The Sowing continues the action-packed, sci-fi adventure that began with the first book. This fast-paced and violent story has a first-person-shooter style point of view, making it perfect for video game fans. While the plot may be strikingly similar to The Hunger Games, the characters, in particular, are unique enough to make it a very enjoyable read. This series is a must-have for libraries, particularly those serving reluctant readers, teens who play video games, and fans of dystopian novels.—Eden Rassette, Kenton County Public Library, KY

School Library Journal

2014-01-15
Following The Culling (2013), Recruit-turned–Imposer trainee Lucian "Lucky" Spark observes the Trials, a yearly competition in which horror-movie–esque situations determine which competitor's loved one dies; his position may be new, but it is still potentially deadly. Lucky takes advantage of his new, privileged position as Trials winner to gain access to munitions and locations for sabotage and terrorist attacks against the regime he serves. Still a guileless hero, Lucky isn't the stealthiest insurgent—his primary antagonist, Cassius, sees through him, and he runs afoul of the organized resistance. After straightening things out, they send him to assassinate Cassius and the prime minister, but when the time comes, a terrible, surprising choice botches the mission (as in the first book, choices again are a major theme). As punishment, Cassius sends Lucky and his fellow Imposer trainees back to the Trials—this time as Incentives who will be killed if their Recruit places last in a contest. Lucky must find a way to escape and save as many fellow hostages as possible. Although the prose revels in gore, readers are spared psychological horror, as most imperiled characters lack necessary development for emotional attachment. In the final act, a series of double crosses (and even triple crosses) and plot twists comes so fast readers won't have time to ponder implications and motivations. Frequently baffling and uneven; only for readers already invested in Lucky. (Science fiction. 13-16)

Kirkus Reviews