The second installment of Neal Shusterman’s “Arc of a Scythe” trilogy (here’s a review of the previous installment), Thunderhead, is a wild roller coaster ride from start to finish!
As in the previous book, Thunderhead takes place in a distant future where all disease has been wiped out. There’s no war, no racism, and all the needs of the people can be met. People can live forever thanks to both nanites within their bodies and quick medical treatment at local “Renewal Centers.” And they can regain their lost youth if they want to “turn the corner” (reverse their aging) and have their bodies rejuvenated.
Unfortunately, living seemingly forever leads to more extended families and resultant overpopulation. (Apparently, space travel and underwater exploration to other uninhabited worlds, not to mention birth control, are not available options.) So the Artificial Intelligence that controls this future society known as “The Thunderhead” creates a society of professional killers, or “scythes,” to randomly select persons they consider having outlived their usefulness or just plain lack potential, for a “gleaning” (killing by assorted methods).
Two teens, Citra and Rowan, were selected as scythe’s apprentices and quickly discovered the underlying corruption of the scythes. By the end of the first book, Citra was made a scythe, while Rowan went rogue, vowing to glean the dishonest and depraved scythes in circulation.
Now the stakes have gotten higher. The Thunderhead is acting covertly for some reason. And while Rowan tries to avoid capture, Citra discovers there’s a conspiracy within the scythe ranks to destroy her. The trail ultimately leads to an old enemy…
Filled with wild action scenes, bizarre deaths (nobody dies by accident in this one!), and hilarious black comedy, with an exciting, game-changing climax that sets the stage for the next book in the trilogy, Thunderhead is essential reading!
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