Review – Defiance

Title: Defiance

Author: C.J. Redwine

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publish Date: August 28, 2012

ISBN-13: 978-0062117182

Available at: Amazon – Kindle – Barnes and Noble

From Goodreads:

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan–the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Review:

I have to admit, I’ve been looking forward to the release of this book for awhile. To my consternation I found that it was written in alternation points of view, Rachel’s and Logan’s.  I wasn’t sure how it was going to work out, but to my surprise it worked out well and I came to enjoy it.

Rachel is a sixteen-year-old girl who has suddenly come under the protection of Logan. I didn’t take to her immediately. She seemed a bit too petulant and sulky. The more I read the more I liked her though. What I took to be petulant and sulky was actually humiliation. She had professed her love to Logan when she was fifteen and he had rejected her. Who wouldn’t be humiliated? As the book went on, there were moments I became impatient with her but I think she was just acting like any sixteen-year-old would have done in such impossible situations.

What I loved about Rachel the most was how she was such a kick-ass warrior in such an oppressed misogynistic society. She was a fiercely independent woman in a culture that stressed that women were nothing more then chattel. I think it spoke volumes to have such a strong heroine. And she showed a lot of soft emotions as well showing you don’t have to be a one-dimensional person.

I loved Logan! He was absolutely gush and crush-worthy. He’s smart and kind. He takes his responsibilities seriously and he always tried his best with Rachel despite the animosity she felt and showed towards him in the beginning of the book.  I loved Logan’s inventions. The mix of inventor and warrior was too sexy to resist.

What I loved about Rachel and Logan the most was how their love evolved. It grew from mutual circumstances and time spent together. No insta-love here! There was a lot of give and take too. Although there was one point I felt Logan got a bit too needy. Maybe that’s just me. That was towards the end of the book. I don’t want to give too much away.

The Commander was one of the most evil tyrants I’ve come across. He made a great bad guy. He was just someone you love to hate. The Cursed One was a fantastic monster. It reminded me of a wyrm. Together they added some great tension to the book.

There’s enough resolution to leave you satisfied in the end. Yet there’s also an opening for more books in the future. It’s a well done ending to a very good book. I did have one pet peeve. Only I can’t mention it without giving away a spoiler. Needless to say something was repeated endlessly and I got tired of the repetition. That’s all I can say. It was something I was able to brush off though.

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