Sneak (Swipe, #2)
by Evan Angler
Published: September 4, 2012
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Available: Amazon
Synopsis:
When Logan Langly backed out of getting the Mark and went on the run, no one thought he could survive on his own. Without the Mark, you can't buy food, bot to the doctor, or use a tablet-you aren't even a citizen.
But when he discovers that his sister is being held in a mysterious hidden prison named Acheron, Logan risks everything to travel through and underground network of the Markless to rescue her.
Logan arrives only to find that Acheron holds more secrets than anyone could have guessed and that all his careful planning is worthless against a government that will do anything to gain absolute control. It seems there is only one place to turn.
But can a banned book with whisper-this pages and warnings about the real meaning of the Mark really hold the Answer?
Review:
Sneak is the follow up to Evan Angler's debut novel Swipe. I really enjoyed the first novel and Sneak did not disappoint. I thought that as far as Christian fiction goes this is a subtle attempt at sharing what comes after the Rapture. The comparison to being Matched meets Left Behind is fairly accurate although it lacks the deep romantic angel of Matched and the overt Christian message of Left Behind.
Sneak, I found, was a bit less subtle than Swipe in it's message, although I think a lot of younger non-Christians might miss some of the references. And there is no overly preachy tone. This is what I absolutely loved about Sneak (and Swipe). Angler manages to write about religion in a completely non-judgemental, non-preachy, non-pressuring way. The good guys don't all believe in the same thing, but they have the same end goal. Freedom. They want to be able to choose what they could believe in. Even better is that the bad guys are not all bad. One character in particular truly believes the Mark is the best thing and that the government only wants to help. Even as this person aides the government it's hard to be angry. Frustrated, yes, but not really angry.
This is a great sequel, but I do have to say that if you haven't read the first book, or haven't read it in a while, go and read it. There isn't much background poured into the opening chapters. Instead it's written with the assumption that you remember everything about what happened in Swipe. Character's aren't being reintroduced, and story lines are never rehashed. We are simply thrust right back in where we left off. This was good in the sense that there is no background dumping, but it does make it a little jarring to try to remember everything.
Overall,I think Sneak (and Swipe) would be great reads for younger male teens, regardless of their beliefs. There is action, adventure, and boys that actually act and think like boys - there's a scene where Logan is so pumped about finding and fixing up a bike that took me a moment to realize it was a bicycle, not a motorbike. I will definitely be checking out more from Angler (which considering the importance of rivers, fish, fishing, and captains to the story, I wonder if that's his real name!).
About the Author
Evan Angleris safe, for now. He lives without the Mark, evading DOME and writing in the shadows of Beacon. But if anyone asks, you know nothing about him. Don’t make eye contact if you see him. Don’t call his name out loud. He’s in enough trouble already. And so are you, if you read his book.
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