Usually when books end with a cliffhanger (especially when the next book hasn't released yet), I get so angry at the marketing ploy that it makes me not want to read the next book. At the least, I'm more angry with the author than I am excited to read what happens next.
Not this time. I'm still not a fan of cliffhangers, but in Outcasts (The Safe Lands Book 2), Jill Williamson caught me, because I still care what happens. What will become of our heroes?! What is Liberation, anyway???
Well, if you're extremely impatient (like I am, as evidenced by the over use of punctuation), Goodreads already has a page for Rebels, book 3 in the Safe Lands Series!
If you don't want to read the summary of Book 3 (or you don't want to speculate about what's to come), go ahead and navigate away now, and I'll see you next time!
But if you do...
In this third book in the series of fantasy/dystopian novels from award-winning author Jill Williamson, three teens must try to hold on to their values amidst the subjugation and lies of the government.
In this final novel of the Safe Lands series by Jill Williamson, Mason and Omar discover the true meaning of Liberation-a secret the Safe Lands have long kept from their people-but find they are trapped in the low lands with this crucial information. Meanwhile, Levi is forced to turn his attention elsewhere when his new wife, Jemma, is captured and becomes the Safe Land's new queen. His only choice to save her may be to take up the role of undercover vigilante that Omar began, leading the rebels in their quest to overthrow the government. But will that be enough to expose the Safe Land's lies and bring freedom to the people? And will they even want it if it comes?
Interesting stuff there. First, we see that no, (spoiler alert!) Williamson was NOT intending to kill off two of her point-of-view characters. :)
And now I am going to engage in truly wild speculation.
Really, if you don't want a mix of some combination of red herrings and spoilers (and I don't know which is which) stop reading.
I wonder if Liberation is more like a labor camp, especially given the cover and the fact that it would make sense. (Why else would you reduce the Liberation age when the population is shrinking? Unless you needed more slaves...) As to Jemma being kidnapped, I guess I'm a bad person to be excited to see some torture for Levi; oh dear. If I had to guess, I'd say she'll be having Levi's baby. (Even though she's ridiculously cheerful and I don't know what she sees in Levi, I don't wish her harm; I actually found her fairly likable. Hopefully she won't spend this book simply insisting that her Westley will come, though.)
I find the talk of "freedom" particularly interesting, because it seems like a good deal of the Safe Lands' appeal is the promise of freedom. And in many ways, the Safe Landers have more freedom than the people of Glenrock ever had--they're not going to be pressured into unwanted marriages, for instance. I guess the Safe Lands "femmes" don't have the freedom the menfolk have, but then again, their plight wasn't awesome in Glenrock, either. Sure, in the Safe Lands your life ends at 40, but besides that looming deadline, and besides holding down a job, the men seem to be free to do almost anything they like.
I would guess our heroes will find some measure of success in freeing the Safe Landers from their sinful ways. It will be interesting to see if any of the technological trappings make it through. It's hard to imagine going back to the old-fashioned farming ways of the very small villages around the Safe Lands...but if the Liberated people are laboring over-hard for the sake of the rest, it might be necessary. Of course, modern technology has made it possible for most people in the industrialized world to live without performing any farm work, contrary to much of history. Actually, that raises more questions, as to why the Safe Landers would need many menial laborers at all, given their technology level. So maybe I'm on the wrong track after all. Or maybe technology could actually help solve their problems.
I don't believe technology is inherently evil, and as much as many Christians rail against "science," technological developments have saved countless lives. Some people (Christians and others) long for a simpler time, but the reality is that without so many of our technological advances, many people I know (including my father!) would no doubt be dead.
I know there is a bias against Christians in much of academia, but it sure would be wonderful if young Christians could get interested in bettering our world through science.
Anyway, I'm excited to read the conclusion of the Safe Lands series! (And as excited as I am to read what happens, part of me wishes the series would continue more than just one more book.)
Here are the other CSFF Blog Tour bloggers:
Red Bissell
Thomas Fletcher Booher
Beckie Burnham
Pauline Creeden
April Erwin
Victor Gentile
Ryan Heart
Timothy Hicks
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Melanie @ Christian Bookshelf Reviews
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
Jalynn Patterson
Writer Rani
Chawna Schroeder
Jacque Stengl
Jojo Sutis
Steve Trower
Phyllis Wheeler
Deborah Wilson
*In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free Advance Readers Copy of this book.
Interesting theories, Julie! *waggles eyebrows*
ReplyDeleteOMgoodness, you waggle your eyebrows just like Zane! <3 Thank you for stopping by!
ReplyDelete:-)
ReplyDeleteWell, there are STILL more questions, Julie. Those planes that pass overhead from time to time are going SOMEWHERE for SOMETHING. And what about all the people nearing thirty who look like they're closing in on ninety? I figured the low lands had to come into play. Otherwise, why have three sections?
ReplyDeleteI think there's some big mystery yet to be revealed. And I think it's connected to what the plague is and how the Safe Landers contracted it.
Fun to speculate, isn't it? ;-)
Becky