Thunderhead

Shusterman cranks up the stakes in this blistering sequel [...] Interweaving heady questions of morality, responsibility, loyalty, and power, Shusterman builds to a devastatingly intense conclusion that sends the characters and larger world into terrifying new territory. * Publishers Weekly, starred review * This sequel digs deeper into Shusterman's complex world and complicated characters, offering political maneuvering, fatal conspiracies, and impending catastrophe via a slowly unfurling plot and startling bursts of action. Fear the reaper(s)...but relish this intelligent and entertaining blend of dark humor and high death tolls. * Kirkus Reviews, starred review * Shusterman follows up his Printz Honor Book Scythe (2016) with that most difficult of feats: a sequel that surpasses its predecessor... There's no doubting Shusterman's talents-he's nabbed both a National Book Award and a Printz Honor Book-and this sequel to an enthusiastically received series starter is eagerly awaited. * Booklist, starred review * Shusterman wields his magic once again in this continuation. The exploration of how the Thunderhead operates and thinks, told through diary entries, gives the story an extra dimension: how would an all-knowing, all-powerful AI think, and how would it process a flawed humanity? The climax and twist ending will leave fans of the series begging for the next installment. VERDICT A rare sequel that is even better than the first book. * School Library Journal, starred review *