Shusterman, Neal. Rising Thunder. First Blades. Simon & Schuster, 12/2026. [560]pp. Fiction. Trade $24.99. 978-1-6659-7208-6. GRADES 7–12. OUTSTANDING.
Fans of the award-winning Arc of a Scythe series (2016-2019) will delight in a prequel series, while new readers will be captivated by Shusterman’s cinematic scenes, dramatic pacing, complex teen characters, and chillingly topical concerns. Every generation believes they live in unique times, but those coming of age in 2040 face unique challenges: an end to death, two divergent rogue A.I., and humanity’s continuing failure to solve inequality and environmental degradation. While society at large ping-pongs between global denial and extreme actions, an algorithm-driven chat room brings together a group of diverse teens from around the world with the ability and character to face these challenges head-on. The story is assembled from a mix of threads: multiple perspectives, historical reflections, chat room transcripts, and lots of live action. What could have been an overambitious train wreck in less deft hands, becomes a gripping page-turner showing the dystopian consequences of humanity’s wildest aspirations coming true. Review based on an ARC.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired