Into the Shadows

Agenda 21 #2

by Glenn Beck, Jeremy Lowell (Reader), January LaVoy (Reader)

The sequel to Agenda 21, from #1 New York Times bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio host Glenn Beck.

“I knew those men were our enemies, but they, like everyone else in the Republic, were nothing more than servants. Rule followers. They had no choice. But I did. I had a choice and I made it. I knew then and there that, no matter what happened, I would never go back. Never.”

It was once named America, but now it is just “the Republic.” Following the worldwide implementation of a UN-led program called Agenda 21, the once-proud people of America have become obedient residents who live in barren, brutal Compounds and serve the autocratic, merciless Authorities.

Citizens mainly keep their heads down and their mouths shut—but Emmeline is different. When the Authorities took her mother away, she started questioning the world around her. What happened to her mom? Why is everyone confined to grim living spaces and made to eat the same food cubes every day? Why was her own baby taken from her to be raised in the Children’s Village? And are the rumors that somewhere out beyond the fence live those who got away during the Relocations—the so-called shadow people—really true?

When Emmeline’s questions lead to the realization that she will never see her child again, she decides to escape the Compound with her partner, David, and their baby, Elsa. Fleeing the armed enforcers of the Earth Protection Agency, and facing the unknown for the first time in their lives, Emmeline and David run into the shadows in the desperate hope of finding something they’d only heard stories about from those who’d lived before the Relocations: freedom.

Genres: Fiction, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense, Politics

Audio CD

First published January 6, 2015

About the author

Glenn Edward Lee Beck is one of America's leading radio and television personalities. His quick wit, candid opinions and engaging personality have made The Glenn Beck Program the third highest rated radio program in America and Glenn Beck, one of the most successful new shows on the Fox News Channel. His unique blend of modern-day storytelling and insightful views on current events allowed him to achieve the extraordinary feat of having #1 New York Times bestsellers in both fiction and non-fiction. Beck also stars in a live stage show and is the publisher of Fusion magazine.

Online, he is the editor of GlennBeck.com and the publisher of TheBlaze.com.

Beck is the author of six consecutive #1 New York Times Bestsellers including his latest book, the thriller The Overton Window. When The Christmas Sweater, his first novel, debuted at #1 on the fiction list, Beck became one of a handful of authors to write books that reached #1 on both the fiction and non-fiction NYT lists.

Reviews

[Norrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Oh just read it.... I recommend reading the first book and going right into this one. These books will open your eyes. You will begin to see everything around you in your everyday life.

[Toni L.]

There has to be a third book. I'm not ready for the story to end.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First this book is not actually written by Glenn Beck so if you hate books with a political agenda but loved the hunger games then just skip the intro and the epilogue and this is a really good book.

If you love the hunger games but wished they would explain how their world got to that point these book explains how that could happen.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fictional story based on the United Nations Agenda21, if you have not read that document, check it out for yourself. Quite frightening. I did not realize initially that this was a sequel, now I must find a copy of that. I definitely would not want to live in the world described. This was an audio version of the book and I enjoyed it.

[Micah Hebert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly enjoyed it: way more than the first book. I liked how this book used POV like nothing I’d ever read, alternating between 1st person, 3rd person limited, and 3rd person omniscient. Somehow, it never got chaotic. Easily 4 1/2 stars, but doesn’t quite round up to 5.

[James Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The population is already controlled and enslaved; it's maybe 20 years in. Some remember what it was like, before. But the "new" people, the children, the young adults, have no such memory, and the people who "do" remember, don't dare tell them because knowledge is banned. In this new world you are required to do what you are told, and that is all, and when you are deemed unnecessary (for whatever reason) you will be "recycled."
****
(The author never told us what "recycled" meant, exactly, but I think most intelligent people can guess.)
****
After the excess population was "gone," some people were chosen to be slaves, and some were chosen to be in charge of the slaves.
****
(Right now today, I can think of some people who could fall into the job of controlling the slaves quite easily, and become brutal quite easily.)
****
Even the strongest man had no power to protect his family...because he no longer "had" a family. If his wife wasn't killed she might have been passed to what the "authority" maybe thought was better suited to her. And his children, well, right away the authority laid claim to them, and "somebody else" gave them most of what care they needed.
****
A mother is the main character; her toddler daughter who she rarely can see, and hold even less, has been deemed to be "relocated." So this woman, her husband, and an 8-year-old boy she has befriended, escape.
****
(That's all I'm saying about the actual plot; it's a page-turner, especially the last 100 pages.)
****
Now think of always being afraid, always running, carrying only what you could grab, always looking over your shoulder, hiding, your poorly-manufactured shoes wearing out, bleeding with no first aid, struggling to find food, eating bugs and grass to survive.
****
Here is an actual short conversation between the main character and some aged people--who were never caught--and who helped them:
"In the history of the world, only one very special nation was founded on the principle of personal freedom & personal destiny."
"What nation is it?" the main character asks, "Where is it?"
"You mean "was," the old man answered, "It's gone. It was called America."
****
Today it seems we have 3 options of who would/could control and enslave us. islam, Agenda 21, or the Illuminati. I listed the Illuminati last because I feel "they" are behind both the islamic invasion of all nations, plus behind the UN-inspired Agenda 21.
****
Right, folks, Agenda 21 is real; it is NOT a conspiracy theory.

Many--too many--people today are weak. If something really bad begins to happen many people will die...quickly...and become enslaved...quickly.

As a last word, at the end of this book I discovered there is a Book 1, which I now will have to find. From reading this book, two things now stand out for me more strongly than ever before: FREEDOM AND LOVE.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the first Agenda 21 book and had high hopes for Into the Shadows, but it just wasn’t very good. There were giant plot holes that left me yelling in my head (and occasionally out loud) about how it didn’t make sense. For example, the little family walked for days and were still very near the mansion where the compound leaders live and the farm commune where the food is grown. That’s fine and explained by saying the river they were following meanders. The problem is, they ended up being taken in by an elderly couple. The elderly couple lived in a cave right by the mansion and farm commune and yet, somehow, they escaped detection for 17 years. Emmaline is constantly worried that their presence would bring the Earth Protection Agency people to the elderly couple. While that could happen, if they had survived without being discovered for almost two decades, why in the world would they be likely to suddenly be found just because the little family was there. The way the points of view switched was good except for one thing. The Emmaline chapters were told in first person while all other were in third person. That was actually rather annoying to me. Then there was the preachiness. The book would be going along fine and then there would be a section with hit-you-over-the-head “this is what you must learn from what you are reading” preaching (religious and political). I never quite figured out why the insistence that people only would want to be free if they knew their history (after all, Emmaline wanted to be free before she ever learned any of the history). The characters are all very flat. They never changed and most of them were quite dull. Many parts of the story moved very slowly. It’s a dystopian novel about running from human predators and learning how to live in the mostly uninhabited wild world. It should have been anything but slow. The afterword was written by Glenn Beck and warned of the evils of Agenda 21. Into the Shadows was a definite disappointment. I don’t really recommend reading it.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the Shadows (Agenda 21, #2) by Glenn Beck is the sequel to Agenda 21, that I have not read yet, from #1 New York Times bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio host Glenn Beck. This is a dark predictor for our future but it is in the realm of possibility if some people on the far left get their way.

“I knew those men were our enemies, but they, like everyone else in the Republic, were nothing more than servants. Rule followers. They had no choice. But I did. I had a choice and I made it. I knew then and there that, no matter what happened, I would never go back. Never.”
It was once named America, but now it is just “the Republic.” Following the worldwide implementation of a UN-led program called Agenda 21, the once-proud people of America have become obedient residents who live in barren, brutal Compounds and serve the autocratic, merciless Authorities.

Citizens mainly keep their heads down and their mouths shut—but Emmeline is different. When the Authorities took her mother away, she started questioning the world around her. What happened to her mom? Why is everyone confined to grim living spaces and made to eat the same food cubes every day? Why was her own baby taken from her to be raised in the Children’s Village? And are the rumors that somewhere out beyond the fence live those who got away during the Relocations—the so-called shadow people—really true?

When Emmeline’s questions lead to the realization that she will never see her child again, she decides to escape the Compound with her partner, David, and their baby, Elsa. Fleeing the armed enforcers of the Earth Protection Agency, and facing the unknown for the first time in their lives, Emmeline and David run into the shadows in the desperate hope of finding something they’d only heard stories about from those who’d lived before the Relocations: freedom.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn’t as good as the first book, but good enough I want a third. Obviously this book is written by a right-leaning author so there is going to be hare about it from all of the left-leaning readers here. However, I think he brought up some good points. Love is really powerful, it makes you willing to do crazy things. And also that freedom is absolutely vital to happiness and personal success. I like the writing style of this book though, and definitely found parts of it really captivating. The climax could’ve been 100 times better (if only they’d consulted with me about the plot!! Ughhhh! 😂), but it was still good. Plus, this book was written easily enough that I could put it down and pick it back up and I wouldn’t have to go back and re-read anything. Oh, and one last thing, the characters could’ve used some more developing. I actually liked Steven at first, but then he had to turn out to be such a brute. I was hoping for a change of heart...

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book and especially the afterword Agenda 21 scares me, but I am glad that I read it and have now read several other non-fiction items related to Agenda 21 to become more educated. This book was a fast read. Parts of it were pretty fictional, but it was overall a good story.

[Kyle Liedtke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply Outstanding!

Glenn Beck nails this sequel and sheds the spotlight even more on the well-played out scenario of destruction Agenda 21 could bring to American soil.

[Forrest · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty awful, uninteresting, poorly structured.

[Kori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this without reading the first one, not realizing it was a sequel. It gives enough backstory to stand on its own, so don't feel like you can't read this one without first reading its predecessor. It was an easy and quick read, told mainly through the eyes of a young woman, Emmiline, who finds a way to escape from the compound she has grown up in after it becomes clear that her child would be resettled somewhere else away from her. It gives a chilling hypothesis of what life would be like in the world that some believe is the end goal of the UN's Agenda 21: complete control of Earth and all of its people who are all slaves forced to worship and proclaim oaths to the Earth and animals. The writing and storytelling was fine, nothing to write home about, the character development is minimal, but enough to get the story told. I recommend the book, not necessarily because it's enjoyable or any artistic accomplishment, but because it is a warning of what can happen when centralized governmental power is left unchecked.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It was once named America, but now it is just “the Republic. Following the worldwide implementation of a UN-led program called Agenda 21, the once-proud people of America have become obedient residents who live in barren, brutal Compounds and serve the autocratic, merciless Authorities." Yes, this book is fiction. However, this book will open your eyes and you will begin to see everything around you in your everyday life. There is a potential that events in this book could happen as a result of the United Nations real Agenda 21. Everyone needs to read this book and familiarize yourself with the UN's Agenda 21. People need to educate themselves about Agenda 21 and what it could mean for America and the world. Freedom is never free, and unless people want to be owned, they need to educate themselves about what can happen. Hope and pray that we all do our home work and see the danger of more government. AMERICA WAS FOUNDED ON FREEDOM.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts off right where it left off. I was very happy to find a copy at the library. The plot was good and the characters were well written. But once again there are so many unanswered questions at the end.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to on CD. Loved the first book, never expected a sequel. Picks up where the first leaves off. Really enjoyed it. Really enjoyed it, if you liked the first, you have to get this one!

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the First Volume...sometime back. Loved the book. I am so glad I read Book 2...How precious FREEDOM is...and what it takes to keep it SECURE! LOVED this 2 volume series...

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I can say is there better be a third book coming soon!

[Vagabond of Letters, DLitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

Significantly better, as a work of fiction, than the first.

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

So incredibly disappointed with this book. On so many levels. Disappointed in myself for wasting the time reading something that wasn't Christian fiction, because the language and content was just not appropriate. However, my two star rating is not based on my preference for Christian content but based on how far short this book fell in comparison to the first book.
The first book was well written! There was descriptive writing that really took readers into the setting that was created by those pushing Agenda 21. Readers experienced what life looked like when personal freedom was taken away and earth protection was placed above humanity. We were able to go through routines and daily lives of those living in the compounds created by a controlling government. So naturally, with the main characters escaping into the free world, I expected this book to explore what that word would look like. It did not. It did not even come close to attempting what life would look like for those who managed to hide and escape the round ups and were living on their own. The limited attempts fell very short.
There are two characters who are featured who did escape and have been living on their own since the shifts, but their story consisted of what happened when they went into hiding and what was going on in the present (which was almost nothing....they were literally just existing). There were no accounts of the deterioration of cities or coming in contact with other who had escaped-nothing. It was like they were the only two people who existed in the free world.
And then there is a huge chunk of the story line that follows a heartless Earth Protector and his team, but it seemed like the only reason for that portion of the story was to be a filler to make the book a full novel since there was so little else to use as content. It seemed completely irrelevant, didn't give readers much insight at all into the leadership of the Authority, and was incredibly boring. Stephens language was ridiculous.
I found myself hoping things would turn and the main characters would move on and details would emerge but it just never happened. The only thing enjoyable was the After Word.

Last thing. The first book seemed to hint that there may be some underlying tones of faith in God. The second book hinted at that through one of the characters a few times, but that thread was never developed. Instead, the cussing got worse and the hearts of the characters were hard and ungodly near the end. Not sure why the author chose to even toy with the idea of faith in the book and then spin the rest of the story with purely secular content.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is kind of a cross of The Hunger Games (my brother hated that one), Divergent, and the actual Holocaust (which I know way to much about, thank you Dr. Rauch). I was about 20 chapters into this one by the time I realized it was a sequel to another book. I know the name Glenn Beck will automatically turn some people off from this one, but he even says that Harriet Parke was the actual writer. I actually did really enjoy this one.

[Tara Savanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the same level with the first book... feels lacking in some detail, character growth seems to come from nowhere and happen too fast, there's quite a few cuss words, and it doesn't exactly "end". The ending satisfies, but is left open, for a possible next book maybe?

The story is interesting, but not something good enough to recommend to others.

[Mindy Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was ok, 3.5 stars ⭐️

This book is almost like a prelude to The Hunger Games. It has nothing to do with The Hunger Games series actually, but there are many similarities in the two dystopian worlds. If you want to read about HOW the world changed to the atmosphere in the Hunger Games, this is the series for you

[amelia elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so good! Not as good as the first one, but still good. I was a bit concerned that the author wouldn’t wrap everything up at the end of the book, but she managed to. I would’ve liked a bit of a clearer ending as to where the characters ended up but oh well. Novella, anyone?? 😂
Definitely a must read if you’ve read the first book in this duology.

[Joe Raimondi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic part two and a lot more “action” in this one than in the first. Constantly keeping the readers attention with intense moments and quick decision making that could be the difference between life and death for the characters. I think there’s a lot more that could be added to the story and there’s plenty of directions the story could go, I would’ve loved to read another 2 or 3 books in this series.

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it

[Rex Cluff · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read and a worthy sequel to Agenda 21. Yes, there is obvious room for another sequel to this one. A core of freedom lovers has been established but the enemy is not subdued. Even though the immediate threat of pursuit is gone, the future threat of further pursuit is still very real. Will the little family succeed in finding a new home where they can live in freedom? Will the good people they left behind be able to remain in the shadows? Will the free family encounter other compounds on their journey to freedom?
On a more philosophical note, this scenario is an extreme extension of policies that already exist in our society today. I have seen them in my work and know that the policies that my bureaucracy espouses are actually in line with the Agenda 21 extensions described in this story. Will this extreme application every happen? I don't think so. I believe that there are enough freedom loving people in America and elsewhere that will stop this movement before it can implement these extremes. That doesn't mean that we won't have to stand up and be counted against the bureaucratic agenda. On the contrary, we will have to stand up and say no and then enter into a large battle, either politically, or physically, to secure our freedoms again as we have had to do in the past. I would wish that all citizens would think about what they are agreeing to and the consequences of those actions before giving the government any approval. The purpose of this book is to help people to recognize these tendencies in our society today and make them think carefully about where we are headed. May we do so, I plead with whatever fervor I possess.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★.5 rounded up to 4
Emmaline and David made it out of the oppressive compound at the end of the first book, having rescued Emmaline’s baby, Elsa and a young boy named Micah. On the lam, hungry, they need to find a way to survive as they run from the authorities. David’s parents, John and Joan, manage to escape early in this book and even though they don’t know where David and Emmaline went, they have a good idea, so deliberately try to leave clues to distract those in pursuit of them. Steven is the Earth Protector in charge of the manhunt, nasty and angry for being forced out to do this one more time since he’s become used to his now easy life.

This sequel was almost as good as the first one was, and I suspect that part of the problem for me was that it’s been too long since I’d read it so had forgotten a few people and events. As with all dystopian novels, the situation created is on the extreme side, but it’s not as unbelievable of a scenario as are some fictional dystopias. I hope there is another book, because I really would like to see what happens next.

[toasters · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just more of the first... anti-environmental propaganda. A good story ruined by an agenda, but not the agenda the book is named after.

What are the race politics? This is based in America and we are steeped in racial issues. Those just didn't disappear.
Where are all the gays? This book is so heterosexual it hurts.

In this book we learn that "sustainability meetings" eventually became "reeducation meetings" without any examples of how that happened.... The entire book is swamped in vagaries. It makes me feel like the author couldn't justify how one thing became another so she just swept it under a rug. Any characters that could give insight choose not to for shallow reasons - "oh, I'm tired now, no more talking"

The book has the exact opposite end of the hunger games which is rather interesting considering all the bible rhetoric we get in this one...

Btw, if you meet a total stranger and he can quote the bible, that makes him trustworthy. Duh.

Sigh.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! I really enjoyed the first book in this series but I loved this one! Instead of focusing primarily on Emmeline's story we are allowed to delve deeper into other characters as well. There was more action and an understanding of how and why the world is the way it is now. I love the fact that the story revolves around freedom. Ah freedom! This story makes me feel very blessed in regards to that. Also, it was awesome to see the characters grow with each other. It also contains a villain you love to hate. I can't wait to read the next book!