What do you think?
Rate this book
The Big Empty #3
Desolation Angels
In the third installment of "The Big Empty, " the teens are on the run after making the shocking discovery that the leader of Novo Mundum, the secret community hidden in the middle of the evacuated Big Empty, is developing a new, even more dangerous virus.
The group faces a challenging trek through the forbidden zone as they search for someone they can trust. In a journey that will test their survival skills like nothing they've experienced so far, the teens' relationships are pushed to the breaking point, with one couple ripped apart for good. An unexpected reunion with someone from their past will prove to be a turning point-but will this familiar face bring salvation or ruin?
The group faces a challenging trek through the forbidden zone as they search for someone they can trust. In a journey that will test their survival skills like nothing they've experienced so far, the teens' relationships are pushed to the breaking point, with one couple ripped apart for good. An unexpected reunion with someone from their past will prove to be a turning point-but will this familiar face bring salvation or ruin?
232 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2005
1 person is currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
J.B. Stephens
7 books16 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 1, 2013
[Rating: 3.75]
"They thought they'd discovered utopia--but they've walked into a whole new nightmare."
Keely, Michael, Diego, Irene, Amber, Jonah, and Liza have found out the most shocking secret about their life in "Paradise City," one that could destroy the world. Now, with no hope of things ever going back to the way they were before, the kids plan a daring escape. But with Amber having complications with the baby and Jonah disbelieving, the rest of them have to make the trip without them.
Out in the Big Empty, they have to figure out just how to survive. With danger at every turn, involving the NM search team, the Slash, and Bubba the Tiger, it seems like a hard road to pull through. Furthermore, there's a person from their past that returns, but will this person save them? Or will this person bring them to their doom?
I think that this book was about equal to Paradise City. Character development is the same, and I actually felt that they were real teenagers because of the amount of sheer drama there is concerning their relationships. I also liked how there was a part of the story involving the Slash and what they do, cause I felt that there was so little of it in the past. And then the unexpected reunion with the freaking nut job. At least they didn't leave her story completely hanging. And it's not pretty. She's so freaking annoying and misguided! Urgh! The plot was driven and action packed like before.
The climax kinda took a step down this book. Unless the part with the Slash was the climax, then it was alright. Otherwise, it only gave me a jolt of adrenaline when I "found out." The ending left us hanging again, but it continues right where it left off in the next book. Personally, this book and the next could have been combined because of the ending
There were some improvements, such as longer chapters, which led to the POVs not changing as much, and revisitation of old characters that were left hanging. A step down would have been the climax. But the story was still good.
"They thought they'd discovered utopia--but they've walked into a whole new nightmare."
Keely, Michael, Diego, Irene, Amber, Jonah, and Liza have found out the most shocking secret about their life in "Paradise City," one that could destroy the world. Now, with no hope of things ever going back to the way they were before, the kids plan a daring escape. But with Amber having complications with the baby and Jonah disbelieving, the rest of them have to make the trip without them.
Out in the Big Empty, they have to figure out just how to survive. With danger at every turn, involving the NM search team, the Slash, and Bubba the Tiger, it seems like a hard road to pull through. Furthermore, there's a person from their past that returns, but will this person save them? Or will this person bring them to their doom?
I think that this book was about equal to Paradise City. Character development is the same, and I actually felt that they were real teenagers because of the amount of sheer drama there is concerning their relationships. I also liked how there was a part of the story involving the Slash and what they do, cause I felt that there was so little of it in the past. And then the unexpected reunion with the freaking nut job. At least they didn't leave her story completely hanging. And it's not pretty. She's so freaking annoying and misguided! Urgh! The plot was driven and action packed like before.
The climax kinda took a step down this book. Unless the part with the Slash was the climax, then it was alright. Otherwise, it only gave me a jolt of adrenaline when I "found out." The ending left us hanging again, but it continues right where it left off in the next book. Personally, this book and the next could have been combined because of the ending
There were some improvements, such as longer chapters, which led to the POVs not changing as much, and revisitation of old characters that were left hanging. A step down would have been the climax. But the story was still good.
February 2, 2016
Some of the people begin to realize that Paradise City is not what it's cracked up to be. Jonah still believes in Novo Mundum and wants to stay and help. Amber doesn't have much choice; she's far along in her pregnancy and simply can't try to run away.
Keely, Diego, Michael, Liza and Irene decide to leave, though. They have to first find a way to get out past an electrified fence, and then somehow try to elude any patrols the city will send after them, a major problem considering that Liza's father will obviously stop at nothing to get her back.
In addition to eluding Novo Mundum patrols, though, the group also will have to try to stay away from the Slash, a task that they fail at. Once again they run into Maggie, and the question becomes whether or not Maggie will help them escape or not.
On top of all of this they have to figure out who they can tell about the medical experiments going on in Novo Mundum. There doesn't appear to be much of anyone they can trust, definitely not anyone in the new "government" of the country.
The third novel is just as good as the first two in the series; perhaps even better. The kinds of problems that the group of people face are extremely serious and very major. The future of millions of people could very well lie on their next actions. There is not doubt that Novo Mundum would rather most of them be dead; the Slash is into torture and sexual slavery of women; the government would be inclined to shoot them on sight. A lot of weight on their shoulders, a lot of action in the novel and another really good book in the series.
Keely, Diego, Michael, Liza and Irene decide to leave, though. They have to first find a way to get out past an electrified fence, and then somehow try to elude any patrols the city will send after them, a major problem considering that Liza's father will obviously stop at nothing to get her back.
In addition to eluding Novo Mundum patrols, though, the group also will have to try to stay away from the Slash, a task that they fail at. Once again they run into Maggie, and the question becomes whether or not Maggie will help them escape or not.
On top of all of this they have to figure out who they can tell about the medical experiments going on in Novo Mundum. There doesn't appear to be much of anyone they can trust, definitely not anyone in the new "government" of the country.
The third novel is just as good as the first two in the series; perhaps even better. The kinds of problems that the group of people face are extremely serious and very major. The future of millions of people could very well lie on their next actions. There is not doubt that Novo Mundum would rather most of them be dead; the Slash is into torture and sexual slavery of women; the government would be inclined to shoot them on sight. A lot of weight on their shoulders, a lot of action in the novel and another really good book in the series.
February 1, 2012
I am now hooked into the series. I'm glad I kept reading after the first book. This series is a decent addition to the teen/post-apocalyptic/dystopic genre. It's no Hunger Games, but it's better than many. The authors are doing a good job keeping me interested in the different groups of people who have been introduced throughout the series. There are a couple of character alignment shifts that wouldn't make sense if this weren't juvenile lit. I'm excusing it because the way the bad guy flipped from being the best guy EVER to being the BRINGER OF DOOM can be explained through teen perception, and the way the teens change how they act can be explained through peer pressure and hormones...
I don't see how they can possibly end it in any kind of satisfying way... unless the teens are just wrong about everything, which is reasonable to expect.
I don't see how they can possibly end it in any kind of satisfying way... unless the teens are just wrong about everything, which is reasonable to expect.
Read
September 10, 2022Half the world is dead, the other half is trying to survive. The government is trying to control everything. A group of teenagers are trying to follow some coded messages to a supposed safe haven somewhere in the northern part of the United States. Novo Mundum doesn't quite live up to their individual expectations. When life throws them in another direction they must test their loyalties to each other and their ideals. They find traitors and allies in extremely unexpected places.The end result was slightly disappointing to me, just a little anti-climatic. Otherwise, this is an interesting addition to the teen post-apocalyptic genre.
August 22, 2014
It took me a little bit of time to remember what happened in the last two books because it's been so long since I've read them. But once I got back into it again I enjoyed the ride. Even if you decide you don't like all of the characters, you're definitely invested in most of them, and it's interesting to see what twists and turns they take, where their alliances shift, and what will happen to them. Now I just have to start looking for the last one....
March 23, 2011
I really, really like this series. Granted, it's a bit fluffy, but I'm okay with that. Basically, it's an adventure/apocalypse/dystopian action movie with teens, so you can't expect too much out of it, except action and drama and dying. And that's what you get. I approve.
February 18, 2015
I'm really enjoying this series. I find myself caring about the characters and what their next moves are gonna be. The different romances going on are done rather silly and there is just a touch of repetition. All in all I have been satisfied and am starting the last book in the series.
January 27, 2009
GOOD BOOK!
August 25, 2010
I barely finished it. With three years between this book and the earlier two in the series I think I've just lost interest.
October 30, 2010
This is one of the best series I have read in a long time. It rates among my favorites. The characters were deep and the story lines exhilarating.
December 1, 2015
This one was okay. At first the ending seemed way out of left field and wow but then was just meh.
December 7, 2012
My favorite in the series so far!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews