Emergents Academy

Academy of the Apocalypse #1

by K.A. Riley

It's been more than five years since Kress and her Conspiracy defeated Krug and his Patriot Army, traveled through Europe and back, completed a cross-country rescue mission, and made it home alive.


Things were looking up for the future of the nation...until the members of the Cult of the Devoted and the teenagers of the Army of the Unsettled decided to light the fuse for an all-out civil war.

Now, a special Academy--hidden high in the mountains and designed as a school to train young Emergents in the use of their abilities--is being forced into the fight. On the brink of a new global apocalypse, the mysterious raven-whisperer Branwynne and the techno-genetically enhanced teenagers of the Emergents Academy find themselves entangled in a three-way battle for power, where survival is doubtful, peace is impossible, and death is inevitable.

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Fantasy

390 pages, Paperback

Published January 28, 2021

About the author

K. A. Riley is a writer of speculative and science fiction, dedicated to creating worlds just different enough from our own to be entertaining, intriguing and a little frightening all at once. For Riley, writing isn't a job. It's a laboratory where readers can wander into a land of ideas; it's a playground where they can scamper around, giggling, gasping, and freaking out to their hearts' content.

Riley is the top-secret pen-name of a NYT and USA Today best-selling author.

Reviews

[Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love that the world continues. So far I like Branwynne(sp). Yes I've read her name 1000x, probably pronouncing it wrong in my head and can't spell it. Don't even ask how to pronounce her ravens name out loud.
Names aside, I love the world that K.A. Riley has built. I enjoy the original Conspiracy being weaved in.

Still curious if these are like "pre" The Cure Chronicles? Some similarities, if conspiracy Chronicles are near the beginning of the war and the cure Chronicles are years into the future.

[Abby Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll be honest. It’s slow and not as good as the others. Should of carried on from Kress’ part of view.
Still good though.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book lacks in comparison to others in the series. It took about a third or more of the book to anything of real substance or action. It drones on and on, explaining fighting techniques and weapons and such, as if you’re the one attending the academy class. There are just so many unnecessary details and it draws out. I skipped entire paragraphs sometimes.
I cannot fully explain it, but this academy is annoying me to no end. The superiority of the Conspiracy, the fact that the new Emergents essentially have no choice but to be trained as heroes, this new character perspective. And for fucks sake just say “fuck” or pick a different adjective but “frack” isn’t fooling anyone.

**** SPOILERS AHEAD****


Towards the end is where any action takes place. The Conspiracy has left on a rescue mission and someone breaks into the Academy. I always had a feeling in the back of my head that Kress’s brother, Micah, was still alive. There’s still the question as to who the traitor on the inside is. I thought it might be Libra, because she’s not the obvious choice. That’s Sara. The end threw me off though, because the cohort bands together to break free. Then they act all nonchalant about the academy’s security again. There’s no mention as to how the ‘cured’ Wisp and Granden. No details from the Conspiracy’s rescue or 7 new Emergents. The ending simply felt rushed and lacking of details, which was completely opposite from the beginning.
We’re also back to dueling themes. We’ve got a dystopian world with enhanced abilities mixed in with theories about realities and myths being the same and the past and future being one. I know it’s only going to get worse because of Branwynne and Matholook. I’ve made it this far though, so might as well keep going.

[Emily Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was interesting that it switched to Brawyne’s point of view, so we could see Kress through other people’s eyes. I love this series, a new fave and can’t wait for the next one to come out!

[Annie Kosar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome To The Dystopian Emergents Academy Of Action Packed Mystery!!:-)

Beginning with uncertainty, but you gain more and more as you continue on with these new and exciting characters!!:-). I love still being able to connect with Kress and her Conspiracy too!!:-). Tons of action and surprises!!:-). Super fun read and introduction to the Emergents Academy!!:-). Can’t WAIT to read more!!:-)

[Keri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good spinoff from the original series. I enjoy hearing how the main characters from the original series are continuing their mission. While the notes on the website say you don't need to have read the original series to read this one, I feel like you'd miss a lot if you just jump straight into this book.

Overall it is a good character story, but the overall mission to save the world feels unachievable.

[Heather Walski · Rating 2 out of 5]

The whole first 3/4 of the book was sooo bad. It is not a school if there is 11 students. It was so boring and dumb. The last part of the book was good because of the action but still some things did not make sense.

[jenn white · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Series

Good Read seems like the series is shifting gears all the time. You won’t be able to put it down.

[Mindy Walski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still enjoying them.

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t often stop after the first in a series but…meh. Too many things with the writing bothered me, and I didn’t care to finish the story.