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The Big Empty #2
Paradise City
This second installment takes readers deeper into post-apocalyptic America from The Big Empty, following the characters as they uncover a shocking truth about the identity of the traitor among them.
272 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2004
7 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
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J.B. Stephens
7 books16 followersLibrarian note:
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There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 16, 2009
The second book in the Big Empty series, this novel finds the ragtag group of teenage survivors finally safe in Novo Mundum. Right away, they begin to spread out, each helping the last true community on Earth in whatever way they can. It seems like paradise; there's plenty of food, everyone is friendly with each other, everyone contributes, and Dr. Slattery, the resident doctor and community leader, is even working to find a cure for Strain 7.
But then Irene, honing her medical skills by volunteering with Novo Mundum's doctors, begins to understand something is very wrong, even though her other friends quickly find niches in the community. Keely goes on scouting missions to collect supplies. Jonah uses his skills to work on Novo Mundum's plumbing and electricity. Michael integrates himself with Liza, Dr. Slattery's pretty daughter. But Irene investigates.
And when their friend Diego is taken away for investigation after suspicions that he may have contracted Strain 7, things begin to add up in a terrifying way. Why are their rooms full of deathly ill subjects in the hospital's basements? Why are chips being inserted under the skin of Novo Mundum's members? And are the leaders of the world's last paradise really so saintly after all?
Managing to incorperate heavy suspense into the story, even though it lacks the journey of survival the first book brought, this sequel develops characters and relationships further.
But then Irene, honing her medical skills by volunteering with Novo Mundum's doctors, begins to understand something is very wrong, even though her other friends quickly find niches in the community. Keely goes on scouting missions to collect supplies. Jonah uses his skills to work on Novo Mundum's plumbing and electricity. Michael integrates himself with Liza, Dr. Slattery's pretty daughter. But Irene investigates.
And when their friend Diego is taken away for investigation after suspicions that he may have contracted Strain 7, things begin to add up in a terrifying way. Why are their rooms full of deathly ill subjects in the hospital's basements? Why are chips being inserted under the skin of Novo Mundum's members? And are the leaders of the world's last paradise really so saintly after all?
Managing to incorperate heavy suspense into the story, even though it lacks the journey of survival the first book brought, this sequel develops characters and relationships further.
September 5, 2011
I bought this from a used bookstore not knowing it was part of a series until I had practically finished the book, as it did not say in a prominent place that there was another book in this series (after being confused for much of the book, I saw the number 2 on the spine and the name "The Big Empty 2: Paradise City on the copyright page). So for most of the novel, I was pretty confused about all the characters and annoyed at why the author didn't describe their journey to Novo Mundum.
Regardless, it was a pretty good book, and it can even stand alone decently if you don't mind being a little confused at places. I'll have to read the rest of the series, eventually. It wasn't good enough to make me want to read the rest right away, but it definitely wasn't bad. I may have to adjust my rating of this book after I read the first one and can understand parts of it better.
The Big Empty: Paradise City isn't particularly well written, and some of the characters are a little two dimensional. This, again, may or may not be due to the fact that I have not read the first book in the series.
Overall, a decent book and a nice way to spend an afternoon. Recommended for a nice short read for older kids or teens, especially those who are fans of dystopian fiction.
Regardless, it was a pretty good book, and it can even stand alone decently if you don't mind being a little confused at places. I'll have to read the rest of the series, eventually. It wasn't good enough to make me want to read the rest right away, but it definitely wasn't bad. I may have to adjust my rating of this book after I read the first one and can understand parts of it better.
The Big Empty: Paradise City isn't particularly well written, and some of the characters are a little two dimensional. This, again, may or may not be due to the fact that I have not read the first book in the series.
Overall, a decent book and a nice way to spend an afternoon. Recommended for a nice short read for older kids or teens, especially those who are fans of dystopian fiction.
September 26, 2017
It is an amazing book to read. It is about 7 teenagers that are in a "safe" community called "Novo Mundum" and they are fighting the government about the Big Empty. Later on, the community gets an invasion by the soldiers of the government and the community has to go on lockdown and try to make the place look abandon very quickly before the soldiers arrive and kill everyone. There are secrets in the community.
May 5, 2023
The listing here says the book goes to 272 pages but my used copy only had 268, and it ended abruptly. So, I’m hoping I got the full ending, but either way, it’s a great 2nd book in the series.
Very light and easy reading. I recommend the series thus far, but did find book 1 much more gripping and a bit more entertaining.
Very light and easy reading. I recommend the series thus far, but did find book 1 much more gripping and a bit more entertaining.
May 20, 2015
The Big Empty
Seven teenagers have found a new home in Novo Mundum, an oasis of relative calm, health, and safety in the midst of this post-apocalyptic America. However, someone is passing information about Novo Mundum to enemies in the outside world, and they want to find out who it is. Four of the seven kids investigate suspicious clues within Novo Mundum, while the other three are sent out to scout for supplies by Novo Mundum's leaders, Dr. Paul Slattery, a medical researcher, and his brother Frank, an ex-Marine in charge of the day-to-day operations. The journey outside takes a turn for the worst. The group encounters gang members, charred bodies, and a young boy living with the decayed corpses of his parents .The discoveries made by the teens within the settlement are even worse, putting all of their lives in danger.
J.B. Stephens, the author of, “The Big Empty: Paradise City,” was born at Borrowstounness on June 17th, 1835. He was a traveling tutor for three years and in 1859 became a school teacher in Scotland. In 1866 he migrated to Queensland, Australia, possibly for health reasons. Before coming to Australia Stephens had done a little writing for popular magazines, and in 1871 his first volume of poems was published by Macmillan and Company, which immediately proclaimed him to be an Australian poet of importance. He married Rosalie Mary Donaldson on November 10th, 1876. After Stephens entered the colonial secretary's department in 1883 he was unable to do much literary work but he occasionally wrote for the press. For some time he was suffering from angina pectoris before his sudden death on June 29th,1902.
A big feature that I really enjoyed about this book is the intensity throughout the whole thing. While reading, I never lost interest. Something was always happening that kept my attention. It was like you never knew what was going to happen next but couldn’t wait to find out. The characters thoughts and feeling were always expressed with enough detail, making it easy to follow who is talking and who is doing what, when and where.
My favorite feature of the book is how much imagery the author uses throughout the book. There was enough imagery to literally picture everything that was happening, as if I were watching a movie instead of reading a book. Being able to do that while reading a book is one of the biggest things that will keep a reader happily reading and interested. It makes readers want more.
Each chapter the author would switch back and forth between the two groups of kids, the one outside Novo Mundum and the ons inside. I like this because otherwise I would forget what each set of kids was doing previously. It only makes it more clear as to what is going on within the town and outside.
I would recommend Novo Mundum to anyone who likes books with lots of intensity and danger. It’s a great book that will make you think.
Seven teenagers have found a new home in Novo Mundum, an oasis of relative calm, health, and safety in the midst of this post-apocalyptic America. However, someone is passing information about Novo Mundum to enemies in the outside world, and they want to find out who it is. Four of the seven kids investigate suspicious clues within Novo Mundum, while the other three are sent out to scout for supplies by Novo Mundum's leaders, Dr. Paul Slattery, a medical researcher, and his brother Frank, an ex-Marine in charge of the day-to-day operations. The journey outside takes a turn for the worst. The group encounters gang members, charred bodies, and a young boy living with the decayed corpses of his parents .The discoveries made by the teens within the settlement are even worse, putting all of their lives in danger.
J.B. Stephens, the author of, “The Big Empty: Paradise City,” was born at Borrowstounness on June 17th, 1835. He was a traveling tutor for three years and in 1859 became a school teacher in Scotland. In 1866 he migrated to Queensland, Australia, possibly for health reasons. Before coming to Australia Stephens had done a little writing for popular magazines, and in 1871 his first volume of poems was published by Macmillan and Company, which immediately proclaimed him to be an Australian poet of importance. He married Rosalie Mary Donaldson on November 10th, 1876. After Stephens entered the colonial secretary's department in 1883 he was unable to do much literary work but he occasionally wrote for the press. For some time he was suffering from angina pectoris before his sudden death on June 29th,1902.
A big feature that I really enjoyed about this book is the intensity throughout the whole thing. While reading, I never lost interest. Something was always happening that kept my attention. It was like you never knew what was going to happen next but couldn’t wait to find out. The characters thoughts and feeling were always expressed with enough detail, making it easy to follow who is talking and who is doing what, when and where.
My favorite feature of the book is how much imagery the author uses throughout the book. There was enough imagery to literally picture everything that was happening, as if I were watching a movie instead of reading a book. Being able to do that while reading a book is one of the biggest things that will keep a reader happily reading and interested. It makes readers want more.
Each chapter the author would switch back and forth between the two groups of kids, the one outside Novo Mundum and the ons inside. I like this because otherwise I would forget what each set of kids was doing previously. It only makes it more clear as to what is going on within the town and outside.
I would recommend Novo Mundum to anyone who likes books with lots of intensity and danger. It’s a great book that will make you think.
February 8, 2013
"Six teens risked everything to reach the one place where they'd be safe."
Keely, Michael, Diego, Irene, Amber, and Jonah have finally reached Novo Mundum, the "Paradise City" where they believe they'll finally be safe from the world around The Big Empty. They've all taken different jobs: Keely as a teacher, Michael a guard and head of security, Irene an assistant to the seemingly grumpy Dr. MacTavish taking care of Diego, Amber as a gardener in the greenhouses, and Jonah as the community handyman. And then there's Liza, the daughter of the leader of Novo Mundum, Dr. Slattery, who has her sights set on Michael. But not everything is happy-go-lucky.
As soon as they arrive, an invasion almost swarms the camp, which leads Dr. Slattery and his brother, Frank, to organize a mission to St Louis in the Big Empty. They send out Michael, Gabe, one of the soldiers in NM, and Keely to get parts for an electric fence and locator disks. They get sent off, but they know one thing that the leaders don't: that there is a spy in Novo Mundum.
Meanwhile, Irene, Amber, Diego, Jonah, and Liza, armed with the knowledge that there is a spy, start investigating the various people. But anyone could be a suspect. When they start witnessing suspicious things, they begin to suspect that something bigger going on. Along the way, there will be a shocking revelation that will rock the foundation of their idea that Novo Mundum is the safest place out there. Will the kids be able to survive?
This book is definitely better than the first one! It improved the problems that were in the last book, like for example, the character development. There was definitely more backstory, like about their lives before Strain 7. The plot is more driven and more action-packed than the last book, especially with the mission. There's some messed up and creepy things in here, so be careful.
The climax is definitely better than the last book. It was more built up than before. It's not as heart-racing as other climaxes that I've read (i.e. Gone by Michael Grant and others in the series), but it's getting there. The ending still felt a little incomplete and left us hanging.
I still had a little problem with the book, though. One was the very short chapters. I felt like the author could've added a little more to each chapter, or combined the short chapters with the same POV into one chapter. Which leads me to the 2nd point. I felt like the POVs changed a little too quickly, and the problem could also be solved by combining chapters. There also seemed to be some "insta-love" moments with some of them.
But all in all, it was better than the first book. More backstory, more plot, more climax! I hope it stays like this (or get even better) throughout the rest of the series!
Keely, Michael, Diego, Irene, Amber, and Jonah have finally reached Novo Mundum, the "Paradise City" where they believe they'll finally be safe from the world around The Big Empty. They've all taken different jobs: Keely as a teacher, Michael a guard and head of security, Irene an assistant to the seemingly grumpy Dr. MacTavish taking care of Diego, Amber as a gardener in the greenhouses, and Jonah as the community handyman. And then there's Liza, the daughter of the leader of Novo Mundum, Dr. Slattery, who has her sights set on Michael. But not everything is happy-go-lucky.
As soon as they arrive, an invasion almost swarms the camp, which leads Dr. Slattery and his brother, Frank, to organize a mission to St Louis in the Big Empty. They send out Michael, Gabe, one of the soldiers in NM, and Keely to get parts for an electric fence and locator disks. They get sent off, but they know one thing that the leaders don't: that there is a spy in Novo Mundum.
Meanwhile, Irene, Amber, Diego, Jonah, and Liza, armed with the knowledge that there is a spy, start investigating the various people. But anyone could be a suspect. When they start witnessing suspicious things, they begin to suspect that something bigger going on. Along the way, there will be a shocking revelation that will rock the foundation of their idea that Novo Mundum is the safest place out there. Will the kids be able to survive?
This book is definitely better than the first one! It improved the problems that were in the last book, like for example, the character development. There was definitely more backstory, like about their lives before Strain 7. The plot is more driven and more action-packed than the last book, especially with the mission. There's some messed up and creepy things in here, so be careful.
The climax is definitely better than the last book. It was more built up than before. It's not as heart-racing as other climaxes that I've read (i.e. Gone by Michael Grant and others in the series), but it's getting there. The ending still felt a little incomplete and left us hanging.
I still had a little problem with the book, though. One was the very short chapters. I felt like the author could've added a little more to each chapter, or combined the short chapters with the same POV into one chapter. Which leads me to the 2nd point. I felt like the POVs changed a little too quickly, and the problem could also be solved by combining chapters. There also seemed to be some "insta-love" moments with some of them.
But all in all, it was better than the first book. More backstory, more plot, more climax! I hope it stays like this (or get even better) throughout the rest of the series!
February 2, 2016
This is the second novel in the Big Empty series. Most of the world has been destroyed by a virus, and in the U.S. the government has become a virtual dictatorship with the military enforcing discipline and death the penalty for many crimes.
The center of the country has been evacuated with people moved to the east and west coasts. The area is referred to as the "big empty" since it is supposedly devoid of people, but it's not.
There are renegades, survivalists and an entire city, Novo Mundum, which is where the best and brightest supposedly gather to try to restart the human race under better guidelines.
A group of teenagers have come to the city and tried to establish a life there. As in the first novel, Diego spends most of his time trying to recover from his injury. Amber, a pregant girl, works in a greenhouse. Jonah has taken up engineering jobs. Irene is working as a doctor, and Michael and Keely go on a dangerous trip to gather supplies. Maggie is off somewhere on her own and not a factor in this volume.
Although Novo Mundum seems to be a paradise, bit by bit things become known to the group and before long they realize that paradise may not be all that it's cracked up to be. It may be just as dangerous if not even more dangerous than the outside world.
And not everyone will agree that something is going wrong in the city, either, breaking the group of teenagers apart.
A good addition to the series.
The center of the country has been evacuated with people moved to the east and west coasts. The area is referred to as the "big empty" since it is supposedly devoid of people, but it's not.
There are renegades, survivalists and an entire city, Novo Mundum, which is where the best and brightest supposedly gather to try to restart the human race under better guidelines.
A group of teenagers have come to the city and tried to establish a life there. As in the first novel, Diego spends most of his time trying to recover from his injury. Amber, a pregant girl, works in a greenhouse. Jonah has taken up engineering jobs. Irene is working as a doctor, and Michael and Keely go on a dangerous trip to gather supplies. Maggie is off somewhere on her own and not a factor in this volume.
Although Novo Mundum seems to be a paradise, bit by bit things become known to the group and before long they realize that paradise may not be all that it's cracked up to be. It may be just as dangerous if not even more dangerous than the outside world.
And not everyone will agree that something is going wrong in the city, either, breaking the group of teenagers apart.
A good addition to the series.
January 31, 2012
I liked Paradise City much more than the first in the series. I don't know why the authors split the two into different books since both felt incomplete alone... Maybe they think that teens aren't able to read more than 200 pages or so without losing interest? It's hard to believe they would make that assumption since most of the generation that this series was targetted toward grew up on the TOMES of Harry Potter. But for whatever reason they did it, I hope that the series is released in one or two volumes soon becuase I can't see kids deciding to continue with the series after the first... but if they automatically read the second because it's in the same volume, they might just be hooked!
This book has so much more character development and detail than The Big Empty. It had PLOT. The characters discovered stuff about themselves, each other, and the society that they are now a part of. They had purpose. There were characters well-developed enough that they annoyed me. There were characters introduced that I felt let down by. Thank goodness! I'm not ashamed to continue with the series!!!
This book has so much more character development and detail than The Big Empty. It had PLOT. The characters discovered stuff about themselves, each other, and the society that they are now a part of. They had purpose. There were characters well-developed enough that they annoyed me. There were characters introduced that I felt let down by. Thank goodness! I'm not ashamed to continue with the series!!!
February 18, 2015
This is a re-read originally read in 2010
When a virus wipes out most of civilization, a few chosen adults and teens are asked to join a secret community of survivors. This series deals with those kids, and a few that they have picked up along the way to Novo Mundum.
I really love this series. Much like the 'Gone' series but this to me is more believable in that it doesn't have all the superhuman powers. Don't get me wrong I love that series to just in a fantasy way. This series I could say it could happen 'Gone' series I couldn't.
Good book for Middle school-aged kids. It doesn't have a lot of depth and reads really fast without all the complex details that most younger readers get lost in, attention span being what it is at that age.
Not a book to be read out of series in order to understand what is going on. This book doesn't recreate much from the first book. Even so, if the first one is NOT available to you, it would be okay there are just some things that you wouldn't understand but would still be a good read.
When a virus wipes out most of civilization, a few chosen adults and teens are asked to join a secret community of survivors. This series deals with those kids, and a few that they have picked up along the way to Novo Mundum.
I really love this series. Much like the 'Gone' series but this to me is more believable in that it doesn't have all the superhuman powers. Don't get me wrong I love that series to just in a fantasy way. This series I could say it could happen 'Gone' series I couldn't.
Good book for Middle school-aged kids. It doesn't have a lot of depth and reads really fast without all the complex details that most younger readers get lost in, attention span being what it is at that age.
Not a book to be read out of series in order to understand what is going on. This book doesn't recreate much from the first book. Even so, if the first one is NOT available to you, it would be okay there are just some things that you wouldn't understand but would still be a good read.
July 8, 2009
It started right in on the action, yet I felt like it was almost too much. It was like there was so much going on with each character, that you didn't have time to process what was happening with one before another was neck-deep in major shit. I know that's how it happens in real life, and the author was very realistic in that. Again, it is easy to forget that the characters are supposed to be teenagers (around 17). And, like Big Empty, it was a total cliff hanger... I am so glad I am reading these now, and not when they came out. I would have been DYING from anticipation of the next one. As usual, I have questions... Will they find out about Dr. MacTavish? What will Dr. Slattery do to Liza? And Jonah - will he turn sides? Where are the kids going to go?? Keely and Michael already know the area around them isn't safe...
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 21, 2009
I had to order this book online because none of the three library systems I belong to own it, probably for good reason. It was okay... but nothing really happened in this book. In the first book a lot happened, and I liked that. In this one the whole book was spent wondering who was leaking information, and when they figured that out, still nothing happened. That's how I felt with Uglies and Pretties, and it's not fun to have to keep going on from sequel to sequel hoping there will be some action.
July 2, 2010
It's suspenseful, but with very unique situations that don't conform to the usual "omg there's a guy with a gun to my head" kind of situation. Lots of life and death, lots of dying, romances form, and there's definitely a lot of secrets and lies. A light read that will have you on the edge of your seat biting your fingernails for the whole last half of the book.
The one thing I didn't like was that the book took forreevverrr to get to the action. But once it did, it was definitely worth the wait. Hence the four stars.
The one thing I didn't like was that the book took forreevverrr to get to the action. But once it did, it was definitely worth the wait. Hence the four stars.
Read
July 26, 2015I didn't realize this was the second in a series - reading out of order is not usually a problem. Thinking about it now, maybe why the characters felt underdeveloped and unexplained to me is that they were given their depth in the first book. It was a bit confusing who was who for a while because of this but by midway through it got better. There was plenty of action in this plot but a lot of unanswered questions for me - again, maybe because this book is the middle child and not really a stand-alone story.
April 13, 2008
I was in Boston in January and decided to walk to the hotel. I was dying from the windy cold and there was a strip club. I went in and had an expensive drink, looked at the sad strippers and got bored. After a while I started reading this book and three people came over and gave me shit for reading in a strip club, and they didn't even know it was a teen book!
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.
April 1, 2015
Not nearly engaging as the 1st book.
I'm probably not going to continue the story.
There is some character development, mysteries revealed, murder and death, but it just wasn't as engaging.
If you really need to know what is going on...feel free to read.
But I'd give this one a pass.
I'm probably not going to continue the story.
There is some character development, mysteries revealed, murder and death, but it just wasn't as engaging.
If you really need to know what is going on...feel free to read.
But I'd give this one a pass.
January 27, 2009
GOOD BOOK!
April 8, 2010
also a great book. great job on following characters. really slow for first 50 pages. but gets way better in the end. keeps you interested the entire time
June 28, 2010
this book was sad, happy,and scary all at the exact same time
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 had more disturbing scenes in it than the last one. . .these kids just can't catch a break!
September 15, 2012
I enjoyed this series but it did not have to be a series. The story should have been told in one volume as none of the books seemed to wrap up at a logical ending place.
October 28, 2012
I haven't read the first one but enjoyed this one while I was on vacation. Good vacation read.
November 15, 2012
OH EM GEEE!!!! on the edge of my seat from the moment Gabe, Michael, and Keeley are sent out on their mission AKA the entire second half of the book. can't wait to read the next two :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2014
I was able to first read this book rather than book 1, now I'm craving for that first book of big empty.
October 2, 2014
This book had suspence and it was suprising who was forming more desises like strain 8 and 9 it had quite a bit of cusing in it but over all it was a good book and im glad i read it.
April 8, 2016
It wasn't really interesting.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews