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Malice #2
Havoc
Seth finally managed to escape the terrifying comicbook world of Malice, but he left his best friend Kady there. Now he must go back and rescue her. But can he find a way back in? Kady has her own worries. She's trying to reach Havoc, a group of rebel kids plotting to destroy Tall Jake, the evil ruler of Malice. But somebody is watching the comic and can see what everyone is up to. Is there no way to escape?
396 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
63 people are currently reading
1028 people want to read
About the author
Chris Wooding
79 books2,191 followersChris Wooding grew up in a small town in Leicestershire, where not much of anything happened. So he started to write novels. He was sixteen when he completed his first. He had an agent by eighteen. By nineteen he had signed his first book deal. When he left university he began to write full-time, and he has been doing it professionally all his adult life.
Now thirty-nine, Chris has written over twenty books, which have been translated into twenty languages, won various awards and been published around the world. He writes for film and television, and has several projects in development.
Chris has travelled extensively round the world, having backpacked all over Europe and North America, Scandinavia, South East Asia, Japan and South Africa. He also lived in Madrid for a time. When he wasn’t travelling on his own, he spent his twenties touring with bands and seeing the UK and Europe from the back of a van.
He also learned not so long ago that his family tree can be traced back to John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, which has no bearing on him whatsoever but it’s kind of interesting anyway.
Chris lives in London.
Now thirty-nine, Chris has written over twenty books, which have been translated into twenty languages, won various awards and been published around the world. He writes for film and television, and has several projects in development.
Chris has travelled extensively round the world, having backpacked all over Europe and North America, Scandinavia, South East Asia, Japan and South Africa. He also lived in Madrid for a time. When he wasn’t travelling on his own, he spent his twenties touring with bands and seeing the UK and Europe from the back of a van.
He also learned not so long ago that his family tree can be traced back to John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, which has no bearing on him whatsoever but it’s kind of interesting anyway.
Chris lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
August 15, 2014
Ok, so I thought the first book was creepy. HAVOC IS EVEN CREEPIER. That scene with mim on the computer?! (pages 53 and 55) TOTALLY made me squeal in bliss and horror. There’s so many good scenes like that within these pages! I’m not sure what book I like better, the first one or this... they’re both amazing in their own way. This book definitely has a lot more suspense and action in it though!
The ending made me a little sad on what Seth decided to do... I was hoping it wouldn't be that way, BUT HEY, THAT’S OK! :D Now the author made it more interestingly possible to make a third book in the future! MWAHAHA.
The ending made me a little sad on what Seth decided to do... I was hoping it wouldn't be that way, BUT HEY, THAT’S OK! :D Now the author made it more interestingly possible to make a third book in the future! MWAHAHA.
August 20, 2014
Malice and Havoc are both amazing action packed books. One's as good as the other. So sad that the series has ended. Definitley a book to recommend to those who enjoy mystery and adventure. The description and eerie atmosphere the book sets is awesome!!!
November 6, 2010
Rebecca Perry 6/9 November 6, 2010
Reading
Havoc Book #2 in The Malice series
Chris Wooding
Horror/ Fantasy
Seth has escaped Malice once but will he a second time? Kady and Justin are looking for a band of kids in Malice called Havoc. Malice is a comic that kids get taken by Tall Jake into if they say the ritual. There are things you don’t want to meet there like, Meat- Men, Regulators, Orgers, Giants and other things that will murder you. Seth was sent on a mission to go back to the real world and retrieve the Shard. Tall Jakes greatest enemy who has been locked in an ornament for ages. Will Seth bring the Shard to Kady and Justin and will Kady and Justin survive in Malice long enough?
I loved this book. So much suspense building up. There was never a dull moment. With the saddest ending on Earth though. Chris Wooding has a great way of writing I really like. I give this book 5 stars and recommend it to readers who like fantasy and horror. But before you read Havoc you should read malice the first book in the series it is just as good.
Reading
Havoc Book #2 in The Malice series
Chris Wooding
Horror/ Fantasy
Seth has escaped Malice once but will he a second time? Kady and Justin are looking for a band of kids in Malice called Havoc. Malice is a comic that kids get taken by Tall Jake into if they say the ritual. There are things you don’t want to meet there like, Meat- Men, Regulators, Orgers, Giants and other things that will murder you. Seth was sent on a mission to go back to the real world and retrieve the Shard. Tall Jakes greatest enemy who has been locked in an ornament for ages. Will Seth bring the Shard to Kady and Justin and will Kady and Justin survive in Malice long enough?
I loved this book. So much suspense building up. There was never a dull moment. With the saddest ending on Earth though. Chris Wooding has a great way of writing I really like. I give this book 5 stars and recommend it to readers who like fantasy and horror. But before you read Havoc you should read malice the first book in the series it is just as good.
September 26, 2018
A wonderful conclusion to the set! I wish there was more in this world
December 29, 2010
This is the second part of the Malice series by Wooding. I really enjoyed the first book, Malice, and thought it was an interesting combo of graphic novel and standard book. This was a great addition to the series and gave nice closure to the events that were left hanging in Malice. You definitely need to read Malice before reading this book.
Seth is back in the real world with the artifact that holds the secret to Tall Jack's undoing. Katy is still in Malice and is trying to join up with the rebel group Havoc. Both of them will need to combine their forces with the goddess Lack and the Queen of Cats if they are going to defeat Tall Jack and shut down the Malice comic book for good.
This was a great addition to the series. The plot moves quickly with ample twists and turns to keep you guessing. The action scenes are very well done and the setting is imaginative and captivating. This is a hard book to put down with non-stop action from beginning to end. I love how the story is interspersed with comic book scenes.
In general I really enjoyed this book. I have a couple small complaints though. The characters are never fully fleshed out; they are a bit spare and more characterization would have made this even a better book. My second complaint is that the graphic comic scenes are kind of second rate. I had the same complaint with the first book. The scenes are sketchy, hard to follow, and it is hard to distinguish one character from another.
The above being said I still really enjoyed this book. The questions from the first book are answered; we get to meet the mysterious Grendel and the mysterious Queen of Cats. Things are pretty well wrapped up. I am not sure if there will be more books in this series, but if there aren't I think this book wraps up things just fine.
Overall a great wrap-up to this series. Love the creativity of Malice and the wonderful action scenes. Not so fond of the sketchy artwork and the lack of characterization; but don't let those things keep you from reading this really engaging and creative book! Look forward to reading more of Wooding's books in the future; I have both The Fade and Retribution Falls on my bookshelf waiting to be read!
Seth is back in the real world with the artifact that holds the secret to Tall Jack's undoing. Katy is still in Malice and is trying to join up with the rebel group Havoc. Both of them will need to combine their forces with the goddess Lack and the Queen of Cats if they are going to defeat Tall Jack and shut down the Malice comic book for good.
This was a great addition to the series. The plot moves quickly with ample twists and turns to keep you guessing. The action scenes are very well done and the setting is imaginative and captivating. This is a hard book to put down with non-stop action from beginning to end. I love how the story is interspersed with comic book scenes.
In general I really enjoyed this book. I have a couple small complaints though. The characters are never fully fleshed out; they are a bit spare and more characterization would have made this even a better book. My second complaint is that the graphic comic scenes are kind of second rate. I had the same complaint with the first book. The scenes are sketchy, hard to follow, and it is hard to distinguish one character from another.
The above being said I still really enjoyed this book. The questions from the first book are answered; we get to meet the mysterious Grendel and the mysterious Queen of Cats. Things are pretty well wrapped up. I am not sure if there will be more books in this series, but if there aren't I think this book wraps up things just fine.
Overall a great wrap-up to this series. Love the creativity of Malice and the wonderful action scenes. Not so fond of the sketchy artwork and the lack of characterization; but don't let those things keep you from reading this really engaging and creative book! Look forward to reading more of Wooding's books in the future; I have both The Fade and Retribution Falls on my bookshelf waiting to be read!
March 10, 2011
I like Chris Wooding. Poison? A solid book. Haunting Of Alaizabel Cray? Totally into it. Malice, the prequel to Havoc, was meh, and honestly I'm not sure why I decided to read it sequel, but for whatever reason I did, and it wasn't so bad that I just couldn't finish it, but I just wasn't good either. I give this novel/comic hybrid a solid boo.
The idea is that there is an urban legend - kids say a chant and do a little ritual where you burn a tear, a black feather, a twig, and a wad of cat hair that has been shed and say "Tall Jake take me away" six times and eventually Tall Jake will take you away to the comic book world of Malice. Seth and Kady, our heroes, get mixed up in this world when their friend is taken there and is killed. Havoc picks up where Malice left off, Kady trapped in Malice, Seth stuck in the "real world" with his memory of Malice wiped but a forgotten mission to bring back to Malice the one weapon that can defeat Tall Jake.
I think Wooding was trying to write an epic story but not in epic length meaning the plot is rushed, obstacles are too easily over come and there is virtually no character development - even with two whole books to develop. I just didn't care about the characters or their relationships or their struggles.
The idea is that there is an urban legend - kids say a chant and do a little ritual where you burn a tear, a black feather, a twig, and a wad of cat hair that has been shed and say "Tall Jake take me away" six times and eventually Tall Jake will take you away to the comic book world of Malice. Seth and Kady, our heroes, get mixed up in this world when their friend is taken there and is killed. Havoc picks up where Malice left off, Kady trapped in Malice, Seth stuck in the "real world" with his memory of Malice wiped but a forgotten mission to bring back to Malice the one weapon that can defeat Tall Jake.
I think Wooding was trying to write an epic story but not in epic length meaning the plot is rushed, obstacles are too easily over come and there is virtually no character development - even with two whole books to develop. I just didn't care about the characters or their relationships or their struggles.
May 24, 2020
3.5 stars
I was never big on the Horror/Fantasy genre, not even as a child — with the exception of Chris Wooding's Malice. I absolutely ate up that book, a terrifying story built around the urban legend of a world that exists inside a comic book, and spent a considerable part of my early teens trying to get my hands on Havoc and put my curiosity about how the story ends to rest. To my frustration and utter disappointment, I could not locate a copy anywhere — until now. Somehow, revisiting the world of Malice at 22 was even more exciting than ever before, and I was surprised to know that a middle-grade duology could still give me the creeps.
Havoc proved to be a fitting conclusion to what Malice, started, the story of a horrid world within a comic book that children started disappearing into — just call on Tall Jake, and he'll take you there. It was fast-paced and packed with action, and the comic-book sections seem to have improved as well (although not tremendously). I was pleased to see a more diverse cast of characters with more realistic levels of fear and gusto, and loved the way Wooding progresses with the worldbuilding, dystopia, and lore of Malice.
Wooding's insights about the dangers and power of belief and the perversions of modern society were excellent, too, and strengthened the allure of this book on a whole. Indeed, both the comic and the urban legend around it continued to exist because of schadenfreude and our attraction to seeing bad or humiliating things happen to other people, be it on reality TV or elsewhere. It is also interesting how the various dynamics of belief and disbelief between kids and their peers as well as kids and adults were what kept people from considering Malice as real, or as a real threat. Havoc is both inventive and insightful beyond what's expected of a book for children, and I found the bittersweet ending, especially with regards to Grendel, rather beautiful.
However, Havoc was quite disappointing in terms of the development of its two main characters, Kady and Seth. Despite the bits of gendering that existed in the first book, I loved how Kady was a strong female character from the very beginning. That wasn't so much the case in Havoc, and Kady seemed to retreat into more 'feminine' passivity here whereas male characters literally took over from her in some cases. I felt that both protagonists were less fleshed-out in this book, and even downright annoying in some places — especially Seth with a new-fangled hero complex. I also found the vague romantic arc between the two a rather unnecessary, tiring, and pointless reverting to conventional tropes, and disliked it as much as I liked the depth and comic relief Justin ended up offering. Despite the tightly wound plot, I was disappointed that character of Heather does not make an appearance after the first few pages of the first book — this was certainly a disappointing loose-end left loose.
Still, it was exciting and rewarding to have finally gotten rid of Tall Jake's specter, and I liked the unexpected, real-life lesson this book offered: go after the system that keeps the evil alive, and not its individual actors.
I was never big on the Horror/Fantasy genre, not even as a child — with the exception of Chris Wooding's Malice. I absolutely ate up that book, a terrifying story built around the urban legend of a world that exists inside a comic book, and spent a considerable part of my early teens trying to get my hands on Havoc and put my curiosity about how the story ends to rest. To my frustration and utter disappointment, I could not locate a copy anywhere — until now. Somehow, revisiting the world of Malice at 22 was even more exciting than ever before, and I was surprised to know that a middle-grade duology could still give me the creeps.
Havoc proved to be a fitting conclusion to what Malice, started, the story of a horrid world within a comic book that children started disappearing into — just call on Tall Jake, and he'll take you there. It was fast-paced and packed with action, and the comic-book sections seem to have improved as well (although not tremendously). I was pleased to see a more diverse cast of characters with more realistic levels of fear and gusto, and loved the way Wooding progresses with the worldbuilding, dystopia, and lore of Malice.
Wooding's insights about the dangers and power of belief and the perversions of modern society were excellent, too, and strengthened the allure of this book on a whole. Indeed, both the comic and the urban legend around it continued to exist because of schadenfreude and our attraction to seeing bad or humiliating things happen to other people, be it on reality TV or elsewhere. It is also interesting how the various dynamics of belief and disbelief between kids and their peers as well as kids and adults were what kept people from considering Malice as real, or as a real threat. Havoc is both inventive and insightful beyond what's expected of a book for children, and I found the bittersweet ending, especially with regards to Grendel, rather beautiful.
However, Havoc was quite disappointing in terms of the development of its two main characters, Kady and Seth. Despite the bits of gendering that existed in the first book, I loved how Kady was a strong female character from the very beginning. That wasn't so much the case in Havoc, and Kady seemed to retreat into more 'feminine' passivity here whereas male characters literally took over from her in some cases. I felt that both protagonists were less fleshed-out in this book, and even downright annoying in some places — especially Seth with a new-fangled hero complex. I also found the vague romantic arc between the two a rather unnecessary, tiring, and pointless reverting to conventional tropes, and disliked it as much as I liked the depth and comic relief Justin ended up offering. Despite the tightly wound plot, I was disappointed that character of Heather does not make an appearance after the first few pages of the first book — this was certainly a disappointing loose-end left loose.
Still, it was exciting and rewarding to have finally gotten rid of Tall Jake's specter, and I liked the unexpected, real-life lesson this book offered: go after the system that keeps the evil alive, and not its individual actors.
April 3, 2011
This was a great conclusion to the Malice duology and I have to say I liked it even better than the first. Wooding does a great job of not only creeping you out with the tone he's set, but his plotting is exciting and action-packed. All in a middle-grade level book. (Although there is a comic picture of a person's butt) :)
If you don't already know, Malice and Havoc are novels interspersed with comics and it's done almost flawlessly. I say almost because there is still a bit of a disconnect going from comic form to novel and back, but nothing that hurts the story in any way.
The story in a nutshell: Malice is an underground comic depicting kids in horrible situations, battling terrible monsters and overcoming (or not) even worse obstacles...and it's all real. Any kid who does the ritual and says the right words will be taken to Malice by the evil Tall Jake, ruler of Malice.
Havoc is a group of kids banded together to be the thorn in Tall Jake's equally lengthy foot (actually I don't know if that last part's true).
The imagination is brilliant, it's fun, it's an insanely quick read, and totally worth it even if you think you're too good for a kids book. :)
Although, I did find myself looking forward much more to the limited comic portions, which sped by way too fast.
Awesome book. Definitely recommended.
If you don't already know, Malice and Havoc are novels interspersed with comics and it's done almost flawlessly. I say almost because there is still a bit of a disconnect going from comic form to novel and back, but nothing that hurts the story in any way.
The story in a nutshell: Malice is an underground comic depicting kids in horrible situations, battling terrible monsters and overcoming (or not) even worse obstacles...and it's all real. Any kid who does the ritual and says the right words will be taken to Malice by the evil Tall Jake, ruler of Malice.
Havoc is a group of kids banded together to be the thorn in Tall Jake's equally lengthy foot (actually I don't know if that last part's true).
The imagination is brilliant, it's fun, it's an insanely quick read, and totally worth it even if you think you're too good for a kids book. :)
Although, I did find myself looking forward much more to the limited comic portions, which sped by way too fast.
Awesome book. Definitely recommended.
November 4, 2015
Watch my full review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaIAY...
I can't believe I finished this book... I was so close to DNF'ing!
In the end I feel like this duology sounds a lot cooler than it is. I found Seth to be incredible dumb and egoistic and I dislike him a whole lot. Kady was meah, Tatyana didn't really seem like a former human girl to me and a whole bunch of the other characters I just did not like. Justin and Alicia did lift things up a little bit.
I wasn't in love with the comic parts, the art style just didn't spoke to me and I sometimes had a bit of a hard time seeing what was important (especially during the fighting scenes).
Overall I'm just happy to be done with it.
I can't believe I finished this book... I was so close to DNF'ing!
In the end I feel like this duology sounds a lot cooler than it is. I found Seth to be incredible dumb and egoistic and I dislike him a whole lot. Kady was meah, Tatyana didn't really seem like a former human girl to me and a whole bunch of the other characters I just did not like. Justin and Alicia did lift things up a little bit.
I wasn't in love with the comic parts, the art style just didn't spoke to me and I sometimes had a bit of a hard time seeing what was important (especially during the fighting scenes).
Overall I'm just happy to be done with it.
January 16, 2022
Wow. Amazing. I genuinely have no words this was an amazing book.
May 6, 2024
Much slower than the previous one, and some of Seth’s internal monologue is super annoying. Overall still a wonderful read and a captivating tale. I really enjoyed this short series. Not too often that you see a book series with a complete story that’s only two novels.
February 26, 2011
So, I should preface this by saying that I never actually read the book's prequel, Malice, and I very much wish I had - but not because Havoc didn't make sense. I just want to read Malice because I liked Havoc so much.
Now, I'm not one for comic books, or boy books in general - in fact, I'm going to admit that my usual easy read consists of a colorful cover with a flower on the front, almost ensuring a female protagonist. That said, I was experimenting when I picked up Havoc, and I'm glad I did. Maybe it's just the nature of the genre, but I found the pace of the novel exhilarating; it really did captivate me, with very little down time between action segments. The world Wooding (or Grendel - nice allusion to Beowulf) created was fascinating, and the not the pretty la-la land I would have created. That said, the comic elements of the novel really helped to draw the reader into the world, with visualizing things, although they were a little shocking at first. The creatures were creepy, and detailed enough that I kept looking at the comic pages, feeling like I could get more from them. That said, for those of us unfamiliar with the comic genre, don't be put off by the confusing nature of the comics at first, I promise you'll get used to them!
Overall, I liked it. It was a nice break from girl-land, with characters that were endearing, and spoke to the little hero in me waiting to get out. Also, it was just cool to read a multi-genre piece, one that played around with comics, fonts, and more.
And it was action-packed. Take that Hunger games.
Now, I'm not one for comic books, or boy books in general - in fact, I'm going to admit that my usual easy read consists of a colorful cover with a flower on the front, almost ensuring a female protagonist. That said, I was experimenting when I picked up Havoc, and I'm glad I did. Maybe it's just the nature of the genre, but I found the pace of the novel exhilarating; it really did captivate me, with very little down time between action segments. The world Wooding (or Grendel - nice allusion to Beowulf) created was fascinating, and the not the pretty la-la land I would have created. That said, the comic elements of the novel really helped to draw the reader into the world, with visualizing things, although they were a little shocking at first. The creatures were creepy, and detailed enough that I kept looking at the comic pages, feeling like I could get more from them. That said, for those of us unfamiliar with the comic genre, don't be put off by the confusing nature of the comics at first, I promise you'll get used to them!
Overall, I liked it. It was a nice break from girl-land, with characters that were endearing, and spoke to the little hero in me waiting to get out. Also, it was just cool to read a multi-genre piece, one that played around with comics, fonts, and more.
And it was action-packed. Take that Hunger games.
January 7, 2011
A fabulous conclusion to the first book. I was pretty surprised (but pleased) that the author was happy to leave it at two books rather than stretching it out to make the series a trilogy. This is a fast-paced story where the kids from the first book (Malice) are trying to bring an end to the dictatorial reign of Tall Jake over the world of Malice.
I was impressed that we could get such a great story without all of the garbage that gets thrown in by many other authors. This series would be an easy and solid recommendation for older elementary school / teen boys who aren't into reading and just about anyone else looking for a good tale (except maybe my mom, who wouldn't want a scary-ish type story like this one).
Rating: PG (or maybe a light PG-13), for intense action scenes and some scary pictures in the "comic book" sections.
One additional comment--my copy of the book seemed really well published. The paper was of great quality and was a treat to touch as I turned the pages. I don't normally notice that kind of thing a lot, but it stood out to me this time.
***MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD***
It feels like the story is over, which I like, but there's also an open door for more adventures in Malice. I don't think it would be necessary, but I would probably read those stories if he wrote them.
I was impressed that we could get such a great story without all of the garbage that gets thrown in by many other authors. This series would be an easy and solid recommendation for older elementary school / teen boys who aren't into reading and just about anyone else looking for a good tale (except maybe my mom, who wouldn't want a scary-ish type story like this one).
Rating: PG (or maybe a light PG-13), for intense action scenes and some scary pictures in the "comic book" sections.
One additional comment--my copy of the book seemed really well published. The paper was of great quality and was a treat to touch as I turned the pages. I don't normally notice that kind of thing a lot, but it stood out to me this time.
***MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD***
It feels like the story is over, which I like, but there's also an open door for more adventures in Malice. I don't think it would be necessary, but I would probably read those stories if he wrote them.
April 1, 2012
I thought this was a set of books that you can admire while reading. Malice/Havoc feels very original with an imaginative story on top of a stellar presentation that hits you from every angle. The hardcovers are fantastic editions, and the only way to go if you want to really enjoy this duet.
Havoc Hardcover evolves from Malice with improved graphics, better written text, a story in full gear, better book building, and beige tinted paper which is nice on the eyes. Printing was moved from China to the US. Who knew?
For another opinion, check out this review on youtube by an amusing kid who thought the 2 books were just worthwhile as his reading had some deep, deep disappointments. He did a nice presentation, too. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbINjb...
I am a little older than this kid (who liked the book more than he thinks), so its probably easier for me to accept that a Schoolastic book for kids didn't spend more time exploring the world of Malice. I agree that the written sections were of average quality, but the pacing was fine, even very good, for this overall great, nearly 800 page book/comic project.
Havoc Hardcover evolves from Malice with improved graphics, better written text, a story in full gear, better book building, and beige tinted paper which is nice on the eyes. Printing was moved from China to the US. Who knew?
For another opinion, check out this review on youtube by an amusing kid who thought the 2 books were just worthwhile as his reading had some deep, deep disappointments. He did a nice presentation, too. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbINjb...
I am a little older than this kid (who liked the book more than he thinks), so its probably easier for me to accept that a Schoolastic book for kids didn't spend more time exploring the world of Malice. I agree that the written sections were of average quality, but the pacing was fine, even very good, for this overall great, nearly 800 page book/comic project.
April 26, 2018
Oh yey more kids dying left and right how delightful and the ending of a dictator of a world in a comic also delightful :D
October 24, 2015
better than the first book, and for some reason, the writing style changed, for the better tbh
February 14, 2019
So I have to say, I did really enjoy this book. The worldbuilding for Malice is still fantastic and atmospheric, and the lore and meta are pretty fascinating. If you're into a little creepy fiction (it would probably qualify as horror, but more the creepy kind than the jumpscare kind), this is a fun series with really creative execution, and this book keeps up with the first.
Stuff I liked:
- The Queen of Cats and the Lack were super interesting and just badass.
- While I don't believe diversity is a requirement for good literature, it was still nice to see some more diverse characters (namely Alicia and Scotty) in this one, especially since I actually liked both characters.
- Justin really grew on me. The puns, man. I also really liked Dylan and Scotty.
- I liked that we had more characters that weren't all gungho and high powered in this one. Alicia had a lot of more normal reactions to things, but chose to be brave anyway, and Scotty even admits he'd probably have been a goner if he hadn't somehow gotten in with Havoc.
- The meta with Grendel was pretty well executed, and gave an extra dimension to things.
Stuff that was meh:
- Both Kady and Seth, who were ostensibly the main characters, were only okay for me. I think I liked Seth more in the previous book, but he doesn't seem to change much as a person. I liked Kady a little more due to her growth into realizing she wants a normal life.
- I wish we'd have gotten more lore. I know we covered quite a bit, but there's still a lot to the world that was left unexplored. I can't tell if there was originally supposed to be a longer series and then it got cut? But out of the Six, we only really get to know the Queen of Cats and the Lack, and even then only barely. We technically know Tall Jake, but not a lot about his backstory or the why behind his motivations, and we only know the Shard as a destructive force in the shape of a dragon. We never get to learn anything about the other two.
- There are a lot of loose ends, and while some of them seem intentional (e.g. what happens to Malice/Havoc/etc after the battle), a lot of them just seem like the author glossed over them - e.g. if Tall Jake runs on belief, shouldn't the kids have made an effort to destroy the remaining comics? Would he have been able to come back just based on there still being kids who believe in the comic? What about the people working at the printing press?
Stuff I disliked:
- The art had the same problem as the first book, which is that the skill level could have been better. The drawings looked like they were done by a high schooler with no art training, which meant the characters tended to blend together, there wasn't much by way of depth or light/shadow, and everything was flat and poorly detailed. I think it would have been a more effective if the comic sections looked better.
- The vague teen romance is back. I don't really understand why it's here, though? Reading the first book, I thought maybe it was just vague as a slow buildup and would be clearer in book 2, but nope! It's the worst kind of teen romance because now they just awkwardly have vague feelings and it's SUPER unclear that they're into each other, except that I've read other books before so I'm pretty sure that there's a crush between the lines. It doesn't matter to the story, it barely would change anything if we took out all of the awkward Kady/Seth-ish bits and just had them both be motivated by saving people, and I don't understand why the author felt the need to insert it. There's not much premise for it either, because other than periodically thinking vague thoughts about each other, they're mostly both preoccupied with other things. Honestly, Justin has more chemistry with EITHER OF THEM than they do with each other. Ugh.
Stuff I liked:
- The Queen of Cats and the Lack were super interesting and just badass.
- While I don't believe diversity is a requirement for good literature, it was still nice to see some more diverse characters (namely Alicia and Scotty) in this one, especially since I actually liked both characters.
- Justin really grew on me. The puns, man. I also really liked Dylan and Scotty.
- I liked that we had more characters that weren't all gungho and high powered in this one. Alicia had a lot of more normal reactions to things, but chose to be brave anyway, and Scotty even admits he'd probably have been a goner if he hadn't somehow gotten in with Havoc.
- The meta with Grendel was pretty well executed, and gave an extra dimension to things.
Stuff that was meh:
- Both Kady and Seth, who were ostensibly the main characters, were only okay for me. I think I liked Seth more in the previous book, but he doesn't seem to change much as a person. I liked Kady a little more due to her growth into realizing she wants a normal life.
- I wish we'd have gotten more lore. I know we covered quite a bit, but there's still a lot to the world that was left unexplored. I can't tell if there was originally supposed to be a longer series and then it got cut? But out of the Six, we only really get to know the Queen of Cats and the Lack, and even then only barely. We technically know Tall Jake, but not a lot about his backstory or the why behind his motivations, and we only know the Shard as a destructive force in the shape of a dragon. We never get to learn anything about the other two.
- There are a lot of loose ends, and while some of them seem intentional (e.g. what happens to Malice/Havoc/etc after the battle), a lot of them just seem like the author glossed over them - e.g. if Tall Jake runs on belief, shouldn't the kids have made an effort to destroy the remaining comics? Would he have been able to come back just based on there still being kids who believe in the comic? What about the people working at the printing press?
Stuff I disliked:
- The art had the same problem as the first book, which is that the skill level could have been better. The drawings looked like they were done by a high schooler with no art training, which meant the characters tended to blend together, there wasn't much by way of depth or light/shadow, and everything was flat and poorly detailed. I think it would have been a more effective if the comic sections looked better.
- The vague teen romance is back. I don't really understand why it's here, though? Reading the first book, I thought maybe it was just vague as a slow buildup and would be clearer in book 2, but nope! It's the worst kind of teen romance because now they just awkwardly have vague feelings and it's SUPER unclear that they're into each other, except that I've read other books before so I'm pretty sure that there's a crush between the lines. It doesn't matter to the story, it barely would change anything if we took out all of the awkward Kady/Seth-ish bits and just had them both be motivated by saving people, and I don't understand why the author felt the need to insert it. There's not much premise for it either, because other than periodically thinking vague thoughts about each other, they're mostly both preoccupied with other things. Honestly, Justin has more chemistry with EITHER OF THEM than they do with each other. Ugh.
October 3, 2025
Estuve debatiendo un poco en si darle a este libro 4 o 4.5 estrellas, pero al final me decidí por 4.
La resistencia es un libro con mucho peso sobre sus hombros. Es el final de una bilogía y tenía que lidiar con el cliffhanger del libro anterior. No conforme con eso, el autor decidió introducir un personaje nuevo y dedicarle algunos capítulos para contar su propia historia. Teniendo todo esto en cuenta, considero que el libro cumplió bien e incluso superó algunas de mis expectativas.
La lectura es aún más ágil que el libro anterior, los capítulos se pasan volando y, aún en los breves momentos de tranquilidad, deseaba seguir leyendo y mi mente solo podía pensar en qué pasaría a continuación. El lore de Malice se enriquece mucho en esta novela, sobre todo durante la segunda mitad del libro y encontramos respuestas a muchos de los acontecimientos del libro anterior.
Las secciones de cómic mejoraron enormemente con respecto al primer libro: están llenas de detalles e incluye con gran precisión a muchas de las criaturas que se describen en la novela. También es muy interesante cómo el autor juega con estas secciones, dándoles una razón de existir dentro del universo y cómo los personajes las usan como herramientas para avanzar la trama. Un 10 en ese aspecto.
¿Por qué entonces decidí no darle una puntuación más alta?
Principalmente por dos razones: La primera es que me costó mucho trabajo empatizar con Seth, el protagonista, incluso a pesar de que fui un adolescente muy parecido a él en cuanto a modo de ver la vida. Desde el primer libro, él siente la necesidad de probarse, de sentir un peligro real, de adentrarse en un mundo desconocido y sin reglas. Sin embargo, en este libro se repite el mismo concepto hasta el hartazgo y Seth se siente un poco unidimensional en ese aspecto. Su arco de personaje es principalmente ese y poco más. Ni siquiera después de todo el horror que vive hay algo de verdadero crecimiento, no hay trauma, sólo sigue con su vida como si nada hubiera pasado. Poco más.
El otro aspecto que no fue del todo de mi agrado fue el final. Si bien se puede inferir qué ocurrirá a continuación, el final queda demasiado abierto para mí. Me habría gustado saber un poco más de qué ocurrió con ciertos personajes y las consecuencias de lo que hicieron los personajes durante los últimos capítulos. No es que sea un mal final, simplemente me quedó a deber un poco en ese aspecto.
Por último, me alegra que el autor no haya forzado ciertas subtramas o relaciones entre los personajes. Por momentos parecía que así ocurriría, pero al final no ocurrió y tampoco era necesario.
En resumen, La resistencia es una digna secuela del primer libro y un libro imperdible para los amantes del terror y los cómics. Muy recomendado.
La resistencia es un libro con mucho peso sobre sus hombros. Es el final de una bilogía y tenía que lidiar con el cliffhanger del libro anterior. No conforme con eso, el autor decidió introducir un personaje nuevo y dedicarle algunos capítulos para contar su propia historia. Teniendo todo esto en cuenta, considero que el libro cumplió bien e incluso superó algunas de mis expectativas.
La lectura es aún más ágil que el libro anterior, los capítulos se pasan volando y, aún en los breves momentos de tranquilidad, deseaba seguir leyendo y mi mente solo podía pensar en qué pasaría a continuación. El lore de Malice se enriquece mucho en esta novela, sobre todo durante la segunda mitad del libro y encontramos respuestas a muchos de los acontecimientos del libro anterior.
Las secciones de cómic mejoraron enormemente con respecto al primer libro: están llenas de detalles e incluye con gran precisión a muchas de las criaturas que se describen en la novela. También es muy interesante cómo el autor juega con estas secciones, dándoles una razón de existir dentro del universo y cómo los personajes las usan como herramientas para avanzar la trama. Un 10 en ese aspecto.
¿Por qué entonces decidí no darle una puntuación más alta?
Principalmente por dos razones: La primera es que me costó mucho trabajo empatizar con Seth, el protagonista, incluso a pesar de que fui un adolescente muy parecido a él en cuanto a modo de ver la vida. Desde el primer libro, él siente la necesidad de probarse, de sentir un peligro real, de adentrarse en un mundo desconocido y sin reglas. Sin embargo, en este libro se repite el mismo concepto hasta el hartazgo y Seth se siente un poco unidimensional en ese aspecto. Su arco de personaje es principalmente ese y poco más. Ni siquiera después de todo el horror que vive hay algo de verdadero crecimiento, no hay trauma, sólo sigue con su vida como si nada hubiera pasado. Poco más.
El otro aspecto que no fue del todo de mi agrado fue el final. Si bien se puede inferir qué ocurrirá a continuación, el final queda demasiado abierto para mí. Me habría gustado saber un poco más de qué ocurrió con ciertos personajes y las consecuencias de lo que hicieron los personajes durante los últimos capítulos. No es que sea un mal final, simplemente me quedó a deber un poco en ese aspecto.
Por último, me alegra que el autor no haya forzado ciertas subtramas o relaciones entre los personajes. Por momentos parecía que así ocurriría, pero al final no ocurrió y tampoco era necesario.
En resumen, La resistencia es una digna secuela del primer libro y un libro imperdible para los amantes del terror y los cómics. Muy recomendado.
November 17, 2024
Ich bin mal wieder unsicher, was die Bewertung angeht. Ich kam beim Lesen ziemlich gut voran (wie zur Hölle konnte ich 300 Seiten an einem Tag lesen an dem ich trotzdem noch andere Dinge getan habe?) und habe es genossen, wieder in diese Welt einzutauchen. Es hat mich aber auch nicht mega mitgerissen, sodass ich dem Buch eigentlich 4 Sterne gegeben hätte.
Aber die letzten 50 Seiten oder so () haben mich dann doch ziemlich in ihren Bann gezogen und vor allem berührt. Letzteres hätte ich von diesem Buch eher nicht erwartet, vielleicht weil es YA ist oder warum auch immer. und als das Buch dann vorbei war, war ich voll mit Emotionen. Wenn ein Buch sowas in mir auslöst, bekommt es in der Regel 5 Sterne. Die Frage ist nur, wie ich damit umgehe, wenn das erst am Schluss passiert ist und ich die meiste Zeit zwar unterhalten, aber nicht mitgerissen wurde (was sich für mich eben nach 4 Sternen anfühlt). Tja, ich habe keine Antwort darauf. Aber da das Schreiben dieses Kommentars mir nochmal vor Augen geführt hat, was mir an den letzten Seiten so gefallen hat, bin ich gerade wieder sehr begeistert und deswegen werden es jetzt erstmal 5 Sterne.
Aber die letzten 50 Seiten oder so () haben mich dann doch ziemlich in ihren Bann gezogen und vor allem berührt. Letzteres hätte ich von diesem Buch eher nicht erwartet, vielleicht weil es YA ist oder warum auch immer. und als das Buch dann vorbei war, war ich voll mit Emotionen. Wenn ein Buch sowas in mir auslöst, bekommt es in der Regel 5 Sterne. Die Frage ist nur, wie ich damit umgehe, wenn das erst am Schluss passiert ist und ich die meiste Zeit zwar unterhalten, aber nicht mitgerissen wurde (was sich für mich eben nach 4 Sternen anfühlt). Tja, ich habe keine Antwort darauf. Aber da das Schreiben dieses Kommentars mir nochmal vor Augen geführt hat, was mir an den letzten Seiten so gefallen hat, bin ich gerade wieder sehr begeistert und deswegen werden es jetzt erstmal 5 Sterne.
December 14, 2021
“Great. Stuck in the Jungle with Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider.”
Another 4.5 high from me!
I loved this book soooooo much, but except for the very last page. I’ll say it, I didn’t much like the ending. I get the ending, but Seth really had the audacity. I ended up not liking his character near the end of the second book, his thrill junkie antics were just a little too much for me. But maybe I just relate more to Kady.
However, I will overlook that and keep my rating at a 4.5 high, just because of how good everything else was. The character and world building was amazing, the comic portions of the second book were so much easier to follow, and every scene had me quaking in my boots. Especially mim are u kidding meeeee ! The author really knows how to build up a spooky atmosphere, I myself felt as if I were a character in this world, experiencing every little ominous thing alongside the kiddos. I wish so badly that there were a third book, or at least an epilogue explaining how the world of malice was getting along after everything went down. I got so used to the alternate reality that I myself want more (maybe I can relate to Seth lmao).
I will definitely be giving this duology ANOTHER reread once I’ve forgotten the plot again so I can relive this fantasy world and reimagine all of its creatures. I would highly recommend giving these books a chance, it’s worth every second.
Xoxo gossip girl
Another 4.5 high from me!
I loved this book soooooo much, but except for the very last page. I’ll say it, I didn’t much like the ending. I get the ending, but Seth really had the audacity. I ended up not liking his character near the end of the second book, his thrill junkie antics were just a little too much for me. But maybe I just relate more to Kady.
However, I will overlook that and keep my rating at a 4.5 high, just because of how good everything else was. The character and world building was amazing, the comic portions of the second book were so much easier to follow, and every scene had me quaking in my boots. Especially mim are u kidding meeeee ! The author really knows how to build up a spooky atmosphere, I myself felt as if I were a character in this world, experiencing every little ominous thing alongside the kiddos. I wish so badly that there were a third book, or at least an epilogue explaining how the world of malice was getting along after everything went down. I got so used to the alternate reality that I myself want more (maybe I can relate to Seth lmao).
I will definitely be giving this duology ANOTHER reread once I’ve forgotten the plot again so I can relive this fantasy world and reimagine all of its creatures. I would highly recommend giving these books a chance, it’s worth every second.
Xoxo gossip girl
November 26, 2022
it’s very hard for me to enjoy reading a book and actually feel emotions while reading, but this book made me interested and feel emotions painted by the words on the page.
The book malice was good, but Havoc, was even better, both books are a masterpiece and I’m honestly disappointed that this book isn’t as popular as it should be. Overall I would reread this book in the future.
I would give it a 7; this book was actually really well but I deducted points based on certain things:
-1 ) the tragic vague romance that didn’t go anywhere, I thought it was only vague for one of the books but when both of them had that awkward vague underlying love story, it just wasn’t good, Justin had more chemistry with them than the two love interests.
-1) The Comic, I hated the style and felt like it really ruined the suspense feeling, the art style didn’t emphasize the mood or theme.
-1 ) The ending, There was too much left unsaid and Kady left Seth for an average life. I just didn't like them parting because of how hard he worked to save her.
Asides from that, the story was good enough for me to actually recommend and plan to reread.
The book malice was good, but Havoc, was even better, both books are a masterpiece and I’m honestly disappointed that this book isn’t as popular as it should be. Overall I would reread this book in the future.
I would give it a 7; this book was actually really well but I deducted points based on certain things:
-1 ) the tragic vague romance that didn’t go anywhere, I thought it was only vague for one of the books but when both of them had that awkward vague underlying love story, it just wasn’t good, Justin had more chemistry with them than the two love interests.
-1) The Comic, I hated the style and felt like it really ruined the suspense feeling, the art style didn’t emphasize the mood or theme.
-1 ) The ending, There was too much left unsaid and Kady left Seth for an average life. I just didn't like them parting because of how hard he worked to save her.
Asides from that, the story was good enough for me to actually recommend and plan to reread.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2024
I really wanted to love this one as much as I loved the first book. It was pretty good and interesting for the most part, but the ending was kind of a let down.
Honestly, the thing I remember most about this book was that i accidentally left it in my history class and dashed back down to grab it. I passed my sibling and their friends and jokingly said
"Don't worry. I'm just wreaking havoc!" before dashing off again. Not two minutes after i had retrieved it, the fire alarm went off and it was not a drill. Some kid had set our band room on fire. No worries though: no one was hurt. But like... talk about timing, am I right?
Honestly, the thing I remember most about this book was that i accidentally left it in my history class and dashed back down to grab it. I passed my sibling and their friends and jokingly said
"Don't worry. I'm just wreaking havoc!" before dashing off again. Not two minutes after i had retrieved it, the fire alarm went off and it was not a drill. Some kid had set our band room on fire. No worries though: no one was hurt. But like... talk about timing, am I right?
June 5, 2020
Đúng là vẫn hay như q1, điều m thích nhất ở bộ này là tình tiết rất nhanh, chưa kịp chán ở tình tiết này thì lại có tình tiết khác tiếp nối nên cứ phải đọc 1 lèo không bỏ xuống đc, phần kết cũng hay, không giống với những cái kết HE thường gặp. Nếu có gì để chê thì chắc là phần tranh minh hoạ xấu quá :))) nhiều khi xem mà chẳng hiểu đang vẽ cái gì, à với cả phần truyện chữ tiếp theo sau mỗi phần truyện tranh nó cứ bị gãy gãy rời rạc kiểu gì ấy, lâu lâu hơi khó hiểu. Nhưng nói chung là vẫn rất hay, recommend nha 👍🏻
March 14, 2023
Malice and Havoc are my favorite books ever (Malice would probably go first for me). I found Malice one day in my middle school library, and of course, the cover stood out to me. I didn't know that it would be the beginning of a lifelong love for the series. I hope one day there will be some sort of follow up. If you are considering this book, then I highly recommend it if you like: fantastical worlds, absurdity, mystery, terror, suspense, and an overall dark theme throughout the whole book.
April 27, 2023
4.75 ✨
I loved this sequel. It’s more action packed and we get to know more about the world (it’s origins, lore). Choosing to showcase the “war” as a graphic panels was such a genius move for the author. It was interesting and much more fleshed out that way although I feel like it’s too short (But I understand i just wished for more action haha). I also appreciate the themes explored on this book! Highly recommend.
I loved this sequel. It’s more action packed and we get to know more about the world (it’s origins, lore). Choosing to showcase the “war” as a graphic panels was such a genius move for the author. It was interesting and much more fleshed out that way although I feel like it’s too short (But I understand i just wished for more action haha). I also appreciate the themes explored on this book! Highly recommend.
July 2, 2023
This book wrapped up the Malice story, but I have to admit I got hung up on too many plot holes and inconsistent character actions for this book to be satisfactory. I got the sense the author just wanted to finish it as quickly as possible so he could move on to something else. Otherwise, taken as a whole with the first book, the story is intriguing and really pulls you in until things start to unwind.
March 8, 2018
Ok, so yes, it is YA, but it's still thrilling. It's a good finish to what was started in Malice without a predictable end. I'm a becoming big fan of Chris Wooding now after "Retribution falls" and this.
June 7, 2020
Nice, easy read and I'm glad the writer didn't go with a predictable ending.
The chacters were well thought out and had their own personalities although I didn't care for the Rulers. The comic book style pages made a nice change every now and then.
The chacters were well thought out and had their own personalities although I didn't care for the Rulers. The comic book style pages made a nice change every now and then.
February 2, 2021
Middle school fantasy that takes place in the real world with prose, and in the fantasy world it is a graphic novel. It is creepy and scary, gripping, and really good. Satisfying conclusion, there are only 2 in this series.
April 7, 2021
Just as great as the first book (or maybe even more), this is a thrilling and really well done story. The combination of mediums is great, it can really drive home the otherworldliness and wonder of it all.
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