Reckoning (Silver Blackthorn #1)

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Author(s)

Kerry Wilkinson

Publisher

St Martin's Griffin

Genre(s)

Age Range

12+

Release Date

July 01, 2014

ISBN

9781250053534

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One girl. One chance. One destiny. In the village of Martindale, hundreds of miles north of the new English capital of Windsor, sixteen-year-old Silver Blackthorne takes the Reckoning. This coming-of- age test not only decides her place in society – Elite, Member, Inter or Trog – but also determines that Silver is to become an Offering for King Victor.But these are uncertain times and no one really knows what happens to the teenagers who disappear into Windsor Castle. Is being an Offering the privilege everyone assumes it to be, or do the walls of the castle have something to hide? Trapped in a maze of ancient corridors, Silver finds herself in a warped world of suspicion where it is difficult to know who to trust and who to fear. The one thing Silver does know is that she must find a way out . . . The heart-stopping first book in a new trilogy by UK author Kerry Wilkinson, Reckoning is the story of one girl's determination to escape the whims of a cruel king, and what she must do to survive against all odds.

Editor reviews

2 reviews

Silver

August 14, 2015 (Updated: September 20, 2015)

Overall rating

4.3

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RECKONING, YA Dystopian, stars Silver Blackthorne. She is named for her unusual silver hair. Excellent with technology and unafraid of her government, Silver takes a test (which is called the Reckoning). It determines her as an Offering to the English King. Once there, she realizes that her government is full of lies and deceit.

King Victor, the enemy and main antagonist, is violent. He is the opposite of what the public believes him to be, and he comes as a great shock to Silver and the rest of the Offerings. He is violent, a drunk, and not a good leader at all. His public image keeps him on the throne and prevents England 2.0 from collapsing into violence. Though much about him hasn't been revealed in the book, there is a lot of potential for depth and an understanding of his character.

The world building is easy to understand. Smartwatches on every citizen's wrist controls the lives of every person. An advanced security system protects the prison/castle Silver is trapped in. The Reckoning itself is a technology that can explore a person's mind, unlocking old memories. The world of RECKONING (the book) is a brand new world, which is worse than ours. Kerry Wilkinson creates a violent, seemingly picture-perfect world where anyone can die.

What is Silver's goal? Survive. One misstep, and her head could be cut off. There are hundreds of other ways for her to die. It is a compelling conflict of a young girl versus an oppressive group of powerful individuals who can kill her at a snap of the finger.

Silver's character is good. She is literally strong, and she is tough. She is smart, and she comes up with ways of avoiding detection. She gets creative, and her brilliant mind finds answers. But she won't be able to survive alone. Not without help...

Some of the secondary characters like Imrin and Faith are noteworthy. They are awesome and kickingly amazing in their own ways. Great cast of supporting characters.

The ending is slightly confusing at first. The book's pacing is too fast in the last few chapters, and I find myself rereading it (twice) to understand it. Still, it is an entertaining and killer ending to the first novel in this trilogy.

Overall, RECKONING is a great beginning to a new trilogy. It has an awesome group of secondary characters with remarkable traits. Plus, it is set in Britain. Best recommended for those who liked THE HUNGER GAMES.

Rating: Four out of Five