REVIEW - ESCAPING ANARCHY - DARK NATION BY GRACE HAMILTON

  

Title: Escaping Anarchy
Series: Dark Nation
Author: Grace Hamilton
Publisher: Relay Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi, Post Apocalyptic
Release Date: 9th February 2022

BLURB from Goodreads
They’re trapped inside a prison when the power goes out…

Molly is determined to get the troubled teens she teaches back on the right path and is convinced a trip to a local prison will show them the consequences of bad behavior. But when an EMP blast knocks out all power across the country, Molly and her five students, along with their former-Marine bus driver, Colton, are locked in with the prisoners with no safe exit.

The guards are little help against clever convicts, and when a riot throws everything into chaos, Molly and Colton must find a way to get to freedom with their charges, even if it means trusting a prisoner who is using them for his own gains.

Prisoners aren’t the only danger in the suddenly powerless world. Escaping the prison may be more dangerous than staying inside as it becomes clear to everyone that the power isn’t coming back, and society is about to crumble. 

Goodreads Link

PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon US
Amazon UK 

REVIEW
This book cover certainly caught my eye, with both figures wielding guns and the background being full of fire and plumes of smoke! It definitely perfectly fits a scene from within the book. I also have to say that both the title of this individual book really fits the situation both inside and outside the prison. The series title “Dark Nation” also fits this book and I am sure will continue to fit the rest of the series very well too. It will have a dual meaning, firstly the EMP making things “dark” with no power. Then of course the actual situation and how people will/are reacting also being well described as dark too. Then when I read the blurb, I was intrigued as to how the story would unfold with a school trip being trapped inside a prison with some of the most dangerous criminals in there with them. Though the central plot of the book is the “Scared straight” school trip getting trapped inside the prison, we also get different points of views from the parents of a set of twins on the trip, a newly released convict who has a chance of almost certain survival with a fellow convict and his prepper family, but who chooses to go home to find his brother. Then we also have the angle from one of the prisoners trapped with the school teenagers.
I loved the irony of the usually mouthy twins, Scarlett and Erik being on the “scared straight” trip because they are computer hackers With the EMP Disaster you would automatically presume that their skills would be of no use, however they do end up using their unique skills in an important way that helps the group. I also enjoyed reading about how the EMP impacted their parents, Laura and Alex. As Laura is in a wheelchair caused by a car accident where Alex was driving their relationship isn’t at its best. When the EMP occurs and they realise that their twin teens will be stuck at Fairfield Prison, Alex takes it upon himself to go find them, leaving Laura at home with her service dog Argent thinking it will be a safer and quicker option. However, both Alex and Laura have their own obstacles to deal with, meaning Laura has to make a very tough decision.

Another quirk of fate has Tommy being released from his lower security prison, heading to his ex-convict friend Luke’s home as the EMP occurs. Tommy didn’t have a great home life, his dad going off doing his own thing and a mother more interested in drink/drugs. At first Tommy is swept up with how welcoming Luke and his family are. Then when he realises what an EMP actually means to life, and they reveal how prepared they are for this eventuality, I honestly wouldn’t have blamed him, for being carried along with the flow of events and going off with the family to their already part prepped hideaway. I adored the moment Luke’s dad, Beck, hands over one of their survival bags to Tommy and also gives him directions to come back to the family when he finds his younger brother. The quirk of fate part is that Tommy just being released from a minimum-security prison, he soon finds himself faced with having to break into the maximum-security Fairfield prison where his brother is part of the scared straight programme/trip, having been stuck there when the EMP hit.

There are so many different character angles, opinions, and situations in this book.
Just thinking about those inside Fairfield Prison there are three angles! There’s Molly, the teacher, her first time chaperoning the Scared straight trip. The coach driver, Colton, ex-military, able to handle himself but how can he be expected to protect Molly and the teens, Jenna, Lucky, Erik, Scarlett and Zack inside a prison being taken over by the prisoners! Each teen is also struggling with their own issues, from getting into a fist-fights, to setting fires, to computer hacking. Within the prison the immediate threats to the scared straight group are the three prisoners that were talking to the teen who are Dougie, Santi & Frank, It’s no long until there are also the other prisoners whom of course quickly realise it’s the perfect time to run amok. Finally, there are also the overrun Prison Guards, Victor Fox & Emma Grayson, doing their best to hold off the prisoners in the hope help is coming to them from outside.
Then from outside Fairfield Prison there are, parents Laura & Alex who immediately think of how to get to their teens and get them back home. Alex leaves Laura at home presuming she will slow him down and that as the chaos rise’s she will be safer at home with Argent her GSD, where she can gather whatever food & supplies that they may have around the house and be ready for his return with their children.
Luke’s family has prepared for this type of event for some time and isn’t fazed by it at all. I love how they instantly presume Tommy will come back to them when he finds his brother.

I could seriously go on and on talking forever about this book as so much happens and there is such a fantastic range of characters. I mean there could have been a whole book just about what happens to the teens on the “scared straight” trip just at the prison. I started reading this book and became so engrossed I was halfway through it before I even added it to my Goodreads shelf, which I use to keep track of what I am reading and thinking whilst reading books.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were Wow! Another action-packed start to a potentially amazing new series from Grace Hamilton.

Summing up, this book has so many different scenarios taking place in it, you really will not want to put this book down at all. There are so many layers to the book, so many different characters and all their unique situation’s. I truly cannot wait to read the next book!!