Title: Royale
Series: Underground
Author: Kennedy Plumb
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Release Date: 31st July 2024
BLURB
Samuel Carmichael’s worst nightmare became reality when he came face to face with the notorious villain Vegas. Now he can’t shake the feeling that things in her glittery casino are not what they appear. Forced to form new alliances and launch himself straight into the middle of a dangerous power conflict, Sam will do anything to make sure Ella is freed from Vegas’s clutches.
C9 began to implode the day Sam escaped to find Ella, leaving Mateo and his brother Eddie with heavy responsibilities they never asked for but now can’t run away from. As the Zone begins to collapse from the inside out, Teo must ask himself if survival is worth fighting for. His brother’s life depends on it.
Two brothers on opposite sides of a crumbling Underground face insurmountable odds to fight for the siblings they have given up everything for.
Will their lives be next?
Will a brother’s love be enough?
REVIEW
The cover is really striking and certainly attracts your eye and would make me pick it up in a book store to learn more about it. I don’t quite know how to explain it, other than it really has that dystopian feel. I really like the repeat of the cut out effect that you kind of look through to the other side. Its like you are peeping into another world. Probably the way Sam and Q feel when they are trying to fit into the Elite zone, seeing how the other half live.
After reading and absolutely loving Buried I was eagerly . . . though perhaps not very patiently awaiting the release of Royale. I did read the novella in the series called Matches just prior to reading Royale, though personally I think the novella could be read after Royale too. The novella made me want to know more about Veronica and Arcadius’ life straight away and though they are in Royale there is quite a time jump to where they are and we don’t really know how they got there.
Sam may have escaped C9 and found Ella but is devastated when she refuses to come with him, actually wanting to stay with Vegas. He is also feeling really guilty that not everyone escaped and some of those that did escape were injured. He has now been forced to tell the whole truth, and knows the truth about those he has banded together with. Though Q seems to forgive him for his deception she gleefully “makes him pay” at every opportunity that comes by. Beardsley however is a different matter, he flatly refuses to have anything to do with Sam. Despite Ella’s refusal to run with him, he knows there is something not quite right with his sister and he is even more determined to free her from Vegas. Sam is prepared to agree to anything and align himself with whoever will help him. When Cade, the shady leader of those at the camp agrees to help him, in exchange for a favour, he blindly agrees to it, immediately shaking hands and sealing the deal. When the time comes, he may regret agreeing to a favour.
Back in C9 Mateo is still trying his best to protect his younger brother Eddie amongst the hardships and increasingly volatile atmosphere. A new security detail arrives and a new leader takes over Sergeant Nova. The way she rules is you follow orders or you die. There are no more trials, no second chances, not even expulsion from C9, just death! Mayor Ramos is taken into custody and put in the cells but manages to get messages to Mateo, organises secret meetings and it soon becomes apparent that Mayor Ramos has a plan for Mateo, he wants him to lead everyone to safety. At first Mateo and a small group of trusted friends begin to talk about what they can realistically do and who may help. They approach the Elders, who seem to be against any type of action, they are happy to sit and wait to see what happens.
We also meet Tyro-B29 and follow her typical day of taking her blue and red pills then sitting in class under the instruction of Aunty, then doing her daily syncing with Ella. When Sam visited it changed things and Tyro-B29 is starting to rebel a little, first not syncing, then not taking the pills but this lands her in trouble with Aunty. Tyro-B29 knows something isn’t right, syncing with Ella doesn’t seem right anymore, but the consequences of not doing so make her ill herself.
Once again there are so many fantastic characters in the book, too many to mention them all, some we met in Buried and there are also a few new ones. We still have Mateo, Eddie, Sam (or Pretty Boy as Q calls him), Q and the fantastic and heroic dog Luna. Newer or secondary characters are Jones, Parker, Talia, Amanda, Steve and Zara. There’s also a growing selection of bad or possibly bad characters such as the new Sergeant Nova, Vegas, Cade, and scary dog Axel. There are also a couple of characters that I am not completely sure about whose side they are on, good or bad, such as Mayor Ramos, and newer character Callix. You do become really attached to the characters and invested in their own stories as well as the main story/plot of the book.
I was a little worried that such a long time had passed since reading Buried and at times, I admit that I did struggle to remember exactly who everyone was and exactly what had happened but this uncertainty did clear the more I read of the book. The different chapters are from the point of view & whereabouts of Sam, Mateo & Eddie and Tyro-B29.
I really loved all the smaller acts of rebellion that the Elites were encouraged to do with the Live Free Or Die element in the book and compared it to the Commoners acts of rebellion and forming a group to make a final stand. So much happens in this book, it’s like two action packed main plot lines going on at the same time, there is Sam fighting to get his sister Ella back, then Mateo and Eddie in C9 fighting for survival, in fact three main plot lines if you include what is happening in the Elite Zone including Tyro-B29.
I thought the Chapter headers along with the character name of whose point of view/situation we were reading about were great. I adored the way that although Sam and Mateo are not together they are both fighting battles for freedom and when they aren’t sure what to do they both immediately wonder what the other would do in that situation. What Would Sam Do/WWSD and What Would Mateo Do/WWMD, there is also the chapter heading “Rose could have made room for Jack” which I found quite amusing.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were that there was so much packed into it. There are lots of intrigue, betrayal, friendship, love, hate, hope & despair in this action packed, unputdownable sequel to Buried......... And there are soooo many cliff hangers and so many questions I need answering! There were sections of the book where I felt like shouting Noooo! And Don’t do it! And What? Who? There really is so much that could happen, so many directions things could go, so many little character plot storylines to learn more about. I’d love more Q, Sam, and Ella, as well as some of the characters (trying to be spoilery free here) to be reunited. Then with how the book ended there is another battle/war coming as well as answers to be given about the surprise reveal character at the end!!
Summing up this book really has such a lot going on, you really do not want to put the book down once you start reading, it is highly addictive! Can't wait to read more! Hope it’s not long to wait.
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