I’m a huge Katherine Applegate fan. It started with CRENSHAW and I’m delighted to report my, well, delight continues with the ENDLING series.
In the first book, ENDLING THE LAST, readers are introduced to Byx, a young daime (often mistaken for a dog by the less informed). Byx is the runt of her litter with an insatiable curiosity, a trait that inadvertently saves her life – she wanders away on a small adventure narrowly avoiding being slaughtered when soldiers raid her family’s home and kill all her loved ones. Grief stricken, lonely, and terrified that she may be the last of her kind, she embarks on a journey to find more dairne. Along the way, she acquires several unlikely companions: a wobbyk (loveable big-eared rodent), a poacher (human female), and a felivet (fierce and panther-like). Fueled by hope, the small band follow ancient myths and trace rumors on a quest to prove that other dairne still exist and that Byx isn’t the Endling of her race.
In book two, ENDING THE FIRST, Byx and company continue their search for more dairne. But their quest has morphed into something larger. Their world is on the verge of war. Who is friend? Who is foe? Should they fight or flee? Whatever their path, Byx and her new ‘family’ are determined to face the good and the bad together.
This is a “no spoilers” review, so I dare not say more about the storyline. But I absolutely loved traveling with Byx on her quest and was thoroughly enchanted by these characters, their world, and the adventure. My only complaint is that the third book in the series won’t be released until March 2, 2021. So now begins my impatient waiting for ENDLING: book three.
Readers who enjoy books like “Endling” will also enjoy “Petdemonium”, a middle grade sci-fi adventure.
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