The Enemy »

A sickness has afflicted everyone over the age of 16; anyone who is a “grown-up” has become a decomposing, brainless creature that survives by feeding on children. The children and teens have barricaded themselves in fortified buildings, fighting off attacks from the grown-ups who travel in packs, like hungry dogs. Before long, the young survivors are promised a safe haven in Buckingham Palace and make their way to it, crossing London on a perilous journey that will test them in harrowing ways. But their fight to stay alive is far from over—the threat from within is as real as the one on the outside.

Praise for THE ENEMY:

"Lord of the Flies meets 28 Days Later in this disturbing postapocalyptic adventure. Higson (the Young Bond series) presents a kids-only world with shades of Michael Grant's Gone books. Alternately bleak and defiant, this splatterfest doesn't pull any punches . . . nor is any character safe. It's up to a sequel to sort out some plot threads, but this is a solid start."—Publishers Weekly

"It is great at adrenaline-inducing conflict, and as yucky as could be wished for. Among all the gore and action there are memorable characters, including convincing and courageous girls. It also explores how society might be organised, the dangers of political ambition and values such as loyalty, and even suggests that bookish thoughtfulness makes better leaders of men than knee-jerk aggression.'—The Times Online (UK)

Publishers Weekly

Lord of the Flies meets 28 Days Later in this disturbing postapocalyptic adventure. Higson (the Young Bond series) presents a kids-only world with shades of Michael Grant's Gone books, though in this case, a disease has turned everyone over the age of 16 into mindless, flesh-eating nightmares, terrorizing and devouring those unaffected. Packs of resourceful kids have holed up in supermarkets, constructing defenses, foraging for supplies, and fighting off feral “grown-ups.” For the group sheltering in a Waitrose store, it's a ceaseless battle for survival, where even the simplest expedition can prove fatal. When the possibility of a haven arrives, the Waitrose kids band with new allies as they make a hazardous trek across London to the promised land: Buckingham Palace. Alternately bleak and defiant, this splatterfest doesn't pull any punches (“The skin blackened, shriveled and split, the overripe flesh inside squeezing out.... This was what happened if any grown-up lived long enough to let the disease run its full course”) nor is any character safe. It's up to a sequel to sort out some plot threads, but this is a solid start. Ages 12-up. (May)