AudiobookReviewer

My full A Better World audiobook review can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

I really enjoyed Brilliance, Book One of this series. The idea of, what I call, mutants, as Sakey calls the brilliant or abnorms, trying to rise up to those that would hold them back and treat them as second class humans. In Brilliance Sakey explores really made me think while he took me on an exploration of human nature, ethical conundrums and a plot line and action sequences that would make a great movie. So I have to expect more of the same fast paced science fiction adventure with A Better World, right?

Many times I have encountered second books in a series that lack much of the awe and enjoyment as the first book. I think this is because the author needs to create new plot lines and characters while staying true to what has already been told. I am hopeful that Sakey will be able to outwit this second book syndrome that tends to plague so many great sagas.

A Better World picks up shortly after the conclusion of Brilliance. Nick Cooper, a brilliant himself, worked for Equitable Services (under DAR) hunting down rouge or terrorist or unwanted abnorms. After taking down his boss and the President of the Untied States, after one of his charges, John Smith, enlightens Nick as to what is really going on. Now he has been asked by the new President, form Vice-President, to hunt down a new group of terrorists, The Children of Darwin. With no option to refuse.

Simultaneously Shannon, Cooper's cohort from the last story is embarking on her own missions. Both stories converge eventually. Contrasting to the last audiobook, which had only one point of view to follow, here we have to follow three. Nick Cooper, Shannon and Ethan (normal person) a scientist who's story doesn't make sense until later on. This jumping back and forth kept me for being fully immersed like I was last time.

The uniqueness that made Brilliance such an awesome story, and surrounded it with hype somewhere disappeared in A Better World. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this sequel, it just seemed more mainstream thriller with much of the action in the second half of the story. No real surprises or major plot twists. What kept me interested was the complexity of Cooper, he is the kind of guy that would be wearing a white hat in an old western. Good guy through and through, yet awesomely imperfect.

Simply a solid continuation of a great idea, I cannot wait for the next one.

Audiobook was purchased by reviewer.