BZRK: Reloaded (BZRK #2) by Michael Grant: Book Review

cover from Goodreads
Title: BZRK: Reloaded (BZRK #2)
Author: Michael Grant
Publication details: October 8, 2013 by Egmont USA
Copy: eBook (ePub format)

The entire BZRK cell--including Noah and Sadie--has been left in pieces after the last round of battle with the Armstrong Twins, conjoined brother who plot to rob mankind of its free will. Vincent's mind is shattered, and his memories hold dangerous secrets--secrets that Lear, BZRK's mysterious leader, will stop at nothing to protect.

Meanwhile, Bug Man has taken control of the President's brain, but playing with sanity is a dangerous game. The consequences can spiral way out of control, and the Armstrong Twins are not people Bug Man can afford to disappoint.

The nano is as terrifying, exhilarating, and unpredictable as ever. But the wall of secrets that surrounds it is cracking. What will it reveal? And once the dust has settled, who will be sane enough to find out?

BZRK Reloaded was as amazing as the first book, if not better! It took me a while to finish reading because of other stuff in my life but I would have finished this sooner. It was, as I said, amazing and gripping. I need to read the third book ASAP!

Plot
After what happened in Washington, the New York cell is still in tact, or at least trying to be. It took them a while to get things going, to have a concrete plan. But they're determined to win. On the other hand, AFGC may have taken hold of a powerful person but the war isn't over and no one's winning yet. They are being complacent which might not be a good thing.

Faced with new challenges and goals, both BZRK and AFGC will do anything to get what they want.

Two new sides were introduced to the story giving not only more action but also more questions. Aside from BZRK and the AFGC, the story also revolves around other people outside the two organizations. It's amazing how these people are connected and how they will affect each others' outcome.

The unpredictability of the events is also one of the things I liked in BZRK: Reloaded. I liked how I kept guessing scenarios in my head, only for them to not happen. It was an exhilarating read for me!

I also liked how the book touched the personal love lives of some characters, but just enough so as not to shift the focus from the war between nanos and the biots.

Characters
Some characters were explored deeper- their background, their plans. I was actually surprised by a particular character. I didn't expect that this one is up to something. :)

The (old) characters changed since Washington. Some came in stronger, others somehow lost it but they still stuck to the core of their beings, to their true selves. I liked how I observed them through their actions and decisions. As I read, I began to know them better both the rational and the emotional side of their beings.

There were new characters and of course, losses. I made it a point to not get attached to any characters. I learned my lesson in the first book, you know. Anyway, these new characters were smartly and carefully written. Whether he/she was playing a minor role or a major one, each character was given equal introduction and identity. Though it made the not-trying-to-get-attached even harder.

Writing
I love Michael Grant's writing- the third person perspective, the unpredictability, how things were connected, how this and that affect the situation or a person. Amazing folks! There were biological/ anatomical terms scattered through out the book. So if you want to completely picture the world down the meat, you'll have to Google the terms. (Unless you're already familiar with blood vessels, nasal cavities, mucous membrane, optical nerves, etc.) 😁

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The fast-paced, gripping experience was carried out from the first book and I just can't wait to read the third book, BZRK: Apocalypse! If you're a fan of sci-fi, you should read this! It sure is a great read! :)

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If you want to read my review of the first book. Click here. :)



ph source: guardian.co.uk
Michael Grant has spent much of his life on the move. Raised in a military family in the USA, he attended ten schools in five states, as well as three schools in France. Even as an adult he kept moving, and in fact he became a writer in part because it was one of the few jobs that wouldn't tie him down. His dream is to spend a whole year circumnavigating the globe and visiting every continent. Even Antarctica. He lives in Marin Country, California, with his wife, Katherine Applegate, their two children, and far too many pets (Source: BZRK back cover).