The 5th Wave appears to be your usual run-of-the-mill post-apocalyptic story, but the author creates a unique take on this scenario. The 5th Wave is a suspenseful Sci-Fi story with some elements of drama sprinkled throughout, written by Richard Yancey, known for his stories that revolve around suspense. The 5th Wave is the start of a trilogy that explores an alien threat to destroy human life on Earth. The novel is set in the modern world, spread across several months to highlight the aftermath of four out of the fives waves (of disasters) brought by an unknown alien threat known as "The Others." The main characters are Cassie and her brother Sammy, plus a number of supporting characters, such as Ben.

The story begins in the present-day story of Cassie during the 4th wave, with flashbacks during the first three waves. It was initially confusing to understand what exactly is going on due to the constantly changing time frame and setting, but it does make for a better way of telling the story. Cassie talks about her changing life during the short first wave, in which an EMP (or electromagnetic pulse) wipes out all electricity on the face of the planet, and paints a perspective from a high school student watching the chaos unfold. The second wave is a series of massive earthquakes caused by The Others, creating tsunamis that wipe out coastal cities on Earth. The third wave is the spread of a plague fatal enough to kill most of the population. The fourth wave is the arrival of The Others on Earth.

This is a wonderful, complex story that splits into two perspectives, Cassie’s and her brother Sammy, who are separated and taken to what seems like a military camp. And this is the furthest I can go without spoilers, but this book is worth a read. I believe the novel has a unique take on an apocalyptic scenario filled with plot twists that show how complex this story is. Some characters are better written than others, especially the characters before the Waves; they are explored in-depth. The exploration makes them feel real in this gritty and dark world with complex relationships between characters. I do prefer Cassie’s story/perspective where we see her struggle for survival and new experiences. This ties into my biggest complaint with the book, the final act.

The final act combines Cassie and Sammy’s stories, in which you would expect a grand final act, but instead, it ends up being a little underwhelming due to some confusion and how hectic it ends up being with the sudden chaos. This overall act was a bit hard to follow, but the overall conclusion that sets up the story for the next book is pretty satisfying. A good choice for anyone into Sci-Fi.

Review by: Yves Mojica

Mojica is a senior at John F. Kennedy High School who volunteers at the Mid-Valley Regional Branch Library. In his free time, he enjoys listening to rock/indie music, playing bass guitar, learning to program, and watching dark or thriller shows.

—Michael Baradi, Mid-Valley Regional Branch Library