In the not too distant future, a 2nd civil war breaks out in the United States. Instead of a war between social classes or races, it is ultimately a war between the genders. Thanks to having access to technology, the women eventually win and they set about to genetically engineer and exterminate men out of existence. Such is the backdrop of the 2nd book in the REBELS trilogy by Lance Erlick.

The heroine of the series is a teenager named Annabelle Scott. Annabelle would do anything to live the life of a “normal” teenager, but she finds herself thrust into a conflict between different factions in the sector ruled by women. Along the way, she befriends a an escaped boy named Morgan who wants to flee with his brother outside the territory that is under feminine control. Outside of this new “civilization” built by women is the lawless countryside, known as the Outland. That’s where he wants to go.

During WWII, Oak Ridge, TN was where they physically built the 2 atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan (+ the atomic bomb that was tested over the desert). In the story, the facility has been converted into a detention center for young boys. Some end up being tortured and are the subject of sadistic medical experiments.

As such, there are subtle allusions to Aushwitz. Ironically, a facility in Tennessee that was built during the Manhattan Project to bring an end to Nazi opression (the war in Europe ended before they could drop the bomb on Berlin) is converted into the very means of injustice that it was built to stop. Interesting.

If you enjoy dystopia tales such as the The Hunger Games and Divergent, then chances are you will enjoy this trilogy. One thing is for certain: you will find yourself rooting for Annabelle and her sister Janine, the “good girls” who are trying to restore sanity to civilization!

(D. Roberts “Hadrian12”VINE VOICE)

I received a copy of The Rebel Within by Lance Erlick in return for an honest review. I recommend the story, particularly for YA readers the action takes place in a dystopian world in which the protagonist Annabelle struggles to come to terms with a regime that actively discriminates against men to the extent that boys are kept under strict lock and key at home or imprisoned, and trained to fight to their deaths.

Annabelle dreams of escape but most importantly she is driven to protect her younger sister within the regime. Annabelle has an empathy for the males who live in her world and the story evolves as she tries to defy authority and to help some to escape. The Rebel Within refers to Annabelle’s drive to follow her own moral code (much like her parents who suffered for their actions, so that now she lives with a polyamorous adoptive family). The plot is action-packed centred around Annabelle’s training to become a “mech” warrior which she doubts she will survive. The angst that Annabelle experiences in learning to be true to herself and her heart is a compelling coming of age drama.

The book is written in the first person which I tend to dislike however the twisting plot was part adventure, part love story, part suspense and Annabelle’s experiences and dilemmas were interesting enough so that her narration was only a mild irritation in an otherwise enjoyable and thought provoking dystopian tale.

(Janni Knox)

My Thoughts: What, another short review? Oh, no. No, seriously guys, I’m telling you that a short review is better. It means that I am very impressed and liked the book so I can’t find anything wrong with it.

First off, the beginning is incredible. In my time, I’ve come across books with really really good intros, and then I’ve hit some that are just plain eh. And it’s rather annoying to get the latter and then have to finish the book. Luckily, this is not one of those. Its beginning is sound and keeps the reader interested in the next part.

The style of writing is so good. I’m really jealous and I might take notes because wow, I think the style is excellent. Lance knows how to write.

I like how the characters are developed right away and it doesn’t take two, three chapters to know who our main character is. I got a feel for Annabelle right away, from page one.

Look at the synopsis if you haven’t already, then come back to this paragraph. Isn’t that such a great idea? I love it. And it progresses very nicely, shaping the story fully.

Of course I loved this book. I need to find the sequels now…

Rating: 5 stars
(Ashley Jellison)

The Rebel Within has a different feel to it. It’s not your ‘typical’ young adult dystopian. While it fits the dystopian category, it has a more science fiction feel to it. It’s about a society that is run by women and men are turned out or imprisoned.

I loved that Annabelle questions things and pushes to find out more about things. At the same time she works to be cautious so that she doesn’t put her family in danger. She’s cautious, but doesn’t let people walk all over her. In this book she’s discovering a lot of truth but finding she can’t take much action on her own. She’s a strong and bold character and I really enjoyed reading about her.

The world was pretty easy to picture, though maybe not so easy to imagine. Not that it’s far out there, but it’s hard to imagine that men would ever be pushed that far and no longer be part of society at all. But it really makes you think a lot about how things aren’t black and white. I know I often think of the villains as being male, but it’s not always the case. In this book there are lots of females that aren’t good people, but there are some that are.

It’s been awhile since I read the book so it’s hard to get specific about things, but the thing that stood out to me the most was how much it really made me think about things and assess what the future could hold. Maybe it’s not as drastic as in this book, at least not in my lifetime, but it’s not exactly headed in the right direction either. Or maybe it is, and we’re focusing on the wrong aspects. Either way, to me this book is definitely worth reading, just to see some things from a totally different angle.

(Candace’s Book Blog, http://www.candacesbookblog.com)

I can’t say too much about the plot without spoiling it so I’m just going to go with what I thought! The Rebel Within was a really unique and somewhat fascinating read. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the females rule and the males are on the run!! I’m all for girl power and this takes it a step forward.

Annabelle was an awesome character. She is strong, tough, smart but also kind and compassionate. In a world where women think men as nothing more than things to be hated, Annabelle finds herself questioning everything. She hates the thought of hurting any boy or man but how can she do anything else? She has been drafted into the Mechs, an elite group of women who patrol and police the Outlands. Mechs are meant to capture men, they are meant to release them into the Outlands and make sure none enter their lands, but Annabelle doesn’t want to be one of those! She longs to meet a boy and find out exactly what they are. I loved her inner strength and her need to be the best.

There are quite a few characters in the book but each adds something to the overall feel of The Rebel Within. Sam is the epitome of a strong independent woman. She trains the Mechs and pushes them all to be the best. Dara is the main competitor for Annabelle in the Mech competition. She is a huge aggressive girl and I found it hard to like her. Yet she pushes Annabelle to always be and do more. Then we have Annabelle’s sister, Janine. Annabelle will do anything to protect her from harm. She doesn’t want Janine joining the Mechs because its not a place for a softhearted girl. I really liked their relationship and the trust Janine has in Annabelle.

I liked the idea of the Rebel Within, an all-female society where women are trained to become the strongest, toughest cops out there. Men are all forced to wear collars and are used for what the women need. You may think it would be everything any women needs, but not so. They are ruled with an iron fist. There is no joy in the world as such, the Union doesn’t allow any loud music, any additives like salt or sugar is banned and its all Union regulations for everything. This is why Annabelle longs for more and I could totally relate to her in that.

I did have a few things about the book that stopped me from enjoying it more. They were only minor though, like Annabelle’s’ fascination with Morgan. She only sees him 2 or 3 times yet she thinks about him constantly. I know she has never met a boy but I do think it was a little overboard! I also wanted to know more about the Underground movement and what Annabelle’s mum had to do with them. We could of done with a little more of the boys perspective in this as well. We see glimpses of them fleeing but we never get to meet one or see what they were doing. As I said only minor things and they didn’t detract from the story that much.

So overall, I really enjoyed the Rebel Within. It’s an action packed and tense read and a solid start to the series. The training of the Mechs was really well described and very scary stuff. The poor girls go through an awful lot to become Mechs. The characters as well were well developed and for the most part likable. There are a lot of unanswered questions and I’m hoping we get the answers in future books. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next for Annabelle and hope to see more of the Outlands.

(http://bookloverslife.blogspot.ie/2014/10/the-rebel-series-by-lance-erlick-blog.html)