Mutant City by Steve Feasey

Mutant City by Steve Feasey
Buy Mutant City by Steve Feasey at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Teens
Reviewer: Jill Murphy
Summary: X Men-style adventure in which two sides are trying to gather together five mutant children who have been hidden away since they were rescued from the laboratory in which they were grown. Both action and worldbuilding in this first instalment, which Feasey's many fans will love.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 368	Date: May 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 140884303X
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After a devastating chemical war, the world is slowly rebuilding itself. A select group had hidden away in underground bunkers and, when they re-emerged, built six cities in which the genetically pure live in luxury and comfort. But outside the city walls, everything is very different. The survivors there are mutants, fighting for survival in degrading, impoverished circumstances.

Thirteen years ago, five mutant children were rescued from a secret City facility. And these are special children. Jax can read other people's thoughts and even control their minds. Brick can heal any injury or disease. Rush can move objects with his mind. Flea can move so fast that people can't see her. And Anya can shapeshift. These five children may hold the key to winning the same rights to health and happiness enjoyed by the genetically pure. When their survival is discovered by the President of City Four, the race is on to bring them together. On one side Silas and Tia, pure humans fighting for justice. And on the other, President Melk, who wants to experiment on the children so that he can retain power and profit.

But who will succeed?

Feasey isn't the greatest stylist - sentence construction and dialogue can get a little clunky at times - but he knows how to engage an audience. This first volume in the Mutant City series combines both a great deal of worldbuilding and a great deal of action. We find out a lot about the wars which devastated the planet and how the pure cities came to be. We also learn about the conditions in which the mutants live outside the city walls. And about the political ambition and self-interest that keep the mutants in need and the pure in comfort. But at the same time, there are dangerous journeys being made, captures, fights and chases galore. It's difficult to set a world and keep readers turning the pages while you're doing it and Feasey manages this brilliantly.

Because the mind-controlling Jax had set limits to the superpowers of his fellow hybrids right at the beginning of the story, readers will share the discovery of exactly how strong these children are with the children themselves. I rather liked the way Feasey has done this: it creates tension and it also makes these special talents relatable. I almost know how it is to be a healer! And a shapeshifter! And a telekinetic!

Mutant City will be happily received by Feasey's many fans. And will find an equally appreciative audience in anyone who enjoys X-Men and the other superhero universes.

If you like the idea of young protagonists with superpowers, you might also enjoy Gone by Michael Grant or the Jimmy Coates series by Joe Craig.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Mutant City by Steve Feasey at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.

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