Title: The Exemeus

Author: Folami Morris & Abeni Morris

Genre: Fantasy, Science-Fiction, Dystopian

Age Group: Young Adult

Rating: 5 stars

Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Hyalee Smith is dead, she just doesn’t know it yet.

Her short life was devoted to love and to hate. Love of the man who stole her heart, hate for the man who stole the world. Murdered by the government she swore to destroy, she has been given another chance to make it right. But to save the planet, she needs the help of the most powerful mystic the world has ever seen—unfortunately he hasn’t been born yet.

In a world where fear is the only currency, Dephon has committed the ultimate crime:inspiring hope.

His only goal is to make it safely through ninth grade, but on a post-apocalyptic Earth run by the Treptonian government, it isn’t that simple. Heir to a legendary power, Dephon Johnson is the only threat to the government’s rule. And on Trepton, all threats must be eliminated. When hundreds of assassins are dispatched to neutralize him, Dephon is forced to fight back. His only chance of survival is to enlist the aid of the greatest warrior the world has ever known. The only problem is, she’s been dead for 13 years.

I thought dystopian wasn’t for me. I thought I’d seen it all when I read The Hunger Games, enjoyed it, but then suffered endlessly as the book was turned into a movie and the dystopian hype began. Book after book set in said genre passed my review cue, and I thought it would never end.

After reading The Exemeus, I’m glad it didn’t. I’m glad that, despite how I felt baout the genre, I gave this one a shot. Because it was awesome.

Hyalee is the greastest warrior Trepton has ever known. But she’s been dead for thirteen years. Unfortunately though, teenager Dephon desperately needs her help. He’s the heir to a legendary power, and because of that, the government of Trepton wants to see him destroyed. Trepton is a dystopian society if I’ve ever seen one. Its rules are strict, any form of rebellion is quickly stopped, and whoever brings the citizens an ounce of hope is eliminated. That faith awaits Dephon, if he can’t put a stop to Trepton’s tyranny.

I thought all dystopian societies followed a pretty standard format, but I was pleasantly surprised with Trepton. It stood out, and felt more original somehow. Dephon, the main character, has to be one of my favorite main characters in young adult books ever. For starters, he’s a guy. For some reason most young adult books feature female main characters, so I was glad this time around we got to deal with a boy. Secondly, he’s a fun mix of intelligence, courage, teenage awkwardness and hilarity.

The plot itself moved fast, and it was filled with so many surprises I hadn’t seen coming that it kept me on the edge of my seat. The book is pretty long, more than 500 pages, but I didn’t get the feeling it was long at all while reading. The interactions between the characters was natural, their voices authentic and original. I enjoyed the writing style as well. The authors managed to give a lot of detail without rambling off descriptions.

A highly recommended novel for everyone who enjoys young adult fantasy.