A battle for survival in a dark and oppressive world, Fever Rising is the set in a dystopian future where a small ruling elite is in control of the lives of all those who serve them. “Challengers” are essentially slaves who are bought and sold for the sole purpose of fighting each other to the death in arenas for the entertainment of their owners. Kaden Valens is one such Challenger, and the book follows his attempts to survive and ultimately destroy the dangerous world into which he is born.

There are some obvious parallels with The Hunger Games, and fans of that series are sure to enjoy Fever Rising. That said, there are also some key differences. The main character, Kaden, is quite different to what I would think of as the typical hero of this type of adventure. He’s not a quick thinking underdog using his intelligence to outsmart stronger opponents – he is a simply a big, strong, highly trained warrior. He’s not a leader – he’s someone with a good heart but who needs to find the right cause to follow. For these reasons he may not be someone whom every reader identifies with that readily, but I think it actually makes an interesting change to see a story from the perspective of a character of this type.

Readers wanting a more conventional hero who ticks all the “clever/great leader/certified butt kicker” boxes won’t be disappointed however, as the story also gives us Cassidy Havoc, who inspires Kaden towards the path of overthrowing the society that killed his parents and threatens his sister.

This book paints its dark world very well, and provides some intriguing twists on popular themes. An enjoyable read!