Fuse

By: Julianna Baggott

Narrated by: Khristine Hvam, Kevin T. Collins, Casey Holloway, Pierce Cravens

Bestselling author Julianna Baggott presents the second volume in her new post-apocalyptic, dystopian thriller trilogy.

We want our son returned.

This girl is proof that we can save you all. If you ignore our plea, we will kill our hostages one at a time.

To be a Pure is to be perfect, untouched by Detonations that scarred the earth, and sheltered inside the paradise that is the Dome. But Partridge escaped to the outside world, where Wretches struggle to survive amid smoke and ash. Now, at the command of Partridge's father, the Dome is unleashing nightmare after nightmare upon the Wretches in an effort to get him back.

At Partridge's side is a small band of those united against the Dome: Lyda, the warrior; Bradwell, the revolutionary; El Capitan, the guard; and Pressia, the young woman whose mysterious past ties her to Partridge in ways she never could have imagined. Long ago a plan was hatched that could mean the earth's ultimate doom. Now only Partridge and Pressia can set things right.

To save millions of innocent lives, Partridge must risk his own by returning to the Dome and facing his most terrifying challenge. And Pressia, armed only with a mysterious Black Box containing a set of cryptic clues, must travel to the very ends of the earth, to a place where no map can guide her. If they succeed, the world will be saved. But should they fail, humankind will pay a terrible price . . .

Critic reviews

"Beyond inventive"
—Xpresso Reads

"Baggott's highly anticipated postapocalyptic horror novel...is a fascinating mix of stark, oppressive authoritarianism and grotesque anarchy...Baggott mixes brutality, occasional wry humor, and strong dialogue into an exemplar of the subgenre."—Publisher's Weekly (STARRED review) on Pure

"Us 99 percenters will live outside the gates come the future, and it won't be pretty-especially once the nukes start popping... It's a bonus that the hero of the piece is a young girl, which ought to serve as inspiration for more than a few readers. Whether Baggott's imagined world is one that you'd want to live in is another matter entirely, of course. Damned Detonations!"—Kirkus on Pure

"A great gorgeous whirlwind of a novel, boundless in its imagination. You will be swept away."—Justin Cronin, New York Times bestselling author of The Passage on Pure

"A boiling and roiling glorious mosh-pit of a book, full of wonderful weirdness, tenderness, and wild suspense. If Katniss could jump out of her own book and pick a great friend, I think she'd find an excellent candidate in Pressia."—Aimee Bender, New York Times bestselling author of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake on Pure

"From the first page on, there are no brakes on this book. It's nearly impossible to stop reading as Baggott delves fearlessly into a grotesque and fascinating future populated by strangely endearing victims (and perpetrators) of a wholly unique apocalypse. And trust me, Pure packs one hell of an apocalypse."—Daniel H. Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Robopocalypse

"Pure is a dark adventure that is both startling and addictive at once. Pressia Belze is one part manga heroine and one part post-apocalyptic Alice, stranded in a surreal Wonderland where everyone and everything resonates with what has been lost. Breathtaking and frightening. I couldn't stop reading Pure."—Danielle Trussoni, bestselling author of Angelology

"Original and masterfully written, Pure features great characters and a story that is, from page to page, startling, harrowing, and touching. I recommend it wholeheartedly."—Jeff VanderMeer, World Fantasy Award winner and bestselling author of City of Saints and Madmen

"This new novel of Julianna Baggott's is so bizarre and wonderful and transportingly self-contained and yet so resonantly rich that I truly forgot where I was or who I was. . . . I was profoundly enchanted. . . . Pure is not just the most extraordinary coming-of-age novel I've ever read, it is also a beautiful and savage metaphorical assessment of how all of us live in this present age. This is an important book, for adults young and old, by one of our finest writers."—Robert Olen Butler, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain

A Fantastic Story

I really enjoyed the story, and adore the characters and the writing. It is quite a fascinating plot.

My one complaint is Casey Holloway, as a narrator in this one, she was far too robotic, the way she read was choppy and lacking inflection. I had a hard time paying attention to the parts she read because I was so bothered by her(though it wasn't like that in Pure).

CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE!

What made the experience of listening to Fuse the most enjoyable?

......I love this series...I think it is so much more original and interesting then most dystopian society books, lately. I am just fascinated and horrified, by the way the nuclear blasts changed the world and the people. Well, at least the unprotected ...

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

absolutely!The way the author can find beauty in the ghastly...is worth the listen....It will not disappoint!

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

The main characters are intricate and the way the author "writes them" to us, you truly care about them....its very cool.But there is something about "El Capitan" and his brother...I dont want to give anything away....you just need to listen....these books are like nothing else you've listened to.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I loved the books from start to finish. But I enjoyed the way the people were described, finding how their deformities can be lovely. And their will to survive, under such dire conditions....It also has a lot of symbolism, I think.... The way the individual fusions are "carried", some literally, by each character...have meaning to each of them....

Any additional comments?

If you enjoy post-apocalyptic, dystopian and a bit of gruesome...your set!

About the Narration

Any additional comments?

I ADORE this series and I highly recommend it.

3 of the narrators were excellent - 1 was not. Her voice was very stiff and didn't flow together.

I might have been happier reading this in print, but I definitely recommend the audio over not reading it at all.

LOVE THESE BOOKS

This is my favorite trilogy. The second one is kind of annoying when Pressia's part is being narrated because of the way she reads the stupid "Ghostly Girls" poem because it repeats over 10 times throughout the book and the narrator makes me skip over it every time. Besides that, I love it and adore all of the characters and the depictions of this hellish world both inside the dome and outside in the world blown to ash.
I absolutely adore Helmud in this book. The narrator brings him and El Capitan to life in a heartwarming and hilarious way that you don't get from just reading the book.

Long but ok

This was very repetitive on key elements but set in a perfect setting. I wish the author would have left a lot of the feelings out.

Great continuation of Pure

Excellent read. I'm really enjoying the development of the characters. How can you not love El Capitan and Helmud? On to Book 3.

THE BEST TRILOGY EVER CREATED ON THIS PLANET

This is my all time favorite series! AMAZING! H h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h

Love it

if you like gore and genetics this is all you. I loved the story can't wait to see what happens next

Interesting post apocalyptic series

What made the experience of listening to Fuse the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed having different narrators for the main characters view points

What was one of the most memorable moments of Fuse?

When Pressia "cures" Bradwell in the final chapters of the book. I cannot wait for the next book to find out the effects of the cure.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

I would identify with Pressia the most, although El Capitans character grows well in this book

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The fusion of beings is quite gruesome, especially " the Mothers"

Any additional comments?

The only part of the book I did not like was the singing, I suppose it would be fine written but singing in an audio book makes me cringe. Thankfully it tapers off as the book continues.

another great

This was as great as the first book and I can't believe I'm about to start the 3rd. I don't want it to end! Please read it. Trust me, just do it.