“★★★★★”
What a brilliant new installment in The Dark Days series! Sonny grew up and became a protector for his friends, but I loved how the three of them stuck together to support each other. Sanctuary was all about their progress as characters and highlighted how far they had come. They weren’t scared little kids anymore. They were resilient, ready to fight, and move forward. Sonny was sharper, more calculating, and a better leader for his friends. I enjoyed reading the tough-love relationship he formed with Grim. That relationship really shaped Sonny’s character and gave it depth. I really liked how Christopher Cole gave us different narratives to make the story personal and allowed readers to form a connection with different characters. I enjoyed Grim’s chapters, but Nathan’s voice was great too. Sanctuary is phenomenal and highly recommended.
“★★★★★”
Inundated with zombies, Sanctuary (The Dark Days Series Book 2) by Christopher Cole is a dramatic and intense dystopian novel. Including a stimulating plot, admirable and courageous protagonists, and a scintillating storyline, it is an unputdownable book! Told from several viewpoints, the thrilling horror story is brimming with edge-of-the-seat action and electrifying fight scenes. Picking up where the first story leaves off, this stunning sequel is filled with action, drama, suspense, and adventure that create a breathtaking tale to thrill and excite science fiction and dystopian fans alike. Due to the strong language, graphic violence, and blood and gore, the story is more suitable for a mature reader.
“★★★★★”
Christopher Cole has created a well-plotted series. The story of Sonny’s many tribulations, the choices he faces, and his relationship with his friends will drive you to reach the story’s climax. Sanctuary is not limited to the generous doses of shooting, hacking, and slashing the undead. It explores man’s existential crisis in an age of decay and where the survival of the fittest becomes the norm. The pace and development of the plot are well laid out and the new characters introduced into this installment are well-developed. The ending is worth the wait as you will see if Sonny and his friends’ training has truly prepared them to face the threat that is their prime objective. For anyone who loves a good zombie story, reading Sanctuary will make you anticipate the third installment.
“★★★★★”
When I read books that have me deeply engrossed through every delicious page, they are usually hard to forget. Sanctuary is one book I will remember for a very long time as it was greatly evoking and thrilling. Brace yourself for extremely gory scenes that include gun and knife fights with many brain-thirsty zombies and wild, crazed predators. They just keep coming! Even though the protagonist is only fourteen, the book is not appropriate for children and young teens as it includes heavy discussions and descriptions of murder. Apart from the gripping action scenes, Christopher Cole projects different thought-provoking themes in his book: mental disorder, altruism, friendship, family, and sacrifice. Sanctuary is perfect for gun enthusiasts and readers who love the dangerous, hair-raising feeling of zombie novels. I did not read Book 1, but I seriously enjoyed Book 2 as a stand-alone and would love to read more books from the series.
“★★★★★”
I believe Christopher Cole’s goal in writing Sanctuary was to take his readers on a rollercoaster ride of extreme emotions. His story starts off riding leisurely through scenes of school kids adjusting to new friends and to their new school. But then, as soon as it seems like the world in Sanctuary is going to be happy and carefree forever, Sonny and his teenage friends are thrown into a war. Soon the rollercoaster ride is zooming downhill out of control and Sonny and his friends are running for their lives and fighting zombies and humans at every turn. The idea of putting young teens in such constant danger was unnerving at times but I have to admit that it works. Mr. Cole has given us a strong cast of characters that we can’t help but care for. Then he cranks up the tension with all the fighting and it's hard to put this book down. One warning I have to give to potential readers is that this is one of the most violent books I’ve ever read. I was also surprised at the explicit language used throughout. For many readers, that’s not a big deal but there are some, like me, who would have liked a warning. That being said, Sanctuary is a first-class sci-fi thriller about teenagers at war. Fans who like violent battles that feature young likable heroes will get a thrill out of Sanctuary.
