A thrilling follow up to Defender, a book I thoroughly enjoyed. Hunted didn't disappoint. The cast of characters has expanded and although I worried I wouldn't be able to keep track at first, I soon got lost in the story.

I really enjoyed Defender, and I did enjoy this too, but it did feel a little bit like a "filler" book. The story of Lacey, Alex, and Addison continues and we are introduced to new characters, including Albus who is Red's brother and who can't speak and sees words and people as colours. He is being guided psychically by Red to find Lacey, and help her, because dangerous people are on her tail, including Posy who has a new voice guiding him. A voice that is truly evil. There is a lot of violence in this book and the post apocalyptic world feels truly menacing. I am looking forward to reading the next instalment!

I'm so torn about this book. On one hand it's sublimely written with great characterisation and has some truly heart breaking and heart in the mouth moments. But on the other hand it does sometimes meander a bit too much so rather than been a slow burn it's just slow. But its biggest problem is one of the author's own making. It's just not as good as Defender. That novel has really stayed with me and I can't begin to think how many people I have recommended it to. The big problem is the loss of an integral character from the first book, their absence feels like a massive hole through the heart of this. The new characters are slow to warm to. But saying that it does pull off one of those sneaky moves where you think you haven't engaged and then pulls a brutal move when you realise actually you have engaged and are left in a bereft crying jag or on the edge of your seat, fear for your suddenly favourite character!

So you see how I'm torn? There's so much right with this book but then it's not quite right. In my review of Defender I made reference to the author been compared to Stephen King but in my mind this was closer to Justin Cronin's Passage trilogy, one of my favourite series. The thing is The Twelve left me a bit cold, the new characters didn't gel etc etc but the last book brought it all together...it had to be seen as a whole. This novel has reinforced my opinion on this. Hunted is definitely G X Todd's difficult second novel but I'm left with a feeling that the next novel won't just be good - it will be brilliant and draw all three together to create a classic dystopian series.

4.5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2018/07/30/hunted-the-voices-2-by-g-x-todd/
Hunted is the second instalment in the Voices series by GX Todd and is a gripping and tense follow up to Defender. Be aware that being a review for the second in series this may contain spoilers – I would also suggest that the Voices is not a series where you can pick the second book up at random – these need to be read in order imo so if you haven’t read Defender then you might want to stop reading this review about now – before you leave though, just know that this is a worthy second book and definitely a series that I will continue to read.

In terms of a brief recap. In Defender we were introduced to a character named Lacey. The world in which Lacey lived had gone to hell in a handcart to be honest. The short version is that many of the population found their headspace invaded by another voice – a voice that urged them to commit acts of violence and as a consequence murder, suicide and mass suicide resulted in a huge proportion of the world’s populating being killed off in fairly short order. The survivors fall into two groups – those with voices and those without. As you may imagine the people without voices are feeling none to friendly, and not a a little bit suspicious, of those with them. Consequently people try to hide their head guests if possible. Now, as if contending with ‘voices’ wasn’t enough civilisation has taken something of a nose dive with marauding gangs running amok in the cities. Places have become overgrown and services are none existent as you would expect from a post apocalyptic world. And, finally, it seems that the people with voices are being rounded up or gathered and there is talk of a ‘Flitting Man’ – tales of terror mostly involving disappearing bodies, and strange symbols – that have leant the character an urban myth type feel.

This isn’t going to be an easy book to review because the potential for spoilers is very real but what I can immediately say is that Todd doesn’t follow an easy path with this instalment. Instead of taking that easy route she veers away from the characters introduced in the first book and instead, initially follows a new bunch. At first, I admit, I found this a little jarring and wanted to return to Lacey and her companions, but, having finished the read I can really appreciate the way this story pans out. For starters the characters are given a lot more depth which in turn really helps to pump up the tension. There’s nothing like attachment to characters to give you that awful heart in your throat sensation when reading and Todd does make you care quite strongly about some of her cast. She also gives you a horrible look at the antagonist of the piece – not the Flitting Man – but another character called Posy, who now carries his own voice (known as Not Posy). Not Posy is a horrible piece of work, he’s just awful and it’s a testament to the writing here just how scary Todd manages to make him. Devoid of any compassion, he’s the sort of coldly calculating character who absolutely will not stop. In this instance he’s seeking a girl called Red or Ruby and unfortunately he believes her to be in the company of Lacey – so you can see how the story is going to develop.

Basically, there are three storylines, following slightly different timelines at first until eventually converging. We have Not Posy and his ever growing gang of wild and vicious characters. We once again meet up with Lacey and her two companions – who know tht they’re being followed and are making a good go of avoiding being caught and, finally, a character named Albus. Albus and his companions live in an almost surreal and happy go lucky bubble, in an otherwise savage world. It’s almost like they’ve escaped the events that are going on around them and found a little bit of bliss, living in an idyllic sounding Inn on the coastline. Things are about to change however. Albus also is guided to help people by his own internal hearings. He’s an unusual character who doesn’t talk and instead sees colours in some people. I won’t say more other than he is guided to search out these people and help them – which is where his companions at the Inn have all come from. He’s going to receive a strong message to help one particular girl and although this will involve putting some of his companions, and himself, at great risk he must follow his instincts.

That’s about all I can say really without ruining the read for others.

The writing here is really good. As I mentioned this is a tense story with very little let up in terms of room to breathe out and on top of that it’s unpredictable. I mentioned above that Todd doesn’t take the easy route and in that respect her characters are given a very hard time too. There is violence here and it might not be to everyone’s tastes, particularly the torture elements and the final chapters – so be aware.

Overall a very strong second in series, perhaps a little slower than the first in terms of pacing and also a little surprising in that it takes you away from the main character from the first book (at least initially), but, regardless, I think that the character building and wider scope that occurred as a result was worth the change in tack. A book that seems to move the story on and provide revelations whilst at the same time, on reflection, actually giving very little away in the process and therefore serving to push you yet further onto the hook of ‘desperately needing to know’.

I look forward to seeing how all these storylines will come together and more than that reading about whether or not the people in this world can survive – you never know, Ms Todd certainly isn’t shy of killing off a few people in order to keep things realistic, you were warned.

I received a copy through Netgalley courtesy of the publisher for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Please note Hunted is the second book in The Voices series. If you haven’t read Defender, then it is highly likely this review will contain spoilers. Consider yourself duly warned…

The birds are flying. The birds are flocking. The birds know where to find her.

One man is driven by a Voice that isn’t his. It’s killing his sanity and wrestling with it over and over like a jackal with a bone. He has one goal.

To find the girl with a Voice like his own. She has no one to defend her now. The hunt is on.

But in an Inn by the sea, a boy with no tongue and no Voice gathers his warriors. Albus must find Lacey … before the Other does. And finish the work his sister, Ruby began.

Hunted is the second book in the highly acclaimed Voices series, where the battle between Good and Evil rages on. And on.

I’ll begin with an admission. Now I know it might sound a bit weird, but if I could only read one type of story ever again it would mostly likely be some sort of apocalyptic fiction. Over the years I have read many variations of the end of the world and, I’ll be honest, I’ve loved them all. I’ve always found survivor’s tales thoroughly compelling. Part of it is my burning curiosity about what comes after an apocalyptic event. How do ordinary people exist in such extraordinary circumstances? I am particularly drawn to stories that perfectly balance the grand scale of Armageddon with the plight of individuals. It is an endlessly fascinating counterpoint. Last year I read Defender by G X Todd and it is a worthy addition to my doomsday reading list. Todd’s debut novel is reminiscent of other classic cataclysmic novels – The Stand, Swan Song, The Ship and Blood Crazy to name but a few. The sequel, Hunted, has now been released and I am pleased to report it is just as good.

When we catch up with Lacey she is on the run. Sadly, Pilgrim is gone, and dark forces are gathering against the young woman. Her only option is to keep moving. Her internal companion, Voice, is constantly pushing her forward. Voice knows there is trouble on the horizon and wants to do whatever is necessary to avoid it. Elsewhere a young man called Albus brings together his own group of survivors. Rather than focusing on destruction they want to build something new, something better. Their task seems all but insurmountable. There are so few prepared to try and save others. Albus knows that their success hinges on a very special young woman. If only he can find her in time. Todd’s writing taps into that sense of urgency.

Hunted and its predecessor are primarily character driven, and the narrative does a fantastic job of letting these characters evolve. Each and every person that you meet is on their own unique journey. What may seem like the smallest details are actually tantalizing hints of what is going on in the grander scheme of things. These elements all weave together seamlessly, building towards an incredible conclusion. There are a handful of revelatory moments, towards the novels end, that caught me completely by surprise. I’m always pleased when an author manages to totally blind side me like that. It makes for a far more rewarding reading experience.

The horrific elements in Hunted are also handled well. Many of the characters are so ground down by their Voices that acts of violence have become commonplace. A shocking event must be genuinely shocking to elicit any sort of reaction. These violent scenes put the reader off balance, just as all good horror should. If you knew what was coming next, you could prepare for it. How dull would that be? The main antagonist is Posy, or more specifically, the voice controlling Posy. Known as “The Other” or “Not Posy” this character is as evil as they come. It feels like he views humanity almost as an inconvenience. As far as he is concerned we are like bugs under a microscope. He is quite prepared to experiment on individuals to better understand how they tick. If that means literally picking them apart to do so, then so be it.

Not Posy aside, the ultimate evil remains unseen throughout. Only ever spoken about in hushed tones, there is something greater, more malevolent out there in the ruins of the world. An even larger battle is still to come. You get the distinct impression that events are building towards a final, decisive confrontation. By the time I got to the end of this book I was baying for more. The characters that remain are hurtling towards a pivotal moment in human existence. The outcome of this reckoning will determine where humanity will go next. I cannot wait to find out. In fact, I’ll go further, I need to find out. The sooner book three arrives, the better.

Hunted is everything that a good sequel should be. If you enjoyed Defender, then I know you’ll enjoy this novel. If you haven’t experienced G X Todd’s writing, then I would suggest you get yourself a copy of Defender and start there. Hunted will be waiting for you when you are done, I can guarantee you’ll want to dive right in. Modern apocalyptic fiction doesn’t get much better.

My musical accompaniment for Hunted is the soundtrack to the 2016 science fiction movie Midnight Special. David Wingo’s subtle yet memorable score is exactly the sort of thing I like to listen to when I am utterly engrossed in a story.

Hunted is published by Headline and is available now. Highly recommended.

Todd's previous book, Defender, was an outstanding example of post-apocalyptic storytelling - scary, searing and convincing. Hunted manages - and I don't know how she did this - to be better still. The story corps effortlessly from passages of grim realism, almost miniature documentaries on the breakdown of society under the onslaught of the "Voices", to dreamlike sequences threatening carnage and pain or moving passages showing how even in an upside-down world, love still endures.

The Voices brought death and destruction because they urged killing or self-killing. Those affected, even if they didn't commit violence, are deeply mistrusted by the survivors, tracked down, tortured and murdered. If you have a Voice you try to hide it.

Across a landscape of a ruined United States, we follow three groups of survivors trying, in their different ways, to live in this new, changed world. Posy leads a group of hunters, tracking the elusive woman Red. There is something a bit... off... about Posy, about his relationship with his own Voice, and with the terrible Flitting Man. He drives his ragtag team unmercifully, but his goal is obscure.

Albus and his group of survivors live at the inn by the Sea, hinted at in Defender. His abilities allow him to locate and save the lost and wandering, building a team that can travel in the nightmare world of these books - but again, why and for what purposes?

Lacey, Alex and Addison featured centrally in Defender and are in a sense the hinge of the book, fleeing across a cursed landscape (but escaping what? And going where?) They have made enemies, their friends are dead, but the three (two women and a girl) are coolly competent, survivors. They take some time to make their appearance, Todd holding back these most familiar - and most relatable - figures from the first book almost till the middle of Hunted and dwelling instead on Posy and Albus.

The stories of these groups are woven together into a complex timeline that isn't afraid to dip backwards and forwards. As a result there's a somewhat mythic sense, a distancing effect, through much of the book - seeing the aftermath of an awful event before the event itself both reassures (you know that everyone survived) and appals (when the event itself begins you know it will be bad because you've seen the post-trauma). At the same time, the dreaminess and a creeping understanding of the Voices (not complete, not yet, by any means) adds to the overall sense of gathering dread.

Todd is a brutal author. She holds little back when it comes to heaping suffering on or killing off her characters. Even the ordinary lives depicted here - I use that word advisedly - are bleak; doomed, starved, hopeless people shuffling through a withered, hopeless world. It isn't a zombie apocalypse by any means but the depth of suffering, the wrongness depicted here, is much, much worse making that almost seem like a cosy genre.

And as we see in Hunted the madness and destruction is not over, rather it's getting worse. More akin, perhaps, to Lord of the Flies than anything else I've read, the story takes a dark view of a humanity released from social conventions and tormented by apocalyptic, teasing, haunting visions.

While there are grains of hope here, the book can make for hard reading at times, but it is also at these times it's hardest to put down.

I know this book will stick with me. I'd strongly recommend you read it.

Hunted offers up a great bit of escapism that is hard to put down. I have two disclaimers, though. 1: read Defender first and 2: don't worry about the confusion you feel at the start. It all makes sense in quick order.

I forgot how much I loved Defender's dystopian world and was swiftly reminded of its brilliance at the start of Hunted. I've never read anything that brought to mind The Stand more than this book. It's uncanny how Stephen King-esque this novel is. I simply ate it up and felt crushed when it was finished. I want to know what happens next! Cliffhangers are great but the wait for the next installment can be painful... especially after that ending! Oh my!

Hunted carries on where Defender left off but introduces a new group of survivors with an interesting backstory. Defender was brutal in its violence (be warned), Hunted much less so, but it's got all the classic suspenseful moments you've come to love from the previous book. This is my secret little vice. A smart, action packed end-of-world existence with plenty of mystery afoot. The Walking Dead without walkers. People struggling to survive whilst letting their primitive roots show. But there's so much more that is yet to be explained. Where did the Voices come from? What is their purpose? What is the meaning behind the colours Albus sees? And that ending... WHAT?!?! I'm incredibly excited for the follow up book! The Voices series is sure to be a cult classic much like Justin Cronin's The Passage.

Sequel to the utterly brilliant Defender (one of my books of the year for 2017) we now have Hunted.

And boy, what a hunt it is. It’s going to be hard to talk about this book without spoiling anything, but trust me on this. If you read and loved Defender, you *need* to read this. Pick up a copy, set aside a day, stockpile the biscuits, take the phone off the hook and strap yourself in for the chase.

And if you’ve not read Defender (what’s wrong with you??), go pick up that too (along with extra biscuits), and brace yourself for some of the finest dystopian worldbuilding you’re likely to see this side of the apocalypse.

Hunted takes the beautifully realised world of Defender, with it’s panoply of fantastic (albeit unpleasant in some cases) characters and expands the mythos. Those voices grow louder, the dystopia grows even more widescreen cinematic in scope, and the ending? Holy moly.

You are not ready for that ending. It’s a proper Empire Strikes Back kind of moment. Bereft, yet with a glimmer of hope that some things might just come right in the end.

The tension ratchets throughout the book, but it’s a slow burn, taking its time to catch light, but when the fire starts to burn, you need to stand back. The plotting is intricately woven through multiple viewpoints, multiple strands and the characters, oh the characters we meet. They’re complex, layered, always fascinating, often frustrating, and sometimes infuriating, but so utterly believable, facing down challenge after challenge, and when you think they can’t possibly take any more…

You’re ready. Join the hunt. #HearTheVoices

DEFENDER was one of my top books of 2017 so I was super excited to get my grabby mitts on Hunted (The Voices 2) and dive back into the world of Lacey, Voice, Alex and Addison.

I'll admit to being a little lost at first as the book opens with a different group of characters from the first novel (including Posy) and we are also introduced to a new group featuring Albus. I'll put this confusion down to reading on a sun lounger in Cyprus and being easily distracted by cocktails and sunshine! This is a complex tale and you need your wits about you to keep up but once I got back into Todd's writing groove I was away and immersed into the post apocalyptic landscape of Hunted.

Posy/Not-Posy and The Other are the most horrifying villains I have come across in many years of reading and I read a LOT of horror and thrillers. The Other is a truly terrifying version of Voice and is hunting down Lacey, Alex and Addison. Albus and his group are also trying to find Lacey's group but are on a rescue mission rather than a search/torture/maim one!

There are so many shocks in Hunted and at the end my jaw didn't know whether to drop or my chin to wobble. I cannot wait for book three and can safely say G X Todd is one of my favourite authors in this genre.

This is a tricky book for me to review. A lot of it is very disturbing, violent and graphic, with at times very little in the way of hope to offset the dystopia.

But it’s also compelling, albeit in small doses, because I’m a wimpy reader.

I would have liked a bit more Lacey, and the Flitting Man needs to become more corporeal, but I was well and truly spooked all the way through and I’m still intrigued as to where Todd is taking this world of Hear the Voices.

Hunted starts off with different characters to Defender, which left me a bit confused, trying to keep track of them.
There are three groups of people in this book and I just wanted to hear from ‘Voice’ again. This book starts off at a slower pace, and is a bit of a slow burner.
At one point I felt a little lost with the storyline but it does all come together at the end.
I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first book in this series but would say it’s ok, and I will give book 3 a go.
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

A little confusing in first 30%, personally think there could have been more reference to the first book Defender. However as soon as Lacey, Alex and Addison made an appearance I was gripped one again. Hope the wait to the next book is not as long!

I adored G. X. Todd’s debut, Defender, and it was one of my top ten novels of 2017. I’m sure it goes without saying that I was thrilled when my request to review the follow up, Hunted, via Netgalley was approved. That said, I did experience some trepidation in reading the follow up to a novel that I loved, but I needn’t have worried – Hunted is excellent!

The birds are flying. The birds are flocking. The birds know where to find her.
One man is driven by a Voice that isn't his. It's killing his sanity and wrestling with it over and over like a jackal with a bone. He has one goal.
To find the girl with a Voice like his own. She has no one to defend her now. The hunt is on.
But in an Inn by the sea, a boy with no tongue and no Voice gathers his warriors. Albus must find Lacey... before the Other does. And finish the work his sister, Ruby began.
Hunted is the second book in the highly acclaimed Voices series, where the battle between Good and Evil rages on. And on.

I don’t want to go into the plot in too much detail as I think that it would be all too easy to slip into spoiler territory but Hunted opens with something of a curveball. I was expecting it to pick up where Defender left off, featuring those same characters that I grew to know and love. Instead, it starts by introducing two groups of mostly new characters, one of which is led by a familiar face. Both groups are hunting Lacey – for markedly different reasons – and for the first third or so of the novel the story alternates between these two groups, introducing the key players and providing the necessary background to allow the reader to understand their motivations. I wasn’t sure what to make of this change at first, but I soon came to appreciate the shift in perspective. It gives the novel a bit of a twist, and I enjoyed getting the perspective of the bad guys. Additionally, it’s clear that certain characters introduced here have a significant role to play in the series, assuming they live long enough.

Given the need to introduce the new characters, the novel did start out a little slower than I was expecting, but there is still plenty of action as the reader comes to understand what these people have been through, and I found that the novel became increasingly tense as the two groups start getting closer to their target. This allows Lacey and friends to make their entrance later in the novel, and I loved the way in which Lacey had grown and developed since Defender. She’s so young, and this, combined with the relatively sheltered life that she’d lived before her journey began, gave her an innocent air bordering on naivety. In Hunted, I felt that she had toughened up a great deal and had become less vulnerable, and whilst this is sad in some ways, I felt that it made her a more interesting character.

As regular readers of this blog will know, I love post-apocalyptic novels, and the harsher and bleaker the world the better. This series fits the bill perfectly. Todd’s world building is second to none, and her writing style is such that I found myself completely immersed in the setting – it’s so easily to visualise the narrative as it unfolds. I really enjoyed finding out a little more about the voices in this novel, although with two instalments still to come, there are still some unanswered questions, and I’ve no real idea of where the story will head in book three, I just know that it will be brutal, and some people will die. It’s Todd, after all.

Hunted is a brilliant novel in what is proving to be a brilliant series, and I really can’t wait for book three!

Hunted is published on 31 May by Headline. Many thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this title via Netgalley.

I loved Defender, the book prior to this one. I just loved everything about it – the characters, the concept, the plot, the setting, it was just brilliant. For me, Hunted has gone one step beyond. Even though part of me was still utterly devastated about Pilgrim (hopefully not a spoiler as I’m imagining if you’re reading this review you’ve already read Defender, the first book in the series) and I had absolutely adored his interactions with other characters throughout Defender, the new character relationships nearly made up for the lack of Pilgrim.

There were a few more central characters in this book than there was in the first, so it took me a bit more ‘mind power’ to follow this book because there were three separate storylines running alongside one another. A few of the characters were familiar from Defender, whilst some were completely new characters. I won’t lie, I missed Pilgrim, but I did love the old and new characters.

Also, let’s just talk about the voices for a second. These characters with absolutely no body, no defining physical features, no quirks with whatever body parts that indicate them feeling a certain emotion, no facial expressions. These characters that are limited only to their speech and a sense of certain feelings. I find it amazing how these voices are better developed as characters than 90% of characters in other books.

Be prepared to become completely and utterly immersed in this book. Schedule yourself a weekend to just sit down and read, no distractions, and then you won’t have to cancel plans when you inevitably realize you can’t put this book down. I was awake at 1am finishing off this book, roasting under the duvet where I was huddled with my Kindle so the light didn’t wake my boyfriend who was snoring his head off beside me with no idea of the crisis I was having at having just finished this book and knowing I’d be waiting an indefinite period of time for book number three.

I’m very wary about getting too into the plot for fear of getting carried away and unleashing some spoilers, so I’ll just settle for saying wow. What a book.

The ending was a roller-coaster. I went from sitting there with a sh*t-eating grin to feeling like I’d been punched in the guts. What a way to make sure the reader is desperate to pick up the next book. I’m so excited for part three, I quite literally cannot wait. (No, seriously, I needed part three like yesterday)

Overall I 100% recommend this book, obviously make sure you pick up Defender first if you haven’t already! I’m not only really looking forward to seeing where this series goes, I’m also really looking forward to see what else G.X. Todd writes, her writing style and imagination are both wonderful.

It's taken me a while to get to Defender and Hunted by GX Todd. I read the first book in January 2018 and have only just read the second book, which is being published later this month. It made sense to read them reasonably close together, as they are the first two books in a planned quartet. Here's my Author Catch up with a double review.

Defender and Hunted are the first two books in The Voices series. My suggestion is to read them as I have done - buy both and read them in succession, so then you don't need to recap on the story of the first one before you read the second. Obviously I then have to wait to read books three and four, as this is a quartet. BUT there is no way I could have waited until all four books were published to start reading this series!




Defender: Publisher's description
In a world where long drinks are in short supply, it's dangerous to listen to your inner voice.
Those who do, keep it quiet.
But one man listens to the voice in his head telling him to buy a lemonade from the girl sitting on a dusty road.
There is a reason why Pilgrim and Lacey must cross paths.
They just don't know it yet . . .
#HearTheVoices



Hunted: Publisher's description
The birds are flying. The birds are flocking. The birds sense the red skies are coming.
One man is driven by an inner voice that isn't his - this Other is chewing at his sanity like a jackal with a bone and has one purpose.
To find the voice hiding in the girl.
She has no one to defend her now.
But in an inn by the sea, a boy with no tongue and no voice gathers his warriors. Albus must find the girl, Lacey . . . before the Other does.
And finish the work his sister Ruby began.

My verdict of both books
I enjoyed both Defender and Hunted, though they did provide a slightly different reading experience each time. The writing in both books is stunning, with descriptions that made me startle, grimace, laugh and cry. Author GX Todd left me feeling, tasting, hearing and seeing everything she described, vividly in my own head as if I had a voice in there too. The books are graphic, violent and bloody - so they are not always an easy read - but also compelling, gripping and heartbreaking. They are filled with hope and emotion, as people begin to build relationships, forge friendships and develop communities. The characters are real and convincing - ordinary people pitted against the dangers of a broken society, with an unknown force (or voices) in control.

In Defender, we're pulled into a world where some people can hear (and even talk to) their inner voice. We're introduced to Lacey, a girl on the cusp of adulthood, and Pilgrim, a mysterious man with a mysterious past and an inner voice with attitude. The book looks at the worst (and sometimes best) side of human nature, as people fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic setting. The world has been destroyed by human behaviour, triggered by voices in people's heads, leaving no leadership, authority figures or even organised society. The voices in The Defender are far more than a conscience - they are independent, with the power to lead you to kill yourself and others. Niggling at you, urging you, driving you crazy - with no escape. But it seems that not all voices are bad - and not all voices are equal.

Defender is compelling and addictive, with definite reminders of The Walking Dead, of which I am a huge fan. Straight away, we're introduced to the main characters through vivid descriptions, not just of their outward appearances but their inner thoughts too. I guess it helps when there's someone else inside their head for them to talk to - though not everyone has an inner voice. Defender is certainly an action-packed thriller, with each chapter reading like an episode of a TV series. And it left me hungry for more, so it was just as well I had Hunted waiting patiently on my Kindle.

Hunted follows on from Defender, with tension mounting as some of the original characters continue along their journey, running from danger and trying to keep those around them safe. They are being hunted by new characters, some good and some bad - though it's not actually clear which are which until later on in the book. No one knows where the voices have come from, why they exist or what they want. But it's clear that some, if not all, have their own agenda, leading the characters along a twisty, and often dangerous, path until they all converge.

Hunted wasn't what I expected at first, I'm not going to lie. It starts off with different characters to Defender, which left me somewhat confused, trying to keep track of them. It also started off at a slower pace, setting the scene and introducing each of the character groups in turn. Yet despite feeling a little lost, I ploughed on and eventually couldn't put this book down either, as the tension and action reached full throttle. As with Defender, Hunted is filled with amazing descriptive writing, with plenty of sadness, humour, shocks and surprises amid the darkness. Eventually old and new characters collided, with plenty of sparks and an explosive ending. While Hunted doesn't necessarily answer many questions or tie up many loose ends, some things started to make sense, though this then led to more questions circulating around in my head.

Defender and Hunted have definitely left me wanting more, and I could certainly hear my own 'inner voices' by the time I turned the final page! I can't wait for the next instalment in The Voices series!

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was eagerly looking forward to reading this one, I did wonder if I was reading the same series though this one was so different.When I started reading this one there were so many new characters I struggled to keep up.I felt like there were too many new characters for my brain to cope with and none of them really grabbed me or stood out I was so disappointed. The first book was brilliant and I don't know how this one can be so different but it just didn't have the same impact for me, I hope others really like it and I certainly wouldn't give up on this writer I do think she has a wonderful imagination and she certainly writes complex and multi layered books I just wish I had liked this one more, and hope other readers do.Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC.

I can now say for sure that Defender, the debut from G.X. Todd, was no fluke.

This sequel is every bit as good as the first in the series, confirming Todd as a powerful, fresh new voice in genre fiction.

The Voices series is set in a post-apocalyptic world which went to shit thanks to the emergence of voices in people's heads - voices which convinced said people to kill themselves and others.

Book 2 continues the stories of the main protagonists we met in book 1 but also introduces some great new characters. The best of these is Albus, a man without a tongue or fingers but with a natural gift for 'seeing' voices.

The book also expands and deepens the mythology introduced in book 1 but still leaves plenty of mystery for books 3 and 4. There are twists, turns, shocks, action and emotion.

Hunted is a great 2nd entry in a great series. This author deserves a wider audience and I'm sure in time she'll get she'll have one.

In book #2 of The Voices series, it seems everyone is searching for Lacey. Albus, a man with no voice of his own, is led by the voice of his lost sister with one goal: find and protect the martyr. He and his friends must find her, before anyone else does. Before Posy, and the evil voice inside him – The Other – can.

This series is so good, omg. I can’t even tell you. I’ve seen surprisingly few post-apocalyptic books around recently, and The Voices is based on a really scary and interesting concept: voices in our heads that caused humanity to break down and drove huge numbers of people to kill themselves. It is terrifying and super interesting.

But not only is the concept great, so is the story. I was a tiny bit disappointed at first that the story wasn’t being told from Lacey’s point-of-view (like book #1 is), but after a while, I realised that this was actually a good thing. Firstly, it gave the book a fresh angle. Secondly, I got a bit of a YA vibe from Defender, although it isn’t a YA book. This time, that vibe was gone. I think this was down to the story being told from the point of various adults so, as much as I love Lacey, that teen-vibe was gone – which, for this kind of book, was a good thing.

The characters in this book are just fantastic. Lacey and Voice in particular, but every single character (even the awful, mean ones) bring important something to the story. Also – no spoilers – but EEK big news regarding one of my other favourite characters! Book #3 right now please!!

Basically, you have to read this book.

So the first thing to say is, if you have not yet read DEFENDER then go do it now. Or at least schedule a day or so with no interruptions to do so sometime before May ’18 so we are ALL ready for Hunted. Those of you who have read Defender already – batten down the hatches people, you’ll need all your emotional stamina for the purely brilliant follow up that I guarantee will have you muttering into some kind of alcoholic beverage when you finish it, wishing that book 3 would just magically appear. *Glances around* No? DAMMIT.

Anyway – let’s talk about The Voices book 2 AKA Hunted and the one I just put down (it’s morning but the alcoholic beverage will definitely come later) and now cannot even think about without grumbling about annoying author types who think it is ok to mess with your head and make you weep. I think to give away nearly any plot detail would be to spoil it so I’ll be careful – suffice to say there are several strands to this tale that all come together in the end in a hugely nail biting finale that will have you tearing your hair out. The mythology deepens, the voices get louder and every step of the way you are alongside those amazing, eclectic and beautifully drawn characters that steal away little pieces of your soul every time bad things happen.

The writing is incredible, immersive, descriptive, all the good things that make the story unfold in your head like watching a movie – there is huge depth of perception here that I haven’t seen since early King – who I’m sure is an inspiration. This voice (yes I did that) however is unique and clever and simply stunning in it’s impact upon the reader. The plotting is divine – the tension ramps up slowly but surely until you’ve almost edged off the chair, then BAM you are hit with at least two jaw dropping moments, a fist pump the air moment plus all the rest – Finally, some of you will understand the compliment I’m about to pay here, an ending that affected me more than the ending of Golden Son by Pierce Brown did. Yes you heard me.

So what else is there to say? Erm read this? Read Defender? Said that already I think.

Masterful writing, intuitive character building, a world of reading anguish in the best possible way – G X Todd is a huge huge talent. Highly Recommended. HIGHLY.

It's now 5:36am and I have given up on sleep! I put this book down several times and tried to sleep but my little brain just couldn't silence the voices!! :-) So i read a few more chapters, tried again, same result so now i have finished the book! My poor eyes are burning and feel like they are bleeding! A little over dramatic maybe but still true!

I have coveted this book for months after picking up a copy of the first book Defender and being completely sucked in by it, but now I kinda wish I had waited until the series was complete before reading them!! Hunted will be published on 31st May 2018 which means the wait for book 3 will now feel like an eternity!!

Other than to say how utterly brilliant this book is I don’t want to say too much about the story line as i don’t want to spoil it for anyone! ( I would be mad if someone let slip vital pieces of the story before id read it! ) There were several plot twists i didn’t expect which is always good and not an easy feat to accomplish as normally with some genre of books they follow similar paths. But this one has its own unique take on a apocalyptic world and the people left in it. 

It is as good, if not better than the first book and that one was in a class of its own, so if you enjoyed Defender, Hunted will sweep you away. Honestly! It's that good!

Roll on book 3 as Hunted ends on an apocalyptic cliff hanger!