D4rk Inside

A Review on D4rk Inside ~ by Jeyn Roberts

D4rk Inside is a Sci-Fi / Thriller about four teenagers that are caught up in the middle of, what appears to be, the start of the apocalypse and their journey to safety and, eventually, finding one another.

I actually purchased this book over a year ago but only read it this year and, upon its completion, I wished that I had read it a lot sooner. D4rk Inside is the first book in a trilogy with the follow-ups being R4ge Inside and Fury Rising. I have not yet read the follow-up books but I plan to do so in the near future.

If you enjoy Sci-Fi books with an apocalyptic edge then this is the book for you. What makes the book unconventional is that there are no zombies to be seen which is normally a given in any apocalyptic type book. The people that are “infected” still display human traits and don’t try to gnaw off ankles or scoop out brains. I say “infected” because the author does not reveal the reason for the changes that people are undergoing – at least not in the first book.

The reason the author replaced the “A” in the title with a “4” is because the book is written from the perspective of the four main protagonists: Mason, Aries, Michael and Clementine. Each character has a unique background which causes them to pursue refuge for different reasons. The book is written in chapters swapping between each character’s movements allowing us to experience each character’s development, progression and emotions first hand as the story develops.

Choosing a favourite character would be a difficult task because each character is so different and they each undergo transformations for different reasons. Choosing a favourite character is generally based on which character is the most relatable to the reader but I see a part of myself in each character which renders it difficult to do so. However, I do admire Aries the most for her leadership and determination to keep those close to her safe no matter the cost. As a result my favourite secondary character would have to be Daniel – a boy that Aries meets just after the first wave of earthquakes which signify the start of the “apocalypse”. Daniel is a very mysterious character that appears to have feelings for Aries but believes the best way to keep her safe is to stay away from her. Being a sucker for romance, I keep hoping for something to spark between the two characters.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, which is not uncommon for books in a trilogy, which leaves me wanting more and still being confused about a lot of detail within the first book. The adventure has only just begun for the four and, if you enjoy the book as much as I did, I have no doubt that you look forward to finding out what is in store for them in the follow-up books.

The book is easy to follow with a very intriguing and mysterious storyline. It reminds me somewhat of The Maze Runner in that the reader does not discover the reason for all the chaos in the first book and, instead, is left guessing and assuming throughout. Overall, I give the book five stars for keeping me guessing right up to the end, for being non-predictable and for being an outlier in its genre. This is definitely a read that is worth your time and I promise that you will struggle to put the book down.