Review: Abandon the Night by Joss Ware (Envy Chronicles #3)

Abandon the Night (Envy Chronicles #3)
Joss Ware
Published: March 9, 2010 (Avon)
Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon
Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by: Amy

Rating (out of 5): 4 stars

Note: While this review will be spoiler free, it will reference previous books in the series. If you haven’t started yet, check out VBC’s review of book 1, Beyond the Night.

In 2010, Quentin Fielding had pretty much all he could desire: women, money, power. The lack of his father’s approval was the furthest thing on his mind. In fact, he got more pleasure out of antagonizing the older Fielding whenever possible. His own rebellion so to speak. To say Quent is shocked when he and his friends wake up in a cave in Sedona 50 years in the future to discover the world has been destroyed is putting it mildly.

When Quent learns his father is one of the people responsible for the destruction it’s just the cherry on top of the cake. Finding his father, and figuring out his true part in Earth’s demise is top on his list. A very close second on that list is figuring out more about mystery woman Zoe. Zoe who saved his life from gangas when he and his friends were en route to Envy. Zoe who oh-so-casually continues to sneak into his room some evenings, but promptly leaves after a quick tryst (or two).

I was really looking forward to finally getting Quent’s story since Joss Ware laid the foundations for it in Beyond the Night. First, by introducing the obvious love interest in Zoe when she saves Quent’s life, and next with the revelation that his father is one of the Strangers thereby sealing Quent’s dedication to the Resistance so he can finally get the confrontation that is literally decades in the making. Because of this, when all is said and done Abandon the Night definitely feels like the end of a story arc.

Due to the fact that his story has been slowly building for these three books, Quent’s mission is pretty straightforward and doesn’t divert too much. Yes, with each story’s progression, we’re still getting a bigger and better picture of events 50 years ago, but in Abandon the Night we learn a little more of the reason why the disaster happened. Ware is also very prudent with what new information we get. Where some might find things drag on a bit, I find that Ware does a perfect balance of full-disclosure and small hint dropping.

Similarly, the same can be said for Quent and Zoe’s relationship. I viewed them as kind of like the ‘married couple’ whose relationship is going through a rough patch and we get to watch them navigate their way through it. They’ve been paired together since Beyond the Night and I for one didn’t question whether or not they would actually end up together, I just wondered what they would have to go through to get to that point. Before they can, both Quent and Zoe have to put ‘case closed’ on things in their past.

I’ve liked this series up to this point. Ware did leave us with some characters’ lives hanging in the balance. With this story arc complete I’m really interested to see where we go from here.

Sexual content: Sex