Wayward

Welcome to the town of Wayward Pines, Idaho—population: 461 (maybe). It is a place to “work hard, be happy, and enjoy your life.” It is a place “where paradise is home.” It is also a town that is surrounded by a high voltage fence. To keep people in or to keep something out? It is a town where surveillance cameras and listening devices cover nearly every square inch of the town, including inside of peoples’ homes. It is a place where people are given assignments: where they will live, where they work, who they will marry, etc. Wayward is a place where the residents do “much more thinking before speaking… like living in a novel of manners.” It is a town no one can leave and where anyone who doesn’t fulfill instructions given to them may become subject to a fête (reminiscent of events in Shirley Jackson’s immortal story, “The Lottery”) and brutally (sometimes eagerly) killed by their colleagues, friends, neighbors, and townsfolk in general—in the city square where all can witness the killing. It is a town created by, cared for, and controlled by a “god,” or perhaps by a “megalomaniac and a psychopath.” Wayward (2013) is writer Blake Crouch’s second novel in a trilogy—The Wayward Pines Series—which has met with enormous success and has been the basis of a TV mini-series. In the first novel of the series, Pines (2012), Secret Service agent Ethan Burke arrives in Wayward Pines in search of two colleagues who have gone missing. Following a sudden accident and waking up in a hospital, Burke finds himself at a lost—his phone, papers, his very reason for being in the town are either gone or left murky in his mind. His is a long journey of discovery and the revelations are all terrifying. Crouch brings to this sequel the same suspense and incredible plot twists of the original with one key difference—this time instead of being a victim, Ethan finds himself, sometimes reluctantly, in a position of authority—the town sheriff. He also is the confidant to the town’s creator, David Pilcher, serving at the man’s pleasure, charged with discovering who is responsible for the grisly murder of Pilcher’s daughter. In allowing Ethan to get so close to him on a personal and professional level, Pilcher is taking a huge risk: knowing what Ethan has learned from his earlier experiences since arriving in the town while yet eager for Ethan to prove himself. Pilcher hopes Ethan will join him and his other co-conspirator, Pam, to share their wealth of knowledge and plans for the town’s future. Wayward as a novel (as well as the town itself) is a fantastic creation which defies any single label. It has aspects of an adventure thriller, parts of a police procedural, occasional elements of horror, and splashes of science fiction all running through its veins. Crouch’s story-telling is first rate throughout. Paragraphs can be as short as a single word, ricocheting from the page like gunfire. Events move at a rapid pace with an occasional illuminating flashback while Crouch also delivers numerous characters the reader can believe in and care about. There are exceptions regarding liking the characters. Along with Pilcher, who displays moments of sanity along with moments of sheer mad scientist-like genius, his second daughter, Pam, is, at times, an over-the-top, nasty, sadistic piece of work knowing no boundaries and filled with blood-lust, glorying in her power. There is also a minor character who the reader only gets occasional glances of in the novel who gets placed in the most ironic of positions by the novel’s conclusion and whose fate is left unclear. Realistic dialogue often carries the plot of Wayward forward and Crouch peppers Wayward with vivid details that bring the town and events to life while either appealing to or appalling the reader’s senses. Touches of genuine humanity amidst all the chaos give Wayward some truly emotionally moving moments. What lies outside of the town’s electrified fences, the history of the town’s actual creation, and how the residents find themselves in such an untenable and merciless position lies at the beating heart of Crouch’s dazzling innovation and hovers over Ethan and the novel like a damn waiting to burst and release its pernicious tide of rot. Chapter by chapter, revelation after revelation, Ethan Burke burrows closer to the truth about Alyssa’s death. While doing so, he also learns more about some of the residents of the town and about Pilcher—things he is not meant to know. In so doing, Ethan places himself, his wife Theresa and his son, Ben, in enormous danger and, especially for Ethan, in a growingly impossible situation. Wayward is gripping story-telling at its best. There are a couple of brilliant plot twists with the novel’s climax as well as its frightful denouement which many readers are likely to foresee, but that does not reduce the intense impact of the final pages of Wayward. The novel’s end also prepares the way for one more novel in the series: The Last Town (2014), which many may find almost irresistible to start after finishing Wayward.

There was a trend in Hollywood for a little while – about ten years ago – to approach trilogies in an odd fashion. The idea was to release a mostly standalone film – think The Matrix, or Pirates of the Caribbean – and if it did well, to turn it into a trilogy by filming the next two entries simultaneously. The result was always slightly odd-feeling, with a solid standalone film and then one long story split into halves, complete with the requisite cliffhanger. And more often than not, there was a sense of the unnecessary about those sequels – that however fun they might or might not be, they were less about telling the “whole” story, and more about extending the world of the original not once, but twice. I mention all of this here because Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines trilogy feels so much like it’s following in this model’s footsteps – down to the fact that none of it entirely feels needed. The original novel in the series, Pines, was a blast – a pulpy, twisty mystery about a Secret Service agent who ends up in a strange small town, and can’t leave. And by the time the book laid its cards on the table, things had escalated wildly, leading to a payoff and reveal that pushed way, way beyond what you ever would have guessed. It was a lot of fun, and if it had its flaws – some middling writing, some thin characters – the intriguing story and pulpy fun made up for it. But when I discovered that Crouch had turned the original book into a trilogy, I was a bit confused. Pines pretty well wraps up its story; while there’s more of this world you could explore, really, things are settled by the end. Our questions are answered. Our hero has made the important choices, and all is settled. But, to borrow from The Royal Tenenbaums, what this book presupposes is, what if it wasn’t? Wayward, the second volume in the series, deals with the ramifications of the big reveal in the first book, particularly as they affect our main character. If you learned, as he did, something that changed how you saw the world, how would you deal with it? Would you help to keep that secret, or would you fight for the truth? Crouch anchors his book in this internal debate, letting Ethan slowly realize just what his role in this town will entail – and what it will mean that he has to do. It’s a compelling enough idea to keep the story going, and as Crouch fills in some intriguing details around the edges – particularly as it regards the growing amount of resistance that’s coming together in the town – there starts to be a feeling that this sequel, while not quite necessary, at least intrigues in how it expands on the world Crouch has created. What’s more, it builds to a spectacular climax, one that pays off your patience beautifully – it’s big and showy, but satisfying, and makes you realize what Crouch’s big game is for the sequels. And the cliffhanger he sets up? Gleefully nasty and taunting. Wayward, then, does what a good sequel should do, and what the second entry in these trilogies tries to do – it expands on the world, it goes deeper, and it tries to set up the big picture of the series. And if it still feels tacked on, it’s a fun sort of tacked on. Now, if only The Last Town could have stuck the landing...but that's a different story.

Wayward, the second in the Wayward Pines series, is a triumph as both a thriller and a mystery, a page-turner that keeps you guessing until the very end and then leaves you begging for more! I can't wait for the last one! Blake Crouch has proven himself again and again as a master of thriller and horror fiction. His prose is beautifully and tightly woven in almost Hemingway-esque style and his stories move at a lightning pace, forcing you to turn pages at super speed just to see what's going to happen next! In Wayward, Crouch masterfully crafts the tale of former CIA agent Ethan Burke, now sheriff in the strange town of Wayward Pines. It looks like any small town on the surface, but it's what lurks underneath--and beyond the safety of the town's borders--that keeps its citizens trapped in a Stepford existence, too afraid to step out of line to even question what they're really afraid of. While Pines ran forward at a breakneck pace, Wayward goes deeper, both literally and metaphorically. Crouch's characters have some time to develop here, to reflect about themselves, each other, and the strange little place in which they live. They have time to contemplate their freedom, or lack thereof, and whether or not the devil you know is truly better than the devil you don't. But in the end, you discover they're going to all find out the answer to that question, whether they like it or not! I can't say much more about the plot without giving it all away and spoiling it for you. Suffice it to say, both Pines and Wayward are the two best thriller books I've read in a long time, and I highly recommend you start with Pines before reading this one. Both books are full of thrills and scares and keep you on the edge of your seat--but they explore deeper themes too, monsters far darker than the ones beyond Wayward Pines' borders. This isn't a political novel, but its themes speak to our future as a nation, as a world and as a species, in a way that is both frightening and thought-provoking. Blake Crouch isn't afraid to explore the big questions head-on and he does so in a way that makes you gasp, squirm and wince. It doesn't take long to realize how much the author is writing about our own world, exploring our tendency as humans to play God, giving us a mirror to reflect our own hubris. But this is just fiction right? We can close the book, put it away, forget it. Reality is far harsher, and Crouch reminds us--just because we can do something (like mess around with the human genome--Monsanto anyone?) doesn't mean we should.

This is a very worthwhile sequel to the amazing novel 'Pines' from last year. I rated 'Pines' a solid 5 stars, but I'm giving 'Wayward' 4 stars for a couple of reasons. First, I find this series to be a bit comparable with 'The Matrix' movies, in the first one, the main goal was to tell the story of this very dystopian future that is being completely hidden from the masses, and the individual person that discovers this the truth, and his reaction to it. So, then, for the sequel, all that mystery is lost on the individual person, and now the story must focus on the individual person, helping the group struggle against the oppressive force that created the dystopia. Fortunately, this book is MUCH better than the Matrix sequel. Ethan, the protagonist from 'Pines', is now the sheriff of Wayward Pines, and must now act as a buffer between the town full of people that tried to kill him, and David Pilcher, creator of Wayward Pines and self-proclaimed "GOD" of the new world. Its a good story, and the great characters from 'Pines' are back (Ethan, Pam, and Pilcher) and they are in true form, but most of the secondary characters are pretty flat, the most disappointing is that of Theresa, Ethan's wife, who responds with every situation to the same old, "Ethan, I love you and whatever you want to do is fine". No spouse is that emotionlessly supportive, not even in a dystopian fantasy novel. I wanted her character to be more assertive, and (SPOILERS AHEAD) when she finds out the truth, I wanted to see HER walk down to the school and punch the teacher in the face and pull her son back home, but no, Ethan had to do this, as he has to do everything else ALL BY HIMSELF. Maybe in the next novel, now that everyone knows the truth, some of the secondary characters will get to shine, because so far, in the first 2 novels, its been the ALL-ETHAN show. All that being said, I read this book in 2 days, because I simply could not put it down, its a real page turner, focussing more on intrigue than action. Very few dull moments here in my opinion.

I watched the show before reading the books. I have to say, I LOVED season one of Wayward Pines... season two was admittedly not as good, (mainly because it has almost nothing to do with the source material) but still worth watching, and I'm skeptically optimistic about how they're going to handle season three. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the books, far more so than the show. the books were that good. The second installment was no exception. I really only have a couple of complaints, most of them relatively minor, but some are BIG problems; Crouch's strange obsession with expounding his knowledge of firearms and military craft (irritating... pandering... I don't need you to describe in graphic detail Ethan's Mossberg 500 tactical shotgun with a sawed off barrel -- "shotgun" would have sufficed...) and yet in practically the same breath, make grievous mistakes like calling Navy SEALs "soldiers" and holding the rank of "Sergeant"... but Blake Crouch's weird hard-on for guns, and apparent complete lack of knowledge of the military aside... Don't even get me started on Crouch's complete lack of understanding of science; how slowly processes like global climate change and evolution move. however, my biggest complaint about these books has been the relatively one-dimensional, borderline misogynistic way the female leads Theresa, Kate and Pam are portrayed. I'm just saying, it's not fair considering the amount of psychological depth lauded on characters like Ethan and Pilcher, and Theresa, Kate and Pam are little more than stereotypical Bond girls. But... if you can dismiss these errors and just accept the story as fiction, the books are wonderfully entertaining, suspenseful and full of some great surprises. definitely worth a read.

This trilogy will keep you on the edge of your seat! It’s a great read! First two books are wonderful…now for the last one!

Even though I've only given three stars, I still say, "Wow!" I knew from the beginning that this was a sequel with a sequel to come. We learn more about Pilcher this time---he isn't the great person some think he is. We see even more that his second, Pam, is psychopathic. The new sheriff, Ethan, takes on the hero's mantle, and there are several unknown factors that keep one wanting to read on to the next story in this series. The writing is tense, but sometimes things happen and they don't always make sense. If the series continues beyond another book, it will be interesting to see where it goes. I think there must be more to the abbies than is stated. Their "city" certainly sets the wheels spinning as to purpose and significance. These elements alone make the story worth reading and for those who watch their reading budget, the price is right. I often wonder about what my children, and their eventual children, face in the future...where humanity is headed? This book does not answer that question, but it does make one speculate.

Posted originally on my blog: (...) As I continue this trilogy, I had to say, I am really in awe of Crouch’s ability to create a great book. The pacing of the story does tend to lag at times and I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest fan of what is happening to Ethan and Theresa. But overall, this is a solid book and a very good read. I made the mistake of looking at some of the other reviews for this book and I saw questions about why Ethan is made Sheriff and how he has come to accept this position. While I can understand how this may seem illogical for some, let’s think about it for a moment. Ethan has such a rough integration into the Wayward Pines population, that within days of him coming to, they are ready to kill him. There was no putting him back under. They were just going to cut the cord. With less than a thousand humans (as we know them today) alive in this world, that’s a huge decision to make. But in the first book, it’s clear that Ethan is one of those individuals who can actually handle the news of what the world has become and process it. His being promoted to Sheriff was not a reward, it’s a leash. It’s clear they don’t trust him and within good reason. He may have accepted the truth about the world, but he doesn’t approve or agree with how things are being ran. This makes him a huge liability. And they have this saying, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” This is exactly what Pilcher and Ethan are doing with one another. So actually, it’s highly logical to put such a huge spotlight on Ethan. If he screws up, he becomes a huge example of what will happen to those who do not follow the rules. And from his point of view, knowledge is power and he’s learning anything and everything he can, about the town and the operations within the mountain. So now that that is covered, let’s move on. I watched the series last fall and I really enjoyed it. So it’s amazing to see how much from the books made it into the show and all the little things that didn’t. It’s probably one of the only times I’ve had a hard time comparing the two because they are so similar and yet so different. But what I can tell you is much like the first book, what you think you know or have guessed, is not what is really going on. The corruption in this town has nothing to do with the groups of people sneaking out at night and everything to do with the people running the show from the mountain. It’s funny, but even knowing what I knew from the show, I didn’t expect some of the twists that came out in this book. I’m definitely recommending this as a must read. It’s not the best written book I’ve ever read. But it’s entertaining and for that reason, I hope you will take a chance to check it out.

Nicely written

Loved every bit of it! Great build up of characters! Ends on a great cliffhanger! Staring to read Book 3. Let's do this!

What do you do when the world ends? What do you do if you are not you? Who am I? Where am I?

Diese Buchreihe macht einen süchtig! Spannung von Anfang bis Ende! Selten hat mich eine Story so gefesselt! Empfehlenswert und sehr gelungen.

This is the second book in a three part series which started with Pines. Although it is not necessary to have read Pines first, it will help, but I think it will be necessary to have read this book at least before reading the third book in the series, when that is released. It is very hard to categorise this book - part horror, part science fiction, part dystopian, part conspiracy read. If you like your horror set in small town America then this read really should be right up your street. I have seen it likened to Twin Peaks and Twilight Zone and if you throw The Prisoner, Stepford and The Walking Dead into the mix, then that should give you an idea of the sort of read you are going to get. I found it very gripping and addictive, with a really good well thought out storyline. One word of caution - this read does end on a cliffhanger, so if you like your stories all nicely wrapped up at the end, then this may not be the read for you. Personally I am now really looking forward to the next in the series and I understand that Fox TV are turning it into a serial, so that is something that will be well worth watching.