Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Outpost
    Outpost
    Outpost
    Audiobook10 hours

    Outpost

    Written by Ann Aguirre

    Narrated by Emily Bauer

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In Ann Aguirre's Outpost, the Freaks from Enclave are back, and this time they're much smarter.

    Deuce's whole world has changed. Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she's a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn't fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.

    To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven't changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

    Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They're watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don't intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateOct 2, 2012
    ISBN9781427226280
    Outpost
    Author

    Ann Aguirre

    Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner, best known for her teen dystopian series Razorland (Enclave; Outpost; and Horde) and Sirantha Jax, her adult science fiction series. She writes all kinds of genre fiction and has forty-two contracted novels and novellas with Penguin, Macmillan, Harlequin, among others.

    More audiobooks from Ann Aguirre

    Related to Outpost

    Titles in the series (4)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    YA Science Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Retriever of Souls

      Nov 25, 2021

      What they don’t say is that, sometimes God will call you to the wilderness, gesture toward the trees, and then, hang back and wave you on alone. —“Prayer for the Wretched Among Us” from The Virginia State Colony for Epileptics and Feebleminded At nig

      18 min read

    • Article

      Yara And The Witch Queen

      Oct 1, 2019

      I knew the dangers of witchcraft. My parents had told me about the time before I was born, when magic plagued our desert kingdom of Bahati. Untrained witch doctors trying to cure warts ended up paralyzing their patients or turning them into crocodile

      10 min read

    • Article

      GhoST StoRies

      Apr 12, 2021

      GhoST StoRies
      8 min read

    • Article

      Chost Stories

      Apr 12, 2021

      Chost Stories
      8 min read

    • Article

      Otterly Wonderful

      May 25, 2022

      Otterly Wonderful
      5 min read

    • Article

      Spider Girl

      Feb 1, 2024

      Like part of a web, my identity is tethered to my family, in which I am one of three girls—to this day, our mom still lovingly addresses us in a single unit as “Girls.” The post Spider Girl appeared first on The Millions.

      5 min read

    • Article

      Dark Tales

      Dec 2, 2021

      Dark Tales
      6 min read

    • Article

      Nothing To Fear

      Jan 26, 2021

      Nothing To Fear
      8 min read

    • Article

      Mourning a Stranger’s Suicide in Prison

      Aug 23, 2019

      It was an average Texas prison weekend when it happened. Chow had just finished, and the dorm was settling into its routine. The bolted-down metal tables in the dayroom were cluttered with bowls and commissary food as several women started cooking in

      6 min read

    • Article

      A WING AND a prayer

      Sep 28, 2021

      A raven saved my life Cate McMurray, 47, from West Midlands I ’d always known I was different. As a small child, I used to see and hear people who weren’t there. One day, I was playing hide ‘n’ seek with my two sisters, and tucked myself away in a cu

      4 min read

    • Article

      Condemned To Death

      Apr 14, 2020

      Condemned To Death
      5 min read

    • Article

      Intelligent Creatures

      Jul 6, 2023

      Intelligent Creatures
      19 min read

    • Article

      My Co-workers Are Ghosts

      Dec 10, 2020

      Nathaniel Buchanan, 43, Ballarat, Vic There’s a ghost on the staircase!’ cried one of my group. Everyone quickly turned to look, hoping to capture the eerie figure on their cameras. On practically every ghost tour I conducted around the massive, d

      2 min read

    • Article

      Clam Down

      Apr 13, 2017

      Clam Down
      9 min read

    • Article

      Perfect Prose II

      May 15, 2020

      Perfect Prose II
      4 min read

    • Article

      Judges

      Mar 10, 2024

      The doctors assured me the shrapnel in my leg would do no further harm if they “let sleeping dogs lie,” or at least less harm than trying to take it out would cause. “Hey,” I asked them. “What if it decides to cut its way out all on its own?” My grea

      12 min read

    • Article

      Towns Like Ours

      May 3, 2018

      Towns Like Ours
      9 min read

    • Article

      Amnesia: The Great Work

      Apr 30, 2020

      Amnesia: The Great Work
      5 min read

    • Article

      Sweet Fantasy

      Nov 20, 2021

      Sweet Fantasy
      8 min read

    • Article

      Cricket League

      Sep 1, 2020

      Cricket League
      7 min read

    • Article

      Equinox

      May 18, 2022

      In this strange world, where identities change with the rising and setting of the sun, supernatural forces are at work – and they’re causing trouble… St Leonars prison was an appropriately imposing building. It rose out of the surrounding shacks and

      5 min read

    • Article

      Table Talk

      Jun 1, 2023

      Table Talk
      11 min read

    • Article

      Say Rabbit

      Mar 1, 2023

      Say Rabbit
      4 min read

    • Article

      Curtain Up On A Rabbit Woodstock

      Aug 18, 2021

      Curtain Up On A Rabbit Woodstock
      5 min read

    • Article

      Where Is Your Mind?

      Feb 16, 2021

      Where Is Your Mind?
      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Outpost

    4/5

    279 ratings34 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      This sequel to Enclave picks up with the four travelers' arrival at the settlement of Salvation. Is this the end of their struggles? A fast-paced read that begins to reveal the history that has lead to the existence of the Freaks. If you enjoyed Enclave, the sequel won't disappoint. Look for for Horde in October 2013!
    • 4/5
      When this story begins, Deuce is a fish out of water. She should be safe in the community she and her friends came to above ground. But things are so different there. From being an adult and a Huntress in her former home, she is back to being a child here. She resents her new role and the attempts of her foster mother to make her more like a girl. She has no interest in the domestic arts.At the same time the community is pulling her friends apart. Tegan is fitting in with the other girls, Fade won't talk to her, and Stalker is still hanging around her but she is starting to think that he is seeing a different future for her than what she wants. All of the kids are adjusting in their own ways to the settlement called Salvation. Deuce doesn't let the small minded people in the community force her to be something she is not. When a chance comes up to leave the community for the summer to guard the fields where the community grows their crops, Deuce knows this is the job for her. Fade and Stalker also go along to help guard. Deuce and Fade resolve their differences and start dating. She even manages to convince Stalker that she only wants to be friends with him.When Fade is stolen away by the Freaks that they are guarding against, Deuce and Stalker take off to rescue him. Along the way the learn some new information about the Freaks that could mean the end for the community. And the time spent as a captive of the Freaks has changed Fade in a way that Deuce doesn't know how to deal with. I am eager to read the next book in this series to find out if Deuce, Fade, Stalker and Tegan can find help for their community before it is overrun by the Freaks. This story was filled with adventure and harrowing episodes. It was also a chance for Deuce to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of the different communities she has known from the underground community where she was born, to the wolves that were Stalker's community, and now to the civilized community of Salvation. All the different communities that exist after the apocalypse can provide fruitful discussion among thoughtful readers.
    • 3/5
      Okay, I'm kinda in this for the long haul only because I want to be able to recommend this to my students, if need be - but this was mainly about character development. The only thing I found edgy or like "ohhhh stuffs about to go down" was a the end of this book in the series. I think that our heroine is in for a rude awakening and kinda like the slaughter sacrifice!
    • 5/5
      I love this series. Lots of action and a strong female lead.
    • 3/5
      Okay, I'm kinda in this for the long haul only because I want to be able to recommend this to my students, if need be - but this was mainly about character development. The only thing I found edgy or like "ohhhh stuffs about to go down" was a the end of this book in the series. I think that our heroine is in for a rude awakening and kinda like the slaughter sacrifice!
    • 3/5
      Not bad, but not as involving as the first one in the series.
      Maybe it's just a case of "sagging middle" in a trilogy, but I was not as invested in the characters as I was with book one.
      The end gave me some hope, though, so I might be pleasantly surprised by the final installment.
    • 3/5
      Guys, I am having such a hard time reviewing this book. Even deciding what to rate it has been difficult. I usually know exactly what to rate a book, but since I don’t do half stars, I’m struggling with this one.I loved Enclave the first time I read it (five stars). After re-reading it, I dropped it down to four stars. I still really liked it, I just didn’t love it as much as the first time I read it. Since I still enjoyed it a lot, I was super excited to get into Outpost. I hate saying it, but I was disappointed. I feel like if this was the first book, I would have liked it more. After Enclave, I think my expectations were just too high.That is why I decided to go with three stars. Normally this would be a four star book, but after Enclave, I just felt this was only good not great. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of Fade in this one. He really got on my nerves.I am about to start the last book, Horde, and I’m hoping I will like it more. Maybe I will just have to re-read Outpost at some point and see if I like it more.Note: When I wrote this review it was a two star book for me, but now that it’s been a few weeks, I have changed it to three stars. At the time it seemed like it was just an okay read, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I liked it. It wasn’t even close to being as good as Enclave, but it was still good.
    • 4/5
      Deuce has been living topside in Salvation for months, but struggles to get used to life there. Everything is different from how she should act to the limited freedoms she has and it's difficult to adjust to being treated like a child again. In addition to all this, Fade, Deuce's best friend and Hunter partner, has pulled away from her, leaving her lonely and misunderstood. Stalker is the only other person who knows what she went through and they don't feel the same about each other. Deuce volunteers for guard duty during the summer to protect the farmers while they work. The Freaks have been displaying disturbing behavior that imply a change toward more intelligence, planning, and ability to strategize. Can Deuce help save Salvation while they continue to belittle and discount her point of view?Outpost picks up where Enclave left off: with Deuce, Wolf, and Fade adapting to life in Salvation. Where the Enclave kept artifacts away from their people to keep them ignorant and afraid, Salvation uses religion to enforce rigid gender roles. Both societies spun the end of the world in their own way to keep fear alive in their people. Deuce, as a kickass Huntress, doesn't fit in because she has survived her society's transition from childhood to adulthood. Reverting back to having no rights or privileges is also weird after surviving in the wild, fighting against Freaks, and making lifechanging decisions for herself. I understand her and feel her frustration except for her "I'm not like other girls" syndrome seen way to often in teen books. She learns to value other women and their different abilities, especially her adoptive mother. This leads to her acclimating to a different type of Huntress: one who not only fights fiercely, but has the ability to love as well.This installment had more of a love triangle than the first, which annoyed me. Stalker loves Deuce, but she loves Fade. Fade is insufferable as he stays away from Deuce out of jealousy since she's kept her friendship with Stalker. I don't like the weird possessive attitude on both boys' parts that came out of nowhere, which is another toxic teen novel trope. When Deuce and Fade's relationship gets more serious, she still retains her independence. As the book went on, the love drama took less precedence as the Freaks became more and more threatening.The more intelligent behavior of the Freaks seen underground in the previous book extends to more of them in this book. They use strategy and leave mutilated bodies in a gruesome warning. Emotion affects them as they attacked sometimes out of revenge. Deuce eventually invenstigates their camp and sees an organized society with housing, children, cooking, and other markers of a civilized society. It's also shown that Freaks have children and don't turn humans to make Freaks. They are mutants, not zombies, which disappoints me. I wish this would have been clear in the first book instead of stringing zombie fans along.Outpost has many good qualities like calling out societies that manipulate their people, rejecting rigid gender roles, and Deuce's journey throughout the book. The not so great parts include the love triangle (so tired), Fade's toxic behavior (rejecting her for no reason and acting possessive), and Freaks not being zombies. I will be continuing the series, but I hope the first two flaws work themselves out.
    • 4/5
      Hard to put down!
    • 5/5
      Deuce and her friends find themselves in a whole different world in Salvation. There are new situations and drama to face as well as more and expanded versions of the old drama. There is loss in this book, I was brought to tears at one point. There is also a lot of judgement in this book that certain characters will have to face and/or rise above. And there are more decisions to be made in this book, both uplifting and somewhat lighthearted, as well as devastating and difficult. This book will take you through many emotions, a lot of action, and will keep you wanting to read more. I'm eager to continue reading the next novella and book 3.
    • 5/5
      Diese und weitere Rezensionen findet ihr auf meinem Blog Anima Libri - Buchseele

      Und schon wieder so eine Fortsetzung, bei der ich mir ganz sicher bin, dass ich Band 1 nicht nur gelesen sondern auch rezensiert habe, nur scheint die Rezension im Laufe der letzten drei Jahre verloren gegangen zu sein. Ärgerlich, aber lässt sich nicht ändern.

      Meine Erinnerung an „Die Enklave“ von Ann Aguirre ist, dass es ein wirklich gutes Buch war, nur hat es mich wahnsinnig gemacht, dass die Namen der Protagonisten übersetzt wurden. Bleich und Zwei… Das hat mich schon im ersten Band aufgeregt und es war im zweiten Band genau die gleiche Geschichte.

      Ich hatte etwas Probleme wieder in die Geschichte hinein zu finden, aber das kann auch einfach daran liegen, dass es drei Jahre her ist, seit ich den ersten Band gelesen habe. Nachdem ich aber einmal wieder in der Geschichte drin war, hat sie mich nicht mehr losgelassen.

      Während im ersten Teil der Fokus noch auf dem oftmals sehr blutigen Kampf ums Überleben lag, konzentriert sich die Autorin in „Die Zuflucht“ nun auf die Gesellschaft. Genau genommen auf die Gesellschaft in Erlösung, der Zuflucht in der Zwei, Bleich und ihre Begleitungen gelandet sind.

      Und ja, die deutschen Namen machen mich wahnsinnig, warum eigentlich? Im englischen Original haben sie mich nicht ansatzweise gestört, aber es ist wohl einfach sehr viel üblicher fürs Englisch beliebige Wörter als Namen zu verwenden als fürs Deutsche.

      Aber sieht man einmal davon ab, war ich wirklich begeistert von „Die Zuflucht“, denn die Liebe zum Detail, mit der Ann Aguirre hier die komplexen Strukturen der Gesellschaft in der von einem fundamentalistischen Glauben geprägten Zuflucht schildert, spricht für intensive Recherche und ich liebe Bücher mit realistischen Hintergründen.

      Über die Vorgeschichte, darüber wieso Zweis Welt so ist wie sie ist, erfährt man auch in „Die Zuflucht“ nicht wirklich viel, aber dafür erfährt man umso mehr über die Figuren, die mir im Laufe des Bandes wirklich ans Herz gewachsen sind. Ich bin schon gespannt darauf, wie sich die Geschichte im dritten Band entwickelt und hoffe, dass es nicht wieder drei Jahre dauert, bis der erscheint.
    • 3/5
      When I read the first book to the Razorland tetralogy, yes I found out there are four books, I was entertained but slightly bothered. This book brought some interesting growth in some areas but heavier disappointment in others. What would the final book bring? Outpost, was about Deuce getting used to her new home, Salvation while dealing with problems concerning her treatment by adults. Below ground, in the College enclave, she was considered an adult. She hunted and fought for the safety of the residents there, but they weren't a family; more like a clan. So after relocating, she had to deal, not with hunting and defense, but how to be a lady and take elementary school. After proving her worth, she practically takes over the defensive strategy and ends up going out on a mission to another town/outpost for the betterment of Salvation. Okay, let me start off by saying, kids can't run the world! It's ridiculous how so many books have kids like Deuce, Fade and Stalker living like adults, but so immature it's sickening! We go through the state of puberty for a reason. This book had Deuce behaving like a whiny, almost spoiled-like teen, going around trying to prove she was an adult Huntress! Oh I can' t wait to stop hearing that! Fade became so clingy and sophomoric, I just wanted him to be killed off and let's not forget about our rapist turned lovestruck, wanna-be hero, Stalker! He ended up being more interesting than any of them- adults included! I have to say I was torn three-fourths and a fourth with this book. The three-fourths was disappointing because the adults were so ignorant when it came to defending their own home. It took a sixteen year old kid- a girl, to bring on some active defense! The majority of the men were so concerned with being chauvinistic they couldn't even stay alive. And the adult ladies pushed Women's Lib back to the stone ages, sitting about knitting and thumping the bible about where a woman's place should be! THEN... When it's do or die for Salvation, it takes Deuce, and her friends to save it? Nah, I didn't like it. The portions I enjoyed were all about normalcy. Deuce, Fade, Tegan and Stalker had to go to school, learn a trade and do their share, which two of the four could relate to. They developed as characters a bit more and some received loving families, but not enough for me to really care about them. They were rather flat and too concerned with tongue kissing and fighting the Breeding Feeling. I have the next book, Horde, and must purchase the upcoming Restoration. I sure hope book three is better than the first two. I have to continue on though...I'm committed to the cause! Happy reading and find a happy book too!
    • 5/5
      Mrs. Aguirre always delivers. I can't wait for Horde.
    • 5/5
      Outpost is the book after Enclave. Deuce and Fade came to the topside and Deuce was scared. In her old town they said that it was impossible to live on the topside and it rained acid. Deuce now learns that those were all lies as Deuce and Fade survive together. As Deuce and Fade are walking north trying to find a nice place they are attacked by a gang. Deuce and Fade take out the whole gang and a boy and a girl decide to join Deuce and Fade. As they are all searching an old gas station they are saved by someone with a horse cart. He takes them to his outpost were Deuce finds there are a lot of people living topside. The problem is Freaks keep attacking the outpost so all the hunter and soldiers there make a base outside there town walls to keep the freaks away. They then find out that the freaks are getting very smart by learning from the humans. The freaks built a whole village and were keeping humans in cages like pigs. They planned to domesticate them and make them fat then eat them. Deuce frees all the humans including Fade. Then all the freaks surround the towns walls. The towns people are all trapped inside. Deuce, Fade, the boy and girl that came with them all go out of the town in secret underground tunnels to try and find another town to get help from. (cliff Hanger for next book)I love this book and gave it a 5 star. It was just as good if not better then the first one. I find it impossible to put this book down. I love dystopian books because they are always so exciting. I loved this book because of all the survival involved. I also liked it because of all the action and fighting. I will definitely be reading the next book in the Razorland Trilogy.
    • 5/5
      This book is all about taking risks and making life worth it even though it may be hard. Plus its all right to have a softer side to yourself. Even if you think its totally unnecessary. I loved this book and I can't wait to read the next book. I loved the romance although It made me a little jealous because I will never have a boy say I will fight for you not only when its easy but all the time. The sentence just fit in to the chapter. And now a short summary of the main parts of the book:In the first couple of chapters it goes to say that Salvation really needed help so Deuce and Fade and Stalker make a point of having the town keep a permanent guard on the crops and to help the Growers as they tend to the field. For a while it worked, but the disaster struck the guards. Two of the men were taken by the Freaks and one of them was Fade. Deuce immediately say's that she has to go and find him no matter what.When she brings him back she thinks that everything is fine. Everything can go back to normal, or as normal as it ever was. But boy was she wrong. Fade WAS captured and saved but along the way he lost part of his soul. Fade had to watch as another solider-the other one that was captured-get clawed up and sliced up then shoved in a bag. Not to mention the fact that he was beaten many times. And now he doesn't want anything to do with Deuce. He doesn't have any idea that he is hurting her, badly.Journey into this book as you realize that sometimes its ok to be weak.
    • 4/5
      The characters really developed in the second novel, although the setting was still largely implausible.
    • 4/5
      Deuce and her friends have made it to Salvation, and are at least temporarily safe from the bloodthirsty Freaks. But considered a child by the townspeople, and forbidden from fighting because of her gender, can Deuce adjust to life without being a Huntress? An omnipresent feeling of danger permeates this sequel to Enclave. The Freaks remain disturbing enemies, with plenty of brutal, bloody fights to provide pulse-raising action. Deuce's expanding ability to understand her own feelings and her connections with Tegan, Fade, and Stalker form the emotional core of the book, and her fumbling attempts to figure out where she fits into the town of Salvation are believable.
    • 4/5
      Outpost by Ann Aguirre is the second book in her Razorland dystopian series, and this second offering is quite different from the first. While the first book focused on action and survival, this book is more about the emotional development and internal growth of the characters, in particular that of Deuce, the female main character.The readers also learn a lot more about the enemy or freaks as they are called. These are definitely not zombies but are instead a mutant creature. Savage and cannibalistic, they are showing signs that they are becoming more organized and by the end of the book have the town of Salvation under siege. Of course there is plenty of action, as Deuce and her friends Fade and Stalker, join the militia and spend time both on guard duty and patrols, fighting off attacks by these mutants. Although I grow weary of the romantic triangle aspect, Deuce is a very interesting character and I enjoy both reading about her and her internal thought process.I have enjoyed reading about these characters and the story moves along quickly with plenty of excitement to help offset the quieter moments. I will be on the lookout for the next volume as Outpost left off with the four main characters setting off on a rescue mission that looks to be both dangerous and thrilling.
    • 5/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: Deuce tries to find a place in a civilization that defines a girl the exact opposite of what she is. Opening Sentence: I woke to the cold kiss of steel on my throat.The Review: Deuce is getting used to village life. Well, as much as a warrior can get used to cooking, sewing and school. Her host family makes it easier to live in Salvation, but the other citizens still criticize and blame her and her crew for the increasing Freak attacks. With Fade ignoring her and Stalker’s ever increasing attention, Deuce wishes she could avoid the snickers behind her back at lunch and the constant stares in town. So when the opportunity to guard the spring planting comes up, Deuce jumps at the prospect, leaving behind the warm bed and roof over her head for the open skies and danger lurking at every corner. Of course this is supposed to be a simple guard shift. But the Freaks are getting smarter (if that’s possible), and they have their eyes set on the village. But Deuce will lay down her life for her new home, yet will that be enough to save everyone inside?I’m not sure why I put off reading this book because it is one of the best books I’ve read in a while. Deuce’s voice has grown since the first book: from full on warrior (or Hunter) to a softened fighter who acknowledges her emotions and accepts the kindness of others. And she may or may not understand the term “love” (or “sparks”) Momma Oaks keeps mentioning. The plot is never boring and the characters are all intriguing in their own way. Nothing about this book is simple, yet the writing conveys the most complex situations or feelings in the simplest terms (and this is not a negative.)Yet despite the impending Freak attack arc, the characters are what makes this book a glass of water in a desert of boring books. Deuce has developed so much since the first book and she develops even more with her new environment and caring parents. Fade as usual doesn’t speak a lot, but when he does, he will make your heart melt. I have come to sympathize with Stalker. He has come a long way from the enemy in book one to a trusted ally in book two. But the love triangle! I love it because it’s not the usual heroine-can’t-decide-which-awesome-guy-to-choose. It’s always been Fade since the very beginning, yet when he’s not there, she trains with Stalker (which Fade thinks is her choice over him and encourages Stalker, but really she’s still Fade’s but he ignores her so it all comes full circle and AHHH so simple yet so complicated.)Overall, I loved this book, beginning to end. The only thing I have to nitpick is the cover. Really, it’s terrible for the story. It makes the book so much more gruesome and unappealing than it actually is. WARNING: AWFUL, TERRIBLE, DESPICABLE CLIFFHANGER AHEAD!!!!! I just about cried how this ended. Just the (@^@(*%#^*#@)@$*% and all that stuff I can’t tell you about!!! Read the book. And you will understand the struggle.Notable Scene: None shall pass, I told myself. It was a vow in the silence of my own head. I shut out the external distractions, inner dread, and focused on my enemies. They were stronger than those I’d fought in the ruins, better nourished. They ate well in the wilderness, plenty of big, meaty game, which made me think they had another reason for attacking us. Certainly, we were a food source, but their hate-filled cries told me they viewed us as real enemies. It was a horrifying thought.To them, we are the evil ones. We are the threat that must be exterminated.The idea shook me so much that a Freak pushed me back, unbalancing my stance. Its claw racked a runnel in my stomach. I lost sight of the terrain around me and stumbled over the corpse of its fallen brethren. I landed hard, and my right dagger bounced out of my hand.For this, I thought, I deserve to die. I’d failed in my training. Permitted my thoughts to break my concentration. The shame would kill me if this Freak failed. Nonetheless, I aimed my left dagger at its hamstring and sliced, driving it away from the killing strike.FTC Advisory: Fiewel & Freinds/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Outpost. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 4/5
      I listened to the narration and it was decently narrated, although the narrator sounds very young. But, then again in this story the main character Deuce is really young. Outpost begins when Deuce is 15.5 years old.

      So I enjoyed Enclave, the first in this series, but didn’t love it. I was lukewarm enough about that book that I waited months after the release of Enclave to start it. Ultimately, Enclave addressed all of my concerns about Outpost and is such a better book than the first one in this series.

      The beginning of the book starts slow. Almost too slow. The set-up explains how Deuce, Stalker, Fade and Teagan are doing in Salvation. Deuce is not happy, Salvation has strict gender division rules and education rules pertaining to children and these pose problems for Deuce. The gender divisions are irritating, almost to the point of not wanting to read about them. However, the book quickly turns the corner from a slow beginning to action upon action mixing in sweet romance and some pretty good town tension.

      Ann Aguirre’s books spend a lot of time in the minds of the main character. It seems to
      be her style of writing and both Sirantha Jax and the Corinne Solomon series are similarly done. There are huge passages with only the heroine’s inner monologue going on and the heroine providing explanations for why other people are feeling certain things and doing certain things. At some points it is irritating, some points it is not believable but usually this is very well done. It is an amazing way to learn about the main character and truly be her.

      One of the problems I had with Enclave was that there was absolutely no explanation as to why society ended and where the freaks came from. Outpost changes all of that. Looking for an explanation of what caused the devastation? Aguirre provides some history in this book and adds a wonderful twist that completely distinguishes the Enclave series from other zombie and post-apoc books. It is enough to say, that this deviation from the standard storyline of the zombie genre makes reading this book worth it – factor in the emotional development of Deuce and her growing relationships with her friends and this book is a great read.

      Okay, rape. Ms. Aguirre seems to speak through her characters and attempt to address readers concerns about Stalker and his past actions. Somewhere near the beginning of the story, Deuce has a conversation with Teagan about her abuse at the hand of the Wolves. As I read this section, I felt the author was explaining to the readers and trying to justify Stalker’s presence as an acceptable character despite his past. The reasoning was this – authority taught the followers of a group (The Wolves – Stalker and the Enclave – Deuce) to commit violence in support of the group. The followers of each group (both Stalker and Deuce) bought into these ideas for the betterment of their group. Now that Stalker and Deuce have left these groups they are able to re-evaluate these ideas and their respective roles in the violence they committed. This issue is revisited multiple times throughout the book. At one point Deuce tells Teeagan, “I don’t care if you ever forgive Stalker.” Almost as if Ms. Aguiree is talking to her readers – you don’t need to forgive Stalker or accept that his background made him do it, you can still enjoy the story. I am not sure if I agree with this concept nor do I accept it. However, I appreciate the author’s willingness to address readers’ concerns. Additionally, Ms. Aguirre doesn’t let Teagan just move on past her past attacks. Realistically, the pain and suffering Teagan endured from the gang rape and beatings from the Wolves is not just pushed under a rug – but Teeagan continues to suffer from fear of boys and the need to be safe.

      Outpost ends with a hell of a cliffhanger. Horribly tense yet hopeful. I cannot wait to read #3 in this series.
    • 5/5
      I am a faithful fan of this series. The first book was pretty outstanding this one threw me up against the wall and said take that for giving me 4 stars for the 1st book. I was left breathless after reading this one.
    • 4/5
      'Outpost', sequel to 'Enclave', deserves high marks. I'll admit it took me a few chapters to really remember the unique 'voice'used in this series, but after that, it was smooth sailing through this novel!

      Unlike some 'middle' books, 'Outpost' has a clear, well defined story with a beginning, middle, and end.

      'Outpost' is just as dark as 'Enclave', so don't expect this to be all sunshine and roses. There's blood. There's entrails. But that all comes with some awesome action and a good plot. (Which is something I usually don't like very much!) 'Outpost' is a good mix of action and romance and even has a well defined 'fish out of water' plot to it.

      Like the first novel, the font type and size is different than your standard YA novel and might take a while to get used to. Personally, I would love if they enlarged the font a little or changed the font type. I found the look of the text distracting and kept having to re-read because there were so many words on a line and the lines were so close together.

      If you enjoyed 'Enclave', you should, by all means take a look at 'Outpost'!
    • 5/5
      I read a whole bunch of YA dystopias at the end of 2011 for library school. The first book in this series "Enclave" was my favorite of the ones I read then. This was a great follow-up to "Enclave" and I delayed reading it because I was afraid that it would not live up to it's predecessor but it does.

      I love Deuce I think that she is a really strong female character and I found her struggles to fit in in Salvation to be really realistic. The way that she has lived her entire life thus far is wrong according to the townspeople. That is a lot to get used to. She also fears for the townspeople because she seems the threat of the Freaks and she knows they won't be able to survive. What we learn about the Freaks is also surprising and very interesting. I cannot wait until the third book comes out.

      This is one of those book series that I adore but that I try not to foist on others because I know that a lot of people prefer other YA dystopian trilogies.
    • 5/5
      fabulous. powerful, gripping, I had trouble putting it down. I forced myself yo read it in bits so I could savor it.

      I (surprisingly) received this as an ARC, and I'm so glad I did.

      the story picks up with Deuce, Face, Stalker, and Regan having settled into Salvation.
    • 3/5
      The second book in the series, following Enclave. The story picks up with the main characters trying to fit into life in Salvation. When planting time arrives and freaks start attacking, Deuce, Fade, and Stalker volunteer to gaurd against the attacks. As far as sequels go this was a decent read although there was a large portion of the book where it seemed not much was happening. It did manage to redeem itself towards the end and left me anxious to read the next in the series.
    • 3/5
      Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyOUTPOST is a very different book from ENCLAVE. Instead of a group of teens governing themselves a la THE LORD OF THE FLIES, Deuce, Fade, Stalker, and Tegan find themselves literally adopted into the town of Salvation. Instead of focusing primarily on hunting Freaks and surviving, Deuce has to learn gender roles, attend school, and accept parental affection…yeah. It’s a big change. Aguirre still writes well and the characters have maintained believable consistency in their new circumstances, but the dramatic departure from the debut was jarring to say the least.The whole first half of the book felt like one long lecture on gender stereotypes. The townspeople kept trying to get Deuce to conform with their puritanical notions regarding women. She naturally objected and then there were lengthy passages about gender equality etc. Not that I disagree, but it became somewhat tedious after the third ‘girls can do anything boys can do’ monologue. The romantic developments helped to breakup these parts, and only deepened my love for Fade. It was nice to see Deuce soften where he was concerned and see her own sense of wonder at her emotions regarding him. Unfortunately, that storyline ended up moving in several cliche directions.The story did pick up when the group finally ventured outside the walls of Salvation, but they didn’t stay out there long enough to fully compensate for the slower beginning. That’s partly due to the Freaks themselves. Yes, they are still cannibalistic feral creatures, but it’s almost as if they’ve evolved. They almost end up being viewed like some indigenous people group that Deuces group just doesn’t understand. Yes, they are hostile, and yes, they eat people, but they also have baby Freaks and build houses. They just didn’t feel the same as they did in ENCLAVE.As an audio book, the production level was good, and I appreciated that the narrator altered her voice subtly when delivering dialogue from other characters My only complaint is that she was a little too sunny in her delivery for Deuce. Still, this is a series with merit, and while OUTPOST didn’t wow me in the way that ENCLAVE did, I’m invested in these characters and where the story is headed. I’ll be interested in seeing how it ends when HORDE is published on October 29, 2013.Sexual Content:Kissing. References to rape
    • 5/5
      Deuce, Fade, Stalker, and Tegan are now all in the topside called Salvation. This place seems like paradise for them.... at first. They have their own adoptive families, friends, and new responsibilities. Duece and Fade developed and expressed their feelings for each other. However, it's difficult for Deuce to learn all the girl things expected from her. She always gets in trouble because of this. The huntress lurking inside of her still boils and becomes alive when she sees Freaks. Deuce and Fade joined the security group where they guard the persons growing the crops from Freaks. But one day, the Freaks stole their fire. And then another more day, they kidnapped Fade. Deuce rescued Fade. What Fade told her from his experience is so chillingly unbelievable. The persons captured by the Freaks are first put into a fenced pen, and before they are eaten they will first be mashed to make them tender and then deboned. Even though most people in Salvation do not like Deuce, it's all in her hands to save them before history repeats itself.
    • 5/5
      After reaching the safety of Salvation, a safe outpost topside, the 4 teens, including Deuce and Fade, must adapt to a new society. While food is plentiful, Deuce finds her role as a female frustrating while Fade lives with an abusive guardian. When the planting teams are attacked just outside the compound walls, both Fade and Deuce recognize and changing pattern to the Freaks that few in Salvation are prepared to deal with.
    • 4/5
      We pick up in Outpost almost immediately after we left off from Enclave. Deuce is trying to adjust to the ways of Salvation, but is not acclimating as well as she would like. She is unfamiliar with the way of life here and is not quite sure where she fits into all of it, but does not want to ask a lot of questions in front of others for fear of being ridiculed. She observes:“Topside had lots of foreign words and concepts; I was digesting them as fast as I could…but so much strangeness made me feel small and stupid”It cannot be easy to live one way for so long and then have to switch gears and learn a whole new way of life. I always find it refreshing to be in Deuce’s head though, because she always says exactly what she is thinking and does not water things down just so people hear what they want to hear. She tells it like it is and I admire that about her. She is coming to realize though, that letting people into your heart is okay and being strong will not always get you what you want. She can be abrasive and is beginning to realize that about herself.“Until then, I hadn’t realized I was so much like my own knives, shard edged, cold and perfect for keeping people at a distance.”She wants to change, but it is hard to let go of the Huntress inside her.She is also struggling to understand her relationship with Fade. She wants to be with him, but is not sure how to talk to him or why he has been avoiding her.“I longed for Fade and hated lessons and I missed being valued for my skill.”Much of Outpost does focus on Fade and Deuce understanding their feelings for one another and how that fits in with their life now. They had so few moments together that when they did get time alone they clung to those moments, which made them very precious and sweet. Don’t get the wrong idea though, there is still plenty of fighting and Freaks to make life in Salvation difficult, but I did appreciate getting to watch Fade and Deuce find some much needed happiness in one another.In Outpost, the Freaks are starting to take on new characteristics and behavior. While grotesque at times, Ann gave us great descriptions of what they are like and interesting insight into their world. They are not what I originally thought them to be in Enclave and I am very interested to see what will become of them in the final book, Horde.There is so much happening in Outpost it is almost impossible to sum it all up in just a few sentences. It is a frightening world with tough characters that you cannot help but root for. Their courage is admirable and watching Deuce navigate her way through this world is always an adventure. Outpost is an outstanding addition to this series. If you enjoyed Enclave you have to read Outpost to see how all the events unfold. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a fast paced, engaging young adult novel that will grab you from the first page and not let go.
    • 4/5
      The premise: ganked from BN.com: Deuce’s whole world has changed. Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she’s a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn’t fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide.My Rating: 6 - Worth Reading, with ReservationsThe beginning of this book seemed to drive it home that as an adult, I wasn't the target audience. Everything Deuce was going through, while valid, just felt old and tired to me, and the only reason I kept going is because I enjoy Aguirre's work so much in other genres. However, once Deuce takes action, the book becomes far more enjoyable. It's a quick, fast pace, with lots of revelations about the nature of the Freaks and what they're really capable of, which made this book totally worth reading. I'll likely pick up the third (and final?) book of the series, Hoard, when it comes out next year, just to see how it all wraps up. I'm quite curious by now.Spoilers, yay or nay?: Yay. Normally, I wouldn't with a book this short (it reads fast), but there's a few things I want to point out, which require spoilers. So, erm, SPOILERS. If you haven't read it yet, don't read the full review at my blog. For those of you caught up or uncaring about spoilers, just click the link below to go directly to the full review, and you'll be in good shape! As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)REVIEW: Ann Aguirre's OUTPOSTHappy Reading!