The Enemy (An Enemy Novel) [Hardcover]

Charlie Higson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 11, 2010 | Series: Enemy

In the wake of a devastating disease, everyone sixteen and older is either dead or a decomposing, brainless creature with a ravenous appetite for flesh. Teens have barricaded themselves in buildings throughout London and venture outside only when they need to scavenge for food. The group of kids living a Waitrose supermarket is beginning to run out of options. When a mysterious traveler arrives and offers them safe haven at Buckingham Palace, they begin a harrowing journey across London. But their fight is far from over—the threat from within the palace is as real as the one outside it.
Full of unexpected twists and quick-thinking heroes, The Enemy is a fast-paced, white-knuckle tale of survival in the face of unimaginable horror.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up In this dystopian thriller set in London, everyone over 16 is dead or diseased, and youngsters are in constant danger of being eaten by boil-infested grown-ups who roam the streets like zombies looking for children to kill. Led by teens Arran and Maxie and armed with makeshift weapons, a group of kids sets out from the uncertain safety of an abandoned supermarket to travel to Buckingham Palace, where a young messenger promises that food, medicine, and a haven are available. Along the way, Arran is killed. One youngster selfishly decides to stay behind with a secret stash of food and is there to tell Small Sam, who had been abducted and feared dead, where the others (including his sister) have headed. Sam's quest to find Ella parallels the story of the large group with similar run-ins with marauding adults and mistrustful children who scavenge about the city. The bleak setting is filled with decay, danger, and puss-oozing parents who have turned into butchers. On arriving at Buckingham Palace, Maxie decides that David, the teen leader there, is too tyrannical, and she must regain control of her brood and convince them to leave for a new location. The last chapter squelches any real hope for the future and will leave readers somewhat haunted and chilled about the doomsday scenario. Descriptive and suspenseful, this title is similar to but less imaginative than Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking series (Candlewick). Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY
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From Booklist

The imagined zombie apocalypse has been the inspiration behind dozens of movies, books, and comics over the past decade, and though Higson adds few innovations, his gusto is something to behold. Eighteen months have passed since everyone over 16 succumbed to a virus that turned them into rotting, ravenous monsters, and there are enclaves of kids all over London eking out survival. Barricaded inside of a store, about 50 refugees have constructed their own society—which is shaken when a boy arrives spinning tales of a wonderful settlement housed within Buckingham Palace. The action from that point alternates between the group's harrowing journey across the city and the grueling plight of Sam, a nine-year-old whose separation from the pack leads to an encounter with cannibals. Some of the characters feel like placeholders, but the action is of the first order—Higson writes with a firestorm velocity that inspires to the sweeping reach of Stephen King's The Stand (1978). A muscular start to what looks to be a series. Grades 9-12. --Daniel Kraus

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH; First U.S. Edition edition (May 11, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423131754
• ISBN-13: 978-1423131755
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,658 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Charlie Higson is an acclaimed comedy writer, producer, actor, and genuine James Bond aficionado. He is the author of the adult thrillers, Full Whack and King of the Ants; the internationally best-selling Young Bond series: SilverFin, Blood Fever, Double or Die, Hurricane Gold, and By Royal Command; and the YA apocalyptic thriller: The Enemy, which he wrote to frighten his ten-year-old son. He lives in London. Follow him on Twitter at: twitter.com/monstroso

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great gruesome read, June 18, 2010

By 

J. Prather (IN USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Enemy (An Enemy Novel) (Hardcover)

The Enemy is a good read. The pacing and plot are superb. This novel zips along at the speed of light! What stands out for me about this book is not only it's non stop action, but the fact that the author was able to work in some great character development along the way. This is a truly unique cast that we are treated to in this somewhat common story of a disease that kills off or infects the entire adult population of London. I've read quite a few books in this "end of the world" genre and while there's not much new with the storyline, these characters add a freshness to the tale that brings this one up to a new level. I really fell in love with some of these kids!

My only complaint with this one is that the dialogue is somewhat stilted in spots. The pacing of the story is so intense, the dialogue blips sometimes served as a roadblock to a very fast car chase. The author is expert at writing all the action, and I see this one having big appeal to high schoolers and adults. Be forewarned: there is a lot of violence in this story, and a lot of kids die. There are gruesome killings, hints at cannabalism, and disease crazed monkeys. All of this is made more compelling and grotesque because some of the kids involved are quite young. This is not a story for the squeamish.

I hope this continues as a series, as the author has set things up for a great next installment that I look forward to reading. I would give this 4.5 stars, and will recommend this to any fan of apocalyptic/dystopian fiction age 15 and up.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warning: You Will Be Unable To Put This Book Down!, November 4, 2009

By 

Kerri Smith "Book Worm" (Wasaga Beach, ON, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Enemy. Charlie Higson (Hardcover)

Warning: Contains strong language and scenes of violence, and once you begin reading you will not be able to put it down! This book is filled with heartstopping action and many surprises! If you liked the book called 'The Hunger Games' - this would be like a more violent, more gut-wrenching, more shocking cousin to that book.

If you would like to check out a trailer for The Enemy that does not give any spoilers - [...]

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Zombie Type Read, February 15, 2011

By 

Pamela Alexander - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Enemy (An Enemy Novel) (Hardcover)

The world has been hit with an unknown disease that turns everyone over 16 into zombie like creatures that seek to kill the children they left behind. The book is set in London and follows the saga of a ragtag group of kids as they try to stay alive in a world turned upside down.

The kids have found refuge in the local supermarket. They have been there a year, but things are getting desperate as the older kids have to travel farther from their store base to find food to keep them alive. The older kids know it is only a matter of time until they cannot hold out any longer and are looking for a way out. They find it when an older boy arrives telling them to come to Buckingham Palace, where there they have set up a safe zone, with food and comfort within the palace walls. Knowing their plight is grim, the older kids decide they should leave the shelter of the store and make a dash to the palace. The story follows them as they make their way across London. Who will survive the trip, and when they get there what will they find?

Little Sam is a nine year old with an imagination who is stolen from the supermarket grounds by the grownups in the opening pages of the book. He keeps his wits and is able to escape only to find himself alone in the big city of London. The book follows his adventures as he strives to stay alive and make his way back to the little sister he left behind in the supermarket. He is a wonderful character who just wants to be a kid again, but is forced to grow up too fast in a world where everyone must take care of themselves.

The book is fast paced with plenty of zombie type violence. The world as Higson creates is a dangerous one and many characters do not survive their odyssey. We never learn why the new disease has affected grownups, but it really doesn't matter. These decomposing, flesh eating creatures are the things nightmares are made of. But they are not the only thing the kids have to worry about. All is not as it seems at Buckingham Palace and the kids have to determine who besides the diseased grownups are the enemy.

At its core the book makes one think how children and young teens would be able to cope and survive if left in a world without adult authority to fend for themselves. They find themselves longing for the structure and love their families provided, and note the unfairness of how they had to grow up too fast. The characters are wonderfully developed and this allows the reader to care about, cheer for and mourn with them. There were twists and turns in the novel I didn't see coming, something that is refreshing. I really enjoyed this one and found it hard to put down. There is a prequel book that will be released in North America later this year. I can't wait to read more about the fascinating world Charlie Higson has created in this series.