Havoc: A Deviants Novel [Hardcover]

Jeff Sampson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 24, 2012 | Series: Deviants (Book 2)

Emily Webb thought life would go back to normal after she and pack-mate Spencer Holt killed the man who tried to murder them and their fellow “Deviants.” Or as normal as it could be, after finding out she has nighttime superpowers . . . and she’s a werewolf. But when Emily wakes up one night to find an otherworldly shadowman watching her, she knows the danger has only just begun.

Determined to find answers, Emily and Spencer, along with the third member of their pack—football player Dalton McKinney—set out to find the people who made them what they are, and why. And as Emily and her friends get closer to the truth, they realize they aren’t the only ones in town with special powers: The most popular girls in school just might have a secret of their own—and they just might have it out for Emily.

But other kinds of Deviants will be the least of the pack’s problems if they can’t get their own powers under control. With each nighttime shift, Dalton’s behavior grows more erratic, and Emily’s transformations begin to evolve in mysterious ways. With shadowy beings stalking the Deviants at every turn, a mysterious company doing all it can to keep the truth hidden, and the secrecy of her strange new identity in jeopardy, life threatens to spiral out of control for Emily. And soon all these dangers will come together in one terrifying confrontation that may force her to make the toughest choice of her life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for HAVOC: “Sampson spins a witty, fast-paced story that is full of action, danger, and intrigue. Emily is a great character, and the cliff-hanger ending makes the next installment a must. Fans of James Patterson’s ‘Maximum Ride’ books will want to give this series a try.” (School Library Journal )

Praise for HAVOC: “Plenty of thrilling action, clearly with more to come.” (Kirkus Reviews )

Praise for HAVOC: “[A] complex, and enjoyable series.” (Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) )

Praise for VESPER: “Emily’s attractive personality, drab on the surface but with emerging panache, easily holds readers’ attention, especially during her feral nighttime prowls. Intriguing.” (Kirkus Reviews )

Praise for VESPER: “Should leave readers eager for the next book.” (Publishers Weekly )

Praise for VESPER: “A smart and good-humored addition to the current werewolf wave.” (Booklist )

Praise for VESPER: “Addictive and surprising. I couldn’t wait for night to fall to see what Emily would do next!” (Lauren Kate, New York Times bestselling author of the Fallen series )

Praise for VESPER: “Jeff Sampson’s debut delivers the goods—it’s exciting, witty, and impossible to put down. The best kind of page-turner.” (Michael Grant, New York Times bestselling author of the Gone series )

Praise for VESPER: “Emily is smart, funny, fierce, and just generally kicks ass. The otherworldly mysteries she uncovers will keep you guessing all the way to the final page.” (K.A. Applegate, author of the Animorphs series )

About the Author

Jeff Sampson is the author of the first two books in the Deviants series, Vesper and Havoc. He is also a pop-culture fanatic with an abiding love of TV and movies, much like his main character, Emily. Jeff lives in Seattle, Washington.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Balzer + Bray (January 24, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006199278X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061992780
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,210,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My name's Jeff. By day I'm a young adult author. By night, I'm a pop culture fiend. Read more about me and my books--including brand new release Vesper: A Deviants Novel--at jeffsampsonbooks.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting YA werewolf story that blends science with supernatural March 22, 2012

By Karissa Eckert TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

This is the second book in the Deviants series by Sampson. This was originally planned as a trilogy but I wasn't able to find info on when the third book will release. It is a well written and engaging book that puts an interesting twist on YA werewolf stories.

Emily is hoping life will return to normal, or at least what passes for normal when you have nighttime superpowers and can turn into a werewolf. That's when the strange Shadowmen start appearing and harassing her. Emily and crew need to figure out the mystery behind their condition and what these Shadowmen are. As she tries to unravel this mystery she finds that her and her pack aren't the only ones with strange powers at school.

This was a solid addition to the Deviants series. I love the idea behind this series. Basically these kids were genetically engineered or altered somehow resulting in them having three personalities: their normal day personality, their crazy superhero nighttime personality, and their werewolf form. Watching Emily try to merge these personalities is fascinating and interesting.

There is a bit of a love triangle here with Emily and the two other pack members; basically Emily is drawn to one boy and the other boy is drawn to Emily. That being said, this really isn't a romance and there isn't a ton of focus on that aspect of the story.

The book is well written and easy to read, it is hard to put down because the mystery behind Emily's powers is so compelling. I love the creativity that goes into the story and how even Emily's attraction to her "mate" has a scientific explanation. I absolute love the blending of science with supernatural.

Emily is an intriguing character, as are all of the characters. It is really interesting to see how the three main characters deal with their nighttime personas and with the stress of trying to supress all of this strangeness and fit in at school. Definitly a different take on the teenage werewolf type story.

The book ends well with the major plot points answered, but some huge new questions are opened up to be dealt with in the next book. This book does get a little creepy/thriller like at points because of all the Shadowmen that are lurking around; it never gets too scary but things do get a bit tense at points.

Overall I really enjoyed this story and found the mystery extremely compelling. I find the way Sampson blends science with the supernatural very intriguing. I also really enjoy watching Emily and crew deal with their split personalities and try to merge these personalities into a cohesive whole. I definitely recommend this series to YA paranormal fans out there; especially if you want to read a different type of YA werewolf book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars fun series with great teasers March 13, 2012

By Tabitha VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed the first book in the Deviants trilogy, titled Vesper, so I was looking forward to Havoc. I sure wasn't disappointed. :)

The story picks up pretty much right where Vesper left off. It had been a year since I'd read Vesper, so I needed to go back and refresh my memory because there isn't a "last week on Deviants..." recap. Which is nice if you're reading both books back to back. I get bored with too much this-is-what-happened-in-the-last-book summary.

Anyway, some readers weren't fond of the dual-storyline-like aspect of Vesper, but I loved it. I thought it gave the reader just enough teasers to want to tear through the book to find out *how* Emily gets from point A to point B. The same style is used in Havoc, just as effectively.

Emily finds out a whole lot more about herself and others like her in this book. We knew she would, of course, based on the teasers in Vesper. But the way in which she finds out is interesting and kept me glued to the pages. She even goes so far as to doubt how she feels because she's afraid she's been engineered that way. Love it!

More characters are introduced, and existing characters are further explored. Emily learns more about the various personalities resulting from her shifting. We see this in other characters, too, and I enjoyed seeing how these personalities manifested. The `rules' surrounding this are complex and completely fascinating.

We find out more about the Shadowmen in Havoc, and a whole new element is introduced. We only get a taste of it, though, and I am dying to find out more. Sampson is really good at whetting the reader's appetite.

I don't want to say too much more because I don't want to give anything away, but I think this series is great fun and deserves more press than it's getting. If you get a chance, pick up a copy.

Age Appropriateness: there's no sex, language, or drugs so I think this would be appropriate for younger teens.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book! February 17, 2012

By Savannah (Books With Bite)

Format:Hardcover

Since I really loved the first book, I couldn't wait for this one. The one thing that hooked me on the series is the plot line. I loved being thrown into something new and unwritten! This book picks up for the first book left off and the reader is once again thrown in the mist of deviants.

What I loved about this book is the plot line. The deviants defeated the enemy once, but still have much to learn about. They are learning their powers, learning about the past, and discovering others out there like them. I really loved how well they took charge of their future. They ask questions and broke into computers.

The characters of this book you can tell have grown so much. I like that they are no longer naive but stronger. They rely on one another. During all the fights and trouble, they stuck by each other sides and were there to back each other up.

The love interest for me, felt a little wonky. At first, I thought I knew who would end up with who, but with all of the experiments done on them it's hard to separate their feelings. So in a sense I get it. Still, I was hoping for a more set relationship.

Overall, I like it. It was quick, easy, fun read. Havoc is ultimately entertaining, exciting, and stylish with great direction that will satisfy any reader.