The Dark Intercept

August 15, 2017
At the end of the 23rd century, government surveillance uses weaponized emotions to control the population.Violet Crowley, the daughter of New Earth's founder, president, and chief executive, works with the police and the Intercept program, surveilling for crime and unleashing the Intercept to halt criminals. The Intercept uses a chip implant to store and categorize memories and emotions, and it incapacitates people by feeding them back, forcing them to relive their worst moments. Violet's got a huge crush on mysterious cop Danny Mayhew, who frequently sneaks to Old Earth despite the danger and refuses to say why. New Earth, which is an artificial society above Old Earth, promises safety for the richest and brightest. (The book claims the division ignores nationality, race, creed, and so forth and gives no thought toward intersectionality in this post-racial future in which most though not all named characters are described as pale; Violet appears to be white, while Danny is described as dark.) But the Rebels of Light are spreading rumors that they've found a way to overcome the Intercept. Balancing contrived worldbuilding (Earth has had resource wars, yet New Earth has strategically placed dilapidated buildings designed to stay vacant--where else would rebel groups meet?) and characters who frequently feel older than 16 are otherwise nuanced characterizations and strong if sometimes heavy-handed themes involving privacy and immigration. Middling and undercooked, redeemed by characters and ideas. (Dystopian adventure. 12-adult)

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October 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-Violet Crowley lives on New Earth and works at Protocol Hall and when necessary, she initiates the use of the Intercept, which tracks the feelings of all citizens via an embedded chip. The Intercept has the power to use those feelings against them. Old Earth remains, in ruins and mostly abandoned, while a small population struggles to survive or escape. Meanwhile, a rebel faction seeks to eliminate the use of the Intercept, threatening the safety of New Earth. The story starts slow, warms up quickly, and then rushes to the conclusion. Readers will identify with the narrative's focus on emotions and the ways in which the Intercept tracks feelings and uses them to control the population. This plot point is well deployed and thoughtfully executed, while a series of last-minute plot twists and reveals challenge readers to finish the tale. Violet's character is well written, but the motivations and actions of the other characters are thinly drawn. Keller admirably establishes how Old and New Earth exist, but fails to expand on the larger political aspects or the personal history of the Crowley family. Despite these flaws in the story line, the ending packs an emotional punch and provides a satisfying wrap-up. VERDICT Readers will be hooked by the initial plot and able to overlook the flaws that plague the final third of the book. A good choice for most YA sci-fi shelves.-Amanda Foust, Consultant, Littleton, CO

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 9, 2017
In this dystopian trilogy opener set in 2294, a portion of humanity dwells on the artificial paradise of New Earth, which floats above the devastated remnants of the old world, where the less fortunate eke out a hardscrabble existence. Meanwhile, a device known as the Intercept monitors and records all emotions, weaponizing them as needed to control those who get out of line. Sixteen-year-old Violet Crowley, an Intercept operator and daughter of New Earth’s founder, wants to find out why her crush, police officer Danny Mayhew—whose brother invented the Intercept—frequently travels back to the surface, despite the rules. Her investigations lead to the discovery of secrets regarding her family history, the Intercept’s true purpose, and a rebel group dedicated to freeing humanity from its grasp. Keller (Back Home) presents an intriguing premise, but this story falls apart around the edges, largely due to murky character motivations and aspects of the worldbuilding that don’t hold up to close scrutiny. The central romance between Violet and Danny never feels fully believable, and the climax leads to a lackluster resolution. Ages 13–up. Agent: Lisa Gallagher, DeFiore & Co.

October 1, 2017
Grades 9-12 Keller, author of the riveting Bell Elkins series, delivers a thrilling sf-adventure with her story of a near-future world, where two Earths exist: glitzy New Earth and crime-infested Old Earth. Sixteen-year-old Violet Crowley is the daughter of New Earth's Founding Father, and she lives the life of comfort and safety bestowed upon all citizens of New Earth, courtesy of the Intercepta peacekeeping device that eradicates crime by monitoring and controlling people's emotions. When her crush, Danny Mayhew, lands in trouble, she leaves the safety of her world and journeys to Old Earth to unearth his secrets. During the course of her investigation, Violet learns staggering truths about Danny, her father, and the Intercept that lead her to question everything she's ever known. Though the second half of the novel seems rushed, and the character development doesn't quite come together as seamlessly as one would hope, Keller's novel delivers a dazzling, thought-provoking vision of the future that raises the question: Is safety worth the sacrifice of freedom?(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2018
As the citizens of Old Earth die from poverty, Violet lives in New Earth, founded by her father for only the wealthiest citizens. Control is maintained by the Intercept, an implanted emotion chip--until rising tensions show signs that this control is slipping. Unfortunately, an interesting premise suffers from a lack of credible world-building and an over-reliance on passive exposition.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)