Earthfall by Mark Walden

Bloomsbury, 2012.
Recommended for readers 12 +. The huge following of fans Walden hooked with his H.I.V.E. series will be not be disappointed by the debut of his new book Earthfall. 14 year old Sam has been on his own for 18 months, believing himself to be the sole survivor of a frightening and devastating 'alien' attack on contemporary London. Hiding by day, scavenging by night, he has managed to avoid the ever-present threat posed by the 'Hunters' who constantly maintain their vigil over the enslaved 'Walkers'.
A terrifying encounter and a narrow escape reveal to Sam the presence of some other survivors when he is unexpectedly rescued by feisty and scruffy girl who takes him to a secret and secure headquarters. He discovers that the group of equally young survivors, headed by Doctor Stirling, are a well-organised and efficient band of resistance fighters - and quickly demonstrates his own innate skills and instincts as he too trains in guerrilla techniques. As the truth about the devastating 'invasion' unfolds, the reader is both fascinated and horrified by the underlying premise of Walden's plot. Aficionados of The Matrix, Garth Nix's Shade's Children and speculative fiction of similar ilk will relish the complex riddle behind the 'Threat'.
With unfinished business and unanswered questions embedded into Earthfall's conclusion, Walden leaves the reader well and truly anticipating the next instalment of Sam's journey. Top marks for tension and a terrifically paced plot.
Sue Warren