The Counterfeit Zombies of Noc (The Legend of Guts and Glory Freedom Fighters of Nil Book 2) by Jessica Crichton; Sequel to Dr. Fixit is Glorious

 The Counterfeit Zombies of Noc (The Legend of Guts and Glory Freedom Fighters of Nil Book 2) by Jessica Crichton; Sequel to Dr. Fixit is Glorious 

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: Even though Dr. Fixit Malicious Machine, the first book in Jessica Crichton’s The Legend of Guts and Glory Freedom Fighters of Nil series stars twins Trevor and Tabitha Tate AKA Guts and Glory respectively, Trevor is the main protagonist who tells the story and goes through the most changes. The second volume, Counterfeit Zombies of Noc evens the score by giving the spotlight to Tabitha and spinning the series into a deeper more cerebral direction.

When last we left our heroes, they were transported to a parallel universe called Nil by the enigmatic Dr. Fixit and were caught up in a gang war between Kids and Teens. They found their mother but lost their older sister after she was recruited to join the Teens. Their mother revealed the family's connection to this strange place and the truth behind this youthful war engineered by Dr. Fixit who is not what he seemed.

In this volume, the Tate twins and their new companions have to travel to the land of Noc to find out information from Marie, a former scientist who was a part of Fixit's past. Along the way they encounter zombies and other creepy creatures. Meanwhile, Tabitha is questioning her own self worth and the meaning to her name, Glory. Her reflection and intellect may end up being her only allies as her party dwindles and more Kids are abducted and brainwashed into becoming zombies.

Counterfeit Zombies of Noc is good the way other good second volumes of most series are. It raises the stakes, makes things darker, and plot and world building give way to deep characterization. 

The previous volume was dark enough in creating a parallel world where gangs of children fight gangs of teenagers and where teenagers are revealed to be mind controlled puppets who follow Fixit’s will. This volume increases that sense of abandonment and manipulation of other people's free will.

When the Twins and their friends first encounter the zombies, there is a bit of dark comedy as they stop pursuing the kids and then just as quickly wonder in befuddled confusion over why they are chasing them. This first impression makes the Reader think that it is going to be a parody of zombie movies, books, and shows. Maybe this volume might even be funny? But this might give the Reader and characters a false sense of security.

The Tates and their friends follow the zombies to their headquarters and they learn the circumstances of their brainwashing. Unfortunately knowing it and fighting against it are two different things. The zombies return to their programming and come after the kids. Worse in an almost Invasion of the Body Snatchers manner, most of the kids are brainwashed as well. 

In one chilling chapter, Trevor, Guts, is converted. It's eerie to see this once sweet brave kid who would have died to protect his sister now coldly stalking that same sister and treating her like an enemy that he must destroy.

After reading about the full effect of the zombie’s manipulation, it puts their introduction in a more disturbing light. Rather being a humorous random shout out to zombie media, it instead takes on darker implications. The hold on the zombies was temporarily broken to gain the kid's trust and lure them to their lair. A final reveal over who the zombies really are makes the hold on them even more sadistic and cruel. It's a deliberate ploy for the main villain to tighten one final screw of humiliation into these young people. 

Besides the darker plot, Crichton gives her characters depth, most notably Tabitha. While Trevor became Guts, leading by courage and valor, Tabitha is uncertain. She was once an intellectual, the brain to her brother's brawn. Now she is stuck with a name, Glory, that she doesn't understand.

In this world, everyone's names are either given by themselves or someone else who recognizes something unique about them. They could reflect their appearance like “Shark” (who has sharp teeth), convey their interest (“Books” the resident researcher and genius), or personality traits (the aforementioned “Guts.”)

This leaves Glory confused. Glory is such a loaded term one that doesn't seem helpful in battle so why is she one of the presumed heroes of legend? Asking others’ opinions doesn't help because they suggest “pretty,” “spirited,” and other adjectives that Tabitha does not feel that she is. 

Tabitha is crippled with self-doubt and anxiety that impairs her own defenses and abilities. In a strange Fantasy Science Fiction novel, this is a very realistic portrayal of someone with Anxiety. Fears and insecurity can overcome someone's life even if they aren't a hero destined to save a dystopia parallel universe. That person often downplays their achievements and talents as their questions and fears take over their lives. This is what happens to Tabitha. She rejects the name Glory for a time and considers herself a load to the group, something that their enemies gleefully use as a means to taunt and break her.

It is when Tabitha has to fight the zombies alone that she recognizes the power that was dormant and was waiting to be released. She recognizes that just as any group of fighters need Guts, they also need Glory, a light, a purpose, and a reason to keep fighting. In a climactic chapter, Glory truly accepts her name and her place in this world.

Crichton knew how to draw Readers into her world before and now knows how to keep them there. There are definite hooks for a sequel so let's see if she knows the best way to take her Readers out of that world.