Mortal

Hope for humanity rests on the shoulders of a powerful teenager in this inspirational dystopian thriller by two New York Times–bestselling authors.

"Mortal raises the stakes in every way, offering more dramatic action, psychological nuance, and philosophical meat. Based on this triumph, Mortal gives every indication that by the time this trilogy is through, it will be a truly memorable ride." —Crosswalk.com

Centuries have passed since civilization's brush with apocalypse. The world's greatest threats have all been silenced. There is no anger, no hatred, no war. There is only perfect peace . . . and fear. A terrible secret was closely guarded for centuries: every single soul walking the earth, though in appearance totally normal, is actually dead, long ago genetically stripped of true humanity.

Nine years have gone by since an unlikely hero named Rom Sebastian first discovered a secret and consumed an ancient potion of blood to bring himself back to life in Forbidden. Surviving against impossible odds, Rom has gathered a secret faction of followers who have also taken the blood—the first Mortals in a world that is dead.

But the Order has raised an elite army to hunt and crush the living. Division and betrayal threaten to destroy the Mortals from within. The final surviving hope for humanity teeters on the brink of annihilation and no one knows the path to survival . . .

"The book offers plenty of food for philosophizing concerning religion, states of consciousness, freedom, fate and the will to power. A book that can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel by those who haven't read Book One." —Kirkus Reviews