As a society, we have a deep fascination with writing and reading stories of the impending apocalypse and/or the end of the human race. It doesn’t matter whether this end is brought about by natural disaster, by our own ignorance or by aliens; the story still captures our attention because it is a venture into the unknown, maybe possible realms of the future. If you’re ready for another one of these adventures, feel free to pick up “The 5th Wave” by Rick Yancey.
The aliens have arrived, but they aren’t interested in peace. Within six months, more than three-quarters of earth’s human population is gone, eliminated by the aliens. The “1st Wave” shut-down human communication and society: all transmissions, lights, machines, systems, cars and more simply out of commission. When the “2nd Wave” hit, the body count skyrocketed. The aliens caused massive earthquakes followed by even larger tsunamis, and suddenly the coastlines have been wiped out. The “3rd Wave” was weeks of torture as a virus spread, killing around 97 percent of those still living since the only hope for survival was being naturally immune. The “4th Wave” involves reconnaissance drones and alien assassins.
At the start of the novel we meet Cassie. As a teenage girl alone in the woods, she carries her trusty M16, some family mementos and the food and water she takes from a nearby convenience store. Cassie tells her story in flashbacks, explaining the waves as they ripped through her life. The “1st” and “2nd” waves didn’t affect her directly, but the “3rd” took her mother. Cassie is left with her father and her younger brother Sammy, so the three of them travel to a military base where other survivors have gathered. This possible safety is fleeting, and though Cassie manages to escape, she is now on her own, trying to survive and searching for Sammy.
While Cassie struggles, another storyline arises through the perspective of a teenage boy named Ben. His family is already dead, and he is well on his way to the same end as he is infected with the virus. However, he is rescued and somehow brought back to health in a safe facility. He takes his place with other kids his age and younger as they are trained to be soldiers of some kind, performing battle simulations and learning to shoot guns. Ben no longer lets himself be defined by his past weaknesses, forcing his new persona as ‘Zombie’ to be strong and powerful, motivated by anger and the desire for redemption.
Yancey tells a fast-paced story, guaranteeing that the reader will want to keep turning the pages an delving deeper into this world of intriguing but bleak death, hope and determination. With multiple storylines, some more involved and in-depth than others, he gives the reader a few different perspectives of similar events so we can begin piecing together the underlying mystery of ‘why’.
Still, there is a prevailing sense of familiarity and predictability that could be hard to ignore. At times, Yancey’s story felt too close and too parallel to other stories of the genre (e.g. “The Host” by Stephanie Meyer, the “Gone” series by Michael Grant). Though the differing perspectives provide variance in the story, their connection point becomes apparent long before the storylines actually clash; not much room for surprise.
“The 5th Wave” is exciting, dangerous and eerie, but it is difficult to praise the novel as drastically different. Some elements are unique, but others feel too familiar, forcing the reader into a state of wanting to finish the book out of curiosity, but not out of deep involvement and connection to the story being told. Still, the basis is thought-provoking and the story is well-written, even if it’s not deeply affecting, making it a quality choice for some free-time entertainment.
