Ben Horton - Monster Republic:The Judas Code - Book Review

• Pages 304
• Published By Corgi Children's
• Date 6 January 2011
• Age 12+      

The explosion at the Prime Minister's visit to Long Harbour means the cover of the Monster Republic is blown, and they are forced deep into hiding. Lazarus Fry turns his tactics to infiltration, and is confident of their swift crushing. Plus his new pets, the Blood Hawks, are hungry to get their talons into some fresh kill...
But Fry hasn't counted on this band of rebel kids' awesome will for survival. When your back is against the wall, the only option is to come out fighting...     


This is the second book of the eagerly anticipated series, Monster Republic. After my previous glowing review of the first book; I was looking forward to discover how the storyline would develop through The Judas Code. I can start by saying that I was not disappointed, as the book immediately started with the continuation of events from book one, where a group of genetically modified kids (with special abilities) are found hiding, from both the world, and the reaches of the evil, Dr Fry.

This book can be read as a stand alone novel, as the author has carefully hand-picked parts of the previous story to enable the reader to get up to speed with events. Equally, the start also builds into an interesting and enticing beginning which enables the reader to rattle through the pages. Its fast-paced action and timely organised twists, bring both old and new characters together. Although the story is mainly told through the eyes' of Cameron, who has an extremely impulsive nature, which therefore develops into an intense and interesting adventure.

The book has a number of superb scenes which have been written particularly well and will have you wanting more. My favourite section within the story involves the band of Monster Republic, who find their food supplies are running low and need to stock up incredibly quickly. As a result, they set off on a mission to break into a supermarket, which in turn sets off a chain of events that shape the story towards its final outcome. The book is filled with many heart-stopping moments, which are perhaps more evident in this book than the first one. Therefore, there's a lot of running tension felt between the children and the decisions that they have to make in the fight for survival.

I loved this book, in fact equally as much as I loved the first. The end is left hanging in mid-air and so the next book will have many questions to answer. For example, will Cameron continue to be recognised as a hero or will he turn into a villain? The line between the two roles is becoming ever thinner, and with the fight for survival, this might just be final the tipping point. I'm really looking forward to the next slice of action . . . . .

About the Author
Ben Horton was born in Buckinghamshire,grew up in Norfolk,went to university in Cambridge and now lives in London,making him by far the best-travelled children's writer in his immediate family. When not writing ,Ben runs a theatre company,enjoys cooking and watching films like Batman and X-Men.