Review: Paragon (Vertex, #3) by Soren Summers

The sighting of the second flare has kindled new hope in what’s left of humanity. Perhaps there are other survivors outside the Hive. Maybe it’s the military, finally come to save Pleasance from the horrors of Paragon. But neither flares nor optimism can erase the colony’s bleak realities.

Supplies are dwindling. Food is low, medication running out, and the garden won’t ever grow enough to feed the Hive. And there’s the small matter of the water from the river drying up. The Hive needs a miracle, and fast.

With Gabriel Anderson at his side, Jarod Samuels seeks out the source of the flare and an antidote for the Hive’s plight. But some mysteries are best left unsolved, some secrets left undiscovered – especially when the answers hide deep in the heart of the colossus.

Dear Soren Summers, 

Three books. Three books into the world of Vertex, Paragon and a town that doesn’t resemble its name. There is nothing pleasant about Pleasance nor what goes on there and yet, like a true junkie I keep coming back for more. You had me cringing at every possibility and my anxiety was at max through most of the book. You gave me a flare of hope and ripped it away. You presented new hope to me on the dirtiest of platters with nothing to accompany the new information but a full Return of Saturn via Vertex complete with metallic tentacles. 

Look what you made me do. You made me trust no one and then trust the ones I shouldn’t but just like Jarod, I couldn’t help myself. You made me have bizarre AF dreams about walls and anomalies and truly wondering if the world had simply gone on. 

What am I trying to say with all of this? Thank you. Thank you for a wonderfully, unique, twisted and truly romantic story about love, family and the fight for it all. 

Always a fan, 

Red

Okay. I can’t wrap my head around this book because it was everything. Simply everything and more and the author has one hell of a wicked mind to go where he did.

Best not to keep their hopes up. Just in case, just in case things don’t happen.

Paragon starts shortly after Parasite ends, the flare has been seen and the inhabitants of the Hive are living in a bubble of hope. Everyone is working together for the betterment of their lives to the best of their ability. Jarod is taking care of Gabriel after being attacked by Hortega, Tyler is spending a lot of time in Danny’s apartment, Esther is still fucking amazing – all three of her- and Magpie is still a plethora of knowledge and keeper of noisy baubles. But if you’ve seen any type of movie in the horror genre, you know this sort of idealistic imagery can only lead to a buttload of angst and gore.

 
This review will be vague as there is a lot that happens I can’t even go into detail about without spoiling the book and I’d rather you yell and get jump scared just like I did. Oh yeah, I screamed a few times throughout reading this from shock, from horror, from grief and every other emotion under the sun and moon. Paragon put me through the ringer and though I took my time reading it, the angst and anxiety never eased up.

So, the Hive is buzzing with a gamble of hope after the flare was sighted. Everyone is getting along and we get some sweet and romantic moments with Gabriel and Jarod. Let’s just say that bathing in the time of zombies in freezing water can be extremely sexy when it’s with the one you lust after and love. It was refreshing to see Gabriel and Jarod as happy and content as they were while still having that edge of fear because they are trying to not get dead.

“Tell me.”“Tell you what?”“What am I to you? Please…”“Everything.”

When we get news of a threat to the Hive’s survival and Tyler, Gabriel and Jarod set out to research it, we learn that what we thought we knew is all sorts of fucked up and wrong. I know I sound confusing but trust me, I was confused a few times trying to figure out how any of this was possible. This little trip the trio takes leads to one moment of pure heartbreak at something most would consider trivial. I shed a tear with Gabriel while it happened and thankfully got a chance to giggle at Danny’s reaction to Tyler. These men are still so damn young and all that has happened is bat shit crazy to try and digest so this moment was a nice opportunity to breathe and remember they are just boys.

And yet, that moment was just that… a moment because soon, Jarod gets an unexpected visitor and when they show up I yelled HOLYMOTHERFUCKINGSHITBALLS! I am not going to tell you who shows up but I will say from this moment on the intensity of the story arc gets turned up to eleven. Yeah. It gets nuts and the mix just gets deeper the further we go. I mean, Summers went for it in this book and truly wrote a horror story. I am thankful I wasn’t eating during a few of these scenes because…eww. I will say this book is a reunion of characters I never wanted to happen and each appearance as they slowly show up was a punch to my nerves. Good lord. This was intense.

This can’t be how it ends.

Paragon is one hell of an ending to one hell of a series. I am not sure I can forgive the author for a scene at around 91% nor can I forget the horrors that Vertex has created. This story, this horror story laced with an effective romance is phenomenal and creepy. It’s a blend of two great tastes that should taste weird together but they don’t. Romance and horror can blend when you have the center of the story be one of love, hope and trust.

 
This book was stellar. That end? I can’t wrap my ginger head around the total mind fuck of it all and it wasn’t what I was expecting. None of this was what I expected and I am going to attempt to deal with it being over.

A review copy was provided.

Trivia Question: What's the name of the drag queen character in this AU novel set in Gedda? 15 pts

Random winner will be chosen at (or around) Noon EST 11/15.