by Akemi Dawn Bowman
ASIN/ISBN: 9781534456549
Publication: April 19, 2022
Series: The Infinity Courts #2

**I was provided a copy of the book through NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.**

(This started out as a review for Genesis Wars but turned into more of comparison with the first novel.)

The Infinity Courts reimagines the afterlife to be more Terminator-esque than the traditional heaven and hell. It is also a combination of Alice in Wonderland and Hunger Games (I’ve only seen the movies so don’t strangle me if it doesn’t align as well with the books.) When people die, they end up in Infinity. Artificial intelligence (AI) now reign this human-created afterlife, but many humans continue to resist and they recruit new arrivals to help fight against the Queen and her sons. It’s an extremely interesting premise, but I didn’t understand how AI arrived in the afterlife. It leads to multiple assumptions and questions such as whether AI have souls that would lead them to Infinity or how they might be created in the afterlife. The book doesn’t provide a sufficient explanation, and I struggled with this throughout the first book. While I was able to set this on the back burner for Genesis Wars, I still noticed that not much more explanation was given either.

Nami’s arrival sparks new life into the rebel group The Colony hiding in Victory Court, but her internal conflict between what they want and what she wants leads to somewhat strained relationships. When we meet Nami again in Genesis Wars, she is nearly a different person. Forced to live with the guilt of her decisions from the first book, she has been focused on one thing, rescuing her friends. The events in the prior book have hardened her, and I found liked this version of Nami a lot more. While she retains her passion to save the people she cares about, anger fuels her decision-making. She’s less empathetic than she used to be, and she has clearly chosen a side. This Nami is more resolute and has a confidence that was missing in the prior book. In Genesis Wars, she is focused and assesses everyone and everything around her. Her trust in those around her is no longer what it was.

The plot of this book is very similar to the first, but Nami is no longer a reluctant participant and constantly struggling with her thoughts. It contributes to a less frustrating read. Additionally, the pace is much faster with the Infinity learning curve no longer present. I finished it the same day I started. It was exciting to dive back into the rebellion and to have Nami explore her abilities. There is much more action here while in the prior novel it was more about strategy. I couldn’t put this one down, which led to hard feelings when I realized…this was a trilogy! Here comes the rant…

I am so mad. I almost wished I hadn’t read Genesis Wars yet. It was a book I didn’t want to end because it kept getting better as I read on. Now, I have to wait another year to see how it all ends. The wait is going to be agonizing especially after being left with that ending!! Okay. (End rant.)

I recommend The Infinity Courts and Genesis Wars if you’re a fan of The Hunger Games and The Terminator. While it is set in the afterlife, it nearly feels more like a post-apocalyptic world than it does life after death. If you’re not a fan of cliffhangers, hold off until it gets closer to the release of the third book. You’ll want it handy as soon as you finish Genesis Wars.