My Thoughts: Quake, by Patrick Carman [Minor Spoilers]

• Series: Pulse (Book 3)
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (February 24, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062085905
• ISBN-13: 978-0062085900
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.2 inches

"In the year 2051, Faith can move mountains…

Faith Daniels and Dylan Gilmore are in love, and they have a special ability called a pulse: they can move things with their minds. They're caught in the middle of a deadly war with two other pulses: Clara and Wade Quinn, who have joined forces with Hotspur Chance, the most wanted man in the world.

At the start of Quake, Faith and Dylan are holed up in a spectacular abandoned mountain lodge (once used in the film The Shining 71 years before), and their Intel friend Hawk leaves them in the middle of the night, in spite of a newly blossoming love with a girl named Jade. Hawk’s plan is to penetrate the Western State and make contact with a sleeper cell working on the inside that will give them valuable information about Hotspur’s violent plan.

But while Hawk is searching for answers on the inside, Faith and Dylan are still fighting on the outside. In a series of hair-raising battles, the second pulses duel it out, only to raise the body count on both sides. During the battles, Faith and Dylan discover an even great strength: the power of their combined love. Together, Faith and Dylan might just be able to save the world with a quake that is big enough to change the course of history." - Goodreads

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My Thoughts
I wasn't sure if I was going to finish this series, after Tremor left a little to be desired, but boy - am I glad I did. Quake has turned out to be one of the angriest, emotional, and battle-packed conclusions to a trilogy I've ever read, plus It corrected almost everything I didn't like from the second entry.

The most noticeable improvement, would be the plot, which this time, is more tightly wound around discovering and stopping Hotspur Chance's master plan. What the specifics of that plan are - the we don't immediately know. But with allot books recently, its more about the journey, than the actual end destination.

"Hotspur chance is a single pulse. this makes him vulnerable, which is why they hide him. He's the smartest man on earth, the designer of the states, and also ruthless"

Spearheading that excursion for answers is Team Pulse. Consisting of Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels, Hawk, Clooger, Carl, and a young girl named Jade. All of who, Carman infused with such heart and sincerity. You could say they helped "ground" the fantastical concept of people hurling mountain peaks with their mind. Without them, I doubt readers would be able to buy into the crazy world of "The States", or in Dylan/Faith's case, emotionally invest in their relationship.

"Dylan kissed her, longer this time. When faith pulled away, and saw the longing in Dylan's eyes, she thought of how much she wanted to stay safe in the house, just the two of them. But she knew their escape from reality was over. They both did" 

Patrick also manages to surprise audiences, with the protagonists he's willing to endanger, and the consequences he's willing to permit, which culminates in Quake (as I've hinted above) being considerably more violent than either Pulse or Tremor. Certain Characters think/explore some unusually dark thoughts, and brush up against some complex, morally grey situations. I personally, enjoyed this change, as it was done honestly, but some people may feel different.

"Rage is rocket fuel Dylan. Those two subhumans fling towards us? They killed my parents. They killed your mom... They're not just criminals.. They're mass murderers."

My only nitpick, would be to have more scenes exploring Hawk's bid inside "the State". As Giving faces and names to the assumed victims of Hotspur Chance's plan would further raise emotional tension (not that it was needed), as well as provide a friendly reminder to readers about the unique culture within.

My Rating: 4/5

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Watch the trailer for Pulse.