Fifteen-year-old Marlow is fighting his asthma as he races away from his school expulsion, when he finds (and joins) an unbelievable battle between humans with astonishing powers (Engineers) and inanimate objects that have come to life and are intent on destruction. The Engineers are the products of the Engine, a machine of the devil that transforms and grants powers for the price of one's soul, then comes to claim them with crushingly destructive force when payment is due. Filled with violent clashes between Engineers and devils, and Engineers and rival Engineers, this book packs a punch for teens looking for nonstop action ough it takes a while to get to the motivation behind the Engineers' constant fighting. Marlow is a likable, flawed underdog of a hero, and his many comrades in arms gradually gain dimension as the plot progresses. First in a planned trilogy, Smith's latest is largely going to appeal to readers in it for the gritty action and horror.

This dark urban fantasy and supernatural horror novel immediately immerses readers into a fast-paced, action-packed, epic good-versus-evil story, offering engaging mythology and characters. Marlow Green is a teen with a background in small crime, disruptive behavior, and special schools for troubled teens. As the story opens, he has just thrown away his last chance and as he runs away from the cops, he stumbles into a situation that changes his life forever. He learns there are very important things in life, cosmically above his own small troubles, and he must decide to stop running away. He meets Pan and Herc, who are part of a super-ability team called Engineers, fighting evil and protecting the world from falling into complete darkness and destruction.This book needs faster development of characters and relationships among them, but the quick action and successive battle scenes inhibit it. Being a series opener, however, this novel captures the audience with all the other wonderful elements of the fantasy/ horror genres and can leave character growth for later. Readers will easily commit to absorbing all the intense and descriptive action and mythology behind the "devil's engine." Another interesting aspect of this novel is the seemingly dual third-person point of view between male and female protagonists, allowing for any gender reader to find connection and empathy. Supporting characters are unique and bring more fun and potential. This is definitely recommended for teen genre collections, and younger adult readers may also enjoy.Karen Sykeny.