#Review - Riders by Veronica Rossi (Young Adult, Apocalyptic Science Fiction)

Series: Riders # 1
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Release Date: February 16, 2016
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: Library
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Nothing but death can keep eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does.

While recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can’t remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Over the coming weeks, he and the other horsemen—Conquest, Famine, and Death—are brought together by a beautiful but frustratingly secretive girl to help save humanity from an ancient evil on the emergence.

They fail.

Now—bound, bloodied, and drugged—Gideon is interrogated by the authorities about his role in a battle that has become an international incident. If he stands any chance of saving his friends and the girl he’s fallen for—not to mention all of humankind—he needs to convince the skeptical government officials the world is in imminent danger.

But will anyone believe him?

*Main Characters* Gideon Blake (War), Daryn Martin (Seeker), Sebastian Luna (Famine), Marcus (Death), and Jode (Conquest).

*Summary* 

Riders is the first book in a brand new series by Veronica Rossi. A series she's calling Young Adult Apocalyptic Fiction. Rossi's previous claim to fame was her Under the Never Sky Trilogy. This time around, Rossi take's four supposedly normal teenaged boys and reincarnates them into "Revelations" Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The story's narrator is Gideon Blake. Ever since his father died, Gideon has made it his goal to enlist in the Army, and quickly get make his way through training so that he can join the highly specialized Rangers.

After being involved in a brutal parachute accident and dying, Gideon finds himself changed yet still living. Gideon learns that fate, or destiny has another calling for him. He is to become the rider known as War. He gains access to a badass sword, and armor, and a horse that is made from fire. After a not so chance encounter with a girl named Daryn, Gideon learns that he and three others have a mission to stop an evil known as the Kindred from gaining access to a key that will let them gain access to a new dimension.

As the story progresses, we meet the other three Horsemen, their abilities, and their horses. Sebastian (Famine) is found in LA auditioning as an actor. Sebastian has a weapon called a sealer, and a horse that is as dark as night. Marcus (Death) is found in the desert, and he has some major attitude. Marcus has a horse that is as pale as gold, and a Scythe for a weapon. The final member of the group, Jode, is found in Italy. Jode's weapon is a bow and arrow, and his horse is blinding white. Jode is the only non-American character with a rich person's background.

Daryn is a mystery. She's a Seeker who is supposed to bring the horsemen together so that they can defeat the Kindred, and make sure they don't get hold of the key to unlock a new dimension. Daryn is good at hiding things, keeping secrets, and finding the Horsemen. Daryn is also the main target for the Kindred because she has a mission from a higher power. You're going to ask yourself, well, does that mean that Daryn is the love interest as well? Technically, yes. I think that Daryn has a whole lot more story to tell before we can cross that bridge and seal the deal. I think Daryn and Gideon could be good for each other when they finally trust each other absolutely and not carry a boat load of secrets. 

Riders makes things very interesting by being told in the first person narrative, past tense, and flashbacks. Even though the story is from Gideon's narrative, you have to keep your wits about you. It isn't until much later in the story that certain clues will focus you back to who Gideon is telling his story to. While I liked Gideon, he does have some self esteem issues. Sebastian has the most interesting parts, and is pretty damn cool. I'm not sure about Marcus, even with that ending, but I guess we'll have to wait until the sequel to find out more. 

I need to quickly mention Gideon's mother. If you don't think this lady has nerves of steal, and is one of the best literally mothers to be introduced in a very long time, come speak to me. She lost her husband a year before. He son goes through his own trials and tribulations and travels around the world finding evil. She supports him 100 percent, and even takes in one of the horsemen who has no home.  

With this being the first installment in a new series, there are obvious questions remaining to be answered. First, who decided to pick these four boys to become the Riders? Second, it's going to be asked, so why not me? Why were all the horsemen, men, and not one of them women? Perhaps it's because this book needed to have a macho feel to it. The ending was rather short in that there is a confrontation between good and evil, and yet it was so brief, that I honestly thought about taking this rating down a half star. Plus the whole slap upside the head cliffhanger ending!

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