AFTER THE FALL

In this first novel based on the popular online anime series RWBY, four teens are sent to a small town in a forbidding desert to help a group of refugees fight the monstrous Grimm that stalk them.

Coco, Fox, Velvet, and Yatsuhashi, also known as Team CFVY, are training to become Huntsmen and Huntresses—warriors who protect people from Grimm, a variety of terrifying beasts that are drawn to negative emotions. They left Beacon Academy for a new school after Beacon was destroyed by Grimm, and Team CFVY’s story is an engaging offshoot of the anime that focuses on their friends, Team RWBY. Each Hunter and Huntress has a signature weapon and a supernatural power, and within the fantasy world of Remnant, there are multiple species and ethnicities, some of which face prejudice and racism. Myers (Mother of Invention, 2018, etc.) does a terrific job of explaining this world to newcomers and, amid the nonstop action and thrilling battle scenes, also manages to portray the four friends three-dimensionally through witty dialogue and flashbacks. Even secondary characters have complexity, making the world feel immersive and present. As the Grimm attacks become more frequent and intense, the friends must search for the mysterious cause, protect the townspeople, and battle their demons—both internally and externally.

This spinoff is funny and thrilling from beginning to end, and thoughtful writing gives the action added depth and emotional impact.