Brilliants, also labeled as abnorms, are people endowed with special gifts. Horrific events of the recent years, which revealed secret academies where brilliant children were brainwashed, saw the escalation of John Smith's terrorist society and brought about legislation to microchip abnorms, have eventually led to the destruction of three major cities and the annihilation of combatants attacking Eric Epstein's New Canaan Holdfast. All of these events have stemmed from the inequality between normals and brilliants.

Since brilliants were discovered in 1986, scientists have been searching for the genetic basis of brilliance to bring about equality between the two entities. Dr. Abe Couzen and Ethan Park think they have finally found the formula that would turn normals into abnorms. To prove their project is a success, Dr. Couzen secretly ingests the potion. However, results are not what they anticipated. Nick Cooper, a brilliant himself, must do everything in his power to find the rogue doctor before things get completely out of control with the ruination of America—and humanity—as the devastating outcome.

WRITTEN IN FIRE by Marcus Sakey is a fitting final chapter to his thrilling Brilliance Trilogy. I have read and reviewed all three of these alternate-world-set novels and was fittingly impressed with the mesmerizing conclusion. Believable characterization coupled with realistic plot progression kept my rapt attention throughout. From my reading experience with the first two books, BRILLIANCE and A BETTER WORLD, I was anticipating a lot from WRITTEN IN FIRE. I was certainly not disappointed with Sakey's adroit writing and precise narrative as he expertly established an alternate world that feels all too real.

Book Summary

The explosive conclusion to the bestselling Brilliance Trilogy

For thirty years humanity struggled to cope with the brilliants, the 1 percent of people born with remarkable gifts. For thirty years we tried to avoid a devastating civil war.

We failed.

The White House is a smoking ruin. Madison Square Garden is an internment camp. In Wyoming, an armed militia of thousands marches toward a final, apocalyptic battle.

Nick Cooper has spent his life fighting for his children and his country. Now, as the world staggers on the edge of ruin, he must risk everything he loves to face his oldest enemy—a brilliant terrorist so driven by his ideals that he will sacrifice humanity’s future to achieve them.

From “one of our best storytellers” (Michael Connelly) comes the blistering conclusion to the acclaimed series that is a “forget-to-pick-up-milk, forget-to-water-the-plants, forget-to-eat total immersion experience” (Gillian Flynn).