TOM ISBELL
TOM ISBELL is an actor-author-professor. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, he has acted in theater, film, and TV, working opposite Robert De Niro, Ed Harris, Sarah Jessica Parker, and others. Currently a theater professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth, he has had three of his plays produced by the Theater for Young Audiences at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, including Teddy Roosevelt and the Treasure of Ursa Major, which was adapted into a book with then–First Lady Laura Bush penning the foreword. Tom and his wife, Pat, live in Duluth, Minnesota.
THE RELEASE (Prey Trilogy)
HarperTeen – February 14, 2017
The Release is the thrilling YA conclusion to Tom Isbell’s suspenseful post-apocalyptic Prey series, perfect for fans of The Maze Runner. Two months have passed since Book, Cat, Hope, and the others rescued the remaining Less Thans from Liberty, but they aren’t safe yet, and soon they’ll have to risk everything in order to defeat their enemies.
The group must leave the camp for good and escape the wolves, the Brown Shirts, and the Hunters. Most important, they need to stop Chancellor Maddox before she executes her Final Solution and grows even more powerful.
While the others are seeking freedom, for Hope, the battle has become personal. She wants revenge, no matter what the cost—and she’s willing to sacrifice anything standing in her way. The group may still be weak, but they don’t have time to wait. They must overthrow the Chancellor, even if it means joining forces with those who once betrayed them.
THE CAPTURE (Prey Trilogy)
HarperTeen – January 19, 2016
The Maze Runner meets The Hunger Games in this heart-pounding teen trilogy. This second book in the Prey series is a suspenseful story of courage, survival, and doing what’s right, no matter how hard. Orphaned teens, soon to be hunted for sport, must fight for a better life. Riveting action, intense romance, and gripping emotion make this fast-paced adventure a standout.
Fifteen escaped and found their way to freedom, but Book, Hope, and Cat can’t settle into their new life knowing the rest of the Less Thans and Sisters are still imprisoned. Now the teens must retrace their steps to save the others and thwart the Republic’s dark plans to destroy those deemed different, even as relationships are tested and the path back is filled with danger.
With new enemies lurking, the group must put their fate into the hands of unexpected allies and must ask themselves how far they’re willing to go to free their friends.
Praise for THE CAPTURE
“Recommend this book to readers of James Dashner’s Maze Runner books and Patrick Ness’ Chaos Walking trilogy.”—Booklist
“With its non-stop action, short chapters, and dystopian subject matter, this thriller should definitely appeal to teen readers, reluctant or otherwise. This series is perfect for fans of The Maze Runner and Divergent series.”—VOYA Magazine
THE PREY
HarperTeen – January 20, 2015
The Maze Runner meets The Hunger Games in this heart-pounding trilogy. Orphaned teens, soon to be hunted for sport, must flee their resettlement camps in their fight for survival and a better life. For in the Republic of the True America, it’s always hunting season. Riveting action, intense romance, and gripping emotion make this fast-paced adventure a standout debut.
After a radiation blast burned most of the Earth to a crisp, the new government established settlement camps for the survivors. At one such camp, the sixteen-year-old “LTs” are eager to graduate as part of the Rite. Until they learn the dark truth: “LTs” doesn’t stand for lieutenant but for Less Thans, feared by society and raised to be hunted for sport. They escape and join forces with the Sisters, twin girls who’ve suffered their own haunting fate. Together they seek the fabled New Territory, with sadistic hunters hot on their trail. Secrets are revealed, allegiances are made, and lives are at stake. As unlikely Book and fearless Hope lead their quest for freedom, these teens must find the best in themselves to fight the worst in their enemies.
Praise for THE PREY
“Readers will appreciate the irony and subtle, deeper meanings in character and location names as Isbell shapes his own vision of a dark world. Pair this with other blockbusters about hope in the midst of despair and danger, Veronica Roth’s Four, Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games, and James Dashner’s Maze Runner.“—Booklist
“…plenty of peril (human and otherwise) … will keep readers rooting for Book and Hope.“—Publishers Weekly
“Dystopian fans will anxiously await the next installment.“—School Library Jounal
“An exciting concept.“—Kirkus Reviews
“I loved this book! 4.5 stars out of 5.“—The Elliot Bay Underground