Swift and Hawk: Undercover

The beginning of the book felt like a James Bond movie. There was thrilling action and nonstop danger for the first few chapters. Then it calmed down enough to add a storyline while keeping the plot moving at a quick pace.
This sequel contained all the action and high-tech gadgetry as the first book but took time to develop the characters making it a more satisfying book overall. Zen and Caleb are no longer cut off with little support. They are now part of a unit with actual adult supervision and safety nets in place. This also chafes Caleb’s style a bit who got used to relying on his take on a situation and acting instantly. There is also a lot less profanity which will open the potential audience up for this book.
In book one, the characters were amazing at everything they did. Their gadgets worked perfectly which led to pleasing action sequences. This book took time to push the characters and put them outside of their comfort zones so it felt more believable. Zen must go undercover to try and stop terrorists. She has a difficult balance to maintain when she starts to agree with many of their beliefs. Caleb’s game, Terraform, is having problems and he doesn’t find out until it is too late that the reason is more sinister than he realized.
The final sequence connects books one and two and sets the plot for book three. Our characters are going to be pushed to their limits to solve the problem presented. Overall, this book has great action sequences and high-tech spy gadgets making it a high-interest book for Middle-Grade readers.