by Garth Nix
First published 1997
In a bleak, machine-ruled city, a mysterious figure named Shade recruits children who've escaped the Overlords' gruesome "Sad Birthday" ritual - the day every child is turned into a killing machine. With dwindling numbers and the Overlords closing in, four of Shade's children race to uncover the source of the Overlords' power and bring them down. But as they get closer to the truth, Shade's own humanity seems to fade, putting the children's lives in greater peril.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, adventure, action
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, race-against-time
Setting: Overlords
352 pages · Hardcover · Harper Collins
Content warnings: violence