Book Review: Terminal Uprising by Jim C. Hines

This review was first published by Booklist on January 18, 2019.

Terminal Uprising cements the reputation of the Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse as an exciting and rewarding series. The second entry (after Terminal Alliance, 2017) picks up four months after the end of the first. This time, Mops and crew are headed to Earth, the world of feral humans, and they’re accompanied by an unexpected ally. What they discover upends much of what they thought they knew about humanity’s downfall and could tip the balance in the war between Krakau and Prodryans. As always, their expertise in the custodial arts serves them well in unexpected ways. (Even better: librarians help save the day.) This book is plenty funny but less overtly jokey than the first one. The story is more interesting, and the character development is more multifaceted. Hines has grown confident in this world, and he continues to expand it in fascinating directions. The narrative takes a bit to establish momentum, but the latter half is quick and exciting. Overall, a strong edition to an excellent series that will appeal to fans of Becky Chambers.

This title has been recommended for young adult readers:

YA/General Interest: Humor and Hitchhiker’s Guide sensibilities make this series a good fit for sf-loving teens who aren’t put off by salty language.