FROM AMAZON: As a third child in a society that allows only two children pre family, Luke was in hiding for the first twelve years of his life. Then he as given the freedom of an identity card of a Baron and was sent to a boarding school. But now, just when things are finally starting to go right. The real Baron's brother arrives at school and he finds himself caught in a web of lies....... ( )

It's been a long time since I read a book in this series, and since it starts immediately following the events in Book #3, I would have appreciated a brief reminder of what had just happened. In any case, Trey has gone to find help following travesty at the Grants, and is almost grabbed along with Mr. Talbot's house as the Population Police arrest him. Trey is no hero, but eventually partners with Mark Garner in order to find his friends, who have been imprisoned. Yet, Trey manages to find the courage to infiltrate the Population Police to save Mark from being executed and then mount a daring rescue of his comrades. I liked this book better than the previous ones: 3.5 stars. ( )

It was great to see Trey step into the role he was meant to have. To see him become the man he was meant to be. To not let his fears stop him from saving his friends b ( )

(see Book 1) Trey gets a chance to be co-protagonist, and discovers that being brave is sometimes just doing the right thing even if you are afraid. The adults don't seem to have any particular ideology other than the pursuit of power for its own sake, and the imposition of statist controls over every aspect of life.
The book glosses over any question of international relations, as if this is a completely self-contained (and not very large) country with no connections outside its borders. It does a good job of illustrating in bold line drawings the flaw of all totalitarian systems.
Which is why this is a parable, suitable to the SF alternate-worlds genre pioneered by Heinlein, rather than a "contemporary life" novel. ( )

I would say I was surprised by the intense atmosphere author created, it felt almost suffocating, with plenty suspense and also thrilling as the plot develop. In this dystopian world third children from any family are persecuted and illegal to have. There is a coup past the first quarter of the story and the actual government is topped by the Population Police Chief who becomes the president. The Population Police is in charge of killing any third children found. This book reminds me of the Hunger Games trilogy which deals with the similar topic of government control/revolution (Haven't read the books, my wife read the first but we went to watch the movies of the trilogy). A lot of the story is an internal dialogue in which Trey (a third child and main character) has to confront his fear.