In writing fiction for teenagers, the subject matter has to be toned down a bit from regular adult fare. But on the other hand, young adults hate being patronized and talked down to, so the fiction has to be real and relevant to succeed.

Scott Westerfeld has made a career out of walking this thin line, and one of his most acclaimed young-adult series started with UGLIES, proceeded to PRETTIES and now brings us SPECIALS. This series is set in a post-apocalyptic future in which people are subjected to a regime of surgery and brain modification that leaves them vapid and gorgeous, living out their lives in perfect cities with nary a care in the world.

Of course, this isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and one young girl, Tally Youngblood, always manages to break society’s hold, only to end up even worse off at the end of the novel.

SPECIALS begins with Tally as a Special, a member of an elite, extremely modified warrior caste with diamond-hard and razor-sharp nails and teeth, and a skeleton that would do Wolverine proud. All this coolness is supplemented with mental modifications that detach her from reality, and if she ever feels too involved with what’s going on, there’s a simple solution: cutting her arm with a ceremonial blade.

She loves being special, and the cutting is a sacrament to her and those like her. But slowly and surely, Tally faces the realities of her situation and the state of the world, and it takes all of her willpower to change her world once again.

From a thematic standpoint, SPECIALS is pretty kick-ass. Westerfeld really understands his audience, and he comes at issues like cutting and rebellion from an absolutely teen perspective that showcases his great understanding of the insanity that comes with that age. The characters – both friend and foe – are solidly three-dimensional and as unpredictable as real humans. Because of this, Westerfeld never needs to get on a soapbox and preach to his audience about right and wrong – he goes out on a limb, trusting the readers to get the point, and it’s the right move.

SPECIALS is a short book, and it’s definitely meant to be read as part of the trilogy, but it works perfectly well on its own for adults, especially science-fiction readers who are used to inferring tons of implied backstory and societal information without much hand-holding from the author.

But acne and all, SPECIALS is a standout title with an important message that might actually get through to its teen audience. Add to this that Westerfeld has created an eerie and satirically vicious commentary on modern society, and we’ve got something special. –Ryun Patterson

Buy it at Amazon.