The Truancy Series by Isamu Fukui

Hey friends! I have been writing some little book reviews lately and I wanted to share.
I love this series. I don't think it is half as popular as it should be. Check it out!

I was introduced to the Truancy series by Isamu Fukui in my sophomore year of high school. I’m generally not too interested in action/ninja books, but I read the first book anyways, to impress a boy, of course. Wow, was I surprised! Truancy has unique and exciting plot that distinguishes it from other postmodern teen reads.

The story centers around a country that uses the education system to subconsciously control its citizens. A teenage boy, Tack, becomes aware of the cruel system of the schools and runs away. Along the way, he meets Umasi, a mysterious pacifist who sells lemonade in an abandoned district, and Zyid, the leader of a rebellious force known as the Truancy. The Truancy is made up of truant and expelled students who yearn to end the school’s harsh control over students by fighting the government. Tack joins the Truancy and learns from both Umasi and Zyid, eventually becoming second in command of the Truancy. Tack, however, has a hidden motive. He believes that Zyid’s rebellion is responsible for the death of his sister and vows to take his revenge. Truancy is full of perceptive characters and EPIC fight scenes. The series contains three books: Truancy; Truancy Origins; and Truancy City. Though Truancy Origins is a prequel to Truancy, I definitely recommend reading the books in the order I have listed.

Fukui wrote and published the first book when he was only seventeen years old. Though his writing style may not be perfectly polished, he creates a fascinating plot that keeps the reader on the edge of his seat the entire series. There is a little something for everyone: action, romance, philosophy, and family. Truancy Origins is definitely my favorite of the three, but each one had its own appeal. I love these books because they refuse to let you see the world as black and white. There is no “good guy” and “bad guy”. Each character has right and wrong intentions, and each is fighting for what he or she believes is most important. I recommend this series to anyone who loves The Hunger Games, Divergent, or Ender’s Game. It is not a more popular series, so you may have to special order it from your local library or bookstore. It is well worth the wait though. You will be immediately captivated by the lives of the characters and the ever twisting plot. Just make sure you don’t conspire any mutiny against your principal after reading.