"Journeys into Terror"

In this article, Mary Shaner explores two pieces - Robert Cormier's After the First Death and Peter Dickinson's The Seventh Raven. Both novels look closely at the plight of children as victims of terrorist attacks. Both books also look more deeply at teenage protagonists who are under pressure from their elders to act in a specific way. Bravery also comes into play - both perceptions of bravery and the need to be brave. Both novels offer a portrayal of terrorists as people, and both offer sympathetic characters. A central theme, shared by both books, is that of integrity, which sometimes comes at the cost of humanity.