What follows is an adventure thriller, with the emphasis on the adventure, of the highest calibre. The plotting was supremely interesting, taking me to places I certainly didn't expect – even to the slightly surreal by the end.
John Lloyd, The Bookbag[2]
The novel was well received by reviewers.
Simon Barrett, for Just Imagine, called the novel, "a fast-paced, emotionally charged adventure"; that he found Bateman's "cinematic descriptions, cliffhanging moments of danger and last minute reprieves as well as the central dynamic between the characters Jimmy and Claire make this book a compulsive read"; concluding "Cannibal City is a great sequel for young adult readers aged 9+. Readers who have read the first book will not be disappointed".[3] Everyone's Reading, for the SLA, called the novel "an engrossing, futuristic tale which is absolutely impossible to put down".[4] John Lloyd, for The Bookbag, praised Bateman's writing style; "so vivid, so sprightly, so lively"; his rendition of teenage interaction; "so sharp and dryly sarcastic"; and his character development; "I cannot think of any character being introduced to a novel as effectively". Lloyd concluded by awarding the novel a five out of five star rating, stating "for teens wanting a future, post-catastrophe epic, that has a twinge of borrowing from classic films but provides a most novel novel instead, I can think of no better purchase".[2]
