By Patrick Ness (Walker Books, 2026)
“We did see it, didn’t we?” Max whispers to me now, both of us watching Pop enter a Noise conversation with the Land, which moves faster than anything either of us could follow.
I nod in a way that says, yes, we definitely did.
“You saw it, too,” he says.
I nod again, kind of rolling my eyes. Of course I saw it. I’m sitting here with a broken arm, aren’t I?
“What was it?” I can barely move my hands with the healing going on, but I grimace and sign, A god.
Gods have come to the New World. Fiery, screaming gods that leave destruction and broken families in their wake. At the same time, an object is spotted in space, hurtling fast towards the planet. And all the children of the New World are afflicted by strange Noise dreams. Well, almost all.
Ben and his brother Max couldn’t be more different, each taking more after one of their parents, Viola and Todd. But none of that will matter when the gods appear to take the children of the New World. Can they work together and use their own strengths to face what is coming?
Welcome back to the world of ‘Chaos Walking’! We were last here in 2010, when the final part of the trilogy, Monsters of Men, was published. And this is where I make my confession – I’ve only read the first book, The Knife of Never Letting Go, and that was a long time ago.
Not that I disliked it! Just there’s so many books and I simply never got back to it. This puts me in an interesting position to review this book, as someone who can speak to readers who are new to the setting and characters.
This review ended up getting a little long, so skip down to here if you just want a basic summary!
(Oh, and for those metalheads out there: Pipers at the Gates of Dusk is actually a reference to The Wind in the Willows, quoted in the front of the book, not the excellent Iron Maiden song The Wicker Man. The more you know!)
I’m going to start by saying blimey, what an intro! We’re immediately thrown into Ben and Max being chased by a figure that’s come out of the woods, a giant skinless man that’s on fire and screaming. It’s a pretty visceral start! And it’s by no means the last time it will happen.
This is unlike anything the New World has seen before. Combined with the object in the sky and the dreams, it’s obvious that something bad is coming. The chance of them not being connected seems pretty slim, given the timing.
We’re given a potted history and explanation of Noise early on through Ben and Max, in a way that they as teens understand it. It’s not a full recap of the previous trilogy, rather just hints and flashes of what Viola and Todd went through. It’s a good balance, as it explains enough for the world to make sense, while encouraging you to go back and read the books you’ve missed! (Though do be warned there are a couple of major plot spoilers.)
One big change from the original series is that the second generation on the New World are given a ‘cure’ at birth, one that blocks them from projecting Noise, though it doesn’t stop them from reading the projections of the few who still have it. So for the children suddenly experiencing horrific Noise dreams, it is quite a shock.
Ben and Max live out on a farm with their parents, Viola and Todd, the protagonists from the original trilogy. I imagine for those returning to this story world, it could be either strange or gratifying to see how the latter have changed. For me, the hints into their past life were intriguing; a reminder that our parents have lives before we enter them.
Their family is viewed somewhat differently by many others. Todd is one of the rare men to have kept his Noise, and he is close to the Land – once called the Spackle, a name given to them by humans – which sets him apart, and leads him to live outside the city.
In contrast, Viola now works on the Science Committee of the City Council, who first spot the object in the sky and detect the signals it’s emitting, connecting it to the strange dreams the children are having.
Both Todd and Viola carry a leadership gravitas that makes sense given their previous status as protagonists. Having said that, although they’re an integral part of this story, they’re not the main characters here.
Ben and Max couldn’t be more different, and I love how the book visually reflects this by having their POVs in different fonts. Ben is studious, sensible (though not emotionless), and smart. Max meanwhile is more physical, headstrong, and passionate. These are both blessings and curses, as Ben can sometimes be too cautious, while Max will run into things without a plan.
On top of that, Ben is mute, and has been since he received the Noise cure as a baby. We’re told very early on however that this is NOT a story about him finding his voice. It’s a cliché that isn’t used too much nowadays, but I liked that this clarification is front-loaded for us anyway.
The result is that Ben often feels left out; he can’t communicate as quickly as his peers, and if he doesn’t have his tablet then he can only use sign language. His frustration is palpable when he has something to say but he can’t get into the conversation to say it. He’s also not having the Noise dreams, unlike his brother Max.
I appreciated Ness’ update to how Noise works: it used to be that it only manifested in men, which is a major plot point of the original series. Ness has revisited the subject to make it more inclusive, neatly explaining that now some girls are born with it, while some boys are not. Like many aspects of nature and evolution, Noise itself has changed over time.
This means that Max being trans poses no problems with regards to Noise. The topic of Max’s gender isn’t ignored, but it’s nice that it’s not a source of constant negativity – rather, any arising issues are treated with maturity and sensitivity (except for one or two vocal bigots). It’s no surprise that Max is very passionate about being true to oneself, while Ben just wants to fit in.
The difference between the two youngsters is particularly marked when, partway through the book, Max goes with Todd to investigate in the woods while Ben stays in the City with Viola. Their experiences are wildly different, and I love how they handle the situations they find themselves in. If their roles were reversed, they definitely would have both done things differently!
We’re big fans of switching-POVs here, and Ness gives you a real feel for the two youngsters, letting you into their backgrounds, their struggles, and how they develop throughout the story. Both are compelling in how they approach the problems they face, but there’s definitely some times that that they’re more alike than they might think!
There are some incredibly poignant moments and observations throughout, such as how important it is to be a part of the world that you live in. I also found myself empathising with the idea that in uncertain times, people want answers – even if they’re the wrong ones. It’s something that we see all the time in the world around us, especially when it comes to finding someone to blame.
Discrimination and prejudice are strong themes throughout the book. The Land are the ‘other’, despite being on the planet first. They’re different to humans, more connected to the world and each other through their use of Noise. And they’re a convenient scapegoat for those who are scared, or those who wish to manipulate the frightened masses. Some things sadly never change.
However, the other thing that never changes is that there are people willing to fight, to stand up for the truth and what’s right. And also that there are people who can change over time, if they’re given the strength and understanding to do so. As Todd impresses upon Max, choices have consequences – accepting that, and whatever your consequences might be, is a vital part of becoming a better person.
To sum up, I think that Piper at the Gates of Dusk could well divide those who haven’t read the original books, though not for its quality. For me, I caught onto things relatively quickly, assuming (rightly so) that anything I needed to understand would be explained to me. I could see others perhaps struggling with it however, so I think it’s a case of dealer’s choice.
And for those who read the originals, I think it’s important to understand that the new trilogy won’t be the same. The characters have grown up, and the world has changed. It’s still a YA book, but the writing has moved to a more conversational style, addressing the reader not just telling a story. Some people will no doubt be fine with the changes, while they might not work for others.
I personally thought the book was absolutely cracking. Its themes of identity and morality are handled with nuance and passion, while those of xenophobia and discrimination don’t feel as untimely as I wish they did. But throughout it all is hope, resilience, and the importance of family – which doesn’t have to be by blood.
Themes are great of course, but they’re nothing without a story to tell them, and I think Ness has given us a great one here. The central questions of what the gods are, what’s coming from space, and what the dreams mean are truly gripping, leaving the reader (in this case me!) desperate to know what’s going to happen next and what it all means.
…is it too early to ask for a release date for the next book?
If you want to visit the New World, you can grab a copy of Piper at the Gates of Dusk at the link below.
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Looking for more young adult reads? Check out our previous reviews here.
