School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Fans of Anthony Horowitz who've devoured the "Alex Rider" books (Philomel) will gravitate to the high octane adventure, cool gadgets, and whip-smart characters in "Urban Outlaws." In this sequel to the Robin Hood-inspired first installment, the five outlaws meet Hector, an ingenious hacker who may be their only hope of stopping an insidious computer virus threatening their own safety and that of the entire world. Cinematic scenes and sharp dialogue elevate this series from the pack of action-adventure titles. (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Living in an abandoned bunker beneath London, five talented, tech-savvy orphans take it upon themselves to play Robin Hood to their community. Trouble appears in the forms of a supercomputer (Urban) and a destructive virus (Blackout) that the Urban Outlaws must quash. The breathless, delightfully implausible plots move at the speed of a relentless action movie in these first two series books. [Review covers these Urban Outlaws titles: Urban Outlaws and Blackout.] (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Fighting enemies who wield guns is tough enough, but confronting a boy who could be either friend or foe is even more challenging. As the Urban Outlaws continue their quest to rein in the world's worst computer virus, they come across Hector, who seems to be just like them. Practically an orphan, Hector has computer skills on par with Jack's, and Jack doesn't like that. But is he simply jealous of how the others turn to Hector for leadership, or are his bad feelings a sign that Hector isn't to be trusted? He doesn't have a lot of time to ponder the situation, since he and his gang are determined to stop both evil corporations and the government from gaining access to the virus, breaking into top-secret virtual worlds in the process. Black follows much the same formula he established in Urban Outlaws (2014), changing things up slightly with the introduction of Hector. The intense action and cool gadgets are very thrilling, though the larger story of these self-sufficient kids and their relationships with one another seems to be lost among the high-speed chases and technical difficulties. The best sequels are ones that travel more deeply into previously explored territory. This one does not venture far from the well-traveled path. An entertaining-enough sequel for fans happy to stay in one emotional place. (Adventure. 9-13) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
The five Urban Outlaws are still trying to capture the supervirus, which eluded them at the end of the series' first book, so that it does not end up in the hands of criminals or the British government. Then a talented young man named Hector gets his hands on it, only to have it escape again. The Urban Outlaws enter an uneasy alliance with him, to the dismay of one of the Outlaws, Jack. Chases, false leads, and of course lots of technology abound in this nail-biter of a sequel. Perfect for fans of Alex Rider, the cliff-hanger ending will leave readers begging for the next installment.--Moore, Melissa Copyright 2015 Booklist
