This series is everything I want from a dystopia: non-romantic male/female friendships, no love triangle, weird scifi explanation of the dystopia that makes sense if we thoroughly suspend both disbelief and science, special abilities, cool tech, and a believable romantic relationship between two equally strong characters. It's not perfect; some scenes drag on and the internal monologues can be a bit exasperating, but overall this is a solid and enjoyable dystopia. It manages to get even better in the second book, which is rare, and it kept up the pace and the tension, which is even rarer.