phoenix_indigo
04-10-2007, 12:42 AM
James Patterson is an author I discovered maybe a year and a half ago. Now, thanks to bootsales, I own nearly all his books. I first picked up a copy of "Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment" at the supermarket as I was looking for something to read and it looked interesting. I can't say this about a lot of books, but "Maximum Ride" was so intriguing and interesting I literally stayed up all night to finish it. I couldn't put it down.
Like many of his other books, it is a thriller; but with a sci-fi/fantasy twist.
"Maximum Ride is a fourteen-year-old girl with wings who is the result of some experiments at a secret lab to inject avian genes into human embryos. Max is the oldest of the six members of her family, or as they refer to themselves, the flock. The others are Fang - a taciturn boy who is four months younger than Max; Iggy - who was blinded by experimentation on his sight at the lab; Nudge - a young girl who talks non-stop; and two kiddies, the Gasman - an eight-year-old boy with persistent intestinal problems and Angel, his six-year-old sister. Max and her companions were kept in cages and subject to repeated scientific experiments during their life at the School (as the lab was called); they were eventually freed by one of the lab scientists (who are referred to by the flock as Whitecoats) named Jeb Batchelder. Jeb secreted them at his mountain home and raised and educated them; but Jeb suddenly disappeared two years ago and the flock has been on its own since then. Suddenly, Erasers (experimental beings also developed at the lab who can morph into powerful vicious wolf-like creatures) raid the family's mountain hideaway and kidnap Angel. It's up to the flock to save her."
There is a sequel to this book, but unfortunately I've yet to read it. It is however on my must have list. I did go back and read two other books by Patterson that were about a girl named Maximum as well: "As the Wind Blows" and "The Lake House". Apparently, he wrote these two earlier in his career, and both were again wonderful. But the character (though having the same name) is slightly different in the "Maximum Ride" series. He just based the new character on the one of the previous books.
If you are looking for an easy read that will leave you captivated and unable to get a decent night's sleep till you finish the book then I highly recommend this book.
Like many of his other books, it is a thriller; but with a sci-fi/fantasy twist.
"Maximum Ride is a fourteen-year-old girl with wings who is the result of some experiments at a secret lab to inject avian genes into human embryos. Max is the oldest of the six members of her family, or as they refer to themselves, the flock. The others are Fang - a taciturn boy who is four months younger than Max; Iggy - who was blinded by experimentation on his sight at the lab; Nudge - a young girl who talks non-stop; and two kiddies, the Gasman - an eight-year-old boy with persistent intestinal problems and Angel, his six-year-old sister. Max and her companions were kept in cages and subject to repeated scientific experiments during their life at the School (as the lab was called); they were eventually freed by one of the lab scientists (who are referred to by the flock as Whitecoats) named Jeb Batchelder. Jeb secreted them at his mountain home and raised and educated them; but Jeb suddenly disappeared two years ago and the flock has been on its own since then. Suddenly, Erasers (experimental beings also developed at the lab who can morph into powerful vicious wolf-like creatures) raid the family's mountain hideaway and kidnap Angel. It's up to the flock to save her."
There is a sequel to this book, but unfortunately I've yet to read it. It is however on my must have list. I did go back and read two other books by Patterson that were about a girl named Maximum as well: "As the Wind Blows" and "The Lake House". Apparently, he wrote these two earlier in his career, and both were again wonderful. But the character (though having the same name) is slightly different in the "Maximum Ride" series. He just based the new character on the one of the previous books.
If you are looking for an easy read that will leave you captivated and unable to get a decent night's sleep till you finish the book then I highly recommend this book.