So... I've been reading the Maximum Ride books. There's five, as of now. But all us obsessive fans already know the name and summary of the sixth already. It's rather sad, really. I think the next in the series is set to come out early March of next year. That's a looong wait. Especially if you read books of its size in a day, easy. Ah, well. It's worth the wait.
In Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment, we join Max and her genetically altered flock(AKA her unrelated family) in a wild run from their enemy--the School. When Max calls her little group the 'flock', it's actually pretty meaningful. Though 98% human, she, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel have 2% avian(bird) genes. This means they have wings. And yes, they can fly. They have some other rather special and exciting abilities that come with being experimented on, but you get the point. For years, they'd been tested in unimaginably cruel ways as experiments in a secret facility called the School. But one day, a good scientist, Jeb Batchelder, helped them escape. He disappeared two years ago and now Erasers(human/lupine hybrids--wolf people, in short) have turned up and taken the flock's youngest, Angel. Now Max and her flock have to get her back, avoiding death--and worse, capture--all the way.
My above description really doesn't do it justice. Maximum Ride is a thrilling pageturner that I really couldn't help but keep reading. It's fast-paced plot leaves you wanting more. I read a book a day and and can't WAIT for the next in the series. Max's sarcastic comments and funny descriptions made me laugh out loud. This is a great book for people, like me, who really enjoy a lot of action and drama. There's so many twists, and I can't help being surpriesed by them. You really don't see some things coming, so you're in for a real thrill. I really don't know how he does it, but something about the chapters or the plot or WHATEVER keeps me from putting that book down. I really just can't STOP! The whole thing is so exciting and suspenseful throughout, I get so into it. There's nothing quite like these books. I know that a lot of us have read Harry Potter. And you know what? I LOVE Harry Potter a LOT. But I'm seriously think that the Maximum Ride books are just that little bit better. James Patterson is mostly known for his writings for adult books, but he really excelled here. If you're not entranced right away, I don't know what your deal is, but I got drawn in. If you haven't read these books, go to the closet store/library and GET THEM NOW! I feel awful at not having found these sooner. My brother says the whole thing sounds ridiculous. I'll be perfectly honest and say I agreed at first. I recall, just last year, a friend of mine talking about these books and saying how AMAZING they were. I told them that they sounded pretty stupid. I really was wrong. I don't know what chance led me to picking up that one book out of that whole shelf full of fiction, but I'm glad it happened. The Maximum Ride books are good for young readers, 10-young adult, although I'm pretty sure older people who don't mind that the book IS set for a young audience would very much enjoy it. By my opinion, it's best for young teens around my age(12-15). Try them out, see if you like them(most likely), and enjoy a great contribution to literature. I loved The Angel Experiment and the following books in the series.
If you end up enjoying the book, they're in the process of making a manga adaptation of the books. There's only been one release up to date so far and I've actually read it. It's downstairs on the coffee table right now, actually. It's pretty decent and fans of the books should enjoy it since it follows the series pretty closely as far as I've seen. If you've read through The Angel Experiment, check it out.
James Patterson is commonly known as an author of adult books such as the Women's Murder Club series--I've heard about that TV show based on one of the books, 7th Heaven; books featuring Alex Cross (I've read Cross), and others. Those are completely and honestly NOT children's books. Great literature,though, if you're a mature reader.
