Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Title: Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment
Author: James Patterson
# pages: 479 (large print version, the only version my library had on hand ;>))
Date published: 2005
Genre: YA science fiction thriller
Challenge(s): July Book Blowout, What an Animal Reading Challenge

Rating:

(good)

Setting: California, NYC

First Sentence:

“The funny thing about facing imminent death is that it really snaps everything else into perspective.”

Synopsis: Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it's like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the "Flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time--like when Angel, the youngest member of the "Flock," is kidnapped and taken back to the "School" where she and the others were genetically engineered by sinister scientists. Her friends brave a journey to Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare--this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf "Erasers" in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. (from B&N.com)

Random Thoughts: Interesting story. I don’t read much sci-fi, but I’ve lately been intrigued by genetics (once my main profession) in fiction. The premise of this book is that Max and her friends are 98% human with 2% avian DNA implanted into them. Aside from the massive scientific impossibilities (which I can get past, it is fiction after all ;>)), the book can be somewhat repetitive. I realize that this is a young adult book, but I’ve taught high school science and I think most of my students would have found this book “hit-me-over-the-head” repetitious. Young adults aren’t stupid! They do not require the same information to be told to them over and over again (in fact, it bugs them, as it does me ;>)). This will not prevent me from reading the rest of the series, but I did downgrade the book from “very good” to “good” because of these problems. Even with the repetitions, however, it is an extremely fast read and I’m interested enough to follow the “Flock” through, at least, the next book.

Favorite scene: Having worked in NYC and commuted on the subway for several years, I really enjoyed the scenes when the kids were in (and below) the City. For anyone who is wondering, I hear (although I’ve never seen the evidence of) the City below the City really exists.

Let’s give people a variety of opinions! If you've reviewed this book (or a book by this author), leave me a link to your review in the comments and I'll link to your review, too!