Messenger of Fear

Messenger of Fear by Michael Grant (Hardie Grant Egmont)

ISBN 978-1-4052-7622-1
PB RRP $22.95
Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

Following on from his successful Gone series, Michael Grant has now begun quite a different young adult series in Messenger of Fear. It's about a young girl Mara, who needs to understand and make amends for something terrible she has done wrong in her life. The only problem is, she doesn't remember who she is, or what it is she has done. A mystery guy called Messenger shows her other people's lives, where those that have escaped punishment for doing wrong are offered a 'game' they do not want to lose. Through this journey, Mara recovers the truth about herself and must then face the consequences.

This story begins and continues for some time with the main character Mara (and the reader) in a state of confusion. Mara wakes up in a field of dead grass, surrounded by yellow mist. She travels from one place to the other in the blink of an eye, where people can't see her. She doesn't know if she's dead or alive, or something in between. Mara's memories return as she witnesses young people like her making wrong decisions. Finally she understands why she is there with the Messenger, and what she has agreed to do. 

This is not a light read and deals with some dark issues such as suicide and bullying. On the back is the following warning: 'contains scenes of cruelty and some violence'. It is probably the torture scenes that are most difficult to read, although the dream-like aspect of the book takes away some of their reality. At its heart, the story is a about people who are punished for bad deeds by an ancient system of Gods called the Heptachy. This is revealed in the very last pages, along with the fact that Mara is apprenticed to become the next Messenger of Fear.

There's a mystery aspect to this — finding out what exactly is going on keeps the reader guessing. It is definitely a page turner. There are red herrings and a twist. For most of the story Mara is an observer and because of that she is quite a distant character. There are many sad stories but there is a lift at the end when one ends happily. Messenger of Fear is the first in a new series and adequately sets up this rather chilling world of crime and retribution.

Light

Light by Michael Grant (Egmont)

ISBN 9781405257589

PB  RRP $22.95

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

Light is the sixth and final book in the YA series about the FAYZ (Fallout Alley Youth Zone) — an isolating dome in California, under which no one is more than fifteen years old. The many characters, each with a unique mutation, follow on from the previous books: Gone, Hunger, Lies, Plague and Fear. Under the FAYZ, kids continue to struggle for survival against starvation, each other and the evil presence of the Gaiphage, now in the human form of a scary girl called Gaia. The big difference in Light is the dome is clear, enabling adults from the outside world to look in. And they're horrified.  

With the dome clear, there are new problems under the FAYZ. Kids who can see their parents, stop working to produce food. Sam (the main character) and his friends are not confident they will make it out of the dome, even though the end is in sight. It is more likely they'll starve or be killed by Gaia who is growing in strength. She now possesses all the powers of each kid, including Sam's laser-shooting hands and Lana's healing powers. But they must unite and fight against her.

This story is about redemption and facing consequences. In the back of each kid's mind is the same question: what happens if they do get out? They know the adults will not understand the sometimes terrible things they have done. But first there is the difficulty of surviving. In the end a key character must be sacrificed to save not only those inside the FAYZ, but also the world outside. The 'end game' comes quickly.

Light is a long book, at 434 pages. (The whole series is around 3000!) The story is not for the squeamish with decapitation, severed limbs and cannibalism. There are some violent fighting scenes as well. There is a  recommended age of 13+ but it will depend on the teenager. Light is fast paced and jumps between the many characters skillfully.

After the conclusion there are four end chapters called 'aftermath,' which describe how the survivors of the FAYZ fare in the real world. This ties up loose ends and enables readers, who have stuck with these characters for the whole series, to finally say goodbye.  

Eve and Adam

Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate (hardie Grant EGMONT)

PB RRP $22.95

ISBN 9781405264341

Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang

www.thestoryline.com.au

Evening Spiker is thinking of an apple when a street car slams into her. With this we are launched into a horrific accident and into Eve’s mind as she lives through the event. It is a compelling beginning to a story that is filled with medicine, technology and intrigue.

Eve is whisked away from the public medical system and into the laboratory of her famous medical research mother. A place Eve has rarely spent any time. Eve makes a miraculously quick recovery and we are launched into the complex world of medical technology, test cases and morality. Eve’s mother is a strong determined dominating woman who is surrounded by success, wealth and a number of mysterious deaths.

Solo is a good-looking guy just older than Eve who lives at the research facility. As their friendship develops they discover their lives have been linked all along. We travel through this story alternating between the first person perspective of Eve and then Solo. Eventually we also have Adam’s perspective.

In an attempt to keep her daughter (and her fast recovery) out of the public eye Eve is given an indoor task – create the perfect boy. Just as an exercise on some new technology, of course  So Eve gets to create Adam. As Eve plays with the technology we get a fun quick lesson on genetics – a gene for jealousy, height, hair colour, sweet tooth, restless energy, age and lifestyle. Eve can slide a bar for all of the genetic inputs to see the effects it has on Adam's body.

When Adam – the perfect partner, comes to life the story takes another change. Eve is confronted with her perfect creation and many moral issues are faced. The importance of a name, a history, do creators always fall in love with their creations, etc. The book has a great premise and makes for an interesting read. It is a medical thriller for teens and the story full of characters and twists definitely keeps the pages turning.

Written by the highly successful husband and wife team Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate. It is their first joint release since 2001. They have every technology a writer can; twitter, Facebook and websites. So delve into the big questions – what genetic features would your perfect partner have? Not a bad question for teens and adults to ponder.

Show No Fear and Go Bzrk: Michael Grant

Buzz Words is thrilled to be part of Michael Grant's Show No Fear and Go Bzrk blog tour of Australia and New Zealand. We put five quick questions to Michael about Fear and going Berserk:

BW: What is guaranteed to send you Berserk?

MG: Needles. Hate them.

BW: What is your deepest Fear?

MG: Poverty and not being able to care for my kids.  Also a long, slow, lingering death.  Oh, and of course like anyone I fear there may be another Chipmunk movie.  That keeps me up at night.

BW: How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

MG: Impatient, hard-working, imaginative.

BW: If you could meet anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be and what would say to them?

MG: Hitler.  And I'd say, "Dude, if I buy some of your lousy paintings do you think you could stick to art and avoid the whole mass-murder thing?"

BW: How easy/hard was it to switch to beginning work writing your BZRK trilogy when you’d be so engrossed by the GONE world over the last few years?

MG: Surprisingly easy.  Imagine you have two wives. . . Okay, no, forget that.  Imagine you have two kids.  In fact, I have two kids.  I can spend time with them each, and appreciate them each.  Same thing with GONE and BZRK.  It never feels like either/or.  I like them both.



You can read the Buzz Words Books reviews of Fear, the fifth instalment of the Gone series; Plague  (the fourth instalment); and Lies (the third instalment). Jump on over to Michael Grant Downunder and check out all the other posts by Michael and the great book review blogs he visits.

Fear

Fear by Michael Grant (Hardie Grant)

PB RRP $22.95

ISBN 978-1-4052-5762-6

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

The children of the FAYZ have survived loss, hunger, lies, and plague, all of which were accompanied by fear. Now the word fear takes on a new meaning when Darkness slowly swallows Perido Bay. All the former trials have returned in full force and cruelty and the search for control is transformed into something more horrible than ever. Everything that they had gained and learnt, is now lost within the lack of light.

On the other side of the barrier, Sam and Caine’s mother, Connie, has learnt that the barrier is to be blown up using nuclear weapons, which may kill the children on the other side. Betrayal and lies follow her discovery, but the children’s lives are at stake and she will do anything to prevent the blowing up of the barrier.

The gaiaphage has ordered the invincible Drake/Brittany to find a body for it to be reborn. With Astrid’s brother Pete no longer an obtainable vessel for rebirth, the focus has turned to Diana whose accelerated pregnancy speaks volumes. Her fear becomes terror when Drake comes and drags her back to the gaiaphage’s cave to give birth to her mutant child, which then is transformed into the new gaiaphage, aptly named Gaia.

Caine has paid the price for allowing Penny too much freedom. Her perverse and revengeful nature has turned on him and given him a taste of his own medicine. The rule of King Caine is toppled when the children see he has hands of cement and feet of clay.

Death again comes to the teenage population. It is a constant and accepted horror amidst a life of continuing horrors. Amidst these debilitating and confronting losses, Sam and Astrid at last consummate their relationship, the one beautiful thing amidst all the terror, death, hunger, lies, loss and fear.

Unfortunately, it is too little within the ugliness that results from the clearing of the Darkness. Although the parents cannot hear their children, they can now see them through the barrier. They witness the brutality of their offspring without having any understanding of its role in their survival. None of the children are the same as they were before the barrier went up. They are strangers to their families. On one side is shock and disbelief at the horror they see. On the other side it’s a fact of life. It’s about survival and justice.

This is the fifth book in the riveting and highly successful Gone series. The story concludes with Light, due in 2013. This series comes with a written warning that it ‘contains cruelty and some violence’.

Plague

 Plague by Michael Grant (hardie grant Egmont)

PB RRP $ 22.95

ISBN 9781405256575

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Enter the fourth book of the exceptionally successful Gone series with the fifth, Fear, due in early 2012.

A breeze has begun to blow over Perdido Beach and the FAYZ. It is hair-raising for there hasn’t been a breath of air moving since the barrier came up when all the adults disappeared.  Petrol has almost run out and water is in minimal supply. Albert, a former underdog, has proven to be an astute business man. He has created a food distribution business which has lucrative rewards, but which also keeps all the people of Perdido Beach fed.

Things are extremely tense between Sam and Astrid as Astrid refuses on religious grounds, to consummate their relationship. Quinn, Sam’s best friend, is still head of the fishing crew and has shown that he can step up to the mark when he’s challenged by something that interests him.

But Caine, Sam’s wicked twin brother, and Diana his girlfriend, have been living away from the town in a movie star’s house where luxury, food, videos and fine clothes were there for the taking. It is here that Diana makes the decision to give in to Caine’s coercion, believing that he has changed from the callous murderer to a more compassionate being.

Drake and Brittney now share a body due to the power of the Darkness. Like a split personality, one person merges when the other submerges and this entity is invincible. Drake finally escapes from his basement dungeon, more vengeful and inhuman than ever.

But there is more to fear than Drake now. The Darkness has set its sights on Little Pete, Astrid’s autistic brother. There is something connected to the child’s powers that the gaiaphage desperately wants. When Drake becomes his worshipper, the Darkness sends him on a mission with results more horrifying than before. Parallel to that horror, is the sickness that is claiming children’s lives which began after the breeze started blowing.

But the horror doesn’t end there.  Sam is sent to find water at a new location. He encounters the leader of the Wolf Pack who has something growing out of its body- something grotesque that is extremely contagious. This is followed by monsters hatching out of human bodies at a startling rate. Their size, power and indestructibility appears to herald the beginning of the end for all the inhabitants of Perdido Beach.

Plague is riveting reading but cruel, horrible and violent in places. It comes recommended for mature young adult reading.

Lies

 Lies by Michael Grant (Egmont Press)

PB RRP $19.95

ISBN 9781405254304

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

With an author tour currently under way in Australia, Lies the third in the extraordinary Gone series of six books, continues the saga of the FAYZ (Fallout Alley Youth Zone) at Peribo Bay, where the sudden, inexplicable disappearance of all adults from the area, has left their children imprisoned behind an impenetrable wall forcing them to find any method possible to survive. This series comes with a warning that the books ‘contain scenes of cruelty and some violence’.

The lack of food has created a desperate situation. Kids are dying and cannibalism is at times the only food source. Almost all the cats, dogs and rats have been eaten. Although Quinn and his group fish daily in the distant sea and Hunter hunts for food continuously, it is never nearly enough to feed all the starving children. Mary continues to care for the little ones as best as possible under the circumstances, ignoring the fact that her anti-depressant dependency combined with her dangerous war with food has left her in a state of near-collapse.

Everyone walks around with weapons and brutality reigns. A virus is racing through the Bay and the medical supplies are almost depleted. Lana the Healer has become a recluse and has lost control of her thought process as the gaiphage is controlling her for its own evil end.

Zil, the leader of the normals, is determined to kill off all the freaks, which are mutating at an incredible rate. Their abilities and abnormalities increase daily and fighting amongst the inhabitants keeps everyone on edge.

Things have taken a disastrous turn.  Drake with his monstrous snake hand, was believed dead, but is now alive again, as is Brittany. It’s good against evil now more than ever. More horrors await Sam who is determined to end it one way or another with Drake. Sam’s half-brother Caine has also declared war against him with unrelenting, brutal and callous dedication.

Lies expands with new characters to excite the reader. Across the bay, unbeknown to them all, a couple has left behind their five adopted children in the family mansion. The five are determined to escape the island in a helicopter. Here unlimited possibilities are released to feed the reader’s imagination as new issues enter the game. For the first time we also learn about the other side of the Wall and what the parents are thinking.

This series won’t allow the reader to stop reading until the last word. It is confronting at times because of the brutality executed by the young characters, but all scenes are justified and believable. The next book will be available in April.