Joyce Ingari - Fang

Title: Fang

Genre: Science Fiction

Author: James Patterson

Rating: 9.5

Pages Read: All of Them (I returned the book so I don’t know the exact number)

The book that I read is the 6^th book in the Maximum Ride series. The whole series is about a small “flock” of human/bird hybrids (translation: they have wings) who go on crazy adventures trying to save the world. Max is the leader of the flock and she turns 15 in the 6^th book. In a previous book, she was informed that the world was coming to its end and that she was the only one who could save it. So the whole flock travels to Africa to join Max’s mother’s organization CSM (Coalition to Stop the Madness), which offers medical help, clean drinking water, and food to the needy. While in Africa, Angel, the youngest member of the flock who can also read minds and see the future, tells the whole flock that Fang, the second oldest in the flock and Max’s significant other, will be the first to die. Then, before Max has time to process this horrible turn of events, a strange science genius named Dr. Hans introduces Max to his latest creation, Dylan, who was designed in a lab to be Max’s perfect other half. This creates a subtle rivalry between Fang and Dylan and drives Max into a deeper state of confusion. And then, to put a cherry on the sundae, Angel decides that Max isn’t fit to lead the flock and votes to kick her out. The whole flock agrees, saying that Max is too involved with Fang to pay enough attention to the others, and that she is no longer fit to lead the group. So Max is abandoned and forced to cope with losing her flock, possibly losing Fang and oh, yeah…saving the world.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Every time I read it, I would make constant predictions about what would happen next, and the great thing about this book was that every single time I was totally wrong. Somehow, the author managed to keep the story flowing, keep all of the characters acting like themselves, keep the storyline from being hard to follow, and create some really interesting and electrifying twists. Once again, James Patterson has left me begging for more Maximum Ride, and I know that anyone who loves the series so far will love the next installment. No, this series isn’t a tragic tale set in an abyss of depression, and no there isn’t an incredibly cryptic and insightful message at the end of the book that leaves you thinking about it long after it’s closed, but I think that is why I appreciate it. I love the humor in this book and how realistic the language is. Max as a character is very relatable and I feel like I could hear her conversations coming out of any normal kid’s mouth…if normal kids were to talk about being mutant birds that is. To me, this book was an escape from the hectic and disheartening world we live in. There is so much going on today that makes me want to give up on humanity, like war, politics, and the general ignorance of human beings, so it is very pleasing to flee into a world that I get to experience without being attached to. For me, there is enough crap (for lack of better word) in the world already, so when I read, I want to forget, if only for a short while, about the bad and focus instead on the exciting and enthralling life of Maximum Ride. As I have often said and will continue to say: reality is so limiting. While reading this series, one is allowed to imagine a whole different existence and is not left bored to death with the commonplace trials and tribulations experienced by humankind. As a self-declared cynic, Fang had the ability to let even me forget about reality long enough to soar above the clouds with Max and enjoy another excellent book in an exceedingly excellent series.