Publishers Weekly
09/29/2014
First in a planned series, Grant's (the Gone books) uneven paranormal story transcends time and space to address the consequences of bullying, violence, and moral cowardice. Teenage Mara wakes up with amnesia in a place set outside of reality; she learns she's meant to become the apprentice to the so-called Messenger of Fear, an immortal young man who judges evildoers and forces them to confront their actions and experience their greatest fears. Mara familiarizes herself with three cases, the most haunting of which involves a teenage girl driven to suicide by a classmate's bullying. But nothing is straightforward in Mara's new role, and she has much to learn about right and wrong, dispensing justice, and the transgressions of her own past. Intriguing mythology fleshes out Grant's concept, and the story concludes with a powerful revelation. Yet inconsistent internal logic (the severity of one of the infractions that Mara presides is out of step with the other two) and the unsubtle message about behaving with mindfully good intentions mar an otherwise absorbing premise. Ages 14–up. Agent: Steve Sheppard, Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams and Sheppard. (Sept.)
ALA Booklist
Praise for PLAGUE: “Grant’s science fantasy thrillers continue to be the very definition of a page-turner.
Booklist
Grant explores bullying, family problems, suicide, and more, and several painful passages will have readers cringing, even as they make them think about what they would do in the same situation….a solid beginning to a series that is likely to be quite popular withhorror and paranormal fans.”
Carrie Ryan
Mesmerizing, horrifying, and deeply thought-provoking.
Lisa McMann
The enviably cunning and ever versatile Michael Grant explodes on the scene with Messenger of Fear, a palpitating horror fantasy mash-up with a genius twist that blew my mind. I walked through O’hare with this book in my face—I couldn’t stop reading!
R.L. Stine
The Messenger of Fear has a two-word message for readers: BE AFRAID. The nightmares start in chapter one and don’t let up. Seriously, this book gave me chill after chill. My message to you: Read it in a safe, well-lighted place. It’s fright fiction at its best!
VOYA (starred review)
Praise for LIGHT: “As a series finale, this book is more than satisfying-it is epic.
Kirkus Reviews
2014-07-16
Sixteen-year-old Mara thinks she might be dead when she wakes up in a mist and finds herself with a strange boy dressed in black and displaying frightening supernatural powers. Neither Mara nor readers will understand what's going on until the final pages of this interesting paranormal mystery, but readers, at least, can have plenty of fun speculating about it. The boy, the titular Messenger of Fear, tells Mara that she is not dead but that she has become his apprentice—apparently by her own choice. Her response is emotional when Messenger shows her the suicide of a high school girl named Samantha. As part of her training, the Messenger then demonstrates his task when they follow a couple that commits a wrong, giving them the option of winning a gruesome game or facing their worst fears. Later, Mara will begin to understand what that choice means when she witnesses a boy being burned at the stake, a scene described in gruesome detail. But the story keeps returning to Samantha, and Mara begins to anticipate the punishment of the girl who knowingly bullied Samantha, literally, to death. Grant only slowly unveils the reason Mara is with the Messenger, building tension and atmosphere expertly for maximum impact. Readers will find that in the end, it all comes together extremely well. An unusual and intriguing puzzle of a book. (Paranormal suspense. 14 & up)
