James Patterson's turbocharged Maximum Ride trilogy pushes into high gear in this exciting finale. The desperate struggle between the "Re-evolution" conspirators and Max and her flock has reached the point of no return. But Max, Iggy, Fang, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel must each carry on the fight without their comrades. A major adult author comes through in the clutch.
School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up
Six genetically altered bird-kids continue their mission to prevent the evil scientists who created them from making good on their diabolical plan to eradicate half of the world's population. Just as the flock lets down its guard, the wolflike Erasers resurface to capture the younger members, while Max takes Fang on a detour through Arizona to ask Dr. Martinez, a vet, to surgically remove the tracking chip in her arm. Former nemesis Ari returns, this time as a friend, but Fang's distrust splits the flock along gender lines as he, Iggy, and Gazzy hang out in Venice Beach, while Max, Ari, Nudge, and Angel fly to Europe to infiltrate Itex headquarters. Inside, Max learns vital information about her past, including who her parents are and who controls the "Voice" in her head. A caricatured evil scientist, Dr. Borcht, informs the recombinant-DNA experiments that their expiration date is up and Max is forced into a fight-to-the-death with Omega, the robot boy. Survival options run out as Fang attempts to mobilize armies of kids to attack all worldwide Itex labs by posting appeals on his fast-growing blog. Popular-culture references abound and readers will be drawn to Max's razor-sharp tongue, especially honed in this volume, making her an edgier heroine than in the last. The dialogue-driven story ends with minor casualties and hints at the possibility of further adventures.
—Vicki ReutterCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Patterson wraps up his sci-fi thriller series with consistent excitement but too few explanations. Max and her flock, human with avian genes, flee the mad scientists and seek answers. Fang starts a blog, hoping that kids around the world can help. The flock is captured again and escapes again, aided by Ari, the seven-year-old human morphed halfway into a wolf; but fears about Ari's loyalties split up the flock for the first time. The final battle takes place in Germany, where Max learns who runs the international corporation planning to reduce the earth's population through a massive genocide. The short, action-packed chapters end breathlessly, with twists at every turn; however, too many unanswered questions have been raised throughout the trilogy. Patterson clears up some mysteries-including Max's unknown parentage-but much of the drama seems manufactured expressly for page-turner effect, while the promised emotional and technological complexities fall by the wayside. Adrenaline galore, but seriously compromised by the unsatisfying wrap-up. (Science fiction. YA)
From the Publisher
Raves for the MAXIMUM RIDE series:
#1 New York Times Bestseller
Publishers Weekly Bestseller
An ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults
An ALA/VOYA "Teens' Top Ten" Pick
A VOYA Review Editor's Choice
A New York Public Library "Books for the Teen Age" Selection
A Book Sense Summer 2007 Children's Pick
A KLIATT Editors' Choice
A Children's Choice Book Awards Author of the Year for MAX
SCHOOL'S OUT—FOREVER:
"A breathless adventure...full of action, swooping flights and fierce fights—a sure bet for the movies."—KLIATT
"Jump on board this MAXIMUM RIDE...Fights and flights are non-stop."—USA Today
THE ANGEL EXPERIMENT:
"BOOK OF THE WEEK...Pace, action, mystery, and cool."—London Times
DECEMBER 2008 - AudioFile
Patterson's young adult adventure provides a wonderful wrap-up of the first three books in the series, which is about a band of fugitive mutant children. Max and her friends are genetically altered—they’ve been given wings and the ability to fly. As the flock splits up, they find themselves battling a monomaniacal scientist who is determined to save the world by killing all imperfect people. Nancy Wu reads the majority of the book, telling the story from Max's first-person perspective. James Jenner reads a series of blog entries and the sections told in third person from the boys' points of view. Both performers miss the mark in capturing the feel of the young characters. The pacing is off, and the narrators come off more as caricatures than as believable characters. S.E.S. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
