The Maximum Ride Adventures by James Patterson

  
                                                                        *** Prologue*** 

The Maximum Ride Adventures By James Patterson

Life as Maximum Ride and her flock should be easy. No adults, no rules and hey, even wings (!); What could be better? Well besides the fact that they're MUTANT BIRD kids on the RUN for their LIVES, nothing.
The series centers around Max, a fourteen year old teenager who has taken up the role as leader of the flock - the name of their little group of seven - ever since their former guardian Jeb disappeared years ago. But life as Max is never easy for besides looking after the flock - fourteen year old Iggy, Fang also fourteen, eleven year old Nudge, eight year old Gasman (literally), and Angel who is just six. The flock are on the run from the place they grew up in, named The School. The School being a lab for evil scientists, that experimented on the kids as they grew up.
This young adult book is like nothing I've ever read before, and that's a good thing. Max is my kind of girl and nothing gets in her way. To anyone, male or female, old or young, looking for a few great reads, then this is the series for you.
My Rating of of five for this series of adventures is 4.5. They were some of the most fantastic reads yet, my only criticism would be the heart breaking ending of book six.
My favourite character and favourite book are one word and one word only: Max.

 ***Epilogue***

I picked up the first Maximum Ride novel, The Angel Experiment about six months ago. I'd never read a James Patterson novel before, although obviously I'd heard of him, and the subject matter was instantly intriguing ; children genetically modified, mixed with avian (yes, that's bird!) DNA. The novels, (there have been six so far, and a movie is also in the works), centre around the flock. Rescued from the laboratory that created them, called the school, by Jeb, the kids are led from adventure to adventure by strong rebellious Max. Fang, her friend (and maybe more) is a boy of few words, Nudge is a girl who enjoys a little attention, Iggy and Gasman are the jokers of the flock, and Gasman's little sister Angel may be just six, but she is anything but a helpless little girl, not to forget Total, the talking dog who becomes so much a part of the flock that he grows a set of wings.
The Maximum Ride series is full of action and excitement, which has you reading  just one more chapter, until you realise you're at the end. I'm not usually an action junkie, but the violence is not graphic or repulsive, and the tender moments are just quite lovely. The characters are engaging and amusing, and I couldn't help but admire them all, especially Max, who despite her lack of education and parenting, manages to keep her odd little family together and alive, while enemy after enemy launches the attack. With enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, these novels are one of the best YA series' I have read, definitely a 5 out of 5.
My favourite book so far has been Fang, although I have to confess to a few tears at the end, I can't wait for the next one, which I believe will be titled Angel.
My favourite character is so hard to determine, I love Max's rebellious spirit, Fangs quiet loyalty and Angel, well, just for being Angel. So I'll cheat and pick all three!

Keen? Check out the Website (if you get past level three on the game you're a legend!)