jsmith3's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a lot of fun, and was definitely an enjoyable read. I love the characters as well. The only problem I have with it is that I felt Patterson was trying too hard to speak to young people, and the excessive amount of chapters annoyed me. Other than that I loved it.
mo_el_se's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
James Patterson is my one of my favorite fiction authors since I was a teen. I decided to reread this series because it was one that started me in reading more. I love the Maximum Ride series especially this first book because in this first book, the reader is introduced to the characters and what is happening in the story. The reader will now know that there are people after the mutants and want to know why they exist, why won’t the school leave them alone, and what is their purpose in earth. I found this story interesting and a good short read.
dlberglund's review against another edition
3.0
A family of kids must survive against all odds. Against a huge organization that is out to get them, against the society who can't know about them, against people who betray them, against huge mutant wolf-people, against the voices in their heads, against hunger and fear. But don't worry: they have working wings.
A teacher friend recommended this a couple of years ago, saying she really liked it and her students loved it. I thought it was good-ish, but not great. I was too annoyed by the seeming futility of it all, the not-so-subtle plot twists, and the inability to understand some characters' motives. I'm not sorry I read it, but it didn't measure up, and I was frustrated by the the insurmountable odds that they somehow keep surmounting.
A teacher friend recommended this a couple of years ago, saying she really liked it and her students loved it. I thought it was good-ish, but not great. I was too annoyed by the seeming futility of it all, the not-so-subtle plot twists, and the inability to understand some characters' motives. I'm not sorry I read it, but it didn't measure up, and I was frustrated by the the insurmountable odds that they somehow keep surmounting.
durant303's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book, but the target is for young readers. I read it to preview it for my 10 year son. I think he will enjoy it but I'm glad I read it first so I can answer his questions in the correct context. It raises some questions about genetic engineering. Overall I would recommend this book to any young fantasy loving readers.
samanthakgrubbs's review against another edition
3.5
heartbroken to realize i actually listened to the abridged version….
amy_inthelibrary's review against another edition
5.0
As the start of a new, kid-friendly series by James Patterson, I first read this book several years ago, and have since made my way through the entire series. I wouldn't have had the motivation to do that had the first book not made me thoroughly and irreversibly enamored with the characters, and sucked into their lives on the run.
Every kid dreams of flying through the sky at least once in their life; so Patterson spins the tale of six incredible kids who, thanks to years of experimentation, can do just that. Patterson's casual style and quick wit as the voice of "Avian-American" teen experiment Maximum Ride is both charming and easy for younger readers to relate to and follow. Max is a warrior and leader of her colorful, hilarious family, but she's still a teenager struggling to come to terms with her identity and place in the world. Though the books seem daunting in size (especially the smaller paperback copies), they are so easily devoured, you will quickly find yourself in need of the next one.
Every kid dreams of flying through the sky at least once in their life; so Patterson spins the tale of six incredible kids who, thanks to years of experimentation, can do just that. Patterson's casual style and quick wit as the voice of "Avian-American" teen experiment Maximum Ride is both charming and easy for younger readers to relate to and follow. Max is a warrior and leader of her colorful, hilarious family, but she's still a teenager struggling to come to terms with her identity and place in the world. Though the books seem daunting in size (especially the smaller paperback copies), they are so easily devoured, you will quickly find yourself in need of the next one.
paperbackjedi's review against another edition
2.0
This book sports an impressive cast of characters with a lot of potential. Max is the leader of a misfit group of reject experiments that all have wings and can fly. Acting as the guardian of her flock, she’s been living on the run with them since the day they escaped School, the place where they were bred and poked at by awful freaking scientists. However, the school catches up with them and manages to abduct Angel, the youngest of the flock and suddenly, Max and her crew find themselves on a rescue mission that just might give them the information they want most… where they came from.
Alright, so the good thing about this book is that it never stops moving. It’s one escape into another into another with bits and pieces of the story coming together as you move along. The characters are pretty great too. They each have individual personalities and abilities so it’s not at all boring. The problem, I had, though is that not all the characters are fleshed out. Of course this is the first in the series and I think they’ll be expanded on in the subsequent books. Max’s narration and her inner though process lacked a spark with me. I didn't really connect with her and I think it’s because she never stopped thinking about her next move. I never really got a feel for who she was– only what she needed to do. And yeah, that’s a character trait in and of itself, but I’d like to know more about how she felt about everything, the situation, her charges, and herself even.
The plot is pretty intriguing. It’s got genetic mutation and all kinds of cool science fiction aspects. It felt a little like X-Men honestly, at some points. And there’s a lot of things you don’t know by the end of the first book. Who started the experiments? Where did they find the kids? Why are they experimenting in the first place? And how is this going to save the world? So the plot definitely keeps you engaged and wanting more. There’s a big conspiracy to be unraveled and Patterson does it at a pace that is both frustrating and exhilarating. I just wish he spent a little more time on the characters and the emotional resonance they have with the reader. I’m not in a hurry to read more, but I’ll probably check out the rest of the books later.
Alright, so the good thing about this book is that it never stops moving. It’s one escape into another into another with bits and pieces of the story coming together as you move along. The characters are pretty great too. They each have individual personalities and abilities so it’s not at all boring. The problem, I had, though is that not all the characters are fleshed out. Of course this is the first in the series and I think they’ll be expanded on in the subsequent books. Max’s narration and her inner though process lacked a spark with me. I didn't really connect with her and I think it’s because she never stopped thinking about her next move. I never really got a feel for who she was– only what she needed to do. And yeah, that’s a character trait in and of itself, but I’d like to know more about how she felt about everything, the situation, her charges, and herself even.
The plot is pretty intriguing. It’s got genetic mutation and all kinds of cool science fiction aspects. It felt a little like X-Men honestly, at some points. And there’s a lot of things you don’t know by the end of the first book. Who started the experiments? Where did they find the kids? Why are they experimenting in the first place? And how is this going to save the world? So the plot definitely keeps you engaged and wanting more. There’s a big conspiracy to be unraveled and Patterson does it at a pace that is both frustrating and exhilarating. I just wish he spent a little more time on the characters and the emotional resonance they have with the reader. I’m not in a hurry to read more, but I’ll probably check out the rest of the books later.
vikcs's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75