Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson

From Barnes & Noble

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.

From the Publisher

Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride and the other members of the "flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It seems like a dream come true--except that they're being hunted by half-human, half-wolf "Erasers" who can fly, too.

In Book 3 of the series, the flock members are faced with a new enemy--robots called Flyboys who are stronger than Erasers and have retractable wings. The last thing Max wants is to keep running for her life, but she has to, taking the Flock across the country. There, they meet the sinister scientist Ter-Borsht, who speaks of something called "Re-Evolution," and the "By-Half Plan": the most frightening human experiment they can imagine--a kind of ethnic cleansing of the entire planet.

As fear and tension escalate among the flock members--and a romance starts to form between Max and Fang--they split up, with Max taking the girls to Europe, where they are held captive yet again. The only thing that keeps Max going is that, this time, she might finally meet her mother and father--but she still has to save the world. Max Ride's final flight is like a thrilling roller coaster ride with twists you'd never expect and a landing that can't be anything other than... perfect.

VOYA

Saving the World rounds out the series with its trademark frantic pace and twisted realities. Although it is the third installment, those who have not read the previous two books will find it easy to catch up and become hooked. By its conclusion, the plot has twisted and turned many times over itself, yet surprisingly it comes out virtually unraveled. The ending is satisfying, leaving just enough questions to cause the reader to wish for more.

VOYA

The winged mutants return for a third installment in the Maximum Ride series. The group of six human-avian hybrids, along with their talking dog, are still on the run from the evil scientists of the Itex Corporation, who created them and who now want to destroy them. When Max and her crew discover that Itex has a plan to obliterate half the world's population as well as all of the early-model mutants, they are compelled to interfere. By now, they have a small network of friends whom they can trust, and Fang makes good use of his blog to recruit the children of the world to help them with their mission. Romantic tension leads Max and Fang to take separate paths-Max with the girls, who travel Europe in search of Itex headquarters, and Fang with the boys in the United States. Some surprises occur along the way when the identity of Max's parents is revealed and when her former archenemy joins the fight against Itex. This novel has more depth than the previous two books in the series. Questions of environmental damage, ethics in science, gender issues, and what it means to be human are at the center of the story. Max is very outspoken about violence and its causes, and she fights regretfully when it is necessary. The chapters are short, taut, and filled with action, keeping readers engaged. Although the conclusion feels more final than in the previous books, Patterson leaves it open for another installment.

KLIATT

Buckle your seatbelts: the final book in this breathless SF adventure series about young people with wings has arrived. Max and her "flock," accompanied by a talking dog and pursued by vicious half-wolf Erasers and crazy scientists, are on the run again, trying to stop the destruction of half the world's population while the other half is turned into a scientifically engineered master race. Meanwhile, Max's relationship with Fang is turning romantic, and the voice in her head is back. It tells her that the scientists that created her and the other mutant kids are terminating their recombinant-DNA experiments, and trying to terminate their creations—and that there's a traitor in their midst. Will they ever find their parents and safety at last? Lots of action, with wisecracking commentary by Max, make this a swift and entertaining read, and fans of the series will gobble it up.

Vicki ReutterCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information. - 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.

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)

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