Fear: A Gone Novel [Hardcover]

I underestimated Fear. It was like I knew a storm was coming but I had no idea it would turn out to be a hurricane. I could not put it down. I loved the glimpse of the Outside, I loved hearing from all the characters, and I loved how real the emotions were. Every reaction made sense even if that reaction was actually madness.

Fear was not like the others in this series, not like I remember at least. With the other books, I would become afraid to turn off my light to finally go to bed. With this book, however, I was afraid to breathe. There was more than natural, simplistic fear that the kids had earlier. There was more than how prey reacts to a predator or to the unknown. The fear in this book was twisted and horrific. Sort of like when you go to the movies to see a, PG 13 scary film but it turns out to be a rated R, explicit depiction of what Jack the Ripper did to his victims. You expect to be afraid; you don't expect to feel nauseated by the amount of gore involved. Okay, so it's not like this happens with every page in the book and Fear is a teen read so it's only going to be so detailed, but for a person with a good imagination, it is disturbing at times. I just cannot decide if I am okay with it or not. This book really threw something at me that I have not dealt with often.

It's amazing the way the characters are growing in this series. With every book they become closer and closer to real people. I liked in this book how they addressed not only problems with which they have of the world around them, but with the problems they have in themselves. Sam is still my favorite character. I don't think it matters to me what he does, he will always light up the book for me. Unfortunately, I cannot stand Astrid. I sorry to all those who like her, but I wish she was gone. In this book she tried to redeem herself, but I can still see her underlying personality, and I don't like it. Maybe I'm just jealous of her with Sam.

Overall, there are some slow spots in Fear, but I think the reader needs them to handle or recover from the not-so slow spots. The end was amazing. I wanted to know what would happen next anyway, but as soon as I read that last chapter or so, I went nuts. I cannot wait for the next installment. Though it may make me seem like a pansy, I just hope the next book has a little more anticipation and a smidge less gore.

This series was technically YA. Being 68 doesn't stop me from reading the good YA stuff despite it's penchant for romance. I thought that Gone was an excellent book. As the next book was released, I expected the "mid-series" weakness. Instead, I found that I liked the book even better. And so on through book 5, Fear which is even more adult and more breath-taking than it's predecessors.

In principle, I hate that authors can't seem to tell a story in 250 pages anymore and that everything is a trilogy or more. Fear has made me change my mind, now I'm living in Fear that the next book will be the final one and I wqon't be able to find anything as good to read.

I'm listing what I consider a few of my favorite books to give you a frame of reference for what I love. The tension, the pacing, the mind boggling imagination. If you liked these, you'll love this series. Let me add that the Gone series should be read in its correct order.

Altered Carbon: A Takeshi Kovacs Novel (Takeshi Kovacs Novels)
The Hunger Games
Uglies (The Uglies)
The Blade Itself (The First Law: Book One)

So, really 5 stars for every book and for this incredible series. I see the author has a new series starting BZRK and I'll be buying it with confidence.

I picked up Gone as a new release the year of its publication and was instantly hooked on the series. I finished FEAR in a one sitting read and as the penultimate chapter in the six book series I am more impressed than ever. Michael Grant has created a series that is more than the sum of its parts.

The town and environs of Perdido Beach California has been trapped under a dome created by an autistic savant with the help of an evil being who lives in the mine shaft and is powered by the nuclear plant. The children, at first only those under fifteen until they figured out how to stay under the dome, have endured starvation, plague, limited resources and enhanced super powers that are given to the good and the bad alike. Now the dome is darkening and they will have to cope with all of these things in total darkness.

The Gone series is morally complex, first because the characters are complex. The series contains heroes and villains but the heroes have faults and the villains have unexpected moments of goodness. All of the characters have made moral choices where there was no moral choice and all of them feel continuing guilt and trauma and go over and over their past decisions and their character flaws wishing for a chance to do things differently or for redemption. These characters are as complex as real people and have faults and virtues in equal mix. So both character and situation make for moral complexity within the tale.

This would be a wonderful series to read with teenagers because the choices aren't easy, as often choices in life aren't easy. However, even more than that the Gone series, especially FEAR are fantastic, page turning science fiction for young adults and adults and the books are great reads. I am looking forward to the last volume. Highly recommended. Does contain violence and tasteful (non-graphic) teen sex.