| | |  | Amazon Kindle | Home » » » The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride, Book 1) | | | | | | | Description: | | Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it's like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the "flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time...like when Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the "School" where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of wack jobs. Her friends brave a journey to blazing hot Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare--this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf "Erasers" in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. Along the way Max discovers from her old friend and father-figure Jeb--now her betrayed and greatest enemy--that her purpose is save the world--but can she? | | | Product Details: | | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 472 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 472 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
124 of 146 found the following review helpful:
 Promising, but incomplete.May 30, 2005
By K. St Clair
"feathin"
First of all, I've never read any other James Patterson books. I understand from the reviews that this is an advantage-- people who read "When the Wind Blows" and "The Lake House" seem to feel particularly cheated, because this book is a re-worked version of the story in those books but does not match up them. Without the hindrance of these preconceived notions, I quite enjoyed the story. Were it not for the huge flaw of the incomplete ending, I would happily give it 5 stars.
I listened to it in audio format, narrated by Evan Rachel Wood. I thought her narration was excellent and well-matched to the story. The story is marketed as a book for teens. I am an adult-- I chose it partially for my own benefit, as a science fiction fan, and partially to preview it for the possibility of handing it down to my own children.
As a parent, I found the content well-suited for a wide age range. Were it not for the problem of the ending, I would feel comfortable giving it to my 8-year-old daughter to listen to, and it wouldn't bother me if my 5-year-old son listened as well (though I don't think it would hold his interest). I particularly like the strong female protagonist. There IS violence-- the mutant bird-children protagonists are hunted by mutant dog-people and have several bloody fights. Most of it is fist-fight kind of stuff, but there is some gunplay as well. However, I did not find it gratuitous or unduly gory. There is death as well, but the death comes to "bad guys" and it too is not "gratuitous"-- it is treated somberly and with appropriate angst. Probably the most disturbing elements are those of the inhumane treatment of the children at the hands of the scientists who have genetically engineered them and raised them as experimental animals rather than as people. Most of this though happens off camera and is alluded to indirectly.
The big problem with the book is the fact that it doesn't really end. Well, it ENDS, but it doesn't FINISH. I am a long-time sci-fi and fantasy fan well-accustomed to double-digit series, but this is unfinished even by that standard. There is no satisfactory closure and no real answers to the dozens of mysteries raised in the story. I sincerely hope that the sequel resolves some of these mysteries and lives up to the wonderful promise of this part of this story-- I will certainly be buying the sequel as soon as it is available! However, for those of you not yet involved, I think I would recommend that you not start this one until there IS a sequel, and reviews telling you that there is some element of completion to the story!
35 of 39 found the following review helpful:
 Maximize your reading with some good time Sci-Fic by PattersonFeb 13, 2006
By P. Hardy
If anything, I had seriously misconceptions when it came to Maximum Ride. For once it was written by James Patterson, world renowned author of murder mysteries that were turned into movies usually starring Morgan Freeman to name a couple. When I saw this down at the library in the young adults section, the immediate thought that came flying from my head was, "Somebody misplaced this book in the wrong section!" I thought this because I knew James Patterson for writing books for ADULT audiences only, so was irked that someone would leave the book in the wrong section of the library. Of course, it irked me so much that I took a chance and snatched it off the book shelf to read it myself (odd no?). After several weeks I finally got around to reading it. Without a doubt these pages DO FLY as the side panel of the book warned. The storyline surrounding the characters could be more well thought out; Its sort of hard for me to describe, but a short summary would be this: [Max and her band of brothers and sisters (the flock) find themselves hunted by a organization from a place called The School after being ambushed in their hideaway home.
From there they find themselves constantly running for their lives while trying unravel secrets hidden from them]. The concept of children with the ability to fly (with the inclusion of Hollow Bones) with WINGS is a nice touch to the story; The flying scenes were written very convincingly. The description of the action unfolding the extremely short chapters were well detailed, the words unfolded in my mind smoothly, the pharagraphs constructed in way that you don't find yourself scratching your head trying figure out how'd that character end up in such a position and so forth.
The characters are stellar; From Max to Angel, these Teenagers, tweenagers, and kids are excellent reflections of their real life counterparts to a T. And the villains, while they make you hate them, are well written. They're never so predictable, or straightforward with their plans it makes you roll your eyes. And, yes, while this book leaves some things unexplained and the story does end quite abruptly, Max convincingly shushes that with a convincing teenage comment. Highly recommended reading.
14 of 14 found the following review helpful:
This is the MAXMIUM RIDE of ALL books!Oct 31, 2005
By jlostar
"If you dare read this story you become part of the Experiment. I know it sounds a little mysterious- but it's all I can say for now," - Max.
This eye grabbing, thrill riding, rollercoaster of a story catches the interest and imagination for all readers. Even if you hate reading, like me, you won't be able to set this book down! It's a thrill/ adventure based book written by James Patterson, author also of best selling When the Wind Blows. Patterson created a fantasy clashing reality book that is telling about six young experiments and there life.
Have you ever wished you could fly? Well the main characters in this book are six kid mutants from ages five to fourteen, Angel, Nudge, Gassman, Iggy, Fang and Max. The oldest Max, is the leader of the folk. These kids are a mixture of bird DNA and human genetics. All they remember is living in a lab, a lab of evil and hatred. This is the place where white coated people come and perform tests on them, hurt them, push them to a limit, and you are nothing but and experiment here even if you are half human. Through living in a lab they gained having powers that come to them as they grow older, such as far sight like a hawk, or being able to breathe under water (caused by tests). The whole reason why we know about these experiments is because they have been the only ones to escape.
With these six escapees they are trying to live with out being killed by the government and there helpers know as the Erasers. All they want is to live, live and know what this is all about, and who they are and what they came from. However, this is or should I say, they are not to be exposed, this is the government's little secret. But, not for long... because once your start reading this you are a part of their nightmare. This twisted mysterious nightmare that I could never figure out to the last paragraph.
If you enjoy a mysterious book that tests your limits of what is real and what can't be, then this is a book for you, for all- once your hooked there's no way out.
12 of 13 found the following review helpful:
Long Story Short...Absolutely IncredibleOct 28, 2005
"Congratulations. The fact that you're reading this means that you've taken one giant step towards surviving till your next birthday."
~Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment
I have to say, seeing that James Patterson had written all of those adult murder-mystery novels, I had my doubts as to whether he could successfully write a young adult story. I was proven WRONG. This book is very masterfully done, and I know that Patterson is indeed a master at his craft, but since he had never written a book for the kids, this was a surprise.
The main characters are: Max (the book's namesake), Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel. They are all kids who were subject to genetic alteration at a very young age, and thus will never...EVER...lead normal lives. Max leads the pack (or flock, depending on how you look at it) as the oldest, who is in charge of keeping Fang's spirits up, Iggy from blowing up their home, Nudge from talking to the point that it drives everyone insane, and the most important-saving six-year-old Angel from being torn apart by the Erasers, wicked wolf-men mutants, or dissected by the evil whitecoats who work at the School.
Max is an excellent character-funny, smart, strong, and sarcastic, which is a good quality for a lead character. Fang is second; the strong-and-silent type, but always feels emotion without letting the flock see it. Iggy is great-blind but incredibly intelligent and fond of making cynical remarks. Nudge is very nice, funny, a COMPLETE motormouth, and has a tendency to make quick decisions that no one can stop her from carrying out. The Gasman doesn't play the most enormous role, but as Angel's brother, he does make for a good one. And that brings us to Angel, the sweet little girl who was kidnapped by Erasers. She's very cute, and she has a special ability...make that TWO special abilities...which I will not name. She holds a special place in Max's heart, as her "Little Angel".
There is a bit of a love interest between Max and Fang, but it doesn't become wholly evident until the second-to-last chapter in the book. I, being a complete sucker for love interests, love that part and wish so much that the sequel will come out so I can see more of it.
The battle scenes in this story are amazing-almost like it's right there and happening in your living room...or bedroom or whatever. Very well desccribed, you can see it as a clear picture in your mind. Some are kind of graphic, so if you have any problem with reading about blood, I would reccomend passing on this one. If not, you're really in for a treat.
Overall, this book was totally fantastic, and if you're considering purchasing it and you're reading this...buy it right now. I'm dead serious-your life could depend on it.
22 of 27 found the following review helpful:
Only One Word-AMAZINGJan 31, 2006
By D. Reaghan
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment is truly an amazing book. I picked up at noon and couldn't put it down (literally) until 2:00 am when I finished it. I was so worked up i didn't sleep all night. I actually reread some parts of the book. This book is, in a sense, based on When the Wind Blows and The Lake House. Max, the main character is 98% human and 2% avian (bird)is in all three books, but the other characters are changed up a little bit.
The book starts off with this warning, "If you dare to read this story, you become part of the Experiment. I know that sounds a little mysterious-but it's all I can say right now-Max" As soon as I read this, I knew this was going to be a good book. The main characters in this book are Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel. The book starts off right in the first few chapters. Angel gets captured by the Erasers, part human, part wolf, and taken back to the horride School (which they escaped in When the Wind Blows). The flock then has to go rescue her and along the way, many things happen. Max gets shot when she helps a little girl named Ella, the Gasman and Iggy set off the Big Boy, a bomb, and kills many Erasers, and Fang and Nudge gind the "hawk" in them.
When the flock finally gets Angel out, Max learns that she has a chip in her arm and the Voice in her head. Amazingly painful headaches announce the presence of the Voice. Painful enough to knock her out cold and fall dangerously from the sky at about a mile high. Lickily Fang catches her (one of my favorite parts). The flock eventually goes to this Institue in NYC and finds horrilbe experiments being done. "Gruesome," was what one of the flock had said. The flock helps the kids get out and in the process, Max kills an Eraser named Ari.
This, so far, is my all time favorite book. I love Max's character, not to mention her wings. Her spunk and her confidence in herself always amazed me. One reason why I think I liked this book so much was something that James Patterson said, "I think people like this book (When the Wind Blows-close enough) because everybody has, at one time or another, dreamt of flying. And these books bring you into lives of people who can fly." I truly believe this is true, what J. Patterson said.
This is an great book!!!:)
See all 472 customer reviews on Amazon.com
| | |
|
