Title: The Final Warning, A Maximum Ride Novel
Series: Maximum Ride, Book 4
Author: James Patterson
Publisher: Books on Tape
Narrator: Justine Eyre
Duration: 5 hours, 45 minutes
Copyright: 2008
Genres: science fiction, action, juvenile
Filed in: Audiobook reviews
Review copy provided by Carrollton Public Library.
THE GIST: Maximum Ride and her flock, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel, are back! Now that they have save the world from the evil Itex Corporation, nobody quite knows what to do with them. The government has a few ideas, though. Calling Max and the flock to Washington, government officials promptly inform them that the kids will be put in school. They are, after all, only children and need adult supervision. Maximum Ride in school? No way! Max quickly gathers up her flock and jets out of there.
Jeb Bachelder and Doctor Martinez, who were revealed to be Max’s true parents, come up with an idea that they think the gang will be more suited for, however. They get the flock hooked up with a group of scientists who are heading to Antarctica to study the effects of global warming. Sounds good, plenty of fresh air and lots of open skies to soar in. But you know Maximum Ride; even at the South Pole she manages to run into trouble.
The Uber-director, a grotesquely hideous creature consisting of a head resting upon clear boxes of internal organs suspended in fluid, wants to capture the flock and auction them off to the highest bidder. His commando squad of sophisticated robots manages to capture the kids at the South Pole, and bring them to his base in Miami. As the leaders of several world governments gather to begin the bidding, a hurricane bears down on Miami, a hurricane made all the more severe by the effects of global warming. Max and her family use the hurricane as cover to make their escape, but how will they deal with the evil Uber-director?
MY THOUGHTS: “The Final Warning, A Maximum Ride Novel” is the fourth book in James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series. Max's story really ended with the third book, and nothing much really happened in this one so I was a bit puzzled at why Patterson wrote it at all. Maximum Ride is a popular character among younger readers as far as I can tell, and I guess Patterson wanted to use her as a medium to teach the kids about global warming and preserving our planet. A noble effort, but I think he could have spiced it up a little. This was not his best audio book.
Some members of the flock received new “skills" in “The Final Warning, A Maximum Ride Novel.” Fang suddenly has a chameleon-like ability to blend with his surroundings. Iggy can now “feel" colors. And Nudge can attract metal objects to herself, almost like telekinesis. Interesting powers, but it seems that even James Patterson couldn’t find any use for them. They never became a part of the story.
NARRATOR: Justine Eyre is new to the Maximum Ride series. Nancy Wu was the voice of Max through the first three books and the change was a little jarring. Eyre is a capable audio book narrator, but imagine Luke Skywalker in “Return of the Jedi” suddenly being played by a different actor. Actually that may have been an improvement. Bad analogy, but you get the idea, right? Justine Eyre did a good job with “The Final Warning: A Maximum Ride Novel", but I liked Nancy Wu better.
FINAL WORD: If you want to learn about global warming, this is the book for you. If you loved all the action of the first three Maximum Ride audio books, you might be disappointed with "The Final Warning, A Maximum Ride Novel."
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
Maximum Ride: Saving The World And Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson (Audiobook Review)
The Final Warning: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson (Audiobook Review)
Max: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson (Audiobook Review)
If you liked this audiobook review, you can purchase the audiobook here:
Get "The Final Warning: A Maximum Ride Novel" by James Patterson (Unabridged Audiobook) from Amazon.com.
This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audiobook.
Audiobook review by Steven Brandt
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I couldn't agree more. Patterson realized that these were "I struck Gold" characters, and every writer wants that, think J.K. Rowling when she discovered kids loved Harry.
ReplyDeleteBut Patterson fizzled on this book.
Don't get me wrong, the characters were the same but the story could have used more conflict!
Now Patterson is struggling to keep these guys alive by writing book after book for them. Way to go Mr. Patterson, but give us something we can sink our teethe into.
Great review, by the way.