Maximum Ride, Vol. 1 Manga

The first Maximum Ride book put in manga form. The story is that Max and her flock are genetically engineered bird-humans. The main perk of this is that they can fly. The main drawback is that The School that they escaped from really wants them back. So when they get a hold of the youngest of the flock, Angel, the rest of them go after her.

The bad: Okay, really, since when to skinny bird-humans age eleven have breasts? It is within the realm of possibility that Max is that filled out, but really, not Nudge. She looks like she's seventeen!

The good: Yay sticking together!

My view: I don't really go for manga made out of books, because they all claim to be drawn by the best artists in Japan, but they're all by different authors. And I'm thinking, if I were the best manga artist ever, I would not be transposing some one's good book into crappy manga. But I actually thought this one was okay. The artwork was pretty good (except for Fang, who got ruined), and the story transfers easily. But I would recommend skipping the half-an-hour manga book for the real and wittier Maximum Ride, The Angel Experiment.

One Word:

Fine

Hero

In a world filled with superheroes, Thom longs to be one. In a world filled with heterosexuals, Thom doesn't fit. Only... But... So many things stand in the way of his dreams, but Thom's going after them, and if he has to lie a couple of times, that's the price of getting what you want.

The bad: Yup, Thom lies to a lot of people, including his dad. Also, we are privy to Thom's masturbation life (once), something I certainly didn't want to read about. And his first kiss, which he quite freely gives to an unknown guy. And did we really need 3 pages devoted to every detail? Hmmm, no. And then there's swearing.

The good: Yeah, Thom lies, which I'm not excusing, but I think the point is that he shouldn't have to. He shouldn't have to fear people's unfounded judgement, and yet he quite reasonably does.

My view: I enjoyed the writing, and the story was a cool idea. No, it wasn't a super original idea and it had it's fallacies, but it was cleverly written. But the detailed descriptions of Thom sexual life was just too much for me.

Wake

Janie (I just realised that I pretty much always start my reviews this way... oh well) is not a normal teenager. Actually, the story starts when she is eight, and is told in present tense, so she doesn't start a teenager. But back to my original point, Janie is not normal. When anyone around her sleeps, she jumps into their dreams. As you can imagine, this really sucks (haha, pun).

Even though her mother is a boozer, Janie does quite a bit of partaking herself (doesn't that sound old!) She also feels comfortable sleeping with other people, just sleeping though, thus far, there is a second book. And the requisite f-word makes it's appearance a few times. Also, Janie get sucked into peoples sex/naked at school/work dreams. Not so cool.

Janie's a pretty decent girl trying to live her life better than her mom. 'M not sure she's doing 100% on this, but it's not easy since she is completely responsible for her own life. Cable seems like a pretty nice guy, but you can never tell. I liked the direction the end was going... It was refreshing to have doing good for other people the moral of a teen story.

If you cut out all the bad stuff, I like this story. It was a fun read, and the writing style kept your mind on the story. But I can't cut out all the bad stuff, so I guess it was okay, with a good "moral" or whatever the modern equivalent of that is. Good point maybe? I should get out more often...

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X

Daniel is just plain different. He pretty much has every superpower under the sun, a life purpose and a great sense of humor. His mission is to exterminate all violent alien life forms. And most of the aliens seem pretty violent. Okay, all of them. Right now he is on number six on his list of evil aliens (composed by his parents, and they were killed for it by number one).

A little swearing. Think that's it.

Daniel is doing all this alien killing for a good cause, like saving civilization. I think at least, maybe he's just bored. His friends stick by him (they don't really have free will though. You'll get it if you read the book).

This book just wasn't as gripping as the first couple Maximum Ride books. The plot was way more boring, and predicable, and he doesn't have anyone to share the adventure with. He's funny, but it's not enough to carry the entire book.

3 Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

Maximum Ride is still here for her last book (supposedly). Here being loosely used. Max is taking some time out of her schedule to pursue saving the world, as her voice suggested. Maybe in between eluding the Erasers, getting food for the flock, Fang ("what is with him", she wonders), and staying alive, saving the world has a place.

Max's best offence/defence is her ability to get under the skin of her opponent. This composes of continually insulting them. Still swearing and hitting and/or kicking.

Max is devoted to her flock and cares about every single one of them, they are the most important thing to her. And they feel the same way.

Personally, I'm getting a little sick having to put up with Max's attitude. The first one was good and fun, the second was cool, this one just kinda loses it's self. If you are a die hard Max fan, there isn't really anything different to say about this one that isn't personal opinion. So enjoy it. It still made me laugh, but maybe next time I'll grab Artemis Fowl or Pendragon instead.

2 School's Out Forever

Maximum is back and kicking in the next book of this crazy series. Trying to keep the flock alive, clothed and feed are top on Max's list, but on somebody else's list the opposite is true. Mainly the keeping the flock alive.

Max and the flock are angry and ready to vent that anger at anyone in the way. But the people in the way are mainly erasers and other people from the school. The swearing stays moderate.

Max is still trying to do what's best for everyone else in her flock before herself. Is being funny a positive element?

If you have read the first one in this series your probably not reading this review because you are so busy read the book it is reviewing. But that's ok. If you thought the first one was worth reading, this is too.

1 The Angel Experiment

Max takes care of her friends; closer than brothers and sisters, the bonds they share cannot be broken. Max is the oldest and watches out for her friends, she would do anything to protect them. No little task when it seem everywhere they go they are tracked by the evil people they escaped from. When the youngest of Max's brood is stolen from her, they go to rescue her from the people who will do anything to get them all.
P.S. They have wings. They fly.

Max and her flock are full of anger at their oppressors. Round-house kicks fly (pun intended). They do quite an amount of swearing. They don't trust anyone, but that may be a good thing.

Max will do anything for her flock and it is reciprocated. She tries to be a good leader, but doesn't belittle everybody else's talents. Don't let the author fool you. When I first brought this book home my mom was incredulous. "James Patterson?!? Be careful." No, this isn't about gruesome murders, but flying kids.

I enjoyed reading these books, actually I like almost all the books that make me laugh. But some may think the trade off isn't worth it. That is your decision. The title is not deceiving, this ride is maximum.