The release of a sequel is an anticipated event, especially if the sequel is written by a wildly-popular, best-selling author like James Patterson. Approximately 4.8 million copies have been sold of the previous three books in the Maximum Ride series, so hopes were high that Final Warning, the new installment, would be just as entertaining. When a sequel fails to live up to the standards of the previous books in the series, readers feel let down.
There are three issues that affect the quality of Final Warning. First, there is a lack of adventure in this installment of the action-packed Maximum Ride adventure series. It seemed to be more of an extended brainstorming session instead of actual problem-solving. Second, the length of this book is an issue. For a novel that has a retail price of $20, 272 pages is pretty skimpy -– especially when you consider that The Angel Experiment, the first book in the series, had 432 pages. Finally, and most importantly, is the story itself. If the story had been interesting and new, the reader would be able to overlook the page length. Instead of adding anything new to the story, Patterson chose to focus on the issue of global warming and have The Flock, the six bird kids we've come to love, assist with scientific research in Antarctica. Final Warning appears to be more of a filler book than a necessary part of the series. In fact, if a reader were to skip Final Warning, there probably wouldn’t be a problem catching up when a fifth book is published.
Instead of a character-driven storyline, Patterson has given us an extended public service announcement on global warming, and while global warming is a serious issue we need to think about, a young adult adventure novel might not be the best place to hammer the issue home.
Article comments
1 - Mel
Hey Karin. Good to have you here. I still haven't read this series, but I've got the first three in paper. Looks like I'll be waiting on the fourth for paper as well.
2 - joseph
i agree not enough action and too much story i mean in the first three they had to forage for good stuff but in this one they had everything they ever needed or wanted
3 - ryan
i agree with this review...after reading the book i was very disappointed...i was expecting a very action-packed book, but what i got was a lecture about why global warming was bad
4 - mandy
totally agree. i've just about lost faith in james patterson. i knew the book was going to be all about global warming before i even read it but i read it anyway for the sake of those six beloved characters. omg it was so disappointing!! i mean he could have done SOOOO much with the whole morals and ethics and genetic engineering and what about max being the last recombinant life-form to have a soul?? well that's two hours of my life im not going to get back.
5 - night rider
i agree with everyone
6 - Angel (no pun intended)
I haven't read the book yet, but i was just wondering, if it's so bad, should i bother, i really would like to finish the series off...even if it's not with a bang!?
7 - Angel (no pun intended)
By the Way, Great Review!!
8 - michael
no
9 - fanglover2000
F ALL U GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!MAXIMUM RIDE IS THE BEST SERIES OF ALL TIME AND IF U DONT LIKE IT U HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEMO W/ UR HEAD PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FIX UR KNOGEN OR SHUT-UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GOD!!!!!!!!!U GUYS AND GALS HAVE A REALLY BIG FREAKING PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!F ALL Y'ALL!!!!!!!!!!!
10 - mel ( other one)
be cool fanglover2000..... its their choice........ a bad bad bad bad stupid choice.....
11 - fanglover2000
SHUT-UP MEL!!!!!!!!! u know its the truth. they have a problemo w/ their knogen.btw i am only 13 so if u wanna find me and kick my ass then will go 2 jail for child abuse.just sayin.
12 - mel
What ever........wait I'm 13 2..... soooo that wont be child abuse......
13 - fanglover2000
well....technically we r kids soooooo......say what ever u wanna cuz either way they'd go 2 jail....u know cuz me a minor.......mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MWA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!
YEAH!THATS RITE!!!!!!I WENT THERE!!!!!!!!!BOO YAH U PHSYCO PE-OPLES WHO DONT LIKE MAXIMUM!!!!U GUYS R TOTAL LOSERS IF U DONT LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!Y'ALL SUCK!(JK)(NOT really
14 - fanglover2000
bam ba lam!!!! yeah baby!!! mwa hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha thats rite u people !!!!
i went there again!! i dont know exactly where i went......but i'll figure it out eventually! thats rite! best threat thingy ever!
hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahhaahahahahhhh!
YEAH!!!!!! MAXIMUM RIDE RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!! AND FANG IS SSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO H-O-T.... HOT BABY HOT!!!!!!!!!!!! IM SINGIN HOT HOT HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AYE CAIENTE! AYE AYE AYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HE IS SSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOT AND IGGY IS SOOOOOOO NOT !(JUST FOR U MEL!)HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!
15 - mel
............... well that there proves my buddy is a "little bit" odd....... when I mean odd... she is down rite weird..........
16 - mel
no dont quit!!!!
17 - Nick
Read comments 9-16
... And that there completes my arguments in favour of abortion.
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I am a fan of the series, the first 3 books i loved, and were a big part of my childhood, but this one was forgettable and terribly written, and i felt a little bit insulted as a reader that he felt he needed to ram global warming down my throat so hard - I get it, i really do, but when i read a ficition book, I want to be entertained with a captive storyline, not unsubtlety educated about global warming