Maximum Ride

Last updated
Maximum Ride
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment
Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever
Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports
Maximum Ride: The Final Warning
MAX: A Maximum Ride Novel
Fang: A Maximum Ride Novel
Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel
Nevermore: The Final Maximum Ride Adventure
Maximum Ride Forever
Hawk
City of the Dead
Author James Patterson
Country United States
LanguageEnglish
Genre Thriller, action, science fiction, science fantasy
Publisher Headline
Doubleday
Little, Brown and Company
PublishedApril 11, 2005 – July 6, 2020
Media typePrint (hardback & paperback)

Maximum Ride is a series of young adult science fantasy novels by the author James Patterson. The series centers on the adventures of Maximum "Max" Ride and her family, called the Flock, who are winged human-avian hybrids created at a lab called The School. The series is a reboot of Patterson's earlier novels When the Wind Blows and The Lake House , which were aimed for older audiences.

Contents

Plot

The Angel Experiment

Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel are human-avian hybrids living in hiding. When Angel is abducted, the rest of the Flock searches for her while fighting a number of obstacles including physical ailments, natural disaster, the wolf-human Erasers, and the evil scientists at the experimental lab called "The School".

School's Out - Forever

The Flock travels to Washington, D.C., where they hope to find the answers to their origins. They are taken in by a former FBI agent and placed into a regular school system to live as "normal kids." Erasers attack the school, and the Flock must flee again to find safety. Max meets her murderous clone, Max II, and must battle with her. The Flock learns details about their creators, the Itexicon Corporation.

Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

The Flock must stop the Itexicon Corporation, who plan to destroy half of the world's population. The boys and girls split after a disagreement, and work from separate angles to take down Itex and save the world. Max learns that Jeb Batchelder, the scientist with mysterious motivations, is her biological father.

The Final Warning

Government officials ask the Flock to help a team of scientists study pollution levels in the oceans around Antarctica. While there, a few members of the Flock are captured by the Uber-Director and taken to Florida. The rest of the group makes their way to rescue them and defeat this new villain in the midst of a hurricane. Max and Fang begin a romantic relationship.

MAX: A Maximum Ride Novel

The Flock is attacked by a group of bionic robots ("M-Geeks") at environmental awareness shows in Los Angeles and Mexico City. Later, the government enlists their help in finding out what is destroying hundreds of ships and killing millions of fish off the coast of Hawaii. Max's mother also goes missing. Max, Fang and the others make a submarine trip beneath the ocean, rescuing Max's mother and befriending undersea monsters.

Fang: A Maximum Ride Novel

The Flock travels to Africa where they meet Dr. Hans Gunther-Hagen, a former Itex worker, and Dylan, another human-avian hybrid designed to be Max's "perfect other half". Dylan joins the Flock, although they are all wary of his motives. Angel takes over the Flock, kicking out Max and Fang while claiming that they're too focused on their personal relationship. Fang is kidnapped by Dr. Hans and experimented on, and the Flock comes to rescue him. He dies for a moment before Max revives him. After getting back to their home, Fang decides to permanently leave the group and start his own Flock.

Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel

The Doomsday Group is brainwashing people, affecting Iggy and Max's half-sister Ella. Meanwhile, Fang starts his own gang which includes Max's clone, now called Maya. The two teams join forces in Paris to stop the Doomsday group. Their plan goes awry when Gazzy fails to disarm all the bombs under the gathering spot, and the bombs explode while Fang, Gazzy, and Angel are still in the blast radius. Fang and Gazzy make it out safely, but Angel is missing, leaving everyone heartbroken.

Nevermore: The Final Maximum Ride Adventure

Max and the remaining members of the Flock are attending a normal school, and Max is dating Dylan. Meanwhile, Fang's gang is attacked, some members betray them, and Maya is killed. Fang decides to return to the Flock. Together they learn of Angel's survival and rescue her from the lab where she's being held prisoner. Jeb Batchelder has returned trying to kill Fang, with help from a brainwashed Dylan. They fail, and Dr. Martinez leads the Flock to a remote island where they will be safe from the approaching apocalypse. However, instead of the plague they expect, the world is struck by a meteor. The Flock, along with the people on the island, survive and begin to rebuild.

This was supposed to be the last book in the series, but it was announced later that Maximum Ride Forever would be released in 2015.

Maximum Ride Forever

The Flock struggles to survive after the decimation of the planet, with many of their loved ones having died or gone missing. They split up after a tragedy, and Max begins investigating a new enemy called the Remedy and his Horsemen who are working to kill off the remaining population. In a final battle of good and evil, the Flock reunites with an army to defeat the Remedy. Max and Fang have a daughter, Phoenix, and after sheltering during a five-year-long nuclear winter, settle in the ruins of Machu Picchu.

Hawk

Max and Fang's teenage daughter, who now goes by the name Hawk, lives in the post-apocalyptic "City of the Dead." Having been lost as a small child, she knows nothing about her family until she encounters the Flock while searching for her kidnapped friends. They free Max from the prison where she's been kept, rally the people of the city and defeat the corrupt leaders.

City of the Dead

Max and her daughter Hawk team up to save the City of the Dead from a plague. Hawk sees a monster in the nearby forest and she decides to tell Langford, a member of the council. Hawk goes to the forest to investigate. After some failures she finds a hidden base of hybrids. Moke and Hawk get taken captured by the Renegades. Hawk gets away. Moke still captured finds his new ability. Tensions continue to rise with Hawk in the middle. Langford captures Hawk and Calypso and they trap Langford and get out.

The Renegades bringing a battery, that raises the temperature for the plague to take hold. The plague makes people turn against one another. Moke is chained to it and powering it with his ability. Hawk gets Pietro and the hybrids to fight the threats eventually beating them.

Main characters

Reception

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment received generally positive reviews. The School Library Journal called the book an "exciting SF thriller that's not wholly original but still a compelling read". [1] Booklist described it as "an action-packed cross between Gertrude Chandler Warner's Boxcar Children and Marvel Comics' X-Men . [1] John Ritchie of the ALAN Review wrote a negative review, saying that Patterson "slips in his attempt to write an action-adventure series for kids". He called the book "filled with every possible comic book/Saturday morning cartoon cliche" and described Patterson's writing style as "uneasy" and Max's dialogue as "horribly fake". [2] In January 2010, the webcomic Penny Arcade poked fun at James Patterson based on the description found on the back of the first book. [3] [4]

The second book, Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever , [5] was criticized for being "disappointingly anticlimactic and violent," although Total's character was praised for being "sure to entertain." [5] Booklist delivered a positive review, praising Patterson's "ability to write page-turning action scenes" and noting that he "leaven[ed] the suspense with some surprising humor." [5] It also mentioned that fans of the first book would be "delighted" [5] with the sequel. Erin Collazo Miller from About.com praised the "fast-paced" novel, "fun characters," and "interesting premise," but criticized the characters and plot lines for "lack of depth and development." [6] The review said that "[a]fter 400+ pages, readers may wish they were a little farther into the plot and that more of their questions had been answered." [6]

Other works

OEL manga

Illustrated by Narae Lee and released by Yen Press, the first chapter of the original English-language manga adaptation came out in July 2008 in the magazine Yen Plus . A free 22-page preview was released on Free Comic Book Day (May 3, 2008). [7] The first volume of the series was released on January 27, 2009, the second volume was released on October 27, 2009, the third volume was released on August 17, 2010, the fourth volume was released on April 26, 2011, the fifth volume was released on December 13, 2011, the sixth volume was released on December 11, 2012, the seventh volume was released on October 29, 2013, the eighth volume was released on July 29, 2014, and the ninth volume released on November 17, 2015. [8] It was on the "Top 25 Manga Properties" list in 2012. [9] No volumes have been released since 2015, leaving the series incomplete.

Film adaptation

Plans for a film were first announced in September 2007. [10] However, the film entered development hell with the resignation of director Catherine Hardwicke in 2012 and the death of screenplay writer Don Payne in 2013. [11] [12] In 2014, the series was submitted for adaptation into a web series by Collective Digital Studio. [13] The completed film, starring Allie Marie Evans as Max, was released on Digital HD on August 30, 2016. It adapted the first half of The Angel Experiment, and was rated poorly by fans and critics alike. [14]

Marvel Comic series

The Marvel Comics adaption Max Ride: First Flight debuted April 8, 2015. It featured the talents of Marguerite Bennett and Alex Sanchez. [15] It was followed by Max Ride: Ultimate Flight beginning in November 2015, and Max Ride: Final Flight beginning in September 2016. Together, the comic series adapted the first three books of the series. There are significant differences from the books. Rather than avian wings, the characters have wings made of a metal alloy.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Battle Angel Alita</i> Japanese cyberpunk manga series and its adaptations

Battle Angel Alita, known in Japan as Gunnm, is a Japanese cyberpunk manga series created by Yukito Kishiro and originally published in Shueisha's Business Jump magazine from 1990 to 1995. The second of the comic's nine volumes was adapted in 1993 into a two-part anime original video animation titled Battle Angel for North American release by ADV Films and the UK and Australian release by Manga Entertainment. Manga Entertainment also dubbed Battle Angel Alita into English. A live-action film adaptation titled Alita: Battle Angel was released on February 14, 2019.

<i>Princess Ai</i> Japanese manga series

Princess Ai is a manga series created and co-written by American musician and singer Courtney Love and Stuart Levy, with illustration by Ai Yazawa and Misaho Kujiradou. Based in part on Love's own life, the manga follows an amnesiac alien character, Ai, who is transported to Tokyo from her war-torn homeland, where she attempts to piece her life together.

<i>Kaleido Star</i> Japanese anime television series

Kaleido Star is a Japanese anime series animated by Japanese studio Gonzo. The series was created by Junichi Sato, who also directed the first season, and written by Reiko Yoshida. Kaleido Star: New Wings was directed by Yoshimasa Hiraike. Three original video animations have been produced, as well as a manga series and a novel. The series follows Sora Naegino, a young Japanese girl, who travels to the United States to fulfill her dream of performing at the world-famous Kaleido Stage.

<i>Pita-Ten</i> Japanese manga & anime television series

Pita-Ten is a Japanese manga by Koge-Donbo. It was serialized in the shōnen manga magazine Dengeki Comic Gao! between the October 1999 and August 2003 issues and was later collected into eight tankōbon volumes. The eight volumes were localized for North America by Tokyopop; Madman Entertainment used Tokyopop's translations for distribution in Australasia. The plot follows Kotarou Higuchi who becomes acquainted with the angel Misha, and the demon Shia.

<i>The Lake House</i> (Patterson novel)

The Lake House is a 2003 novel by James Patterson, a sequel to When the Wind Blows. Elements of this series also appeared in Patterson's Maximum Ride series for younger readers.

<i>Chibi Vampire</i> Japanese manga, light novel, and anime television series

Chibi Vampire, originally released in Japan as Karin, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuna Kagesaki. The story is about an unusual vampiress girl, who instead of drinking blood must inject it into others because she produces too much. Chibi Vampire first premiered in the shōnen magazine Monthly Dragon Age in the October 2003 issue, and ran until February 2008. The individual chapters were published by Kadokawa Shoten into fourteen collected volumes. Later an anime series for "Chibi Vampire" was also produced in 2005. This anime series has a somewhat similar but different story and ending.

<i>Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment</i>

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment is the first book in the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. The book was released in the US on April 11, 2005, and in the UK on July 4, 2005. The story follows the Flock, a group of human-avian hybrids on the run from the scientists who created them.

<i>When the Wind Blows</i> (Patterson novel) 1998 novel by James Patterson

When the Wind Blows is a novel by James Patterson, followed by the sequel The Lake House. It also served as inspiration for the Maximum Ride spin-off series for teens.

<i>Cinnamoroll</i> Japanese media franchise based on manga from Sanrio

Cinnamoroll is a character series created by Sanrio in 2001, with character designs from Miyuki Okumura. The main character, Cinnamoroll, is a white puppy with chubby cheeks and long ears, blue eyes, pink cheeks, and a tail that resembles a cinnamon roll. He starred in his own manga series, an anime movie, and various animation shorts.

<i>Maximum Ride: Schools Out Forever</i>

Maximum Ride: School's Out—Forever is the second book in the sci-fi action-adventure series Maximum Ride by James Patterson, published by Little, Brown. The book was released in the US and the UK on May 23, 2006. The series centers on the Flock, a group of six super-powered human-avian hybrids on the run from the scientists who created them.

<i>Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports</i>

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports is the third book in the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. It was released in the United Kingdom and the United States on May 29, 2007. The series is set in modern times, and revolves around the 'flock', a group of human-avian hybrids on the run from the scientists who created them.

<i>Flock of Angels</i>

Flock of Angels is a shōjo manga by Shoko Hamada and published by Asahi Sonorama. It was licensed and published into English in for release in North America by Aurora Publishing in 2007. Reception of the English release of the series has been mixed. The artwork has overall been called crude and the plot was the focus of criticism, but reviewers praised the story for its message.

<i>MAX: A Maximum Ride Novel</i> Book by James Patterson

MAX: A Maximum Ride Novel is the fifth book in the Maximum Ride series, written by James Patterson. The book was released on September 15, 2009. MAX was published by Little, Brown and Company.

<i>Fang: A Maximum Ride Novel</i>

Fang: A Maximum Ride Novel is the sixth book in the Maximum Ride series written by James Patterson. It was released on February 5, 2010 in Australia, New Zealand and the UK and was released in the US on March 15, 2010. Its tag line is: He has always been there for her. Now he may be gone forever.

<i>Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel</i> Book by James Patterson

Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel is the seventh novel in the Maximum Ride series created by James Patterson. It was released on February 14, 2011.

James Patterson has written or co-written many "Bookshots" or novellas, and has co-written books with many authors. The list below separates the works into four main categories: fiction written for adults, for young adults and for children, and non-fiction.

<i>Nevermore: The Final Maximum Ride Adventure</i>

Nevermore: The Final Maximum Ride Adventure is the eighth book in the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. It was released on August 6, 2012.

<i>Maximum Ride</i> (film) 2016 science fiction film

Maximum Ride is a 2016 American science fiction film based on the novel of the same name by James Patterson. It adapts the first half of The Angel Experiment, the first book in the series. YouTube personality Jenna Marbles served as an executive producer of the film.

References

  1. 1 2 Patterson, James (April 2007). Amazon.com: Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment: James Patterson: Books: Editorial Reviews. Little, Brown. ISBN   978-0-316-15556-4. Archived from the original on 2005-03-06. Retrieved 2017-09-04.{{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  2. "Barnes and Noble.com: Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment: James Patterson: Books". Archived from the original on 2010-01-23. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  3. "A Comprehensive Education". Penny Arcade. January 13, 2010. Archived from the original on January 31, 2010. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  4. "A Comprehensive Education (comic)". Penny Arcade. January 13, 2010. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 School's Out - Forever (Maximum Ride, Book 2). Jimmy patterson. 23 May 2006. ISBN   978-0316155595. Archived from the original on 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2017-09-04.
  6. 1 2 Miller, Erin Collazo. "Maximum Ride: School's Out - Forever - Book Review". About.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  7. A 7-page preview was also released in the first paperback edition of The Final Warning. Aoki, Deb (April 10, 2008). "First Look: James Patterson's Maximum Ride Manga". About.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2008. Retrieved June 7, 2008.
  8. "MAXIMUM RIDE story by James Patterson, art by Na Rae Lee". Yen Press. Archived from the original on 2008-12-18. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  9. "Top 25 Manga Properties--Full Year 2012". Archived from the original on 2014-09-23. Retrieved 2014-09-23.
  10. "Catherine Hardwicke Takes Maximum Ride". ComingSoon.net. March 17, 2009. Archived from the original on November 12, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  11. "James Patterson's 'Nevermore': Cover reveal, plus Q and A". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2012-06-26. Retrieved 2012-03-14.
  12. "Don Payne Has Died | Movie News | Empire". www.empireonline.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-12.
  13. "Collective Digital Studio Will Turn James Patterson's 'Maximum Ride' into a Web Series". 9 July 2014. Archived from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  14. Scheck, Frank (30 September 2016). "'Maximum Ride': Film Review". hollywoodreporter.com. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  15. Calia, Michael (11 October 2014). "James Patterson's 'Maximum Ride' Will Become a Marvel Comics Series". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.