Review: Maximum Ride The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

"Do not put this book down. I'm dead serious - your life could depend on it. I'm risking everything by telling you - but you need to know."

So begins The Angel Experiment, book one of the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. It starts off intense and pretty much stays at that level throughout. Max and her "flock" are the result of some serious genetic experimentation- they have wings! They've escaped from their creators and are living on the run, basically just trying to survive and stay under the radar of everyone who is looking for them.

I had never read any young adult writing by James Patterson,

and I had my doubts. But he's definitely pulled it off. As I mentioned above, this book is really intense and exciting. Patterson also keeps the sarcastic sense of humor that you find in a lot of his adult fiction, but I find this series is even funnier, maybe to help keep the tone a bit lighter. Max and her flock will keep you laughing even as you're on the edge of your seat.

In some ways, this book reminds me of the TV show Dark Angel (the main character's name is even the same!). I don't know if any of you ever watched it. The first season was FANTASTIC, but the second season sucked and then it got canned. It was another story about a genetically engineered girl on the run. Anyway, thanks to that show, the Max in this book looks like Jessica Alba in my mind. haha

In summary, this is a great book, I will for sure be reading the rest of the series if I can ever snatch them before those sneaky teens at my library get their grubby hands in there.

A couple of interesting side notes: You can read blog posts by Max, Fang and other characters here. They're pretty funny, actually. This series is also being made into a movie, which is being produced by the guy who did X-Men (and others), Avi Arad and will possibly be directed by Catherine Hardwicke, the director of Twilight.

Website for James Patterson.

Click the book cover image to purchase from Amazon.