Product Description

The world is changing: the government has seized control of every aspect of society, and now, kids are disappearing. For 15-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside down when they are torn from their parents one night and slammed into a secret prison for no reason they can comprehend. The New Order, as it is known, is clearly trying to suppress Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Being a Normal Teenager. But while trapped in this totalitarian nightmare, Wisty and Whit discover they have incredible powers they'd never dreamed of. Can this newly minted witch and wizard master their skills in time to save themselves, their parents--and maybe the world?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #157 in Books
• Published on: 2009-12-14
• Released on: 2009-12-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

About the Author
James Patterson is the author of the highly praised Maximum Ride novels and of bestselling detective series featuring Alex Cross and the Women's Murder Club. His novels have sold more than 160 million copies worldwide. He lives in Florida.

Gabrielle Charbonnet has coauthored SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S with James Patterson. She lives in North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Entertaining...If Nothing Else
I absolutely love dystopian, end-of-life-as-we-know-it, type of novels. George Orwell's 1984 (Signet Classics) and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale happen to be two of my favorites. This novel started with great promise...And then it fell short. Very short. The novel is about Wisty and Whit Allgood, two teenage siblings who are kidnapped by the New Order, a form of government that has taken over the world. During this time, Wisty and Whit discover that they have magical powers, and that is why the New Order considers them a threat. The story opens up with Wisty and Whit being led to the gallows in a sports arena, with thousands of people cheering on their hanging. As the proceedings commence, Wisty and Whit take us into the backdrop of the story, how they found themselves condemned to death.

In a trite and oversimplified manner, we learn that our political system crumbled overnight and was replaced by the New Order headed by "The One Who Is the One." As Wisty and Whit continue to battle some of their challenges, they become more aware of the magnitude of their supernatural powers. The story crosses over from Wisty and Whit's time in prison, over to other worldly dimensions (such as the Shadowland where spirits dwell) back to an unrecognizable world overwrought with despair, war, and hopelessness. But none of this is captured with any depth.

What I thought would be a great dystopian story seemed more like a cat-and-mouse fantasy under a dystopian backdrop. I do enjoy fantasies and stories of magic along with mayhem, but there was something missing in this story. It was entertaining in some areas but it lacked the thrilling suspense I would expect in a novel written by Patterson.

This is the first book in a new series and unfortunately, it leaves readers with a rather weak cliffhanger. This series may have some promise and hopefully, the next book will delivery on that.

Disappointing . . .
My daughter loves the Maximum Rides stories so I put this latest book by James Patterson at the top of her Wishlist. After reading it though, I'm feeling bad for the giftgiver -- it's just not good. The plot is skeletal and overly simplistic, and there is none of the sarcastic humor that peppered the Maximum Ride stories. It feels like it was written over a long week-end while the author was thinking of something else.

Shallow
There is no depth to the characters or the plot. The plot is unbelievable and filled with holes. I can't believe I wasted my money on this book. I don't intend to continue with the series.