Max by James Patterson

Performing air shows for the delight of crowds below in some of the world’s most polluted cities is not Maximum Ride’s idea of a good time or a safe activity for the flock—but she does it anyway. She wants to do all she can to help her mother, Dr. Martinez, in her crusade to better the world, in the form of the Coalition to Stop the Madness, or CSM. But every good-intentioned person faces enemies, and in this case, Max’s new adversary is a formidable and ruthless one with an army of mechanical mercenaries at his command. Despite many new allies, Max doesn’t know who to trust, and when hiding proves futile, Max knows it’s time to get to the root of the issue. The only problem is, she doesn’t know how the strange deaths of millions of fish, ships mysteriously capsizing, CSM, and the flock are all connected. But Max better get a move on soon, because the fate of the flock—and possibly the whole world—rides on it.

I really was not planning to read this book after my immense disappointment in The Final Warning, but part of me was curious to see what would happen to the flock next. In Max, nothing significantly changes from the previous books; Max is as stubborn and sarcastic as ever, Fang is still dark and mysterious, and the flock is yet again up to its same old antics but on a different adventure. The plot has lots of twists and turns, as is to be expected from an action-thriller writer. While fans of the earlier Maximum Ride books will enjoy Max, the fifth installment, I was dismayed by the lack of progress. I completely understand that Patterson is a very commercial author and that he needs to pen an exciting plot to keep his many readers interested, but action alone does not make a novel. The characters are insufficiently developed; you’d think y the fifth part of the series, Max and the flock would be as real as you are me, but that isn’t quite the case. And the plot, though fast-paced and enthralling, is a bit all over the place. Sometimes Max and the flock seem to weasel their way out of situations too quickly, and others, details are revealed that the reader is confused as to how it connects to the rest of the story. The only part of this novel I can truly applaud is Max and Fang’s relationship, which I had to wait four books for to happen. But aside from that, I kept waiting for something huge to occur that never did, not even the “saving the world” part. Again, I know Patterson is a commercial writer, but as much as I love Max (and particularly Fang), this story needs to conclude soon with some real answers.

Dedicated Patterson and Maximum Ride readers are sure to enjoy this latest installment. This series will also be enjoyed by fans of And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman and Daylight Runner by Oisín McGann.

Rating: 3.25

Review copy from Big Honcho Media