Fear: A Gone Novel [Hardcover]

Michael Grant (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 3, 2012 | Series: Gone

It's been one year since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

Despite the hunger and the lies, even despite the plague, the kids of Perdido Beach are determined to survive. Creeping into the tenuous new world they've built, though, is perhaps the worst incarnation yet of the enemy known as the Darkness: fear.

Within the FAYZ, life breaks down while the Darkness takes over, literally—turning the dome-world of the FAYZ entirely black. In darkness, the worst fears of all emerge, and the cruelest of intentions are carried out. But even in their darkest moments, the inhabitants of the FAYZ maintain a will to survive and a desire to take care of the others in their ravaged band that endures, no matter what the cost.

Fear, Michael Grant's fifth book in the bestselling dystopian Gone series, will thrill readers . . . even as it terrifies them.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"* '... exciting, high-tension story told in a driving, torrential narrative that never lets up. This is great fiction. I love this book.' (Stephen King, bestselling author) 'A tour-de-force that will leave readers dazed, disturbed, and utterly breathless' (Booklist) 'If Stephen King had written Lord of the Flies, it might have been a little like this' (Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (Starred Review)) 'I love these books' (Stephen King, bestselling author)" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Michael Grant has spent much of his life on the move. Raised in a military family, he attended ten schools in five states, as well as three schools in France. Even as an adult he kept moving, and in fact he became a writer in part because it was one of the few jobs that wouldn't tie him down. His fondest dream is to spend a year circumnavigating the globe and visiting every continent. Yes, even Antarctica. He lives in California with his wife, Katherine Applegate, and their two children.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books; 1 edition (April 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061449156
• ISBN-13: 978-0061449154
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,894 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Grant was born in a manger.

Okay, no he wasn't. And that was a stupid thing to say. There was no manger. It was a log cabin. A log cabin in Los Angeles.

Or possibly a trailer.

And then while defending his country (technically it was his father, he was just an Army brat,) he moved all over the country and to France and became the incredibly well-educated, well-rounded, well-adjusted . . .

Yeah, okay that last part's a lie, too. The moving everywhere thing is true. But the sad reality is that Michael's a rootless, disconnected, indifferently-educated, sullen, obnoxious, disaffected misanthrope. With no hair. I mean seriously: look at the man's head. Do you see hair? No.

Where was I? I mean he.

Michael Grant is married to Katherine (K.A.) Applegate. They've been together for 30 years. Which doesn't say much for Katherine's judgment does it? And they've been writing for 20 years, sometimes as partners -- BOYFRIENDS/GIRLFRIENDS, ANIMORPHS, EVERWORLD -- and sometimes on their own.

Michael and Katherine have two kids, Jake 12 and Julia 9. (Feet tall. Get it? 12 feet tall? Ah hah hah. Yeah, okay: not funny.) Anyway, the point is that Michael Grant is the author or co-author of 150 books. Yeah: 150. Most recently the critically-acclaimed GONE and HUNGER.

No, really: critically-acclaimed by VOYA, Booklist, School Library Journal, KLIATT and Publishers Weekly. And best of all by Stephen Freaking KIng himself! Oh, yeah: THE Stephen King. Of course Kirkus dumped on him, but Michael would like to make it clear that Kirkus is in no way a collection of illiterate halfwits. No! Never would Michael say such a thing.

Michael can be reached on Twitter @theFAYZ, or on Facebook as "authorMichaelGrant."

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#25 in Books > Teens

#25 in Books > Teens

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Intense April 5, 2012

By Krissy

Format:Hardcover

I underestimated Fear. It was like I knew a storm was coming but I had no idea it would turn out to be a hurricane. I could not put it down. I loved the glimpse of the Outside, I loved hearing from all the characters, and I loved how real the emotions were. Every reaction made sense even if that reaction was actually madness.

Fear was not like the others in this series, not like I remember at least. With the other books, I would become afraid to turn off my light to finally go to bed. With this book, however, I was afraid to breathe. There was more than natural, simplistic fear that the kids had earlier. There was more than how prey reacts to a predator or to the unknown. The fear in this book was twisted and horrific. Sort of like when you go to the movies to see a, PG 13 scary film but it turns out to be a rated R, explicit depiction of what Jack the Ripper did to his victims. You expect to be afraid; you don't expect to feel nauseated by the amount of gore involved. Okay, so it's not like this happens with every page in the book and Fear is a teen read so it's only going to be so detailed, but for a person with a good imagination, it is disturbing at times. I just cannot decide if I am okay with it or not. This book really threw something at me that I have not dealt with often.

It's amazing the way the characters are growing in this series. With every book they become closer and closer to real people. I liked in this book how they addressed not only problems with which they have of the world around them, but with the problems they have in themselves. Sam is still my favorite character. I don't think it matters to me what he does, he will always light up the book for me. Unfortunately, I cannot stand Astrid. I sorry to all those who like her, but I wish she was gone. In this book she tried to redeem herself, but I can still see her underlying personality, and I don't like it. Maybe I'm just jealous of her with Sam.

Overall, there are some slow spots in Fear, but I think the reader needs them to handle or recover from the not-so slow spots. The end was amazing. I wanted to know what would happen next anyway, but as soon as I read that last chapter or so, I went nuts. I cannot wait for the next installment. Though it may make me seem like a pansy, I just hope the next book has a little more anticipation and a smidge less gore.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Maybe the best series ever May 20, 2012

By Specklebang

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This series was technically YA. Being 68 doesn't stop me from reading the good YA stuff despite it's penchant for romance. I thought that Gone was an excellent book. As the next book was released, I expected the "mid-series" weakness. Instead, I found that I liked the book even better. And so on through book 5, Fear which is even more adult and more breath-taking than it's predecessors.

In principle, I hate that authors can't seem to tell a story in 250 pages anymore and that everything is a trilogy or more. Fear has made me change my mind, now I'm living in Fear that the next book will be the final one and I wqon't be able to find anything as good to read.

I'm listing what I consider a few of my favorite books to give you a frame of reference for what I love. The tension, the pacing, the mind boggling imagination. If you liked these, you'll love this series. Let me add that the Gone series should be read in its correct order.

Altered Carbon: A Takeshi Kovacs Novel (Takeshi Kovacs Novels)
The Hunger Games
Uglies (The Uglies)
The Blade Itself (The First Law: Book One)

So, really 5 stars for every book and for this incredible series. I see the author has a new series starting BZRK and I'll be buying it with confidence.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling Morally Complex YA Sci-Fi Masterpiece August 12, 2012

By Anastasia McPherson TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I picked up Gone as a new release the year of its publication and was instantly hooked on the series. I finished FEAR in a one sitting read and as the penultimate chapter in the six book series I am more impressed than ever. Michael Grant has created a series that is more than the sum of its parts.

The town and environs of Perdido Beach California has been trapped under a dome created by an autistic savant with the help of an evil being who lives in the mine shaft and is powered by the nuclear plant. The children, at first only those under fifteen until they figured out how to stay under the dome, have endured starvation, plague, limited resources and enhanced super powers that are given to the good and the bad alike. Now the dome is darkening and they will have to cope with all of these things in total darkness.

The Gone series is morally complex, first because the characters are complex. The series contains heroes and villains but the heroes have faults and the villains have unexpected moments of goodness. All of the characters have made moral choices where there was no moral choice and all of them feel continuing guilt and trauma and go over and over their past decisions and their character flaws wishing for a chance to do things differently or for redemption. These characters are as complex as real people and have faults and virtues in equal mix. So both character and situation make for moral complexity within the tale.

This would be a wonderful series to read with teenagers because the choices aren't easy, as often choices in life aren't easy. However, even more than that the Gone series, especially FEAR are fantastic, page turning science fiction for young adults and adults and the books are great reads. I am looking forward to the last volume. Highly recommended. Does contain violence and tasteful (non-graphic) teen sex.