Rage (Riders of the Apocalypse) [Paperback]

Jackie Morse Kessler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 4, 2011

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Sixteen-year-old Missy copes with being an outcast at school and stress at home by cutting herself with a razor blade, until Death chooses her as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, War, and offers her a new blade.

--This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.

That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world.

 

---

On the Care of an Apocalyptic Warhorse

In Jackie Morse Kessler’s Riders of the Apocalypse series, teens are transformed into the four horsemen of the apocalypse. As Riders, they’ve got many things to learn—including how to care for the horses they’re given. If you happen to find yourself a newly-minted equestrian of the end times, here’s some advice. . . .

By Melissa Miller (a.k.a. "War")

So you got yourself a warhorse! First, congratulate yourself, because I guarantee no one else on the block has one.

Next, invest in a good pair of leather gloves. Preferably, ones that horses can’t bite through.

Okay, so consider yourself lucky that you don’t have to deal with mortal warhorses. No worries about things like stabling, or brushing, or feeding your new friend. Bonus, right? Of course, your horse still needs things from its Apocalyptic rider.

1. Introduce yourself to your steed. What, you think that your warhorse is going to just make nice to you because you’re its new rider? Please. This is a warhorse. It’s got attitude to spare. (Which is good; if you want something that’s going to just roll over and let you rub its tummy, get a dog.) Walk around it in a slow circle, giving it a very wide berth (especially by those hind legs). Slowly make the circle tighter until you’re finally arm’s length away from its muzzle. And then show it who’s boss and make it bow its head. (Note: it’s very helpful to wield the Sword of War for this purpose.)

2. Name your steed. Hey, would you like to be called "Horse"? Doubtful. So pick a good name, one that reflects your horse’s personality. I’ve heard that calling it after a god might inflate your horse’s ego, but that never really was a problem for me. Your mileage may vary.

3. Take your steed for a ride. The best way to bond with your warhorse is to go riding. Just don’t fall off; the fall to earth could be a doozy. (Note: Apocalyptic warhorses fly. Very high. And very fast. Those reins are there for a reason; I suggest holding on. Very tightly.)

Review

PRAISE FOR THE RIDERS OF THE APOCALYPSE SERIES

 

Praise for Hunger:

An ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

* "Realistic and compassionate. . . . the writing is never preachy, and it allows an interesting exploration of both intensely personal food issues and global ones."
—SLJ, starred review

"Jackie Morse Kessler does a fine job of taking a critical issue that has been explored in writing no small number of times, and putting a new and thought provoking spin on it. . . . Sheer genius."
—New York Journal of Books

"Powerful, fast-paced, hilarious, heart-wrenching. . . . This story will grab the reader and never let go."
—Romantic Times Magazine

"Hunger is not just a good book. It is a great book. It is funny and sad, brilliant and tragic, and most of all, it speaks truth. . . . I adore it."
—Rachel Caine, author of The Morganville Vampires

"A fantastic and gripping read that never shies from its difficult subject matter. . . . This book is a knockout."
—A.S. King, author of Everybody See the Ants

 

Praise for Rage:

A Junior Library Guild Selection

An ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

"Rage is raw and real, a truly dark, honest look at self-harm and the teenage psyche. Kessler left me breathless."
—Heather Brewer, author of the New York Times bestselling series, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod

"The elegant mix of dark humor, brilliantly developed characters, and just enough moral threads to lead readers to make their own conclusions is impressive."
—Bulletin

"Raw, visceral, pulling no punches, this story strikes home like a razor blade. It’s unforgettable, heart wrenching, and enlightening."
—Realms of Fantasy

 

Praise for Loss:

"Kessler blends fantasy, history, humor, and hard reality into a gripping tale."
—SLJ

"Jackie Morse Kessler has a keen eye for capturing the awkward uncertainty of adolescence, which she wraps quite deliciously in a coating of mystery, fright, and suspense. Loss is a treat for readers, a one-of-a-kind, twisty turny carnival ride. . . . I loved this book."
—Andrew Smith, author of The Marbury Lens

"Whip-smart and elegant."
—Saundra Mitchell, author of The Vespertine

"Gritty and raw with powerful truths. An addictive read."
—Sophie Jordan New York Times bestselling author of Firelight

 

Praise for Breath:

A Junior Library Guild Selection 

"A riveting read."
—Kirkus Reviews

"The series is a strong and unique attempt to encourage troubled teens to consider their options and accept the help they need, while exposing all readers to the pain their friends may be experiencing."
—Booklist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Graphia; None edition (April 4, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0547445288
• ISBN-13: 978-0547445281
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #803,327 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Gut-wrenching, Heartbreaking & Real June 20, 2012

By Leila

Format:Paperback

This book takes realism and accuracy in fiction to a new level. It highlights all the things that give Young Adult fiction the name of being "too dark" but it does that because its real; these are things that teens face in the deep recesses of themselves and hide from the world. I was unsure of how deep and true Hunger could have been but this book clarified that Jackie Morse Kessler is gifted and dedicated to true storytelling.

As part of the series, this book can still function as a stand alone for someone who wanted to reach out for something their experiencing. In this book, we have our Kurt Cobain rocker, Death who is the one resounding connection through the books. It is his task to replace the Horsemen of the Apocalypse as the rider position opens. Missy's adventure is unrelated and irrelevant to the story in Hunger though it is lightly referenced and gives background to why War is vacant.

When Death enters the scene, we find Missy holding her family's dead cat in her hands, "You have blood on your hands". The mood is instantaneously set to be dark, brooding, and quite appropriately raged. Missy's life is a disaster in her eyes. Love gone wrong, family gone wrong, life is wrong and the only way to fix it is to bleed the bad out. Driven by such intense emotion, Missy wars within herself at the things she has been forced to face. Humiliated by her ex, estranged from her sister, and now empowered by the sword, she really is just trying to sort out the straight path for herself but it is messy and heartbreaking.

These books are incredibly short reads that pack an incredible punch and I would recommend them for anyone who needs to know they are not alone. As a previous self-injurer, all I wanted to do was tell Missy she wasn't alone and I want you to know it, too.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous sequel to Hunger April 5, 2011

By Tiffany A. Harkleroad TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Missy releases her pain by cutting herself. Her body is covered with scars, and she is shamed by those scars. She thought when she fell in love, the pain would go away, but now, her pain runs deeper than ever. She is filled with anger, and in some ways not at all surprised to learn that she is the embodiment of War, a horseman of the apocalypse. Will she learn to channel her power, or will she simply walk around cutting down all those who contributed to her pain? And can she survive without the cutting?

This book, like it's predecessor, leaves the reader feeling battered, raw. And yet, I absolutely loved it, and was sad to see the book end. Missy's character is so real, and I think many of us have a little piece of of Missy in our souls.

The topic of teen girls cutting themselves is one that rarely discussed as frankly as it is in this book. We see the sad, scary world of cutters as clearly as day. There is no sugar coating here, and the book may be a little disturbing to some teen readers, but I think this book is really important for teens. They need to know that there is hope for them.

The storyline in this book is truly unique, and I really love this series. I can only imagine what will come next, and wait this baited breath.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars No Victory for Rage April 25, 2011

By Kris

Format:Paperback

Where to start? The author has a wonderful way with words. The turns of phrase are so often beautiful. The dialogue between Death and Missy or Death and the other Horsemen reflect this so often. I found myself sometimes reading the same phrases agin, not because I needed to, but because the sentence was so wonderful I wanted to.

But... (and here it comes) I kept hoping as I read this that the purpose of the series would become apparent. That the overall story arc would reveal itself. Unfortunately, I am left concluding that while this is being presented as a series, there is no overall story arc. The books within this series are related, as in the books share some characters, but there is no overriding goal to the set of books, just a goal within each book.

The plot here is that we have a teenager who is terribly misunderstood; she thinks no one can understand. Death comes to appoint her as War (since the last incarnation of War was killed in Hunger) because of all the rage that is inside her (go figure, given the title). She expresses her rage through cutting. She battles the idea of becoming War - but she feels the power that comes with it. And control seems to be a big element of the decision/expression as War, and as a cutter.

Then things get kind of crazy. She is pranked. In an awful, awful (let me say it again - AWFUL) way. And, understandably, she freaks out. The girls on the soccer team punish her even further by peeing on her clothes and bag (yep, you read that right). And, to boot, when the soccer coach finds out she's a cutter, he cuts her (definitely no pun intended there) from the team. And again, she freaks.

But, here's where I get lost. She is so very angry she could kill. But she doesn't.... Instead, she simply decides she's not going to let War destroy. There's a leap there that I missed. At least in Hunger, the catharsis came when the character almost killed her mother. Here, we just see the character go from being as angry as one could be to not accepting the anger in the same heartbeat. I was left thinking how the heck did that happen? What did I miss? And she beats War but takes up the post anyway. **scratches head**

I have not read any of the author's other works besides the two in this series so far. I hope that she isn't as repetitive in her other works. Having just finished Hunger, I often felt like I was re-reading the same book. There are a few minor plot differences - here she takes up the post where in Hunger the character rejects Famine (yet, we have a woman who is Famine in this book, but we know nothing about her, and yet he reminds us that her prior incarnation killed the prior War. Again, confused...). But, so very much is similar. In both books:

the horses, and Death, are surprised that the character names the horses (in fact, the dialogue here gave me deja vu)
the horses themselves are puzzled when the character's thank the horses
both characters think about the physics of Death's bag
both are met by another Rider who sort of tells them what to do, but doesn't really either
both characters comment on the horses' lack of grooming needs
both, at one point, think everything that's happened so far is a dream
both have absentee, albeit loving, parents
both have a battle with War
Do I need to go on? The sense of deja vu when reading this was overpowering. I had urges to look a the books side-by-side to see if the dialogue was identical in places (which I resisted for lots of reasons). So, having read one, I felt that there wasn't really a need to have read both.

Despite those flaws, however, I give credit to the author. She didn't shy away from things that other authors in the YA category often do. Let's face it, society knows teen sex happens. So why are most of the books filled with teens who don't even know how to spell the word s-e-x. Here, we get the harsh truth that sometimes it happens and then doesn't work out. We get a good look inside how awful clicks and teenagers can be to one another. It's not sugar-coated. The prank, while it made my stomach turn, was something I could totally believe happening. We've all heard about kids committing suicide because of hateful facebook posts and bullying so this felt very real.

The one element that didn't feel real to me was how weak she was trying to make Missy out to be, and coupling that with Missy's love for and ability as, a soccer goalie. As a very long time soccer player, I have never encountered a weak goalie - or one that is so hated by teammates. Despite any oddities, quirks, or differences, the goalie on the team is always loved and supported. At least in my experience. Because when it comes down to it - the goalie can make or break the team. So, I had a little trouble picturing her as the weakling and total outcast at the same time. But, that's just me. There's no way for me to prove that my experience is more typical than what the author wrote.

And the opening scene where Missy thinks she killed her cat? Wow. It was so well written it was hard to read. I can't begin to express how relieved I was to read the conversation with Death later where we learn she didn't actually murder her cat. More kudos to the author for not shying away from something hard to read.

I am finding it hard to balance (yes, that's a nod to Famine) how I feel about this book. The author can write prose wonderfully and beautifully. The book needs some work on the plot front however. I wouldn't claim victory based on the plot of the book, or the lack of a story arc for the series.

I will read the next one, I'm sure. If for no other reason then I want to see if the author can turn things around and find a purpose for the series. And I did so thoroughly enjoy and appreciate her ability to craft a beautiful sentence. But, this is definitely just a 2.5 star book for all the other reasons I noted. Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars great April 19, 2013

By Jonay

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

great book. especially to get into the mind of self harmer. i loved it i didnt care for the aspects of the 4 horse men but it was still great.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I felt for Missy April 14, 2013

By Medeia Sharif

Format:Paperback

Missy cuts herself to relieve herself of painful emotions. There are raised scars all over her body. Her ex-boyfriend Adam tricks her into thinking that he wants to get back with her. He lures her to a party where he and her friends embarrass her--her scars are now out in the open. The incident, involving nudity, is posted online and Missy is deluged with hateful comments and text messages. Her classmates are cruel to her and one of the nicknames they give her is "cutterslut," but the person who comes down the hardest on her is Missy herself.

Death visits and informs her that she's War, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. She can travel across the world and cause catastrophes. With her steed and blade, she's a formidable figure. But this position has the potential to lead Missy toward a path of recovery and self-control.

I felt for Missy, her wrecked emotions, and the blood she shed. The author dealt with anorexia in the previous novel in the series, HUNGER, and she sympathetically tackled self-injury in this book. I look forward to reading the next novel, LOSS, since I find these books to be well-written. The main characters are believable, with hidden strengths to overcome their severe problems. I read this via Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher.