Title: A Gone Novel: Fear
Author: Michael Grant
Date of publication: 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Summary:
Being the fifth of a series of books, character background isn't much of an issue at this point. But seeing as how this is the only time I'll be blogging about a novel in the series, I'll have to include some. SPOILER ALERT: Do NOT read if you plan to read the Gone book series.
First off, the whole series is based off of one major event, which snowballs into everything else that occurs: the creation of a 20mi diameter dome in the small town of Perdido Beach, CA, all centered on a precarious nuclear power plant. The dome is dubbed as the FAYZ (Fallout Alley Youth Zone) due it it's standing history of a nuclear fallout. After the dome is created, all sources of natural weather ceases, including rain; sunlight and moonlight being illusions cast by the dome. At the moment of the dome's creation, all those at the age of 15, or above, disappear, while handfuls of the children who were left behind started to develop special powers, such as super-speed, or telekinesis. As power struggles occur, kids start to lie, cheat, steal, and manipulate others in order to survive. New friendships are established, and a common enemy between rival sides in the power struggle is found: the Gaiaphage. It is revealed that it is the cause of the dome, and all the mutations that came with it. The story follows the lives of several characters, but mostly of the main protagonist and antagonist, Sam Temple, and his fraternal twin, Caine Soren.
As the fifth book in the series, the children of the FAYZ have survived the initial 'poof,' Hunger, Lies, and Plague. The fifth book, Fear, is based off of the fear of the Gaiaphage (world eater), the true antagonist of the series. The barrier of the dome is slowly turning pitch black, forcing the inhabitants of the FAYZ to suffer in complete darkness. Being eternally deprived of light, there will be no light to grow food, and without food, there is no hope, only fear. Sam and his friends know that this change can only mean that the FAYZ is entering its end game; in the darkness, the evil known only as the Gaiaphage lashes out, making one last, desperate play for the lives of everyone imprisoned within the dome. However, Fear ends on a good note, the Gaiaphage has lost the battle for the children's lives, and the barrier has become transparent, allowing for the light to pour into the FAYZ once again.
Quotation:
"You want to know what they see? What my mother sees? A boy who fired light from his hands and tried to incinerate a baby," Sam said harshly. "They saw me burn a child. No explanation will ever change that." (Grant Location-8018) (Kindle)
Reaction:
The quote is from the very last chapter of the novel, when the barrier suddenly turns transparent, and all the parents of the children of the FAYZ are standing outside, hopelessly looking for signs that their children are okay inside the dome. Tourists from outside the dome stares as Sam used his powers to fight off the Gaiaphage, who took control over a child's body. If I was in Sam's shoes, I would've done what had to be done as well. I wouldn't give a damn if people were judging me, as long as I knew I was doing the right thing. The spectators from outside the dome don't know the context, or the background of what had happened in the past year in the FAYZ, so I honestly wouldn't have cared what they thought. On the other hand, if I was still in a controlled environment outside of the FAYZ walls, I would've reacted how the parents reacted: baffled and confused. I'm honestly looking forward to reading the sixth, and final book: Light. It's been a while since a book series has gotten me intrigued as much as A Series of Unfortunate Events has.
