Book review
Written by James Patterson
Century Hardback
Release date Out now

Super-powered Max is faced with carrying on her struggle without Fang, but can Dylan fill his shoes…?

Max is brooding without her boyfriend, Fang. He’s putting his own flock together, and recruits Max’s clone Maya. When scientist Jeb tells Max she is the future of the world, she is none too pleased —especially when he reveals she is to be paired with Dylan, engineered to be her perfect other half. Very soon her flock are caught up in a plot by the Doomsday group to wipe out humanity and repopulate the Earth with hybrids. Max and Fang must reunite and go to Paris to defeat the new menace.

Angel is the seventh book in Patterson’s Maximum Ride Young Adult series, and he certainly has the teen superhero genre sewn up. His writing is smooth and he never talks down to his readership, while his fast-paced plot is heavy on emotion as well as action.

Patterson’s heroes are interesting and intriguing, and never superficial. He handles relationships and the problems that concern the teens well, particularly Max’s romantic feelings as she’s torn between Fang and Dylan. Her feelings for her mother and for the younger members of her flock are also finely written. It’s no wonder that the series has built up such an eager and enthusiastic readership.

While the narrative and language is pretty straightforward (pre-teens can probably also enjoy the book), Angel is engrossing enough that even adult readers will find something to keep them turning the page. An emotional cliffhanger at the climax promises that the next, and final, book will be nailbiting stuff indeed. Mark James

VERDICT: 7/10
Fast-paced and action-packed Young Adult novel with strong, interesting characters.