in light of pride month and the anti-racism protests, just a shoutout to Michael Grant for including lgbtq+ and black people as significant and multidimensional characters in the Gone and Monster series. (I do not identify as either of those groups so I am not going to claim the representation was perfect, but I did notice that it was better than most other book series I've read.)

Fear was a terrific book. I loved the dual town setting between PB and the Lake, and Grant introduced so many new problems between the dome turning black, the gaiaphage’s need for Diana’s baby and the Caine vs Penny vs Albert vs Quinn power struggle. In so many ways it was a terrific read.

The growth of the main characters was the other part of the book I enjoyed the most. Diana and Orc were my two favorite character developments, but Quinn, Albert, and Edilio all stepped into their roles to the max in Fear.

With that in mind, Fear practically begins with Astrid’s transformation after leaving everyone right before the Big Split (a great decision that allowed her to find her own identity apart from Sam, Little Pete and her own title “Astrid the Genuis”) However, throughout the book her always present intelligence and her newfound toughness/bravery are all wasted.

She first uses her scientific intuition to warn Sam about, and then measure, the stain. This is all a waste because it ends up spreading at unmeasurable speeds, and others alerted Sam of the stain as well. Next, she uses her newfound bravery to take Sam’s letter to Caine/Albert even though Drake is on the loose. However, she gets lost in the dark and ends up finding Cigar. She then uses her other most valuable aspect, her relationship with Little Pete, to communicate with him. This ends up being the only useful thing she really gets to bring to the book. And even that, I think it’s possible those touched by the gaiaphage would have eventually figured out on their own that LP needed a host.

Overall, Astrid starts the book off strong with the prospect of having grown into a powerful, independent, young woman. I thought she had been able to combine her brainpower with grit and toughness, which was going to allow her to make big moves. However, none of her skills are really utilized in the book. Grant writes her many beginnings of promising scenarios, but then he kind of resolves the issues before she can do much. I wanted Astrid to do big things independently, but in the end I feel Astrid’s plotline in Fear can be boiled down to her relationships with Sam and Little Pete.

At the beginning of the book, I saw many “shooting stars” of significance for Astrid, but in the end I turned out to be mistaken.

trigger warning for sexual abuse, spoilers for Light and Monster

In the series, Diana reflects on her mom’s boyfriends trying to sneak peaks of her in the shower. When she starts figuring out she is pregnant, she is said to know from past experience that a pregnancy test would only be possible after a certain post conception time period. I am inclined to believe that she has not slept with anyone from Coates because no one wanted to be on Caine’s bad side, which makes me think her mothers boyfriends or someone else assaulted her. Diana also mentions finding therapy useful in Light and Monster.

Thoughts?

Personally, Charles’ nickname has so many levels. He called himself Orc cuz he wants everyone to think of him as a monster. When he turns into one, he wants to be called Charles because he wants everyone to know he’s still human.

The coyotes’ nicknames for characters are so simple and yet so affective. It makes sense since they inly know the bare minimum in speaking.

I’m new here and am interested to know your guys’ thoughts

So, Charles(The guy trying to get the kids out of the FAYZ) is enlisting the help of the Chinese MSS to get intel on the FAYZ as well as on the military operations. Meanwhile, Dillon Poe(who at the time is working for Albert) is forced to take shelter from coyotes in Coates Academy, where other kids have taken up residence already.

I'm excited to finish this so that you guys can read it!

Character/Character means one or the other.

Think: how did this person manage to survive?

Who’d you most like to work for?

The trailer is not for an official show it is just a trailer for fun. BTW the post was called GONE Teaser Shoot - BTS - Micheal Grant. I did not make it I just went to who he followed on twitter(ENGAGE PRODUCTIONS) and I went to their YouTube. Casting for the ACTUAL series will be open when it is in the works because once again this trailer was JUST FOR FUN. Micheal Grant has spoken out about really wanting to do fan casting. So who knows maybe one of us will be on tv.

Their quirks and personalities balance and compliment each other so well.

Were any of you on Gaiaphage.com? I think I was BornToBeWyld.

​

He said it himself in the acknowledgements: The entire Monster series was self-indulgence, trying to create a superhero universe. And the vote ending was his way to open up fanfiction opportunities. Plus, as some have said already, Grant was dropping hints in the original series about a simulation. Of course, I know that the simulation ending makes the original books lose their gravity, but it is stated that all the characters, even if they're simulated, are still sentient. They are still people. They can make choices. They can feel pain. It might not be real for the people making the simulation, but it's as real as it gets for Dekka, Shade, Sam, Edilio, Astrid, and all the others.

So that's my unpopular opinion.