Review Detail

What I Loved:
I devoured Michael Grant's Gone series, so when I heard he was publishing a new one, I was very excited to read it. MESSENGER OF FEAR is a promising start to a new fantasy/paranormal story. The story grab's the reader's attention and keeps one turning the pages to find out what the next crime will be and how that character's story will play out.

Grant really excels at portraying the grayness of morality. The people Mara encounter do terrible things, but aren't necessarily terrible people. This novel shows just how difficult it is to judge others' actions and to decide what punishment they deserve for their crimes. No choice in this story is easy and all choices have consequences.

I'm highly interested in the mythology of this new world. Messenger serves a higher power and I can't wait to find out more.

What Left Me Wanting More:
This novel is very much the first in a series and it opens up a lot of questions. The reader gets a taste of this world, but I can tell that there's much more to discover. Because of this, it doesn't quite feel like a fully fleshed-out world. I also didn't feel a very strong connection to any of the characters, which I believe is a result of the same issue. I felt the same way with GONE, though, so I have faith that Grant will deliver with the rest of the series.

The Final Verdict:
Told with Grant's signature blunt and at times terrifying narration, MESSENGER OF FEAR is a solid start to a new series.