Plague (Gone Series Book 4) - Michael Grant

Title: Plague (Gone Series Book 4)
Author: Michael Grant
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2011
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
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“Plague” by Michael Grant is the 4th Book in the Gone series and this is the first book in this series that I am going to write a review for. I have to admit that I was desperate to read this book as I have found all the previous Gone books to some of the best dark, dystopian novels available to read. I am always surprised that I actually don’t see them being discussed on many other blogs, in my opinion they deserve all the accolades they can get.

This book basically follows on from the previous one in the series, the teenagers and children are still trapped inside a impenetrable bubble, cut off from their parents and the overall outside world. So far many of children have survived all that has been thrown at them, from an evil creature known as the Darkness, to hunger, sickness and in fighting. It now seems like things are going to get better as the Darkness is sealed in a mine, whip handed Drake is imprisoned, Caine and Diana are exiled to an island and the violent “Human Crew” have been dispersed. However, as always, things won’t go right for the kids, Sam and Astrid’s relationship is in trouble, the entire community is running out of water and a fatal flu is now spreading throughout the population. In addition, the Darkness is trying to escape and is calling new and more dangerous servants to it’s cause.

I loved this book, I think it has to be the darkest of the novels so far with the brutality of life now really testing the core principles of all the characters. There is also a lot of different things going on, but it is told in a speedy fast paced manner that brings the whole thing together in really interesting finish. As always the author manages to capture the characters brilliantly, with them still acting as teenagers such as drinking, grappling with themselves and each other and of course thinking about sex even as they try and just survive the dangers being thrown at them.

There some new things introduced to us that we haven’t seen before which is nice. For example there is a new character called Toto who seems to have been used to add a little bit of humour into the story as he has the ability to tell if someone is telling the truth. This a good foil to the real feeling of tension, danger and fear that infuse the majority of the story. We also get to see a new part of the area surrounded by the bubble and witness some of the main characters seemingly being at real risk of death.

In summary, I really enjoyed this book and think anyone who has been following the series will love this. The book had adventure, horror, emotion and drama all mixed together in a very dark and brutal manner that really packed a punch. In addition we actually get to see some real growth in the characters and find out some real clues about a bigger picture regarding the powers that some of the children have developed.

Now that I have finished “Plague” I am desperately awaiting the penultimate book in the series titled “Fear”.