written by James Patterson
illustrated by NaRae Lee

When I first picked up this series, I doubted it would deliver the same kind of punch as my favorite manga did, given it was based on a non-Japanese novel. But upon further inspection, I was blown away by how Maximum Ride was carried over into the graphic novel world in true manga fashion. James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series certainly chose the right company in Yen Press to publish it.

In the aftermath of Volume 1’s events, the Flock retrieves Angel and escapes the School, but with the Erasers hot on their tail feathers, Max, Fang, Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge, and Angel need to seek shelter in New York City. There, they hope to find out more about where they came from…or rather, WHO they came from. During Angel’s time in captivity, she learned through telepathy that the members of the Flock were all born from human mothers and had real parents.
 
Even in the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple, the Erasers are not giving them any breathing room. Even after getting a complete image makeover, the group is still tracked down by their enemies. All the while, Max is struggling with the voice that keeps ringing in her head, giving her clues and leading her and her friends in a certain direction.
 
Jeb, their original guardian, continues to seek out Max, passing on more and more vague and cryptic messages about her destiny to “save the world.” Nothing seems to make sense to Max, and the Flock begins to discover new powers within themselves that seem to spring up at all too convenient times, too convenient to be a coincidence.
 
James Patterson’s books do not lose any of their quality as they make the transition from novel to graphic novel. The imagery is just as vivid, and the storytelling maintains the same high levels. The Flock’s adventures are only just beginning, and getting more thrilling with every volume.

-- David Gromer

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