Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Gregor the Overlander - Series Love

A lot of people have read Suzanne Collins's other series, The Hunger Games, but I actually loved her first series even more. Written for middle grades readers, I rank The Underland Chronicles in my top 5 series of all time. Published from 2003-2007, this 5-book series continues to captivate my students every year.

Starting with Gregor the Overlander, these books center on an amazing underground world populated by GI-NORMOUS creatures such as bats, cockroaches, spiders, and rats. A secret underground colony of humans vies for power against the deadly rats.



What I love most about these books is that they tell a complete story, in a clear arc that builds in intensity and darkens with each installment. Beginning as an edge-of-your seat adventure, books 2-5 tackle the morality of preemptive murder, biological weapons, genocide, and the brutality of war.

Book 1: Gregor the Overlander

Book 2: Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane

Book 3: Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods

Book 4: Gregor and the Marks of Secret

Book 5: Gregor and the Code of Claw

This post is part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge.


2 comments:

  1. I had read Gregor the Overlander way back in the day when it came out and loved it too! I never got to the rest of the series.. (maybe it's time now??)

    When the Hunger Games came out, I had to google Suzanne Collins because I knew the name was familiar but couldn't place it!

    Michelle @ In Media Res

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    1. Yes! Go back and read the whole series! They get darker and more intense as they progress. I found that the series as a whole had a very complete, cohesive arc - in true Suzanne Collins fashion.

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