Tagged: meg falconer
Now You See Them, Now You Don’t by Gordon Korman
(Cover picture courtesy of ACK children and young adults.)
One man holds the key to freeing Aiden and Meg Falconer’s parents from prison: a mysterious figure named Frank Lindenauer. Aiden and Meg must cross the country to try to catch them…even as the FBI tries to catch them first.
In California, Aiden and Meg fall in with a crowd that already has its share of trouble. They want to believe they’ve found friends who will help them out. But if they’re not careful, these “friends” will sell them out instead.
More impossible escapes, more danger and more excitement. One would not think Gordon Korman’s On the Run series would be all that different, but unlike a lot of action/thriller series, it’s not just the numbers on the spines that distinguish one book from another. Each book moves the plot forward while providing all the action and humour you can expect from Gordon Korman.
What distinguishes Now You See Them, Now You Don’t from the first two books is that we discover more about the mysterious Frank Lindenauer and we see the darker side of the inner city. Meg and Aiden finally make mistakes and it’s only luck that saves them at times, not their own ingenuity. This would be annoying except for the fact it shows they have flaws; they’re not the perfect fugitives. They are still clever enough to hold readers’ attention, but their flaws give them a lot more depth than they had before.
The premise of On the Run certainly isn’t unique (going on the run to prove someone’s innocence), but for the target age group it certainly will be. Even if you’ve read something like this before, Gordon Korman’s humour and action-packed writing will win you over. They’re quite short books, only around 100 pages, but I still re-read them once a year.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Fugitive Factor by Gordon Korman
(Cover picture courtesy of Better World Books.)
Aiden and Meg Falconer are out to find the evidence that will free their parents from a life sentence in prison. But in order to do that, they have to live undercover. Ever since they broke out of a juvenile detention facility, they’ve been chased by the FBI..and by a strange killer they’ve nicknamed Hairless Joe. Now their story has hit the airwaves, and suddenly everyone is looking for them. They think they can hide with an old family friend…but when Meg is thrown in jail, the danger and adventure only increase.
Unexpected betrayal, action, danger and the struggle to prove their parents’ innocence in a country that hates them…Meg and Aiden Falconer have it pretty tough. However, situations like this make for great fiction and as this is targeted at younger tweens and kids, they’ll love it. It’s not really cliché if you’ve never encountered it before and most kids haven’t encountered Gordon Korman’s not-so-unique premise by the time they read his On The Run series.
Whereas Chasing the Falconers (the first book) focused mainly on Meg and Aiden running from the authorities after escaping the farm, The Fugitive Factor focuses on their search for Uncle Frank. Uncle Frank is the only one who may be able to prove their parents’ innocence, but the problem is that he’s missing. No one’s seen him in years and they don’t have any leads other than the name of one of his numerous girlfriends.
Both Meg and Aiden develop as characters and even if they didn’t, readers would still be able to relate to them. As for the scenarios they escape, it’s obvious Gordon Korman has done his research. In theory, many of these escapes could work, so if you’re ever on the run, you should probably read this books. (I’m kidding…sort of.)
I give this book 4/5 stars.
Chasing the Falconers by Gordon Korman
(Cover picture courtesy of J & J Books and Coffee.)
Aiden and Meg Falconer are their parents’ only hope. The Falconers are facing life in prison—unless Aiden and Meg can follow a trail of clues to prove their innocence. The problem? They’re trapped in a juvenile detention center. Until they escape one night—and find themselves on the run, both from the authorities and from a sinister attacker who has his own reason to stop them. The Falconers must use their wits to make it across the country—with plenty of tests along the way.
I admit it: this book is way too young for me. I wasn’t in the target age group when I read it and I’m certainly not now, but it’s still a book I like to re-read about once a year. Why? Because it’s a well-written book with a cliché yet interesting premise.
It’s kind of predictable, but I’ve read a lo of books and watched a lot of movies with a similar premise. However, for the target age group, this would be their first exposure to a premise like this (proving the innocence of someone who’s been framed) and as such, is a great introduction to crime fiction. Gordon Korman is an excellent writer and has obviously done his research when it comes to all of the exciting scenarios in his first book in the On the Run series.
Meg and Aiden are great characters; they’re sympathetic and Chasing the Falconers appealing for both boys and girls. They also don’t like resorting to stealing to survive while they hunt for evidence and feel a lot of guilt when they do, but it shows that they at least refuse to sink to a really low level. Gordon Korman makes the siblings sympathetic (especially when we learn more about their backstory) while at the same time keeping the plot moving at a fast pace.
I would highly recommend it to people ages 10-12.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.