Shade's Children

by Garth Nix

Book Overview

From renowned fantasy author of the Old Kingdom series, Garth Nix, comes a dystopian fantasy perfect for fans of Hunger Games and Divergent.

Imagine a world where your fourteenth birthday is your last and where even your protector may not be trusted....

In a futuristic urban wasteland, evil Overlords have decreed that no human shall live a day past their fourteenth birthday. On that Sad Birthday, the children of the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062075985
• ISBN13: 9780062075987
• Release Date: May 2012
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 and higher

Customer Reviews

An interesting and thrilling read

Shade's Children is, in my opinion a very creative and imaginative book. This is the only book by Garth Nix that I have ever read. The whole idea behind the book is very fascinating, much different from other books that I've read. It is a mystery that is trying to be solved, how all of the adults dissapeared. One day they all just vanished. And then the Overlords came. Nobody knows where or how they came. One day they were just there, and then came their creatures.Screamers scream singly, all alone;Trackers track in trios of three;Ferrets follow in fangs of five;Myrmidons march in maniples of seven;Wingers fly in flights of nine.The Overlords captured the children and sent them to the Dorms, only to stimulate there bodys, for later on their Sad Birthday, they would be taken to the "Central Processing Unit" (i.e. The Meat Factory). Their muscels and brains were to be used only for the creation of creatures. But there is a band of rebels under the guidence of Shade. Children who had escaped the Dorms and been taken in by Shade. Though Shade is not a man. He is not even really living. Is Shade there to help them or is he just using them for his own purposes. Find out.This book is really excellent and suspenseful. I strongly recommend it to anyone with a liking for science fiction.

Wonderful book -- but be prepared

Shade's Children (Garth Nix) is honestly among the best books I have ever read. It is well worth your time to read it, particularly if you are a science fiction fan.That said, let's get a little warning out of the way first: This book is intensely dark from beginning to end. It is a book designed to frighten you, and it does its job well. The trick is, Shade's Children does not rely on the gory sort of horror Hollywood and even many novelists have introduced to us as of late. Rather, it twists your mind around, leaving out the disgusting scenes and instead realizing God is in the details, and the book uses subtlety that will haunt you long after you have forgotten the blood and guts of the movies.Shade's Children involves a world decimated by warfare, warfare comitted by enigmatic beings called the Overlords, whose sole puprose is to make war. On a child's fourteenth birthday they are taken to a facility where their brains, muscles and other organs are used to make the Overlords' death machines.At the center of the storm is a creature known only as Shade, who gives shelter and help to the few children lucky enough to escape the Overlords. However, they also conduct strikes in an attempt to destroy these things that have taken over their world, and as they come closer to succeeding in their goal, Shade seems to become more and more like the enemy they have to destroy.In short, this is a wonderfully written book you will be remember long after you have finished it. However, as noted, it is *not* something for the kiddies--Shade's Children is the stuff of nightmares. If you are ready, however, there are few books I've read better than this.~Kei

If I could, I'd give it six stars.

Garth Nix's book Shade's Children is by far the best book I have Ever read. I really give it six stars, unfortunatly I can't. This is a page turner and you won't be able to put it down. You can get to know the characters such as Goldeye, Drum and more realistic characters. This action packed futuristic novel will keep you on the edge of your seat. A great twist ending that will blow your mind. Nix has really outdone himself this time. I can't wait to read his next work. If you like action, suspense with a pinch of romance then you have to read this book. My favorite part, was the whole book! The developed characters in this futuristic setting made me feel like I had traveled into the future and was watching the whole thing. I couldn't belive it! You must buy this book!

THIS IS A GREAT BOOK READ IT TODAY (A reader from Oregon USA

I thought that this was one of the greatest books I have ever read. It was about 4 kids escaping the dorms. The dorms are a place where all kids under the ages of 14 are kept. When they get to the age of 14 they are sent off to the meet factory. At the meat factory they are basically killed, but there mind is put into creatures. The names of the creatures are Trackers, Myrmidons, Ferrrets, and Wingers. The leaders of all of this are called overlords. There are 7 overlords all of a different color and there own way of life. These kids all had there own powers. These powers were called "Change talents". Goldeye could see the soon to be now which was basically what would happen in around 5 seconds. He could not control this power. Ninde if she sucked on her nuckle she could read the thoughts of anything that could think. Ella if she knew what shape and size a thing was she could use all her strength and make the things. Drum the fighter of the group had major strength and could easily fight off 1 creature with some help from his group. These four people lived with a human personality computer named Shade. Shade had saved his personality into the computer right as the change was going to happen. The place that they lived was a submarine where the groups of kids that got out and could servive to get to the place could live and survive unless on a mission from shade and die. The group that he was interested in writing about were always close to death, but they always survived somehow. No overlord has ever been killed but if ever one did it would be great for all of human kind. This book is supposed to be happening sometime in the 3000s. If you ever want to find out if the humans survive the change read the book and you will be surprised at the beginning middle and end. This is a great book and I reccomend this book to people who like young adult books and who likes changed worlds.

If you liked "The Matrix", you'll love "Shade's Children"!

"Shade's Children" is the story of four children living in the distant future, when Earth is taken over by machines. I thought it was a great book because it had a traditional "good vs. evil" kind of plot with a twist: the heroes are basically regular kids fighting to survive. It had an exciting plot and kept me on the edge of my seat. I can't wait to read Garth Nix's next novel!