The Unwanteds
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| Author | Lisa McMann |
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| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Aladdin[1] |
Publication date | August 30, 2011[1] |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print, digital, audio |
| Pages | 390[1] |
| ISBN | 978-1442407688 |
| OCLC | 693810559 |
| LC Class | PZ7.M478757 Unw 2011 |
The Unwanteds is a fantasy book series written by Lisa McMann.
Plots
Book 1: The Unwanteds
Alex Stowe is sent off to be purged from the land of Quill, being an Unwanted. Meanwhile, his brother, Aaron, who designed the Favored Farm, is a Wanted. When Alex is dropped off at The Great Lake Of Boiling Oil, however, he is welcomed to a new land, called Artime.
While Alex learns magic from art and creativity, Aaron rises to the prominent position of High Priest Justine's assistant secretary. When Aaron, Justine, and Governor Strang go to The Great Lake Of Boiling Oil, they discover Artime. Quill later attacks Artime, and Aaron fights Mr. Today, the leader of Artime, along with Alex. Meanwhile, Artime defeats Quill in that terrible battle.
Book 2: Island Of Silence
Aaron Stowe has been kicked out of the university of Quill. But, he is power-hungry. Gathering a group of sympathizers named The Restorers, he plots his rise to power, and the demise of Artime.
Meanwhile, two silent, orange-eyed teenagers, named Sky and Crow, have arrived on a raft. While Artime seems to continue along normally, Eva Fathom, a supposed Restorer, is spying on Quill, and passing along information to Sean Ranger. Plus, Mr. Today starts to teach Alex how to be a head mage, and devises a plan to trick Aaron. But, the plan backfires. Aaron confronts Mr. Today, and kills him using five heart-attack spells that Alex invented, thus destroying Artimé. Meanwhile, Alex and Simber, one of Mr. Today's statues, go out on a search for three of Alex's missing friends, Meghan Ranger, Samheed Burkesh, and Lani Haluki. They rescue Meghan and discover that Samheed and Lani have been captured by a neighboring, silent island, called Warbler. On the way back, Simber freezes, and crashes into the sea. Alex and Meghan barely avoid death. At the same time, the Restorers attack Artime, and cause chaos. High Priest Haluki gets captured, along with Mr. Today's daughter, Claire Morning. Aaron becomes High Priest, and plans to destroy Artime.
Book 3: Island Of Fire
Appointed Head Mage by the late Mr. Today, Alex Stowe is left with the task of trying to bring back Artime, the magical land that disappeared upon Mr. Today's death. If he can't, he and his friends are doomed. With the help of Sky, he succeeds in restoring Artime and its magical creatures, but his troubles are only beginning. Now, he must find a way to rescue his friends Lani and Samheed from Warbler Island.
Book 4: Island Of Legends
During Artime's first annual masquerade ball, hundreds of lights appear across the sea. Artime is under attack,a new Alex must prove he can handle his newfound leadership. Meanwhile, Aaron disappears and happens upon a dangerous science hidden in the jungle.
Even during the battle Alex hasn't forgotten his promise to rescue Sky's mother from Pirate Island. Once the rescue team is on the way, friendships are tested and the stakes are high. Later, the team discovers more creatures surrounding their island chain, though some aren't friendly.
Book 5: Island Of Shipwrecks
In this book Alex and his friends end up getting stuck on an island that has a constant storm after they fell off the waterfall in the Island of Legends. There they meet three scientists, who help them survive. While there they fix their boat and are able to escape. When they get back they find that Artime went through a battle, and Meghan and Samheed fought in it because they volunteered to stay behind. Meghan then saved Samheed from General Blair when he miraculously survived from the first one, and you find out that he joined forces with High Priest Aaron Stowe. Meghan dies in the process. In the book there are a few chapters that are about the pirates from the island of fire. They have the one slave who was good friends with Copper, Sky and Crow's mom, draw a picture of the person that helped Copper escape. He does, and they recognize him as Alex, so they raid the palace, and accidentally capture Aaron, and then they send him off the edge off the waterfall, were he lands on the Island of Shipwrecks, the island with the three scientists.
Book 6: Island Of Graves
In this book, Aaron is kidnapped by the pirates from the Island of Fire. The pirates think that Aaron is Alex. After weeks in a small fishing boat tied to back of the pirates ship, they untie the rope and send him in the direction of the island of shipwrecks. Fortunately, he arrives in the hour of calm, but has fainted from the near-death experience. He is then rescued by Isibashi san, Ito san and Sato san. Ishibashi as they think he is Alex because Alex and Aaron are identical twins. He saves Aaron's life by giving making him eat a piece of seaweed that gives him his life, but also gives him eternal life. While Aaron is kidnapped, Gondoleery takes charge and sends general Liam and Alex's twin sisters to their deaths in the Ancient Sector. But Liam escapes and brings the twins to Artime. Lani then as the idea to rally up the necessaries against the new high priest, as she has started to kill necessaries and unwanteds that went to Quill in the last book. But the only way that they can carry out the plan, is to bring back Aaron and make him do rally them as he is the former high priest. The only clue to were the pirates have gone is that Matilda had seen their boat go towards the east (right). As Alex and Sky use the Claire to go to each of the islands that Aaron could be in, they meet the queen of the ocean, a water dragon named Pan who asks them for wings but does not tell why. She says that there is no human on her island. They then reach the island that Alex had seen the help sign and the saber toothed gorilla eat the pig, only now the sign has changed to "COME BACK" so they wait for the night and they hear a girls singing, telling them her story. But Alex does not have time to save here on the way, but promise to save her on their way back. They find Aaron, rescue the girl and go back home.
Book 7: Island Of Dragons
Characters
Main protagonists
Alex Stowe - is the main character. Twin brother to Aaron, one of the original villians, he becomes a powerful fighter and, eventually, the Head Mage of Artime.
Samheed - Strong student who at first resents Alex, blaming him for his own Unwanted designation, but eventually becomes his best friend.
Lani - Child of Senior Governor Haluki, a double agent. Younger than the others, Lani was Purged when she was only twelve. Resentful of this fact until she learns her father, already knowing about Artime, had it done to get her out of Quill. Interested in books and one of Artimes finest students.
Mr. Today - The Head Mage and creator of Artime. Mr. Today created Artime and its magical creatures to save his daughter and the other young Unwanted from death. Also the twin of evil High Priest Justine.
Claire Morning - Mr. Today's daughter and instructor for the students who show a talent for singing.
Simber - An animated statue of a winged cheetah who protects Artime.
Meghan - One of Alex's friends who loves music and singing.
Sky - A girl from Warbler Island who Alex falls for.
Main antagonists
Aaron-Alex's twin brother.
High priest Justine-the high priest of Quill
Gondoleery-the new high priest of Quill
Secondary characters
Eva Fathom - known to the High Priest only as 'Secretary'.
Reception
In a review by Kirkus, The Unwanteds is noted as a cross between The Hunger Games and Harry Potter. Kirkus further notes that "blending elements from two popular genres", ensures that the books will be popular with readers drawn to stories of dystopian fantasy.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Rubino, Caitlen. "THE UNWANTEDS by Lisa McMann | Kirkus Book Reviews". Kirkusreviews.com. Retrieved 2012-10-21.