In a post-apocalyptic world called the FAYZ, kids battle each other and a rising threat called the gaiaphage to try and stay alive.

This is the basic concept of Gone written by Michael Grant. Gone is the first book of a six-book-long series in which a bunch of kids have to cope with extreme hunger, looming danger, and confronting their greatest fears.

Gone starts off with the coming of an impenetrable barrier, called the FAYZ (or Fallout Alley Youth Zone) by its occupants. This barrier traps all kids under the age of fifteen in a certain area in southern California, cutting them off from the rest of the world. Their parents, teachers, older siblings, and even the police officers and firefighters that keep them safe have disappeared mysteriously, leaving the children to fend for themselves. A few brave youngsters–Sam Temple, Edilio Escobar, Caine Soren, and Diana Ladris–step up to try and keep the conditions inside the FAYZ under control, but their methods differ in drastic and dangerous ways. Groups begin to form within the barrier, causing tensions to spring up and fights to break out. The once-peaceful world of southern California turns savage and corrupt as every FAYZ occupant tries to find the best method of survival for his or herself.

The main issue of the first book (and the one I’m reviewing) is the possible disappearance of two of the main characters. In the FAYZ, once you turn fifteen, you disappear, and no one knows where you go. Maybe you go to the outside world, maybe you die. The two boys–Caine and Sam–try to find a way to fight the disappearance, to say no to the temptation of a possible way out of their new, war-torn world. In the meantime, however, each boy has to deal with other problems–fighting fires, trying to keep the FAYZ kids under control, stopping battles from ending in deaths. And of course, the other characters inject their own issues into the mix. Drake Merwin, a troubled and sadistic kid of fourteen, keeps trying to gain power within the FAYZ–doing anything to achieve his goal . . . including killing anyone who stands in his way. Conspiracies develop, causing seemingly loyal kids to turn evil.

The reason why I love this book so much is that it has great, lovable characters (such as Edilio Escobar) and a compelling plot. It draws me in because the characters are kids, everyday kids. The story shows that something this horrible could happen to people like me. This is what makes the characters so relatable. This book is up there with my favorites, and I’d recommend it to any lover of science fiction. It keeps readers asking the same question over and over: Which side will prevail in the end? What sacrifices will the characters make to keep their loved ones alive? Want to know the answers to these questions? Read the book to find out!

Gone by Michael Grant is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.