The games continue in New York Times bestselling author Michael Grant's sequel to Messenger of Fear―a haunting tale for fans of Stephen King that combines fantasy with real-world horror stories. Mara has learned to punish the wicked as the Messenger's apprentice. Those who act out of selfishness and greed, and others who become violent because of prejudice and hate, pay the ultimate price. But Mara is constantly reminded that Messengers are serving their own kind of punishment―for every person who is offered justice, they wear a tattoo that symbolizes the heart of the crime. As Mara delves deeper into her harsh reality she will discover that in spite of all the terror she and Messenger inflict, caring in this world is the hardest part of all. How can she save the world when every soul she judges leaves another scar on her own? A Game of Life and Death: Mara’s targets—from racist bullies to cruel pimps—must play for their souls. But when the Game Master arrives, losing is the least of their worries. - An Apprentice to a Powerful Being: Her mysterious mentor, the Messenger, wields immense power, but he’s haunted by a lost love that could be his undoing… and Mara’s. - Supernatural Powers and Terrible Curses: As her own power grows, Mara learns the true cost of her service: every wicked act she punishes is tattooed onto her own skin, a permanent chronicle of horror. - Good vs. Evil: Mara must face down not just human cruelty, but literal demons like the seductive Oriax, who offers a tempting escape from her grim duty. Gr 9 Up—Mara and the Messenger of Fear are back to mete out their particularly brutal brand of justice to those who have caused harm to themselves as well as to others. In this outing, they track two cases, one involving two teenage boys who have committed heinous hate crimes as well as those who have caused a young teenage runaway to overdose on illegal drugs. As in Messenger of Fear (HarperCollins, 2014), the punishments dispensed by the Messenger and his apprentice are graphic and will cause some readers to wince, though those who like their stories on the gory side will enjoy this work tremendously. Grant adequately expands the series' universe, gives readers more of the Messenger's backstory, and explains why he does what he does. There is sufficient summary at the start of this volume for those who have not read the previous title, but readers' experience will be greatly enhanced if they have. The ending is a bit rushed, yet teens will be satisfied with a few loose ends. VERDICT This will appeal to fans of the first installment as well as those who enjoy gory reads.—Christopher Lassen, Brooklyn Public Library Praise for MESSENGER OF FEAR: “The Messenger of Fear has a two-word message for readers: BE AFRAID. The nightmares start in chapter one and don’t let up. Seriously, this book gave me chill after chill. My message to you: Read it in a safe, well-lighted place. It’s fright fiction at its best!” - R. L. Stine, author of the bestselling Goosebumps series “The enviably cunning and ever versatile Michael Grant explodes on the scene with Messenger of Fear, a palpitating horror fantasy mash-up with a genius twist that blew my mind. I walked through O’hare with this book in my face-I couldn’t stop reading!” - Lisa McMann, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Wake trilogy and The Unwanteds series “Mesmerizing, horrifying, and deeply thought-provoking.” - Carrie Ryan, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth “Grant only slowly unveils the reason Mara is with the Messenger, building tension and atmosphere expertly for maximum impact. Readers will find that in the end, it all comes together extremely well. An unusual and intriguing puzzle of a book.” - Kirkus Reviews “Written from a stream-of-consciousness point of view, this book is a welcome change from the current dystopian young adult books that are so popular.The idea that good and evil in the world are balanced on the edge of a knife is a motivating philosophy.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) “Grant’s new series starts off with a bang and never lets up. Mara is a strong, relatable character who stands up for herself, while also regretful of some of the things she has done in her past. The games will delight those readers who enjoy a little gore and horror in their books. This is a promising start to a series with a truly unique concept.” - School Library Journal “Grant explores bullying, family problems, suicide, and more, and several painful passages will have readers cringing, even as they make them think about what they would do in the same situation….a solid beginning to a series that is likely to be quite popular with horror and paranormal fans.” - Booklist “This will appeal to fans of the first installment as well as those who enjoy gory reads.” - School Library Journal “Readers will still be satisfied with Mara’s growing maturity and acceptance of her own fate.” - Booklist Praise for THE