Gone (novel series)

Gone series

First edition cover of Gone
Gone Hunger Lies Plague Fear Light
Author	Michael Grant
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Supernatural Horror Science fiction Dystopia Thriller
Publisher	HarperCollins
Published	2008–2013
Media type	Print (hardcover and paperback)
No. of books	6

Gone is a bestselling book series written by Michael Grant.

The series is centered on the fictional Southern Californian town of Perdido Beach, in which every human aged 15 and older vanishes. The town and surrounding areas become encased within an impenetrable energy barrier, with many of its inhabitants developing supernatural powers. The books follow the exploits of the protagonist, Sam Temple, as he battles antagonists Caine Soren and Drake Merwin, as well as a mysterious, malevolent creature, known as the Darkness or the gaiaphage (derived from Gaia, a Greek personification of the Earth, and "phage", from the Greek φαγεῖν phagein "to devour").

The first novel in this series, titled Gone, was originally published in 2008. The second book, Hunger, was released a year later, followed by the third book, Lies, on May 4, 2010. The fourth book, Plague, was released on April 5, 2011. The fifth book, Fear, was released on April 3, 2012, in the United States, although it was released as early as March 23 in Australia and Hong Kong. The sixth book, Light, was released on April 2, 2013. The series – "a fun, no-brainer read directed towards teenagers" – has been hailed as "ridiculously popular" and "a sensation in the young adult world".

Every person at the age of 15 or over vanishes from the town of Perdido Beach, causing great confusion and chaos. Friends Sam Temple, Astrid Ellison and Quinn Gaither set out to explore the area until they discover a barrier cutting the area off from the outside world with a radius centered at a nuclear power plant located outside of town. The area within the barrier is nicknamed "Fallout Alley Youth Zone" or "The FAYZ" for short. Exploring this nuclear power plant, the group finds Astrid's severely autistic four-year-old brother Pete, along with a map marking radiation patterns from a 15-year-old explosion at the plant that lines up exactly with the energy barrier. The town children look to Sam as a leader, but chaos ensues. Sam and Pete are revealed to have supernatural powers caused by the power plant's explosion 15 years ago, Sam with the ability to make light, though Pete's are still unknown. Upon the group's return to Perdido Beach, its members encounter vehicles bringing students from the nearby Coates Academy. A Coates student, Caine Soren, impresses the townsfolk and he becomes leader, but Sam and Astrid are suspicious of his motives. Some of the students and others in town have supernatural powers, including Lana Arwen Lazar (who has healing powers). Lana encounters a pack of coyotes, who can talk. They take her to a cave, where something the coyotes call "The Darkness" lives. Caine, who believes he is the most powerful mutant (with telekinesis), takes a group and returns to Coates Academy, discovering that when a person turns 15, they are confronted by something they desire before vanishing. Feeling threatened, Caine enlists the help of local bullies to kidnap Sam and Astrid. He also discovers that he and Sam are twin brothers. During this time, Quinn starts hanging out with people related to Caine, and betrays Sam, telling Caine of his powers. Later, however, Quinn frees Sam and Astrid is freed from Drake, a psychopathic student at Coates Academy, by Pete (who can teleport). Caine instructs Drake to kill Astrid but Sam saves her. Sam's group (Astrid, Quinn, Pete, and Edilio Escobar, a boy who was in their class) escape town and find Lana. They escape the coyotes but are captured by Drake and imprisoned within Coates Academy. Caine encased the hands of anyone with powers who refused to join their cause, in concrete, as their powers come from their hands. Sam's group escapes Coates Academy, with Pete's help, together with various Coates students, and returns to Perdido Beach to fight Caine. Meanwhile, Drake abducts Lana, as he thinks she can help him get his arm back after Sam had burned it off during his escape from Coates Academy. They reach a creature known as "The Darkness" (also known as the gaiaphage) down a mineshaft which uses Lana's power to give Drake a whip for an arm giving him the nickname "Whip Hand". He returns to Caine, who learns how to escape "the poof", and they attack Perdido Beach. Sam and the Coates hostages, as well as Quinn and Edilio and others defend the town. Orc, the town bully who was clawed by coyotes and turned into gravel, turns on Drake and fights him. Sam and Caine fight, but they suddenly see a manifestation of their mother, Connie, who invites them to return to her. Both boys refuse, and Caine is forced to retreat. Later, Albert Hillsborough organizes a Thanksgiving dinner for the town, and Sam encourages them to stick together. Meanwhile, Caine goes with the coyotes to visit the Darkness.