Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane (Underland Chronicles Series #2)

by Suzanne Collins

Overview

The action and adventure continue for Gregor in this stunning fantasy from Suzanne Collins, bestselling author of the Hunger Games. New cover art coming July 1st!

Gregor swears he will never return to the Underland, that strange world below New York City. But he is a key player in another prophecy, this one about an ominous white rat called the Bane. The Underlanders know there is only one way to lure Gregor back to their world: by kidnapping his little sister, Boots.
Now Gregor's quest reunites him with his bat, Ares, and the rebellious princess Luxa. They descend into the dangerous Waterway in search of the Bane. If Gregor does not fulfill the prophecy, his life, and the Underland, will never be the same.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780439650762
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	05/01/2005
Series:	Underland Chronicles Series , #2
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	12,087
Product dimensions:	7.36(w) x 11.06(h) x 0.74(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Suzanne Collins' debut novel, Gregor the Overlander, the first book in The Underland Chronicles, received wide praise both in the United States and abroad. The series has been a New York Times bestseller and received numerous accolades. Also a writer for children's television, Suzanne lives with her family in Connecticut.

Table of Contents

Editorial Reviews

In the second title in the Underland Chronicles series, Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins, Gregor returns to the world beneath New York City, seeking his young sister, Boots, who has been kidnapped by giant cockroaches that are trying to protect her from murderous rats. PW said of Gregor the Overlander, "Collins does a grand job of world-building.... Unlike Gregor who cannot wait to leave, readers will likely find it to be a fantastically engaging place." Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

When Gregor's baby sister Boots is kidnapped by giant cockroaches from Underland, Gregor knows he must once again go there to retrieve her. The Underlanders want Gregor to prevent the Prophecy of Bane, hinted at the end of Gregor the Overlander, from becoming reality. Bane apparently is a large white rat and only Gregor can prevent Bane's upsetting the delicate balance in the Underworld. The rats know the way to Gregor is through Boots and so the lines are drawn. Once again, Collins peppers the book with amazing characters (old and new), tense as well as humorous situations and dialogue, and another world made believable. Gregor has matured some since his last adventure. He learns to deal with the fact that he is a "rager," a deadly and efficient fighter. He is more confident in his own abilities to reason and understand, as well. Readers will be surprised by his resolution of the prophecy. Those who have not read the first Gregor will be at a slight disadvantage. Collins tries to weave necessary details from Gregor's first visit to the Underworld into this one, but it definitely slows the early chapters down and is not completely satisfying. Once details have been attended to and the actual adventure begins, the pace quickens and excitement builds. There's a hint of yet another sequel; by the time readers finish this one, they'll be asking when! 2004, Scholastic Press, Ages 9 to 13.
—Peg Glisson

Children's Literature

Gr 5-8-With more than capable narration by actor Paul Boehmer, Suzanne Collins's second novel in the Underland Chronicles series (Scholastic, 2004) practically vibrates with excitement and adventure. It takes a bit of time to catch up on characters and events from the first book, but enough hints are dropped along the way to make this accessible to new listeners. Gregor is an Overlander, an 11-year-old who lives in New York City. Boots, his toddler sister, disappears into the Underland, a vast world beneath the city that's populated by enormous bats, cockroaches, and rats, while sledding in Central Park. Gregor knows he must return to the strange underground kingdom of Regalia to rescue her. Boehmer gives each character a distinctive voice, and he has the tone and timing of toddler Boots down perfectly. His voice reflects the change in Gregor as he matures under the weight of his responsibilities. A good choice for fantasy fans in school and public libraries.-Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

When giant cockroaches kidnap his baby sister Boots from Central Park, Gregor knows that he has no choice but to descend to the Underland to find her. Readers will eagerly remember what Gregor has tried to forget: that at the end of Gregor the Overlander (2003), the fey Nerissa had hinted at the Prophecy of Bane. Bane, it appears, is a giant white rat, one whose coming portends the end of the delicate balance of power in the Underland; Gregor is prophesied to be the end of Bane, but not if the rats get Boots first. Collins crafts another edge-of-the-seat quest; a race between Gregor and the rats reunites the boy with Queen Luxa and with Ares, his new bat-bond. Humor and terror alternate, as the third-person narration (heavily flavored by the voice of 11-year-old Gregor) details the bickering brought on by close quarters and then unflinchingly throws the questers into mortal danger. Gregor's resolution of the prophecy will surprise and delight readers-who will be equally delighted to see that Nerissa has packed a new prophecy in Gregor's luggage when he returns home. Yessss! (Fiction. 9-14)

Kirkus Reviews