The Underland Chronicles Book Five: Gregor and the Code of Claw

De: Suzanne Collins

Narrado por: Paul Boehmer

Rich in suspense and brimming with adventure, the New York Times-bestselling Underland Chronicles unfold the fate of the Underland and the great warrior, Gregor. Suzanne Collins is also the author of the bestselling Hunger Games trilogy.

Everyone has been trying to keep Gregor from seeing the final prophecy, The Prophecy of Time. It says something awful: It calls for the warrior’s death. The warrior being Gregor, of course. Now, an army of rats is quickly approaching and Gregor’s mom and little sister, Boots, are still in Regalia. The entire existence of the Underland is in Gregor’s hands and time is running out. There is a code that must be cracked, a new princess to contend with Gregor’s burgeoning dark side, and a war designed to end all wars.

In this suspenseful final installment in the acclaimed Underland Chronicles, Suzanne Collins unfolds the fate of the Underland and the great warrior, Gregor the Overlander, in a manner that can only be described as masterful.©2008 Suzanne Collins; (P)2008 Listening Library

Fabulous Series - get them all!

I loved Gregor from the opening of the first book to the closing of the last book. Every scrap and tussle proved that Gregor is a very real boy in a weird world under the city of New York. I wanted the series to go on and on. Keep writing, Suzanne, you are a gifted storyteller.

Re-read after several years

I remembered this series recently after not reading it for many years. I initially read it to my kids on a camping trip and we had some great conversations out of it. I appreciate the depth the author goes into, the effects of violence on children, families, and communities. I also like the story showing that even the youngest, weakest members of society have value.

Good

Loved book one. This was good, too, but loved the first one. Listen to them all with my 11 y.o. son who didn't care for the romance in book 5.

Great story

Luxa & Gregor were cute and innocent. The love of his family and his bond was sweet.

They kissed. They parted. Fantasy meets Reality.

Would you consider the audio edition of Gregor and the Code of Claw to be better than the print version?

With multiple listenings of the audio, I have not felt the need to read the print version.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ripred impressed me with his insights, honesty and devotion. He was Gregor's mentor, a reality check for the Regalian royalty, the hope of the rats even when they did not know it, and the one person who could handle prophecy as it ought to be.

What about Paul Boehmer’s performance did you like?

Paul Boehmer gave enough vocal distinction to make most characters seem differentiated and real. I especially liked Boots, Mrs. Cormaci and Ripred. His style and diction made the story easy to listen to, which I did several times.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was moved to breathe a sigh of relief when Luxa refused to come above ground and the rock was replaced. Luxa, tender and loving at moments, also revealed herself to be a young Solovet. And if the royal-commoner divide does not doom a relationship with Gregor, her warrior predisposition and ability to stand by and watch him die in quicksand certainly are not good omens. Gregor needs Mrs. Cormaci's healing touch much more than he needs Luxa's hand. Fantasy meets reality.

Any additional comments?

Not many sword and sorcery fantasy books paint a picture of battle as realistic as Collins has here. Gregor spends more time in the hospital than in battle, and ends the book needing much healing. The children in the story, though, seem a wee bit older than their stated ages, and I think the story has a lot to offer readers/listeners a wee bit beyond Gregor's thirteen.