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I like to read the ads in the back of books-it's a thing of mine. Sometimes they give some great stuff away, and sometimes, they introduce a few great series that are of a similar taste to the book you are reading. Either way, there is always a jackpot in the back of a good book. Recently, while reading the Buffy and Angel books, I discovered an ad for the book series Fearless by Francine Pascal. I made a mental note to take a look at it the next time I hit a bookstore.
Natrually, I forgot about it. Soon afterward, I discovered that, not only was this book series getting some serious recognition, but that there was a mid-season replacement television series in the works for the WB this spring. That clinched it. I had to learn more about this series. So I picked up the first few books, and read.
Interesting is the best word I can come up with after reading the first few books of this series. The story was good, but not spectacular; not bad, but predictable. Let me explain...
This story is about a girl named Gaia Moore who is the daughter of a CIA agent and who apparently was not born with the capacity to feel fear. Due to this fact, her father trained her to be a strong and skillful fighter as well as developed her intelligence at a young age to help her adapt well to the danger she inadvertently seems to get herself into.
Gaia has just moved in with new foster parents, as her father abandoned her at twelve, when her mother died. She's new to New York City, and within her first few days there, she manages to rack up a few friends and an alarming amount of enemies. Everyone who is out and about seems to want to take her out-no matter what the cost.
This story is filled with the usual cast of characters, all with their own twist. It's got Gaia, the strong lead female, only unlike most comparable characters she enjoys putting herself into dangerous situations. There's Ed Fargo the wisecracking best friend, in this story a former jock in a wheelchair. Then there is Sam Moon, the brooding and adorable preppy boy who is a closet geek and chess whiz.
The book is also written with a twist. In between chapters, there are two page-long ramblings that appear to be taken straight out of the journal entries of different characters, giving readers an interesting view into the minds of supporting characters in a book that is mainly told from Gaia's point of view.
Unfortunately, this book is also filled with clichés-the biggest of which comes in the form of Heather Gannis, the token "popular girl", who's pretty, smart, and dates a college boy. As always, this girl is the exact opposite of our main character, Gaia. She also becomes her immediate enemy and is naturally dating the boy she likes. Another huge cliché is the "wicked step-mother" Ellie, the wife of the man who took Gaia in. There's also the chess battle between Gaia and Sam, in which both try to hustle each other and end up, not only impressed by one another's skill, but developing the hots for one another. I'm sure that has been done in every book, movie, and television show known to humanity.
Yet, as I read on, I found that I was immersed in this girl's story. Gaia's past is secretive to the point where it seems that some of those closest to her may actually be enemies. The further the story is delved into, the more hidden surprises erupt. Soon, Gaia is not only the target of Neo-Nazi scum, but a secret terrorist organization and even the CIA. The girl has a unique gift and everybody wants it.
The absolute best part of the story is the style of writing Pascal uses in the story. It is quite different and interesting and is what kept me attached to this book when I was wondering when the surprises would start. If you can remember what you thought like when you were 17, you can enjoy this book. Gaia thinks like real teenagers do, and the stories don't hold back when discussing the sex, drugs, and violent things that are a reality for many teens. Gaia especially doesn't hold back on the swearing either, making her my kind of gal.
All in all, I've seen this story get better and better as it goes along. There are moments of predictability, in the interpersonal relationships but not in the actual storyline itself. At the end of the day, supporting characters help a novel and should not be unoriginal. This is a problem that I think needs some work as the story goes along.
Fearless may not be for everybody, but to say the least, it's entertaining to read. A 17-year-old petite blonde girl destroys a group of Neo-Nazis and terrorists. That will most likely never get old.
Send your comments and or questions about this article to Manzanos@netzero.net.