Jimmy Fincher

I began reading the Jimmy Fincher Saga while on vacation. I think the author, James Dashner, is great, and the books seemed like they could be good cruise reading. There are four books: A Door in the Woods, A Gift of Ice, The Tower of Air, and War of the Black Curtain.

The books follow the adventures of 14-year-old Jimmy and his family and friends as they fight to save the world from the invasion of the Stompers, who are literally our worst nightmares. One summer day in Georgia, Jimmy climbs a tree and witnesses a crime. This leads him through a door in the woods and into a world of magic and crime that his family hoped they'd left behind. With the help of the Givers, Jimmy receives four gifts he will need to defeat the Stompers and save the world. Fortunately for Jimmy, the first gift grants him indestructibility.

I enjoyed these books. Dashner is a good story teller. I liked the ending of the series. I didn't see it coming although it was foreshadowed early in the story. It's not a typical ending for a series of childrens' books. It has echoes of the Atonement. In the end the story is one of coming of age in a fight between good and evil. The stories are filled with magic, monsters, dreams, other worlds, and the Alliance who are willing to sacrifice everything to help Jimmy defeat the Stompers.

The books delve a lot into the nature of sacrifice and what we are willing to give up to meet our goals. These books are worth the read.