While browsing through a local bookstore, I stumbled (almost literally) onto a display of books by James Dashner called the Jimmy Fincher Sagas. As I am always looking for new books to read, I quickly latched onto all four books and hoped that they would be good reads to recommend. I was not disappointed. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading these books, and have loved meeting James Dashner’s characters; especially Jimmy. Although I believe these books to be fantasy, they could also be considered science fiction, as Jimmy encounters wild futuristic powers and strange gifts. But despite the peculiar, fictitious events in this book, there are two universal themes of love of family and triumph over evil, to which we all can relate. I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed by Jimmy Fincher.
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Jimmy Fincher Saga: A Door in the Woods by James Dashner
Jimmy is an ordinary 14-year-old boy who likes to explore and climb trees. In fact, the story begins in a tree that Jimmy has been climbing his whole life. While up in the tree, which he has named Ole Betsy, Jimmy witnesses a strange and frightening scene. He watches as the mayor of his town beats a lady almost to death. And if this is not scary enough, right as he thinks she must be dead, she disappears. This experience is the first of many experiences that Jimmy will have as he finds out that all is not as it seems in Duluth . In fact, Jimmy finds out that not only are things strange and unbelievable, but that he is the key player in stopping the evil that could lead to the destruction of the world. Luckily for Jimmy and the rest of the world, there are beings called The Givers who are also on the side of good. They lead Jimmy to the Door in The Woods, in which he receives the first of four gifts that will aid him on his quest to stop the mayor and his band of creatures called Shadow Ka.
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Jimmy Fincher Saga: The Gift of Ice by James Dashner
After receiving the first gift, Jimmy and his family fly to Japan in search of a book that will help them in their journey to defeat the Shadow Ka and a new evil called the Stompers. Immediately after their arrival in Japan , Jimmy meets a band of bikers, the Bozu Zoku, who are a Japanese version of the Shadow Ka. Jimmy is cursed with a strange cylinder object that follows him around wherever he goes. This object is said to stop Jimmy from using his first gift, The Shield, to protect himself from danger. Jimmy’s family boards a train to a city called Kitami in hopes of finding more information about the book. While on the train, Jimmy is attacked by the Bozu Zoku and ends up jumping from the train into a gorge filled with rushing water. Of course, due to his Shield, he survives and meets a strange man named Hood. Hood takes Jimmy on his journey to find the book. Joined by three other people, Tanaka, Miyoko, and Rayna, the group makes their way to a deep ice cavern where Jimmy must solve a riddle and receive the second gift that will hopefully help him defeat the Shadow Ka and the Stompers. This is called the Gift of Ice.
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Jimmy Fincher Saga: The Tower of Air by James Dashner
Jimmy, his family, and new friends, board a yacht in Japan and set out into the ocean to find “The Tower of Air.” While traveling through the ocean they are attacked by the Shadow Ka, who have now changed into terrible beasts with wings. The Shadow Ka beasts try to fly the yacht up into the air, but Jimmy uses his first two gifts to free the yacht and his group from the beasts. The leader of the Shadow Ka band, Kenji, scratches up Jimmy’s dad, and throws him into a deep sleep from which he cannot be awakened. Jimmy and his friends find “The Tower of Air” and Jimmy journeys deep into the ocean to find the third door, another riddle, and the third gift, The Everything. Armed with the third gift, Jimmy fights the Shadow Ka continually and tries to save his father, who is turning into a Shadow Ka beast by the minute. If those feats aren’t daunting enough, the Stompers are arriving daily and the whole world is falling into a deep sleep, one person at a time. Once a person has fallen into the deep sleep, the Stompers are able to take over their dreams and turn them into endless nightmare from which a person may never awaken. Jimmy is given a change to exchange his fourth gift, for the life of his father, by the head of the Shadow Ka and is faced with bigger and greater challenges than he has ever faced before.
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Jimmy Fincher Saga: War of the Black Curtain by James Dashner
Throughout the Jimmy Fincher books, Jimmy’s love for his family is used as a weapon against him continually. Book four brings no exceptions. Jimmy and his family are back in America , waiting instructions on finding the fourth door and the fourth gift. Jimmy is told that he must find Erifani Tup and use the Red Disk in order to receive the fourth gift. He thinks that Erifani Tup must be a person, but soon finds out that it is part of the fourth riddle. With the help of a new friend, Inori, Jimmy solves the riddle and receives the gift of Control of Yumeka. With the Control of Yumeka, Jimmy has the power to resist the Stompers as they come to him in his nightmares and try to feed on his fear. Armed with these four gifts, Jimmy slip into sleeps and ensues a terrible and great battle against the evil and ferocious Stompers. He fights harder than ever and searches in himself for strength and bravery he didn’t know he had. But just when he triumphs and returns to his family in victory, he finds out the real truth – a surprise ending that finally makes a whole lot of sense in this saga filled with twists and unbelievable turns.
