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Escape from Furnace #1
Lockdown
Beneath Heaven is Hell. Beneath Hell is Furnace.
Furnace Penitentiary: An underground hellhole. A place of pure evil with walls soaked in blood. Murderous gangs and vicious guards rule the darkness. Horrific creatures steal people away in the dead of night. And the impossible - escape - is the only hope.
Furnace Penitentiary: An underground hellhole. A place of pure evil with walls soaked in blood. Murderous gangs and vicious guards rule the darkness. Horrific creatures steal people away in the dead of night. And the impossible - escape - is the only hope.
290 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2009
About the author
Alexander Gordon Smith
46 books1,160 followersAlexander Gordon Smith is the author of the Escape from Furnace series of young adult novels, including Lockdown and Solitary. Born in 1979 in Norwich, England, he always wanted to be a writer. After experimenting in the service and retail trades for a few years, Smith decided to go to University. He studied English and American Literature at the University of East Anglia, and it was here that he first explored his love of publishing. Along with poet Luke Wright, he founded Egg Box Publishing, a groundbreaking magazine and press that promotes talented new authors. He also started writing literally hundreds of articles, short stories and books ranging from Scooby Doo comic strips to world atlases, Midsomer Murders to X-Files. The endless research for these projects led to countless book ideas germinating in his head. His first book, The Inventors, written with his nine-year-old brother Jamie, was published in the U.K. in 2007. He lives in England.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/alexan...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/alexan...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,560 reviews
August 27, 2015
"In the dead of night they come for you, Alex," he said. "Sooner or later they come for everyone."
4 1/2 stars. Oh wow, this was truly terrifying. If you're looking for a tense, fast-paced and frightening book that pulls you in immediately and makes your heart pound, I cannot recommend Lockdown enough.
You know, I think realistic stories can be very scary, and so can supernatural stories, but the most horrifying stories of all are those that balance the two of them. The kind of stories that play on real fears that many of us have, but inject them with all new kinds of horror. And this is one of those stories.
For me, being accused of a crime I didn't commit is a terrifying thing. Being thrown into prison for life when I haven't done anything wrong is actually part of a recurring nightmare I've had for years. Now let's imagine this situation, except you're not thrown into any ordinary prison. You're sent to Furnace - a prison located a mile underground, terrorized by vicious gangs and cruel guards. A prison where strange, inexplicable things happen at night. A prison where people disappear after dark - and you better hope they never come back.
It's told in an extremely compelling and effective past tense narrative that builds up a fantastic feeling of suspense. The narrator's tone of impending horror had me on the edge of my seat, almost afraid to turn the page. But it's so unfair, so frustrating, so nasty... you just can't look away.
“Don't make the mistake of bringing your heart down here with you, there is no place for it in Furnace.”
I typically read books with a lot of female characters, but this all-male cast was refreshing and likable. I was genuinely afraid for Alex and his friends, but I also enjoyed the dialogue and dynamic between them. I loved the cynical, hilarious Donovan and the silly, lovable Zee. I also loved the complexity of some of the secondary and unlikable characters.
This is definitely one of those books you sit down to read a chapter of and end up finishing in a single sitting. So very exciting and scary. I NEED to know what happens next.
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December 9, 2016
Now this was rather damn scary. Imagine breaking into someone’s house one night then randomly you and your accomplice are rushed by a small army of rather large men in black suits. They quickly dispatch your friend and pin the murder on you. All you wanted was a bit of loot. You’re sentenced to life imprisonment at an ominous sounding placed called Furnace, but the prison is run by the same men who framed you. When you arrive you quickly realise this place is beyond normal; it’s dark, oppressive, infested with rabid dogs and weird creatures that go round eating the inmates. The question is: how the fuck do you cope with that shit?
“Beneath heaven is hell boys, and beneath hell is Furnace. I hope you enjoyed your stay.”
What transpires afterwards is a fuel pumped narrative of blood and survival instinct. All the inmates, merely young boys, are trying to survive in this hell hole. They turn on each other, fight to be the top-dog and compete for food. The biggest, toughest and most ruthless are the only ones that survive for any length of time. The new inmates are at the bottom of the pecking order. The old timers are just trying to make it day to day, anyone could be picked off at random by the creepy black suit men, so they tend to keep their heads down and hope the newcomers are marked for destruction.
Alex is rather lucky, kind of ironic considering that he’s in some weird demonic prison run by ominous thugs, but he does have it easy compared to others. His cellmate is not a bully; he teaches Alex to keep his head down and how to play the long game. The two quickly become friends, and give each other hope. Donavan, the cellmate, has long since relinquished this: he has accepted that this is where he will die, and he tempers the rash new inmate’s want for escape. He has seen all there is to see in this place, and he knows there is no getting out
“This place isn’t a joke. It’s not some film or book or computer game where you get infinite lives. You foul up out there, then you die. It’s a simple as that”
So this became very intense. Anyone can go at any time. The survival rate isn’t very high in furnace. Inmates go mad. They try to kill each other. They devise escape plans that almost always fail. Until Alex comes along with another ridiculous and desperate idea that just may work. Prison break is the only way these boys could have any future so eventually, after swaying Donavan to their cause, it seems probable. But actually doing it is another thing when the inmates would literally murder the world for such an opportunity.
The book pushed toward this ending with frightening speed, and it really came together well. For a book like this, the ending is one of the most important aspects. And it really did deliver. It gave just enough closure for this story, but it also made me want to read the next book to see if we get any answers. I want to know exactly what (or who) is behind this prison scheme, and what they are actually trying to achieve. There will, no doubt, be some dark sinister motive behind it all.
p.s- I met this author today at a book talk at my university. He’s a real funny guy. I got a signed copy of The Fury. Very cool indeed!
“Beneath heaven is hell boys, and beneath hell is Furnace. I hope you enjoyed your stay.”
What transpires afterwards is a fuel pumped narrative of blood and survival instinct. All the inmates, merely young boys, are trying to survive in this hell hole. They turn on each other, fight to be the top-dog and compete for food. The biggest, toughest and most ruthless are the only ones that survive for any length of time. The new inmates are at the bottom of the pecking order. The old timers are just trying to make it day to day, anyone could be picked off at random by the creepy black suit men, so they tend to keep their heads down and hope the newcomers are marked for destruction.
Alex is rather lucky, kind of ironic considering that he’s in some weird demonic prison run by ominous thugs, but he does have it easy compared to others. His cellmate is not a bully; he teaches Alex to keep his head down and how to play the long game. The two quickly become friends, and give each other hope. Donavan, the cellmate, has long since relinquished this: he has accepted that this is where he will die, and he tempers the rash new inmate’s want for escape. He has seen all there is to see in this place, and he knows there is no getting out
“This place isn’t a joke. It’s not some film or book or computer game where you get infinite lives. You foul up out there, then you die. It’s a simple as that”
So this became very intense. Anyone can go at any time. The survival rate isn’t very high in furnace. Inmates go mad. They try to kill each other. They devise escape plans that almost always fail. Until Alex comes along with another ridiculous and desperate idea that just may work. Prison break is the only way these boys could have any future so eventually, after swaying Donavan to their cause, it seems probable. But actually doing it is another thing when the inmates would literally murder the world for such an opportunity.
The book pushed toward this ending with frightening speed, and it really came together well. For a book like this, the ending is one of the most important aspects. And it really did deliver. It gave just enough closure for this story, but it also made me want to read the next book to see if we get any answers. I want to know exactly what (or who) is behind this prison scheme, and what they are actually trying to achieve. There will, no doubt, be some dark sinister motive behind it all.
p.s- I met this author today at a book talk at my university. He’s a real funny guy. I got a signed copy of The Fury. Very cool indeed!
August 6, 2015
I think I'm going to bump this to 4.5 stars because I can't stop thinking about it! In fact, when I went to sleep I was picturing the wheezers and literally had to remind myself that it was just a story... it's not real, Brandi... it's ok... you're a big girl.... fine, just cuddle up to the mister, he's asleep so he won't know how big of a baby you're being...
That was me at 1 in the morning. True story, haha.
I don't typically read books that have a horror element to them because of the fact that I'm a huge wussy-pants. I'll tell you what though, there was no stopping this once I started. The prose is gorgeous, and there was no point in the story that I had any trouble seeing what I was told. I even read some passages to my husband simply because they were so wonderfully written. Here are just two randomly chosen examples I want to share:
It was just like on the news: a towering sculpture of dark stone, bent and scarred like it had been burned into existence. The Black Fort, the way in. The windowless building stretched upward, its body merging with a crooked spire that resembled a finger beckoning us forward. Smoke rose from a chimney hidden behind the building, a cloud of poisoned breath waiting to engulf us. All in all it looked more like something from Mordor than a modern prison.
It was here, holding the bars of my cell like they were my only friends, that I first heard the symphony of Furnace. It started with the sobs, which rose up out of the darkness all around me like the gentle strings in an orchestra. They began as hushed moans choked back by the countless musicians that crafted them, merging together from every level to create a fountain of sound that ran down to the deserted yard below.
See what I mean?! I was as helpless to stop reading as Alex was to escape his fate. Speaking of Alex, I like him even though he keeps insisting that he isn't a good person. He has made mistakes, and is certainly flawed, but he is just like most every other boy at that age. A bit selfish, a bit loyal, and a lot confused about life. The other characters are just as engrossing, and we barely find out anything about their lives from Before. I never felt frustrated by the lack of depth though. I'm not even sure if depth is the right word....they were pretty fleshed out I think for the purpose of the story. I didn't need to know what they had been like prior to being in Furnace, and I didn't really care about what crimes had gotten them there to begin with. Maybe other people would be annoyed by that, but I never was. The one thing that did chafe a little bit was the fact that Furnace is supposed to be a prison for youths, and that would be both sexes, but yet the whole thing seems to be solely for boys. Unless I misread somewhere, that is the only thing that kind of got on my nerves a bit.
Furnace. What a terrifying place that is!!! Once again I have to point how amazing Smith was at showing us what kind of hell these kids were in. "And obedience is the difference between life, death, and the other varieties of existence on offer here at Furnace."..."Obey my rules and you'll do just fine. Disobey them and you'll soon learn that here your nightmares exist on the same plane as you, they stalk the same corridors and haunt your cells. It's only me that stands between you and insanity."
"Beneath heaven is hell, boys, and beneath hell is Furnace. I hope you enjoy your stay."
"Some go quietly, some don't. Adam didn't, he went screaming and clawing at the wall and fighting for his life" He ran his finger along one of the grooves, then he turned his attention back to me. "In the dead of the night they come for you Alex," he said. "Sooner or later they come for everyone."
Creeeeeepppppyyyyy!!
Once I was finished reading this one, I immediately purchased the second one. Partly because Smith was kind enough to leave off at a massive cliffhanger (jerk), and partly because I was so enthralled with his world that I wasn't ready to let go yet. I read book two in one sitting.
Fast paced and action packed is the name of the game with this series, and with every little twist and turn, and stomach dropping moment you are at the mercy of Furnace and those who are trying to survive within. I highly recommend this story to anyone who likes a lot of action and isn't adverse to a little horror.
September 18, 2015
3.5 out of 5 stars. I am rounding down to 3, but depending on how I feel later, I might round it to 4.
Beneath heaven is hell.
Beneath hell is Furnace.
One of my biggest fears is being blamed for something I did not do - be it stealing something, cheating in an exam (which btw gives me nauseas just thinking about the hypocritical cowards who do this in real life)... killing someone; you name it. Alex has been sent to Furnace Penitentiary for a criem he did not commit, and it is said that prison is hell on Earth, so he obviously wants to escape. Besides, he doesn't even belong there, so there's more reason for him to want to leave. Thus starts the first book in this series. Now onto the review.
The good:
• There was always something happening, which means the pace was fast. It was difficult for you to get bored and it made the book even more addictive. Plus, there was that thrill about being trapped in a place you don't want to be. +2 points for this.
• The narration is simple. No overflowery imagineries or dense paragraphs that made the book difficul to read. +1.5 points for this.
• It was easy to distinguish between who is who, which means, each character has their own personality. Neither of the characters felt unnecessary, so +2 points for this.
Now, as always, the bad:
• Characters were not developed enough. This might read like acontradiction to my last positive point, but as ironic as it sounds, it is true: Each character had his own personlity, YET they were not given much (or any) room for development, which gets me to my next point...
• Never connected to the characters. I've said this countless times, but if I can't connect with the characters, I won't connect with the story. It's difficult to share the same fear someone is feeling if you don't understand why they feel that way - and this applies to characters in books too. This, again, leads me to my next point.
• Felt the adrenaline but not the fear. In other words, I was on the edge of my seat all the time because I wanted to know what was gonna happen next, but where is the fear? Where is that feeling of being scared and alone in a place you should not and don't want to be in? WHERE IS IT?! Dunno.
• Plot driven, not character driven. This might be only a problem for me, but I prefer novels in which the characters' actions and thoughts lead the plot, and not otherwise - that the characters' actions are lead for the sake of moving the plot to a certain mean.
For the negatives, I'm quitting the book 3 points, but I'm giving it an extra 1 point because I loved the concept, I could never stop reading and now I'm excited to read the sequels. All in all that would make... 2 + 1.5 + 2 - 3 + 1 = 3.5 stars! Which, according to my rating system means "really enjoyable read, I would recommend." And indeed, I do!
This is perfect for people who are looking for a fast paced adventure that might not provoke too much tension, but enough thrill for you to keep on reading. I will certainly continue the series and I can't wait to see in what new dangers will Alex get into.
September 15, 2015
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"We told you," he said, placing his hand on the shoulder of the boy beside me but talking to us all. "You can run but you couldn't hide. And now here you are, guests of honor at Furnace Penitentiary."
OH. MY. GOD. What did did I just read?!
Okay so apparently you can be a somewhat criminal or not a criminal at all and these thing people come and find you and get you put in jail. Jail... jail would be a cake walk.. you get put in the Furnace! Your underground and just lost, left to your own, NO ONE WILL HELP YOU!
Alex gets blamed for his friends death and thrown into the Furnace. He makes a few friends while he is there, but like his friend Donovan said, you should never really have friends or bring your heart into the Furnace because everyone at some point will get TAKEN or killed by other inmates. Sooooo.. what is taking them and what are they doing to them after they are taken? It's definitely NOT good.
I loved this book! It's so freaking scary because it's just too unreal what goes on in this place. We won't even mention what they eat for lunch!
I think anyone that likes horror or just wants to be freaked out or I don't know what, just read the book. I look forward to the rest of the books! I have to see what is going to happen. It's already a cluster in the first book!
"We told you," he said, placing his hand on the shoulder of the boy beside me but talking to us all. "You can run but you couldn't hide. And now here you are, guests of honor at Furnace Penitentiary."
OH. MY. GOD. What did did I just read?!
Okay so apparently you can be a somewhat criminal or not a criminal at all and these thing people come and find you and get you put in jail. Jail... jail would be a cake walk.. you get put in the Furnace! Your underground and just lost, left to your own, NO ONE WILL HELP YOU!
Alex gets blamed for his friends death and thrown into the Furnace. He makes a few friends while he is there, but like his friend Donovan said, you should never really have friends or bring your heart into the Furnace because everyone at some point will get TAKEN or killed by other inmates. Sooooo.. what is taking them and what are they doing to them after they are taken? It's definitely NOT good.
I loved this book! It's so freaking scary because it's just too unreal what goes on in this place. We won't even mention what they eat for lunch!
I think anyone that likes horror or just wants to be freaked out or I don't know what, just read the book. I look forward to the rest of the books! I have to see what is going to happen. It's already a cluster in the first book!
July 1, 2015
“Beneath Heaven is Hell, boys, and beneath Hell is Furnace. I hope you enjoy your stay.”
The book-gods have decided to smile at me today so excuse me while I dance to the awesomeness of this book.
Interview with Lockdown by Paige Bookdragon.
Paige:Good evening everyone, this is Paige from The Book Interview and today we have the one and only Lockdown for our The Favorite-Shelf segment. Let's give it a round of applause.
(everyone claps)
Paige: Now Lockdown, for those who haven't heard of you, can you tell us more about your story?
Lockdown:Thank you for having me here, Paige. Well, Lockdown is a story of Alex Sawyer who was framed of murder. Now, this book is a dystopian novel so there's no juvie prison in this book, like what we have now. Alex was sent to Furnace Penitentiary, the world’s most secure prison for young offenders.
Paige: I heard that it was a scary book, is it true?
Lockdown: It is. But this is not the ghost-scary type. This is more like "one-wrong-move-and-something-is-going-to-get-me-sooner-than-I-want-and-I-don't-know-what-the-heck-are-those-something" type of scary. You know, the boogeyman type of scare that you feel when you're a kid. But in this book, the boogeyman is real and you don't know when they'll get you. You just know that they will.
Paige: Now that's a nasty and I love nasty. Let's talk about the main character, Alex Sawyer. How would you describe him?
Lockdown: Well,Alex is a refreshing character. He's not whiny and he knows who he is. He has this sense of honor that you'll love.
Paige: That's good to hear. It's not everyday that you can read a book about survival in an underground prison. So to wrap this interview, tell our readers what they'll get if they read Lockdown.
Lockdown: If you're a fan of creepy, gut-wrenching books, then Escape from Furnace series is for you. You want grit? Suspense? Thriller? Lockdown has it. So go get it.
Paige: We really appreciate you joining us for today's segment. It has been amazing.
(Audience claps and fade out)
The book-gods have decided to smile at me today so excuse me while I dance to the awesomeness of this book.
Interview with Lockdown by Paige Bookdragon.
Paige:Good evening everyone, this is Paige from The Book Interview and today we have the one and only Lockdown for our The Favorite-Shelf segment. Let's give it a round of applause.
(everyone claps)
Paige: Now Lockdown, for those who haven't heard of you, can you tell us more about your story?
Lockdown:Thank you for having me here, Paige. Well, Lockdown is a story of Alex Sawyer who was framed of murder. Now, this book is a dystopian novel so there's no juvie prison in this book, like what we have now. Alex was sent to Furnace Penitentiary, the world’s most secure prison for young offenders.
Paige: I heard that it was a scary book, is it true?
Lockdown: It is. But this is not the ghost-scary type. This is more like "one-wrong-move-and-something-is-going-to-get-me-sooner-than-I-want-and-I-don't-know-what-the-heck-are-those-something" type of scary. You know, the boogeyman type of scare that you feel when you're a kid. But in this book, the boogeyman is real and you don't know when they'll get you. You just know that they will.
Paige: Now that's a nasty and I love nasty. Let's talk about the main character, Alex Sawyer. How would you describe him?
Lockdown: Well,Alex is a refreshing character. He's not whiny and he knows who he is. He has this sense of honor that you'll love.
Paige: That's good to hear. It's not everyday that you can read a book about survival in an underground prison. So to wrap this interview, tell our readers what they'll get if they read Lockdown.
Lockdown: If you're a fan of creepy, gut-wrenching books, then Escape from Furnace series is for you. You want grit? Suspense? Thriller? Lockdown has it. So go get it.
Paige: We really appreciate you joining us for today's segment. It has been amazing.
(Audience claps and fade out)
December 20, 2018
Oh no, why?
Why it seems like every time I have high hopes for a book it just doesn’t deliver?
I had my eyes set on this one for a long time and I was actually expecting something else. In my mind the MC would be between mid twenties to mid thirties, wiser, smarter and way cooler when he will break out.
But what I’ve actually got is an awkward fourteen year old, among other kids who are a bunch of bullies or in other cases, victims of the bullies.
So disappointed.
Why it seems like every time I have high hopes for a book it just doesn’t deliver?
I had my eyes set on this one for a long time and I was actually expecting something else. In my mind the MC would be between mid twenties to mid thirties, wiser, smarter and way cooler when he will break out.
But what I’ve actually got is an awkward fourteen year old, among other kids who are a bunch of bullies or in other cases, victims of the bullies.
So disappointed.
January 1, 2016
“Don't make the mistake of bringing your heart down here with you, there is no place for it in Furnace.”
Wow! It'd be odd to say that I really liked this book considering it to be one of the most scary books I've read.But still,as much as the story managed to scare the hell out of me,I really loved this book. Until now I had read horror stories with blood,some monsters and lots of creepy stuff. Now mix all those scary scenes with Sci-fi; that's what this book is about.There was some crazy stuff going on in this book! This book was fast-paced and exciting,and I just couldn't put it down once I started reading it!
I found the plot very interesting,especially the idea of Furnace. Furnace was a lot more worse than hell. And they took kids there as a punishment for the crimes they hadn't committed. I couldn't really imagine the world where the kids were taken to this place and their parent weren't able to do anything. I get chills whenever I think about the description of Furnace. It was a prison where anything could happen,they used to take people at night,and it was better if they never returned because after finding out what they had turned into,the idea of them not coming back was much better.And I wont go into explaining about the other creatures which kept scaring me all the time!
Another thing about this book is that it was from male POV,and there wasn't any female lead.It was different from what I usually read,but the whole plot was really good and even the characters were very likeable.
I liked reading this book from Alex's POV,and it was written in past tense which made it more mysterious. There is also a bit of humor in the story. I enjoyed reading Alex,Donovan,and Zee's conversations,they were so funny sometimes that I would actually forget that I was reading a horror book.
And that cliffhanger at the end! Now I need to find out what happens next!
Wow! It'd be odd to say that I really liked this book considering it to be one of the most scary books I've read.But still,as much as the story managed to scare the hell out of me,I really loved this book. Until now I had read horror stories with blood,some monsters and lots of creepy stuff. Now mix all those scary scenes with Sci-fi; that's what this book is about.There was some crazy stuff going on in this book! This book was fast-paced and exciting,and I just couldn't put it down once I started reading it!
I found the plot very interesting,especially the idea of Furnace. Furnace was a lot more worse than hell. And they took kids there as a punishment for the crimes they hadn't committed. I couldn't really imagine the world where the kids were taken to this place and their parent weren't able to do anything. I get chills whenever I think about the description of Furnace. It was a prison where anything could happen,they used to take people at night,and it was better if they never returned because after finding out what they had turned into,the idea of them not coming back was much better.And I wont go into explaining about the other creatures which kept scaring me all the time!
Another thing about this book is that it was from male POV,and there wasn't any female lead.It was different from what I usually read,but the whole plot was really good and even the characters were very likeable.
I liked reading this book from Alex's POV,and it was written in past tense which made it more mysterious. There is also a bit of humor in the story. I enjoyed reading Alex,Donovan,and Zee's conversations,they were so funny sometimes that I would actually forget that I was reading a horror book.
And that cliffhanger at the end! Now I need to find out what happens next!
September 7, 2023
রিয়েলিটি আর হরর এলিমেন্ট যখন এক হয়ে সার্ভাইভাল ইস্যু হয়ে দাঁড়ায় সেই বই অসাধারন না বলে অন্য কিছু বলা অন্যায়।
ধরুন আপনি যে অপরাধ করেননি, সেই অপরাধ এর জন্য আপনাকে সারাজীবন সাজা পেতে হবে এমন এক যায়গায় যেখানে প্রতিটি ঘন্টা জীবন আর মৃত্যুর পার্থক্য। কারাগারে এমন সব জিনিসের অস্তিত্ব যা ডিটেলস বর্ননা করার পরেও ভিজ্যুয়াল করা প্রায় অসাধ্য একটা ব্যাপার। যেখান থেকে জীবন্ত বের হওয়ার কোনো মাধ্যম নেই।
তারপরও তৈরী হয় বন্ধুত্ব, আবার হয়তো কারোর জীবন বাচাতে গিয়ে সেক্রিফাইস করা লাগে অনেক বড় কিছুকে৷
এলেক্স এর এই ভয়ানক জার্নিতে আপনাদের স্বাগতম।
পুরো বই ছিল এক্সট্রিম থ্রিল রাইড। ডিস্টোপিয়ান, সাই-ফাই, ইয়াং-এডাল্ট, সার্ভাইভাল ���র হরর এলিমেন্ট এনে থ্রিলের দুর্দান্ত স্বাদ দিতে পেরেছেন লেখক। এদিকে অনুবাদ ছিল খুবই দারুন। তবে অনুবাদের জন্য অপেক্ষা না করে খুব দ্রুতই সিরিজের বাকি গল্প গুলো শুরু করব।
ধরুন আপনি যে অপরাধ করেননি, সেই অপরাধ এর জন্য আপনাকে সারাজীবন সাজা পেতে হবে এমন এক যায়গায় যেখানে প্রতিটি ঘন্টা জীবন আর মৃত্যুর পার্থক্য। কারাগারে এমন সব জিনিসের অস্তিত্ব যা ডিটেলস বর্ননা করার পরেও ভিজ্যুয়াল করা প্রায় অসাধ্য একটা ব্যাপার। যেখান থেকে জীবন্ত বের হওয়ার কোনো মাধ্যম নেই।
তারপরও তৈরী হয় বন্ধুত্ব, আবার হয়তো কারোর জীবন বাচাতে গিয়ে সেক্রিফাইস করা লাগে অনেক বড় কিছুকে৷
এলেক্স এর এই ভয়ানক জার্নিতে আপনাদের স্বাগতম।
পুরো বই ছিল এক্সট্রিম থ্রিল রাইড। ডিস্টোপিয়ান, সাই-ফাই, ইয়াং-এডাল্ট, সার্ভাইভাল ���র হরর এলিমেন্ট এনে থ্রিলের দুর্দান্ত স্বাদ দিতে পেরেছেন লেখক। এদিকে অনুবাদ ছিল খুবই দারুন। তবে অনুবাদের জন্য অপেক্ষা না করে খুব দ্রুতই সিরিজের বাকি গল্প গুলো শুরু করব।
April 2, 2018
3.75*
Jail is wild. The action scenes were the best part. I think there could have been more with the monsters, but that's probably going to be explored in future books. I like all the characters, but I'm not super into them like I would in one of my favorite books. The main character is a bit too normal. Also the author really should of given him a more unique name than Alex. I've seen that name used so many times. People aren't even named Alex that much in real life.
Jail is wild. The action scenes were the best part. I think there could have been more with the monsters, but that's probably going to be explored in future books. I like all the characters, but I'm not super into them like I would in one of my favorite books. The main character is a bit too normal. Also the author really should of given him a more unique name than Alex. I've seen that name used so many times. People aren't even named Alex that much in real life.
September 27, 2009
My summary: Alex was like any other boy. Go to school, hang out with his group, and control the monkey bars. But when he started stealing, his life changed for the worse. Out of nowhere, his best friend is murdered, and he is framed for it. he is sent to the child prison: a Hell hole. Worse than Hell. Furnace. When he’s there, he is disgusted with the way people live. Kids do hard labor like chipping rock. Gangs kill kids. and he isn’t the only innocent person who was framed. But there’s no hope of escape. Nobody can escape furnace. Or at least, that’s what they all say. But that’s only because nobody ever has…
What I felt: Personally, the first time I looked at the cover, I found it just a little disturbing. I thought “eh, I doubt very seriously I’ll like that book. But hey—they want to send me a free book? I’ll take a free book.” So no, I didn’t really like the cover. They could have done much better, either artistically or graphically or even with the colors. But that’s just me as an artist and a girl :D so I did judge it. boy was that a mistake.
The first sentence of this book seemed to grab me by the neck: “If I stopped running, I was dead.” From there, the entire book held me and wouldn’t let me go, from that first sentence to the very end. In fact, it held me after the end, too. I distinctly remember my blood racing, heart beating, sweating, adrenalin searing through my veins while I read this book! It was breathtaking and riveting to the last word. And even after the last word. I sat there, staring at the blank page, gasping and panting like a dog from lack of oxygen from reading a book. (that doesn’t happen very often, people.)
Characters: The characters in this book were very relatable. They weren’t super people, they were real. They handled the horrific experiences of Furnace the same way I would have—screaming in their sleep, crying, throwing up from the horrors.
Writing: the writing was very good—not one of those books where the author just says what he wants to say. Alexander Gordon Smith followed my creative writing teachers’ first rule: Show, don’t tell. It was an amazing thing to read, the language was very full in vocabulary, and it had good prose. There wasn’t any really bad foul language either, like some of the other teen books I’ve been reading lately.
Recommendation: this book is a thriller, not a horror book, even though it’s mildly graphic (mildly. Not really that bad. Descriptive enough to be kinda gross at times… but hey, it could be just because I’m a girl.). It’s not the most horrific book I’ve ever read, but it’s certainly not for an eight-year-old. Personally I’d recommend it for anyone fourteen and up (but that’s just me).
Here is a link for a giveaway for this book! http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com/2009...
What I felt: Personally, the first time I looked at the cover, I found it just a little disturbing. I thought “eh, I doubt very seriously I’ll like that book. But hey—they want to send me a free book? I’ll take a free book.” So no, I didn’t really like the cover. They could have done much better, either artistically or graphically or even with the colors. But that’s just me as an artist and a girl :D so I did judge it. boy was that a mistake.
The first sentence of this book seemed to grab me by the neck: “If I stopped running, I was dead.” From there, the entire book held me and wouldn’t let me go, from that first sentence to the very end. In fact, it held me after the end, too. I distinctly remember my blood racing, heart beating, sweating, adrenalin searing through my veins while I read this book! It was breathtaking and riveting to the last word. And even after the last word. I sat there, staring at the blank page, gasping and panting like a dog from lack of oxygen from reading a book. (that doesn’t happen very often, people.)
Characters: The characters in this book were very relatable. They weren’t super people, they were real. They handled the horrific experiences of Furnace the same way I would have—screaming in their sleep, crying, throwing up from the horrors.
Writing: the writing was very good—not one of those books where the author just says what he wants to say. Alexander Gordon Smith followed my creative writing teachers’ first rule: Show, don’t tell. It was an amazing thing to read, the language was very full in vocabulary, and it had good prose. There wasn’t any really bad foul language either, like some of the other teen books I’ve been reading lately.
Recommendation: this book is a thriller, not a horror book, even though it’s mildly graphic (mildly. Not really that bad. Descriptive enough to be kinda gross at times… but hey, it could be just because I’m a girl.). It’s not the most horrific book I’ve ever read, but it’s certainly not for an eight-year-old. Personally I’d recommend it for anyone fourteen and up (but that’s just me).
Here is a link for a giveaway for this book! http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com/2009...
March 10, 2012
I usually don't say this, but...
.
.
.
.
.
Lockdown. Is. Amazing!!! *inserts hardcore-fan squeal*
Being super engrossing and totally un-put-down-able, I couldn't stop reading this book, and ended up finishing it by 4 o'clock in the morning, only then did I close the book with a satisfied smile on my face and went to bed dreaming about Alex's Escape.
What I love about this book:
1. A hero with a complex personality. Alex Sawyer is a school bully, a thief and a burgular --- but never a killer. After he is accused of murdering his partner in crime Toby, he is sentenced to a life behind bars in Furnace Penitentiary, a prison of criminal teens which is located deep beneath the Earth. Alex arrives along with two other inmates, Zee and Monty, both wrongly accused of crimes they never did. When Alex sees Monty being bullied by the Skulls, he couldn't restrain his temper and lashed out to save the poor kid. He does this partly because of his guilt --- he remembered the way he used to terrorize his classmates and saw the monster which was once himself. Alex is not someone you would like at the beginning, but by the end of the novel, you will find yourself taking his side.
2. The plot was entirely unpredictable. Quoting Donovan's own words on Furnace: You'll never know what will happen until it happens. I had a great experience of exploring Furnace, with its intimidating structure, scary proprietors, gory history and horrible inmates. Never once did this book disappoint me in any way. I was literally sucked into the gruesome yet fascinating world of the Furnace where the air is hot and scarce, the atmosphere creepy and frightening and the crushing weight of freedom comes down upon you.
3. The world-building is amazing! From his capture to his developing Furnace-survival-skills to his planned prison break, Alex displays his growth both mentally and emotionally. We also observe how his mind is capable of thinking and creating ideas out of nothing. He did not plan of escape from the first moment he set foot in Furnace, but an idea started to hatch in his mind when certain possibilities open up to him.
4. The literary devices are brilliant! Let me tell you, the author is very skilled in descriptive writing - he uses figures of speech such as metaphors and personifications with an unusual grace. Through his words, I had a vivid image of Furnace in my mind's eye - I felt like I was in Alex's mind, seeing events unfolding through a glass.
5. True friendship comes unexpectedly. Alex found his best friend in Donovan, a kid who was sentenced to life imprisonment because of accidentally killing his mom's abusive boyfriend. Alex became good friends with one of the inmates who arrived on the same day with him - a boy called Zee. I really liked how the author wrote their friendship - it felt real and genuine. They always stick up for each other although things went awry. It makes me realize that true friendship is indeed precious.
Bottomline:
Exciting, thrilling and gripping, Escape from Furnace: Lockdown will leave you with nightmares / thinking about it days after you've read it. I'm glad to announce that this book just made its way into my 2012 best books list! Can't wait for book #2!
.
.
.
.
.
Lockdown. Is. Amazing!!! *inserts hardcore-fan squeal*
Being super engrossing and totally un-put-down-able, I couldn't stop reading this book, and ended up finishing it by 4 o'clock in the morning, only then did I close the book with a satisfied smile on my face and went to bed dreaming about Alex's Escape.
What I love about this book:
1. A hero with a complex personality. Alex Sawyer is a school bully, a thief and a burgular --- but never a killer. After he is accused of murdering his partner in crime Toby, he is sentenced to a life behind bars in Furnace Penitentiary, a prison of criminal teens which is located deep beneath the Earth. Alex arrives along with two other inmates, Zee and Monty, both wrongly accused of crimes they never did. When Alex sees Monty being bullied by the Skulls, he couldn't restrain his temper and lashed out to save the poor kid. He does this partly because of his guilt --- he remembered the way he used to terrorize his classmates and saw the monster which was once himself. Alex is not someone you would like at the beginning, but by the end of the novel, you will find yourself taking his side.
2. The plot was entirely unpredictable. Quoting Donovan's own words on Furnace: You'll never know what will happen until it happens. I had a great experience of exploring Furnace, with its intimidating structure, scary proprietors, gory history and horrible inmates. Never once did this book disappoint me in any way. I was literally sucked into the gruesome yet fascinating world of the Furnace where the air is hot and scarce, the atmosphere creepy and frightening and the crushing weight of freedom comes down upon you.
3. The world-building is amazing! From his capture to his developing Furnace-survival-skills to his planned prison break, Alex displays his growth both mentally and emotionally. We also observe how his mind is capable of thinking and creating ideas out of nothing. He did not plan of escape from the first moment he set foot in Furnace, but an idea started to hatch in his mind when certain possibilities open up to him.
4. The literary devices are brilliant! Let me tell you, the author is very skilled in descriptive writing - he uses figures of speech such as metaphors and personifications with an unusual grace. Through his words, I had a vivid image of Furnace in my mind's eye - I felt like I was in Alex's mind, seeing events unfolding through a glass.
5. True friendship comes unexpectedly. Alex found his best friend in Donovan, a kid who was sentenced to life imprisonment because of accidentally killing his mom's abusive boyfriend. Alex became good friends with one of the inmates who arrived on the same day with him - a boy called Zee. I really liked how the author wrote their friendship - it felt real and genuine. They always stick up for each other although things went awry. It makes me realize that true friendship is indeed precious.
Bottomline:
Exciting, thrilling and gripping, Escape from Furnace: Lockdown will leave you with nightmares / thinking about it days after you've read it. I'm glad to announce that this book just made its way into my 2012 best books list! Can't wait for book #2!
September 18, 2014
I was pleasantly surprised with Lockdown. It was fairly predictable but the plot was laid out in such a rich manner it didn’t take much from the experience. I devoured every page about these boys and the dangers they faced inside their horrific cage.
There was mystery, violence, horror, and a fast pace that easily guided you through the characters struggles. The characters were believable and had dimension. There wasn’t a lot of world building outside of the prison (touches on some school and home life) but in a way it added to the suspense for me. What is on the other side? It was another mystery that always sat at the back of my mind, increasing the overall excitement of the plot. What I also loved was, since this is a YA novel, there was underlining lessons for the readers. Even though we are reading about these dark and awful events it does not make them okay. They are not acceptable actions and we should not condone the characters for performing them. The main character, Alex, helps reveal these lessons as he realizes things about his self and his past actions that lead him to start to become a better person. A person he will hopefully be proud to be, that is, if he is able to survive the darkness threatening to take not only his hope but his life as well.
As I neared the ending I was screaming, “noooooo!”, in my head because I knew there were not enough pages left. I was being left with the dreaded cliff hanger! A cliff hanger so intense I immediately started reading book number 2!
A fantastic read! My feelings were successfully pulled all over the emotions hemisphere, a huge plus for me, and there was not a moment I was not immersed in the story.
There was mystery, violence, horror, and a fast pace that easily guided you through the characters struggles. The characters were believable and had dimension. There wasn’t a lot of world building outside of the prison (touches on some school and home life) but in a way it added to the suspense for me. What is on the other side? It was another mystery that always sat at the back of my mind, increasing the overall excitement of the plot. What I also loved was, since this is a YA novel, there was underlining lessons for the readers. Even though we are reading about these dark and awful events it does not make them okay. They are not acceptable actions and we should not condone the characters for performing them. The main character, Alex, helps reveal these lessons as he realizes things about his self and his past actions that lead him to start to become a better person. A person he will hopefully be proud to be, that is, if he is able to survive the darkness threatening to take not only his hope but his life as well.
As I neared the ending I was screaming, “noooooo!”, in my head because I knew there were not enough pages left. I was being left with the dreaded cliff hanger! A cliff hanger so intense I immediately started reading book number 2!
A fantastic read! My feelings were successfully pulled all over the emotions hemisphere, a huge plus for me, and there was not a moment I was not immersed in the story.
August 26, 2015
Buddy Read with TL :)
Edit: On further recollection, I'm giving this a 3.5
Lockdown was an extremely hard book for me to rate. Usually I generally have a feeling on what rating a book will get, but this one left me feeling so conflicted. On the one hand, it's a super fast paced, action packed book that never once made me bored while reading. The characters were also really cool, especially Donovan, who was my favourite. However, I just didn't love it. I am so interested in finding out more about this world and who these terrible people that run the prison are. The book left me with a lot of unanswered questions, and I'll definitely be continuing on with the series. I do think that this book and the next book could've been one large book, rather than 2 short ones, and I think I might've enjoyed it more if it was a bit longer, with more world development etc. But I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book.
Edit: On further recollection, I'm giving this a 3.5
Lockdown was an extremely hard book for me to rate. Usually I generally have a feeling on what rating a book will get, but this one left me feeling so conflicted. On the one hand, it's a super fast paced, action packed book that never once made me bored while reading. The characters were also really cool, especially Donovan, who was my favourite. However, I just didn't love it. I am so interested in finding out more about this world and who these terrible people that run the prison are. The book left me with a lot of unanswered questions, and I'll definitely be continuing on with the series. I do think that this book and the next book could've been one large book, rather than 2 short ones, and I think I might've enjoyed it more if it was a bit longer, with more world development etc. But I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book.
February 29, 2016
My rating: 4.75/5 stars.
Dude, I knew I'd love this book the second I saw the cover and read the synopsis.
If you're looking for a fast-paced, intense and frightening YA book that captivates you and has you on the edge of your seat until the end, I recommend you read Lockdown!
“Beneath heaven is hell, boys, and beneath hell is Furnace. I hope you enjoy your stay.”
Seriously, just try to imagine being framed for a crime that you didn't commit and being sent to prison for life with no possibility of parole. That alone is terrifying! Now, imagine that but a million times worse because the prison you're being sent to is buried a mile beneath the Earth's surface and is literally worse than Hell itself. *shivers* Wheezers, Hellhounds and Blacksuits are what nightmares are made of.
I'm officially adding Lockdown to my 2016 Favorites. And I'm really excited for my copy of Solitary to arrive in the mail tomorrow because after experiencing that plot twist and cliffhanger, I NEED to know what happens next!
Dude, I knew I'd love this book the second I saw the cover and read the synopsis.
If you're looking for a fast-paced, intense and frightening YA book that captivates you and has you on the edge of your seat until the end, I recommend you read Lockdown!
“Beneath heaven is hell, boys, and beneath hell is Furnace. I hope you enjoy your stay.”
Seriously, just try to imagine being framed for a crime that you didn't commit and being sent to prison for life with no possibility of parole. That alone is terrifying! Now, imagine that but a million times worse because the prison you're being sent to is buried a mile beneath the Earth's surface and is literally worse than Hell itself. *shivers* Wheezers, Hellhounds and Blacksuits are what nightmares are made of.
I'm officially adding Lockdown to my 2016 Favorites. And I'm really excited for my copy of Solitary to arrive in the mail tomorrow because after experiencing that plot twist and cliffhanger, I NEED to know what happens next!
December 23, 2018
12/22/18
My TBR shelf whenever I decide to reread an old book instead of picking them up:
Yeah, so. I reread this book; I was in the mood for horror. Despite my OG review being absolute garbage, I don't think I have much to add to it.Or its 4am and I'm just lazy.
This book is really fucked. By the end you're reading about the wheezing beasts with gas masks sewn to their skin dragging kids from their cells and you're like, "Ah yes, a normal day at the office". Alexander does a great job at emphasizing the utter hopelessness of our characters situations, but also keeps us afloat with some humor and sparks of hope.
I also really liked the friendship that forms between Zee, Donavan, andwtf is the main character's name Alex. It's not the most supreme character development but, you get this gist of it. I wasn't particularly interested in hearing their entire life stories considering they're living thousands of feet underground where they will stay for the rest of their lives without ever feeling the sun on their face or the wind in their hair again jesus christ I can't breath.
I've read the next 3(?) books after this one and somehow, it gets even more disturbing. Read this book if you enjoy pausing every 10 pages to say, "What. the fuck?".
Oh, and the ending to this book honestly put me into cardiac arrest. Immensely intense, but so so good.
*Sidenote*: my OG review is a hell of a lot more enthusiastic and yet I only gave this book 4 stars? I'm changing it to 5 because there's really not anything I would change to make this book better. It was a solid read; will continue to reread.
1/11/2014
This book was awesome, I don't know how else to put it. The entire time I was reading my own heart was caught in my throat, feeling as if I was in the characters' shoes and I would soon meet a deadly fate. For a hole in the ground, this book did a great job creating an entire story line, filled with enough creepy crawlys to last me a lifetime. Every few pages I found myself staring at the book bugged eyed with a gaping mouth, not believing it could get any more extreme. It's not a massive read, yet filled with a lot of detail and action. Some parts became a little slow, but despite that it was an awesome read which I'd definitely recommend. I'm starting the second one right now, Solitary , which I will post a review for next.
My TBR shelf whenever I decide to reread an old book instead of picking them up:
Yeah, so. I reread this book; I was in the mood for horror. Despite my OG review being absolute garbage, I don't think I have much to add to it.
This book is really fucked. By the end you're reading about the wheezing beasts with gas masks sewn to their skin dragging kids from their cells and you're like, "Ah yes, a normal day at the office". Alexander does a great job at emphasizing the utter hopelessness of our characters situations, but also keeps us afloat with some humor and sparks of hope.
I also really liked the friendship that forms between Zee, Donavan, and
I've read the next 3(?) books after this one and somehow, it gets even more disturbing. Read this book if you enjoy pausing every 10 pages to say, "What. the fuck?".
Oh, and the ending to this book honestly put me into cardiac arrest. Immensely intense, but so so good.
*Sidenote*: my OG review is a hell of a lot more enthusiastic and yet I only gave this book 4 stars? I'm changing it to 5 because there's really not anything I would change to make this book better. It was a solid read; will continue to reread.
1/11/2014
This book was awesome, I don't know how else to put it. The entire time I was reading my own heart was caught in my throat, feeling as if I was in the characters' shoes and I would soon meet a deadly fate. For a hole in the ground, this book did a great job creating an entire story line, filled with enough creepy crawlys to last me a lifetime. Every few pages I found myself staring at the book bugged eyed with a gaping mouth, not believing it could get any more extreme. It's not a massive read, yet filled with a lot of detail and action. Some parts became a little slow, but despite that it was an awesome read which I'd definitely recommend. I'm starting the second one right now, Solitary , which I will post a review for next.
August 27, 2015
Buddyread with
Melissa :) Her review here
A fun idea of a book... the writing can be overly descriptive but never boring. There were quite a few times in the book where I wanted to smack Alex for being an idiot.. if you could reach into a book haha.
Loved Zee and Donovan... the setting was grim, every person for himself and downright scary at times. The Warden *shudders* I would rather run into Odin in a dark alley.
The rating? Well, I liked it for the most part but wasn't in love with it.... Kind of got the blah feeling a few times. Not bored or anything but more of "Hmm? Oh okay... alrighty then"
It's creative, I'll say that :) Not interested enough to read the second book *shrugs*
Would make a cool movie though methinks
Melissa :) Her review here
A fun idea of a book... the writing can be overly descriptive but never boring. There were quite a few times in the book where I wanted to smack Alex for being an idiot.. if you could reach into a book haha.
Loved Zee and Donovan... the setting was grim, every person for himself and downright scary at times. The Warden *shudders* I would rather run into Odin in a dark alley.
The rating? Well, I liked it for the most part but wasn't in love with it.... Kind of got the blah feeling a few times. Not bored or anything but more of "Hmm? Oh okay... alrighty then"
It's creative, I'll say that :) Not interested enough to read the second book *shrugs*
Would make a cool movie though methinks
August 21, 2019
I really enjoyed this Audible book! For some odd reason, I have an infatuation with book settings based in odd prisons. This particular book was a blend of Resident Evil meets Escape Plan with a reminiscent flavor of the Australian prison colonies.
Speaking of Australia, the narrator is phenomenal if you listen to this on Audible! I actually wonder if I would have liked this as much had I not listened to it. I think it still would have been great, but the narrator added personality to the setting and characters that wouldn't have otherwise came through in the reading of it. I don't know that I would have realized it was set in Australia if I had just read the book.
Fun book. Fast paced. I already want the next book in the series now.
I'd rate this book a PG-13 for strong violence and scary creatures, mild swearing, and minimal boyish sexual humor.
Speaking of Australia, the narrator is phenomenal if you listen to this on Audible! I actually wonder if I would have liked this as much had I not listened to it. I think it still would have been great, but the narrator added personality to the setting and characters that wouldn't have otherwise came through in the reading of it. I don't know that I would have realized it was set in Australia if I had just read the book.
Fun book. Fast paced. I already want the next book in the series now.
I'd rate this book a PG-13 for strong violence and scary creatures, mild swearing, and minimal boyish sexual humor.
February 19, 2018
A nightmare.
June 19, 2019
My eyes haven’t been this glued to a book in a while. This was so awesome! I hope the rest of the series is just as good!
Alex Sawyer is a high schooler who was framed for murdering his friend. Once accused of murder in court everyone turned on him—his friends and family. He was swiftly taken to Furnace Penitentiary, a hellish underground jail for juvenile delinquents. Except this isn’t just a jail…it’s hell. Masked men come at night and take boys away to some unknown location, some return and some don’t. Gangs rule the pit, fleshless dogs patrol the halls at night, and the warden himself could symbolize the devil himself.
For a YA novel it was such an adrenaline rush the whole way through. I can’t think of a book at the moment that brought me this much drive to finish a book to see what would happen to these characters.
Alex Sawyer is a high schooler who was framed for murdering his friend. Once accused of murder in court everyone turned on him—his friends and family. He was swiftly taken to Furnace Penitentiary, a hellish underground jail for juvenile delinquents. Except this isn’t just a jail…it’s hell. Masked men come at night and take boys away to some unknown location, some return and some don’t. Gangs rule the pit, fleshless dogs patrol the halls at night, and the warden himself could symbolize the devil himself.
For a YA novel it was such an adrenaline rush the whole way through. I can’t think of a book at the moment that brought me this much drive to finish a book to see what would happen to these characters.
November 20, 2011
Lockdown follows the story of Alex Sawyer, a young delinquent who, along with his best friend, makes a habit of entering people’s houses and stealing whatever they can put their hands on. One night though, everything goes wrong. Alex promised himself that after one last job, he’d stop stealing. But nothing goes as planned after his best friend is murdered right in front of him, and Alex is the one convicted for the murder. He’s then thrown into Furnace, an underground prison, where are sent young murderers and teenagers who, like Alex, were framed for murders they didn’t commit. Alex soon realizes that Furnace is a place worst than Hell, where the only way to survive is to find a way to escape.
The best way to describe Furnace is probably with a direct quote from the book:
“Beneath heaven is hell, […] and beneath hell is Furnace”
Let me just start out by saying that I think Alexander Gordon Smith is an amazing author. The way he described things in this book was breathtaking and just so realistic. The book isn’t incredibly graphic, but I could picture every single thing that happened along the way. Some things were actually pretty gross and I can’t imagine what it would feel like to live in there. Actually no, scratch that. Smith has such a great way with words that I did sometimes feel like I was actually living the journey with Alex, Donovan, Zee and all of the boys in there. I was nervous and scared for them… I remember my heart racing so fast at some points.
Speaking of characters… I just loved them so much! Well… I loved Alex, Donovan, Zee and Toby, that is. I wanted to punch the living hell out of Kevin, all of the Skulls and later on Gary… They would’ve probably killed me in less than 5 seconds though, haha! Anyways, about the character that I did love: I just liked how they were so realistic. They were just scared teenagers sent into this place to rot but they still found the strength to make an escape plan, and always had each other’s backs. Donovan and Alex were definitely my two favourite characters though. I think they both were amazing, and I loved the friendship that was built between them.
Anyways, I can’t wait to read the second book and the rest of this series because it’s definitely one of my favourites series now and I need to find out what happens next because of that huuuuge cliffhanger at the end of this book. So yeah, I’d definitely recommend this book to people who like thrillers, action and gore.
By the way: Donovan and Alex ?
The best way to describe Furnace is probably with a direct quote from the book:
“Beneath heaven is hell, […] and beneath hell is Furnace”
Let me just start out by saying that I think Alexander Gordon Smith is an amazing author. The way he described things in this book was breathtaking and just so realistic. The book isn’t incredibly graphic, but I could picture every single thing that happened along the way. Some things were actually pretty gross and I can’t imagine what it would feel like to live in there. Actually no, scratch that. Smith has such a great way with words that I did sometimes feel like I was actually living the journey with Alex, Donovan, Zee and all of the boys in there. I was nervous and scared for them… I remember my heart racing so fast at some points.
Speaking of characters… I just loved them so much! Well… I loved Alex, Donovan, Zee and Toby, that is. I wanted to punch the living hell out of Kevin, all of the Skulls and later on Gary… They would’ve probably killed me in less than 5 seconds though, haha! Anyways, about the character that I did love: I just liked how they were so realistic. They were just scared teenagers sent into this place to rot but they still found the strength to make an escape plan, and always had each other’s backs. Donovan and Alex were definitely my two favourite characters though. I think they both were amazing, and I loved the friendship that was built between them.
Anyways, I can’t wait to read the second book and the rest of this series because it’s definitely one of my favourites series now and I need to find out what happens next because of that huuuuge cliffhanger at the end of this book. So yeah, I’d definitely recommend this book to people who like thrillers, action and gore.
By the way: Donovan and Alex ?
January 9, 2011
OMG!!! Another amazing book! I am so glad that I bought this book and I cannot wait for the next one to come out...
This book is a horror/creepy/action book and it does not disappoint. It is the first book in a 5 book series and these books will definitely be pre-ordered asap.
Alex is the main character in this book and he is framed for murder and sent to The Furnace Penitentary. A prison that was built 5-6yrs ago to house kids (up til the age of 18) that are convicted of serious crimes. There is no parole at this prison, so once you are sent here you will stay here until you turn 18, when you are then transferred somewhere else.
This book is about Alex trying to acclimate to his new surroundings and trying to fit in with the new people he is housed with now.
Alex holds onto the hope that he will leave this place someday and is constantly keeping his eye open for someway to escape.
The first half of this book is about the different things that go on at the prison and it introduces you to the different characters in this book. There are some really creepy characters in this book, including the warden, the guards and some weird people that come sometimes in the middle of the night. *Warning: if you are prone to nightmares, do not read this book before bedtime.* I couldn't put this book down and was constantly either at the edge of my seat because of the non-stop action or gripping the covers because of the horror/creepiness in it.
The second half of this book was about Alex discovering a way to escape and him and his friends making a plan and executing that plan. Although the book ends right before you find out if they escape or not....what a cliffhanger!
There is so much that goes on in this book that you won't want to stop reading. The detail in this book is amazing and the character development is great. Although Alex did annoy me at times because of how stubborn he is!
Please, if you haven't read this book yet, go out and get yourself a copy and start reading asap....
This book is a horror/creepy/action book and it does not disappoint. It is the first book in a 5 book series and these books will definitely be pre-ordered asap.
Alex is the main character in this book and he is framed for murder and sent to The Furnace Penitentary. A prison that was built 5-6yrs ago to house kids (up til the age of 18) that are convicted of serious crimes. There is no parole at this prison, so once you are sent here you will stay here until you turn 18, when you are then transferred somewhere else.
This book is about Alex trying to acclimate to his new surroundings and trying to fit in with the new people he is housed with now.
Alex holds onto the hope that he will leave this place someday and is constantly keeping his eye open for someway to escape.
The first half of this book is about the different things that go on at the prison and it introduces you to the different characters in this book. There are some really creepy characters in this book, including the warden, the guards and some weird people that come sometimes in the middle of the night. *Warning: if you are prone to nightmares, do not read this book before bedtime.* I couldn't put this book down and was constantly either at the edge of my seat because of the non-stop action or gripping the covers because of the horror/creepiness in it.
The second half of this book was about Alex discovering a way to escape and him and his friends making a plan and executing that plan. Although the book ends right before you find out if they escape or not....what a cliffhanger!
There is so much that goes on in this book that you won't want to stop reading. The detail in this book is amazing and the character development is great. Although Alex did annoy me at times because of how stubborn he is!
Please, if you haven't read this book yet, go out and get yourself a copy and start reading asap....
February 15, 2013
4.5. This was heading for a 4, but that ending made me grin so much.
This ends on a cliffhanger. This book barely skims the surface of this prison, society, and characters. This books raises more questions than answers them.
For a YA novel, I consider it very dark. Children that are killers, gangs, no skin dogs that eat children, soulless silver-eyed men, child labor, etc.
As dark as it got at times, the novel was sprinkled with much needed humor and hope. There was one time I swear I could hear Sean Astin in the Goonies saying to the group, "Down here, it's our time. It's our time, down here." Yes, I am a nerd. Shut your haterfaces.
Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
This ends on a cliffhanger. This book barely skims the surface of this prison, society, and characters. This books raises more questions than answers them.
For a YA novel, I consider it very dark. Children that are killers, gangs, no skin dogs that eat children, soulless silver-eyed men, child labor, etc.
As dark as it got at times, the novel was sprinkled with much needed humor and hope. There was one time I swear I could hear Sean Astin in the Goonies saying to the group, "Down here, it's our time. It's our time, down here." Yes, I am a nerd. Shut your haterfaces.
Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Read
February 25, 2016We'll I just stared reading this book and it's very good for me and I'll think I'll finish by 3 weeks
September 1, 2018
Kitabın fantastik olduğunu düşündüm nedense. Okudukça olmadığını anladım. Spoiler vermeden anlatmamın imkanı yok. O yüzden sadece beğenip beğenmediğimi belirteyim. Bu bir serinin ilk kitabıymış. Zaten kitap da öyle bir yerde bitti ki ikinci olsa hemen okumaya başlardım.
En yakın arkadaşının kötü giden bir soygunda öldürülmesi ve suçun üstüne kalmasıyla Alex Sawyer kendini Fırın denilen hapishanede bulur. Fırın’da işlerin yürüme tarzı çok olağanüstüdür ve gerçek olamayacak kadar korkunçtur. Alex tek bir şeye odaklanmıştır. Kaçmaya. Genel olarak aksiyonu iyiydi. Türünü bilemedim. Ama sevdim. Merak ederek okudum. 👍🏻
En yakın arkadaşının kötü giden bir soygunda öldürülmesi ve suçun üstüne kalmasıyla Alex Sawyer kendini Fırın denilen hapishanede bulur. Fırın’da işlerin yürüme tarzı çok olağanüstüdür ve gerçek olamayacak kadar korkunçtur. Alex tek bir şeye odaklanmıştır. Kaçmaya. Genel olarak aksiyonu iyiydi. Türünü bilemedim. Ama sevdim. Merak ederek okudum. 👍🏻
June 18, 2011
The writing is very descriptive up to the point of being tedious but that’s fine because the plot’s simple enough to follow: Alex is not a good kid. He is a bully and a thief. His life of petty crime changes once he is sent to the Furnace. Now consider the tag line:
Scary? Yes? No? If this were one’s first foray into the world of YA horror/thriller (or whatever genre Lockdown can be classified under,) I definitely say yes. But is it sad that I didn’t find it as scary as I was hoping? It’s not like Lockdown isn’t bloody, gory or violent ~ it’s all of those things. Are child labor, gang killings, skinless bloodthirsty dogs, men with gas masks permanently sewn onto their faces and a warden that may or may not be the devil himself, not scary enough? Have I been desensitized? Or maybe it’s that the descriptions got in my way.
It isn’t a girly book either with the happy absence of a romance; rather it’s focused on survival, escape... and friendship. Alex, well what can I say? He did/ does some dumb stuff but is relatable nonetheless. Who wouldn’t want to escape from the hell hole he’d found himself in. All the kids wanted out and their reactions were all very real… as in pee your pants, cry in your sleep and scream, kind of real. Surprisingly there were funny moments, especially from Zee. I love that kid!
It’s dark and it's descriptive(good thing? bad thing? you decide...)
3/5
Beneath Heaven is Hell. Beneath Hell is Furnace.
Scary? Yes? No? If this were one’s first foray into the world of YA horror/thriller (or whatever genre Lockdown can be classified under,) I definitely say yes. But is it sad that I didn’t find it as scary as I was hoping? It’s not like Lockdown isn’t bloody, gory or violent ~ it’s all of those things. Are child labor, gang killings, skinless bloodthirsty dogs, men with gas masks permanently sewn onto their faces and a warden that may or may not be the devil himself, not scary enough? Have I been desensitized? Or maybe it’s that the descriptions got in my way.
It isn’t a girly book either with the happy absence of a romance; rather it’s focused on survival, escape... and friendship. Alex, well what can I say? He did/ does some dumb stuff but is relatable nonetheless. Who wouldn’t want to escape from the hell hole he’d found himself in. All the kids wanted out and their reactions were all very real… as in pee your pants, cry in your sleep and scream, kind of real. Surprisingly there were funny moments, especially from Zee. I love that kid!
It’s dark and it's descriptive(good thing? bad thing? you decide...)
3/5
July 26, 2015
Fast paced and bloody brilliant.
“Don't go looking for snakes, you might find them..
Don't send your eyes to the sun, you might blind them,
Haven't I seen you here before?
There ain't no heroes here....”
This is a shit-meet-fan kind of book. There are no sugary bits glossing over events because of the main character's age. It's actually adds to the horror, when you are forced to see kids as adults and surviving trough ordeals you are certain most adults wouldn't survive trough.
It has it all. Underground prison from hell, gangs and turf war. Fights, murder, mad science experiments and a band of unlikely friends.
I have been reading quite a lot of dystopia lately and can safely say that I still have the taste for it. I like the fact that it's a rich genre. This particular spin is very engaging, it doesn't leave you with two minutes to catch your breath. It keeps you on your toes all the time. It's not something for the fans of insta justice, and evil vs. good.
This book will give you chills....
“Don't go looking for snakes, you might find them..
Don't send your eyes to the sun, you might blind them,
Haven't I seen you here before?
There ain't no heroes here....”
This is a shit-meet-fan kind of book. There are no sugary bits glossing over events because of the main character's age. It's actually adds to the horror, when you are forced to see kids as adults and surviving trough ordeals you are certain most adults wouldn't survive trough.
It has it all. Underground prison from hell, gangs and turf war. Fights, murder, mad science experiments and a band of unlikely friends.
I have been reading quite a lot of dystopia lately and can safely say that I still have the taste for it. I like the fact that it's a rich genre. This particular spin is very engaging, it doesn't leave you with two minutes to catch your breath. It keeps you on your toes all the time. It's not something for the fans of insta justice, and evil vs. good.
This book will give you chills....
January 21, 2023
Stars: 5 out of 5
This was terrifying y'all!
My problem with a lot of horror books is that the characters in them are either not fully realized or so unpleasant that sometimes you wish the monsters got them, so it's hard to root for them. Not so in this book. The author has a knack for writing reliable characters that feel real. Are they good people? Not by a long stretch, but neither are they bad people. They are kids. They are teenage boys trapped in a nightmare and left to fend for themselves. Of course there will be acts of extreme cruelty involved.
The premise itself is terrifying in its inhumanity. Imagine locking away children, since some of them are barely 10 years old. For Life. With no possibility of appeal and parole. In an underground prison. And they are never allowed visitors. As far as humanity is concerned, the prisoners cease to be human and become property as soon as they cross the gates into Furnace. What should have happened to society for the public to think that a prison like that was normal or even welcome? What happened that parents would agree to something like that? That human right activists aren't up in arms and railing against this?
So the children stuck in Furnace have no hope, and no future. That in itself would be terrifying. No wonder they form gangs and lash out against each other - they are all desperate and, frankly, they don't have anything to loose anymore. Now add to that the cruelty of the guards and their indifference to the violence happening between inmates. Oh, and things worst then guards prowl the halls at night, and sometimes they take prisoners. Those taken never come back, or if they do, they are changed.
Like I said, just the premise would have made for a terrifying book, but what distinguishes it from other horror stories and YA books is that the author has a knack for writing relatable characters. I got to know and care for Alex, Donovan, Zee, and a few others. I grew to like them. So the sheer terror of their everyday existence in Furnace hit closer to home. They weren't just two-dimensional characters destined to die in horrible ways just to add to the horror factor. Those were kids I cared about. I mean even Morty being taken was hard. The loss of another character closer to the end of the book was a real gut punch.
The action is also pretty tight in this book. There are no slumps, and the sense of dread grows the closer you get to the ending. And while the ending provides some kind of resolution to the immediate issue of the book, it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The most important of them being - where they actually able to escape and what will they do now that they did?
I am definitely invested in the characters and the world this author has created, so I will be picking up the next book in the series. In fact, I put the whole series on my TBR list.
This was terrifying y'all!
My problem with a lot of horror books is that the characters in them are either not fully realized or so unpleasant that sometimes you wish the monsters got them, so it's hard to root for them. Not so in this book. The author has a knack for writing reliable characters that feel real. Are they good people? Not by a long stretch, but neither are they bad people. They are kids. They are teenage boys trapped in a nightmare and left to fend for themselves. Of course there will be acts of extreme cruelty involved.
The premise itself is terrifying in its inhumanity. Imagine locking away children, since some of them are barely 10 years old. For Life. With no possibility of appeal and parole. In an underground prison. And they are never allowed visitors. As far as humanity is concerned, the prisoners cease to be human and become property as soon as they cross the gates into Furnace. What should have happened to society for the public to think that a prison like that was normal or even welcome? What happened that parents would agree to something like that? That human right activists aren't up in arms and railing against this?
So the children stuck in Furnace have no hope, and no future. That in itself would be terrifying. No wonder they form gangs and lash out against each other - they are all desperate and, frankly, they don't have anything to loose anymore. Now add to that the cruelty of the guards and their indifference to the violence happening between inmates. Oh, and things worst then guards prowl the halls at night, and sometimes they take prisoners. Those taken never come back, or if they do, they are changed.
Like I said, just the premise would have made for a terrifying book, but what distinguishes it from other horror stories and YA books is that the author has a knack for writing relatable characters. I got to know and care for Alex, Donovan, Zee, and a few others. I grew to like them. So the sheer terror of their everyday existence in Furnace hit closer to home. They weren't just two-dimensional characters destined to die in horrible ways just to add to the horror factor. Those were kids I cared about. I mean even Morty being taken was hard. The loss of another character closer to the end of the book was a real gut punch.
The action is also pretty tight in this book. There are no slumps, and the sense of dread grows the closer you get to the ending. And while the ending provides some kind of resolution to the immediate issue of the book, it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The most important of them being - where they actually able to escape and what will they do now that they did?
I am definitely invested in the characters and the world this author has created, so I will be picking up the next book in the series. In fact, I put the whole series on my TBR list.
January 10, 2015
First thought: Oh, a cute little YA book about boys in a spooooooky prison.
Second thought: What?
Third thought: What?
Fourth thought: WHAT?!
Rest of thoughts: WHAT THE SON OF A FLYING MONKEY AM I READING AND WHY CAN'T I STOP READING AND HOW THE HELL AM I GOING TO SLEEP TONIGHT BECAUSE I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THIS AND PICTURING EVERYTHING IN THIS BOOK INCLUDING THAT CREEPY GAS MASK WHEEZER ON THE COVER!
Honestly, this isn't a full on horror book. It is YA; although it's very disturbing YA.
Our main character is Alex. A kid who robs houses but not a kid who murders his best friend. He's been set up and sentenced to life imprisonment in Furnace Penitentiary. He is faced with horrors there that you and I can't even imagine (well, we can imagine). And he's going to try to escape (no spoiler - it's the name of the series and on the cover).
There is a time when you will need to push away thoughts like:
1. That wasn't even a real trial.
2. Wait a second...this is a prison where children go for life sentences that doesn't ever allow calls/visits/letters and no one in society has any problem with this whatsoever?
I let myself wonder about these things for a few seconds and then pushed past. If I could allow things like creatures with gas masks sewn into their skin and giant "dogs" with no fur or skin, I could allow these other things.
Alex meets a few guys in prison - some good and some bad. There are very brief descriptions of each. If it bothers you to not have a character described to a T, you may be annoyed. I was fine. The descriptions of the prison environment were amazing enough to make me forgive the lack of character development. There was also enough description of one particular character to make me chirp like a bluebird. Or a sparrow. Or some small, pretty winged bird.
Enter Donovan.
FACT: When I was young, one of my favorite movies was "The Story of 15 Boys." My favorite character was Donovan. He was my very first crush - a rough and tough boy with a "don't mess with me" exterior" and a "heart of gold" interior. I used to pretend he was sitting next to me on the school bus. He's the one holding the goat on the cover of the VHS case.
FACT: Donovan in this book reminds me of 15 Boys Donovan. But with bigger biceps.
If I can cling to one character wholeheartedly, I'm immediately more fond of the book. Donovan was the one character I could really care about above the others.
I would love to see this as a movie - although I'd probably be too scared to watch it. There is suspense and action and horror. I even chuckled once or twice.
This is probably a 4.5 for me, but I had such a good time that I'm bumping it up to 5.
1 Star for Originality (Seriously - I have never read anything close to this before)
1 Star because I couldn't put the damn thing down
1 Star for Donovan (old love hits hard)
1 Star for the creepy factor (I was having heart palpitations reading it at night)
1 Star for the cliffhanger ending that had me ordering the other books in the series seconds after finishing (there are five in the series - HALLELUJAH!)
Second thought: What?
Third thought: What?
Fourth thought: WHAT?!
Rest of thoughts: WHAT THE SON OF A FLYING MONKEY AM I READING AND WHY CAN'T I STOP READING AND HOW THE HELL AM I GOING TO SLEEP TONIGHT BECAUSE I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THIS AND PICTURING EVERYTHING IN THIS BOOK INCLUDING THAT CREEPY GAS MASK WHEEZER ON THE COVER!
Honestly, this isn't a full on horror book. It is YA; although it's very disturbing YA.
Our main character is Alex. A kid who robs houses but not a kid who murders his best friend. He's been set up and sentenced to life imprisonment in Furnace Penitentiary. He is faced with horrors there that you and I can't even imagine (well, we can imagine). And he's going to try to escape (no spoiler - it's the name of the series and on the cover).
There is a time when you will need to push away thoughts like:
1. That wasn't even a real trial.
2. Wait a second...this is a prison where children go for life sentences that doesn't ever allow calls/visits/letters and no one in society has any problem with this whatsoever?
I let myself wonder about these things for a few seconds and then pushed past. If I could allow things like creatures with gas masks sewn into their skin and giant "dogs" with no fur or skin, I could allow these other things.
Alex meets a few guys in prison - some good and some bad. There are very brief descriptions of each. If it bothers you to not have a character described to a T, you may be annoyed. I was fine. The descriptions of the prison environment were amazing enough to make me forgive the lack of character development. There was also enough description of one particular character to make me chirp like a bluebird. Or a sparrow. Or some small, pretty winged bird.
Enter Donovan.
FACT: When I was young, one of my favorite movies was "The Story of 15 Boys." My favorite character was Donovan. He was my very first crush - a rough and tough boy with a "don't mess with me" exterior" and a "heart of gold" interior. I used to pretend he was sitting next to me on the school bus. He's the one holding the goat on the cover of the VHS case.
FACT: Donovan in this book reminds me of 15 Boys Donovan. But with bigger biceps.
If I can cling to one character wholeheartedly, I'm immediately more fond of the book. Donovan was the one character I could really care about above the others.
I would love to see this as a movie - although I'd probably be too scared to watch it. There is suspense and action and horror. I even chuckled once or twice.
This is probably a 4.5 for me, but I had such a good time that I'm bumping it up to 5.
1 Star for Originality (Seriously - I have never read anything close to this before)
1 Star because I couldn't put the damn thing down
1 Star for Donovan (old love hits hard)
1 Star for the creepy factor (I was having heart palpitations reading it at night)
1 Star for the cliffhanger ending that had me ordering the other books in the series seconds after finishing (there are five in the series - HALLELUJAH!)
October 18, 2015
This book is the first in a series of five altogether, and it starts off with a bang. Society has devolved into a place where there is no quarter given for age in the consideration of a crime, and young children (pre-teens) are imprisoned--for life--in maximum security facilities for serious crimes. The main character, Alex, and his friend Toby, are busted ripping off a house. This is a problem for them, but the even bigger problem is that they are not caught by the police--that would have been a good day. Instead, it is a mysterious set of menacing men who frame Alex for a much worse crime than burglary. He finds himself, in short order, imprisoned in the worst of all prisons--Furnace. Supposedly inescapable, the youngsters condemned to spend their lives there are all but written off as dead by society. Civil rights? Visiting hours? They don't exist in Furnace. The fight for survival from the usual prison ills is present: sadistic guards, prison gangs, suffocating hopelessness. But wait! Furnace has a whole other level of terrors awaiting its inmates. Who are these mysterious gas-masked creatures roaming the cell-blocks? What's wrong with the guards' eyes? And what's up with those weird dogs?
These and other questions will NOT be answered in this book--that's for future books in the series. There are plenty of chills and thrills in this book, however, even if you don't completely understand what's going on. The action is fast-paced, the prose pretty spare, and the somewhat claustrophobic atmosphere is well-conveyed. The only characters I have any real interest in at this point are Alex and his cell-mate, Donovan, but I hope that will change as the series continues. I am eager to find out the answers to the above questions, as well as find out what happens from the pretty massive cliff-hanger that this book ended on. All in all, an engrossing read and an unusual premise. I'm definitely going on to the next book!
These and other questions will NOT be answered in this book--that's for future books in the series. There are plenty of chills and thrills in this book, however, even if you don't completely understand what's going on. The action is fast-paced, the prose pretty spare, and the somewhat claustrophobic atmosphere is well-conveyed. The only characters I have any real interest in at this point are Alex and his cell-mate, Donovan, but I hope that will change as the series continues. I am eager to find out the answers to the above questions, as well as find out what happens from the pretty massive cliff-hanger that this book ended on. All in all, an engrossing read and an unusual premise. I'm definitely going on to the next book!
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