| Plot Summary of Gregor the Overlander - Underland Chronicles 1 |
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"Far below New York City is the The Underland; a world populated by giant cockroaches, bats, spiders and rats as well as several thousand descendents of the first humans to move to there in the 1600s. It was during that era when an English Stonemason, who had a vision of life on the surface of the earth being destroyed, led a group of settlers to this underground world. In today's New York, one of the few entrances to The Underland is through a loose air vent in the laundry room of a New York apartment building. It was through this air vent that 11-year old Gregor and his 2-year old sister 'Bean,' quite accidentally, made a decent to The Underland that started an extraordinary adventure.
Fortunately for Gregor and Bean the first creatures they encountered after their fall from the “Overland” were giant cockroaches who were quite friendly and who spoke passable English (as did all inhabitants of The Underland). Bean, a typically fearless 2-year old, was delighted to accept a cockroach ride to the center of human habitation in The Underland, the palace city of Regalia; the more squeamish Gregor was content to run alongside. In Regalia, Gregor and Bean were treated as royalty and learned of another “Overlander” who came to The Underland two years before and, while trying to find his way back home, was captured by the most detested species in The Underland, the rats. It so happened that Gregor and Bean's father had very suddenly disappeared just two years before so, assuming that this was their father, Gregor eagerly agreed to go on a quest to find him.
The arrival in The Underland of Gregor's and Bean's presumed father, as well as their own arrival, had all been predicted by a prophesy that was written centuries before by The Underland's founder. This prophesy also told of a quest/rescue mission that would, if successful, save The Underland from destruction by the rats. Using bats and cockroaches as transport, the questers journeyed first to the territory of the friendly but somewhat cowardly cockroaches and then to the territory of the not so friendly, devious spiders to seek their help and finally, with the help of a rebellious rat, to the dangerous territory of the rats. Some of the questers died in the final confrontation but the battle was won and the prisoner was freed. "
Harvey Grund, Resident Scholar
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"Gregor, an eleven-year-old boy from New York City, was doing his laundry with his two-year-old sister, Boots. The playful Boots was scurrying around, when she suddenly fell through a grate in the laundry room. As Gregor goes after her, he too falls through the grate, and find themselves in a mysterious place called the Underland. As soon as he lands, several over-sized cockroaches find the two siblings, and take them to the Underland city of Regalia. The Regalians recognize this young boy as a warrior that was prophesized to come by a man named Bartholomew of Sandwich, who also was the founder of the Underland.
In Regalia, Gregor meets a girl his age named Luxa, who is to be the queen of Regalia when she turns sixteen. Gregor also meets her cousins, Henry and Nerissa. He instantly dislikes Luxa and Henry for their mean attitude.
Gregor soon learns of a prophecy called the "Prophecy of Gray." According to the prophecy, ten Underlanders and two Overlanders (as the people on the earth were called) would set out on a quest to rescue an Overland prisoner, whom Gregor finds out is his long-lost father. Gregor decides to set out on this quest, taking Boots with him. The other members included the cockroaches Tick and Temp, the spiders Gox and Treflex, the humans Luxa and Henry, the rat Ripred.
The "questers" set out to rescue Gregor's father. Treflex, whom they first met in the middle of the quest, had died from wounds. After a long trip, Tick also died in an attempt to save Boots. The questers continued their journey, but several of them were mourned at their loss.
When they get to King Gorger's cave they immediatly go into a battle to get back Gregor's father. They then realize that Henry had been a spy for King Gorger to lead them to his cave to be slaughtered. As Gregor realizes that he is the one the rats want, he jumps off the edge only to have the rats collide down on a rockslide themselves. Ares scoops down to pick up Henry (who had also fallen with the rats),supposably, and instead picks up Gregor and reunites him with his father and they return back to Regalia, where they kindly send Gregor back to the Overland to reunite with his family."
Matt Shaw, Resident Scholar
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"A preteen boy named Gregor and his younger sister Boots are in the laundry room of their apartment when Boots falls through a grate. Gregor follows. They find themselves in a world where insects and rodents are as big as humans. They discover that there are also humans in this strange world when they are brought to the city Regalia by cochroaches. Here Gregor meets the royal family, including Luxa, the future queen and Howard, her cousin. While staying in the city, Gregor learns of a prophecy that states two "overlanders" and eight underlanders will journey to rescue a captured overlander. Soon the people of Regalia discover that Gregor is the "Warrior" of which the prophecy speaks. Unwillingly Gregor discovers that he will have to make the journey. Along with Luxa, Henry, some cochroaches, bats, spiders and Ripred the rat, they set off. "
Sally, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Gregor the Overlander - Underland Chronicles 1 |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 40%
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- part earth & part fantasy world
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story
Yes
Plotlets:
- exploring deep underground caves
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- student
Age:
- a kid
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- animal
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Setting
Terrain
- Domed/Underground City
Earth setting:
- general past
- current (early 21st century)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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