Subject Seven

Gr 9 Up—In a secret compound, several children were artificially created and genetically modified in an experiment known as the Janus Project, until the alpha of their group, Subject Seven, escaped after brutally murdering a top scientist and the guards assigned to him. Subsequently, the remaining youngsters involved in the failed experiment were wiped clean of their memories and given to adoptive parents in various locations throughout the United States. Moore's first YA novel opens years later as the five children, now teenagers, begin experiencing terrifying fugue states where it appears someone has been in control of their bodies and actions while they were unaware, sometimes for weeks at a time. It isn't until that same unknown entity calls them all together that they discover what they are truly capable of and how much the Janus Project wants to destroy them. Although the theme of this story isn't new—think Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and the comic hero The Incredible Hulk-this updated version is uniquely appealing to teens with its underlying themes of adolescent angst, budding sexuality, and body issues underscored by violent and visceral storytelling. Moore has written several books for adults primarily in the fields of horror, fantasy, and science fiction.—Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK