Maximum Ride Books in Order

James Patterson's young-adult science-fantasy series follows Max and her "Flock" of winged, genetically engineered kids as they flee the lab that made them and battle the forces hunting them. The nine main novels tell one continuous story from The Angel Experiment through Maximum Ride Forever.

Publication order

In the order the books were originally released.

  1. Cover of The Angel Experiment

    The Angel Experiment

    2005 · James Patterson

    Fourteen-year-old Max leads a flock of children who were genetically engineered with avian DNA, giving them wings and the ability to fly. When the…

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  2. Cover of School's Out Forever

    School's Out Forever

    2006 · James Patterson

    Still hunted by the lab that created them, Max and her winged flock search for clues to their origins and try to track down their real parents. Along…

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  3. Cover of Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

    Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

    2007 · James Patterson

    Convinced she's meant to save the planet, Max splits her energy between confronting a sinister organization bent on culling humanity and dealing with…

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  4. Cover of The Final Warning

    The Final Warning

    2008 · James Patterson

    Recruited to investigate strange phenomena, Max and the flock travel to Antarctica, where they confront the realities of a changing climate and…

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  5. Cover of Max

    Max

    2009 · James Patterson

    When Max's long-lost mother is kidnapped, the flock dives into a mission that takes them beneath the ocean to uncover a deadly experiment threatening…

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  6. Cover of Fang

    Fang

    2010 · James Patterson

    A creepy new flock member named Dylan arrives with a prophecy claiming he, not Fang, is Max's perfect match, throwing the group into turmoil. As a…

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  7. Cover of Angel

    Angel

    2011 · James Patterson

    With Fang gone and forming his own rival gang, a heartbroken Max struggles to hold her flock together. Meanwhile a doomsday cult preaching the…

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  8. Cover of Nevermore

    Nevermore

    2012 · James Patterson

    Billed as the final chapter, this installment finds the flock trying to live normally even as Angel's unsettling predictions of an apocalypse loom…

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  9. Maximum Ride Forever

    2015 · James Patterson

    In a world devastated by catastrophe, Max and the flock are scattered and struggling to survive among the ruins of civilization. As Max searches for…

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Frequently asked questions

What order should I read the Maximum Ride books in?

Publication order — Widely recommended by readers and matches the author's intended continuous narrative Start with “The Angel Experiment.”

How many books are in the Maximum Ride series?

We list 9 books by James Patterson , published between 2005–2015.

Where can I buy the Maximum Ride books?

Each title above links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.