Description

Perfect for fans of Scott Westerfeld and The Maze Runner, The Gauntlet is the gripping finale to the thrilling and addictive Cage series about teens abducted from Earth by an otherworldly race—from Megan Shepherd, the New York Times bestselling author of the Madman’s Daughter series.

Cora and her friends have escaped the Kindred station and landed at Armstrong—a supposed safe haven on a small moon—where they plan to regroup and figure out how to win the Gauntlet, the challenging competition to prove humanity’s intelligence and set them free. But Armstrong is no paradise; ruled by a power-hungry sheriff,  it’s a violent world where the teens are enslaved and put to work in mines. As Nok’s due date grows closer, and Mali and Leon journey across space to rescue Cassian, the former inhabitants of the cage are up against impossible odds.

With the whole universe at stake, Cora will do whatever it takes, including pushing her body and mind to the breaking point, to escape Armstrong and run the Gauntlet. But it isn’t just a deranged sheriff she has to overcome: the other intelligent species—the Axion, Kindred, Gatherers, and Mosca—all have their own reasons to stop her. Not knowing who to trust, Cora must rely on her own instincts to win the competition, which could change the world—though it might destroy her in the process.

About the Author

Megan Shepherd grew up in her family’s independent bookstore in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The travel bug took her from London to Timbuktu and many places in between, though she ended up back in North Carolina with her husband, two cats, and a scruffy dog, and she wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. She is the author of the Madman’s Daughter and Cage trilogies. Visit her online at www.meganshepherd.com.

Praise For…

Praise for THE HUNT: “A thrill ride in space with new danger and intrigue around every corner.” — Kirkus Reviews

Praise for THE HUNT: “Leaves readers thirsting for the final installment.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

Praise for THE CAGE: “Gripping and addictive-Shepherd has delivered again! A captivating mix of intrigue, deft twists, and complex questions, this is a must-read.” — Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, authos of These Broken Stars

Praise for THE CAGE: “A brilliant, exciting tale of what it’s like to be human, even when all hope is lost. Shepherd perfectly contrasts freedom and entrapment, humanity and alien nature, loss and love.” — Beth Revis, author of the New York Times Bestselling Across the Universe series

Praise for THE CAGE: “Megan Shepherd’s The Cage is a thrilling sci-fi/thriller mix with a healthy helping of Lord of the Flies. This fast-paced speculative tale will keep you thinking long after you turn th elast page.” — Megan Miranda, author of Fracture, Hysteria, Vengeance, and Soulprint

Praise for THE CAGE: “Compelling contemporary science fiction with a classic Star Trek flair.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Praise for THE CAGE: “Shepherd is a master of pacing, and each chapter brings new revelations...Satisfying.” — Publishers Weekly

Praise for THE CAGE: “Swoon-worthy and thrilling” — Kirkus Reviews

Praise for THE CAGE: “Will make readers squirm, even as it causes them to reflect on what it means to be human.” — Booklist

Praise for A COLD LEGACY: “Fast-paced and romantic, this page-turning volume [is] . . . a satisfactory ending to the trilogy.” — School Library Journal

Praise for A COLD LEGACY: “Riveting...A creepy and compelling tale.” — Kirkus Reviews

Praise for HER DARK CURIOSITY: “Secrets and mad scientists offer a gory gothic adventure.” — Kirkus Reviews

Praise for HER DARK CURIOSITY: “Shepherd’s integration of romance into her nods to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dracula, Frankenstein, and Jack the Ripper is masterful, and she does not back down from a hugely dark cliff-hanger ending. Bosoms, prepare to heave-and throats, prepare to scream.” — Booklist

Praise for HER DARK CURIOSITY: “The mash-up of classic literature with modern paranormal fiction is refreshing and appealing.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

Praise for HER DARK CURIOSITY: “Deliciously dark and exciting.” — School Library Journal

Praise for THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER: “The fast-paced book is rife with excitement, romance, and intrigue.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

Praise for THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER: “A deft twist on a familiar classic, THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER has the best of everything: beautiful writing, breakneck pacing, a pulse-pounding mystery, and an irresistible romance.” — Carrie Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth series

Praise for THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER: “Unexpected twists and a cliffhanger ending that should leave [readers] craving more.” — Publishers Weekly

Praise for THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER: “Romantic, haunting, and full of spine-tingling thrills, THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER kept me reading late into the night.” — Veronica Rossi, New York Times bestselling author of UNDER THE NEVER SKY

Praise for THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER: “Anyone who doesn’t pick up the next volume is mad!” — ALA Booklist