Gregor the Overlander

Infobox Book
name = Gregor the Overlander
translator =


image_caption =
author = Suzanne Collins
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = The Underland Chronicles
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = Scholastic
release_date = September 1, 2003
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Paperback)
pages = 308
isbn = ISBN 0-439-43537-4
followed_by = Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane

"Gregor the Overlander" is the first book of the Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins. It was published in 2003, and met with critical acclaim, including Kirkus Reviews Editors' Choice and New York Public Library's 100 Books for Reading and Sharing selection. [cite web | url=http://www.scholastic.com/internationalrights/featured-authors-ac.htm | title=Scholastic.com - International Rights: Authors and Illustrators | publisher=Scholastic | accessdate=2008-07-23] It was featured by National Public Radio in the USA in 2005. [cite web | url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4682840 | title=Excerpt: 'Gregor the Overlander' | publisher=NPR | accessdate=2008-07-23] As of July 2008, users on Amazon.com had given the book a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. [cite web | url=http://www.amazon.com/Overlander-Underland-Chronicles-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439435366 | title=Amazon.com - Gregor The Overlander (Underland Chronicles) (Hardcover) | accessdate=2008-07-23]

Plot summary

Eleven year old Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his New York City apartment building. With his two-year-old sister, Boots, he lands in the Underland. Here giant spiders, rats, and cockroaches coexist uneasily with humans. Because a prophecy foretells that an Overlander will play an important role in the uncertain future of Underland (which is on the brink of war), Gregor's arrival is treated as no accident. When he learns his father's disappearance may have something to do with the Underland, Gregor reluctantly embarks on a life-changing adventure.

etting

The nominal ruler of the human city of Regalia is Luxa, a girl about Gregor's age, who will fully assume the throne when she comes of age, at sixteen. She is proud and aggressive. At first sight, Gregor believes her to be stuck-up and conceited; this feeling only increases when Boots asks her for a ball she had been playing with and Luxa will not let go of it. A royal cousin named Henry seems more friendly to Gregor, and another named Nerissa is nervous and claims to have visions of the future. The grandfather of all the cousins is a kindly man named Vikus, who leads a council that rules in place of the under-aged queen. Their grandmother Solovet leads the Regalian military, which includes sword-wielding soldiers mounted on large, intelligent bats. Solovet appears to have a gentle demeanor at first, but when it comes to battle tactics, she has among the finest of minds.

The Quest

Gregor, growing tired of the Underland, attempts to escape and is attacked by rats (the main enemy of the humans). Luckily, the guard Mareth and some others (Including Luxa) save his life. Gregor then learns that, according to the "Prophecy of Gray," a group of Underlanders and Overlanders (including Gregor and his sister) will set out into dangerous rat-controlled territory, in order to rescue an Overland prisoner, whom Gregor believes to be his long-lost father.

The first part of their mission involves recruiting participants from each of the various groups of underland creatures mentioned in the prophecy. First Vikus, Solovet, Mareth and others go to the cockroaches and recruit Tick and Temp (whom Boots somehow recognizes from their first encounter in the underland). They then journey to the bats, many of whom are ceremonially bonded to humans (a relationship that has both social and military benefits). After fending off another rat attack, the group goes to visit the spiders, who promptly imprison them in a web. Luxa and her bat Aurora free the party by performing a complex aerial maneuver that shreds the web. Nevertheless, before long, the rat incursions motivate the spiders Treflex and Gox join the quest.

When fully tallied, the party includes the Overlanders Gregor, Boots and (after his rescue) their father, the Underlander humans Luxa and Henry, the cockroaches Tick and Temp (who believe Boots is a princess); the spiders Gox and Treflex (who ally themselves with the humans to fight a common enemy), the rat Ripred (a fearsome fighter and strategist whose motives are never clear), and the bats Aurora (Luxa's bond) and Ares (Henry's bond).

Boots considers the quest a grand lark, and treats all her companions as equal playmates, even though the Underland humans see themselves at the top of a rigid hierarchy. While his main goal is simply to see the quest to its conclusion so that he can rescue his father, Gregor also makes conscious decisions that challenge the dominant opinions of the Underland humans. For instance, he socializes with the cockroaches, and he defends Ripred against Henry's unjust aggression (which includes an attempted assassination).

Perils and Treachery

Of the 12 members of the party, the prophecy states that only eight will return alive. Early casualties include one of the spiders (Treflex, who dies almost immediately after joining the quest) and one of the cockroaches (Tick, who sacrifices herself in order to save Boots from attacking rats).

Deep in rat territory, the party learns that Henry -- the childhood friend and cousin of Regalia's future queen -- has betrayed the whole party to the ruthless rat king Gorger. When Gorger kills a third member of the party (Gox, the surviving spider), Gregor recalls that the prophecy mentioned that eight of the twelve would survive. Believing that his own death will assure that his father and sister will return safely to the surface, Gregor creates a distraction by plunging into a pit. In the chaos, the traitorous Henry follows him, but bats and their human riders often practice such maneuvers; Henry is confident that his bat will rescue him. In fact, however, Ares lets his bond Henry fall to his death, and instead rescues Gregor.

Resolution

Gregor's father is ill but safe. With the rat king Gorger dead, the quest is a success. Luxa is shaken by Henry's betrayal, as are the other Regalians. Nevertheless, Ares is put on trial for one of two charges: Treason (Along with Henry) or abandoning his bond. Before the Regalian authorities can pronounce Ares guilty, the quick-thinking Gregor begins to recite the ceremonial words that will create a bond between Ares and himself. Ares finishes the ceremony, and the Regalians cease to prosecute Ares.

Gregor, Boots, and their father return to New York City, but not before Vikus hints that the warrior has not seen the last of the Underland.

Characters

The Questers

* Gregor, an 11-year-old boy from New York City. The third-person-limited narrative centers on Gregor's experiences and thoughts.
* Boots, Gregor's 2-year-old sister. Her given name is Margaret (named after her grandmother). Nicknamed for her habit of stealing boots to play with.
* Luxa, destined to be Queen of the Underland when she is 16; she is currently the same age as Gregor.
* Henry, Luxa's cousin. Initially seems kind to Gregor, but later betrays the humans and joins the rats. Falls to his death when his bat abandons him to save Gregor instead.
* Aurora, Luxa's bat. Quiet, loyal, and fast.
* Ares, Henry's bat. Breaks his life-long bond after learning of Henry's treachery, saving Gregor instead of Henry from falling into a pit. Becomes Gregor's own bond in later chapters.
* Temp, a cockroach, who first discovered Gregor and Boots in the Underland, and later dedicates himself to serving Boots (whom the cockroaches honor as a "Princess").
* Tick, a cockroach who died after turning to face an army of pursuing rats, buying time for Boots to finish crossing a bridge.
* Treflex, a brown spider, killed by the rats immediately after joining the quest.
* Gox, a spider who eats Treflex's body (according to the custom of spiders), and is later killed by the rat king, Gorger.
* Ripred, a rat with deadly fighting skills and keen intelligence. He fights alongside the humans, but his motives are never clear.

Minor Characters

* Nerissa, a very fragile young girl not much older than Gregor, who has visions of the future, and the present, and sometimes the past.
* Vikus, Luxa's grandfather also head of the Regalian council.
* Solovet, Luxa's grandmother and Vikus's wife; also head of the Regalian army.
* Dulcet, a servent in Regalia and the "Nicest person Gregor's met so far in the Underland."
* Mareth, an Underland soldier; also one of Gregor's favorite people in the Underland.
* Gregor's and Boots's father, who had been held captive by rats for over two and a half years.
* Grace: Gregor's, Lizzie's and Boots's mother
* Margaret: Gregor's and Boots's grandmother who has been "slipping in and out of reality".
* Mrs. Cormaci, a neighbor who sometimes sits with Gregor's grandmother.
* Lizzie, Gregor's younger sister and Boots's older sister.
* King Gorger, leader of the rats and the killer of Luxa's parents.
* Queen Wevox, a giant spider who tries to kill Luxa but is stopped by Gregor.
* The Bane, a pure white baby rat that is destined to bring about the end of the underland people. (Not mentioned until the second book, Gregor and The Prophecy of Bane)

Characters Mentioned, but Never Met

* Bartholomew of Sandwich, who led a group of humans down from the Overland into the Underland and saw into the future and carved prophecies - which called Gregor the "warrior" - into stone walls in a special room. Later Ripred mentions that he doesnt believe in the prophecies written by Sandwich.
* Luxa's parents, killed by the rats before the time of this novel.
* Gregor's grandfather, the person that you never know where he is.

The Prophecy of Gray

Beware, Underlanders, time hangs by a thread./The hunters are hunted, white water runs red./The gnawers will strike to extinguish the rest./The hope of the hopeless resides in a quest./

An Overland warrior, a son of the sun, /May bring us back light, he may bring us back none. /But gather your neighbors and follow his call /Or the Rats will most surely devour us all./

Two over, two under, of royal descent, /Two flyers, two crawlers, two spinners assent./One gnawer beside and one lost up ahead./And eight will be left when we count up the dead./

The last one to die must decide where he stands./The fate of the eight is contained in his hands./So bid him take care, bid him look where he leaps,/As life may be death and death life again reaps.

Prophecy courtesy of S.S.

References