Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods

Infobox Book
name = Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
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author = Suzanne Collins
illustrator =
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country = United States
language = English
series = The Underland Chronicles
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = Scholastic
release_date = 1 July 2005
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pages = 358 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-439-65623-0
preceded_by = Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane
followed_by = Gregor and the Marks of Secret

"Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods" is the third book in the Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins.

Plot summary

Just a few months after returning from his mission in Gregor and the Prophecy of the Bane, the hero finds himself in the laundry room, where a scroll from Vikus informs him that "The Prophecy of Blood is upon us," and this time it's Gregor, Boots and their mother who descend into the Underland. This third book continues the saga of Gregor's adventures in the amazing subterranean world under New York City. This time the 11-year-old is trying to save victims of an Underland plague, including Ares, his giant bat bond-mate, and Gregor's own mother. The quest for the cure takes the boy and his friends into new sections of the Underland where plants are carnivorous and a giant lizard serves as a guide. The Overlander is again joined on his quest by Boots, his toddler sister; Ripred, the rat; and Temp, the giant cockroach. As before, the quest is guided by a prophecy that only becomes clear in the later stages of the book. Collins maintains the momentum, charm, and vivid settings of the original title. The characterizations continue to be complex with each new book, revealing new sides to familiar individuals. For the third time, Gregor and his stolid little sister Boots descend to the Underland in fulfillment of a prophecy, in a story that delivers the breakneck adventure and strong characters readers have come to expect. The Curse of the Warm-bloods, it turns out, is a terrible plague that threatens every mammal in the Underland. On their perilous journey to a cure, the questing party (which readers will be delighted to find includes the wonderfully caustic rat Ripred), encounters both Luxa, erstwhile Queen of Regalia, along with her bat Aurora, and Hamnet, Luxa's long-lost uncle, who has fled humankind to escape its warring ways. Collins keeps the plot moving at warp speed and includes just enough background to bring readers up to speed on the multitude of characters and the political rivalries that unite and divide them. This offering takes on an even darker tone than the earlier ones, delving into meaty questions of territorial expansion and its justification. Although no further prophecy is unveiled at the end to explicitly promise another sequel, readers will surely be hoping for one.

This is a must read if you love fantasy. But you must read the first books first and in order.