Gregor and the Marks of Secret
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| Author | Suzanne Collins |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Underland Chronicles |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Scholastic |
| Released | 1 May 2006 |
| Pages | 352 pg |
| ISBN | 0-439-79145-6 |
| Preceded by | Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods |
| Followed by | Gregor and the Code of Claw |
Gregor and the Marks of Secret is the fourth book in the Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins. It picks up soon afer the end of Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods.
[edit] Plot
Gregor's mother is still recovering from the Plague in the Underland hospital. He and Boots make regular trips to visit with her and to spend time with Luxa, Hazard and the other Regalians. His battle training with the gnawer (rat) Ripred continues. Gregor is still inexperienced when fighting in the dark, and he soon learns of a surprising turn of events involving Pearlpelt the Bane, the white rat whose life he spared at the conclusion of "Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane." Pearlpelt is now of adult size and considers himself an abused victim, despite the fact of his having killed his caretaker Razor over the carcass of a cockroach and having maimed two succeeding caretakers. Pearlpelt is now under Ripred's eye, as his personal student; yet the Bane resents Ripred and desires to be king of the gnawers.
While Gregor attends Hazard's birthday party, the nibblers (mice) send the crown Luxa gave to them for their help. Gregor and Luxa try to find the nibblers, but find the colonies deserted. Gregor, Ares, Luxa, Aurora, Howard, Nike, Boots, Temp, Hazard, and Thalia, Hazard's bond, go through the cavern system called Hades Hall to try to find them. They learn that the Bane, now the rats' leader, is planning to annihilate the nibblers and had imprisoned Ripred. They free him and witness the death of many nibblers caused by toxic gas from a volcano. (Due to the charismatic nature of the speech delivered to the gnawers by Bane, and the genocide of the mice by toxic gas, this seems to be an allegory of the Holocaust.) They realize that a child's song that Boots was singing was a prophecy. They name that "The Prophecy of Secrets". The volcano erupts, killing Thalia. Luxa and Ripred go to help the nibblers fight off the rats. Gregor goes to Regalia to fight with them and to obtain a sword that formerly belonged to Regalia's founder, Bartholomew of Sandwich. The book ends with their mention of the 'Prophecy of Time' and a war starting.
Throughout the book, Gregor's relationship with Luxa grows, and he begins to desire/cherish her. At the beginning, during Hazard's birthday party, he dances with Luxa, and starts to think she is pretty. Later, while the two were riding on a bat, Luxa laid her head on Gregor's shoulder (much to Howard's dismay) for the duration of the trip. Towards the end, Gregor says that he owes the mice because they saved Luxa's life.
