Gregor the Overlander
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| Author | Suzanne Collins |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Underland Chronicles |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Scholastic |
| Released | 1 September 2003 |
| 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.
[edit] Plot
Gregor, an eleven-year-old boy from New York City, was doing his laundry with his two-year-old sister, Boots. The playful Boots was scurrying around, when she suddenly fell through a grate in the laundry room. As Gregor goes after her, he too falls through the grate, and find themselves in a mysterious place called the Underland. As soon as he lands, several over-sized cockroaches find the two siblings, and take them to the Underland city of Regalia. The Regalians recognize this young boy as a warrior that was prophesized to come by a man named Bartholomew of Sandwich, who also was the founder of the Underland.
In Regalia, Gregor meets a girl his age named Luxa, who is to be the queen of Regalia when she turns sixteen. Gregor also meets her cousins, Henry and Nerissa. He instantly dislikes Luxa and Henry for their mean attitude.
Gregor soon learns of a prophecy called the "Prophecy of Gray." According to the prophecy, ten Underlanders and two Overlanders (as the people on the surface were called) would set out on a quest to rescue an Overland prisoner, whom Gregor finds out is his long-lost father. Gregor decides to set out on this quest, taking Boots with him. The other members included the cockroaches Tick and Temp, the spiders Gox and Treflex, the humans Luxa and Henry, the rat Ripred, the bats Aurora (Luxa's bat) and Ares (Henry's bat).
The "questers" set out to rescue Gregor's father. Treflex, whom they first met in the middle of the quest, had died from wounds. After a long trip, Tick also died in an attempt to save Boots. The questers continued their journey, but several of them were mourned at their loss.
They arrived at the place where Gregor's father was held. As they attempted to free him, an army of rats led by King Gorger made a last ditch effort to keep their hostage from being rescued. Gox died instantly when Gorger slashed her with his tail.
Henry was revealed to be a traitor to the humans. He had given the rats the location of the questers throughout the quest. Gregor realized that the prophecy called for four creatures to die, but only three had been lost. He thought that he was to be the final creature to die on the quest. He jumped off a nearby cliff with the rats following him to save the others. As Gregor was falling to his death, he noticed that Henry had also pursued the warrior over the cliff. As Ares the bat swooped down, Gregor assumed he was saving Henry. But instead, he caught Gregor, letting Henry die a painful death.
When the questers arrived at Regalia, Ares was put on trial for his betrayal of his human bond, Henry. When the court was about to announce him guilty, Gregor made a quick decision, and Gregor and Ares became bonded to each other. Gregor and Boots were sent back to the Overland, with their father in their company.
