After the First Death

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After the First Death is a novel written by American author Robert Cormier. It was first published in 1979 by Pantheon Books, and subsequently as a paperback by Laurel-Leaf Books. It is classified as young adult fiction.

Characters:
Miro: A teenage terrorist
Kate: A teenage bus driver
Artkin: Leader of the hijackers
Mark Marchand: General at "Inner Delta" and in charge of fighting the terrorists
Ben Marchand: A teenage student and Mark Marchand's son

Plot:
A schoolbus full of 5- and 6-year-old kids gets hijacked by several terrorists (Miro and Artkin). Kate tries desperately throught the book to free the children by talking to Miro. She notices that Miro, unlike Artkin, has feelings. Kate puts this characteristic of Miro to her advantage, and begins to flirt with him and feign interest in him. In the end she ends up truly caring about him. As you begin to read the story, you think that it is going to be about Ben, but it turns out that he is barely in it. It is set up to make the reader want to know what happened to Ben on the bus. By the end you will find out, and you will discover a surprising, and almost angering twist.