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Table of Contents
About The Book
In this electrifying tenth and final installment of the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling Michael Vey series, the Electroclan goes on a high-stakes rescue mission.
After saving Tara and Jack—and losing a few of their own—in a dramatic battle in the Peruvian jungle against the Elgen offshoot the Chasqui, the Electroclan has returned to the US to regroup. But their downtime is brief, as Abi—who was abducted from outside her college dorm—is still missing.
Piecing together what few clues they have from video footage of the abduction as well as some additional information from Grace, whose consciousness has broken free of her physical body and connected with worldwide intelligence, they determine that she is being held somewhere in Peru by the leader of a group of other electrics known as the Colony. And so—once again joining forced with Alpha Team for a dual-pronged attack—they return to South America for a rescue mission.
They’ve fought—and won—against incredible odds before. But they’ve never had to face off against others with powers similar to—and potentially stronger—than their own. Still, with the life of one of the Electroclan members at stake, failure is simply not an option as they take on their final mission.
After saving Tara and Jack—and losing a few of their own—in a dramatic battle in the Peruvian jungle against the Elgen offshoot the Chasqui, the Electroclan has returned to the US to regroup. But their downtime is brief, as Abi—who was abducted from outside her college dorm—is still missing.
Piecing together what few clues they have from video footage of the abduction as well as some additional information from Grace, whose consciousness has broken free of her physical body and connected with worldwide intelligence, they determine that she is being held somewhere in Peru by the leader of a group of other electrics known as the Colony. And so—once again joining forced with Alpha Team for a dual-pronged attack—they return to South America for a rescue mission.
They’ve fought—and won—against incredible odds before. But they’ve never had to face off against others with powers similar to—and potentially stronger—than their own. Still, with the life of one of the Electroclan members at stake, failure is simply not an option as they take on their final mission.
Reading Group Guide
Reading Group Guide
Michael Vey 10: The Colony
By Richard Paul Evans
About This Book
Michael Vey and the Electroclan may be headed back to the United States, but they are definitely not back to normal. Instead of celebrating their victory over the Chasqui, they are mourning their losses and desperately trying to formulate a plan.
Michael is surprised to learn that Abi’s kidnappers are a group of electrics, led by the mysterious Chispa and more powerful than the Electroclan. Known as the Colony, this group lives deep in the most dangerous part of the Peruvian jungle, and their electric powers make it impossible for Michael and his friends to take them by surprise. All the while, Taylor’s prophetic dream about Michael’s death hangs over every decision that he must make. The group cannot leave Abi behind, though, so they formulate a plan and head back to Peru. But nothing goes as expected, and before they know it, Jack and the Alpha Team are missing, and Michael does not know what to do next. Will they be able to find Abi and the Alpha Team, and make the Electroclan whole again? Or will Chispa execute Michael, as Taylor predicted?
Discussion Questions
1. Michael begins the book by saying, “This is a hard time for me . . . I know, if you’ve followed me, it seems like it’s always been hard times, so I guess it’s relative.” How do the Electroclan’s current circumstances make this moment a particularly difficult period for Michael? Does he share his emotional vulnerability with the other members of the Electroclan? How does his attitude toward their circumstances affect other events and decisions throughout the book?
2. Why is Taylor’s dream so troubling? Why does she ask Michael to change his plans because of it? Is Michael justified in going against her wishes? Why or why not?
3. Jack questions whether it was worth all the losses the group suffered to get him back, a concept that comes up again when Torstyn brings up the idea of a “moral accountant.” (Chapter thirty-four) Is there a level of loss that is unacceptable to Michael? Do you believe he values some lives more than others? Why does this question weigh so heavily on him during this mission to save Abi?
4. Chispa asks Abi to use her powers on him instead of forcing her to do so. Why does he make this extra effort? How does it change the way Abi feels about the situation?
5. Cassy tells Michael, “‘I think I’m done . . . with everything. Being electric. Saving the world. The Electroclan . . . life.’” (Chapter five) How does this affect her decision to seek treatment for her cancer? Which other characters feel differently about death, and how so? Who else shares her desire to be “done,” and how does this desire affect the decisions they make?
6. Does it make Michael’s life easier when Taylor reads his mind, or is it more difficult? Are there situations in which you think she shouldn’t use this power? Explain.
7. How has the Colony managed to survive so long in the VRAEM? How did their survival tactics change after Dr. Sam died? Discuss if you believe the Colony is more ethical than the cartels and the Shining Path.
8. Michael has a dream about Chispa, where the Peruvian tells him, “‘You’re the most notorious serial killer to ever walk the planet.’” (Chapter eleven) Does Michael agree with this sentiment? What do you think about Michael in relation to the people he has hurt and killed?
9. Why is Michael’s mother torn about him going on the mission to rescue Abi? Does she ever give the mission her blessing?
10. Why does Jack regret his involvement with the Electroclan? How does his lack of electric powers make his decision to join the group different? Who else shares his views on how to measure a life, and why?
11. How does Chispa’s childhood make him the man he is now? What are the defining moments in his life? What changes in him once he meets Dr. Sam?
12. What is Dr. Sam trying to create in the Colony? What lessons does he try to teach the children? How do his last words relate to the lessons he tried to teach? How would he feel about the direction the Colony has taken under Chispa’s leadership?
13. Why does Taylor propose to Michael? Do his feelings about their work mirror hers? Why do you think they are so focused on their future at this point in the mission?
14. What does Chispa want from Michael and the Electroclan? Why does he feel justified in asking for this? Does Michael consider going along with his plan?
15. Compare Michael’s style of leadership with Chispa’s. How does each man ensure that people will follow him? Was there a point in Michael’s life where he could have chosen a different path and ended up like Chispa, and vice versa? Explain your reasoning.
16. Is the deterioration of Grace’s body the same as a death? Should she be mourned? What does she think of her new form?
17. Why do Michael and his friends choose the life they are now leading? Does it make sense for each of them? Why does Michael choose to address the reader directly at the end of the book?
Extension Activities
1. Chispa justifies many of his actions by referencing the history of his country—the Inca and the Spanish invaders. Using the library and trusted internet resources, read about the Inca or that period in Peru’s history, and discuss as a class or group any parallels between this history and the events of the story.
2. Jack decides that he wants his headstone to say “‘Man, what a ride’” because he feels that it embodies his life. (Chapter sixteen) Decide what you would want written on your headstone right now, and what you would want on it if you were to die eighty years from now. Are the two different? What can you do to ensure that you live a life that would justify your headstone quote?
3. A lot of attention is given in this book to the food of different cultures. Find a recipe for one of the dishes mentioned in the book, or from one of the cultures or countries mentioned, and prepare it. Plan a multicultural potluck—much like the buffet at the Colony—with your friends who have also read the book.
4. The members of the Colony have an education steeped in the works of great philosophers. Choose one of these thinkers, and either read one of their works or read about what their philosophies entail. Write a short report about the philosopher and what they believed.
Guide written by Cory Grimminck, Director of the Portland District Library in Michigan.
This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes. For more Simon & Schuster guides and classroom materials, please visit simonandschuster.net/grades-k-12.
Michael Vey 10: The Colony
By Richard Paul Evans
About This Book
Michael Vey and the Electroclan may be headed back to the United States, but they are definitely not back to normal. Instead of celebrating their victory over the Chasqui, they are mourning their losses and desperately trying to formulate a plan.
Michael is surprised to learn that Abi’s kidnappers are a group of electrics, led by the mysterious Chispa and more powerful than the Electroclan. Known as the Colony, this group lives deep in the most dangerous part of the Peruvian jungle, and their electric powers make it impossible for Michael and his friends to take them by surprise. All the while, Taylor’s prophetic dream about Michael’s death hangs over every decision that he must make. The group cannot leave Abi behind, though, so they formulate a plan and head back to Peru. But nothing goes as expected, and before they know it, Jack and the Alpha Team are missing, and Michael does not know what to do next. Will they be able to find Abi and the Alpha Team, and make the Electroclan whole again? Or will Chispa execute Michael, as Taylor predicted?
Discussion Questions
1. Michael begins the book by saying, “This is a hard time for me . . . I know, if you’ve followed me, it seems like it’s always been hard times, so I guess it’s relative.” How do the Electroclan’s current circumstances make this moment a particularly difficult period for Michael? Does he share his emotional vulnerability with the other members of the Electroclan? How does his attitude toward their circumstances affect other events and decisions throughout the book?
2. Why is Taylor’s dream so troubling? Why does she ask Michael to change his plans because of it? Is Michael justified in going against her wishes? Why or why not?
3. Jack questions whether it was worth all the losses the group suffered to get him back, a concept that comes up again when Torstyn brings up the idea of a “moral accountant.” (Chapter thirty-four) Is there a level of loss that is unacceptable to Michael? Do you believe he values some lives more than others? Why does this question weigh so heavily on him during this mission to save Abi?
4. Chispa asks Abi to use her powers on him instead of forcing her to do so. Why does he make this extra effort? How does it change the way Abi feels about the situation?
5. Cassy tells Michael, “‘I think I’m done . . . with everything. Being electric. Saving the world. The Electroclan . . . life.’” (Chapter five) How does this affect her decision to seek treatment for her cancer? Which other characters feel differently about death, and how so? Who else shares her desire to be “done,” and how does this desire affect the decisions they make?
6. Does it make Michael’s life easier when Taylor reads his mind, or is it more difficult? Are there situations in which you think she shouldn’t use this power? Explain.
7. How has the Colony managed to survive so long in the VRAEM? How did their survival tactics change after Dr. Sam died? Discuss if you believe the Colony is more ethical than the cartels and the Shining Path.
8. Michael has a dream about Chispa, where the Peruvian tells him, “‘You’re the most notorious serial killer to ever walk the planet.’” (Chapter eleven) Does Michael agree with this sentiment? What do you think about Michael in relation to the people he has hurt and killed?
9. Why is Michael’s mother torn about him going on the mission to rescue Abi? Does she ever give the mission her blessing?
10. Why does Jack regret his involvement with the Electroclan? How does his lack of electric powers make his decision to join the group different? Who else shares his views on how to measure a life, and why?
11. How does Chispa’s childhood make him the man he is now? What are the defining moments in his life? What changes in him once he meets Dr. Sam?
12. What is Dr. Sam trying to create in the Colony? What lessons does he try to teach the children? How do his last words relate to the lessons he tried to teach? How would he feel about the direction the Colony has taken under Chispa’s leadership?
13. Why does Taylor propose to Michael? Do his feelings about their work mirror hers? Why do you think they are so focused on their future at this point in the mission?
14. What does Chispa want from Michael and the Electroclan? Why does he feel justified in asking for this? Does Michael consider going along with his plan?
15. Compare Michael’s style of leadership with Chispa’s. How does each man ensure that people will follow him? Was there a point in Michael’s life where he could have chosen a different path and ended up like Chispa, and vice versa? Explain your reasoning.
16. Is the deterioration of Grace’s body the same as a death? Should she be mourned? What does she think of her new form?
17. Why do Michael and his friends choose the life they are now leading? Does it make sense for each of them? Why does Michael choose to address the reader directly at the end of the book?
Extension Activities
1. Chispa justifies many of his actions by referencing the history of his country—the Inca and the Spanish invaders. Using the library and trusted internet resources, read about the Inca or that period in Peru’s history, and discuss as a class or group any parallels between this history and the events of the story.
2. Jack decides that he wants his headstone to say “‘Man, what a ride’” because he feels that it embodies his life. (Chapter sixteen) Decide what you would want written on your headstone right now, and what you would want on it if you were to die eighty years from now. Are the two different? What can you do to ensure that you live a life that would justify your headstone quote?
3. A lot of attention is given in this book to the food of different cultures. Find a recipe for one of the dishes mentioned in the book, or from one of the cultures or countries mentioned, and prepare it. Plan a multicultural potluck—much like the buffet at the Colony—with your friends who have also read the book.
4. The members of the Colony have an education steeped in the works of great philosophers. Choose one of these thinkers, and either read one of their works or read about what their philosophies entail. Write a short report about the philosopher and what they believed.
Guide written by Cory Grimminck, Director of the Portland District Library in Michigan.
This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes. For more Simon & Schuster guides and classroom materials, please visit simonandschuster.net/grades-k-12.
About The Author
Photo by Emily Drew.
Richard Paul Evans
Richard Paul Evans is the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than forty novels. There are currently more than thirty-five million copies of his books in print worldwide, translated into more than twenty-four languages. Richard is the recipient of numerous awards, including two first place Storytelling World Awards, the Romantic Times Best Women’s Novel of the Year Award, and five Religion Communicators Council’s Wilbur Awards. Seven of Richard’s books have been produced as television movies. His first feature film, The Noel Diary, starring Justin Hartley (This Is Us) and acclaimed film director, Charles Shyer (Private Benjamin, Father of the Bride), premiered in 2022. In 2011 Richard began writing Michael Vey, a #1 New York Times bestselling young adult series which has won more than a dozen awards. Richard is the founder of The Christmas Box International, an organization devoted to maintaining emergency children’s shelters and providing services and resources for abused, neglected, or homeless children and young adults. To date, more than 125,000 youths have been helped by the charity. For his humanitarian work, Richard has received the Washington Times Humanitarian of the Century Award and the Volunteers of America National Empathy Award. Richard lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Keri, and their five children and two grandchildren. You can learn more about Richard on his website RichardPaulEvans.com.
About The Reader
Fred Berman
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (November 26, 2024)
- Runtime: 10 hours and 6 minutes
- ISBN13: 9781668108116
- Ages: 12 - 99
Resources and Downloads
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Michael Vey 10
Unabridged Audio Download 9781668108116
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