How many books in the lockdown series

Where death is the least of your… More. Shelve Solitary. Book 3. Death Sentence by Alexander Gordon Smith. Alex's second attempt to break out of Furnace Pene… More.

Shelve Death Sentence. Book 4. Fugitives by Alexander Gordon Smith. I am no longer trapped in the darkness. But the da… More. Shelve Fugitives. Book 5. Execution by Alexander Gordon Smith. The whole world has become a prison, and Alfred Fu… More. Shelve Execution. Epilogue by Alexander Gordon Smith. Shelve Epilogue. In the adrenalin-fueled five-book Escape from Furn… More. A prison where strange, inexplicable things happen at night. A prison where people disappear after dark - and you better hope they never come back.

It's told in an extremely compelling and effective past tense narrative that builds up a fantastic feeling of suspense. The narrator's tone of impending horror had me on the edge of my seat, almost afraid to turn the page. But it's so unfair, so frustrating, so nasty I was genuinely afraid for Alex and his friends, but I also enjoyed the dialogue and dynamic between them. I loved the cynical, hilarious Donovan and the silly, lovable Zee. I also loved the complexity of some of the secondary and unlikable characters.

This is definitely one of those books you sit down to read a chapter of and end up finishing in a single sitting. So very exciting and scary. I NEED to know what happens next. View all 40 comments. Now this was rather damn scary. They quickly dispatch your friend and pin the murder on you. All you wanted was a bit of loot. The question is: how the fuck do you cope with that shit? I hope you enjoyed your stay. All the inmates, merely young boys, are trying to survive in this hell hole.

They turn on each other, fight to be the top-dog and compete for food. The biggest, toughest and most ruthless are the only ones that survive for any length of time. The new inmates are at the bottom of the pecking order. The old timers are just trying to make it day to day, anyone could be picked off at random by the creepy black suit men, so they tend to keep their heads down and hope the newcomers are marked for destruction. His cellmate is not a bully; he teaches Alex to keep his head down and how to play the long game.

The two quickly become friends, and give each other hope. You foul up out there, then you die. Anyone can go at any time. Inmates go mad. They try to kill each other. They devise escape plans that almost always fail. Until Alex comes along with another ridiculous and desperate idea that just may work. Prison break is the only way these boys could have any future so eventually, after swaying Donavan to their cause, it seems probable.

But actually doing it is another thing when the inmates would literally murder the world for such an opportunity. The book pushed toward this ending with frightening speed, and it really came together well. For a book like this, the ending is one of the most important aspects.

And it really did deliver. It gave just enough closure for this story, but it also made me want to read the next book to see if we get any answers. I want to know exactly what or who is behind this prison scheme, and what they are actually trying to achieve. There will, no doubt, be some dark sinister motive behind it all. I got a signed copy of The Fury.

Very cool indeed! View all 9 comments. I think I'm going to bump this to 4. In fact, when I went to sleep I was picturing the wheezers and literally had to remind myself that it was just a story That was me at 1 in the morning. True story, haha. I don't typically read books that have a horror element to them because of the I think I'm going to bump this to 4. I don't typically read books that have a horror element to them because of the fact that I'm a huge wussy-pants. I'll tell you what though, there was no stopping this once I started.

The prose is gorgeous, and there was no point in the story that I had any trouble seeing what I was told. I even read some passages to my husband simply because they were so wonderfully written.

Here are just two randomly chosen examples I want to share: It was just like on the news: a towering sculpture of dark stone, bent and scarred like it had been burned into existence. The Black Fort, the way in. The windowless building stretched upward, its body merging with a crooked spire that resembled a finger beckoning us forward.

Smoke rose from a chimney hidden behind the building, a cloud of poisoned breath waiting to engulf us. All in all it looked more like something from Mordor than a modern prison. It was here, holding the bars of my cell like they were my only friends, that I first heard the symphony of Furnace. It started with the sobs, which rose up out of the darkness all around me like the gentle strings in an orchestra. They began as hushed moans choked back by the countless musicians that crafted them, merging together from every level to create a fountain of sound that ran down to the deserted yard below.

See what I mean?! I was as helpless to stop reading as Alex was to escape his fate. Speaking of Alex, I like him even though he keeps insisting that he isn't a good person. He has made mistakes, and is certainly flawed, but he is just like most every other boy at that age. A bit selfish, a bit loyal, and a lot confused about life. The other characters are just as engrossing, and we barely find out anything about their lives from Before. I never felt frustrated by the lack of depth though.

I'm not even sure if depth is the right word I didn't need to know what they had been like prior to being in Furnace, and I didn't really care about what crimes had gotten them there to begin with. Maybe other people would be annoyed by that, but I never was. The one thing that did chafe a little bit was the fact that Furnace is supposed to be a prison for youths , and that would be both sexes, but yet the whole thing seems to be solely for boys.

Unless I misread somewhere, that is the only thing that kind of got on my nerves a bit. What a terrifying place that is!!! Once again I have to point how amazing Smith was at showing us what kind of hell these kids were in. Disobey them and you'll soon learn that here your nightmares exist on the same plane as you, they stalk the same corridors and haunt your cells. It's only me that stands between you and insanity. I hope you enjoy your stay. Adam didn't, he went screaming and clawing at the wall and fighting for his life" He ran his finger along one of the grooves, then he turned his attention back to me.

Once I was finished reading this one, I immediately purchased the second one. Partly because Smith was kind enough to leave off at a massive cliffhanger jerk , and partly because I was so enthralled with his world that I wasn't ready to let go yet. I read book two in one sitting. Fast paced and action packed is the name of the game with this series, and with every little twist and turn, and stomach dropping moment you are at the mercy of Furnace and those who are trying to survive within.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who likes a lot of action and isn't adverse to a little horror. View all 24 comments. Aug 22, Vanessa J. I am rounding down to 3, but depending on how I feel later, I might round it to 4. Beneath heaven is hell. Beneath hell is Furnace. One of my biggest fears is being blamed for something I did not do - be it stealing something, cheating in an exam which btw gives me nauseas just thinking about the hypocritical cowards who do this in real life Alex has been sent to Furnace Penitentiary for a criem he did not commit, and it is said that prison 3.

Alex has been sent to Furnace Penitentiary for a criem he did not commit, and it is said that prison is hell on Earth, so he obviously wants to escape. Besides, he doesn't even belong there, so there's more reason for him to want to leave. Thus starts the first book in this series. Now onto the review. It was difficult for you to get bored and it made the book even more addictive. Plus, there was that thrill about being trapped in a place you don't want to be.

No overflowery imagineries or dense paragraphs that made the book difficul to read. This might read like acontradiction to my last positive point, but as ironic as it sounds, it is true: Each character had his own personlity, YET they were not given much or any room for development, which gets me to my next point I've said this countless times, but if I can't connect with the characters, I won't connect with the story.

It's difficult to share the same fear someone is feeling if you don't understand why they feel that way - and this applies to characters in books too. This, again, leads me to my next point.

In other words, I was on the edge of my seat all the time because I wanted to know what was gonna happen next, but where is the fear? Where is that feeling of being scared and alone in a place you should not and don't want to be in? This might be only a problem for me, but I prefer novels in which the characters' actions and thoughts lead the plot, and not otherwise - that the characters' actions are lead for the sake of moving the plot to a certain mean.

For the negatives, I'm quitting the book 3 points, but I'm giving it an extra 1 point because I loved the concept, I could never stop reading and now I'm excited to read the sequels. All in all that would make Which, according to my rating system means "really enjoyable read, I would recommend. This is perfect for people who are looking for a fast paced adventure that might not provoke too much tension, but enough thrill for you to keep on reading.

I will certainly continue the series and I can't wait to see in what new dangers will Alex get into. View all 30 comments. And now here you are, guests of honor at Furnace Penitentiary. What did did I just read?! Okay so apparently you can be a somewhat criminal or not a criminal at all and these thing people come and find you and get you put in jail.

Your undergroun www. Alex gets blamed for his friends death and thrown into the Furnace. He makes a few friends while he is there, but like his friend Donovan said, you should never really have friends or bring your heart into the Furnace because everyone at some point will get TAKEN or killed by other inmates.

It's definitely NOT good. I loved this book! It's so freaking scary because it's just too unreal what goes on in this place. We won't even mention what they eat for lunch! I think anyone that likes horror or just wants to be freaked out or I don't know what, just read the book. I look forward to the rest of the books! I have to see what is going to happen.

It's already a cluster in the first book! View all 14 comments. Jun 30, Paige Bookdragon rated it really liked it Shelves: almost-a-fave , horror , love-the-hero , read , young-adult , suspense , favorite-author , favorites , friendship , teen.

Interview with Lockdown by Paige Bookdragon. Let's give it a round of applause. Lockdown :Thank you for having me here, Paige. Well, Lockdown is a story of Alex Sawyer who was framed of murder. Now, this book is a dystopian novel so there's no juvie prison in this book, like what we have now. Paige : I heard that it was a scary book, is it true? Lockdown : It is.

But this is not the ghost-scary type. This is more like "one-wrong-move-and-something-is-going-to-get-me-sooner-than-I-want-and-I-don't-know-what-the-heck-are-those- something " type of scary. You know, the boogeyman type of scare that you feel when you're a kid. But in this book, the boogeyman is real and you don't know when they'll get you. You just know that they will. Paige : Now that's a nasty and I love nasty.

Let's talk about the main character, Alex Sawyer. How would you describe him? Lockdown : Well,Alex is a refreshing character. He's not whiny and he knows who he is. He has this sense of honor that you'll love. Paige : That's good to hear. It's not everyday that you can read a book about survival in an underground prison. So to wrap this interview, tell our readers what they'll get if they read Lockdown.

Lockdown : If you're a fan of creepy, gut-wrenching books, then Escape from Furnace series is for you. You want grit? Lockdown has it. So go get it. Paige : We really appreciate you joining us for today's segment. It has been amazing.

Audience claps and fade out It'd be odd to say that I really liked this book considering it to be one of the most scary books I've read. But still,as much as the story managed to scare the hell out of me,I really loved this book. Until now I had read horror stories with blood,some monsters and lots of creepy stuff. Now mix all those scary scenes with Sci-fi; that's what this book is about.

There was some crazy stuff going on in this book! This book was fast-paced and exciting,and I just couldn't put it down once I started reading it! I found the plot very interesting,especially the idea of Furnace.

Furnace was a lot more worse than hell. And they took kids there as a punishment for the crimes they hadn't committed. I couldn't really imagine the world where the kids were taken to this place and their parent weren't able to do anything.

I get chills whenever I think about the description of Furnace. It was a prison where anything could happen,they used to take people at night,and it was better if they never returned because after finding out what they had turned into,the idea of them not coming back was much better. And I wont go into explaining about the other creatures which kept scaring me all the time! Another thing about this book is that it was from male POV,and there wasn't any female lead.

It was different from what I usually read,but the whole plot was really good and even the characters were very likeable. I liked reading this book from Alex's POV,and it was written in past tense which made it more mysterious. There is also a bit of humor in the story. I enjoyed reading Alex,Donovan,and Zee's conversations,they were so funny sometimes that I would actually forget that I was reading a horror book. And that cliffhanger at the end! Now I need to find out what happens next!

View all 8 comments. Oh no, why? I had my eyes set on this one for a long time and I was actually expecting something else. In my mind the MC would be between mid twenties to mid thirties, wiser, smarter and way cooler when he will break out. So disappointed. Mar 10, Alice rated it really liked it Shelves: 4-starstar , 3-star-borderline. The action scenes were the best part. I think there could have been more with the monsters, but that's probably going to be explored in future books.

I like all the characters, but I'm not super into them like I would in one of my favorite books. The main character is a bit too normal. Also the author really should of given him a more unique name than Alex. I've seen that name used so many times. People aren't even named Alex that much in real life. View 2 comments. Sep 21, Haley Mathiot rated it really liked it. My summary: Alex was like any other boy. Go to school, hang out with his group, and control the monkey bars.

But when he started stealing, his life changed for the worse. Out of nowhere, his best friend is murdered, and he is framed for it. Worse than Hell. Kids do hard labor like chipping rock. Gangs kill kids. Nobody can escape furnace. But hey—they want to send me a free book? They could have done much better, either artistically or graphically or even with the colors. In fact, it held me after the end, too.

I distinctly remember my blood racing, heart beating, sweating, adrenalin searing through my veins while I read this book! It was breathtaking and riveting to the last word. And even after the last word. I sat there, staring at the blank page, gasping and panting like a dog from lack of oxygen from reading a book. Characters: The characters in this book were very relatable. They handled the horrific experiences of Furnace the same way I would have—screaming in their sleep, crying, throwing up from the horrors.

Writing: the writing was very good—not one of those books where the author just says what he wants to say. It was an amazing thing to read, the language was very full in vocabulary, and it had good prose. Not really that bad. Here is a link for a giveaway for this book! View all 3 comments. I usually don't say this, but What I love about this book: 1. A hero with a complex personality. Alex Sawyer is a school bully, a thief and a burgular but never a killer.

After he is I usually don't say this, but After he is accused of murdering his partner in crime Toby, he is sentenced to a life behind bars in Furnace Penitentiary, a prison of criminal teens which is located deep beneath the Earth. Alex arrives along with two other inmates, Zee and Monty, both wrongly accused of crimes they never did. When Alex sees Monty being bullied by the Skulls, he couldn't restrain his temper and lashed out to save the poor kid.

He does this partly because of his guilt he remembered the way he used to terrorize his classmates and saw the monster which was once himself. Alex is not someone you would like at the beginning, but by the end of the novel, you will find yourself taking his side. The plot was entirely unpredictable. Quoting Donovan's own words on Furnace: You'll never know what will happen until it happens.

I had a great experience of exploring Furnace, with its intimidating structure, scary proprietors, gory history and horrible inmates. Never once did this book disappoint me in any way. I was literally sucked into the gruesome yet fascinating world of the Furnace where the air is hot and scarce, the atmosphere creepy and frightening and the crushing weight of freedom comes down upon you.

The world-building is amazing! From his capture to his developing Furnace-survival-skills to his planned prison break, Alex displays his growth both mentally and emotionally.

We also observe how his mind is capable of thinking and creating ideas out of nothing. He did not plan of escape from the first moment he set foot in Furnace, but an idea started to hatch in his mind when certain possibilities open up to him.

The literary devices are brilliant! Let me tell you, the author is very skilled in descriptive writing - he uses figures of speech such as metaphors and personifications with an unusual grace. True friendship comes unexpectedly. Alex found his best friend in Donovan, a kid who was sentenced to life imprisonment because of accidentally killing his mom's abusive boyfriend. Alex became good friends with one of the inmates who arrived on the same day with him - a boy called Zee.

I really liked how the author wrote their friendship - it felt real and genuine. They always stick up for each other although things went awry. It makes me realize that true friendship is indeed precious. I'm glad to announce that this book just made its way into my best books list! Can't wait for book 2! View 1 comment. I was pleasantly surprised with Lockdown. I devoured every page about these boys and the dangers they faced inside their horrific cage. There was mystery, violence, horror, and a fast pace that easily guided you through the characters struggles.

The characters were believable and had dimension. What is on the other side? It was another mystery that always sat at the back of my mind, increasing the overall excitement of the plot. What I also loved was, since this is a YA novel, there was underlining lessons for the readers. Even though we are reading about these dark and awful events it does not make them okay. They are not acceptable actions and we should not condone the characters for performing them.

The main character, Alex, helps reveal these lessons as he realizes things about his self and his past actions that lead him to start to become a better person. A person he will hopefully be proud to be, that is, if he is able to survive the darkness threatening to take not only his hope but his life as well.

I was being left with the dreaded cliff hanger! A cliff hanger so intense I immediately started reading book number 2! A fantastic read! My feelings were successfully pulled all over the emotions hemisphere, a huge plus for me, and there was not a moment I was not immersed in the story. My rating: 4.

Dude, I knew I'd love this book the second I saw the cover and read the synopsis. If you're looking for a fast-paced, intense and frightening YA book that captivates you and has you on the edge of your seat until the end, I recommend you read Lockdown! That alone is terrifying! Now, imagine that but a million times worse because the prison you're being sent to is buried a mile beneath the Earth's surface and is literally worse than Hell itself.

I'm officially adding Lockdown to my Favorites. And I'm really excited for my copy of Solitary to arrive in the mail tomorrow because after experiencing that plot twist and cliffhanger, I NEED to know what happens next! I reread this book; I was in the mood for horror. Despite my OG review being absolute garbage, I don't think I have much to add to it. Or its 4am and I'm just lazy.

This book is really fucked. By the end you're reading about the wheezing beasts with gas masks sewn to their skin dragging kids from their cells and you're like, "Ah yes, a normal day at the office". Alexander does a great job at emphasizing the utter hopelessness of our characters situations, but also keeps us afloat with some humor and sparks of hope. I also really liked the friendship that forms between Zee, Donavan, and wtf is the main character's name Alex. It's not the most supreme character development but, you get this gist of it.

I wasn't particularly interested in hearing their entire life stories considering they're living thousands of feet underground where they will stay for the rest of their lives without ever feeling the sun on their face or the wind in their hair again jesus christ I can't breath. I've read the next 3? Read this book if you enjoy pausing every 10 pages to say, "What. Oh, and the ending to this book honestly put me into cardiac arrest.

Immensely intense, but so so good. I'm changing it to 5 because there's really not anything I would change to make this book better. It was a solid read; will continue to reread. The entire time I was reading my own heart was caught in my throat, feeling as if I was in the characters' shoes and I would soon meet a deadly fate.

For a hole in the ground, this book did a great job creating an entire story line, filled with enough creepy crawlys to last me a lifetime.