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Masterminds #1
Masterminds
The first book in the action-packed trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Gordon Korman is perfect for fans of Stranger Things and James Patterson.
Eli Frieden has never left Serenity, New Mexico...why would he ever want to? Then one day, he bikes to the edge of the city limits and something so crazy and unexpected happens, it changes everything.
Eli convinces his friends to help him investigate further, and soon it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems in Serenity. The clues mount to reveal a shocking discovery, connecting their ideal crime-free community to some of the greatest criminal masterminds ever known.
The kids realize they can trust no one—least of all their own parents.
Eli Frieden has never left Serenity, New Mexico...why would he ever want to? Then one day, he bikes to the edge of the city limits and something so crazy and unexpected happens, it changes everything.
Eli convinces his friends to help him investigate further, and soon it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems in Serenity. The clues mount to reveal a shocking discovery, connecting their ideal crime-free community to some of the greatest criminal masterminds ever known.
The kids realize they can trust no one—least of all their own parents.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2015
1270 people are currently reading
12427 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Korman
248 books4,402 followersGordon Korman is a Canadian author of children's and young adult fiction books. Korman's books have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide over a career spanning four decades and have appeared at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,610 reviews
May 23, 2015
As usual, Gordon Korman delivers a fast-paced, well-crafted adventure full of creative twists and surprises. Eli lives in Serenity, New Mexico, which is so perfect it seems too good to be true. Everybody has a nice house. The schools are great. There is zero crime and zero unemployment. Eli has never left his hometown, but one day he discovers something that shakes his world. Serenity is not what it seems. He and his friends can’t trust anyone – not their neighbors, definitely not their parents. This perfect little world hides a dark secret linked to some of the world’s most infamous criminal masterminds. Hooked yet? You should be! This is a perfect summer read for mystery and adventure lovers.
May 25, 2015
Loved this book. I would have loved this as a kid, and I loved it as an adult.
Mystery, suspense, adventure, hi-jinks, twists and turns. Korman has written a book with a Dan Brown-feel to it. It's smart and thoroughly enjoyable. Do you need to suspend belief? A bit but the fun of the book outweighs the disbelief.
This goes on my summer recommendation list for students for sure!
Mystery, suspense, adventure, hi-jinks, twists and turns. Korman has written a book with a Dan Brown-feel to it. It's smart and thoroughly enjoyable. Do you need to suspend belief? A bit but the fun of the book outweighs the disbelief.
This goes on my summer recommendation list for students for sure!
September 13, 2022
*Light spoilers below. Heavy spoilers are hidden in spoiler tags. Read at your own discretion!*
Well, this was disappointing. Too slow. Much too slow! Maybe I'd be able to forgive that if the characters were likeable, but they weren't. The only good, interesting and likeable character, Randy, was gone within about 4 chapters of the book. And the 2 seconds which he appeared in at the end was the only thing that made me smile in the last 40% of the book. He had more charisma in his only sentence in the last chapter (and also the final sentence of the book) than every single main character in this book combined.
The characters were Mr Horrible Friend aka Malik, Mr Wimpy Push-Around aka Hector, Ms Prissy Stick-Up-Her-Butt aka Amber and Ms Boring But At Least She Climbs Good aka Tori. Oh, and how could I forget the protagonist, Mr Pale In Comparison To Randy aka Eli. As you can tell, they ranged from terrible people to boring people. I think the fact that they were terrible was kind of the point, but that didn't make it any more interesting to read about!
I still can't believe they spent the whole book It could've been done in half the book if it wasn't for the filler content. Most of the mystery was obvious from the beginning, although, granted, I didn't fully guess it until it was completely revealed and then it all made sense. The concept itself was interesting but the execution was so slow that there wasn't even an opportunity to begin to explore it in a real world setting. Which is a shame really because the concept was a very unique one!
The one thing that really infuriated me was what happened at the end to It's not consistent.
I have a feeling the slow pace continues over the next 2 books (does it really take 2 books to get the truth out there?), so I'm not going to bother reading them and I shall leave this where it is, right on the pile of books labelled "good premise, poor execution".
(Recommended by Spencer (Sphynx Reads))
Well, this was disappointing. Too slow. Much too slow! Maybe I'd be able to forgive that if the characters were likeable, but they weren't. The only good, interesting and likeable character, Randy, was gone within about 4 chapters of the book. And the 2 seconds which he appeared in at the end was the only thing that made me smile in the last 40% of the book. He had more charisma in his only sentence in the last chapter (and also the final sentence of the book) than every single main character in this book combined.
The characters were Mr Horrible Friend aka Malik, Mr Wimpy Push-Around aka Hector, Ms Prissy Stick-Up-Her-Butt aka Amber and Ms Boring But At Least She Climbs Good aka Tori. Oh, and how could I forget the protagonist, Mr Pale In Comparison To Randy aka Eli. As you can tell, they ranged from terrible people to boring people. I think the fact that they were terrible was kind of the point, but that didn't make it any more interesting to read about!
I still can't believe they spent the whole book It could've been done in half the book if it wasn't for the filler content. Most of the mystery was obvious from the beginning, although, granted, I didn't fully guess it until it was completely revealed and then it all made sense. The concept itself was interesting but the execution was so slow that there wasn't even an opportunity to begin to explore it in a real world setting. Which is a shame really because the concept was a very unique one!
The one thing that really infuriated me was what happened at the end to It's not consistent.
I have a feeling the slow pace continues over the next 2 books (does it really take 2 books to get the truth out there?), so I'm not going to bother reading them and I shall leave this where it is, right on the pile of books labelled "good premise, poor execution".
(Recommended by Spencer (Sphynx Reads))
October 10, 2017
This is a totally riveting page-turner of a conspiracy thriller for kids, in which several young teens living in an isolated, seemingly idyllic community find out that they have a shocking link to some notorious criminal masterminds. I was halfway through this book when I decided I must get hold of the two sequels immediately.
February 24, 2015
YAY! It's conspiracy fiction for kids and sooooo much fun. I don't want to say too much but I giggled out loud in glee when I got to the key aspect of the conspiracy. Kids are going to love this. I'm ready for the sequel right now!
December 12, 2021
The cover really got me interested in listening to this audiobook and so did the blurb. It was such a fun story and I felt more excited to find out what was going to happened next, than i probably should. I hope I can get to the next book soon enough instead of it going into "loved the first one but forgot to read the others" gigantic pile that are ever growing
May 11, 2025
2025
It's almost ridiculous how much I've enjoyed rereading this book despite having read it countless times. The writing and the plot are so entertaining on a technical level, the characters are vibrant and distinct, and it's just an overall fun experience. Rereading this now as an older adult has made me notice so many plot holes and conveniences, but they in no way affected my enjoyment of this book. Looks like this will always be a solid recommendation from me.
---
2020
I think this is my 5th time reading this. Still love it! Must read for middle-grade readers! I have to agree with James Dashner's blurb that it's hard to explain how much he likes this book without spoiling it. Just know that the plot twist will blow your mind. Even though I've read it so many times, there are still parts that make me jolt and try to run for my life (mentally obviously). Highly recommended.
It's almost ridiculous how much I've enjoyed rereading this book despite having read it countless times. The writing and the plot are so entertaining on a technical level, the characters are vibrant and distinct, and it's just an overall fun experience. Rereading this now as an older adult has made me notice so many plot holes and conveniences, but they in no way affected my enjoyment of this book. Looks like this will always be a solid recommendation from me.
---
2020
I think this is my 5th time reading this. Still love it! Must read for middle-grade readers! I have to agree with James Dashner's blurb that it's hard to explain how much he likes this book without spoiling it. Just know that the plot twist will blow your mind. Even though I've read it so many times, there are still parts that make me jolt and try to run for my life (mentally obviously). Highly recommended.
September 5, 2016
I think that the book was outstanding it was intriguing and unpredictable. Gordon Korman was very good at explaining what was happening where it was taking place and how it affected everyone else in the story. The balance of action and suspense was also incredible. This book was an easy 5 stars for me.
October 24, 2016
This boook!!! I'm not a huge fan of dystopian novels; however, this book was amazing and had so many different elements that I did not expect. I loved it. And I definitely will be doing a full review and checking out the second book.
June 21, 2025
"What is this place where I've spent my whole life? Who are these people who've always been here?
Scariest of all: If I don't know them, do I really know myself?"
✏️ Review ✏️
Masterminds is a fun story with a clever concept. I loved Korman's subtle humorous remarks; always makes for a great read! The characters are diverse, complimentary to each other, and enjoyably funny (especially with that multi-POV). And, yeah, it definitely was intriguing to see the story goes deeper and deeper as the plot reveals layer upon layer of secrets (oooh, so many secrets 🫣). A great, fast-paced read. I'm certainly gonna get my hands in the sequel as soon as I can!
(You: *blank stare* "BooksNCrannies, you mean that's your review!?" 🫢
Me: "It sure is. Why waste anymore of your time?" 😁)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The humor — loved how it's incorporated subtly into the story.
• The writing style — sounds really conversational just like what the characters would be thinking.
• The plot — it slowly reveals layer after layer if intrigue as the story progresses.
• The multi-POV — makes for a more diverse and engaging storyline.
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• Minor dislike: I did fine the multi-POV to be slightly (only slightly! 🙃) confusing (I think because the chapters are longer than Korman's other books).
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Yes, of course.*
— To whom? To those who enjoy somewhat humorous stories with a contemporary setting and a slight sci-fi atmosphere.
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 4/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 4/5
— 📝 Writing: 4/5
— 👥 Characters: 3.5/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• Two vain uses of God's name.
— ⚔️ Violence: 1/5
• A few scenes of mild action-adventure violence, including brief sequences of peril.
— ⚠️ Sexual: 1/5
• A few vague aspects are mentioned involving reproduction (see Random Comments).
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
• Content note: 🛑 Potentially spoilerish — Some aspects about human cloning and surrogacy are mentioned a few times and are underlying themes throughout the story. 🟢 Spoilers are over.
• Words of warning: Do NOT read the Library of Congress summary on the info page of this book — it will spoil everything! I kinda learned the hard way. 🙃 (They really should ban those things im books. 🤭)
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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• "You can waste your whole life wandering only to find that what you're searching for is right in your own backyard." (p. 23; italicized in the original)
Scariest of all: If I don't know them, do I really know myself?"
✏️ Review ✏️
Masterminds is a fun story with a clever concept. I loved Korman's subtle humorous remarks; always makes for a great read! The characters are diverse, complimentary to each other, and enjoyably funny (especially with that multi-POV). And, yeah, it definitely was intriguing to see the story goes deeper and deeper as the plot reveals layer upon layer of secrets (oooh, so many secrets 🫣). A great, fast-paced read. I'm certainly gonna get my hands in the sequel as soon as I can!
(You: *blank stare* "BooksNCrannies, you mean that's your review!?" 🫢
Me: "It sure is. Why waste anymore of your time?" 😁)
"It doesn't make sense. The risky part is over. Why am I suddenly unable to control my runaway breathing?
Maybe it's this: nothing is over.
This is just the beginning."
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The humor — loved how it's incorporated subtly into the story.
• The writing style — sounds really conversational just like what the characters would be thinking.
• The plot — it slowly reveals layer after layer if intrigue as the story progresses.
• The multi-POV — makes for a more diverse and engaging storyline.
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• Minor dislike: I did fine the multi-POV to be slightly (only slightly! 🙃) confusing (I think because the chapters are longer than Korman's other books).
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Yes, of course.*
— To whom? To those who enjoy somewhat humorous stories with a contemporary setting and a slight sci-fi atmosphere.
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 4/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 4/5
— 📝 Writing: 4/5
— 👥 Characters: 3.5/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• Two vain uses of God's name.
— ⚔️ Violence: 1/5
• A few scenes of mild action-adventure violence, including brief sequences of peril.
— ⚠️ Sexual: 1/5
• A few vague aspects are mentioned involving reproduction (see Random Comments).
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
• Content note: 🛑 Potentially spoilerish — Some aspects about human cloning and surrogacy are mentioned a few times and are underlying themes throughout the story. 🟢 Spoilers are over.
• Words of warning: Do NOT read the Library of Congress summary on the info page of this book — it will spoil everything! I kinda learned the hard way. 🙃 (They really should ban those things im books. 🤭)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• "You can waste your whole life wandering only to find that what you're searching for is right in your own backyard." (p. 23; italicized in the original)
December 1, 2016
Ever lived in a idyllic community, these kids have. Only, the community is not so perfect? This book is an action packed mystery book. This is a very good book that has you anxious about what is going to happen next on every page.
This book takes place in an idyllic community, meaning peaceful and happy, called Serenity. This is a very small town with a population barely over a hundred. Everybody that lives there have a swimming pool and a basketball hoop. All the adults have a job and nobody is homeless. Perfect place to live in right? Wrong. When one of the kids, Randy, leave unexpectedly the whole town,especially the kids are sad. Then one day Eli and Tori find a note from Randy saying that some of the kids are special and that something screwy is going on in the town. When Tori and Eli told a boy named Malik and he gives them some information about the cargo trucks sending out the Traffic Cones from The Serenity Plastic Works, the biggest building in Serenity. Malik says that the cargo trucks are the same three trucks, with the same cones in them, and that they don’t even go anywhere. This leads all three kids to believe that the Plastic Works don’t make any plastic at all and is just a big cover up for something much bigger. They make a big plan and they meet up at night by the plastic works and Malik's friend, Hector, follows him there and he gets dragged into this whole situation. Eli takes his tablet and they find out that they are tampering with the internet and only the Plastic Works has real internet. There they create a plan to break into the Plastic works while avoiding the Surety (the security guards for the plastic works). When the four kids break into the plastics works they find out that they are being watched very carefully and they are part of a secret project called project Osiris. Project Osiris is a project that makes exact clones of criminal masterminds in real life to see if they are born evil or their surroundings affect their thoughts. This is why the peaceful town of Serenity was created. Project Osiris was shut down by the government but the head scientists went on with the project making a city in the middle of nowhere that nobody know of. This is where the kids learn that their parents aren't really their parents and that all the adults have been lying to them their whole lives. They decided to try to escape from the town so that they could live there lives. Tori tells her best friend, Amber about it and she agrees to go too. They make a plan to escape from the town and they leave on something called Serenity day. They succeed and find some train tracks and hop onto a freight train headed to Colorado to find Randy. In Colorado they go to the private school and find Randy at the private school. This is where the story ends then continues onto a new book. The conflict is person vs person, because in the book five of the children are rebelling against the adults who the children found out was their enemy. The theme of the book is that nothing is perfect, because in the book the supposed perfect town of Serenity was nothing of what it seemed to be. It was the exact opposite and turned out to be sort of a prison for the cloned children.
The setting adds to the conflict because Serenity is supposed to be a peaceful place where the moral codes are about honesty and integrity. This adds to the conflict because it make the kids even more enraged that Serenity is all about Honesty and the adults have been lying to them the whole time. The 1st person point of view affects the story because every chapter is a different character being the narrator. This is important in the story because it helps you understand the character more and their thoughts rather than a narrator just telling the story.
I was surprised when the kids broke into the Plastic Works and found out about Project Osiris, because I had no idea that Serenity was a fabricated town. This caught me with a major twist and it added more interest to the story. I was angry about how the adults have been lying to the kids their whole lives even though they have taught kids and honor honesty. This angers me because it is hypocritical and I felt sympathetic with how the kids in the story were feeling.
I rate this book four stars, because it was a great book but I did not like how it ended in a cliffhanger that continues onto another book. Otherwise the book is great and would be rated five stars. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy mystery and action books. Remember, even if something seems perfect, it never is!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2016
This was a strange book. It left me feeling kind of annoyed and angry because the ending felt like a beginning. I'm giving it 2 stars because after writing this review, I realize that the author actually did do a good job of getting me interested in the characters, but I didn't really like the way it was written, the plot holes, or the time it took to get to any action. It took about 2/3 of the book to lead up to anything super exciting.
I usually like going into books not knowing what to expect, but this is one I wish I would've read about before I started it. Maybe having the expectation that it was going to be a combo of the Stepford Wives, the Matrix, and the Truman Show would've helped me get into it a little more? I know Korman is a hugely popular kids' author, but this book really makes me feel like it was written by an old dude. I mean, I know I'm old, too, and most kids books are written by old people, but this book was full of strange colloquialisms and some outdated sayings and stuff. Below, I'm addressing the plot and my problems with the book. In short, the plot was full of holes, and most of it was boring. The ending also was no ending at all. The following contains MAJOR spoilers.
Ok, so will I recommend this book to kids? Maybe because it's on the SC Book Awards Nominee List. But, I'll try to get them to read something else first. And there might be a kid who really likes this style of book, and I can hand it to them and tell them I think they'll like it. But, it's not going to be my first choice.
I usually like going into books not knowing what to expect, but this is one I wish I would've read about before I started it. Maybe having the expectation that it was going to be a combo of the Stepford Wives, the Matrix, and the Truman Show would've helped me get into it a little more? I know Korman is a hugely popular kids' author, but this book really makes me feel like it was written by an old dude. I mean, I know I'm old, too, and most kids books are written by old people, but this book was full of strange colloquialisms and some outdated sayings and stuff. Below, I'm addressing the plot and my problems with the book. In short, the plot was full of holes, and most of it was boring. The ending also was no ending at all. The following contains MAJOR spoilers.
Ok, so will I recommend this book to kids? Maybe because it's on the SC Book Awards Nominee List. But, I'll try to get them to read something else first. And there might be a kid who really likes this style of book, and I can hand it to them and tell them I think they'll like it. But, it's not going to be my first choice.
July 24, 2018
That was rly good. Cant wait 2 read the next one
June 23, 2025
⭐️4.5⭐️
August 13, 2015
This is one of those books that most people liked and I couldn't remember the title two days after I had read it. When that happens I sort of wonder if I was having a bad-book-reading day or jet-lag brain. I had been on a plane traveling for 20 hours so maybe the neurons were short-circuiting? Whatever the reason I found it hard to get into the beginning with all the multiple points of view, was reminded of Haddix's "Running Out of Time," in the middle and figured out quite a bit of the plot, and then was plain ole pissed at the cliffhanger ending. I'm not a fan of cliffhangers except if there is some sort of resolution. This end left me with more questions than answers. I wanted to take a bite out of the back cover and spit it out like a Doberman Pinscher. As you can see, that is NOT a healthy reaction when done reading a book.
Eli Frieden lives in the town of Serenity where there is no dishonesty and everyone is kind. The thirty kids that live there have everything they want materialistically and socially, but not everyone is emotionally healthy or content. Malik thinks the town is too happy. Amber tries too hard to be perfect. Hector gets into trouble following Malik. Eli wants to explore with his friend Randy. When Randy takes Eli to see a sports car, he falls mysteriously ill ending up in the hospital. When he wakes up, Randy has moved away leaving a cryptic message as Eli uncovers the mysteries of Serenity with his friends.
The beginning character development has many different points of view. I thought this sacrificed depth keeping me from identifying or caring about any of the characters. Eli seems to be the main one I was supposed to get hooked with but he was sort of boring and his internal thoughts too few and far between. Normally, I like Gordon Korman's character development. I think it is a strength of his, but this crew was too forgettable for me.
The plot had some twists, some conveniences, and some unbelievable parts. The start was slow as all the characters are introduced but then the action picks up and goes gung-ho. There is an adult that helps the kids, but it is unclear how much she knows about what is going on in Serenity. She added an interesting element to the plot that isn't resolved in the end. The main twist is a great premise and once that was revealed toward the story's end, I was really interested. I think the sequel will be much more engaging because it will address the origins of why the kids in Serenity are "special." At least that seems to be the direction the plot will go.
Gordon Korman is coming to our school next week. I am going to quick read, "Swindle," so I can gush about a book. The students love that one and "Gifted." This one fell short for me, but I am interested in the sequel. Although if it is written with a cliffhanger ending... well, just picture me chomping on the book.
Eli Frieden lives in the town of Serenity where there is no dishonesty and everyone is kind. The thirty kids that live there have everything they want materialistically and socially, but not everyone is emotionally healthy or content. Malik thinks the town is too happy. Amber tries too hard to be perfect. Hector gets into trouble following Malik. Eli wants to explore with his friend Randy. When Randy takes Eli to see a sports car, he falls mysteriously ill ending up in the hospital. When he wakes up, Randy has moved away leaving a cryptic message as Eli uncovers the mysteries of Serenity with his friends.
The beginning character development has many different points of view. I thought this sacrificed depth keeping me from identifying or caring about any of the characters. Eli seems to be the main one I was supposed to get hooked with but he was sort of boring and his internal thoughts too few and far between. Normally, I like Gordon Korman's character development. I think it is a strength of his, but this crew was too forgettable for me.
The plot had some twists, some conveniences, and some unbelievable parts. The start was slow as all the characters are introduced but then the action picks up and goes gung-ho. There is an adult that helps the kids, but it is unclear how much she knows about what is going on in Serenity. She added an interesting element to the plot that isn't resolved in the end. The main twist is a great premise and once that was revealed toward the story's end, I was really interested. I think the sequel will be much more engaging because it will address the origins of why the kids in Serenity are "special." At least that seems to be the direction the plot will go.
Gordon Korman is coming to our school next week. I am going to quick read, "Swindle," so I can gush about a book. The students love that one and "Gifted." This one fell short for me, but I am interested in the sequel. Although if it is written with a cliffhanger ending... well, just picture me chomping on the book.
February 28, 2016
Eli Frieden and his friends in Serenity, New Mexico are living the happy, pampered life, that on the surface of things, seems ideal. Yet, they never leave, not even for a day trip, vacation, or school field trip. Something keeps them within the confines of this isolated community....why would anyone want to leave, their parents tell them, everything we would want or need is here. Yet, one day, as Eli and his best friend try to go beyond the city limits, something strange and foreboding happens. That's when Eli becomes suspicious of this utopia they call home.
Eli convinces four other friends, Malik, Tori, Amber, and Hector, to start a clandestine investigation into the odd and strange behavior that, previous to the event, was normal, but now....questions arise. What they find is something beyond their wildest dreams. The clues that they follow lead them to something utterly sinister and evil...and the kids in Serenity are at the heart of it all. Now, who do they trust with this information? Certainly not any adult in Serenity.
Masterminds is full of heart-pumping suspense and takes the reader on a dangerous adventure...one in which five kids are running for their lives, literally. Not sure what they'll find out in the real world, but they are determined to find out what their lives really mean. Not to mention bringing their existence to mean more than merely serenity.
This has to be one of Korman's best reads. It is a thriller that will have the reader turning pages with abandon, both wanting the story to go faster and not wanting it to end. Clearly, there is a sequel, since the kids barely make it out alive, yet what they find is almost unfathomable. A great-read aloud for its heart-pumping adventure and classic good vs. evil intent.
Eli convinces four other friends, Malik, Tori, Amber, and Hector, to start a clandestine investigation into the odd and strange behavior that, previous to the event, was normal, but now....questions arise. What they find is something beyond their wildest dreams. The clues that they follow lead them to something utterly sinister and evil...and the kids in Serenity are at the heart of it all. Now, who do they trust with this information? Certainly not any adult in Serenity.
Masterminds is full of heart-pumping suspense and takes the reader on a dangerous adventure...one in which five kids are running for their lives, literally. Not sure what they'll find out in the real world, but they are determined to find out what their lives really mean. Not to mention bringing their existence to mean more than merely serenity.
This has to be one of Korman's best reads. It is a thriller that will have the reader turning pages with abandon, both wanting the story to go faster and not wanting it to end. Clearly, there is a sequel, since the kids barely make it out alive, yet what they find is almost unfathomable. A great-read aloud for its heart-pumping adventure and classic good vs. evil intent.
July 4, 2017
Normally I simply read the first book of these middle grade adventure/mystery series so I can recommend them to students...but this one was so good that I'm probably going to have to add the next book to my giant TBR list. The pacing of this was perfect, and I found myself easily lost in the story. The multiple-narrator format is well-done and the characters are easily distinguishable from one another. And the reason the kids are being kept in their town? SO original and intriguing. I knew that not everything would be wrapped up in the end, and it's not--but it's a pretty satisfying ending that leaves you more than ready for the next book in the series.
June 1, 2017
This book is not what it seems... in the beginning, you think you know what the story is going to be and you say, "Huh, interesting," but by the end, you're saying, "I want to read MORE." Get ready for some unexpected twists and turns. This book was fun to read, and I can't wait to get the next one. I would recommend this to any long-time Gordon Korman readers, fans sci-fi - realistic fiction, and anyone who wants to sit down and read some good adventure.
June 27, 2025
5 STARS OMG IT WAS SO GOOD
After Sunrise on The Reaping, it was so hard to read. Not even Rick Riordan could entice me. But then Masterminds came along. And wow.
Eli, Tori, Amber, Hector, and Malik are 12 years olds who live in an utopic town. Or so it seems. In reality, they are being studied? Why? Well, because they are masterminds, of course! What kind of masterminds? Well, you should read the book to find that out, but I recommend it.
My favourite characters were Eli and Tori, who seem to be - at least so far - a successful project. However, I appreciate the other characters, too.
I will definitely continue with this series.
***
After Sunrise on The Reaping, it was so hard to read. Not even Rick Riordan could entice me. But then Masterminds came along. And wow.
Eli, Tori, Amber, Hector, and Malik are 12 years olds who live in an utopic town. Or so it seems. In reality, they are being studied? Why? Well, because they are masterminds, of course! What kind of masterminds? Well, you should read the book to find that out, but I recommend it.
My favourite characters were Eli and Tori, who seem to be - at least so far - a successful project. However, I appreciate the other characters, too.
I will definitely continue with this series.
***
April 13, 2015
Originally posted here at In the Senter of it All
Genre: Adventure
AR level: 5.2
Grade appropriate: 4th and up
RATING BREAKDOWN:
Overall: 5/5-- Gordon Korman is a genius! Who wouldn't want to live in a town like Serenity? But what does it take to have the perfect town? Kind of scary to think about. How do you keep everybody in line? This is my genre and Gordon Korman has mastered the adventure story!
Creativity: 5/5-- Completely creative! So close to reality. This story could totally happen! But who would think to do this?
Subtle differences from the real world. The pledge ends "One nation under God, indivisible, with unity and gladness for all."
Characters: 5/5-- Loved them!
Engrossing: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Appeal to kids: 5/5-- They’ll love it! It’s already checked out of my library.
Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5
CONTENT:
Language: none
Sexuality: none
Violence: mild-- The kids knock out guards to escape.
Drugs/Alcohol: none
Genre: Adventure
AR level: 5.2
Grade appropriate: 4th and up
RATING BREAKDOWN:
Overall: 5/5-- Gordon Korman is a genius! Who wouldn't want to live in a town like Serenity? But what does it take to have the perfect town? Kind of scary to think about. How do you keep everybody in line? This is my genre and Gordon Korman has mastered the adventure story!
Creativity: 5/5-- Completely creative! So close to reality. This story could totally happen! But who would think to do this?
Subtle differences from the real world. The pledge ends "One nation under God, indivisible, with unity and gladness for all."
Characters: 5/5-- Loved them!
Engrossing: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Appeal to kids: 5/5-- They’ll love it! It’s already checked out of my library.
Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5
CONTENT:
Language: none
Sexuality: none
Violence: mild-- The kids knock out guards to escape.
Drugs/Alcohol: none
February 22, 2015
There's something screwy in Serenity, New Mexico.
Everything should be perfect. In fact, it is. There's no crime, no poverty, nothing bad to speak of at all in this small town.
But five kids will learn a devastating secret that will change their lives forever in this fast-paced, exhilarating first book in a new trilogy.
Offering various points of views, the picture is completed piece by piece. Boys and girls will find something to enjoy in this adventure story.
It'll be criminal to miss out on such an exciting read!
(Aside from some questionable vocal choices, the audio book was very good.)
Everything should be perfect. In fact, it is. There's no crime, no poverty, nothing bad to speak of at all in this small town.
But five kids will learn a devastating secret that will change their lives forever in this fast-paced, exhilarating first book in a new trilogy.
Offering various points of views, the picture is completed piece by piece. Boys and girls will find something to enjoy in this adventure story.
It'll be criminal to miss out on such an exciting read!
(Aside from some questionable vocal choices, the audio book was very good.)
September 20, 2016
I really liked this book that posed an interesting question and experiment. I don't want to spoil the plot, so I'll just say that it made be curious to find out what is going to happen to these kids. I can't wait for book 2!
February 26, 2023
A serene town in the deserts of New Mexico, where everything is perfect. Harmony, contentment, and honesty is the motto of Serenity. People don't lock doors, they never lie, and there is no crime. An idyllic oasis in the middle of muddied world.
We're not rich in Serenity, but we're all really comfortable.
But, as we know, when something seems too good to be true, it usually is. And the perfect bubble of Serenity is about to burst.
Eli
Eli tries to ride his bike out of town, but is hit with a mysterious, painful illness. After the incident, his best friend, Randy, is sent away. Then in a storm, the web page glitches and shows facts totally different to what Eli had been reading.
Tori
Tori is observant. She's sees what's going on around her and can come up with plans on the fly. She loves her parents and has dreams to be an artist. She and Eli discover a hidden note that Randy left them. Turns out that Randy is being sent away to a boarding school and Randy knows that something strange is going on in town. He warns his friends.
Hector
Hector is the small guy and knows it. He's brilliant, but gets nervous easily. His parents are nice, but distant. Hector finds connection with his best friend, Malik. Malik picks on him, but Hector knows he really cares.
I know what people sometimes think of me: too young. Too small. Too clumsy. Too chicken.
Malik
Malik hates Serenity. He thinks it's ridiculous and stupid. He can't wait to get out. He's not afraid to flout the rules and couldn't care less what anything thinks. But something weird happens. Hector runs into a truck caring plastic cones, the orange ones that the Plastic Works factory makes. The big employer in town. Some blood gets on the cones. Suddenly Malik is seeing that cone everywhere. If the trucks are leaving town to sell the cones, why is the same cone still on the truck with Hector's blood?
Amber
Amber loves everything about Serenity. She loves the order and the peace. She thinks she's the luckiest girl in the word. With her mom being the teacher, she has to be the best. Everything is structured. Amber doesn't want to hear any weird theories about something going on in Serenity. Obviously Tori has lost her mind. Though she did find that newspaper once, the one from the outside world, with a strange word on it. "Murder." Amber had never heard of this word before.
It's a lot of pressure to be the best behaved, the most involved, and to get the highest grades. That's why I make lists of everything I need to do. It helps me stay focused, control is key.
Things start to heat up as the kids dig deeper into the secrets of their town. What is really going on beneath the surface, and does it involve them?
As most (or all) of Korman's books, Masterminds is told from multiple perspectives. It works well for the book and I think Korman does a pretty good job distinguishing the voices. I read the book this time since we used it for book club and I had to take notes and find quotes, but I highly recommend the audiobook. The different narrators really bring the story to life. We'll be finishing up this book over the next week and I'm excited to see what the students think at the end.
Review #1 - December 2017
The 5th graders and I just finished listening to this book before Christmas break. It's on the BOB list for the year which is why I chose it.
Eli and his friends are sure that something is up in the peaceful town of Serenity, New Mexico. Everything is just a little "too" perfect. Told through several different perspectives, the chapters and plot move quickly. I will also say, I was quite surprised by the big reveal, and that doesn't happen to often in children's books.
The kids loved it. There were different actors for each character on the audiobook. Our favorite was Malik. It was straight up funny, especially when he did impressions of other people.
I have a lot to read right now, but I would actually like to continue this series and find out what happens to the kids.
Review #2 - May 2020
One of the BOB books that I was quite pleased to see still on the list. I listened to the audiobook again so that I could right some killer practice questions. It's just easier with the audio. Good thing the audio really is fabulous. In fact, this time around I bumped my review to 5 stars because I enjoyed it so much. I definitely want to finish this series. It's a very interesting idea, a lot different than other sci-fi books.
I have to say one of my favorite parts this time around was when
Very excited to see where it all goes and I'm glad I get to share it with my kiddos again in class! We'll definitely be using this audiobook!
We're not rich in Serenity, but we're all really comfortable.
But, as we know, when something seems too good to be true, it usually is. And the perfect bubble of Serenity is about to burst.
Eli
Eli tries to ride his bike out of town, but is hit with a mysterious, painful illness. After the incident, his best friend, Randy, is sent away. Then in a storm, the web page glitches and shows facts totally different to what Eli had been reading.
Tori
Tori is observant. She's sees what's going on around her and can come up with plans on the fly. She loves her parents and has dreams to be an artist. She and Eli discover a hidden note that Randy left them. Turns out that Randy is being sent away to a boarding school and Randy knows that something strange is going on in town. He warns his friends.
Hector
Hector is the small guy and knows it. He's brilliant, but gets nervous easily. His parents are nice, but distant. Hector finds connection with his best friend, Malik. Malik picks on him, but Hector knows he really cares.
I know what people sometimes think of me: too young. Too small. Too clumsy. Too chicken.
Malik
Malik hates Serenity. He thinks it's ridiculous and stupid. He can't wait to get out. He's not afraid to flout the rules and couldn't care less what anything thinks. But something weird happens. Hector runs into a truck caring plastic cones, the orange ones that the Plastic Works factory makes. The big employer in town. Some blood gets on the cones. Suddenly Malik is seeing that cone everywhere. If the trucks are leaving town to sell the cones, why is the same cone still on the truck with Hector's blood?
Amber
Amber loves everything about Serenity. She loves the order and the peace. She thinks she's the luckiest girl in the word. With her mom being the teacher, she has to be the best. Everything is structured. Amber doesn't want to hear any weird theories about something going on in Serenity. Obviously Tori has lost her mind. Though she did find that newspaper once, the one from the outside world, with a strange word on it. "Murder." Amber had never heard of this word before.
It's a lot of pressure to be the best behaved, the most involved, and to get the highest grades. That's why I make lists of everything I need to do. It helps me stay focused, control is key.
Things start to heat up as the kids dig deeper into the secrets of their town. What is really going on beneath the surface, and does it involve them?
As most (or all) of Korman's books, Masterminds is told from multiple perspectives. It works well for the book and I think Korman does a pretty good job distinguishing the voices. I read the book this time since we used it for book club and I had to take notes and find quotes, but I highly recommend the audiobook. The different narrators really bring the story to life. We'll be finishing up this book over the next week and I'm excited to see what the students think at the end.
Review #1 - December 2017
The 5th graders and I just finished listening to this book before Christmas break. It's on the BOB list for the year which is why I chose it.
Eli and his friends are sure that something is up in the peaceful town of Serenity, New Mexico. Everything is just a little "too" perfect. Told through several different perspectives, the chapters and plot move quickly. I will also say, I was quite surprised by the big reveal, and that doesn't happen to often in children's books.
The kids loved it. There were different actors for each character on the audiobook. Our favorite was Malik. It was straight up funny, especially when he did impressions of other people.
I have a lot to read right now, but I would actually like to continue this series and find out what happens to the kids.
Review #2 - May 2020
One of the BOB books that I was quite pleased to see still on the list. I listened to the audiobook again so that I could right some killer practice questions. It's just easier with the audio. Good thing the audio really is fabulous. In fact, this time around I bumped my review to 5 stars because I enjoyed it so much. I definitely want to finish this series. It's a very interesting idea, a lot different than other sci-fi books.
I have to say one of my favorite parts this time around was when
Very excited to see where it all goes and I'm glad I get to share it with my kiddos again in class! We'll definitely be using this audiobook!
April 16, 2024
3.5 ☆
June 28, 2025
Surprised by how much fun this book was tbh i have some qualms ab the society rules and some characters but hey for a ya book this was lovely
January 22, 2015
Korman, Gordon. Masterminds. Balzer & Bray, 2015.
Eli lives in the remote town of Serenity, where no one does anything wrong and there's never any crime or any problems. Even the streets are named for peaceful things: harmony, amity, etc. One day Eli and his friend try to ride out of town to explore the desert, and Eli is assaulted with throbbing pain. He's taken by helicopter to the hospital, and his friend is whisked away to his grandparents' home out of town. Before he leaves, Eli's friend leaves him a message: "There's something screwy with this town." Will Eli be able to figure out what is screwy here, and can he do it before he or the other kids in town suffer the consequences?
This book is part mystery, part action-adventure. Because the town is so squeaky-clean, there's no violence or profanity to worry about, but there's plenty of intense mystery as the kids try to work through what's going on. This book would make an excellent classroom or library read-aloud, and will be an easy one to book talk to my patrons. Strongly recommended.
Recommended for: middle grade
Red Flags: none (seriously; a kid gets in trouble for taking too many donuts, but that's about it)
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
Read-Alikes: Poop Fountain!, What We Found in the Sofa and How it Saved the World, The Mysterious Benedict Society
Eli lives in the remote town of Serenity, where no one does anything wrong and there's never any crime or any problems. Even the streets are named for peaceful things: harmony, amity, etc. One day Eli and his friend try to ride out of town to explore the desert, and Eli is assaulted with throbbing pain. He's taken by helicopter to the hospital, and his friend is whisked away to his grandparents' home out of town. Before he leaves, Eli's friend leaves him a message: "There's something screwy with this town." Will Eli be able to figure out what is screwy here, and can he do it before he or the other kids in town suffer the consequences?
This book is part mystery, part action-adventure. Because the town is so squeaky-clean, there's no violence or profanity to worry about, but there's plenty of intense mystery as the kids try to work through what's going on. This book would make an excellent classroom or library read-aloud, and will be an easy one to book talk to my patrons. Strongly recommended.
Recommended for: middle grade
Red Flags: none (seriously; a kid gets in trouble for taking too many donuts, but that's about it)
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
Read-Alikes: Poop Fountain!, What We Found in the Sofa and How it Saved the World, The Mysterious Benedict Society
November 1, 2015
Masterminds was a good book overall. It had action/adventure and mystery to the book, which I really like. The story takes place in a peaceful town in New Mexico called Serenity. There is no criminal activity in Serenity-it is always peaceful. One day Eli and his friend Randy go out bike riding past the Serenity border-line and Eli gets pretty sick, but Randy doesn't. This leads to Randy's department, him leaving Serenity. Randy leaves a note behind saying something screwy was happening in Serenity and there were "special kids." This leads to Eli, Tori, Malik, Hector, and Amber to figure out where Randy was departed to and what was screwy.
Eli is doing his Serenity day project on the Boston Tea Party late at night during a thunderstorm. He reads on an article that the British people and Americans sit down, have tea, and discuss matters. Lightning strikes around his house, and when he looks back down on his iPad, he sees a whole new article saying that the Americans dressed as Mohawk Indians and dumped tea into the ocean, which leads him to thinking that they are not being told everything.
When Eli, Tori, and Hector break into the Plastic Works Factory, they find that they are not human, but clones of evil mastermind geniuses. They then find out that there parents are not their parents and there are some not "special kids" in town. They soon try and escape and get horribly sick again, which leads them to believe there is a chip inside them that sends a wireless signal whenever they get past the border of Serenity to make them sick. Then they think of an escape plan.
I would recommend this book to people who like action/adventure and mystery.
Eli is doing his Serenity day project on the Boston Tea Party late at night during a thunderstorm. He reads on an article that the British people and Americans sit down, have tea, and discuss matters. Lightning strikes around his house, and when he looks back down on his iPad, he sees a whole new article saying that the Americans dressed as Mohawk Indians and dumped tea into the ocean, which leads him to thinking that they are not being told everything.
When Eli, Tori, and Hector break into the Plastic Works Factory, they find that they are not human, but clones of evil mastermind geniuses. They then find out that there parents are not their parents and there are some not "special kids" in town. They soon try and escape and get horribly sick again, which leads them to believe there is a chip inside them that sends a wireless signal whenever they get past the border of Serenity to make them sick. Then they think of an escape plan.
I would recommend this book to people who like action/adventure and mystery.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2025
Love love love.
Total classic re read, and still eats even now.
This series is my top favs for sure
Total classic re read, and still eats even now.
This series is my top favs for sure
August 1, 2015
One of the downfalls of reading on a ereader is that you don't always pay attention to how much of the book you have left. Without the physical reminder of dwindling pages, an ending can sneak up on you. I had that happen with this book. When the end hit I thought, "NO!! I want to know what happens next!" Surprisingly meatier than I thought it would be, this book had a good blend of adventure, dystopian society, and science fiction. Korman's stories are always well put together and this was no exception. The characters balance each other out and rotating between points of view enhances the reader's sense of being one of "the special kids" It's you (and Tori, Eli, Malik, and Hector) against everyone else. I will definitely be recommending this book to my students and purchasing the rest of the series for the library. They will love it.
May 6, 2016
The story: Five kids discover the unthinkable--they're all clones of criminal masterminds, being studied like smears on a microscope slide. Each brings his/her talents to work on the Main Task: escape from the tiny New Mexico town that is really a prison built to keep them in. The question: who can they trust? Certainly not their parents. Maybe not even themselves.
June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (betrayal) PG; overall rating PG.
Liz's comments: Trust Gordon Korman to write a fast-moving, entertaining thriller without any bad words or nasty moments! Hand this to fans of his "Hypnotists" series, or anyone who likes a quick roller-coaster ride.
June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (betrayal) PG; overall rating PG.
Liz's comments: Trust Gordon Korman to write a fast-moving, entertaining thriller without any bad words or nasty moments! Hand this to fans of his "Hypnotists" series, or anyone who likes a quick roller-coaster ride.
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