Fade

By Robert Cormier

IT IS THE summer of 1938 when young Paul Moreaux discovers he can “fade.” First bewildered, then thrilled with the power of invisibility, Paul experiments. But his “gift” soon shows him shocking secrets and drives him toward a chilling act.

“Imagine what might happen if Holden Caufield stepped into H. G. Wells’ The Invisible Man, and you’ll have an idea how good Fade is. . . . I was absolutely riveted.”—Stephen King

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Mar 19, 2013
• ISBN: 9780307523310

Reviews for Fade

[drfuriosa · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I don't know what to say about this book beyond I didn't like it. It was provocative without the same thoughtfulness of Cormier's other work and just felt too sensationalistic in other parts. The Ozzie chapter was upsetting and needlessly violent. My advice is to skip this and read The Chocolate War instead.

[autumnleaving · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was an amazing read. Right amount of drama, suspense, despair, and hope from the antagonists and the protagonists.

[jnfalvey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This story follows Paul, who at 13 realizes he has a unique talent--he can "fade" or disappear at will. Through his uncle, he learns that this is a trait that has been handed down in his family, appearing each generation in one of the nephews of the last fader. Paul struggles to come to terms with the power the fade brings, as well as its dark side. The novel is at its best when it deals with the pain of being an adolescent--of discovering the uglier side of the people we see walking in the street every day, as well as dealing with the difficult feelings and desires of being a teenager. Where it weakens is when it shifts into a Stephen King-esque tale of a psychopathic killer. Cormier links the killing to the fade, of course, but I am left wondering if the struggle between good and evil which the fade manifests could have been resolved in a less formulaic way. As it is, the end of the book feels more like a movie setting up a sequel than an exploration of the struggle of the human spirit with itself.

[wispywillow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book caught my eye as I was shelving books in the children's section of the library where I work. Something about the cover intrigued me, so I sat it aside to read later.And I'm very glad I did so.Stephen King hit the nail on the head when he likened the book to a crossing of the Invisible Man and Holden Caufield from The Catcher in the Rye. There's such a dark intensity that captivated me from the beginning and held me to the end. Never again will I underestimate books shelved in our children's section.

[shelfmonkey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When the average person thinks about 'super-powers', what likely comes to mind is the usual conglomeration of superhero comic books, cartoons, movies, and television shows; a muscular gentleman in tights and a cape, not unlike a professional wrestler. But far more intriguing, and satisfying, are the more literal takes on the theme, whereby ordinary people react in a realistic manner to powers they have no possibility of comprehending. I think of novels such as Stephen King's THE DEAD ZONE (telekinesis), Paul Auster's MR. VERTIGO (levitation), and Jim Munroe's FLYBOY ACTION FIGURE COMES WITH GASMASK (transmogrification), or the Bruce Willis/Samuel L. Jackson movie UNBREAKABLE; examples of day-to-day people struck down by the impossible. Into this more rarefied genre enters a sterling example of the hazzards of the unknown, FADE, by Robert Cormier.FADE follows the life of Paul Moreaux, a young boy growing up in early 20th century America. His family is constantly struggling with the labour and union problems of the time, and Paul himself has learned from his similarly inflicted uncle that he is cursed with a gift that is not what it seems; Paul has inherited the ability to 'fade', to disappear into nothingness on a whim. While at first appropriately thrilled at the prospect, Paul soon realizes the dilemma that comes with such a gift. His juvenile thrill-seeking leads to discoveries of a sexual nature both exciting and perverse, and deeply unsettling. And as his father becomes enmeshed in the violence of the labour revolts, Paul finds himself compelled to commit an act that will haunt his every move for the rest of his life.To give away any more of the plot would be to ruin the pleasures that such a novel provides. As Paul's story progresses, it is contrasted with a modern-day account of his life by his niece. Playing the innocence of youth off the wisdom of maturity gives FADE a poignant, and sometimes more horrific edge. Cormier plays his hand close to this chest, never revealing more than the reader needs to know, yet constantly imparting a foreboding sense of unease as the story unfolds. His presentation of Paul's early life, the nature of youth, is both nostalgic and realistic. Paul is just at that age where the seriousness of life has become evident, yet the thoughtlessness and frivolity of immaturity still pulls strong on his psyche. Every person has that one event in their life that separates childhood from adulthood, and it is just Paul's misfortune that 'fading' is his introduction to the complexities of the world. The power of invisibility is never presented as the 'cure-all' that some people would like to believe. It is a power for which there is no practical purpose, yet is a power that can extract a terrible toil upon those unfortunate enough to possess it. Paul's adult persona, after swearing off the use of his fade, learns the perils that such a path provides, as he discovers the next generation of the gift.Cormier's true gift in this narrative is to never lose sight of the way the world works. A person with a power has to adapt to a world unprepared for such an event. The knowledge of his difference serves to affect his every waking moment; his refusal to travel, or have his picture taken, or even associate beyond his close circle of family and friends. The insular nature of being different is a universal theme that everyone copes with on one level or another. The popular child who realizes that he or she has nothing to offer beyond appearance. The powerful executive who cannot cope with people on a less-than-professional basis. Look at the afflicted Johnny Smith of THE DEAD ZONE, living as a target for every weekly news-rag and sad-sack, because he had the bad idea to go public with his gift. Being different than everyone else leaves you a target for the uninformed, the uncaring, and the ignorant. Cormier knows this, perhaps as a byproduct of all the 'young adult' novels he has written. Everyone has a fear of being different; it's how we handle this fear that helps define who we are.FADE is a truly fine novel, a memorable exploration of the tried-and-true theme, "With great power comes great responsibility". Paul's life is a testament to this idea, and his failures to fully comprehend this credo leads to some terrible consequences. God forbid someone less able to cope should be afflicted with such a power. As Paul comes to realize, the world itself would never be safe with such a threat.