Author James Patterson might have been rookie to the world of young-adult books when he wrote his first in 2005, the first Maximum Ride book, "The Angel Experiment." But now with the release of the saga's eighth and final chapter, "Nevermore," he's proven just as successful with the younger crowd as he has for the grownups with his series of Alex Cross novels ("Kiss the Girls," "Along Came A Spider").

Patterson says he first began the series for "reluctant readers, bright kids who are not all that interested in reading," he says. "I wanted to give them an adventure they'd race through and say, 'Give me another book.' It doesn't have to be a Patterson book."

But after eight books in the series, he fears that "I'm starting to repeat myself. I still enjoy Max. But I'm not as attracted to the other characters, try as I may."

So far, the novel, which concerns a group of teenagers who can fly and were raised by evil scientists in a secret lab, has polarized fans of the series, but is flying off the shelves.

Readers at Amazon.com have given the final book in a lengthy series of novels an average rating of 3.6 of a possible five, with 17 giving it one star.

Forty-four of the 92 customer reviews, however, gave it a perfect 5.

"I had high hopes for this book," one reviewer wrote. "While I admit that they may have been unfounded since the series was starting to go downhill, I never expected it to be this bad."

"This book was very good and one of his best books yet," wrote a fan. "It had action and romance combined with a shocking ending."

All questions and situations will be resolved in Nevermore, Patterson says. "Make your bets - I think you can bet on it in Vegas," quips the author, who also pens the young-adult series "Daniel X" and "Witch & Wizard."

"I know some kids are going to be crying at the end," says Patterson. "But it's over." Then he adds a plot spoiler: "It's the end of the series. It's not the end of Max."

In an interview, Patterson offers another spoiler: None of the flock dies in Nevermore. But he's not revealing how he resolves the budding love triangle entangling Max with Fang, her old boyfriend, and Dylan, the new guy.

A "Maximum Ride" film is currently in development at Universal Pictures. While the film has been in development limbo for years now, Patterson is hopeful and optimistic about its fruition. "Maximum Ride is so visual, more so than Twilight or Iron Man," he says. It's inspired 10,000 videos on YouTube, "some of which are pretty incredible."

With a script by "Iron Man" screenwriters Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, it's slated for a 2013 release.

"Nevermore" is available now.