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Quick answer: If you loved the Escape from Furnace series, read its later books Solitary and Death Sentence, then Gone, The Maze Runner, Unwind and The Knife of Never Letting Go. All are fast, dark young adult thrillers about teens fighting to survive impossible places.
Alexander Gordon Smith's Escape from Furnace series, which begins with Lockdown (2009), follows Alex Sawyer, a teenager framed for murder and sent to Furnace Penitentiary, a prison buried deep underground with horrors in its depths. It is gruesome, tense and relentlessly fast. The books below offer similar teen survival stories, grim places and breakneck plots.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lockdown | Alexander Gordon Smith | Teen | the series start |
| Solitary | Alexander Gordon Smith | Teen | the second book |
| Death Sentence | Alexander Gordon Smith | Teen | the third book |
| Gone | Michael Grant | Teen | no adults |
| The Maze Runner | James Dashner | Teen | trapped teens |
| Unwind | Neal Shusterman | Teen | moral dilemmas |
| The Knife of Never Letting Go | Patrick Ness | Teen | chased through the wild |
| The Hunger Games | Suzanne Collins | Teen | survival |
| Divergent | Veronica Roth | Teen | factions and choice |
| The Recruit | Robert Muchamore | Teen | young spies |
| Stormbreaker | Anthony Horowitz | Ages 10+ | teen spy |
| Holes | Louis Sachar | Ages 9-13 | mystery and fate |
| The Chocolate War | Robert Cormier | Teen | school bullying |
| Lord of the Flies | William Golding | Teen | boys on an island |
| The Outsiders | S. E. Hinton | Teen | gang life |
1. Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith
Alex Sawyer is framed for murder and thrown into Furnace Penitentiary. Gruesome and fast.
Best for: the series start.
2. Solitary by Alexander Gordon Smith
Alex faces new terrors inside Furnace as its secrets begin to emerge. Gripping and dark.
Best for: the second book.
3. Death Sentence by Alexander Gordon Smith
The prisoners fight to end the horror. Fierce and fast.
Best for: the third book.
4. Gone by Michael Grant
Everyone over fourteen vanishes from a town. Fast, violent and gripping.
Best for: no adults.
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Boys with no memory live in a deadly maze. Tense and fast.
Best for: trapped teens.
6. Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Teens are sent to be unwound for organs. Dark and original.
Best for: moral dilemmas.
7. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
A boy flees with a girl through a world where thoughts are heard. Intense and inventive.
Best for: chased through the wild.
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Katniss volunteers for a televised fight to the death. Fast and widely loved.
Best for: survival.
9. Divergent by Veronica Roth
A girl chooses her faction and discovers a plot. Fast and popular.
Best for: factions and choice.
10. The Recruit by Robert Muchamore
A teen is recruited to a spy agency. Fast, funny and tough.
Best for: young spies.
11. Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
Alex Rider becomes a spy after his uncle's death. Action-packed and modern.
Best for: teen spy.
12. Holes by Louis Sachar
A boy is sent to a camp where he must dig holes. Clever and moving.
Best for: mystery and fate.
13. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
A boy refuses to sell chocolates for a school fundraiser. Bleak and influential.
Best for: school bullying.
14. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Schoolboys stranded on an island descend into savagery. A classic.
Best for: boys on an island.
15. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
Greasers and Socs clash in Oklahoma. A classic of teen fiction.
Best for: gang life.
How to Choose
To continue the series, read Lockdown, Solitary and Death Sentence in order. For fast survival thrillers choose Gone, The Maze Runner or The Hunger Games. For darker moral stories pick Unwind or The Chocolate War. For teen spies read The Recruit or Stormbreaker. Escape from Furnace is gruesome, so it suits older readers who like horror with their action. The Furnace series was written by an author who also co-founded a film production company, and his fast, cinematic style is a big part of the appeal. Audiobooks are popular for the series. Horror and thriller series for teens can be intense. If your reader enjoys the dark mood, The Chocolate War and Lord of the Flies show how young people can face brutality in other settings. If they want less gore, Stormbreaker and The Maze Runner are action-led. Audiobooks suit fast series like these. If you want to try audiobooks for a series like this, the pace and atmosphere usually come through well.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Escape from Furnace about?
A teen framed for murder is sent to an underground prison full of horrors.
Who wrote it?
Alexander Gordon Smith.
When was it published?
The first book, Lockdown, came out in 2009.
How many books are in the series?
Five: Lockdown, Solitary, Death Sentence, Fugitives and Execution.
Is it very violent?
Yes, with graphic horror and violence.
What age is it for?
Teens, around 13 and up.
Is it horror or thriller?
Both.
What should I read next?
Try Solitary or Gone.
Is Escape from Furnace suitable for younger teens?
It is very violent and frightening, so it suits older teens who like horror.
Where should I start?
With Lockdown, the first book.
Does Escape from Furnace have a supernatural element?
Yes, the prison hides monstrous creatures beneath it.
Is it good for reluctant readers?
Yes, the chapters are short and the pace is fast.