Arc of a Scythe by Neal Shusterman 4 Books Collection Set - Young Adult - Paperback

Titles in This Set
Scythe
Thunderhead
The Toll
Gleanings: Stories from the Arc of a Scythe

Details
Condition: Brand New
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Walker Books
Age Range: 14+ (Grades 9+)

Overview
Death has been conquered, but humanity still needs a way to keep the population in check—and that grim duty falls to Scythes. This four-book paperback set collects Neal Shusterman's acclaimed Arc of a Scythe trilogy—Scythe, Thunderhead, and The Toll—together with the companion collection Gleanings: Stories from the Arc of a Scythe. Teen apprentices Citra and Rowan are thrust into a world where mercy, power, and mortality collide, while the all-knowing Thunderhead watches over a seemingly perfect society. Ideal for teens who love morally complex, high-stakes speculative fiction, this set makes a standout gift for birthdays or summer reading.

About the Books
The Arc of a Scythe series builds a startlingly original post-mortal world: disease, aging, and involuntary death have all been eliminated, and the only way to die is to be "gleaned" by a professional Scythe. In Scythe, teenagers Citra Terranova and Rowan Damisch are chosen as apprentices to Scythe Faraday, forced to learn the art of ending life while wrestling with what it truly means to act with conscience in a world that has removed most human suffering. Thunderhead picks up the story as Citra becomes Scythe Anastasia and Rowan disappears into legend, while the Thunderhead—the vast, benevolent artificial intelligence that governs nearly everything else—watches the growing corruption within the Scythedom with limited power to intervene. The Toll brings the original trilogy to its explosive conclusion, as old alliances fracture, the Thunderhead's silence is finally broken, and the fight for the soul of the Scythedom reaches its climax. Rounding out the set, Gleanings: Stories from the Arc of a Scythe is a collection of short stories written by Neal Shusterman alongside collaborators David Yoon, Jarrod Shusterman, Sofía Lapuente, Michael H. Payne, Michelle Knowlden, and Joelle Shusterman, expanding the timeline with new origin stories and fresh perspectives on familiar characters. Together, these four paperbacks trace an ambitious arc from personal apprenticeship to civilization-spanning consequence, blending fast-paced plotting with genuinely provocative questions about mortality, power, and what a "perfect" society costs its people. Fans of dystopian sagas like The Hunger Games will find plenty to devour here.

Key Benefits

• Complete four-book paperback set: Scythe, Thunderhead, The Toll, and the companion collection Gleanings
• Brand new condition, ready to gift or add straight to a teen's bookshelf
• Award-winning storytelling from New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman
• Scythe is a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, a mark of literary distinction in YA fiction
• Great gift for birthdays, holidays, or summer reading for fans of dystopian sagas
• A cohesive collectible set that looks great displayed together on a shelf

Book-by-Book Guide
Scythe — Teenagers Citra and Rowan are chosen as apprentices to a Scythe, forced to master the art of ending life while only one of them can ultimately earn the title.
Thunderhead — Now serving as Scythe Anastasia, Citra navigates a fracturing Scythedom while the Thunderhead, the planet's guiding AI, watches corruption grow with a wary, distant eye.
The Toll — Old friends are brought back from the dead as constitutions are tested in this pulse-pounding finale to the original trilogy.
Gleanings: Stories from the Arc of a Scythe — Neal Shusterman and six collaborators expand the timeline with an anthology of new origin stories and untold Scythedom history.

About the Author
Neal Shusterman is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty award-winning books for children, teens, and adults, including the Unwind dystology, the Skinjacker trilogy, and Downsiders. His novel Challenger Deep won the National Book Award, and Scythe, the opening volume of the Arc of a Scythe series, is a Michael L. Printz Honor Book. Gleanings was written in collaboration with David Yoon, Jarrod Shusterman, Sofía Lapuente, Michael H. Payne, Michelle Knowlden, and Joelle Shusterman. Shusterman also writes screenplays for film and television and is the father of four, all writers and artists in their own right.

Why You'll Love This Set
This paperback set delivers an entire genre-defining saga in one collectible package—perfect for a birthday gift, holiday stocking stuffer, or summer reading pick for teens who love morally complex dystopian fiction. From apprenticeship to all-out rebellion, the Arc of a Scythe series rewards readers with ethical stakes as sharp as its plotting.

Please Note: This is the UK edition with the ISBN as listed; the cover may vary slightly from the image shown.