The End Games
T. Michael Martin
The End Games
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by T. Michael Martin
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Seventeen-year-old Michael Faris navigates a dangerous world overrun by zombies, doing everything he can to keep his younger brother safe in the remote mountains of West Virginia. Amidst the chaos, their bond is tested as they face relentless threats and struggle to survive. Courage and hope become their strongest weapons in this gripping fight for life.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include physical danger, fantasy violence, fear & anxiety. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated The End Games 10ME
The End Games is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 384 pages (approximately 96,473 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.3 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The End Games works for readers up to grade 7.3.
Read aloud, The End Games runs about 10.7 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate The End Games as 10ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Physical Danger, Fantasy Violence, Fear & Anxiety.
Thematically, The End Games explores family, survival, and adventure — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, survival, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062201805
- Pages
- 384
- Publisher
- Balzer + Bray
- Published
- May 07, 2013
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 96,473
- Read-Aloud
- ~10h 43m
- Text Density
- Dense