Entries Tagged 'Science Fiction' ↓
March 20th, 2010 — 4.5-5 Treasure Chests, A-C, Action & Adventure, Book Review, Dystopia or Utopia Societies, Guest Review, Science Fiction, Suspense or Thriller, YA Genre
by Second Mate Embry, guest reviewer
Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 400
Grade Reading Level: 6-8 Grade
Summary: Katniss and Peeta arrive back from the 74th Hunger Games as victors. Katniss thought all she wanted was to go home, but things aren't the same. Gale is ignoring her and Peeta is trying to do the same. It's hard to do that though when you're engaged to marry that same person. Rumors of rebellion are springing up all over Panem and Katniss and Peeta are said to be the head of it. Every 25 years the victors from the previous Hunger Games are forced to compete again and against each other in the Quarter Quell.
Why I Started This Book:
Easy! I read Hunger Games, loved it and want to know what happens next in the series.
Likes:
- I loved the Quarter Quell! Suzanne Collins was smart to come up with a way for Katniss and Peeta to go back into the arena. Very exciting and thrilling action takes place as the two struggle to survive!
- Every cliff hanger is a doozy! That's another thing Collins is great at providing! You never want to quit because there's always something else happening; another challenge to face and resolutions to find.
Dislikes:
- The ending is pretty confusing. I'm not sure what to make of it and it's really my only complaint for the whole book.
Last minute thoughts: When does book 3 come out?!?! I checked the author's website but didn't see anything.
Buy: Catching Fire (Hardcover)
Rating: 5 Treasure Chests
Originally posted 2009-11-19 03:41:14.
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March 4th, 2010 — 3.5-4 Treasure Chests, A-C, Action & Adventure, Book Review, Dystopia or Utopia Societies, Guest Review, Science Fiction, Suspense or Thriller
by Second Mate Embry, guest reviewer
Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 374
Grade Reading Level: 6 – 8 Grade.
Summary: Katniss Everdeen’s sister was picked for the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games were established a long time ago when one district of thirteen tried to rebel against the capital. After squashing the rebellion, every year one boy and girl is picked from each district to go and take part in the Hunger Games, which is a battle to the death. Katniss volunteers to take her sister’s place. Will she and the boy from her district survive? Will the other kids?
Why I Started This Book:
My teacher told me about it. She said it was a really good book. All my friends who have had the opportunity to read this book have loved the book. I also like Suzanne Collins as an author. It was a no brainer to pick this book up and read it.
Likes:
- I like how the Game Makers are in control of the game. They’re there to make sure that the audience is entertained. It reminds me a bit of the Roman Coliseum and the games of the gladiators.
- The weird creatures – mockingjays, tracker jackets (kind of like wasps) with hallucinating venom, and the wolf-human tribute hybrids.
- I like the setup of the story with the districts and the capital and the games. I really love how it’s supposed to be a futuristic society but that it seems so current too.
- Suzanne Collins always ends a chapter with something exciting, gross, or foreshadowing that makes you want to immediately start the next without a moment’s hesitation. She’s really good at keeping your interest in that way.
Dislikes:
- One of the themes that Suzanne Collins writes about is war and the cruelty it imposes on children. It bothered me at first that it was kids going into the Hunger Games but the story soon sweeps you away.
- I was disappointed how the book just kind of ended. I was expecting it to continue for a while more and do some more wrap up.
Last Minute Thoughts: I didn’t want to finish the book because I didn’t have book two to start right away, but I did finish it and now I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book, Catching Fire!
Buy: The Hunger Games (Hardcover)
, Hunger Games (Audio book)
Book Rating: 4 Treasure Chests.
Originally posted 2009-11-03 03:20:44.
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February 28th, 2010 — 4.5-5 Treasure Chests, A-C, Audio Book Review, Book Review, Coming of Age, Dystopia or Utopia Societies, Guest Review, Science Fiction, YA Genre
by First Mate Keira, guest reviewer
Title: Ender’s Game
Author: Orson Scott Card
Narrators: Stefan Rudnicki, Harlan Ellison
Format: Unabridged Audio Book
# CDs + Minutes: 9 CDs (11 hours, 11 minutes)
Grade Reading Level: 9th Grade
Summary: In a near-future society, the human race is in a war against the buggers, a hostile alien race, who nearly won twice in two wide scale confrontations against humankind. Fearing a third invasion, a system was put in place to discover and train child prodigies in the art of war. This system found Ender Wiggin, and set a course for him unlike any other kid that has gone before. Is Ender the general humankind desperately needs?
Meanwhile a second (side) plot revolves around Earth, Ender's siblings, and it's three separate governing bodies. The Hegemon, Strategos, and Polemarch, all struggle for supreme control and threaten humankind on the home front. Peter and Valentine are determined to make the world over in their image and work to achieve this through the "Nets" to influence how the masses think. Are two kids capable of achieving that sort of influence?
Why I Started This Book:
I can name approximately half a dozen boys over the last several years telling me I had to read this book. It was essential, a must read! I caved. Got it in audio format, because I’m grooving it right now and settled in for the long haul. I now have to apologize to the first five guys who said to read it and I ignored. Great book!
Likes:
- Orson’s style of writing. It’s obviously a style meant to be read aloud; in fact audio format is the best version to meet this book and is something the author mentioned at the end of CD #9.
- Orson’s writing is very evocative. You see pictures and feel emotions and think thoughts as if you were a part of the book itself.
- Battle School is fantastic. I loved it when Ender finally goes up in rank and starts commanding. The mock battles are some of my absolute favorite moments.
- The surprising twist at Command School. It was an ending I did not expect it. I liked it even more when Orson took the story further and explained the aftermath. That too did not go how I pictured it might. Frankly, I was expecting that Ender was going to have to watch out for Peter.
Dislikes:
- Very little. I was going to say the graphic nature of some of the fights or the violence but as Orson pointed out in his ramble at the end of the CD #9 the language is in fact very plain. All graphic nature is rendered through the reader.
Last Minute Thoughts: It’s definitely a book for boys as it deals on many fronts issues boys face more often than girls such as bullying and warfare. Ender also goes through a crisis of identity of self. He does not want to be a killer (or hurt others) but is forced to become one. I think the following quote explains this very well:
Unlike his brother, Ender does not take pride in destroying others and commits this action because he is often pushed into situations which demand physical defense. This portrayal and situation in the novel justifies Ender's actions. (Nick M. on Amazon.com)
I am glad I came to this book now instead of earlier in my life. I don’t think I would have appreciated it then. I do now. It’s terrific! I’m giving the audio book to my dad and telling him to listen to it. He’s on CD #2 and loves it so far.
Buy: Ender's Game (Unabridged Audio Book)
, Ender's Game (Paperback)
, The Ender Quartet Box Set (Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind)
Find books by Orson Scott Card on ebay.
Book Rating: 5 Treasure Chests.
Keira runs a book review blog for readers by readers on romance novels entitled Love Romance Passion. She’s been reading romance since she was in her teens and began blogging about romance so she could share her passion for her favorite genre. She loves reading paranormal, Regency, historical America, and highlander most of all and completely adores blind and wounded heroes.
Originally posted 2009-10-30 03:09:28.
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February 26th, 2010 — 2.5-3 Treasure Chests, Book Review, G-I, Guest Review, Science Fiction, YA Genre
by Second Mate Embry, guest reviewer
Title: Turnabout
Author Margaret Peterson Haddix
Page Count: 223
Format: Hardcover
Grade Reading Level: Ages 12+
Summary: Amelia Hazelwood, Annabeth Flick, and 40 or more others from Riverside nursing home are selected at the old age of 100 to live forever. In a doctor’s experiment called Project Turnabout. The doctors inject them with a formula called PT1. When the selected have decrease in age to their ideal age they are supposed to get another injection to make the reverse aging stop. Unfortunately, everyone who received the second injection died. Now in 2085 Amelia and Annabeth are in their teens and are still getting younger. They know they need parents to care for them and time is running out. What will they do?
Why I Started This Book:
I read this book because Margaret Peterson Haddix is one of my favorite authors and because this book was one I hadn’t read yet.
Likes:
- I liked the idea of this story. The plot was pretty cool and very creative. Imagine turning younger and younger and not being able to stop?
- This novel takes place across three eras, which is very cool.
Dislikes:
- The ending is horrible. HORRIBLE! Well at least I think it is. Margaret Peterson Haddix doesn’t continue the story to its conclusion; she just cuts it off like an amputated limb!
- There were very few main events considering the challenges the two main characters were facing. I like it best when there are plenty of things happening.
Last Minute Thoughts: I am disappointed because Margaret Peterson Haddix because I know she’s capable of more.
Buy: Turnabout (paperback)
Book Rating: 2.5 Treasure Chests.
Originally posted 2009-10-28 03:50:18.
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February 20th, 2010 — 3.5-4 Treasure Chests, Book Review, Dystopia or Utopia Societies, M-O, Science Fiction, YA Genre
by Captain Lyaf Yarr
Title: The Girl Who Owned a City
Author O.T. Nelson
Page Count: 200
Format: Paperback
Grade Reading Level: 5.1, Ages 12-17
Summary: In a city called Glenbard a plague took place. Everyone over the age of 12 was dead. Once the plague passed, all the kids under 12 didn’t know what to do. That was when Lisa and her brother Todd decided to make a militia. Everything was going well until the Tom Logan, the leader of the Chidester Gang takes over Glenberd and treats all the citizens cruelly and unfair. Will Lisa’s plan to regain her city work? Or will she and everyone else be disappointed as it fails?
Why I Started This Book:
I read this book because it was assigned as a class project.
Likes:
- I liked Lisa’s confidence and bravery throughout the book. It was as if nothing could bring her down.
- I like the character Craig. I especially liked the scene when he and Lisa were first driving to the secret place and Lisa thought that the warehouse was already looked through by someone else, but because of Craig they discovered that no one had actually took any supplies.
Dislikes:
- I didn’t like how when the Chidester gang burnt down Lisa’s and Todd’s house, all of Lisa's boundless confidence disappeared because of it.
- I didn’t really get why this book was divided into 3 sections. It just seemed to be there just to be there. Why are books divided into parts?
Last minute thoughts:
At first when my reading teacher assigned this book to me I was almost positive that I would have to force myself to read it because of the cover. I think it’s ugly and scary. I started reading and actually liked it. Just goes to show you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Buy: The Girl Who Owned a City
Book Rating: I give this book 3.5 Treasure Chests.
Originally posted 2009-10-21 03:08:07.
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