The Martian by Andy Weir

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Phillip Xiang

The Martian, by Andy Weir, is about to become a major motion picture. So, it’s time to look at the brilliant book behind it. This science-fiction novel is the tale of Mark Watney, a resourceful and humorous astronaut on a manned mission to Mars. When a dust storm whips up ferocious winds, a broken antennae flies through the air and impales him, separating Watney from the rest of his crew. When the storm clears, all that remains is Watney and the barren planet. The rest of his crew managed to evacuate the planet, but the entire world presumes Watney to be dead. By some sheer miracle, Watney survives. The rest of the book follows Watney as he ensures his survival until NASA can send a rescue mission. His story is told through his own logs, kept in case some space traveler in the future finds it.

The most appealing aspect of The Martian as a science-fiction novel is its realism. Instead of bringing in aliens or complete bogus technology to fill in the holes, Weir writes using real science and engineering. As a botanist and mechanical engineer, our protagonist relies on his wits to keep himself alive. Through careful planning, Watney uses the available materials to create food and water. He calculates how long each of his resources will last, and how he can replenish them. As a result, much of the book is filled with complicated science-related jargon, but all of it is scientifically accurate. He overcomes real challenges with real solutions.

Mark Watney’s distinct character also contributes to the book. He is both confident and careful, and analyzes problems with careful logic. He is also extremely humorous and vulgar, cracking jokes whenever he can. This lightens the mood of a harrowing survival tale. Watney lets us sympathize with his plight without sounding corny or scripted. All of his reactions to events are extremely realistic. Readers should take notice that Watney does swear a lot throughout the story. The F-word appears in the very first sentence.
The Martian is an excellent science-fiction novel that meshes excitement with realism. Readers with a love of technology will especially enjoy this book. The movie comes out in October, so you can read the novel before seeing the film.

-Philip X.

The Martian is available for check out from the Mission Viejo Public Library and Overdrive.

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Samantha S.

Have you ever wondered if Wonderland in Lewis Carroll’s book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass was real? In Frank Beddor’s book, The Looking Glass Wars, it is. Alyss Heart is the princess of Wonderland with her mother, Queen Genevieve, and her father, King Nolan. Queen Genevieve is the supporter of White Imagination and has a bodyguard by the name of Hatter Madigan. This story begins with the royal family and the Wonderlanders celebrating Alyss’ seventh birthday. The Queen foretells that Alyss will be the strongest queen of Wonderland because of her powerful imagination. During the party Alyss’ friend, Dodge Anders, takes her out of the palace and takes her to a lake called “The Pool of Tears.” Dodge says that if a person jumps into the pool, he will go into another world, which is our world, but no one has ever returned.

After arriving back to the party, Alyss sees a cat running into the main hall where everyone was. It suddenly turns into a ferocious Cat and heralds the arrival of Redd Hearts, Queen Genevieve’s sister and Alyss’ aunt. An army of her card soldiers destroys Alyss’ home and the Queen’s general Doppelgänger and Hatter jump into action to fight against the enemy. In all the fighting Alyss sees her mother imagining weapons to battle the card soldiers around her. Her mother gives an order to Hatter to get Alyss away from the horrid battle. Hatter takes Alyss to the Pool of Tears and jump into the lake before Redd’s assassins can reach them. In the water Alyss loses Hatter’s hand before arriving to our world, leaving him to search for the princess and find a way back to Wonderland. Will she be able to ever get back? Also, will Hatter be able to find Alyss? To find out, read this wonderful story.

I truly loved this book. It was a page turner and I couldn’t stop reading. Everything about the book was amazing, the plot, the characters, ans the suspense. This is a trilogy and the next book is Seeing Redd. I really hope you will read this book!

-Samantha S.

The Looking Glass Wars is available for check out from the Mission Viejo Public Library and Overdrive.

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Posted on August 8, 2015 by Sara S.

Many aren’t aware of the book which inspired the movie series for Jurassic Park (see Jurassic World in theaters now!), and like most books, the original is better than the movie adaptation.

Michael Crichton’s vision of a utopian theme park gone wrong set a revolutionary example for all sci-fi novels to follow. Most of the characters in the novel are well developed and bear significance in the symbolism of their fates. However, I would have preferred a wider range of female characters as there are only two, with only one portrayed in a mature, positive light. Although most sci-fi novels are geared towards a male audience, it’s a huge bummer for female readers who do exist and do enjoy the genre. And while Dr. Strattler’s minimal role may have been a representation of the sexism faced by women in the scientific field, I think Crichton could have helped break the non-inclusive pattern within the genre.

I’m interested to know if this bothered anyone else who read the book, or if anyone agrees that there is a lack of female representation in sic-fi novels or movies?

– Sara S.

Jurassic Park, both the novel and film, can be checked out from the Mission Viejo Public Library. A downloadable version of the book is available on Overdrive.

Legend by Marie Lu

Posted on July 21, 2015 by rwong2002

As we all know, traveling into the future is not easy. However, Marie Lu’s book, Legend, goes against this theory, by letting us interpret her version of a dystopian Los Angeles. Told in the perspective of two characters, this book introduces two different sides of society and how changes made in the present affect the future.

Day, from the poor areas of Los Angeles, is the government’s most wanted criminal. With cunning skill and determination, he steals medicine to treat his brother from a miserable plague that is killing civilians. June, on the other hand, is the government’s prodigy, whose brother appeared to have died at the hands of Day. To avenge his death, June goes out on a mission to hunt down this criminal and bring him to justice. However, the two enemies unexpectedly join together as allies through a little romance and shared curiosity of the government’s secrets. Together they realize that the government has been corrupting all of its people, and June and Day are only pawns in the entire plot.

Similar to that of The Hunger Games and Divergent series, Legend is set in a futuristic vision of the United States of America. Marie Lu really emphasizes her understanding of the book’s setting by describing the whole scene of the dystopian world and offers a little background to describe what happened between our present time and book’s future setting. In addition, the Legend series is much more intriguing to read than other dystopian series because the novella itself is easier to relate to and is as action-packed as The Hunger Games. Even better, the action occurs in the busy streets of LA rather than an enclosed arena. On a scale of one through ten, this book is a nine and a half because its description is wonderful. There are some cliffhangers, especially leading into the next books of the series (Prodigy and Champion). I would recommend this book to those who have read The Hunger Games or Divergent and would love to compare the stories and share what you think in the comments below!

-Riley W.

Legend is available for check out from the Mission Viejo Public Library.

Book Review: The Bar Code Tattoo by Suzanne Weyn

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Sarah J.

Individuality Vs, Conformity

Identity Vs. Access

Freedom Vs. Control

These are things that Kayla will have to choose. Her entire world is changed with the bar code tattoo that is supposed to make your life easier and become your identity. She refuses to get one thinking how weird it is to be able to be scanned like a box of cereal and just be a bar code. She thinks nothing of it. Slowly, the bar code tattoo turns her into an outcast and her family falls apart. Both are linked to the bar code. She learns of the secrets of the tattoo and why it is so dangerous. Soon she has no choice but to run.

This is a book that is hard to explain. I found it easy to read but it has lots of meaning hidden in the lines of this book. It talks a lot about being like others and conforming to be like others and how people can be controlled. There is also the theme of trying to find oneself. There is not much development in the characters, which I wished for more of, but the main characters is portrayed as well. There is some more mature themes presented in the book so I would recommend it to older readers. If I had to give it a rating it would be 7/10. The Bar Code Tattoo is written quite well but lacks in several areas, including description and originality of plot.

This is only what I think, so read for yourself to decide.

– Sarah J., 9th grade

Gone Series Review

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Kaylie W.

On a seemingly normal day, the town of San Perdido is suddenly hit with a phenomenon that results in everyone over the age of fifteen disappearing…all adults are just simply gone! To the confusion of the remaining children, a giant force-field now surrounds the entire area of Perdido Beach, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

Abandoned and frightened, the children are exposed to the threat of conflict, danger and death, and life with no adults or form of authority. With no electricity and phones and televisions no longer working, the town becomes a prison for the “surviving” children who must find a way to maintain order amidst the chaos. To top it off, the children start developing strange powers, some even deadly, that causes extreme manipulation and sides to be chosen. The ensuing fight becomes a catastrophic battle for survival, while the thought of time running out looms over everyone—because the day you turn fifteen is the fateful day you disappear, just like everyone else.

Written by Michael Grant, the Gone series is breathtaking young-adult series that’s packed to the brim with mystery, action, suspense, and (of course) romance! The books are titled: Gone, Hunger, Lies, Plague, Fear, and Light. In my opinion, the series is fast-paced and frighteningly gripping, for Grant is able to successfully write a dark, brutal account of a world of children with no authority that describes the death and moral dilemmas they must face.

The characters are all complex yet relatable, because they are all kids, just like you and I, who are struggling with the reality of the world they are thrown into. Even though there is some mature content, especially in the last three books of the series, I would certainly recommend the Gone series, which can be considered a modern-day Lord of the Flies, to those over thirteen years who are fans of The Hunger Games and hard-core dystopian-science fiction admirers!

-Kayle W., 10th grade

Book Review: In The Country of Last Things by Paul Auster

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Wenqing Z.

There are the last things, she wrote. One by one they disappear and never come back. When you live in the city, you learn to take nothing for granted. Close your eyes for a moment, turn around to look at something else, and the thing that was before you is suddenly gone. Nothing lasts, you see, not even the thoughts inside you. And you mustn’t waste your time looking for them. Once a thing is gone, that is the end of it.

If you enjoy post-apocalyptic novels, this book is for you. In the Country of Last Things by Paul Auster is a contemporary novel, and the story takes place in, most likely, future New York City. In this world, from the little pieces of information that are presented by the main character Anna, North America is economic and politically destructed, surfers with wars; at the same time, environmental disasters hit hard to add on to the chaos. The whole country is twisted into something else. Anna, who probably comes from Europe, arrives at the city to look for her missing brother and struggles for her survival, where everything disappears and humanity is lost as a cost to stay alive.

As a post-apocalyptic novel, the story is filled with destruction and despair, but also with friendship, hope, and even love. The main characters are destroyed and remake into something stronger throughout the novel, and under the dark side of fate, we can always see hope. I recommend this novel to mostly seniors because of some more mature parts of this book. It is a really easy book to read – one afternoon is more than enough to finish it, but I can promise you, there are lots of sweet stuffs for you to discover! Get this book and start reading!

-Wenqing Z., 12th grade

Book Review and Music Pairing: Space Case by Stuart Gibbs

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Maya S.

“This is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” ~Neil Armstrong

Tick-tock. Fast forward to the future. Man is now living on the moon. The human race has made a huge advance in technology. At Moon Base Alpha, or MBA, as referred to by the lunarnauts, life is very different from home on Earth. This may sound like a pretty cool place to live but not until you get the scoop from Dash Gibson. While being one of the most famous kids on Earth for living on the moon, he is bored out of his mind.

He tells his readers that all of those Sci-Fi movies are wrong. Have you ever seen anybody go to the bathroom in space? Nope, they never thought about how hard it is to make a toilet that functions in low gravity. And the food is never fresh and tastes nasty. But of course, the moonies, or the lunarnauts, as they are called, are not allowed to talk about the horrible conditions they are enduring, for NASA invested a lot of money on this expedition. For the children living on the moon, it is worse because they don’t have work to do like their scientist parents. Kids aren’t allowed on the actual surface of the moon, for safety reasons. So, there isn’t much to do besides attending school and playing video games. Basically, Dash feels like a sardine trapped in an empty can.

After reading all of this, I thought of the song Time Keeps on Slipping into the Future (Fly Like an Eagle) by the Steve Miller Band. Not only because of the futuristic aspect of the song, but also due to the other lyrics, I thought it fit quite well. When the ‘fly like an eagle’ refrain is sung, I thought of how the advancements in technology soared in the decade(s) that had passed to the time period of this book. (It was not specified throughout the course of the novel.)

One night, Dash was out of his sleeping pod and in the bathroom–which was very inconveniently placed at the other side of the base with the work offices rather than the dwellings–when he overheard a very exciting conversation. One of the scientists, Dr. Holtz, seemed to be discussing a new discovery over the phone. Once Dash was finally back in his bed, he could not sleep, in anticipation of information to be released on Dr. Holtz’s discovery scheduled for later that morning. But, that did not occur. Apparently, Dr. Holtz stepped out of the air lock, solo, and died.

This sci-fi story is about Dash’s mission to solve the case of Dr. Holtz’s sudden death. The circumstances seemed suspicious to him. In addition, he was eager to uncover Dr. Holtz’s discovery. His death-defying investigations got him in trouble. As the adults and kids were fighting, however, I was reminded of the song, Bohemian Rhapsody, by Queen. Of the many parts and styles of this song, the “Galileo, Galileo, Galileo, let me go” snippet struck me, and I made many connections between the song lyrics and the falling action in the book.

I would rate Space Case a 10/10 for its captivating storyline and science fiction aspects. I consumed this book in a single day!

-Maya S., 7th grade

Book Review: The Eye of Minds by James Dashner

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Evan G.

There is reality and there is virtual reality. In the real world, life is dull and boring for high schooler, Michael. Virtual reality, however, is the excitement of life times a million, you can do anything…be anything…and the more rules you break, the more fun it is. The bad part of this virtual world is that a gamer named Kaine has found a way to trap people in the VirtNet and the authorities know that he has to be stopped. That’s where Michael comes in. In order to stop Kaine, Michael and his two best friends that he met inside the VirtNet must go on a wild journey through the internet and hope that they will make it home alive.

James Dashner seems to enjoy killing off his characters in gruesome ways. In the Maze Runner series, people die from a sickness that kills their brain and in this series people’s minds die in the virtual world but not their bodies. This completely original novel has bizarre, gory and disturbing twists and turns which kept my attention but made me lose my appetite, literally.

I hesitantly recommend this book to teenagers. You may want to read the Maze Runner series first so that you will be prepared for his brilliant writing style and gore. If you’ve already read it, then you understand exactly what I’m talking about.

-Evan G., 6th grade

Book Review: The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Anmol K.

The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams is the first, out of five, novels depicting the intergalactic adventure of an Earthling, Arthur Dent, and an extraterrestrial, Ford Perfect (his name on Earth).

In the beginning of the story, Arthur Dent is lying in the mud in front of his house to protect it from the contractors who want to destroy it so a bypass could be built there. A little while later, Ford Perfect comes and convinces Arthur to go to a pub with him. At the pub, Arthur thinks that Ford is crazy because he warns that the Earth is going to be destroyed by the alien race, Vogons. Turning out to be true, they manage to get on the Vogon’s ship.

Aboard the ship, Arthur and Ford are discovered and, as a punishment, are mandated to listen to the Vogon’s poetry, the third worst in the Galaxy. Then they are placed into an airlock where would be released into space. The President of the Galaxy, Zaphod Beeblebrox, who is aboard the ship called Heart of Gold, rescues them. Zaphod is a cousin of Ford; a miserable robot named Marvin and a woman named Trillian also join them. Follow Arthur and Ford through their interplanetary journey by reading The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy.

Picking up this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect in the story. But I am glad I choose it. Despite its intimidating size, I read it and I thought that it was an awesome science-fiction story. At certain points in the book, the author goes off describing a new Alien race or new planet, but it eventually connects back to the story. If you enjoy the first novella, then I suggest reading the rest of the novels.

-Anmol K., 8th grade

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