Tag Archives: science fiction

Book Review: Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

Posted on by
Reply

fahrenheit451_coverFahrenheit 451 was a required reading book for me in my English class. At first I was like, ugggh required reading, right? ‘Cause who gets excited when they hear “required reading?” But once I started reading this book, I actually found it really interesting.

Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which books burn. The main character, Guy Montag, thinks his life is swell and everybody’s happy and life is perfect. Montag is a fireman, and all he has known his whole life is firemen receive an alarm, go to the house that has been accused, find all of the books, burn them AND the house they were in. He never questioned books or if their job was right to do. Even though he has “everything a guy needs,” he still tells himself every day that he isn’t happy.

This story is basically about Montag finding himself and searching for the missing piece of his life. One day, however, a mishap of timing and an act of courage change Montag’s life. After that, Montag is fascinated by books and longs to understand the words on the page in front of him. I suggest this book to all teens because it really opens your eyes to how lucky we are to be able to freely and openly READ!!

Have you read this book too? Comment and let me know– I’d love to hear your thoughts.

-Kelsey H., 9th grade

Book Review: Legend, by Marie Lu

Posted on by
1

legend_coverLegend by Marie Lu is a young adult fiction novel about two fifteen year olds who inadvertently uncover military and government secrets in their dystopian society.

For me, there is nothing better than a book with a little bit of romance, a drop of mystery, and a whole lot of adventure. The author fulfills all of these expectations to the utmost and provides a great escape into a different world. With fantastic, realistic characters and a constant pace that keeps you on your toes, this book is filled with plot twists and unexpected revelations that ensure a reader’s enjoyment.

One thing that makes this book different from your average teen novel is the way Lu marvelously crafts the two main characters. Though they come from opposite sides of the “food chain,” they are not all that different when it comes down to wits and street smarts. In addition, this book is an excellent stepping stone between Young Adult and Adult books. This is due to the mature writing style of the author and the way it deals with government issues in a fictional society.

Legend is set in a city that used to be known as Los Angeles. It is now part of the Republic, one of the two warring nations in North America. This young adult dystopian novel is narrated by the two main characters June and Day. June was born into the upper class society and becomes the Republic’s prodigy after she receives a perfect score on her trial. Every twelve year old in the Republic is required to take this trial, a test that determines their future depending on their score. Children like June, who score high in their trials, are usually groomed for the military, one of the highest honors in the Republic. Day was raised on the other side of the tracks, in the poor sectors of the Republic, and scored poorly on his trial.  Now known as one of the most wanted criminals in the Republic, Day’s motives may be misunderstood.

Due to their social ranks, the two main characters are unlikely to ever meet. However, their paths cross when Day is accused of killing June’s brother, the only family she has left in the world. June, under the military’s guidance, promises that she’ll hunt him down and won’t stop until he is brought to justice. She goes undercover in the poor sectors of the Republic to find him. When she does, she uncovers a lot more about the government and her life than she ever would have imagined.

I highly recommend this book for teen through adult readers.

-Kaelyn L., 10th grade

Book Review: When We Wake, by Karen Healey

Posted on by
3

when_we_wake_coverThe novel When We Wake by Karen Healey is intriguing. This book contains an alternate world that is supposed to be Earth, sped up to the future. Karen Healey has introduced this concept very interestingly, using cryonics as her main background story.

Cryonics is the freezing of the entire body. It is performed in order to instill preservation. So, from this background story, Karen Healey had decided to make her main character, Tegan Oglietti, the only survivor from the past Earth years. The book starts by a snippet of Tegan’s past life; her cherishes and dearly loved, when suddenly an event leads to her unexpected death.

Tegan wakes up a hundred years in the future, stored in a government building, without knowing how she ended up there. Technology has advanced, and all sorts of rules have been enforced since the time she was gone. On top of that, she has lost everybody she loved, and knows nobody in this foreign world. How does she adjust?

As you can guess, this book is unlike one you have ever read, literally. Also an interesting fact, Karen Healey has written The Guardian of the Dead and The Shattering, for you people that have read her other works. She is very inspiring, and I feel that the genre of a “new world” concept is only becoming more popular. There are all sorts of novels coming out about a future Earth, or perhaps a different planet of some sort.

In conclusion, this book is a must read. It surprises you in no way as another.

-Nirmeet B., 10th grade

Book Review: The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

Posted on by
6

hunger_games_coverWhen I had first heard of this book, I thought it was just another story about vampires which didn’t interest me at all. That was until one of my friends said it was worth reading and I figured that I might as well. The futuristic yet poverty-stricken country of North America for those past seventy-four years had me wondering if this could actually happen one day.

This suspenseful plot of thirteen districts defying the Capitol has led to yearly event of choosing one girl and boy from twelve of the districts to fight till the death in a themed arena. The last one standing will win and be greatly rewarded and honored for representing their district. To the people of the Capitol this is merely a television show, but to the rest of the people of Panem it is an unfortunate reality.

This year, Peeta and Katniss from district twelve are put in the arena and change the history of the Games forever. The Hunger Games is a thrilling story with something in it for everyone. There is action, violence, betrayal, but also romance, friendship and kindness. It is an easy read that you will not want to put down. This is definitely one of my favorite books and made for a great movie as well.  A perfect action-adventure novel for everyone.

-Lauren B., 12th grade

Book Review: Divergent, by Veronica Roth

Posted on by
2

divergent_coverDivergent by Veronica Roth is a great dystopian novel where a girl is a brave enough to go against her family and choose her own way. She portrays bravery, independence, and confidence.

This story is about a society with five factions: the Dauntless, daredevils and rebels; the Erudite, the knowledgeable group; the Amity, the peaceful people; the Candor, the honest people; and the Abnegation, the people who are selfless. The main character of the story is a girl named Beatrice. She starts off in the Abnegation with her brother but when she turns sixteen she must choose a certain faction. As she takes the test that would determine what faction she will go into, she fits into three of the factions– which is almost impossible so she is determined what is called Divergent.

In the ceremony to choose her faction, she chooses Dauntless and her brother chooses Erudite. She goes off to Dauntless and passes their very hard initiation. Through the initiation she experiences things she had never experienced in her life before. This would consist of death, betrayal, and danger.

This is a very good, interesting book and I encourage you to read it. I say this book would fit the age group of people from 13 and up. It is a great book and once you finish this first one, you won’t be able to keep yourself from picking up the next. If you’re looking for a good read, then this is your book.

-Melika R., 8th grade

Book Review: The Eleventh Plague, by Jeff Hirsch

Posted on by
Reply

eleventh_plague_coverJeff Hirsch’s debut novel The Eleventh Plague is an ominous story of our world ravaged by P-11, a deadly strain of influenza. Stephen is a teenage boy treks across the abandoned landscape of dusty cars and casinos along with his father and grandfather. His grandfather, a strict former Marine, has always led the family by strict rules: scavenge for items they can sell, and don’t get involved in trouble. However, when he dies from the plague, Stephen and his father get into a fight, leaving Stephen with his injured father. After a series of skirmishes, a village called Settler’s Landing accepts them as one of their own. There, Stephen struggles to adapt to the almost normal life despite the aftermath of the plague surrounding them.

Stephen is a logical and loyal character, although sometimes a bit serious and realistic. In spite of this, readers can still easily empathize with him, considering the situations he is in. Completely opposite of him, Jenny is a fun-loving, energetic girl. Clearly full of confidence, she drags Stephen around.

The mood of the story is dark and gloomy, but not quite bordering on horror. Despite the deathly landscape and eerie concept of apocalypse, the story almost has an upward, optimistic tone towards the end. What is most memorable about Hirsch’s novel is the thought that it could happen even in our world. As opposed to an alien invasion, the threat of influenza is very real, and that is what makes The Eleventh Plague so memorable.

-Phillip X., 7th grade

Book Review: Legend, by Marie Lu

Posted on by
1

legend_coverAre you a Hunger Games or Divergent fan? Do you seek suspense and romance? If yes, Legend is just the book for you!

In this action-packed novel, the author takes you to a time when the Western Coast of the United States is now the Republic, and they are at war with their neighbors, the Colonies.

Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year old June is a military prodigy. She is an intelligent, smart, quick-witted, and stealthy girl, scoring a 1500/1500 on the Trial that every ten-year old must face on his/her birthday. Passionate and committed to her country, she is groomed to be a success in her Republic’s highest circles.

Born into the slums of the Republic’s Lake Sector, fifteen-year old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. With his long, blonde hair, piercing blue-eyes, and striking features, Day is definitely the most handsome criminal ever heard of. But his criminal-like motives may not be as malicious as they seem…

One day, June’s brother, Metias, is murdered, and instantly, Day is the prime suspect. From two very different worlds, one never would have thought their paths would cross. But now, caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June struggles to take vengeance on her brother’s death.

But will June and Day come to discover the biggest secret that their country has gone to sinister lengths to cover? In this exhilarating novel, the reader will come to find that the truth itself can save and also kill.

My P.O.V: Legend is an incredible story of two lives coming together, but for a terrible reason. I am a huge fan of the Hunger Games and Divergent series, and Legend definitely fits in with these types of novels, due to their similarity in dystopian society and a sudden romance. This book is definitely recommended for kids ages 12+ due to the mature language and violence. I totally recommend this book to any of you thrill-seekers, adventure-lovers, and of course, you hopeless romantics! 😉

-Michaela B., 12th grade

Book Review: The Maze Runner, by James Dashner

Posted on by
3

maze_runner_coverThe Maze Runner is a dystopian science fiction novel by James Dashner.

The setting of the book is an actual navigable maze and a group of boys live together in the middle of it. These boys are called Gladers and they have learnt how to work with each other to survive in midst of it. A new boy arrives on the same day of every month through the Box.

One day a boy named Thomas comes, and nobody is alarmed– but after he arrives, many uncanny things start to happen. The next day a girl, who was in a coma, arrives. The two weird things about that were: first, she was a girl and second, the next kid to arrive was supposed to come a month later than Thomas. The next odd event was that the supplies that came weekly stopped coming. People starting suspecting that Thomas was somehow responsible, and he had no clue on how it all happened. The Doors normally closed every night, around the boys’ enclosure to protect them from Grievers, a nocturnal horrible creatures that lived in maze, but after Thomas’s arrival the doors stopped closing at night. After that, Thomas was determined to find a way out of there.

Read the rest of the book to find out if they make it out or not. I enjoyed reading the book and the characters were very interesting. The setting was a bit unusual, but it turned out to be a fine book. The ending was not that good as I was expecting. The action in the beginning of the book was excellent, but sort of fell towards the end.  Otherwise, it was a great book. The Maze Runner perfect for middle and high school students. If you read The Maze Runner and enjoyed it, be sure to look for the next book in the series, The Scorch Trials.

-Anmol K., 6th grade

Book Review: The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer

Posted on by
Reply

house_scorpionThe House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer is a very interesting blend of science fiction and fantasy. It is a very powerful story that shocks its readers due to its graphic, and sometimes disturbing, subject matter. This book can be read by either gender, and anybody who reads this book will most likely enjoy it.  In it, a “boy” named Matteo Alcrán lives in a place between the United States and where Mexico once was.  But, Matteo is not really a boy. He is a clone harvested from the fields for the purpose of being a body part donor to rich elderly men.. Matteo is not any clone, however. He is the clone of the founder of Opium, an elderly man named El Patrón. Matteo is first raised by a worker of El Patrón’s, a woman named Cecelia, whom Matteo believes is his mother, because she loves him very much. One day when some children, relatives of El Patrón, find him and take him away, Matteo gets hurt and finds out the truth about himself.  El Patrón loves Matteo very much, and lets him live, grow up, and act like a normal boy. However, the rest of the Alcrán family, El Patrón’s relatives, do not like Matteo, and would like to see him dead.  Matteo is surrounded with bodyguards, who teach him the secrets of life.

By the time he turns 14, Matteo feels very special, and does not consider himself a clone anymore.  He then takes a turn for the worse, by ordering  slaves around and rudely demanding things of people. But when El Patrón become very sick, he needs a donor to give him a heart, and Matteo is chosen. However, something very surprising and shocking happens, and Matteo escapes, his head and heart confused and full of both betrayal and loyalty. Matteo is caught and brought to a harvesting plantation for boy orphans, where all the orphans do is harvest plankton, seaweed, and shrimp. The boys are given nothing to eat except plankton, and are treated horribly, until Matteo again escapes with the help of three boys named Ton Ton, Chacho, and Fidelito. They all struggle through the desert, until they finally arrive at a town, only to be greeted by the bosses at the orphanage, who try to kill them.  The boys overpower the men, and discover a very surprising ending, which will rivet anybody who reads this book. Overall, I highly recommend The House of the Scorpion for any teen.

-Will R., 8th grade

Book Review: Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi

Posted on by
3

shatter_me_coverI had mixed feelings about this dystopian novel about a girl with a deadly touch. Incarcerated for her terrible power, the government of her futuristic society wants to use her as a weapon– but she has other plans. I loved the writing, but I didn’t particularly enjoy the direction that the plot went in. The romantic relationship was too overbearing and the protagonist, Juliette, experienced little to no character development.

My least favorite thing about this book was the love triangle. When I began reading the book, I was excited to read a book about a girl who couldn’t touch anyone, but as I continued reading, I realized that the story was truly about a strange, domineering relationship. Every time that Juliette and her love interest, Adam, are together, they are either kissing or touching. As the romance becomes the center of the novel, the internal dilemma that Juliette faces (coming to terms with her past) and the external pressure she encounters (deciding if she will help the government) becomes the subplot.

One of the things that I enjoyed about this book was Tahereh’s writing. Although it was slightly exaggerated at certain points, there were definitely passages that stuck out.  Mafi is an incredible writer with an immense amount of talent. The novel reads like poetry, it is lyrical and rhythmic, and though I enjoyed the repetition, the use of strikethroughs were a little distracting and some of the metaphors used were farfetched. I would’ve preferred it if Mafi wrote in a more conventional style for this novel and saved her skills for future projects.

Overall, this book wasn’t the right book for me. Instead of being the action-packed dystopian novel I anticipated, the plot increasingly focused on the romance between Juliette and Adam. If that’s what your looking for, then this book just may be the book for you.

Favorite quote:

I spent my life folded between the pages of books.

In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters.  I lived and loss through stories threaded in history; I experienced adolescence by association.  My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, thoughts and images all together.  I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction. (p. 70)

-Mariah W., 11th grade