Genesis: By Bernard Beckett

GENESIS

SUMMARY

“What does it mean to be human?” The answer lies within the mystery of Genesis. Set in a postapocalyptic future, the novel takes the form of an examination undergone by young Anaximander as she prepares to enter an enigmatic institution known simply as The Academy. For her subject she has chosen the life of the philosopher-soldier Adam Forde, her long-dead hero. It is through Anax’s presentation and her answers to persistent questioning by her examiners that we learn the history of her island Republic, along with the rules and beliefs of their society. At the completion of the examination, when everything has been laid bare, Anax must confront the Republic’s last great secret, her own surprising link to Adam Forde, and the horrifying truth about her world.

REVIEW

Imagine your entire life’s work summed up to one point. One test that decides everything about your future.

This is what we are introduced to in the world of Genesis.

Anaximander is sitting for her final exam. The decision made here will change her world forever, and it is through this judging that we will hear the story of how the world was destroyed and recreated, Adam Ford’s story, also known as the story of Genesis.

Genesis is a creative and exhilarating mixture between Richard Matheson’s “I Am Legend” and the movie I, Robot. It is an ingenious blend between the suspense of what is to come and the anticipation of discovering what it was that created the situation that we’re reading about today.

Genesis is an intelligent and intriguing read. It provides intelligent arguments and really examines the pertinent question offered up in the book, “what is it that makes us human”. Science fiction fans favoring a more philosophical look at the world will love this Genesis, as it becomes a new cult classic.

Unfortunately Genesis is not perfect. First and foremost is the price. Genesis is $10.95 for a 150 page book. It is an interesting and exhilarating book, but it is still very short. Second while fans of a more philosophical book will eat this up, this is not for anyone looking for action or adventure. Genesis is built up as a philosophical thriller and that is exactly what it is, no more no less. And anyone looking for something else will be disappointed.

All in all a good book that is a tad on the expensive side. A very interesting read that philosophical readers will love, as it begs the question “What makes us human.” And leaves audiences shocked with the result.

RATING

8 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Mariner Books

Published: May 11, 2010

Price: $10.95

A Devil in the Details: By K.A. Stewart

A DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

SUMMARY

Every lost soul needs a champion.

Jesse James Dawson was an ordinary guy (well, an ordinary guy with a black belt in karate), until the day he learned his brother had made a bargain with a demon. Jesse discovered there was only one way to save his brother: put up his own soul as collateral, and fight the demon to the death.

Jesse lived to free his brother--and became part of a loose organization of Champions who put their own souls on the line to help those who get in over their heads with demons. But now experienced Champions are losing battles at a much higher rate than usual. Someone has changed the game. And if Jesse can't figure out the new rules, his next battle may be his last...

REVIEW

Let me first start this review by saying you cannot be properly prepared for A Devil in the Details. K.A. Stewart is a sensational writer who will soon work her way up to the level of recognition of Jim Butcher and Simon R. Green, and A Devil in the Details is her first work of pure excellence.

A Devil in the Details follows Jesse James Dawson; father, husband, and demon slayer for hire. Dawson’s job for those lucky enough to find him is to challenge the demon that his client has made an agreement with and win his client’s freedom. This may sound easy, but believe me, after reading some of the horrific details of Jesse’s fights it’s anything but.

Even though there are demons and contracts and such magic plays a very small role in this book. Those who are able to wield it (such as Jesse’s wife), are able to do only small things in comparison to the things we’ve come to expect in Green’s Nightside or Butcher’s Dresdan series.

And yet this lack of magic doesn’t hinder this book in the slightest. K.A. Stewart is a fantastic writer who really shows off her talent in this amazing book. Not only that but the plot and characters are simply fantastic, containing likable characters and setting up intricate plot lines that this book can barely contain.

But that’s not all. This book is released in paperback so not only are you getting a great book, but you’re getting it at a fraction of the price you would expect for something of this quality.

All that said, this is a must read for any fan of urban fantasy. K.A. Stewart is a sensational author and I truly expect to see her name in a few years right up there in the New York Times bestseller’s list. A terrific read.

RATING

10 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Roc

Published: July 6, 2010

Price: $7.99

Blade: Out of the Shadows: By Tim Bowler

BLADE: OUT OF THE SHADOWS

SUMMARY

Bleeding and dizzy, Blade wakes up to find himself in the hospital. But how did he get there? With enemies coming at him from all sides, it’s hard to know who attacked him. But he knows that whoever it was will be back to finish him off. And quick. So he’s gotta go. He’s gotta break outta there. Not only to save his own life, but there’s kindly old Mary and little Jaz to think about. Who’s looking out for them? On the run, with grinks hot on his tail and gravely injured, Blade will have to gather all his strength just to survive. And with nowhere to hide, he needs to run. Because this time, if he plays dead, that’s exactly how he’ll end up.

REVIEW

Blade is unlike anything you’ve ever read before.

Blade is written in a manner that will thrill even the most experienced mystery books, turning the usual monotonous plots and twists seen in mystery and action books into something new and creative.

To describe Blade you must stop thinking of it as a single category. Instead think of it as part action adventure, part an old build your own adventure novel where you’re part of the story, and part young adult (mostly because of the targeted audience and age of the protagonist, not the subject matter.)

It really is an odd reading experience. And is certainly not for everyone, but for those readers looking for something with a new twist. The Blade series certainly has it.

Blade: Out of the Shadows is the second in the Blade series and starts up directly after the first. It is enthralling, engaging, and an all about good read. Fans of the first Blade book will enjoy the twists and turns as new secrets are revealed and you learn more about Blade’s past and the secretive old woman who helped him the beginning of the series.

A fun summer read especially for middle to high schoolers.

RATING

6 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Philomel

Published: June 24, 2010

Price: $16.99

Will Grayson, Will Grayson: By John Green and David Levithan

WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON

SUMMARY

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.

REVIEW

Everyone knows there are others who share their names. It’s not something you think about that much. But because of the basic law of averages, these people do exist.

No matter its title Will Grayson, Will Grayson is not about those people. Instead it uses these name doppelgangers (in this case Will Graysons) as a sort of leaping board for the plot, giving Will Grayson, Will Grayson the room it needs to become the truly fantastic young adult book that could only be possible from the creative minds of John Green and David Levithan.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is instead about relationships. It is not some corny young adult book where everyone gets with their soul mates and they all live happily ever after. And it is not a sad depressing lifetime movie type of book where everyone discovers their love only to die tragically before they can profess it. Instead this book is about all the different forms of relationships; from straight, to gay, to friendships, and how everything may not work out perfectly but it’s about having the person you love along with you for the ride, no matter who they might be.

Now the characters were all incredible, but the one character they truly stood out in my mind was Tiny Cooper. Tiny, like in his play, is truly the star of this book. And whether you like one Will Grayson, or one relationship, no matter what you will love Tiny.

In fact it is because of Tiny alone that readers should read this book. He and thus the book, are funny, endearing, exciting, and all around fabulous. And while there are some controversial topics in Will Grayson, Will Grayson, it is a book that everyone who enjoys young adult fiction, or even just good books should try.

RAITNG

9 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Published: April 6, 2010

Price: $17.99

Glimmerglass: By Jenna Black

GLIMMERGLASS

SUMMARY

It’s all she’s ever wanted to be, but it couldn’t be further from her grasp…

Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides she’s had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.

Soon, Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her newfound friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she’ll never have a chance with… until she does. Caught between two worlds, Dana isn’t sure where she’ll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again…

REVIEW

First the sexy thing was vampires.

Then it turned into angels.

Now authors are trying to make it the Fae, with books like Glimmerglass.

Glimmerglass takes place in a world almost exactly like our own, except for one small difference, there is magic. Not everywhere mind you only in a small area in England called Avalon where the land of Faerie and the mortal world overlap. It is here that both the Fae and humans can coexist together. And it is here where the story begins.

The story revolves around Dana and her parents and relatives attempts to win her over, as Dana is a rare Faeriewalker, someone who is able to bring magic into the mortal world and technology into Faerie. While this plot sounds interesting enough, Glimmerglass acts as more of a prequel to the series than a real first book. It sets up the struggles, introduces the characters, and explains what the conflict is about. And while it does all that it includes very little magic or action.

In fact while I liked the idea for this book and can see the potential the series holds, I felt a little disappointed with this first book. I liked the protagonist but wasn’t connected to any of the other characters good or bad. Not only that but the way the Fae acted bothered me. In all other books I’ve read that include Fae, the characters from Faerie have been much more conniving and much less human. Not only that but they’ve been unable to tell lies, and so they bend the truth to no end. And while I understand its every authors right to remodel their characters as they like, these small details bothered me like a pebble in a shoe.

That said, this book and this series will make a great addition to any teen girls bookshelf. It is ripe with teen sexual tension, the beginnings of adventure, and teen drama, as well as the hope of more magic in future books. And it is because of this promise of more to come that will have even a more skeptical reader waiting to give the second book in the series a shot as well.

RATING

7 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Published: May 25, 2010

Price: $9.99

The Game of Sunken Places: By M.T. Anderson

THE GAME OF

SUNKEN PLACES

SUMMARY

When Brian and Gregory receive an invitation to stay at a distant relative's strange manse . . . well, they should know better than to go, but since this is a middle-grade adventure novel, they go anyway. Why not? Once there, they stumble upon The Game of Sunken Places, a board game that mirrors a greater game for which they have suddenly became players. Soon the boys are dealing with attitudinal trolls, warring kingdoms, and some very starchy britches. Luckily, they have wit, deadpan observation, and a keen sense of adventure on their side.

REVIEW

The Game of Sunken Places truly surprised me. When you look at it, it doesn’t really look like a book that would captivate anyone above the age of 12, and through the first few chapters it continues this perception.

But then somewhere around a third of the way through the book, it changes. The plot became more intricate, the action more exciting, and the story all the more inviting.

I was surprised at this change but not disappointed. After the first third The Game of Sunken Places became a great fantasy mystery that should entertain and please readers of many ages. And while I never truly loved the protagonists I didn’t feel as if their lack of depth detracted from the story or the targeted audience. Because of this and it’s interesting plot I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone in late elementary to middle school (grades 3 through 8) and feel this book would make a great summer read.

RATING

8 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks

Published: May 1, 2010

Price: $6.99

The Red Pyramid: By Rick Riordan

THE RED PYRAMID

SUMMARY

Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them--Set--has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe--a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

REVIEW

I should start this review out by saying I’ve been waiting for The Red Pyramid since it was first announced. I’ve read and loved almost everything Rick Riordan has written; from his mystery series, to his Percy Jackson series, and I must say this book didn’t disappointed.

The Red Pyramid takes place in the same universe as the Percy Jackson series and as such is arranged in a very similar fashion. That said, fans of the Percy Jackson series should know that, at least in this book, no character from Riordan’s other series makes an appearance in The Red Pyramid. Instead The Red Pyramid focuses on protagonists Carter and Sadie Kane, decedents of the ancient pharaohs, as they learn to accept the roles of the gods in their lives and battle the god of chaos, Set.

Riordan is likely to impress even the most skeptical fantasy reader with this young adult blockbuster. It is filled with exciting action, relatable characters, and enough mythology and imagination to make even Percy Jackson jealous. But what makes The Red Pyramid so amazing is the way the book just catches your attention and never lets go. I personally picked up the book and couldn’t put it down, finishing it in a matter of hours.

The Red Pyramid is an exciting and invigorating novel that anyone, no matter their age will love. It is written well and with an incredible amount of zest, making The Red Pyramid, in my opinion a perfect summer read.

RATING

10 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Hyperion Children

Published: May 4, 2010

Price: $17.99