The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1) by N.K. Jemisin

This book stands out in its interesting world-building, reflection of institutionalized racism, and structure. The Sanze Empire has been using the power of orogenes to control the continual seismic energy that shakes their world. While orogenes have elemental magic and power that you'd think would make them rulers, they are victims of institutionalized racism and controlled by the government through Guardians, killers that can negate their power. The story is told from three female perspectives whose separate stories come together at the story's end with a twist.

Essun is a mother whose three-year-old son is murdered by her husband when he discovers he is an orogene. Most people fear and hate orogenes whose powers appear in young children that are either killed or sent to a government facility called, "The Fulcrum", where they are taught control. If these children do not conform or control their powers they are killed by adults at the Fulcrum. Ironically, the Fulcrum is run by orogenes making them complicit in society's institutional racism.  Essun is an orogene in hiding and has never told her husband of her powers. She's so angry at his act of filicide she vows to find him and kill him. She's also terrified because he has taken their eight-year-old daughter who is also an orogene but the father doesn't know it. Damaya is a young girl whose family discovers that she has orogene powers and they send her to the Fulcrum. Her perspective shows the cruelty of the Guardians and being raised in the Fulcrum. The last character, Syenite, is a four-ring orogene who is paired with a powerful ten-ring orogene where they are sent on a mission to quell seismic activity and told to breed. Again the institutionalized racism shows the orogenes as slaves to the State with no choice. Syenite is ambitious and wants to move up the ranks but she is angry all the time. As the ten-ring orogene questions everything about the system she cannot help but become aware of her enslaved status and rebel against it.

Essun's story is written in second person point-of-view and while at first I wondered if it was imitating a self-help book (where I usually see 2nd person POV) as she's so broken inside from the death of her son, it is more than that and is revealed at the end. The reader is the onlooker and character being drawn into the story and made complicit with the injustice and intolerance that is directed at those who are different from others. It invites the reader to react and change to the world around them being more tolerant to those who are marginalized. At first I thought the structure or POV might separate me from the victim but instead it had the opposite effect.

While the story is science fiction there is a mix of genres as Essun's tale is like a survival story, Damaya's perspective encapsulates the school story, and Syenite's quest is more fantasy as she learns elemental magic and has romances while on a mission. Essun's story pokes holes in social Darwinism especially as survival of the fittest comes in the form of a petite blonde woman and all address institutionalized racism. Most of the characters are dark-skinned as the surviving race and cities are by the equator. The start of the book is somewhat confusing and the author left me with a lot of questions at the end. This post-apocalyptic story has remnants of ruined civilizations seen in abandoned cities, stonelore, stone eaters and obelisks. Enough is explained that I understood the gist but not enough so that I want to read the next book to get a better understanding of the world the author has created.

5 Smileys

The Martian by Andy Weir

This is one of the few cases I liked the movie way better than the book. What a dull slog through scientific facts. The writing is clunky in spots and the character has no development. There is some humor, but even that couldn't sustain it for me. It is just one long survival story of astronaut, Mark Whatley, who has been accidentally stranded on Mars and survives by using science to solve problem-after-problem-after-problem. The writer sure doesn't dumb down the science and it is supposedly accurate, but it slowed the pacing and bored me because it didn't balance the technical with character development. Maybe I would have done better with the audio book.

The characters' voices started to sound alike and were not distinct, although Annie, who works for NASA, swears like a pirate or a parrot. Speaking of swearing Mark Whatley reacts to most mishaps with "I'm fucked." Not exactly beautiful writing and even that got boring. The flashback and letter transitions were not smooth at times. Most chapters with Whatley made me feel like I was reading a technical manual dense in its math and chemistry. For instance, "The regulator [atmospheric regulator] uses freeze-separation to sort out the gasses. When it decides there's too much oxygen, it starts collecting air in a tank and cooling it to 90 kelvin. That makes the oxygen turn to liquid, but leaves the nitrogen (condensation point: 77K0 still gaseous. Then it stores the O2." Once in awhile would have been fine but this is basically a book that's main character is the science itself. No thanks. This book has really high ratings in Goodreads and was recommended by someone that normally likes the same books as me, but I was just trying to survive reading it to the end.

3 Smileys

MiNRS by Kevin Sylvester

Science fiction over the years has reflected the fears and concerns of society. In the 50's, 60's, and 70's there was hype over landing on the moon and exploring space, the fear of alien invasions and nuclear war. The cold war fizzled in the 90's and the war on terrorism and technology exploded. Books such as "Fahrenheit 451," by Ray Bradbury reflected fears over the invention of the television while more recent novels like, " Hunger Games," by Suzanne Collins mirrored reality-TV shows and the Iraqi war. From biotechnology to artificial intelligence, science fiction dances across a gamut of topics exploring scientific, political, and social implications in a speculative society. Kevin Sylvester's book, "MiNRS," shows the political ramifications of one company controlling resources needed by a future Earth that has been destroyed by humans. When a war breaks out, the story unfolds from the viewpoint of one boy who is trying to survive and make sense out of violence.

Christopher Nichols appears like a typical kid, going to school and thinking about homework while adults run a mining operation for metals and minerals in his town-like setting; however, there is one itty-bitty detail that is far from typical... Christopher's "town" is a small space colony plopped on the asteroid named, "Perses." For a kid with a slant toward science and math, his life is not only cool, he absorbs the information and world around him like a hygroscopic substance. Perses threatened to collide with Earth until a scientist, Hans Melming, was able to use rockets and gravity to propel it into a habitable part of orbit. He terraformed the planetoid's surface and sent up humans to mine the ore. About twenty children live on Perses and Christopher is one of them.

As time passed, Earth depleted its resources and left Melming Mining Company with the golden rod or rock of invaluable resources. The colony seems unaware of the target on its back but some are worried, like Christopher's parents. Christopher has everything he needs and leads a privileged life with his parents who work as supervisors at the mine. He idolizes Melming and every year the school watches a propaganda movie about the great contributions Melming has made to the survival of Earth.

The inhabitants on Perses are readying for a blackout caused by solar interference and know that communications with Earth will be knocked out for a month. The colony is protected by the Melming Mining Company from Earth but the blackout means no protection or warnings. Their worse fears are realized when they are attacked by "Landers," an unknown group from Earth, intending to steal the ore. They bomb the facility and the adults are killed with only a few children able to seek shelter underground. Christopher's mathematical and scientific brain immediately goes into survival mode and makes plans. His parents had a backup plan if something went wrong during the blackout, except the plan was in code and Christopher is having a hard time deciphering it. With the aid of his friend, Elena, the two seek help from Earth and retaliate against the Landers.

Futuristic or science fiction novels speculate what the world would be like in a different setting. A common trope in these novels is an authoritarian government that is in control with a naive protagonist that accepts the status quo. The government is seductively attractive until the protagonist unravels serious flaws in the system. Such is the case as Christopher believes the propaganda at first before slowing realizing that all is not idyllic. Others are in forced labor and oppressive conditions but this has been hidden from the 20 children. When discovered, most of the other privileged children don't see what is wrong with it but slip into superior, prejudiced views that do not value other human beings. As Christopher's ideal world is exposed to harsh realities, he has to choose right from wrong and it is these internal battles that give the novel depth. Not only is Christopher dealing with problems on a personal level, but he has to analyze and think critically about the political and social issues of how the asteroid was governed and maintained by the adults.

The surviving children are suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. They have seen family members blown up by bombs and shot at and respond in different ways. Elena tries to take comfort in military strategies and attacking the enemy. Christopher makes plans and tries to think of the survival of the group. Another character cares medically for the others, while another hoards food. Everyone reacts differently to traumatic events and it adds to the authenticity of the characters. The attack and subsequent deaths are traumatizing making it difficult to move forward each day.

The world-building is well-done and not so scientific that young readers can't follow it. The reader never discovers who the enemy is and the end suggests that the government is seriously messed up down on Earth. I wanted more back story but enough was given to tease me along. While I would normally want to know who the attackers are rather than have these faceless, pirate villains that never interact with anyone, I didn't think it detracted from the novel. I think it was left out to entice the reader to the sequel, but I would have preferred more clues as to who the Landers were that so violently attacked Christopher's community.

The subplot of Christopher's budding romance with Elena adds another emotional element to the story, but is not overpowering. Elena's jealousy of the grinder is never realized in this novel and the cliff-hanger ending leaves more than just that question. The adults that Christopher thinks he sees raises new questions as well. This reminds me a little of the book "Shipbreaker," but less violent. Not that this one isn't. It is. The action adventure will appeal to many of my students along with Christopher's ability to use math and science to survive in dire circumstances.

5 Smileys

Mars Evacuees by Sophia McDougall

Alice Dare takes life in strides. Aliens taking over the planet. Whatever. Parents fighting in the war. Check. She has never known life to be any different. The war has been going on for fifteen years. She rarely sees her parents and has to live at a boarding school. When she finds out she's being evacuated to Mars to be trained as a fighter she thinks, "...I'd gotten a general idea of my future a long time ago, and whether I liked it or not, it was always going to involve shooting things." Her biggest issue is trying to live up to her hero mother, a famous fighter pilot in the war and worrying that her parents will be killed. Alice has one misadventure after another. They pile up on her and her friends and they keep tackling each one with optimism and spunk.

This reminds me of living overseas. So many things go wrong. I just bought a mystery tea and thought it was green tea. No, I can't read Chinese. Nothing like the runs before I run tonight. VISA's get messed up, items get stolen or lost, strange foods make you ill, you have different medical procedures, you face some prejudice, your bad attempts at learning the language are laughed at over and over, and so on. But in the end, it is one grand adventure that gives you plenty of memories and stories to talk about with family and friends. And then there is the joy of learning a new culture and making new friends just like Alice does in this book.

Twelve-year-old Alice Dare has a name adults mispronounce as "Alistair." Earth has been overtaken by aliens called, "Morrors." Humans are attempting to colonize Mars as they are losing the war against the aliens and Alice is on her way there to be trained as a soldier with 300 other children ages 7-18. I wondered if this was going to be an "Ender's Game," but it isn't. More "Lord of the Flies," but I'll get to that. On the Mars flight, Alice makes friends with Josephine, a genius that wants to be a scientist not a soldier. She meets the hyperactive, pilot-prodigy and theatrical teenager, Carl Dalisday, and his younger brother, Noel. Everyone expects Alice to be a great pilot like her mother but she discovers her talents elsewhere. When the adults disappear from the space station, the three hundred children take over the space station with bullies beating up others to force them to do what they want. Alice high-tails it out of there with her group of friends in search of the adults.

Their adventure leads them through treacherous terrain where they discover another alien that threatens not only them, but the Morrors. When they make friends with a teenage Morror, Thsaa, the group learns to bridge differences and get the adults to work together in face of an enemy that will not only annihilate them both, but will destroy Earth. Overcoming their fears and prejudices, Alice's group and Thsaa become friends and help the adults work together. If an enemy is going to take over the planet do you commit genocide and have one species destroy the other or do you try to coexist? Whereas, "Ender's Game," goes the genocide route, this book takes the coexistence route when faced with interstellar war.

Alice's voice comes out strong at first, but then I thought it got lost during the "Lord of the Flies" segment. Josephine wants to leave and Alice wants to organize everyone to work together. Alice was having issues with bullies from the get-go and is presented as a person that likes to stay out of the limelight, so I was surprised she tried to get kids to team up. The author never really goes back to that subplot and it felt unfinished to me. She gives a tiny wrap up but I would have liked a bit more. It doesn't matter overall, but I didn't think it fit in the plot as smoothly as other elements. Once the group takes off from the space station, so does the action and the nonstop problems they need to overcome. They have to use their wits to survive and each has a unique skill that helps them work together. Alice shows her resilience all along.

Take note that there is more swearing in this book than I normally see in middle grade novels. The aliens also speak a gobbledygook language, but its not hard to figure out what they mean. It definitely gives the characters an alien culture and the fact that they can have up to five parents was funny. Josephine and Thsaaa make connections through art that helps them appreciate each others culture. Before that moment they were putting each others cultures down. Thsaaa didn't like the food, planes, weapons and vice versa. Leapfrog through low gravity in this fun read.

3 Smileys

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu

Hmmm... where to start. This is a hard-core classic science fiction novel in the vein of Arthur C. Clarke. Or so I'm told. I never could get through Clarke's popular "2001: A Space Odyssey" as a teenager. In this book I struggled to understand the lengthy expositions on physics, math, science, nanotechnology, and astronomy to name a few, but I kept plowing through it because I did like the historical perspective from the Chinese protagonists; especially the character arc of Ye Wenjie. The book also seems to criticize the Cultural Revolution and in a culture that clamps down so much on freedom of speech, I wondered why it was published as it is written. By the end, it is clear that it doesn't celebrate Western civilization or democracy. Instead it shows China as a world power and savior to the world because it has the most advanced technology and while it seems critical of the Cultural Revolution it shows at the end the government trying to make amends for some past wrongs.While the author doesn't always put China in a positive light, he does not criticize any current administration and shows sympathy for the victims and perpetrators of the Cultural Revolution. Perhaps this is why it wasn't censored.

Astrophysicist Ye Wenjie is the daughter of Ye Zhetai, a professor tortured by the Chinese government during the Cultural Revolution for refusing to denounce the theory of relativity. Wenjie watches as her father is publicly humiliated and beaten to death by Red Guards. Her witness of his death defines her future actions that draws empathy from the reader. She is a victim of historical events that show how decisions made by people define history in good and bad ways. There are no villains or heroes. She is shaped by her trauma and later betrayed by those she trusts that make her question all that makes people human. By the time good people and things happen to her, she can't see the joy in them.

This best-seller translated from Chinese to English is easy to applaud for its diversity that show Asian women as brilliant scientists as well as men, but the plot is clunky at times with large sections of information dropped on the reader that detracts from the story. I skimmed some of the pedantic info-dumps because they didn't make a whole lot of sense and made me cross-eyed. If you are a fan of science fiction or knowledgeable about physics, then it might not slow you down like it did me. Obviously, I found it compelling enough to finish it, but I thought as a whole the story fell short in character development as well as being too technical.

After the Cultural Revolution, Ye Wenjie becomes a part of a top-secret government project that supposedly studies satellites. Her scientific expertise is needed, but not for satellites. The book jumps forward forty years and changes to nanotech engineer Wang Miao's  point-of-view who is asked by the police to infiltrate the Frontiers of Science, a club that has seen a spike in science members committing suicide. Wang Miao discovers the group uses a video game called, "Three Body." He discovers an alternate world that is run by Trisolarans who are trying to learn about celestial movement so they can survive on an unstable planet. The video game is a recruitment tool by the Frontiers of Science drawing elite and intellectual members; it is too complex for common people (that part shows a lack of understanding as to what makes up gamers - an excellent book on the topic is "Reality is Broken"). As Miao gets drawn into the complex web of deceit, he learns of a plot that will destroy the world. 

Wang Miao wasn't very interesting as the second main character. Da Shi kept upstaging him. I liked the hard-core cranky cop that didn't follow social etiquette rules. He was the Everyman character or represents the common person.  Ye's Wenjie's daughter, Yang Dong, needed more development. I kept waiting for her story to be told but it never is. Ye Wenjie is developed but the author tells her story more than shows it, especially in the last part's flashback. I didn't think that was handled as skillfully as it could have been - although I was more interested in her story than the physics. The parts in the storyline that expose propaganda and its hindrance to progress was fascinating along with the footnotes that explain the posters and their use during the Cultural Revolution. All countries have propaganda, but it isn't always easy seeing it. Translator Ken Liu's footnotes help with the cultural references.

I had an "ah-hah" moment reading this book in that I never really appreciated how unusual it was that families turned on each other during the Cultural Revolution. Ye Wenjie's sister turned in her father to the authorities. Teaching the theory of relativity was considered by Mao as conflicting with Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel's dialectical materialism which is why the daughter renounced him. I live in Taiwan and the three Taiwanese assistants I work with are expected by their families, and they feel it is their duty, to take care of their parents. They are raised to not disagree with them and family loyalties run deep. Many children live with their parents and give them part of their incomes. My assistants take their parents to doctor appointments and explain to me that if a family puts a parent in a nursing home it is considered taboo. This is only done as a last resort when the medical intervention is necessary. This filial piety has deep roots in Confucian philosophy and is the reason Wang Miao visits Ye Wenjie for another character that says he cannot do so and would he do it for him? It also shows how radical it was for families to turn on each other during the Cultural Revolution. Wang Miao's sense of duty comes from this Eastern philosophy that gives the the book its unique flavor. I found the different cultural perspective one of the most interesting aspects of this book. It was also funny seeing the author takes jabs at the United States. Many times our pop culture does this with others cultures. Interesting to see the reverse. Many librarians lament the lack of diverse books. Well, here's one that is diverse. Add it to your high school or public library.

4 Smileys

The Expeditioners and the Treasure of Drowned Man's Canyon (The Expeditioners #1) by S.S. Taylor, Katherine Roy (Illustrator)

A year ago I didn't even know of the existence of the fantasy or science fiction subgenre "steampunk." Lately I've been reading quite a few that fall in that category. This science fiction steampunk novel looks to the future when the world is running out of resources and humans have turned to steam-engines for transportation and other technology. In "The Expeditioners," the gadgets and dirigibles are fun and seem impossible but in a world with Gryluminum, (a play on the word, aluminum), it is easy to envision sleeping bags that can fold into small squares, along with parachutes, and rafts. It is a material that exists in the future that makes the impossible, possible.

Thirteen-year-old Kit West is accosted at the market by a man with a clockwork hand that gives him a map. Kit's father disappeared three years ago and he is living alone with his fourteen-year-old older brother, Zander, and ten-year-old sister, M.K. Kit is an expert cartographer, taught by his father while Zander is a fearless adventurer that knows more about animals than is normal for a someone his age. M.K. is a mechanic that is more aggressive than her brothers. She can sense danger and acts quickly or brashly. She swears and sounds like a kid that has lived too long on the streets without adult supervision. You don't usually see swearing in a middle grade book, but it seems to work with M.K. Life hasn't been easy for her and she's a tough hammer that stands up for the group like a German Shepherd dog protecting its territory which just so happens to be her brothers. She might be the youngest of the trio, but she's the one that bludgeons the agents that come to their house when they threaten to take Kit's mysterious map. She can take down a lion and rescues her brothers several times on their adventures. When Kit determines what the map is, the three take off on an adventure that has them fighting for their lives against others in a race to find a lost treasure.

The name of their parrot is "Pucci," a shortened version of Explorer Amerigo Vespucci, but also sounds like the pet endearment "poochie." However this is no sweet "poochie" of a parrot with its deadly metal legs and talons that were once used to drop bombs on enemies. Not that the parrot is used for that anymore. Zander rescued it from a cat that was making a meal out of it and nursed it back to health. It's high intelligence and ability to fly helps the Expeditioners out of some tight spots. Along with Sukey, an expert pilot and independent thinker. She becomes embroiled in the West siblings adventure when she helps them find some answers. She also rescues the boys a few times as well. I appreciate authors that go against stereotypes and create strong females.

Steampunk tends to lean toward the unbelievable and it is a fine line the author walks when making the story plausible. S.S. Taylor not only does it well, but weaves cartography and government attitudes of colonialism creating a futuristic world full of possibilities. Having just read "Mortal Engines," by Philip Reeve, I can't help but see similarities between the two in terms of political groups that believe in preserving the environment versus those that feel they have the right to take anything they want whether that means relocating natives, exploiting natural resources, or silencing opponents. The Expeditioners must decide between fame and preservation. Doing the right thing can get murky when lots of money is involved. Power is shown to corrupt government leaders making their decisions based on self-interest and money versus human impact.

The world building shows how the people in power making all the decisions oppress the majority of the populace that is starving and running out of water. One of the villains has an action at the end that shows he is not completely bad. Either he has a guilty conscience or he wants to keep a close eye on the West children. It teases the reader into wanting to get the next book to see what happens. Don't miss this treasure hunt.

4 Smileys

Ancillary Sword (Imperial Radch #2) by Ann Leckie

Book two of the Imperial Radch series did give me answers to some of my questions from book one, Ancillary Justice, and because its written in a linear narrative it isn't as complex as book one. I also took notes so I wouldn't miss as many details as I am sure I did blazing through book one. Anne Leckie switches the character, Breq, using her point of view as a human, not alternating multiple points of view. In book one Breq is the starship, Justice of Toren, that connects her to thousands of human bodies turned into ancillaries with artificial intelligence and a 20-ancillary soldier unit called, One Esk. This story feels like it is setting up for the next book with little action and no battles. I was surprised because book one ends on a the strong possibility of a civil war, but that doesn't happen.

The world building is well done and the economy is explained, but I do think there are some holes in the author's description of artificial intelligence or they lack depth in explaining the mechanics that makes it hard for me to visualize how the systems work together. It might also be me. Science fiction can be hard to follow because the entire world is made up by the author. If the reader can't visualize it, then heck... that's a problem. Maybe if I read more of it I would recognize that the word, "decade," means a military unit or that implants in people control them and when removed it does not mean they die but become something else. Let's just leave it that... certain aspects left me confused and I don't know if it was the writing or my lack of sci-fi. That said, I still found the story engrossing. This plot is not as complex (hence, less surprising) and I missed the everyman character found in Sveivardan who does not have a prominent role in this book. As a result the story is weaker for me, but still entertaining. 

The backstory from book one is a thousand years ago, the Lord of Radch, Anaander Mianaai, takes over other planets in the galaxy annexing the people and forcing them under her rule. Those that resist are killed. In one instance Mianaai committed genocide against one planet. The Lord of Radch is an AI now ruling thousands of ancillaries and controlling outerspace populations. She is at war with herself for decisions she has made such as the genocide and seems to have split into two forms of justice where she is a dictator or autocrat. The result is a civil war caused by her and within herself. When the Lord of Radch needs new bodies she grows them and has thousands that share her identity. I don't quite understand how this works for it is different than how ancillaries are explained in the book. The Lord of Radch uses starships run by a single AI that uses host bodies of soldiers called, ancillaries, to control the annexation of a planet. These starships are being retired and becoming space stations leaving them unhappy with their new job. Breq was once a starship that the dictator side of the Lord of Radch destroyed because it doubted her loyalty. Breq's character arc is one that has been programmed to side with justice, but when the Radch dictator actions become contradictory and unjust Breq acts them out (as she has to) leaving her in grief and unhappy. 

In this book Breq is a human or One Esk ancillary nineteen. The autocratic Lord of Radch has made her captain of the ship Mercy of Kalr and sent her to Atheok Station where the threat from the alien Presgrs is a real possibility and Lieutenant Awn's sister lives. The Lord of Radch knows that it is the latter that will make Breq go to the station for Breq struggles with grief over Awn and must resolve it. While at Atheok, Breq uncovers a corrupt government and sets things right so that the people are united and not divided if an alien or civil war breaks loose at their doorstep. 

Breq is less interesting without Seivarden in the plot messing things up. Seivarden was the Everyman's person, the ordinary character that is thrust into an extraordinary situation who the reader can identify with. Hans Solo was the everyman character to hero Luke Skywalker. I find the everyman character rounds out the hero more. Breq gets a bit preachy at times as the politics unfold to show oppressed natives from an annexation that happened 600 years ago. The character Breq is AI so she isn't going to make many mistakes. She is able to see more than the human eye or brain can and plot twists are lost when Seivarden is put in the background. Lieutenant Tisarwat is not as interesting as Seivarden and I liked how Seivarden would mess up Breq's plans. I didn't realize how much her character pushed the action forward in the first book and it left a hole in the sequel.

As a character, Breq, is interesting because her emotions and stance on situations vary from others due to her artificial intelligence and being one thousand years old. She looks at justice with a perspective others won't have because of her longevity. She understands the unhappiness of the starships and life of an ancillary more than a human ever could and it gives her human qualities because she even deals with machines compassionately. The theme of justice is explored in depth showing the perspective of how a tyrant can justify her actions. The fun word play on gender is dropped and I missed it. I thought it lightened the heaviness of the plot and I enjoyed when the Raadchi gave clues as to who was what gender. Breq's discs with the holograms don't make an appearance in this novel and it is clear she doesn't follow a particular religion. I wasn't sure in book one. Her religious actions were for show. Part of Breq's character arc is to find redemption for her unjust actions against Lieutenant Awn. She seeks it in Awn's sister who understandably rejects Breq. The reader definitely gets to know Breq better in this book, but there is less action and a more straightforward plot. If you liked book one, then give this a go.

4 Smileys

Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch #1) by Ann Leckie

While most of my reviews are middle grade fiction novels, I like to find crossover books for my high readers that are challenging but appropriate. I thought this might be okay based on a review I read but after reading it I'm going to give it to the high school library. This space opera has a plot that is too complex as the reader is dropped into the middle of the action with unique points of view and no textual features to show when the viewpoints have changed. Add alternating chapters in the past and present from a character that is three beings in one body and it is can be confusing, especially at the start. The story slowly unfolds and comes to an exciting climax, but requires patience by the reader. I see why two top readers gave the book back to me saying, "I don't get it." Science fiction can be complex at times. I remember abandoning "Dune," as a kid because "I didn't get it." As an adult, I enjoyed the uniqueness of this book, especially how the author plays with gender. The androgynous-type characters had made me placing my own genders on them in order to visualize them. Not only is the reader customizing the story to his or her preferences, it exposes internal biases in the process creating good discussions on the topic of self-identity.

The main character is a robot with multiple points of view that refers to herself as "she" : she is Justice of Toren, or the artificial intelligence of a starship; she is Justice of Toren One Esk, or a twenty-unit ancillary serving a Lieutenant; and she is Breq, a single ancillary that has lost all other connections. Ancillaries are dead soldiers that have been modified to work as many units linked to one starship or in this case, Justice of Toren. Basically, the main character is in a human or ship's body but has artificial intelligence. I didn't "get" this out until well into the book which is why I think my two young readers abandoned it. Breq is in the current story and on a mission to kill the creator of the universe while the alternating story is about One Esk that is serving a Lieutenant in a city in outerspace. The robot is detached from events and doesn't express emotions except anger now and then. However as the story progresses the robot's actions show that she cares for others and is committed to doing the right thing.

The setting and world building are complete with religion, politics, and social structures. The setting takes place thousands of years in the future with one Radchaai ruler and an autocratic government. This ruler has lived for thousands of years and controlled human beings making the Radch citizens believe they are superior to others. I never got a good grasp on how the ruler, Anaander Mianaai, lived so long. She's portrayed as human and leans on the Justice of Toren's artificial intelligence to make decisions, but she can't be human to have lived as long. Maybe she's alien? I probably missed something here. The Radch economy is not clear, but the society and its classes are divided and distinct creating a caste system of sorts. I didn't have a clear sense of the Gerentate people where Breq is from except her planet is in another galaxy. The discs Breq carries that have holograms of people are not explained in great detail, but they hint at the Gerentate's religion and her personal background. They left me with several unanswered questions. Perhaps the sequel will address some of my questions.

Breq's narrative is detached emotionally which might make it hard for some readers to connect with her. Her actions show compassion and she even puzzles over why she does something that seems emotional. Toward the end it seems that human beings have affected her a bit more and she expresses anger and indignation at treatment that puts her in an uncivilized class. The fact that Breq collects songs and sings to calm herself was enough to make her more "human" for me. She's definitely a robot, but has human characteristics. I did find her hard to visualize along with the other characters which has more to do with the authors creation of a culture that doesn't use gender pronouns to show what sex the characters are in the plot. At one point I thought I read a description of One Esk having three mouths, but later my brain kept dropping the extra mouths as she showed more human characteristics.

Throughout the story almost everyone is referred to as "she." I found myself a bit confused at first and wondering if it was going to be an androgynous society, but then found it interesting how my brain kept forcing characters into gender groups. I found I couldn't stick with the androgynous society. Later the author shows how the Radchaai society does use gender pronouns and once in a while, (not every time), the sex of some characters is revealed; several whom I had originally thought were the opposite sex. Rather than be annoying, it became fun and surprising. In our society, gender identity is a formation of social identity. One of the most unique aspects of this book is that it takes away this socialization process. I admire the author's risk-taking and originality that actually works throughout the novel as a whole. I did have problems with it at first because I felt so disoriented, but that reinforces the whole point, doesn't it? Gender identity is such a strong component of societies that if it is taken away it is discombobulating.

An ongoing theme is the examination of being civilized or uncivilized. The Radchaai are the oppressors with one ruler that doesn't value human life. People are easily killed and disposed of if they oppose the leader. They consider themselves superior and tolerate different religions from conquered space colonies. Control is based on military might and ancillaries are a way to accomplish stability in society. Breq is designed to only follow orders given by Mianaai and it puts her in a unique position as an enforcer and an outcast because she is considered "uncivilized" by the Radchaai. The fantasy world is closest to the Roman empire that conquered nations but let people keep their religion and language making integration with Roman society less difficult. However, the Romans received more privileges based on their citizenship and considered themselves superior to other conquered cultures. On a side note - I wonder if Ann Leckie made all the pronouns a "she" or feminine to make a point that women can be science fiction writers in a mostly male dominated field. Just a thought. This ambitious book is nothing short of unique even with its flaws. The sequel is sitting on my desk. Can't wait to read it this weekend.

5 Smileys

Saving Lucas Biggs by Marisa de los Santos

This story explores the self-delusion of a man, Lucas Biggs, and how it leads to his unhappy life. Bigg's self-justification and a series of bad decisions result in him leading a life as a corrupt judge and hateful person. Once, he was a nice boy. Once, he tried to do the right thing. But the desire for physical revenge, versus nonviolent civil disobedience, and his youthful ignorance led him down the slippery slope of wrong-doing. While the story is somewhat slow at the start and appears realistic before changing into a time travel story, I liked the author's turn of phrases and character development of the protagonist, thirteen-year-old Margaret. The point of view alternates between her and Josh as they try to make sense of and right past wrongs. Most of the time they fail, but they never give up or give into despair.

Margaret's father has been convicted of a crime he didn't commit and sentenced to death. The mining town of Victory, Arizona is owned by the Victory Company along with corrupt town leaders in powerful positions. Margaret learns that this corruption has deep roots in the past and that in order to change it, she must use her family's unique ability to travel into the past and change history. When her mission fails, she learns to pursue other means of reaching Lucas Biggs, the man that lost so much and chose to be unethical. She shows great courage in her choices and with the help of her friend, Charlie, and Josh, they make a difference.

I found that it took me a while to get into the story. I preferred when Josh's flashbacks put the reader directly into the action versus when he was explaining it to Margaret and Charlie in the present tense. If you are a cartwheeling-type person like myself you might find the pace or passive voice too slow in those moments. I also wished the letter that Margaret wrote to the newspaper was revealed to the reader. I did find the information on hydrofracking interesting, I've been hearing that word quite a bit lately as we have friends in North Dakota and never took the time to learn what it meant.

The emotional descriptions of Magaret's inner turmoil are rich and wonderful to read. "What I wanted more than anything was to be alone, to sit in my own pocket of space and just breathe and feel, feel whatever there was to feel without worrying about anyone seeing me." Margaret learns to have courage and be brave rather than hide. She reflects that her motivation to be brave is out of her love for her dad, just like Bigg's love for his dad motivated him to change. The theme of love and family is an undercurrent throughout the plot. A good book for messages on redemption, friends, loyalty, courage, and civic responsibility.

4 Smileys

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm

Two boys came tooling out of the boy's bathroom yelling in nonstop panicked voices, "Mrs. Middleton! The toilet is plugged and water's on the floor! We flushed two dead goldfish down the toilet." "Huh?" I burbled "You what?" "We had goldfish as class pets. They died! Mr. Hudson told us to flush 'em..." I made the time-out signal with my hands. "Your teacher sent you from the fourth floor to the library to flush them down the toilet? That doesn't make sense." By now a school of students were swimming around me all talking at once. I slapped on my teacher face hiding my confusion and said. "Don't worry, we'll fix it." Come to find out Mr. Hudson, grade 4, told them to flush them down the toilet by his classroom. I have at least 100 students in my library after school and, whoohoo, did they love the goldfish incident. The hot topic bubbled the next day with classes that came to the library for lessons. "The Fourteenth Goldfish" begins with a similar goldfish story except eleven-year-old Ellie's mom has been replacing dead goldfish without her knowing it for seven years. Ellie thinks she has an immortal fish until her mom tells her the truth. Then she "...gave Goldie Thirteen a toilet-bowl funeral." See why I thought about my two Goldie Flushers in the library? Ka-pow! What a great beginning.

Ellie's best friend is now into volleyball and doesn't have time for her. When Ellie finds out from her flakey babysitter that her Mom will be late because her grandpa was at the police station, Ellie has no clue what is going on. Then her mom shows up with a teenage version of her grandpa and she's even more confused. Her Grandpa Melvin has managed to reverse the aging process by using a jellyfish that has the ability to regenerate itself. When he tests it on himself and becomes a teenager he is arrested in his lab for trespassing because no one recognizes his younger version. Gramps is desperate to get back to his lab and retrieve his research and with the help of Ellie and her new friend, Raj, the three have all sorts of adventures.

Jennifer Holm's characters are out there and memorable. Gramps only wants Chinese food for dinner and his fashion sense is either old man clothes or he raids Ellie's mom's closet. When he wears her black leggings I did cringe. Ew! Raj has the Goth look going with a hieroglyphic earring and black garb. Ellie's character arc involves her discovering that she really likes science and questioning when science goes too far and actually hurts humanity. The message of not giving up and new beginnings swim in and out of the plot. Marie Curie and Oppenheimer are discussed as support for these themes.

The title and cover of this book are clever. Just like Ellie's goldfish that never died, her Gramps is the fourteenth goldfish. And the beaker with the partial jellyfish floating off the page show how experimenting with science has made what seems impossible, possible. Then there is Holm's great lines. Here's a favorite of when her Gramps was complaining about aging: "'They stick you away in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities just because you're old.' Kind of like middle school. [Ellie thinks.]" An undertow of humor will propel you through this book.

4 Smileys

Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor by Jon Scieszka, Brian Biggs

If I get a request for juvenile fiction novels about science, it feels like a black hole. There just isn't much out there. Here's a book that fills a much needed gap in children's literature. Add some of Scieszka humor and even a non-science lover like me can enjoy this fare. While protagonist, Frank Einstein, encapsulates a 10-year-old genius that is crazy for science, his robotic sidekicks are more like Frick and Frack (Google them if you don't know who they are), one has brains and the other brawn-except their names are Klink and Klank. Now say Frank's name out loud. Frank Einstein. Sounds like Frankenstein, right? Plus the birth of Klink and Klank happens the same way as Frankie the monster. A bolt of lightning creates a spark that animates the two robots. Techie-inventor Klink builds strong, huggie Klank as Frank enters a science contest to help his grandfather save his FixIt shop from being bought out by a wealthy family whose son is Frank's rival, T. Edison. Snap up a copy and revel in Frank's passion for science and inventions.

Scieszka cleverly applies the three laws of robots from one of Isaac Asimov's short stories in "I, Robot." Frank and T. Edison use these laws when dealing with Klink and Klank. Scieszka follows similar themes found in the Asimov's robot series such as the benefits of robots in helping humans and providing humanity. Most fiction before he wrote his series portrayed robots that generated fear in humans such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Scieszka creates his own spin on Asimov's themes and original ones as well. While T. Edison doesn't fear Klink and Klank, he doesn't see the benefit of the robots. They are a means to an end which is to hurt Frank. There are many popular culture references to "I, Robot" and the three laws, from Star Trek to the Simpsons. Scieszka's addition of Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants by Dav Pilkey is full of kid humor. However, his creation of T. Edison's evil sidekick chimp that uses sign language is pure Scieszka.

The plot is predictable and straightforward. It is for younger readers in that aspect, but the science concepts are not dumbed-down or simple. I would not have been able to visualize the inventions without the aide of diagrams and illustrations. The fact that the book has the two separate makes a huge difference in understanding and separating science facts from the storyline. I was given an advanced copy and would like to see the final copy. I was unsure of the character Watson and had problems visualizing him in the beginning. He is best friends with Frank and the two are working on their science projects. I thought the prologue was clunky too. I didn't get it until the end when it showed up again in the storyline. I see what Scieszka was doing but not until then. Maybe that's okay.  This unique series is a must for young science lovers.

4 Smileys

Tesla's Attic (The Accelerati Trilogy #1) by Neal Shusterman, Eric Elfman

Shusterman's books have an action-packed creepy factor that satisfies many of my 5th graders. Now I can add funny. I didn't expect the clever humor in this one along with the familiar scary plot. Add terrific character development and some adult humor that pokes fun at education, pop culture, and literature and I couldn't put this bugger down. When an antique heavy, chrome-plated toaster plunges down some fold-up attic steps gashing fourteen-year-old Nick's forehead, he is off to hospital for stitches adding excitement from the get-go. He has just moved into a run-down Victorian house that his dad inherited and has claimed the attic as his room, but it is so full of junk that when he pulls down the ladder a toaster bonks him on the head. While having a garage sale to clear out the antique junk, he notices some strange, obsessive, behaviors from people that are buying items. When a car careens into a tree in their yard he realizes that the lamp is drawing them in zombie-like droves to buy junk for more than it is worth. He discovers that the junk was the property of the mathematical genius Nikola Tesla and are wanted by an organization, the Accelerati, that believes they can control the world with its powers. With the help of some newfound friends, Nick tries to get the sold pieces back before the Accelerati retrieve them. When the end of the world threatens, both groups try to save it in unsuspecting ways.

The authors seem to have a blast with their odd-ball characters and clever humor. Take gloomy Vince, who dresses all in black and buys a wet-cell battery at Nick's garage sale. When Nick tells him its dead he replies that everything dies. "Batteries are no exception. I'll take it." In a humorous bargaining scene, Nick talks Vince down from his original offer of 10 dollars to 3 dollars. Mitch Murlo introduces himself in a nonstop stream of words finishing Nick's sentences for him. Nick dryly thinks, "But apparently Mitch only needed himself to carry on a conversation." The two become friends and Nick eventually gets some words in edgewise and discovers a real friend in Mitch. When Nick talks to Vince and Mitch about the strange properties of the antiques and swears them to secrecy, Vince sarcastically replies, "Secrecy is a key element of my existence. But Mitch here is the emergency broadcast system." Caitlin buys an old reel-to-reel tape recorder that she wants to use for her garbart project, an art form that combines recycled garbage with other art mediums. She's surprised meeting Nick who doesn't fall over himself for her like most guys. She's a bit full of herself at the start of the story and learns to face her superficiality by the end (with the help of the tape recorder she just bought).

The character arcs are varied and distinct. Nick is dealing with grief over the loss of his mother. Vince is obsessed with death and is a loner that learns to be friends with Nick and Mitch. Mitch has a brilliant father in a mess because he was betrayed by friends. Nick realizes that he must go with Mitch to see his father because it is something a true friend would do. Caitlin is insecure and angry. When she buys the magical tape recorder it shows her the truth of situations whether or not she wants to know it.  Petula, a student at their school with a crush on Nick, only helps if she knows she'll get something back from the other person. Mrs Planck (love that name - look up the physics measurement called, "planck units"; it adds another dimension to her character and ties in with the ending) is the observant lunch lady with hidden talents. Theo, Catilyn's boyfriend, adds comic relief. He is mostly dumb but has some astute moments such as realizing the flaws with his relationship with Caitlyn and manipulating Nick's dad. These characters have clever and humorous dialogues or monologues: "Nick and Mitch waited for the single overworked waitress to bring them menus, but Nick's mind wasn't on food. Nor was it on his upcoming baseball tryout. Once again his head was up his attic. Or, more accurately, not the things missing from it."

The plot has great twists and magical elements that make it unpredictable. The inventor Nikola Tesla left behind a bunch of inventions to Nick's Great-aunt Greta that was rumored to be romantically involved with him a hundred years ago.  Once Nick discovers the properties of the magical antiques he is able to determine Nikola had created a magnetic field and uses it to solve his problems. I'm not a science and math fan but I really liked how the authors tied in facts with the storyline. I wasn't overwhelmed by the physics and some are cleverly done such as the mathematical "imaginary number" tied in with Petula's character, as well as, the evil men with their "quantum business card" and how they view Tesla's inventions as scientific while most people would view them as magic. This reminds me of the debunking of many creation stories and myths by science in the history of literature. Trivia facts about famous mathematicians such as Archimede's running naked through the streets yelling, "Eureka," and Euclid proving the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, but was habitually late made me laugh. And I don't even like numbers. I'm just mentioning a few connections between mathematics, physics, astronomy, and science. There is Principal Watt. The mathematician Godel. The Tesla versus Marconi controversy. Thomas Edison. Wireless electricity. And more. But nothing in great depth. Okay, 'nuff said on that.

I like it when authors put in references to issues and pop culture or literature without detracting from the story but adding more in-depth themes or a bit 'o funny for the reader looking for more.  When they make Mitch swear on the Bible Vince starts joking about his mom's Bible collection with the Thomas Kinkade illustrations, the Smurf Bible, or the Damnation Bible. The Accelerati is a play on words that is similar to the Illuminati that made me think of Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code". When Nick demands, "In simple English, with no Petulisms," I thought of Miss Havisham's havishamisms in "Great Expectations". Harry Potter gets a nod and the Horsehead Nebula in a picture frame that Nick found in his bed made me think of the movie, "The Godfather." That might be pushing it but once I get going I can't stop. It's like working a crossword puzzle - I'll find things the author didn't even intend.

Then there is just plain 'ole fun humor such as when the cranky neighbor returned the toaster and tried to get twenty dollars for it when she paid only five. Danny, Nick's younger brother, said he remembered she paid five and she snapped she'd sue him to which Nick replied, here's five and if you want more, "consult my lawyer," pointing to eight-year-old Danny. Or when Nick goes from talking about mass-energy equivalence and the endless variable to finding a carton of rotten juice and Danny cracking their dad's joke that Great-aunt Greta left a urine sample for them. Smart, clever lines to some potty humor. My kind of fun. When Nick's files go missing and he shows up with records from a school in Denmark, he comments that the school was happy to be able to claim him as an international student. The authors poke fun at education some, but I laughed the hardest at this one.

Not all of the questions are answered regarding Tesla's invention and the Accelerati's goals, but I was satisfied enough with the ending because the end of the world crisis was resolved and there was a nice twist regarding two characters. It also makes the Accelerati not look quite so one-dimensional as villains, which makes me excited to read the sequel to see where the authors' are going to go with the next plot. I am definitely going to need more copies of this book for my library. Students will be racing for it.

4 Smileys

Leviathan Wakes (Expanse #1) by James S.A. Corey

If I read more science fiction and had a better grasp of the conventions, I probably would have not felt like I was floating in zero gravity as I tried to blast through this book. The technical parts rusted my brain. I don't know my units of energy well enough; hence, the gigatons and exajoules along with other lingo slowed my reading down. Perhaps a weak sci-fi knowledge base is the reason the story felt choppy in spots with unclear images of characters. I mostly jet through children's books that are very succinct. This novel I thought could have been tighter. It was too heavy on the world building and not enough on the character development which the exception of of Miller who seems to be suffering post-traumatic stress syndrome. The themes were interesting, although I wanted some of the ideas fleshed out more; seems the author leaves it up to the reader to make his or her own interpretation. Overall an interesting book with some dark overtones and a mix of science-fiction, mystery, and noir.

Humans have colonized the solar system. The next step is the stars. People live in three different societies: Earth, Mars and the Belt. The Belters work rigs and haul water resources from the Asteroid Belt for Mars and Earth. All are prejudiced in one way or another toward each other, but the Belters have the harshest life living in slums with their own unique language that people from Mars and Earth don't understand. James Holden, captain of an ice-hauling spaceship answers a distress call of a starship the Scorpuli. While he and a small crew investigate the Scorpuli, his spaceship is nuked out of the sky. Holden realizes a trap was set when he finds a distress signal that had a Mars-branded transmitter making it appear to be a deliberate attack. He broadcasts the information that causes a war to break out involving the Belt, Mars, and Earth.

Meanwhile on the Asteroid Ceres, the hard-drinking Detective Miller is assigned to find the Earth girl, Julie Mao, and bring her back to her parents. She becomes a symbol of redemption for him. Julie gives Miller hope and a goal to do something good and worthwhile before a traumatic event happens that seems to push him over the edge. He seems to be suffering from depression over his divorce before the event and post-traumatic stress after the trauma of finding Julie. He becomes emotionally numb suffering from enormous guilt and purposefully isolating himself from others. He's a depressing but interesting character who goes through the most internal turmoil.

The overarching theme gets lost at times. Holden is an idealist that believes the world should be given information regardless of the consequences because people will choose to do the right thing. Miller is a nihilist who believes facts need to be pursued and information should not be tossed willy-nilly to people because they will not make the right decision. Neither character is correct and most of the tension comes from their opposing viewpoints. While Miller seems to understand these philosophical differences, Holden slowly comes to realize this fact. The other theme of the unethical acts of large-holding corporations show how no one wins from the horrors of war.

The characters swear an awful lot and I thought the dialogue was jarring because of it. Of course, I read and work with kids all the time and teachers and the kids don't swear. At least not like these characters who grew up in the Belt. It's just a heads up. They are supposed to represent the people who grew up in the Belt that meant a rough upbringing. I get why the authors did that but I didn't think it always fit with the scene or dialogue. This book was entertaining and I know I will read more space opera in the future. There isn't much in children's books on the topic.

3.5 Smileys

The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski

Living overseas overtimes feels like living in an alternate world. I slip into a Chinese world where I go from having 3 degrees to being illiterate; unable to read street signs, unable to understand conversations, unable to make friendships because of communication barriers, and being dependent on others to help with all of the above. Students laugh at my horrible pronunciation of the few meager Chinese words I do know. Not that I blame them. I can't get the tones right and while the students are not malicious, I do get tired of tripping over my tongue as it stubbornly refuses to form Mandarin words. When I "portal" back to home to the USA, I tend to be overly friendly greeting people I pass on the street, yapping to the checkout people at Target or any other poor stranger who gets sucked into my vortex. When 16-year-old Darcy Jones gets dragged into an alternate world in Chicago and finds out she's not human, I couldn't help but compare her loneliness and confusion to being an "alien" in another country. 

Darcy is a foster child abandoned at the age of 5 after the Great Chicago fire. She can't remember her past and jumps from home to home because odd things seem to happen wherever she lives. When a mysterious new boy, Conn, starts at her high school she is attracted to him as they work together on an English project about T.S. Eliot's poem, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock". Strange powers start to manifest in her that she doesn't understand, but Conn does. He kidnaps her and drags her into an alternate world where she discovers she isn't human but a Shade. In Conn's world her race is despised and hunted with a devout fear that comes from a history of terrorist activities from Shades. In response to the terrorist activities, humans use torture on Shades that sometimes results in death.

This can be a discussion point for whether or not torture is ever justified by governments. With the movie, "Zero Dark Thirty," and the "War on Terror," the question of how governments can best fight terrorism and still represent democratic values is controversial, to say the least. While torture is used in many regimes no one admits this taboo. This message is one of the many layers in this book that can be explored, but doesn't interfere with the story or become didactic. Details of torture methods enacted on Shades is told secondhand and not described in gory details. The content of this novel makes it more appropriate for students in middle school and up.

I admire how Rutkoski crafts her story creating complex characters who struggle with self-identity, friendships, and ethics. For instance, the weaving of Eliot's poem with Darcy's narrative adds more depth and introspection in understanding the world around her. The alternate world where the author takes famous artists with new works or Jane Austen writing a book that doesn't exist on Earth but does in the alternate world called "Alter" are other creative twists that pay homage to a rich artistic and literary history that evolves even today in cultures all over the world. This symbolism of writing as an act of storytelling, making up imaginative worlds, and creating something brand new adds to the novel's rich layers.

The secondary characters are a hoot with distinct voices and a confidence that comes from consciously choosing to not be a part of the popular group. They come across as a bunch of geniuses who see right through cliques and don't need them for security or friendships. They are protective and loyal to Darcy and add great comic relief. The ending with the popular girl jumping ship from her clique as a result of working on a play with Raphael suggests that the odd group out can influence those around them or the popular girl is just growing up and maturing.

The plot has the secondary characters entering the alternate world and looking for Darcy and while it is a bit of a stretch I welcomed them back in the storyline with their wit and humor. The author does give a plausible reason for them getting past the guards but I did find it unbelievable that they would find a job and miss weeks of school forsaking family in search of a friend. The resolution wraps up a bit quickly; I would have liked Conn's point of view and confrontation with his enemies in a final scene. The world of Shades could have been defined a bit more as well. While the Interdimensional Bureau of Investigation, or IBI, that protects the borders between both worlds is clearly crafted, I wanted more regarding the factions between members of the Shade Society of violent versus passive members. 

The romantic triangle, prejudices, and terrorist angles add for plenty of tension making this a page turner. Action steamrolls from the first sentence, "Knowing what I know now, I'd say my foster mother had her reasons for throwing a kitchen knife at me." Darcy needs to figure out who she can trust and while she hates Conn at first she realizes she needs his help to get out of captivity. He struggles with his decision to follow orders and is baffled by Darcy who does not fit the profile of a Shade. By meeting her, he questions his career and perception of seeing Shades as inhuman. Tolerance is a timeless message and Rutkoski does a great job getting the reader to think more about the human condition in social, cultural, and personal ways. Perhaps Rutkoski can work some magic and teach me how to speak Mandarin. Sigh.

Young Adult
5 Smileys

Cragbridge Hall, Book 1: The Inventor's Secret by Chad Morris

I had a student last year who loved computers, but not reading. He needed to read a fiction book for class and I gave him "Brain Boy" by Tor Seidler that he liked (or he lied and said he liked it to not hurt my feelings). This would have been another book I could have recommended. The mixture of virtual reality combined with history and a dose of action will appeal to many young readers.

Abby and Derick Cragbridge are going to the prestigious Cragbridge Hall founded by their grandfather who invented many high-tech devices on campus that create a virtual learning environment. Learning  means being plunked virtually in historical settings that surround the students. The pirate ship comes into the classroom with realistic fighting and gunshots as Maynard, for example, battles Blackbird. Physical education class means running up a virtual mountain or zoology means using avatars that allow students to be inside the animal experiencing extra appendages like tails or wings. When Abby and Derick's parents and grandfather go missing the two must solve the problem or the world will be changed forever.

Abby is ridiculously unsure of herself, but as an average person amongst a family of geniuses it is understandable she has low self-esteem. Even her twin brother is brainy. Abby knows that she got into Cragbridge because of her grandfather and this causes hard feelings and bullying toward her from other students. I did wonder why Abby didn't go find her brother the first night and anyone who has lived in a dorm knows there are residents and lobby couches that seemed like a more logical resolution versus sleeping on the floor. Her insecurities were so extreme at the start I found her unlikable.

The skeleton of the plot is predictable but the technology used to solve the problems is not, which kept my interest going throughout the pages. It is easy to predict what will happen to the parents and grandfather with their brainy children rescuing them, as well as, knowing Abby's emotional arc will go from insecure to confident. Derick's internal changes I didn't expect and him dealing with his first failure adds nice tension and drama. There are some minor "plot spots" that had me confused either by the transition or unbelievability, but they don't detract from the main events and when I reread them I figured out the meaning.

Carol is an interesting supporting character. A bit over-the-top for me but a funny drama queen who develops a friendship with Abby and her brother. The T-shirt thing-a-ma-jig with Derick was unbelievable, but somewhat funny.  I would have liked to know more about Rafa, the teachers, and a confrontation with the villain, as he is surprisingly absent during the climax. I'm sure he'll show up in a sequel. An entertaining read and nice debut novel.

3 Smileys

Legend by Marie Lu

How do you unwind and relax? I have several ways, but a favorite is watching brainless, entertaining action movies; particularly the summer-type - with a bit of humor, gobs of special effects, an engaging character, and maybe a touch of romance. My mouth goes slack and brain shifts to a lower gear. This dystopian novel reminds me of my escapist trips to movie theaters. It is predictable for the most part with a few surprises, it oozes tension with life-and-death situations, and it's characters are geniuses (of course). While young readers will like the entertaining book, I can't give it 3 stars because the cursory writing, stereotypical characters, and predictable plot that had more loose ends than a frayed rug. It sets up for the sequel and I know questions will be answered in upcoming books, but the author should have wrapped up at least one major plot point. It isn't just a cliff hanger, it's a crater hanger. Actually, there are quite a few crater hangers out there and it reeks of publishers wanting money. Cut a book in the middle and call it two books. Grrrr....

The main characters, June and Day, alternate points of view. June is a genius and the only teenager ever to get a perfect score on her Trials, a test that determines where students will be placed in the Republic. Her fame follows her to the prestigious Drake University where she is prepped to be a military leader. She is several years ahead of her classmates and gets into trouble because she is bored. Her family life and career has been one of wealth and success; whereas Day is a boy on the run who has failed his Trials and steals from the government scavenging daily for money and food. He's famous for scaling a four-story building in five seconds and taunting the government with outlandish feats and showy antics making him a hero to the people of the slums. He is a sci-fi robin hood, a champion of the poor, known to give away money he steals from the government. When Day's younger brother gets The Plague, he steals much-needed medicine causing him to slash paths with June that triggers a series of disastrous events that threatens those he loves and uncovers corruption in the Republic.

The start has a great hook that pulls the reader quickly into the story with tension resulting from Day being on the run from the government that wants him dead. Nice flashbacks are worked into the setup creating a backdrop of an autocratic society. The Republic suppresses the poor people with the power held by the Elector Primo. The Primo is old and it is appears the man, Chian, who runs the trials has quite a bit of control. These elitist men are contrasted with Day who grew up in the slums that are ruled by corrupt police, disease, and hunger. Life is harsh and the elite look upon the people inhabiting the slums as subhuman.

The characters are stereotypical with their athleticism and gorgeous looks. I like that they have different ethnic backgrounds but I was disappointed (although not surprised) that Day is a genius too. I would have found Day more interesting as a character who can't take tests, but is brilliant. He and June are too much alike and seem stereotypical of the brilliant character who saves the world. Perhaps it is the secret desire of many people to be geniuses which is why this is such a popular trope found in escapist literature. I think characters are more authentic when they must rely on their wits, like the character in "The False Prince," by Jennifer Nielsen. I thought the theme of those in the Republic viewing those as the slums as subhuman could have been explored more to create more depth and tension.

The plot starts out okay and has predictable spots and unpredictable spots. There is a romance thrown in the middle that slows the pace a tad but luckily it moves on. It might turn off some readers who are absorbed in the action, but the kissing doesn't last long and the two are too busy trying to survive to think too much about their feelings for each other. I thought Thomas could have been worked into the plot better as a surprise, but he's laid out as a one-dimensional character with no resolution at the end. The younger brother isn't explained nor is the Republic and who's behind the conspiracy. I wanted at least one resolution with the powers-that-be in the Republic, but it never happens leaving me miffed.

This book is popular with students. They like the action and don't care that the writing is perfunctory or the plot unfinished. The vocabulary is accessible and the romance clean. It's good for grade 5 students and up. I recommend buying it for your library and encouraging others to read it. Just don't expect too much. Grab a bowl of popcorn and settle in for a nice escape.

Young Adult
2 Smileys

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

When I first read this book in the 1980s, the message that adults do not respect teenagers decisions or feelings as important in comparison to theirs, resonated with me.  Adults ruled my world back then. Ender Wiggins was a kindred spirit who didn't have control of his world any more than me. Like Ender, I too, wasn't always protected by adults when dealing with school bullies, siblings, cheats, competition, and loneliness, to name a few. Ender's gig was more extreme - shoot his world was so messed up that the government had created an army of child-genius soldiers - but all the same, I could relate to Ender's story in a deeply satisfying way as a young reader. Also, my alter ego got to pretend I was a brilliant strategist who could do no wrong, could manipulate people because of great deductive skills on human nature, and never lost a battle. I've gushed for years to students how much I enjoyed this book, even though I have forgotten most of the plot and haven't read it in over 25 years. Time to revisit an old friend.

As an adult reader I appreciate this novel on a deeper level; how the main character, Ender, drives the story; how the underlying themes of innocence lost, human nature, leadership, military strategy, psychology (to name a few) are more clear as I filter my own life experiences in tandem with the storyline. This adult-child crossover book creates a unique experience that feeds my addictive reading habits like a box of chocolates. Say what you will, but Orson Scott Card writes absorbing stories that are good at getting me to think. He has a distinct writing style characterized by a directness in dialogue and interior monologues that at first seem to tell, rather than show. When you look beneath the story's surface he's showing much more than I realized when I first read it; he's delving into complex themes and nontraditional literary strategies that are not easy to explain. I will tackle some and try not to give away the story; the plot twists are part of the joy in reading this book. Some might find Card's style boring or preachy, but it was the right mix of action and dialogue for me.

Set in the future, Earth has been attacked in two wars by the Formics an alien race derogatorily called, "Buggers," because of their insect-like appearance. Earth is ruled by three parties, the Hegemon, Polemarch, and Strategos who are in conflict with each other, but currently cooperating in anticipation of a third "Bugger" invasion. The mediator of peace between these three political forces and the military defender of the world is the International Fleet (IF). Ender is to be trained in leadership and military strategy at IF's "Battle School," a place that recruits children with the best tactical minds to be a part of a rigorous program that launches their careers as commanders or pilots of spaceship fleets that protect earth from interstellar invasions.

Chapter one begins with a doctor removing a monitor that was surgically attached to six-year-old Ender Wiggin's neck as a three-year-old. The IF uses the monitor to determine if he will be a good candidate for Battle School. The doctor assures Ender the monitor detachment won't hurt, but it not only hurts, it is life-threatening, causing Ender excruciating convulsions and temporary memory loss. From the get-go, adults lie to Ender in order to hide the truth and protect him from pain. This literary device makes the reader sympathetic towards Ender and the other children in Battle School, drawing the focus away from the fact they are being trained as soldiers who kill others and makes them appear as victims of adults who control their destiny. This makes the story work. If the reader is not emotionally sympathetic with Ender, then the outrageous plot seems silly. Once the monitor is off, Ender thinks he's been rejected by IF; however, they are still watching him and analyzing his actions. They decide they do want him and he is whisked off by a Colonel to Battle School that resides in the Earth's orbit to save the world from the Buggers.

The author's outrageous plot makes another point besides the reader being sympathetic, it shows the irony of innocence lost and adults who purposefully don't protect students in order for them to learn how to fight. Let's recap the plot: a six-year-old is sent to training school to save the world from war and he sounds and acts like a mature adult. What a clever way to make the point of innocence lost by creating a futuristic world where the military is made up of children who train for war using video games and simulators in zero gravity so that war and killing look like a game. The adults mask the reality that students are killing other beings. They are just killing aliens. Buggers. The result is a lack of moral debate because their intentions are innocent; plus, using third person omnipresent gives the reader privy to the serious consequences that the characters do not know. Ender is manipulated more than any of them and is the target of bullies and jealous cadets. He does question and cry every time he must hurt someone. As the book progresses, the games become less fun and more all-consuming bringing out hatred, jealousy, and stress, as well as, creativity and teamwork in students. Even though children are smaller than adults, they have character voices that show, for the most part, a sophisticated inner monologue that sounds too mature and developmentally inaccurate for their age. The author does this deliberately. He even has the characters dialogue about it, "But we don't think like other children, do we Val? We don't talk like other children. And above all, we don't write like other children." This reveals that the children think of themselves like adults as do the adults. Even though the adults control the childrens environment, they often talk about the students superior mental capabilities compared to theirs and placing them in command of the fleet to save the world from war reaffirms this.

Ender is a third child, an exception to Earth's two-child policy per family. IF is hoping he will be a half-and-half personality of his older genius siblings who have been considered for Battle School before Ender. His sister, Valentine, was rejected because she was too passive and his brother, Peter, because he was too violent and psychopathic. Born for the sole purpose of being a commander, Ender's parents don't bond with him like normal parents; they know he'll be taken from them for the military at some point. Ender is close to Valentine and shows the empathy that was lacking in Peter; hence, the IF knows he has leadership potential to command their fleet.

Ender's siblings, are great manipulators who control adults, as seen when they set themselves up as political spokesmen for humanity. Ender only manipulates when he has too and uses leadership skills to inspire loyalty in others. Whereas Peter sees what others hate most about themselves and inspires fear and Val sees what's best in others, persuading them to her point of view; Ender understands how other people think and uses that information to his advantage. When he gets in tight spots with bullies, he exploits their weaknesses, whether it is pride or vanity, and anticipates ensuing actions circumventing the conflict or attacking it head on. He doesn't manipulate adults, because he has the same goal as them which is to save the world from the Buggers. At first he doesn't understand why the adults are isolating and singling him out, but he eventually realizes it is in preparation to lead a crew of soldiers for on the battlefield there will be no adults giving directions. At times he is broken, but like a tragic hero, he continues his lonely quest.

I find a character who agonizes over his actions more interesting than one that doesn't. When Ender cries after he hurts another person, it makes him more authentic. He isn't like many characters who kill and give it no thought. After he hurts someone, he is torn; even traumatized at times. Ender's gut-wrenching sobs and depression after hurting others shows a compassionate person who is on the one hand ruthless, and on the other, humane. This makes him sympathetic to the reader, which is critical in connecting with him even though he's a trained killer. This also shows military strategy. Ender is learning that he must destroy his enemy to show his superiority and prevent future fights. This mentality is deemed necessary to defeating the enemy.

This book reminded me of coaching in some ways and in other ways it didn't. In coaching you focus on improving skills and finding your best potential, not winning. Winning is an outcome. For Ender, winning is everything. Losing means at best, you are a prisoner of war, worst, you are dead. At first, Ender works on strategy and how to improve and improvise after each battle. He makes mistakes but they never cause him to lose.  He leads the others finding positions in the toon where they will be the most successful. He never laughs or banters with others so they know he is commander. They are not friends. He is harsh with them as a group, but patient individually, listening to questions and making "suggestions quietly." His military leadership forms a tight supportive group that works well as a unit.

In the introduction, Orson Scott Card, reveals the resources he used on military strategy and leadership as background research for this work of fiction. He also explains how he got the idea for "Ender's Game." It is quite fascinating and I recommend reading it. I hadn't intended to analyze this much, but as you can see, I find the story irresistible in terms of topics and craft. Guess I'll have to force myself to stop. But don't you. Get a copy at your library and see what you think. It's worth it.

5 Smileys

The Prince Who Fell From the Sky by John Claude Bemis

A well-known fact in the Forest is that humans no longer exist because the wolves killed them off in the great Rising. When a starship crashes and a toddler gets off the plane no one can believe it and the coyotes who stumble first on the scene decide to kill the small boy. Mama bear, Casseomae, sees the altercation and protects the boy hatching a plan to adopt him for all her cubs have all died. She reasons that she can teach the boy the ways of the Forest; however, the presence of the boy upsets the fragile pact between the wolves and bears and she must flee from enemies who want to kill him. The journey to find a safe place for the boy is tough, but with the help of a rat, Dumpster, who carries knowledge of the humans; and Pang, a dog, who is a faithful companion to the human race, they give it a go.

Dumpster loves to use the word "scratch" or "scratchin'" in his sentences, "Scratch if I know old bear" or "Not a scratchin' word, Cass." Helpful and caring inspite of his ornery talk, he loves to call Casseomae a "mushroom-brained bear" and in one funny dialogue he's calling the dog and Cass "beetle brains," "pebble brains," and then "birdbrains" as the two ask him questions. Young readers will like the dumb questions dog and Cass ask as they learn about humankind such as, "What's an alley?" or "What's fern-of-chip?" to which Dumpster replies, "Furniture, idiot." Add to the silly dialogue romp Dumpster giving wrong answers such as how a fire escape works and you have a fun read. Other puzzles readers will like solving are the descriptions of different types of animals where no English words are used to describe it.

The creepiness factor amps up with the wolves and their Gateway of Bones and Field of Fallen. Add a great villain in Ogeema whose "...voice was not the gutteral snaps typical of a wolf. The words were whispered, but the power in that barely present voice unnerved Rend to her core" and you have a nice scary story. The pecking order of the coyotes and wolves increase the fear factor, since Rend knows that Ogeema kills randomly and cruelly regardless of whether or not he is getting assistance.


The limited point of view was fascinating and well-done but it also kept me removed from the story and didn't answer all my questions. The author has the animals and boy communicate without words but with touch and descriptions. The boy "chirps" at Cass so we know he's old enough to talk. The animals and child manage to communicate and the authenticity of this elevates the story. While the author does it admirably, I wanted to hear the boy's thoughts and wanted to get in his head. If the reader had the boy's thoughts then I could have found out more about his world and how he came to be on a ship that crashed in the Forest or what happened to humankind.

I was reading this eBook on a flight to Vietnam and maybe I wasn't getting enough oxygen because I struggled with the age of the boy and I kept mixing up the vora's and viand's - the names are too similar (of course, I've lived in Taipei 6 years and know about as much Chinese as an infant - memory is NOT my strength). It did make me wonder if kids would get confused with some of the world building like me. Probably not. I can hear Rat calling me names, "You scratchin' birdbrain, write it down." I liked the character so well he's talking to me now. A unique story. Enjoy

Reading level 5.7
3 Smileys

Goblin Secrets by William Alexander

I struggled with this National Book Award winner. Not because it lacks originality. The creepy steampunk setting with gear-transformed people, witches, and goblins was well done. Not because it lacked character development. The weird witch, river spirit, goblins, and orphans with a plucky protagonist were engaging enough. And not because of a plot that plods. The 200 page book is concise and clues are slowly revealed. It was unpredictable and imaginative. So why couldn't I immerse myself in the story?

It wasn't a complete loss - I loved the witch Graba, patterned after the fairy tale witch Baba Yaga in Russian folklore with her unpredictable temperament and dangerous ways. In this tale, it is not the house, but the witch herself who lunges around on giant chicken legs made of gears and metal using monstrous talons to grab wayward children. What a great twist on the original! Speaking of twists... Graba gives Rownie a home with food but he is mistreated like the other orphans she takes into her home that echos characteristics found in Oliver Twist's Fagin. Machinery has replaced human parts in the city of Zombay; the police have glass eyes with gears for irises and the animals have coal hearts. Graba has taken in Rownie and his brother, Rowan, but Rowan has disappeared. Rownie joins the goblin theater troupe because they are searching for Rowan. The goblins need Rowan to speak to the river and prevent the flood that threatens the city of Zombay; however, the goblins are not welcome in the city and it is illegal to put on their show which results in all sorts of trouble for the troupe. Rownie combines forces with them only to get caught up in a bigger struggle for power between the goblins, mayor, and witch Graba.

The story is filled with terrific themes from the magic or imagination that comes from within when assuming the identity of a mask to the magic or power that comes from without as symbolized in the witches, mayor, and river spirit; to the social commentary of the goblins being prejudiced by the townspeople; to the humans who can't wear masks to act in plays because it changes them, and more. While there are so many social commentaries, the storyline never stops long enough to explore them. I wanted more of an explanation about the goblin play where the witch uses her reflection to create a bunch of mini-me's who become her slaves; followed by her cooking the heart of one and causing a rebellion. Was this play a suggestion that the witch Graba and Semele were like the rebellious slaves? What is their background? And what about Rowan. Is he with his mother? Why can he wear a mask? How do humans change into goblins? In the end I felt dissatisfied with the overall book and the lack of answers.

The lack of exposition resulted in me going back and rereading passages often and being confused in spots. You really had to figure out the plot as you read along and be patient as the clues unfolded. I kept thinking I missed something but my question would be answered later. As mentioned earlier, not that all questions are answered; you have to come up with your own analysis. I sort of twitched and sputtered through the narrative which never came alive for me. Some spots were jarring or awkward, such as when the characters put on masks and adopted its qualities or when Rownie would think to himself. While not something I noticed all the time, I ended with a disjointed feeling like my gears were malfunctioning. This is a book that I should really reread. I read that the author has a sequel. Most likely some of my questions will be answered. An interesting read.

Reading level 4.3
4 out of 5 Smileys