The story is a throwback to many pop-culture gaming references including Pac-Man, Dungeons and Dragons, and more. I listened to most of the book which is read by Wil Wheaton. Wil is the perfect person to read this book. He does a very good job and as a listener, I know that Wil is a gamer at heart. He gets the story. I did return the audio book because it was taking me a long time to read it, so I finished up reading the print edition.
Overall, I found the story interesting and engaging. The author does a good job delving into the Oasis but also pulling out and seeing the real world. But, the story does start to drag about three-fourths of the way through. I simply got bored of the ongoing quest to find the next key. I did get most of the references mentioned in the story, but only because I lived through some of the things mentioned. I had to wonder if kids today would understand it. But as kids borrowed the book at the library, they did.
I was curious about the movie adaptation. I haven't seen it, but I have wondered how the movie would portray the Oasis. There is also the problem of all of the gaming references, which would require extra rights to mention or portray. From what I have read, the reviews were mixed and the movie over-all did not do as well as expected. Still, I'm curious and may watch it one day.
Book Rating: 4 stars
The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog.
by Blake Crouch. It had a definite X-files vibe. The main character reminded me of Mulder. In this case Agent Ethan Burke is sent to Pines, Idaho to find and retrieve two agents that have gone missing. Shortly after his arrival, Ethan wakes up in a hospital with no i.d. and no idea how he ended up there. As he begins to explore the town, things don't seem quite right. There is a secret in Pines and none of the inhabitants seem too willing to talk. The town seems to be stuck 50 years in the past. No smart phones. No internet. And yet, the inhabitants seem to get along just fine. As hard as Ethan tried to escape, the more entrenched he becomes in Pines.
is a young adult book by Pittacus Lore. The main character is John Smith, a teenager who is trying to keep a low profile. He and several other children escaped their planet to hide out on earth until they can develop their legacies (or powers). Each child has a guardian who protects and hides them. But the bad aliens from their home planet is hunting them down one by one. John Smith is number four, which means three others before him have been found and killed. This is John's story of survival.
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was made based on the first book and I remember liking it. It didn't seem to get much traction and no other movies have been made.
by Brandon Sanderson is a different kind of superhero story. It would be easy to assume that Steelheart is the superhero but instead he is the bad guy. David Charleston is a teen who want to avenge his father's death. His father was killed by Steelheart, a person with the ability to turn things into steel. Because of his ability, he has risen to power because no one can seem to overcome his super power. He reigns as a king in Chicago. David knows Steelheart's weakness, but will it be enough to avenge his father and free people of his tyranny?
is a Young Adult sci-fi novel. If I read it as a sci-fi story and accept the conceits the author wants, than I can enjoy it. BUT, I have a hard time doing that because the conceits she wants you to accept have recently been proven to either be false or an exaggeration. BUT, this is sci-fi.
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continue with the story of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta. In Catching Fire, Katniss and Peeta are compelled to fight in the Quarter Quell games and are pitted against previous victors. Mockingjay is the story of Katniss' transformation as a symbol of the rebellion.
is very hard to describe. Kaitlyn's grandfather, an astrophysicist, has discovers something which makes it possible to travel faster than the speed of light. The process involves a complex formula that transforms your soul into pure condensed light which is subject to your own thoughts. In other words, you just think of where you want to go in the universe. At the same time, Kaitlyn's grandfather discovers that their sun is dying. In order to save it, they must travel to a distant galaxy and study a different sun to learn how to stop it from dying.
has been flying off my local library's shelf. I finally managed to get a hold of a copy to read. The story is the first of a trilogy that takes place in a post-apocalyptic North America. The central government is now located in the west with about 12 outlying colonies or districts. Each district is given an assignment to support the central government ranging from farming to manufacturing. Every year each district sends two representatives to participate in the Hunger Games. The games are symbolic of the last great battle and serve as a reminder to the colonies of who is in charge. The tributes are between the ages of 12-18 and are randomly selected in a drawing. The games have a sinister aspect as the games are a type of celebrity death match in which young teens are primped and then told to fight to the death.
story, a group of 5 friends have an encounter with a dying alien. This alien, an Andalite, gives them the gift to morph into animals once they acquire the DNA of an animal. The alien wanted to give humans the ability to fight the Yeerks, an alien species with an "invasion of the body snatchers" mission against humanity. The leader of the Yeerks is an Andalite under the control a Yeerk, an apparently bad combination.
by K. A. Applegate is the first book in the Ever World series. It is intended for older teens. 17 year old David falls for a girl named Senna. Senna is a little bit different and has the ability to be prescient. She senses that something awful is going to happen and asks David to save her. The next day Senna is captured by a wolf like creature in a space bending vortex, or something. David and three of his friends are a witness to the event.