A theme-packed pre-apocalyptic story for ideas-loving readers.
A giant asteroid’s on a collision course with Earth.
Mild-mannered scientist Professor Sheppard is abducted in the middle of the night and brought to a supersecret facility where other scientific and mathematical great minds—all having supposedly died of unrelated medical problems and mishaps within the past months—have been sequestered to solve the problem of the planet-destroying asteroid. A few years later, the similar abduction of billionaire genius Joshua Fitchett is thwarted by his private security, and he goes public about the doomsday asteroid. Sixteen years further on—one year until predicted impact—civilization’s in tatters. Some accept imminent death and live lawlessly; some hope a Hail Mary from Sheppard and the scientists will save them; some join a popular religious movement that believes in thwarting the Devil-serving scientists who are trying to stop God’s plan. While mentioned, violence isn’t graphic. Meanwhile, street kid Billy civilizes a large gang, drawing the attention of another mysterious group. The steady march to potential annihilation is punctuated by attempts to save or doom Earth. A third-person omniscient viewpoint and straightforward voice keep the numerous characters and plotlines organized. Narrative tension stems from not knowing whether the scientists will succeed, the warring philosophies of transparency and secrecy, and hope vs. pragmatism and cynicism. The cliffhanger demands a sequel.
A theme-packed pre-apocalyptic story for ideas-loving readers. (Science fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-385-67006-7
Page Count: 319
Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
The sardonic tone of the narrator’s voice lends a refreshing air of realism to this riotously paced quest tale of heroism...
Edgar Award–winning Riordan leaves the adult world of mystery to begin a fantasy series for younger readers.
Twelve-year-old Percy (full name, Perseus) Jackson has attended six schools in six years. Officially diagnosed with ADHD, his lack of self-control gets him in trouble again and again. What if it isn’t his fault? What if all the outrageous incidents that get him kicked out of school are the result of his being a “half-blood,” the product of a relationship between a human and a Greek god? Could it be true that his math teacher Mrs. Dodds transformed into a shriveled hag with bat wings, a Fury, and was trying to kill him? Did he really vanquish her with a pen that turned into a sword? One need not be an expert in Greek mythology to enjoy Percy’s journey to retrieve Zeus’s master bolt from the Underworld, but those who are familiar with the deities and demi-gods will have many an ah-ha moment. Along the way, Percy and his cohort run into Medusa, Cerberus and Pan, among others.
The sardonic tone of the narrator’s voice lends a refreshing air of realism to this riotously paced quest tale of heroism that questions the realities of our world, family, friendship and loyalty. (Fantasy. 12-15)Pub Date: July 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-7868-5629-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2005
BOOK REVIEW
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The Potternaut rolls on, picking up more size than speed but propelling 15-year-old Harry through more hard tests of character and magical ability. Rowling again displays her ability to create both likable and genuinely scary characters, most notable among the latter being a pair of Dementors who accost Harry in a dark alley in the opening chapter. Even more horrible, Ministry of Magic functionary Dolores Umbridge descends upon Hogwarts with a tinkly laugh, a taste in office decor that runs to kitten paintings, and the authority, soon exercised, to torture students, kick Harry off the Quidditch team, fire teachers, and even to challenge Dumbledore himself. Afflicted with sudden fits of adolescent rage, Harry also has worries, from upcoming exams and recurrent eerie dreams to the steadfast refusal of the Magical World's bureaucracy to believe that Voldemort has returned. Steadfast allies remain, including Hermione, whose role here is largely limited to Chief Explainer, and a ragtag secret order of adults formed to protect him from dangers, which they characteristically keep to themselves until he finds out about them the hard way. Constructed, like Goblet of Fire, of multiple, weakly connected plot lines and rousing, often hilarious set pieces, all set against a richly imagined backdrop, this involves its characters once again in plenty of adventures while moving them a step closer to maturity. And it's still impossible to predict how it's all going to turn out.
None (Fiction. 12-15)Pub Date: July 1, 2003
ISBN: 9780439358064
Page Count: 896
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2003
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
SEEN & HEARD
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