Friday, March 21, 2008
The Supernaturalists

Okay, it's a grade 6 book, but I have to say I very much loved every bit of this story. This is a science-fiction story which starts out with a boy named Cosmo Hill who lived in an orphanage called Clarissa Frayne or more specifically,the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys.

As you might be able to guess, Cosmo escapes the orphanage and nearly dies in the process. A group of kids who call themselves The Supernaturalists end up saving his life. They find they all share a special gift which gives them a sixth sense; an ability to see blue creatures they have named "parasites."

They all live in Satellite City where everything is all based on business, profit, smog and other horribleness. Stefan, Mona and Ditto are the friends who saved Cosmo's life and they hide out fighting the bad guys while trying to stay alive on their own.

The author, Eoin Colfer (author of the 'Artemis Fowl' series) does a fantastic job with the story development. The twists and turns are pretty consistent and I found myself thinking about it throughout the day; wondering what might happen next.

It's a really great book. I don't know if a sixth grader would feel the same as I do, but I'm a fan and totally recommend it.

The Supernaturalist (Golden Duck Awards. Eleanor Cameron Award for Middle Grades (Awards))

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    Tuesday, April 24, 2007
    The Consciousness Plague

    A little bit mystery, a little bit sci-fi and a whole lot of inquistive character development kept me glued to "The Consciousness Plague" from beginning to end. For those interested in medicine, serial killers and msyteries you'll find this book a quick read and you'll wish it didn't have to end so soon.

    Paul Levinson out did himself with this story. It is written perfectly. There are a lot of in-depth discussions which involve how the brain communicates and remembers things. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to understand the dialogue, but Levinson wrote it in such a way that I was able to make sense of it and enjoy it.

    Phil D'Amato, our main man, is a NYPD forensic detective. There is a serial killer plaguing his area and the person(s) are strangling women, stripping them and leaving them for dead. At first there doesn't appear to be a motive or connection between the women. In fact, there doesn't even appear to be a suspect until much closer to the end of the book.

    There is another storyline that develops throughout and that involves a flu epidemic that is spreading worldwide. The newly developed antibiotic Ominin seems to kick the bacteria within a week's time, but there is one extreme side effect. It messes with your memory and people are forgetting hours of their days.

    Can you see how Ominin could complicate the murder case?

    Oh and it does.

    The twists and turns that this story takes were rivetting and I may end up reading this one again later down the road. There is some holes in the story with the secondary events and characters, but they can be forgiven overall.

    My score:
    Solid B+

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