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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: Speculative Fiction Challenge, Most Recent at Top [Help]

Results 1 - 4 of 4

1. Speculative Fiction Challenge Wrapup

By: Becky Laney, on 3/30/2008
Blog: Becky's Book Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Speculative Fiction Challenge, Add a tag

Speculative Fiction Challenge was hosted by The Book Ninja. The challenge runs from October through April 1, 2008. The Speculative Fiction Challenge, here's what I read!!!

Isaac Asimov:
Prelude to Foundation
Foundation
Foundation and Empire
Second Foundation
Foundation's Edge
Foundation and Earth

Joe Haldeman:
The Accidental Time Machine
Old Twentieth

Susan Beth Pfeffer
The Dead and Gone

C.S. Lewis:
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair

Brandon Mull:
Fablehaven
Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star
Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague

N.D. Wilson:
100 Cupboards

Libba Bray:
Sweet Far Thing

Orson Scott Card:
Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus

Cornelia Funke:
Inkheart

Ray Bradbury:
Martian Chronicles
Something Wicked This Way Comes

Conor Kostick:
Epic
Saga

Michael Simmons:
Alien Feast

1 Comments on Speculative Fiction Challenge Wrapup, last added: 3/30/2008

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2. Travel the World: Ireland: Saga

By: Becky Laney, on 3/12/2008
Blog: Becky's Book Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: international literature, Travel the World, Speculative Fiction Challenge, teens in trouble with the law, science fiction, Add a tag

Kostick, Conor. 2008. Saga.

All motion ceased. A Communication-Assassination probe gradually awoke from a dream in which it had been submerged far beneath deep arctic waters. Barely ten million kilometers away, a star was blazing with uncomfortable brightness. The probe slid filters over its sensors, the first action it had taken in a hundred and fourteen years, five months, three days, seventeen hours, and forty-four seconds. It conjectured that a human being waking up to a bright morning and reaching for sunglasses would feel exactly the same as the probe did now.

Saga is the 'thrilling' conclusion to Epic. (I reviewed Epic here. This was my lead: "Looking for a fast-paced science-fiction novel set on a distant planet? Looking for a novel that explores the depths of the video world? The fun of video gaming and virtual realities? Looking for a great dystopic novel? Look no further for all your needs than Conor Kostick’s novel Epic. Looking for a fast-paced science-fiction novel set on a distant planet? Looking for a novel that explores the depths of the video world? The fun of video gaming and virtual realities? Looking for a great dystopic novel? Look no further for all your needs than Conor Kostick’s novel Epic.") Change "Saga" for "Epic" and it's still a fairly accurate assessment.

When Epic concluded, the video game "Epic" perished. But soon after, there's a new game to be found on New Earth. A new game with deadly consequences. A game delivered via probe. (I'm assuming satellite probe, satellite feed would be an appropriate description though I don't know if the book sums it up like that.) The citizens are unaware of the game's origins, and definitely unaware of the risks, unaware that they're putting their lives on the line.

Featuring mainly new characters, the book takes readers on another exciting adventure. Old characters both 'real' and 'virtual' do have a role in the plot. Saga--for that is the name of the game--is a very different virtual world than Epic was. It's urban for one thing. Second, there's no magic. Which gives Cinderella Dragonslayer a distinct advantage. All other humans on New Earth have to start from scratch, create new avatars. But for whatever reason, the probe was unable to erase Cinderella. So Erik is the only player who is unaffected, unchanged, by the Dark Queen's secret strategy.

Who is the Dark Queen? I'll leave that for you to discover. Same goes with the details of her secret strategy. Suffice to say that if you like excitement and suspense, you'll probably enjoy this one.

If I'm being honest, I must admit that I liked the 'game' Epic much much better than the 'game' Saga. But the writing, the style, the characters, the plot are equally enjoyable. I just prefer the fantasy/magic elements more than urban street fighting and anarchist punk air boarding. But that's just me.

367 pages

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3. Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague

By: Becky Laney, on 3/4/2008
Blog: Becky's Book Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: 2008, J Fantasy, Here Be Dragons Challenge, Survival, adventure, J Fiction, J Fantasy, Survival, Quest, 2008, Speculative Fiction Challenge, series challenge, Here Be Dragons Challenge, Speculative Fiction Challenge, Quest, series challenge, Add a tag

Mull, Brandon. 2008. Fablehaven: Grip Of the Shadow Plague.

On a muggy August day, Seth hurried along a faint path, eyes scanning the lush foliage to his left. Tall, mossy trees overshadowed a verdant sea of bushes and ferns.

The third in the series, Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague continues the story of Kendra and Seth Sorenson, an unforgettable brother-sister team that (along with several 'responsible' adults including their grandparents) enjoys spending their summer vacations fighting in the ultimate battle between good and evil. If you haven't read the first two in the series, you should definitely do so. (That is if you love fantasy.) I enjoyed the first two. I really did. But this third one is even better--if that's possible. Every page was a pleasure. I didn't want to put it down.

For those that are familiar with the series, expect more of the same. But for those unfamiliar with Brandon Mull's fabulous series here's what you can expect. Adventure. More adventure. Danger. Action. Even more adventure. Some mystery. Some intrigue. Some surprises. If you love action, adventure, and mystery, then Fablehaven is definitely for you!

What's the third one about? Well the subtitle of "Grip of the Shadow Plague" says it all. Book 2 closes with the family securing--saving--Fablehaven, doesn't it? Does it? The traitor, Vanessa, has been captured and imprisoned in the Quiet Box. The Sphinx has taken away the other prisoner--the one who was released from the Quiet Box--and all seems to be well. But then if you remember Kendra discovers a note implying or suggesting that the Sphinx is not who he appears. That he is in fact the bad guy though he's been masquerading as one of the good guys--one of the top good guys--for decades and decades. The third book explores that claim and seeks to solve that mystery once and for all. But that doesn't even begin to capture what the third book is about. It is exciting. It is intense. It is good.

471 pages