Category Archives: Sci-Fi

Review: Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Romance, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys DaytonStronger, Faster, and More Beautiful
Arwen Elys Dayton
Delacorte Press
Published on December 4, 2018

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About Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful
For fans of television shows Black Mirror and Westworld, this compelling, mind-bending novel is a twisted look into the future, exploring how far we will go to remake ourselves into the perfect human specimen and what it means to be human at all.

Set in our world, spanning the near to distant futures, Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful is a novel made up of six interconnected stories that ask how far we will go to remake ourselves into the perfect human specimens, and how hard that will push the definition of “human.”

This extraordinary work explores the amazing possibilities of genetic manipulation and life extension, as well as the ethical quandaries that will arise with these advances. The results range from the heavenly to the monstrous. Deeply thoughtful, poignant, horrifying, and action-packed, Arwen Elys Dayton’s Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful is groundbreaking in both form and substance.

My Review
The concept of Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful hooked me from when I first heard about it. I tend to be really gripped by stories that explore a moral issue (medical advances in this case).

Rather than one cohesive novel, this story is more like a series of connected novellas set in the same story world. Sometimes one story references events or characters from another story, but the main characters are always different. Each approaches the issue in a slightly different way. One story asks, should people allow doctors to give them synthetic organs following an accident? Does that come too close to playing God? Another follows the lives of people considered second-class who’ve been physically altered to allow them to be a kind of super slaves.

In terms of the characters, most are flawed but looking for answers and facing some regrets from the past. Sometimes this made them immediately likeable, as with Alexios, a boy who’s been edited to have dolphin skin and flippers and lives in an aquatic place, taking care of manatees, and Luck, a girl who has a forbidden love for her best friend. Sometimes I had a hard time seeing past the flaws. For instance, I had a harder time connecting with Jake, who used to pressure girls to have sex and Milla, who took revenge on a boy who made her life miserable.

I kept thinking back to both of the books by Parker Peevyhouse that I’ve read while I was reading Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful. It reminded me of Where Futures End in the way each of the six stories related to each other but didn’t necessarily overlap. And the way it wrestled with science and morality reminded me of The Echo Room. I think Parker Peevyhouse fans will really enjoy this book. If you enjoy Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful and you haven’t read anything by Parker Peevyhouse, definitely check out her books, too.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described. Starlock, the boy who Luck loves, is dark-skinned. One story features a couple of Russian characters. One minor character is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used irregularly. Some sections (like the last one) are pretty clean with regard to cursing. Others (like the one which follows the two slave boys) have more frequent use of profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Two characters have sex in the back seat of a car. It’s kind of an odd scene because she feels somewhat conflicted about it and sort of detached at times. No crude details, but you know what’s happening. Later, the boy she had sex with lies about the experience and she gets bullied and shamed.

In another section, a boy makes a girl undress to her underwear. He has no intention of harming her physically, but she’s scared. In a flashback sequence, we learn that one character used to pressure girls and manipulate girls into having sex with him to win a bet with his friend. He later regrets the way he acted.

One character confesses to a friend that his father caught him in a sexual situation with another boy. There are some details about what they were doing.

A boy and girl kiss. A girl catches her lover asleep with another girl. Later they go to bed together. They have sex but there aren’t any graphic details.

Spiritual Content
As medical technology advances, some religious groups oppose .

Violent Content
Some references to and details about human slavery.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Echo Room by Parker Peevyhouse

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The Echo Room
Parker Peevyhouse
Tor Teen
Published on September 11, 2018

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About The Echo Room
Rett wakes on the floor of a cold, dark room. He doesn’t know how he got there, only that he’s locked in. He’s not alone—a girl named Bryn is trapped in the room with him. When she finds a mysterious bloodstain and decides she doesn’t trust Rett, he tries to escape on his own—

Rett wakes on the floor of the same cold, dark room. He doesn’t trust Bryn, but he’ll have to work with her if he ever hopes to escape. They try to break out of the room—

Rett and Bryn hide in a cold, dark room. Safe from what’s outside.

But they’re not alone.

My Review
I feel like this book should be an episode of Black Mirror. (Disclaimer: I’ve only seen two episodes of Black Mirror because I’m waaaaaay too much of a fraidy cat for things that qualify as horror-ish.). The Echo Room definitely had that otherworldly, spooky, outside-the-box feel to it. I loved that!

While some parts of the story are simple—a boy, a girl, a quest to find an item—other parts are not so simple. Rett and Bryn have really fractured memories. They make assumptions from the clues around them, but we start to piece things together almost before they do, which creates all sorts of interesting nail-biting tension.

The beginning has a kind of repetitive rhythm to it (on purpose), but the way it’s written, you notice different things each time a repetition happens, so it feels like peeling back layers of the mystery, and that feeling kept me reading page after page.

I found Rett and Bryn both really likeable. There’s a good balance between the plot with its sci-fi elements and the characters, which is a must for me when I read sci-fi. So The Echo Room definitely satisfied there.

Though this is a very different kind of story, I think The Echo Room would appeal to readers who like Hayley Stone or Claudia Gray. I highly recommend it.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Fewer than ten instances of profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A man receives a head injury from another person. At one point, a boy discovers a mutilated dead body. Description is brief. A flare gun is used as a weapon.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Mirage by Somaiya Daud

Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Mirage
Somaiya Daud
Flatiron Books
Publishes on August 28th, 2018

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About Mirage
In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated moon.

But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place.

As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty—and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection…because one wrong move could lead to her death.

My Review

I had a hard time getting into Mirage initially. I felt like the beginning was a bit rushed, and I didn’t have very much time to connect with Amani before being launched into the plot. Also, since it is sci-fi, there’s a lot of names of people groups places to keep track of, and this made it a little challenging at times to understand what was going on.

However, once I did start connecting with the characters, I loved it. It was wonderful to (finally!) meet a heroine who was gentle and kind, and even though she was in the midst of horrible circumstances, she didn’t let them change her into a hardened, cynical warrior. Amani was compassionate, even to her enemies, and I absolutely loved that. Her relationship with Maram was my favorite part of the whole book. My only quibble with her was that she fell in love far too quickly, and I just couldn’t quite ship the romance. (They hardly knew each other! How could they possibly be in love already?) It did get better though as the relationship developed, and I have hopes for the sequel(s).

The sci-fi setting didn’t play a major role in the story. Yes, they use spaceships and blasters. Yes, they travel from planet to moon to plant. However, the story could have just as easily been set in a fictional country, or even a historical setting, and the plot wouldn’t have changed too much.

Overall, I’m rating Mirage 4 stars. Amani is a breath of fresh air on the YA scene, and I hope that she’ll show readers that it’s okay to love, and be compassionate and gentle, and at the same time still be incredibly strong.

Recommended for Ages 14 and up

Cultural Elements
Most of the characters are either Andalaan or Vathek. Maram is both. The Andalaans are described as having dark skin and hair. The Vathek have paler skin, and silver hair. The Vatheks have strong racial prejudice against the Andalaans. 

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One reference (“Silence is the most —– criticism”).

Romance/Sexual Content
Several passionate kisses, semi-detailed. Mentions of touching, and desire. One poem seems very erotic in nature, though it’s not explicit. In one scene, it’s not entirely clear how far the characters get intimately.

Spiritual Content
The religion revolves around Dihya, the male deity, and Massinia, the female prophet. Massinia is rumored to return one day to her people. Tesleets, a sort of mythical bird, as shown to be messengers of Dihya and good omens. One character is largely viewed as being Massinia returned, though she is not actually Massinia.

Note: the religion is very important to the characters, and heavily influences their actions and the plot. While it is a made-up religion, it seemed to have strong influences from both Islam and Christianity, without being an allegory or having a clear connection to either. I could see younger readers easily becoming confused by this, so parents should be aware and willing to discuss with their kids the themes in this book.

Violent Content
Semi-graphic descriptions of wounds, killings, and attacks, mostly by the brutal Vathek.

Drug Content
Characters drink wine.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

Book Review and Content, Magical Realism, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

The Rithmatist (Rithmatist #1)
Brandon Sanderson
Tor Teen
Published on May 13th, 2013

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About The Rithmatist

More than anything, Joel wants to be a Rithmatist. Rithmatists have the power to infuse life into two-dimensional figures known as Chalklings. Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against the Wild Chalklings. Having nearly overrun the territory of Nebrask, the Wild Chalklings now threaten all of the American Isles.

As the son of a lowly chalkmaker at Armedius Academy, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students learn the magical art that he would do anything to practice. Then students start disappearing—kidnapped from their rooms at night, leaving trails of blood. Assigned to help the professor who is investigating the crimes, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery—one that will change Rithmatics—and their world—forever.

My Review

I devoured this book. It has been a long while since I’ve read a book that fast, and it felt good. I loved the entire plot, the amazing world-building, the fantastic characters….I could go on and on. This book is definitely worthy of its five star rating.

The plot was thrilling. As an artist, the idea of chalk drawings coming to life was very intriguing, and it was exciting to see how Sanderson spun out the mystery. He did an excellent job of weaving in unexpected twists and turns to keep the mystery going until the very end. My only complaint would be that the mystery was wrapped up very quickly in the end, leaving me wondering if that really was the solution, or if there was something more in store. And it ended with “To be continued,” and some unresolved loose ends. Not cool–how am I supposed to survive until the sequel comes out?

The world-building was phenomenal. It was completely unlike any other setting I’ve ever read. It was based on the premise of “what if America was actually an archipelago of islands?” It also had some other twists in history, but I’ll let you discover them for yourself. Part alternate history, part fantasy, it had a familiar feel to it while still being original. It even had touches of steampunk–er, springpunk? And the magic of the Rithmatists? It was awesome. I loved how it was based on logical principles and geometric properties. I can’t wait to read more about it in the next book. One note: the Monarchical Church in the book seems Christian in nature at first, and is classified with other Christian denominations. However, from the little tidbits that were in the book, it seems more of a religion glorifying science, along with some ritualistic aspects that could become dark very quickly. I would be wary letting younger children read this book on their own–if they do, at least discuss with them the religious views the characters hold to, and how that differs from Christianity to avoid confusion and misunderstanding.

The characters were great. Quite well-developed and life-like. My personal favorite was Melody–I loved her spunky, melodramatic personality, and all the hilarious comments she added. When I first started the book, it was a little hard to figure out whose POV it was from, but it became clearer within the first few pages. By the way, I kept wanting to call Joel “Joe” instead. Not sure why–I just thought it fit him better.

Wrap-up: This was a really fun, exciting read. It’s a blend of magical realism, alternate reality, and steampunk. I highly recommend it. Just a warning though: the explanation behind the origin of Rithmatist powers was hinted at, and it points to a rather dark theory. Some of the religious aspects, a fight scene toward the end, and the actual villain were very creepy and disturbing. Not for the weak of stomach.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Most characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Made up curses, like “dusts,”and “dusting,” were common phrases.

Romance/Sexual Content
Mentions of dress showing quite a bit of leg, a girl being pretty, etc

Spiritual Content
The Monarchical Church in the book seems Christian in nature at first, and is classified with other Christian denominations. However, from the little tidbits that were in the book, it seems more of a religion glorifying science, along with some ritualistic aspects that could become dark very quickly.

Violent Content
Most of the attacks are off page, though the end fight scene is very creepy. The wild chalklings eat off the skin and eyes of victims. One “historical” account of a chalkling attack is pretty disturbing.

Drug Content
None.

Review: Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Book Review and Content, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2)
Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published on October 16, 2016

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About Gemina
Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.

My Review
One of the really fun things about this book (both books in the series, actually) is the unusual way the story is told. Instant message transcripts and transcripts of video footage make up the bulk of the story with some additional notes, like memos, journal illustrations, and emails sprinkled in.

Hanna’s a tough cookie, and a bit spoiled. She won me over because she quickly put aside her infatuation with fashion and her dreamy boyfriend to take on the task of bringing down hostile invaders.

Nik is basically your typical bad boy with the heart of gold. Maybe a little trope-y, but to be honest, I never mind that kind of a hero, so I was totally in—even though it did take me a while to get past his rough edges.

The story moves fast—lots happens and the stakes pretty much constantly jump higher and higher. Some of the twists caught me completely unprepared. I liked how things dove-tailed together to complete the arc.

Readers who enjoy quick dialogue and banter as well as somewhat gritty sci-fi will want this one on their lists. Gemina makes a great follow-up to the series debut, Illuminae, and I had no trouble following it even though I’d forgotten a lot of pertinent details to that first book.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white. Nik’s cousin has some physical disabilities as a result of her surviving a plague illness.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Another clever thing about this story is it censored most of the profanity, as if someone went back and blacked out the words from the record. A couple words did not get blacked out.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a boy and girl. Also several scenes contain some sexual innuendo. At one point, Hanna ends up in her bra and underwear for non-romantic reasons, and has to find another outfit. There are a couple of references to her being in bed with her boyfriend, but they focus on either falling asleep or waking together, etc, rather than sexual details.

Spiritual Content
A couple of “Oh my God!” – “No, it’s just me,” kinds of comments.

Violent Content
Strong violence in several scenes. A man executes a hostage by shooting him in the head. Creepy descriptions tell of a parasite capable of attacking others which renders its victims sort of braindead and helpless. A couple gory descriptions of animal deaths.

Drug Content
Nik’s family deals a powerful drug referred to as dust. He’s involved in the manufacturing of the drug and in selling it. Hanna purchases it for friends and parties, but maintains that her own use is minimal or under control. She seems to have extreme familiarity with the effects of the drug and uses it for other purposes as the story progresses.

Review: What Goes Up by Katie Kennedy

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What Goes Up
Katie Kennedy
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published July 18, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About What Goes Up
Rosa and Eddie are among hundreds of teens applying to NASA’s mysterious Multi-World Agency. After rounds of crazy-competitive testing they are appointed to Team 3, along with an alternate, just in case Eddie screws up (as everyone expects he will). What they don’t expect is that aliens will arrive from another dimension, and look just like us. And no one could even imagine that Team 3 would be the only hope of saving our world from their Earth-destroying plans. The teens steal the spacecraft (it would be great if they knew how to fly it) and head to Earth2, where the aliens’ world and people are just like ours. With a few notable exceptions.

There, the teens will find more than their alternate selves: they’ll face existential questions and high-stakes adventure, with comedy that’s out of this world.

My Review
I definitely enjoyed the constant jokes and comedy between the characters. It created this deep sense of camaraderie in the group and kept the story from getting too bogged down by all of the scientific details. I liked the juxtaposition of the serious crisis and the comedic moments.

The point-of-view alternates between Eddie and Rosa, who at first don’t have great impressions of each other. It’s not long before they come to respect, admire and come to need each other. I liked the chemistry between Rosa, Eddie, and Trevor. They made a great team and balanced each other well.

What Goes Up was a quick read for me. Every time I sat down to read just a few pages, I’d fly through chapter after chapter, always wondering what the teams would face next. There’s enough science to keep sci-fi fans flipping pages and enough great dialogue to keep fans of more character-driven stories well-satisfied. Totally a fun summer read.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Rosa is Asian and Trevor is black. At one point Trevor wonders whether his alternate self is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used with moderate frequency.

Romance/Sexual Content
At one point Rosa needs help getting to town for supplies to manage her period. She’s embarrassed, but doesn’t give any real details about her situation. Brief kissing between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A group of boys try to throw Rosa down the stairs. Eddie is nearly injured when a bomb goes off. A couple of skirmishes between Eddie’s team and alternate Earth guys bent on destroying Earth. Nothing graphically violent.

Drug Content
Eddie gets very drunk after a conflict with a family member and the leadership of the program he’s in.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

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