AUTHOR/EDITOR: Christopher Mahoney
INFO: Paperback, Fiction, 262 pages
PUBLISHED: Pariah Publishing, 2008
ISBN#: 978-0-9795202-4-2
HOW'D I GET IT: Won from First Reads on Goodreads
FROM GOODREADS: The book follows Zack Goodspeed, a perfectly normal 11-year old boy, who discovers his eccentric grandfather has invented a source of unlimited power, called the Onyx Sun and harnessed that power to fuel a spaceship. Stowing away on the ship with his mischievous neighbor Angelina "Max" Maximillian, Zack is thrust into a journey that strands him on the Moon, introduces him to bold new friends, and pits him against Dr. Machvel, a rogue member of a crew bent on turning the Onyx Sun into a weapon of mass destruction.
Through an imaginative storyline, the book immerses children in the possibilities they will one-day face to improve humanity through invention and technological exploration. It is a scintillating, roller-coaster ride of a story that helps kids also understand the nature of friendships, conflict, and personal growth.
MY TAKE: I thought this was a cute book for young readers just dipping their toes in the Science Fiction genre. (This was an Advance Review Copy so I do hope the typos and grammatical errors were caught and corrected.) Zach turns into quite the hero by the end, with a little help. Max aka Angelina was a great side-kick addition as this book could lean a little heavy on the boy's club without her.
Because this was a rather light, quick read, you don't get too involved or in-depth with the characters. This is slated to be the first book in the series, so the author possibly has plans to continue the storyline. Maybe he'll build upon them as individuals? Zach's overly-eccentric grandfather is just a bit over the top for me, but I think the kids that this book is intended for will get a kick out of him and his antics. The story moves quickly although there is a lot of detailed explanations at times that tend to slow it a bit. I think most middle grade readers will enjoy the story, especially as I understand the actual published copy has really good illustrations to go with the great cover.
MY RATING: 3/5
WHERE TO BUY IT: Amazon
I just love that the market for books for Young Adults and teens seems to have exploded. Where were all the fabulous authors when I was growing up. Can't wait to read this series and collect it for my grandkids.
ReplyDelete- Oh and by the way-
You been "bitten by a book blogger zombie" and if you want to find a cure before turning into a zombie they should visit this link
http://vvb32reads.blogspot.com/2010/09/book-blogger-zombie-giveaway-2010.html
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alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com
Lisa thanks for the zombie bite! That's cute.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about the YA books today. I'm enjoying some of their genre way more than some of the "grown-up" books. They're very fresh, especially compared to what we grew up reading.
Have a great weekend.