The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer

The Supernaturalist

Eoin Colfer takes dystopia, science fiction and orphanages and gives it a good mixup in The Supernaturalist. In Satellite City in the third millennium, population 25 million, if you don’t have sponsors, you end up in an orphanage as a human guinea pig for food and product testing. 14 year old Cosmo escapes from Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys almost getting killed in the process. As he lies dying, he sees a small blue parasite start feeding on him. He is saved by, and then joins a gang of Supernaturalists who have dedicated themselves to destroying the parasites. Then they make discoveries that turn everything they believed upside down. The plot twists and turns and there is plenty of fast paced action, the futuristic world is believable, and the characters well developed. If you enjoy dystopian sci-fi and an engrossing story, you’ll enjoy The Supernatualist.

Reserve your copy at Marrickville Library today.

Author website.

Legend by Marie Lu

Legend

An amazing debut novel from Marie Lu, Legend weaves a sci-fi future dystopia with nonstop action and the clash of classes as we meet teen protagonists June and Day. She is from a wealthy, privileged background and groomed for military leadership in the Republic. He is a boy from the slums, trying to look after his siblings and fight injustice however he is also the Republic’s most wanted criminal. From their alternating points of view we trace the story of June’s brother’s murder and her plan to exact revenge from Day. This is a complex and compelling adventure, with well developed characters and plenty of action, no wonder it’s a best seller.

Yes this is the first in a trilogy, the action continues in Prodigy and the third book is due in November 2013 – Champion. CBS hold film rights!

Arrange an interlibrary loan today.

Visit Marie Lu’s website to read an excerpt.

The Silenced by James DeVita

The Silenced

 In a state governed by the Zero Tolerance Party ( ZT), citizens are forbidden to read, write and even remember, ‘as the state’s first priority must be the safety of its citizens’. Set in the aftermath of the Millennium War, everyone must be homogenous in thought and appearance. Living in a ‘re-dap’ community to undergo re-education, Marena’s anger grows as she remembers how her mother was arrested and murdered for speaking out against the government. She slowly begins to remember more - her father standing by and doing nothing and despite not being sure who she can trust, she forms her own resistance group – the White Rose. Marena and her friends especially boyfriend Dex, and newcomer Eric are the alternating narrators. With echos of Nazi Germany but chilling reminders of current events you will be engaged by this convincing dystopian future. A longer read  at over 500 pages, it is a compelling page turner.

Request it be purchased by MarrickvilleLibrary.

The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick

The Last Book in the Universe

Rodman Philbrick owes much to science fiction and slang in The last book in the universe. After the Big Shake, life is bleak in the Urbs with genetic defects, a toxic environment, sprawling ruins and most of civilization destroyed those who remain are at the mercy of gangs. The lucky ones live in Eden, they are all genetically improved and enjoying grass and trees and a clean environment.

Spaz is a misfit in a society of outcasts – he has epilepsy and was brought up by foster parents. Due to the epilepsy he is unable to use the drug like mind probes that everyone else uses daily to download entertainment directly into their brain via images, instead he reads. When he finds out his sister is dying of leukaemia he sets out on a journey to find her accompanied by an old man he has befriended, Ryter.

Spaz tells the story in his own words with plenty of slang.

Nominated for many awards, this is  a thought provoking and action packed read. A unique book with great characters and an excellent writing style.

 Reserve your copy at Marrickville Library today.

Check out the authors website for excerpts and other books

Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083 by Andrea White

Surviving Antartica

Mashing together the reality and survival games genre of TV with a future in which few people have a hope of education or a real job, Andrea White has created a story of courage and survival. Everyday life in 2083 revolves around television, education delivered via TV and 100% viewing by the whole population is expected during prime time. Keeping the masses satisfied in this manner keeps the crime rate down but it is getting harder and harder to keep audiences engaged. The latest series of Reality TV will bring five 14 year olds to Antarctica to re-enact Robert F. Scott’s failed 1912 expedition to reach the South Pole. In the hopes of winning the prize money that will enable them to have a hope for the future Robert, Billy, Polly, Andrew and Grace are the select group sent to Antartica. They each have specific abilities that may help them survive, they will need every chance they have as the stakes are real: make it to the South Pole or perish, there are no back-ups. White’s writing is well paced, the real excerpts from Scott’s diary add detail and drama and there are many thought provoking ideas about the nature of television entertainment, education and personal values.

Reserve your copy at Marrickville Library today.

The Chrysalids by John Wyndham

The Chrysalids

The Chrysalids is set in Newfoundland and Labrador in a post-apocalyptic future. In the gentle rural community that David Strorm belongs to, there is no tolerance for those who do not conform to the ‘True Image’. Any slight deviations are destroyed whether they are plant, animal or human. His father is a patriarch in the fundamentalist preacher style who zealously seeks out such mutations to destroy them.  David realises as he grows up that he possesses telepathic abilities, he and others are able to hide their ‘defect’ however their lives are endangered when his little sister Petra turns out to have the same power but to a much greater degree. It is a compelling and thought provoking work, well beloved by generations of science fiction reader and reflects on human nature and our fear of difference.

Wyndham wrote a series of stories exploring the themes of destroyed civilisations, whether from aftermath of nuclear war or from alien invasion. They are The Day of the Triffids, The Midwich Cuckoos and The Kraken Wakes.

 Reserve your copy at the NSW State Library today.

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

Mortal Engines

In his award winning title Mortal engines, Philip Reeve has built an amazing future world in which after a huge war, the decimation and scarcity of resources has caused the cities of Europe to uproot themselves and roam about on wheels hunting for smaller towns to ‘devour.’  Referred to as Municipal Darwinism, the idea seems laughable but Reeve has managed to make the whole structure of society believable and engaging.  Thomas, a third-class apprentice to the Guild of Historians in the moving city of London, hero worships Thaddeus Valentine the Head Historian, until the day when he prevents Hester Shaw attacking Valentine and ends up ejected from the city next to her. An unwilling hero he becomes caught up in her desire for revenge and the struggles of the Anti-Traction League – those living in the static cities trying to avoid being taken over. There are many startling ideas raised, the clash of good and evil with a compelling and action packed storyline, make this is a great read, you won’t want it to end. Good news is it doesn’t, Predator’s gold, Infernal devices and A darkling plain are all as popular as the first in the quartet. There are also a series of prequels, with different protagonists and different cities but helping continue the world-building and steam punk style sci- fi of Mortal engines, they are Fever crumb, A web of air  and Scrivener’s moon.

 A possible movie adaptation may be on the cards with Peter Jackson said to have bought the rights.

 

Reserve your copy at Marrickville Library today.

Author website, enjoy reading an excerpt and you tube links.