Science Fiction Books

I am a huge fan of Percy Jackson & Harry Potter. It is hard to compete with books like those. This series is just as good. All 3 series are similar yet they all have their niche. Great books, highly recommened.

I had been waiting for the Magician since I read the Alchemyst. The author has captured my attention. History, fantasy, and mythology are seamlessly blended into a story that pulls you along in an exciting, action-filled plot.

The author rarely wastes our time, every chapter he brings to us new developments, some answers, and yet more questions to be answered in the next novel. The characters are all utterly believable, and the questions that surround characters like Flamel and Dee kept me hooked.

It is rather hard to believe that Scott managed to cram this book in a short time (a day or two,) but living through every second with the characters makes the story, their actions, and everything else more credible.

I simply cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.

I ordered The Alchemyst to see if I'd be interested in this proposed series. Even though it is written for young adults, it is interesting to see how the author handles the rumors of Flamel's long life. It's a fun read.

Loved every word in this book! I miss the Harry Potter books terribly, and picked up the first book in this series simply because it mentioned Nicholas Flamel, a name I recognized from the first Harry Potter book. I was hooked and waited impatiently for the next book to come out, was so happy to see it! I just finished reading it, and found it better than the first!! I love the inclusion of historical places, and characters! I get thrilled "meeting" characters from the past! It is such a great series!!! I CAN NOT wait for the next one! Great story.

The magician can only be described as AMAZING. i picked up this book expecting greatness and was still surprised that what a great book this was. A word of advice keep your computer close you will want... i take that back..NEED to look up the different things the author put into this book. its crazy how much detail was put into this book and those that have read lots of fiction will find themselves recalling facts that they have one read before. A must read

This is a book that was read to my older brother my sisten and lastely me. I have read this to my children and I was happy to find it still in print for my Grandson. It was out of print for some time but it's back. Hardcover, great colors, the origional illustrations still intact. This is an absolutly wonderful book, I was glad to stumble across it on Amazon.

As a boy I had studiously avoided Lindgren's more famous creation Pippi Longstocking, partly because it was about a GIRL ("The horror! The horror!"), but also because it struck me at the time as just too silly. "Mio, My Son" is neither, but I had never heard of it before stumbling upon it in the list of chapter books reprinted by Purple House Press, which specializes in reprinting OOP children's classics. Since they had started by reprinting no less than FIVE of my favorite books from my childhood, all long out of print until they came along, I was inclined to trust their judgment sight unseen. "Mio, My Son" at least, did not disappoint.

Perhaps because it began as a short story of Andy and the genie, which Lindgren later expanded into the current novel, "Mio, My Son" starts rather slowly. I know that I began to wonder when "something" was going to "happen" after Mio arrived in Farawayland, but be patient. Lindgren is slowly drawing you into her world, making you care for characters that shortly will be plunged into terrible danger in the rousing climax. The charming illustrations by Ilon Wikland nicely complement the story. After this I am looking forward to reading PHP's other Astrid Lindgren title The Brothers Lionheart with greater interest.

Note: The publisher claims the reading level as 6-12; IMHO it's better classified towards the younger end of that scale, ESPECIALLY for boys. The Purple House reprint of Mio, My Son is worth picking up even if you own an older edition because of the smooth new English translation by Jill Morgan (the publisher herself?).

I had forgotten about this book until someone just asked me to name my favorite book. I read this book again and again as a child and found it absolutely entrancing. I highly recommend it to anyone who dreams of living in a fantasty world of their own.

I am so happy to find this book in English so that I can share it to my little American friends. In Germany, where I was born in 1983, Astrid Lindgren is a 'must-have' in every children's bookshelf. I grew up with beautiful characters like Mio and Madita, Michel and Ronja. I think the other reviews speak for themselves, I just wanted to add one more thing from self experience:
I think these bed-time fitted books (chapter length chosen for a 15 to 30 min reading session) are what made me dream as fantastic as I still do.
Astrid Lindgren knew the secret of how to catch on to children's interest, and how to pack messages of value in understandable words for them...

From E.A. Solinas' review: "It's never really dark or genuinely thrilling..."

Absolutely no offense intended, but try saying that if you're an 8-year-old girl who loves horses and fairy tales! This book has haunted me for years. I checked it out time and time again from my school library, and tried to find it as an adult, but I couldn't remember the title, the main character's name OR the author. All I remembered was ..."a horse called Miramis"... but that was somehow enough to track it down on a lost books site.

I remember the story as being mystical and full of entrancing descriptions. The story of a journey to destiny is timeless, and really captured me back then. I'm just thrilled to have found it again, and can't wait to get another copy.

While the Book of the Long Sun ended on a satisfactory note to those who didn't want to read further, it also allowed itself plenty of room to continue the stories of those who were involved in it. At the end of that long work, we found that the Whorl was apparently a giant spaceship and that the actual plan was to get everyone to two planets that it was near, Blue and Green. And thus, everyone did. Sort of. We pick up the tale a few decades later on Blue where Horn (who "wrote" Book of the Long Sun) finds that everything seems to be falling apart, civilization isn't what it used to be and the colonists are being attacked by inhumi, flying, shapeshifting vampiric creatures. Thus he decides to go on a quest to find the one man who can put it all back together, Patera Silk, who has been AWOL since we last saw him (and had an awesomely understated exit at the close of that last tetraology) and while he fully intends on doing it alone, it doesn't quite work out that way.

Wolfe is never going to an action packed writer, his prose is dense and things tend to unfold slowly, interlocking and branching until it all comes together. This is probably his most accessible book, at least on the surface, told in a first person style by Horn that is straightforward, although still heavy on ruminations from time to time. Horn has personality, although he lacks Silk's razor sharp and almost casual insights and his singularity of purpose. But as a straight-up quest, events are much easier to follow this time out. At first. Then things get deceptive.

The early part of this book, for all its accessibility, can be rough going for those who never read "Book of the Long Sun" because there are a lot of references to that previous series, to the point where I wondered when the actual plot was going to start or if we'd just be rehashing events from "Long Sun" in greater detail and a first-person viewpoint. Then it changes and I can remember almost the exact point where all the first-personness condensed and became something far sharper and harder than I expected. It comes as suddenly the narrative starts to reference events that have occurred after our current point of view, a future Horn writing about events from his relative youth.

The sequence is brief, but it ends with the lyrically eloquent: "But know this: the best and happiest of my hours you know nothing about. I have seen days like gold." From that point on the book seems to gain focus, especially once Krait the inhumi comes on board, inserting these very alien but seemingly human creatures into the story adds another level to it. Meanwhile, the narrative itself splits and simultaneously becomes about Horn's life years from now after the book's events are over and what is happening now and what gets him to Green. He manages to do both without becoming confusing and still allowing mysteries to linger for future novels and does it so easily that you don't realize how difficult this is to pull off. Which is what makes it deceptive, he pulls you right into the complex and you never realize how much of a fractal you've entered.

Gene Wolfe at his best as he weaves the whorl and Horn in an enigmatic manner that exemplifies his style. I am always just short of being frustrated with Wolfe. You wait and wait, read and read, hoping for something significant to happen yet never seems to, only to discover that it has already happen but you didn't know. The frustration and mystification will only increase with subsequent books in the series as Horn devolves into
a multi-dimensional confusion of characters and space-time reality. I fell in love with the siren Seawrack and feel pity for Krait the alien vampire...or is he a manifestation of Horn's son Sinew? Wolfe will tease and tempt you but never really answer any of your questions while seducing you with effortless, gorgeous prose. I miss Silk.

Reading this brilliant first portion of "Short Sun," I repeatedly wondered if Wolfe had not decided to pay homage to David Lindsay's woefully unknown masterpiece, "A Voyage to Arcturus." In many ways, Horn seems much like Lindsay's character, Maskull, metamorphosizing to meet the demands of each situation, using and abusing those who offer him aid while trying to overcome his base urges and rise to the status of savior.

Wolfe is never content to simply tell a story, though, and his narrative complexities often scare off readers...Severian's memoir in The Book of the New Sun is, sadly, seen as overly long-winded by some; the progression of intrigues in Long Sun is considered, by many, the book's greatest weakness, along with its treasury of characters. Short Sun is no different: Horn's meditations are deeply personal, more of a confessional than anything. It is fitting that Horn, like Severian, narrates in the first person. Where Severian is distinctly amoral, relating his actions, ranging from murder to rape and worse, with no hint of regret, or even the notion that he should feel regret, Horn relates his actions with perfect honesty and marked shame...his memoir is a plea for mercy, while Severian's is simply a chance to allow others to remember.

Wolfe's characterization is at its peak, here, and I do not believe he has ever written more human characters. I'm eagerly anticipating the arrival of the next two volumes in my mailbox!

..
I've never much cared for the Wolfe I've read (which isn't all that
much), but he gets so much praise from people whose opinions
I respect that, every few years, I try him again [note 1]. This time,
I tried On Blue's Waters (1999), since I recalled seeing some comments
that the Short Sun 'series' (which appears to be one long novel) is
unusually accessible. Plus, I saw a blurb by Michael Swanwick
praising Wolfe as the world's greatest working novelist, in *any*
genre....

Anyway, Blue's does have clear prose and an unambiguously sfnal
setting -- Blue is a pleasantly Earthlike planet that has recently been
settled by colonists from the Long Sun generation-ship, which is a
VERY large spaceship indeed. This is good, because I recall being put
off in both the New Sun and Long Sun books by the fantasy-that's-
really-SF tomfoolery [note 2].

Blue's also has a broken-back plot structure that got in the way of
Wolfe's story (IMO), but there was enough going on to lure me into
finishing the thing, even after it became obvious that this wasn't a
stand-alone book (another annoyance). Anyway, Wolfe's conceit
here is that On Blue's Waters is the memoir of the viewpoint
character (with complications noted in the reviews cited below).
Fine, except that it's a *first draft* memoir (written with a quill pen
on handmade paper....), and the narrator is constantly jumping around
from story-present to various times in his past, which I found both
confusing and annoying. Plus the bridge-bits (which make it a
'memoir' rather than flashbacks) are meandering and rather dull.
And there are all these carried-over characters from the Long Sun
books, that I'm supposed to recognize, I guess... Faugh.

So here I am again, wondering how Wolfe has acquired such a
stellar reputation from books that I find, at best, annoyingly 'literary'
and at worst unreadable. Why would Wolfe structure Blue's as a
confusing, meandering and dullish pseudo-memoir? How is this
better than using a conventional first-person with flashbacks plot-
structure? Why does Wolfe deliberately fracture and obscure what's
basically a fine travel-adventure yarn? His choice, of course, and he
clearly knows what he's doing, but it sure doesn't agree with me.
Sigh.

I'm guessing that the Short Sun is as straightforward as Wolfe is
likey to get, at novel-length anyway, and I liked On Blue's Waters
well enough that I may continue into Green's Jungles sometime --
but I'm afraid that most of the glittering jewels that others see in
Wolfe's work look like dusty pebbles to me.
___________________
Note 1). I vividly recall a long-ago weekend in some godforsaken
mining camp when for some reason all I had to read was Free Live
Free. And it rained. It was a VERY long weekend, and it was years
before I touched another Wolfe.

2). I abandoned both series (after about 1.5 of each), not because of
this, but because I Didn't Care What Happened to Those People.
I have had better luck with his short stories -- I've liked maybe 1/3 of
those that I've read, as opposed to, basically, none of the novels.
I believe that I've sampled most of what Wolfe's fans think is
his best work....

Review copyright 2002 by Peter D. Tillman
First published at Infinity Plus, with links and discussion:
infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/blueh2o2.htm

(...)
The Book of the Short Sun will be one of the finest reading experiences of your life... if you can get through the thing. The difficulty in extracting those rewards out of the text is considerable and not to be lightly discounted. Reading these books will require supreme effort. Willing readers will have to be intensely interested with how individuals relate to historical and semi-mythical figures, religion, and their own personality as influenced by these themes. These books are about as far as you can get from the popular concept of "space opera" and thrilling, "page-turning" fiction. An analogy to Moby Dick is probably very appropriate as that work due to the very slow pacing, the introspection, and the great literary symbols stomping through the setting reified and alive. Any scholar of literature should be deeply fascinated by these books.

WHY YOU SHOULD PASS:

There is no shame in not reading these books. They are terribly difficult and an exercise in stamina though we feel most people should at least try once. If you have attempted Shakespeare and been turned back because of the language; if you have attempted Moby Dick or novels by Henry James only to be turned away by the lack of progression in the plot; if you have attempted James Joyce's Ulysses but been baffled by the interior monologue, then Short Sun is probably going to daunt you as well. But we feel the rewards of this book are equal to those giants in literature.

(...)

love this book!!! there is so much going on!! amy and andy are really hot together

I started reading this book series last year when I was looking for something to read. After I read the first book I fell in love with the series. This one is my favorite book! I think Aly is really funny when she gets very hyper. If you LOVE the Replica books then you'll LOVE LOVE LOVE! this one!

Have fun reading!

This book was really really good. It is probably my favorite out of all of the series. I would reccomend to girls 10-13. Everyone would LOVE this book!!!!! You'll really like it if you like adventure with comic. Totally great!

It's another organization-planned 'get-together' with the clones. Only this time, ALL the clones are there, including all the surviving Amys and all the Andys. They're trapped on a perfect Island Paradise - the sand feels soft and warm, the water is crystal-clear and full of colorful fish, and the sun shines brilliantly all the time. Too bad the clones can't enjoy the experience; they're being held here against their will by 'The Organization!!' Their supervisors, a woman named Cindy and the Mr. Devon clones, force them to play a frightening game similar to 'Survivor.' But you better watch out when you're voted off.. it's pretty serious!!

I loved this book sooo much!! The only thing I didn't like about it was that whole celebrity-clone thing. I mean, c'mon. How would they know which baby would be a celebrity someday? Are they just mass-producing future celebs in cloning labs or something? 'Hmm, this baby looks like she could be a supermodel someday. Let's clone her!!' hehe. Anyway, I loved the rest of the book. It was great!!!

REPLICA!!!!! One of then best sci- fiction series ever. If you haven't read any other of the Replica books I suggest you read the following ones before reading this book.
#1 Amy, Number Seven
#11 Lucky Thirteen
#3 Another Amy
#6 And the Two Shall Meet
#12 In Search of Andy
#4 Perfect Girls
If you have read a lot of the Replica books already, you probably won't need to read those.. Anyway, this was one of the best Replica Books in the series. You learn a lot more about the Project Cresent Clones, and OTHER CLONES!!! This was really a great book. Also, our Amy reunites with some old friends. And ENEMIES!!!

Great way to end the series! Its somehow related to the TV series and gives you a little perspective on things. A must have for any Roswell fan! =)

Several of the books in this series had a rushed feel to them, I thought the writing got better in this one.
The teens finally figure out a way to free Max from the collective consciousness and free the alien homeworld from it's grip as well. I'd expected the story to be pretty sloppy but was pleased to see it was better.
The Max/Liz and Michael/Maria romances even ran pretty much the way the TV series did with the exception that in this story Michael was going to return to the homeworld with brother Trevor and Isabel was going to go with him. Isabel decides to remain with her "family"and Michael, who had never admitted his feeling to Maria, decided that he too had to stay.
You do kind of get left with a "where's the rest of the series?" feeling as this is the last we see of the Roswell storyline.

OK, this book, in my opinion was the best at the end for romantic reasons. Michael and Maria both had a thing for the other, but, yes, Michael is a little dense, and once he fooled around with this evil Cameron (as you can probably tell, I hate her). Finally though, Michael and Maria admitted feelings, and it was so sweet! (I'm Michael-Maria crazy). The bad thing is that Alex and Isabel practically said (yes, they did) they only wanted to be friends, which totally sucks. Another thing: Max and Liz have always been totally corny in the books, but this time, they crossed the line. They act all lovey-dovey even after Liz's problems with Adam. If you ask me, they're too perfect a couple to be real. All in all, though, this book really came through.

Melinda Metz is a fantastic author. I loved her other Roswell books but this is, by far, the best one yet. I was jumping out of my seet from the first page. I love how Melinda ended the book, it was very twisty and tourney and almost made me cry. When I was done with the book I felt good to know what happens but I also felt sad to know that this was the end of Roswell. It's so depressing realizing somethings going to end.

The Salvation by Melinda Metz was truely a terrific ending to the Roswell High series. After all of the conflicts and terrors that Max, Liz, Michael, Maria, Alex, and Isabel had gone through in previous books, The Salvation needed a happy ending to calm the reader's nerves. And that's just what Metz delivered. If you've read the other Roswell high books don't even hesitate to read about their final battle in The Salvation.
The only thing I wish now was that she had written more!

I find this a very provocative science fiction trilogy. Lewis' view of cosmology and theology is neat, and the story, though somewhat dated, is interesting.

I absolutely LOVED this series. My science fiction loving father recommended it and now I have become a sci-fi junkie because of it. A great story that shows our history and future in interesting ideas. Fantastic read.

Books such as these cannot fail to change you. There have been many books in my life which I could say that about, but short of the Bible, I think these surpass them all (Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or G.K. Chesterton's Man Who Was Thursday being the only serious competition).
I cannot speak about these books without a tone of awe, it would be absolutely useless to try and explain why. Please trust me - read these, and many times, too.

Out of the Silent Planet
C.S. Lewis
Scribner Paperback
ISBN 0684823802

This is the first book in C.S. Lewis's amazing Space Trilogy. These books are far less known than Lewis's Narnia series or even his Mere Christianity or The Screwtape Letters, yet it is just as good as any of those writings and goes to show the versatility of Lewis as an author.

This first book begins with our hero, Dr. Ransom, out for a walking tour in the countryside, dressed in that shabby way for which professors are renowned. His foes are his former schoolmates Devine and Weston. These men believe they need a human sacrifice, and by capturing Ransom they have their victim, for they have made a spaceship and are taking Ransom to Malacandra the red planet.

Once on Mars, Ransom escapes his captors, meets many species, and finds out that on Mars there has been no `Fall' and Ransom from Earth or the Silent Planet is a bit of an oddity. People from earth are considered to be `bent' in nature, from the original sin of the fall.

Follow Ransom as he treks across a strange world, and must find the courage to risk it all to save not only an alien race, but also, possibly his own soul.

This is a first book in an amazing series. Try it - you won't be disappointed.

Perelandra
C.S. Lewis
Scribner Paperback
ISBN 0684823829

This is the second book in C.S. Lewis's amazing Space Trilogy. This book was written as a sequel to the immensely popular Out of the Silent Planet but Lewis also wrote it so that the story can stand on its own. So if you haven't read the first you can start here.

This book takes place some time after the first, but we are not sure how long. Ransom has received a summons to Venus, a planet that is just beginning its inhabited life. This planet's `Adam' and `Eve' are on the planet and they must choose to obey God or to reject his law and face a `fall' as has happened on earth.

Ransom must face his old foe Weston, and try to save a planet from great evil. Can he navigate this watery planet; can he negotiate the intricacies of human weakness, temptation and corruption? Can he conquer himself and help others to learn obedience?

This is a great creation story. Try it - you won't be disappointed.

That Hideous Strength
C.S. Lewis
Scribner Paperback
ISBN 0684823853

This is the third and final book in C.S. Lewis's amazing Space Trilogy. This book was written as a sequel to the immensely popular Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra but Lewis also wrote it so that the story can stand on its own. So if you haven't read the first, you can start here.

That Hideous Strength, unlike the first 2 books in this series, where Ransom leaves earth and fights evil in space and on other planets, the battle in this book takes place on earth.

Ransom must lead a group of faithful believers against National Institute for Coordinated Experiments or N.I.C.E., an organization that believes that Science can solve all of humanity's problems. He must battle the people in this organization, super aliens trying to invade and control earth and use its population against other planets and against God.

On top of all of that, Merlin has arisen from his long sleep and has arisen in England's time of greatest need. But the question is, who will find him first - N.I.C.E. or Ransom and his team? The fate of the world, and possibly the universe, rests on this question.

Lewis called this story an adult's fairy-tale. It is a mix of sci-fi and fantasy, and a book that will keep your attention as you raptly turn the pages to find out where Lewis will lead you.

Sometimes learning is like sunbathing. You soak up wisdom like you soak up rays--changing, even though you can't pinpoint every little drop that touched you.

I say that because today I completed the second book in C. S. Lewis' Space Trilogy. True, I can't name one thing I learned (and this series is much more about exploring concepts than telling a story), but I feel very wise. Before you laugh too hard, let me say that my spirit is quiet right now. It's still. Rested. Open. In awe. Ready to receive.

Today I will continue resting, listening. Tomorrow I'll go back over the pages and remind myself what I learned. (And then I'll start the third book.)

I highly recommend these book, but read them only when you have lots of time to reflect.

After reading the reviews I knew this book would be great... It greatly surpassed my expectations. If you are a Star Wars fan, you should order it right now!

I bought this book for my husband. He really loves it. Its like a scrapbook collection of 30 years of Star Wars. Very neat! I was disappointed because the shipping caused the book to be dented in the corners. I know its a heavy item, but Amazon should make sure to accomodate.

My husband LOVES all things 'Star Wars' and I don't think there's a single day in his life that goes by without him making at least one daily Star Wars reference. This collection has so much to offer. So many little gems that will surprise even the biggest Star Wars fan. It's so masterfully crafted and quite a show piece! It's like a modern heirloom, and sure to provide hours upon hours of enjoyment.

STAR WARS VAULT BY STEPHEN J. SANSWEET AND PETER VILMUR: Celebrating it's thirtieth anniversary this year, the Star Wars franchise is in a similar predicament to the time after the release of Return of the Jedi: no plans for future movies, apart from a continuing animated series of the Clone Wars. By the same token, fans are in the same state with little to nothing to look forward to. Thankfully, to commemorate the third decade of the blockbuster, internationally bestselling movie series, there's the Star Wars Vault: "thirty years of treasures from the Lucasfilm archives with removable memorabilia and two audio CDs.

This is not just a nicely decorated picture book in a sturdy slipcase; it's an experience, a journey that one is immediately taken one when they open up the cover. Star Wars Vault is part of the new style of picture being published, like that of 1776: The Illustrated Edition, where the book goes beyond glossy, colorful pictures and photos, but incorporates all types of media, and with the rich heritage of the Star Wars franchise which literally revolutionized the world with merchandising, Star Wars Vault is a gift that would make any fan of the series, no matter how old or how much of a fan, respect you greatly in your choice of gift.

Sansweet keeps his story short, taking up little room on the page, and leaving the evidence reproduced here in various forms to speak for itself. He begins with the fascinating tale of how the first movie, Star Wars Episode IV, barely made it to release, and with little support, until the enormous numbers of audience members proved that the studio executives were very wrong. While Sansweet spends less time on the development and release of the rest of the movies, the experience as one turns the pages and relives the history of the Star Wars empire is unlike that of any other. With unique photos, movie posters, and a plethora of pictures from around the world, there are innumerable insets and handouts of unique items like patches, stickers, collectible postcards, film cells, and even two audio CDs with a variety of different pieces ranging from the mid-eighties radio ads, to special interviews, to a recording of the song sung by Carrie Fisher for the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special.

While the price for Star Wars Vault is considerable, no one will regret it when they turn the page and discover the world within. It is a book that will immediately be quickly read, the stickers and patches possibly used, and added to the shelf to be rediscovered over and over.

[...]

My 8-year-old, who is a huge Star Wars fan, loves this book. Unfortunately, because it's so cheaply made, it fell apart shortly after he got it. The pages have completely separated from the hard cover, probably because the materials/methods used in the binding are too flimsy. For a more-than-$50 "collector's edition," the publisher should have made the book to last more than two weeks. It will cost me $85 to have it repaired.

The saga continues starring Damali and Carlos and some bad-beyond-the-bone characters. The Dark side and the Light side show what they are made of in spades. Loved it!

Book is Awesome! The entire L.A. Banks series of the vampire huntress is awesome! I really recommend any of her books.

I have read all of LA Banks books in the VHL series and have loved each and every one of them, but this book was off the hook. I got goosebumps reading this book when she started talking about scenes in Revelation. Just AWESOME. A very good read.

As usual, L.A. Banks does not let me down with The Wicked. I've read all 7 VHL books. She hits all the high marks in this one. It's explosive, otherworldly, dark, and filled with words and geographic regions that will send you running to your BIG dictionary searching for meanings. Never mind, read on and you'll understand. Gripped by this book, it was a constant companion to my purse--I couldn't leave home without it. Her cast of interracial characters is typical L.A. Banks writing style. And the war scenes will--to borrow her phase--knock your head back. I'm obsessed and ready for the next one, Ms. Banks. This book deserves 5-plus stars.
Minnie E Miller
Author

Okay so I am definitely a huge fan of L.A. Banks and this book is no exception. In this selection she brings Cain into the mix and it makes for an interesting plot twist. He is in love with Damali and from the first page of the book you see just how twisted his love for her can be. But Damali and Carlos are finally getting their honeymoon but inevitably something happens that brings their mood down and the book begins. That is all I am going to delve into but trust me I am a faithful reader of the series and this is a book,series that you want to get into. So for first time readers you will be lost if you start up now but for faithful readers get ready for a great sit down read.

Tobias books always have interesting perspectives. In this one, the Yeerks have developed an Anti-Morphing Ray that would cause anyone in morph to revert to their normal form. The Animorphs plan to destroy the weapon by being voluntarily captured, which would lead the others to the AMR so they can destroy it. Tobias sees that he is the ideal choice, for the AMR being tested on him would make it seem as though the very science behind the ray doesn't work (and the Yeerks won't bother to create another).

Unique parts of this book include flashback scenes of Tobias's past as a human and other memories of the previous books. Taylor, the sub-visser interrogator, is an interesting new character that appears later in the series. There are some fairly intense torture scenes as well, as a note of caution. You'd think that Tobias would become very messed up after this, (like having conditioned physical responses to red and blue light), but he ends up okay, just a bit more introspective and contained than before. After all, he has Rachel to help him recover mentally and emotionally.

This was a good book, adding in elements of Andalite culture and lore. It's more serious than some other books, fewer wisecracks, but an overall well-written and scripted book.

The Illusion is one of my favorite books for two reasons. Number 1: It's narrated by Tobias. I LOVE TOBIAS. He is definately, by far the best Animorph. Number 2. The whole thing was so well done. I liked the Anti Morphing Ray thing, and once you started it, you were hooked.

A note to all you Animorph readers who haven't read that many books yet: Don't start with this one. It gives away a lot of Tobiias's secrets from earlier books.

This book is about how the Animorphs try to destroy an evil device. Tobias has to acquire A's DNA. The bad thing is, the yeerks thought Tobias was an andelite. They try to make him demorph.There are many main characters, Ax, Rachel, Tobias, Jake, Cassie and Marco. They each have special things about each of the Animorphs. Cassie can morph the fastest.The conflict or problem for the main characters are the yeerks try to take control of the world.They have a device to try to make andelites and humans demorph.This would allow the Animorphs' secrets to be given up. How they resolved their conflict is that when Tobias got captured, his friends saved him.Then they completed the mission and left. That is how they solved the conflict. I would recommend this book to others. This is a good book to read. I didn't want to stop reading.

This book is about how the Animorphs try to destroy an evil device.Tobias has to acquire A's DNA.The bad thing is, the yeerks thought Tobias was an andelite.They try to make him demorph.There are many main characters, Ax, Rachel, Tobias, Jake, Cassie and Marco.They each have special things about each of the Animorphs. Cassie can morph the fastest.The conflict or problem for the main characters are the yeerks try to take control of the world.They have a device to try to make andelites and humans demorph.This would allow the Animorphs' secrets to be given up. How they resolved their conflict is that when Tobias got captured, his friends saved him.Then they completed the mission and left. That is how they solved the conflict.I would recommend this book to others. This is a good book to read.I didn't want to stop reading.

In this book, The Animorphs must capture the AMR (anti-morphing ray) and give it to the Chee to hide. The AMR is a device that makes anything that's morphed return to its natraul form. Tobias volenteers, since his natraul form is hawk. He aquires Ax and morphs him and Ax teaches him Andalite tail blade fighting. Tobias loves the Andalite body. He goes into the Yeerk Comuntiy center and is captured by a sub-visser with a host named Taylor (female host). Taylor is volantary. She tortures Tobias. Will Tobias get out of the Yeerk Pool alive, or will he become a Controller or die? Read the book to find out!

"Good fences make good neighbors." That's what Cass's dad said when he found out a black family was moving in next door. Cass even helped him build the fence. But as the new neighbors moved in, Cass couldn't help but be curious. Watching through a peephole in the fence, Cass's blue eye found a brown eye staring back at her.

Cass asked Jemmie, "Do you like to run?"

Jemmie responded, "Run? Girl, I don't run, I fly. Can't nobody beat me."

The race was on. They both sneaked out of their homes the next morning to find out who was fastest, and instead found "Chocolate Milk."

This is the story of their friendship. It's also a story of crossing boundaries, change, and eventual acceptance. Theirs is a natural friendship, a friendship that's tried by the bigotry of Cass's dad, and the stubbornness of Jemmie's mother. It takes the misfortunes of a tiny baby for the parents to begin tearing down their mental fences.

Adrian Fogelin does a beautiful job of portraying tenuous relationships that exist among people trying to understand cultures different from their own, The girls are sweet and fun; their dialogue is well-written, immersing the reader in the long, hot, dog days of summer in Tallahassee, Florida.

CROSSING JORDAN leaves the reader with hope for future generations, that they will be inspired to appreciate each other, just as Cass and Jemmie were inspired to call themselves Chocolate Milk. This is the first book of Adrian Fogelin's that I've read, and I'm sure I'll be looking for more of her titles.

Reviewed by: Cana Rensberger

Crossing Jordan is one of the best Young Adult books ever written. A great lesson in race relations, an admission of being wrong, making amends and building an enduring friendship. It also teaches that friendship is more important than winning. The two girls are compared to chocolate milk, one black, one white that blend together to make a special flavor of friendship.
Adrian writes from the experiences of her neighborhood and the children that populate it. Every adult should read it too. In fact, I recommend it to adults,you will understand your child better. It's a five star rating with five more as bonuses. Once you read Crossing Jordan, you'll be hooked. Adrian Fogelin has a special talent that everyone should experience.
Ronald G. Miller, Amelia Island, Fl.

I enjoyed this book because it was adventurous. This book was about two girls who are of different races and are neighbors. The girls, Cass and Jemmie, eventually become friends in secret. Both of their parents find out about their friendship and disapprove.

Near the end of the book the girls run a race together for Sicle Cell Anemia. They are " Chocolate Milk" ,a team. At the end of the race Jemmie falls. Cass tries to help her but Jemmie says go on. But Cass doesn't. She says we are a team Chocolate Milk and they finish the race together. Everyone cheered them on as they crossed the finish line.

At the end of the book the girls had accomplished running a race, reading a long book called Jane Erye, and brought their familes together for a delicious dinner.

I enjoyed Crossing Jordan immensely. This book is about how two neighbor girls, who are of different races become friends. Both girls, Cass and Jemmie, have disapproving parents, who interfere with their friendship, but they communicate in secret. By the end of the book, the girls have run a race, read Jane Eyre and have brought their families so close that they have a potluck supper.

My favorite part of this book was when Jemmie falls in the race right before the finish line. Instead of coming in first place, Cass helps Jemmie limp across the line and they tie it in last, because they are a team, called "Chocolate Milk". I like to think of them equal in race, and finishing the race equally. They didn't win, but they each won by the other's standards. They also end up on the front page of the newspaper.

I would recommend this book to people all ages, because it has a message that that is never too late to be learned. In addition it has many historical references and generally makes a good read for anyone, especially girls.

Crossing Jordan is a book that will make it cry. It shows you that it doesn't matter how you look, anyone can be your friend. To all the people who dislike people who aren't your skin color, read Crossing Jordan and I know you'll change your mind. -Kayla Parker (11) Tallahassee, FL