Snow Crash

Second Place Winner, 2000 Teen Read Week Book Review Contest

Author: Neal Stephenson
Reviewer's Grade: 8

This book envisions a not-so-distant future where everything, from government to organized crime to pizza delivery has been made into franchises. In this overcommercialized world, the author follows the adventures of one Hiro Protagonist (get the pun?), a hacker, pizza delivery man, and sword fighter. A new...something has been released, and no one can tell whether it's a drug, a virus, or a computer virus. The tale of how he gets to the bottom of this mystery is a fascinating traverse through religion, archaeology, science, and cyberspace, not to mention secret societies and drugs. I found the story fascinating, and couldn't put it down! The plot is incredibly intricate and convoluted, but is presented in a way such that everything ends up making sense.

The Lord of the Rings

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Reviewer's Age: Grade 10

The Lord of the Rings is beloved by millions of people all around the world. The story begins with the elderly Bilbo Baggins entrusting his magic ring to his young cousin Frodo, who then learns that the ring was forged by the Dark Lord Sauron to rule all others. While Sauron searches furiously for it, Frodo must take a long and dangerous journey to the Cracks of Doom to destroy the ring. From the sweet beauty of Lothlorien to the paralyzing horror of Mordor, J.R.R. Tolkien took me on a faxcinating tour of Middle-Earth's varied and extraordinary landscapes, my pulse racing all the while. A fantasy classic and an exciting epic adventure, The Lord of the Rings is truly a timeless masterpiece.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Reviewer's Age: Grade 12

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien, consists of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. These are three books that everyone can enjoy, no matter what age. While reading, you will be taken to a time period on earth which noone now remembers, known as Middle Earth. You will be faced with many exciting adventures while on a quest to destroy evil in Middle Earth forever. Along the way you will meet many strange and forgotten creatures, both good and evil. These books have something for everyone. There is adventure, suspense, romance, friendship, and more. Once you start reading, from page one in The Fellowship of the Ring, to the last page in The Return of the King, you will not want to stop. J.R.R. Tolkien is able to bring these books to life with his vivid descriptions of the characters and surroundings. You will quickly begin to feel as though you know the different characters in his books. It is almost as if you are there in Middle Earth. This trilogy is a nice escape from reality, into a lost world of people and creatures that anyone can enjoy. So next time you are looking for a book to read to your kid, or just read on your own, make it The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Quidditch Through the Ages

Author: J.K. Rowling
Reviewer's Age: Grade 8

This book is a complete reference to Quidditch. It tells about the rules of the game, the equipment used and the different teams.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Author: J. K. Rowling
Reviewer's Age: 12

This book was about a boy named Harry who goes to a school named Hogwarts and meets many friends there. I liked the book because Harry has many adventures and his friends are interesting.

Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

Author: J.K. Rowling
Reviewer's Age: Grade 8

This book is an A to Z listing of the different creatures of the magical world. Also on the margins there are inscriptions made by Harry Potter himself.

The Golden Compass

Author: Philip Pullman
Reviewer's Age: 12

This book discusses the adventures of a young girl named Lyra who journeys to save her friend Roger from the Gobblers -- a group dedicated to discovering the mysteries of "dust" (a sub-atomic particle) by performing cruel and unusual experiments on children. On her journey, Lyra discovers who her parents really were and the many mysteries of armored bears, witches, a compass that points to the truth, and of course her own abilities.

The Giver

Author: Lois Lowry
Reviewer's Grade: 10

The Giver by Lois Lowry just jumped out at me like no other book had. Science fiction never appealed to me, yet this book had me mesmorized. It tells the story of Jonas living in a science fiction world, where he had been the chosen one in his community to be The Giver. He imprinted in my mind a new perception of this world. This book reminds me of those sad and angry emmotions that are tossed out everyday. He sees war, plague, famine; he sees death and dying. He longs to escape the painful torture, yet his duty to his entire community is to educate them of memories. What does one do, when personal happiness is at stake for all people of the community? Will Jonas be able to withstand it, or will he surrender to the pain of the world? I'd lost myself in a brief yet eventful novel, a page-turner with one surprise and tragedy after the last. Try it, and accompany him through his every move and turn, and drift into unreality.

The Giver

Author: Lois Lowry
Reviewer's Age: Grade 7

The Giver was a very interesting book. At some times it was emotional, and other times it was confusing. It takes place in the future, when people went into sameness. That is when people have their jobs and mates picked out for them by the Elders. And you have to apply for children, who come only from the Birthmothers. All people are completely colorblind, and have no memories. There is no snow, no cold, no hunger, and no hills or lakes. And when people get too old, or don't like their job, they can apply for release, which is actually when the doctors give you a deadly shot to kill you. I deeply encourage all readers to read this amazing tale about a boy and a cute new child, about to be released. This boy will try to save the new child, while doing something no one ever dared to do.

The Best of H. P. Lovecraft

Author: H. P. Lovecraft
Reviewer's Age: 13

This is a great book. It is made up of short and very scary stories. It features some of Lovecraft's best stories like The Shunned House, Herbert West Reanimator, and The Call of Chtulu. You have to get this but I also recommend anything else by Lovecraft.

Which Witch

Author: Eva Ibbotson
Reviewer's Age: 12

A wizard named Arriman the Awful has decided that he would like to marry. He holds a contest and says that whichever person performs the darkest magic, he will marry. One small girl named Belledona really wants to marry Arriman but she faces a difficulty: she's a GOOD witch!! One really fun part in this book is during the contests. It's fun to read the different pieces of magic that each woman presents to Arriman the Awful. Also, it's very exciting reading about Belledona's troubles and her contest turn! Who will end up marrying Arriman the Awful? Will Belledona be able to perform dark magic? Who will win this contest? Read this humorous book full of excitement and adventure to find out!

The Secret of Platform 13

Author: Eva Ibbotson
Reviewer's Age: Grade 8

The Secret of Platform 13 is a fantasy about the kidnapping of an Island prince. I liked this book because the author had both reality and fantasy settings combined in one which made it very interesting. What I didn't like about the book was the characters only interacted with people from the Island and England.

Stardust

Author: Neil Gaiman
Reviewer's Age: 15

This book, much like many others of the same genre, follows a young man on his (literal) quest for a falling star in a rather misguided attempt to win the graces of a girl he fancies. The star, in this case, though, is hardly a hunk of molten rock. Instead, she's a living, breathing, somewhat human being who has no desire to be dragged into the realm of humans and presented as a gift. What follows is a fairly interesting, if a tad predictable tale which involves mysterious people, seven brothers trying to murder each other over a throne and crown, and other assorted persons and hijinks without which fantasy would just not be the same. Overall, the book is engaging enough to keep you amused, and the characters are, for the most part, realistic and likable, but it doesn't hold a candle to Gaiman's other work, such as the (in)famous Sandman graphic novel series. I'd give this book (and here I am blatantly ripping off the Amazon.com rating system) three stars out of five, for a story worth reading, if not brilliant.

Dark Forces

Author: William C. Dietz
Reviewer's Age: 12

This book is about a man named Kyle who is trying to find the Valley of the Jedi. He has to fight a lot of people on the way. I liked this book because I like Star Wars and it was full of action.

Jurassic Park

Author: Michael Crighton
Reviewer's Age: Grade 10

My favorite book is Jurassic Park by Michael Crighton. It is about a scientist who genetically breeds dinosaurs on an isolated island and invites two fellow scientists to take the grand tour of the newly inhabited island. On the island, a freak accident occurs while in the middle of the tour and the dinosaurs are free on the island to wreak havoc while the scientists try to escape with their lives. This is a very exciting book in which every chapter excites the reader to read the next one. Although it was extremely long with complicated stories in between which were confusing, the rest of the book was worthwhile. I would recommend this book to anyone older than the age of twelve because of the advanced vocabulary and confusing, hard-to follow-plot.

Jurassic Park

Author: Michael Crighton
Reviewer's Age: Grade 10

Jurassic Park is a novel about an old man who decides to recreate dinosaurs with altered DNA. He decides for it to be a park for tourists to visit as well as other scientists. But this perfect tourist attraction becomes a bad idea when the dinosaurs escape. Now a brave father with his son, daughter and many others including the old man, find themselves trying to fight and escape what the old man created. The ending is for you to find out. I recommend this terrific book for grades 8 and older. I hope this adventure comes into your eyes when reading this terrifying yet exciting novel.

Rendezvous With Rama

Author: Arthur C. Clarke
Reviewer's Age: 12

A mysterious extraterrestrial object believed to be of alien nature is hurtling through our Solar System. A team of scientists is sent to investigate, but what they find may be more than any man can handle... This is my favorite book of all time and is great. It is wonderfully written and is very fun to read. A great cross between adventure and science fiiction.

The Thief

Author: Megan Whelan Turner
Reviewer: Grade 9

This book is about a thief named Gen. When the book starts, Gen is in the King’s prison for stealing the seal of the Magus (the King’s scholar), and then flaunting it in a local wine shop. After months of being shackled to the prison wall, he is released by the person who put him there in the first place: the Magus. The Magus offers Gen a deal. If he can steal an ancient treasure that only the Magus knows the site of, Gen will not only get out of prison, but receive a substantial reward as well. Accompanying Gen on his journey is the Magus, Sophos and Ambiades, the Magus’s apprentices, and Pol, a soldier. Their journey ends in a shocking twist that you will have never seen coming. I thought that The Thief was an excellent book because of its intricate plot, among other things. There were so many twists in the story line and details that you had to pay attention to. That, along with the colorful characters and beautiful descriptions of the countryside made the book fun to read and impossible to put down.

Sabriel

Author: Garth Nix
Reviewer: Grade 8

Sabriel, by Garth Nix, is about a teenage girl named Sabriel. She is the daughter of the Abhorsen, the hereditary title of the people who keep the Dead down, and control free magic necromancers. When her father is killed by one of the Greater Dead, she is forced to leave Waverly College and go into the Old Kingdom to find out who or what killed her father, or trapped him so deep in Death that he can’t come back. Along the way, she meets Mogget, a free magic spirit trapped in the form of a cat, and Touchstone, a prince trapped in a wooden statue for a century. Together they discover a plot so deep and sinister that it was formed 100 years ago. Sabriel is a great book. Like the rest of Nix’s books, it’s complex plot keeps you intrigued from start to finish. You become so absorbed in the story that you forget that you’re reading it, and are completely disconnected with the real world. Out of 10 stars, I’d give Sabriel a 9, and highly recommend it to fans of science fiction/fantasy.

Shade's Children

Author: Garth Nix
Reviewer: Grade 8

Shade's Children takes place in the near future. Creatures from another world have taken over the planet, and everyone over 14 is taken to the meat factory, where their muscles, organs, and brains are put into robots used to kill other children. Shade, a human-turned-robot, is leading a group of children in resistance to the Overlords. Shade’s Children was a great book. It’s Terminator-like plot and intriguing characters made it, like Sabriel, one of Nix’s other books, impossible to put down. Unlike a lot of sci-fi/ fantasy books, the characters in Shade’s Children are not perfect, and its happy ending does not come without many sacrifices. Out of 10 stars, I’d give this book a 9.5, and recommend it to fans of sci-fi.

The Wind Singer

Author: William Nicholson
Reviewer: Grade 8

The Wind Singer, by William Nicholson, is about Kestrel and Bowman. They live in Armanth, a city based on a rigid system where the only way to be accepted is to be better than everyone else. Kestrel Hath, tired of this system, decides to hold a school-room rebellion. This starts a chain of events that leads Kestrel, Bowman, and their tag-a-long friend, Mumpo, to leave Armanth and search for the key to the Wind Singer to make Armanth right again. The Wind Singer is an excellent book. Its original plot keeps you spellbound throughout the entire book and makes it impossible to put down. Out of 10 stars, I’d give The Wind Singer an 8.5.

Ella Enchanted

Author: Gail Carson Levine
Reviewer: Grade 8

Ella Enchanted, is about a teenage girl named Ella. When she was born, a foolish fairy gave her a "gift": an obedience spell, which would force her to comply with any order given to her, whether it’s doing the dishes or chopping off her own head. With the help of Mandy, her fairy godmother, she finds a way to break the curse and marry Prince Charming. Ella Enchanted, although full of witty lines, is a sentimental Cinderella story, and as always in fantasy, good triumphs over evil and the heroine marries Prince Charming in the end. Out of 10 stars, I’d give Ella Enchanted 6 stars.

The Homeward Bounders

Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Reviewer: Grade 8

The Homeward Bounders is about a boy named Jamie who lives in the 19th century. One day, he stumbles on the mysterious Them, playing Their games. They catch him, and throw him out to the boundaries of the world, to be transported from world to world until he finds the way back to his own city. Along the way, he meets other Homeward Bounders, and realizes that there are rules that They have to play by. He forms an alliance with two other Homeward Bounders, cynical, cold Helen and Joris, a demon hunter. Together they find a way to overthrow Them, and find a way home. The Homeward Bounders was, despite the very confusing plot, a good book. After the 2nd or 3rd time reading it, you start to understand enough of what is happening to be able to enjoy the book. Like Jones’s other books, The Homeward Bounders was very original, and fun to read, once you understood it. Out of 10 stars, I’d give this book a 7.5.

Turnabout

Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Reviewer: Grade 8

Turnabout is about two women who have undergone an unaging process. When the injection to stop the unaging turns out to be poison, Melly and Anny Beth live by themselves for a while, but as they get younger, they have to start thinking about what will happen when they are too young to take care of themselves. Since going back to the agency isn’t a possibility, Melly and Anny Beth must find someone else to take them, before it’s too late. Turnabout was a good book, original, with well-developed characters and many plot twists. Out of 10 stars, I’d give it a 7.5.

Artemis Fowl

Author: Eoin Colfer
Reviewer: Grade 8

Artemis Fowl is about a 12-year old genius criminal mastermind, not to mention a millionaire. But when his father goes missing, along with a big chunk of his fortune, Artemis decides that he has to do something about it like kidnap a fairy and hold it for ransom. Except this time, the fairies are real and, as Artemis discovers very quickly, it’s not a game.

I thought that Artemis Fowl was an excellent book. Its original plot keeps you spellbound throughout the entire book and makes it impossible to put down. Out of 10 stars, I’d give Artemis Fowl an 8.5.

The Folk Keeper

Author: Franny Billingsley
Reviewer: Grade 8

The Folk Keeper is about a girl named Corinna. She is a Folk Keeper, someone who keeps the folk, mysterious creatures who live in dark caves, from destroying crops, souring milk, and killing chickens by letting them vent their anger on her. She lived in Rhysbridge Home, an orphanage. To become a Folk Keeper, she had to disguise herself as Corin, a boy. One day, old, dying Lord Merton comes to visit Corinna. Lord Merton tells her that her father sent him just before he died of an illness to retrieve her from the orphanage and take her to Cliffsend Manor to be brought up as a lady. Corinna agrees to go, but only to be the Folk Keeper. There she discovers who she really is, and where she really belongs. I thought that The Folk Keeper was a fun book, with a catchy plot. It was well written, but the ending was very Disney-like. A Cinderella story; The Folk Keeper was comical and kept you interested, but a little cliché. Out of 10 stars, I’d give it 6.5, and recommend it to fans of fantasy/science fiction.