The Sterkarm Handshake by Susan Price

The Sterkarm Handshake by Susan Price is one heck of an action-packed book. The premise is very cool. A scientific lab in the future has discovered a way to build basically a time portal. The portal takes you back in time in the exact place you are located. Their portal was located in England so they go from a busy urban area in England in the 21st century to a pristine landscape during early 16th century. The scientists are very excited to bring back the natural resources that were still around during the 16th century because they discover that you CAN transport items from the 16th side to the 21st century side. Of course all this is well and good and things seem to be going fine until they encounter a clan of warriors who live in the 16th century who don't take too kindly to being invaded by people of the future. They can't even really conceive of the people from the future and call them Elves. The Sterkarms are often placated by the simple and cheap (yet magic to them) small white pill called aspirin but this doesn't change the fact that they realize they are being taken advantage of by the "elves." Add to the drama the character of Andrea, a 21st century anthropologist who lives with the clan for the purposes of translating their Old English, and her relationship with Per Sterkarm, a violent yet innocent son of the Sterkarms and you've got one action packed, somewhat bloody, science fiction novel. Enjoy! - Suzanne

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Hey all! Are you looking for a book that will keep you guessing all through the night? Look no further! This book takes place in a technologically advanced though dark and dreary future. The world has been devestated due to war and natural disasters leaving only Panem, a "country" located in North America that is lead by a cruel dictator-ish entity known as The Capitol. The Capitol keeps all 12 of its districts in line by forcing them each to send two "tributes," a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18, to participate in The Hunger Games.

It could also be called the Killing Games because the whole point of the games is to survive. There is only one winner. Everyone else has to die. This is the first book in a planned series and I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK.

I'm back to posting! Thanks for being patient!

Feed by M. T. Anderson

I just finished listening to this book on CD. What an experience! Feed takes place in the future in an America that is amazingly and troublingly like the America we all know. Even though people live in pods hovering just over the surface of the earth and fly around in mini air planes called up-cars they still talk like Americans, dress like Americans, and act like Americans: slang is rampant (think unit instead of dude...you know like "Unit, that girl is hot!"), fads in clothing and hair are strange and based on popularity (remember the 80's? Yeah...I don't want to either.), and no one can miss their favorite programs on the feed (TV anyone?). And what is the feed? It is a chip. A computer installed in the user's brain and hardwired to the body. It interacts with all systems in the body regulating temperature (no fevers!) breathing (no asthma!) and constantly providing the user with images, music, information, news, programs, and advertisements for products tailored to the user's preferences. This is basically like being constantly hooked up to the Internet, television, TiVo, satellite, radio, and your local newspaper all at once. How great would that be? Awesome unless you think of the cost. Our bodies relying on the feed for our health? Americans all hooked up to the feed while poor countries are cut off from the prosperity we enjoy? Sounds like a recipe for disaster. Add a serving of young love and you've got a recipe for an awesome read. Anderson's languange is spot on with teens in the future sounding surprisingly similar to teens today. A GREAT book. Try it out! Till next time! -Suzanne

Books of Ember Series by Jeanne Duprau

When I was about 12 I was at a family reunion on my cousin's farm and I disappeared. My ENTIRE family, including 2 grandparents, 2 parents, 2 sisters, 22 cousins, and 10 aunts and uncles spent the better part of 2 hours searching for me. They checked the house, the barn, inside all the cars, under the tractor, in the apple orchard, and down by the creek, but I was never found. It wasn't until my baby sister called my name near the tree where I was comfortably nestled that I even knew they had missed me. What was I doing that I hadn't noticed my frantic family finely combing the farm for my face? I was reading. Specifically, I was reading The Witches by Roald Dahl (a FANTASTIC book...much better than the movie).

See, I used to get in trouble ALL THE TIME for reading when I was supposed to be doing something else (like being kissed by my aunts at a family reunion). I manage much better nowadays, but, I have to admit that yesterday morning I told my husband that I would have the kitchen cleaned up before he got home from work and I just didn't do it. Instead, I read The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne Duprau. This is the third book in her Books of Ember Series which tells the ever enfolding tale of our world some years from now when war and politics have taken their toll on our fair earth. In Ember, we see the great City of Ember, built in an effort to save the human race from complete devestation. In Sparks we see the village of Sparks and how they handle the arrival of the strange, backward yet technological, citizens of Ember and in Yonwood we find out how it all started. You will be hooked by the sparky, courageous characters that inhabit these books, as well as by the intriguing ideas that these books bring into your head. You might even forget to visit your family, do your dishes, or remember that your own world even exists at all. I know I did! Til next time! -Suzanne

Watership Down - Richard Adams

This is one of my all time favorite books. It's all about a band of rabbits who, on the advice of Fiver, a small, jittery, and clairvoyent rabbit, leave their doomed warren for someplace new. Someplace safe. Someplace where they can start over and rule themselves. They almost join a couple of other warrens, due to the fact that they don't have any does (females) along with them, but in the end, they decide their freedom is worth more than the security of other warrens. They devise other plans to get their does and mayhem ensues. This is a great read for science fiction fans and people who like reading about different kinds of worlds and governments. Even fans of folklore will find this dense book a truly wonderful read. Till next time! -Suzanne

PS: They also made an animated movie based on this book in the 70's. It actually reminds me a little of the Anime style that is so popular today. :)

Fire-Us Series by Jennifer Armstrong

My own mother (Jean, a teacher) recommended these books to me a few years ago (Jean's a bit of a reader too). For the science fiction reader looking for a quick trilogy to consume, try these! Five years ago, a terrifying virus swept through the world killing quickly and ruthlessly and leaving no-one behind...except for kids. Pockets of children survived, unharmed by the deadly virus. However, with no one to take care of them, many of them died anyway. Along with the adults died names, words, and knowledge...especially the knowledge of how to grow and prepare food. Mommy, Hunter, Teacher, Action Figure, Teddy Bear, Baby, and Doll are living by themselves in the overgrown Florida landscape, surviving off the canned foods that were left behind. But their food is running out. What will they do and are they really the only ones left? Read the books to find out! Till next time! -Suzanne