World War Z by Max Brooks

Spent the weekend in Osoyoos and most of the days we were there it was cloudy, which is rare in that city. Oh well I finished WWZ today while tanning on my trampoline, enjoying the cold water from the sprinkler placed underneath. The reading contest going on at my local library is treating me well, I got a coupon for a free pizza which I ordered today. I’m just relaxed!

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

I didn’t have high expectations for this novel before I cracked the first page. There were many different things being said about World War Z and from what I could tell it was either a hit or miss with the readers. After finishing I could tell why, the novel is full of interviews from survivors of the war which is a unique way to write the entire book.

Because of this way of writing, WWZ might throw quite a few people off. There is no following a character through a secured plot while reading this book. I remember complaining about Soulless by Christopher Golden, which also was about zombies and had different viewpoints. I was surprised that by the time I reached the ending of this one I appreciated the overview effect given from the random perspectives.

Another thing about the writing that bothered me at the beginning was all of the technical terms that had to do with the military, including things like weapons, aircraft, vehicles etc. I got so lost in the intricate terms that it pulled me away from the story sometimes. After finishing the last page though I felt that brought more to the story than it did take away. I was won over in the end especially with the realism despite it being fiction. Brooks took many things into account like the different countries’ cultures, political leadership, and past wars. This book is very complex, I can admire that.

Check out Max Brook’s website http://maxbrooks.com/ he is a bit obsessed with zombies apparently. I’m going to give this one a 4 OUT OF 5. Thanks for another good read Alannis! I heard the movie sucks though.

Chow,

-MRR

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Grad dinner and dance is finished! I am done with high school. Not much else to say, nothing else is going on in my life right now other than getting a $50 dollar gift card to chapters woooo! I bought 3 books that are outside the genre that I normally read so it will be fun.

In order to develop a secure defence against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender” Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut-young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training. Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders.

Ender’s Game is witty, exciting and has you hooked  in from the very start. Thrust into the future, the reader gets snippets of what is going on in the setting but the most vital thing is the buggers: the alien’s that invaded earth twice and almost won. Ender - who is only 6 years old when he is sent off to battle school -  has the weight of his entire planet on his shoulders as he is expected to win the last battle.

As he grows up in space, training every day of his life, Ender is tested until it seems he will break. But he is the smartest and most capable, no matter what his age, and no matter how many other older soldiers underestimate him. Orson Scott Card was imaginative in describing the games between armies and his writing really pulled me along. The characters are what really make the story.

The ending comes before you realize it, and even after the climax there is a nice twist. PROPS TO CARD, he did a splendid job once again. I’ll give Ender a 5 OUT OF 5. The movie is coming out soon with Harrison Ford http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SRizeR4MmU and if you want to check out Orson Scott Card’s website, there you go: http://www.hatrack.com/

Until next time!

-MRR

Legend by Marie Lu

Nothing new happening since my last post, it’s only been a couple days because of how quick to read this book was (which was very refreshing by the way). So I suppose I’ll get right to it then.

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbours. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’ death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

The first thing that I have to comment on are the characters. Day and June – the two characters that are focused on – would be invincible if they didn’t have the weakness of their loved ones holding them back. Characters that are too perfect bother me because even the best soldier has their flaws. Flaws do not include a limp, or a family that could be used against them. Saying this though I realize this is the first book, and there will probably be lots of room for development as the story continues.

Although similar to other novels I’ve read like the Hunger Games or Divergent, Legend was still a captivating story for me nonetheless. The similar theme that I’ve seen in other novels made Legend less alluring than I think it would be if I read this one first. There were things that stood out as original. I liked the fighting in the bars and being able to see the street life, then flashing back to fancy uniforms and military protocol. The contrast in the story is obvious and keeps you wondering what is going on with Day as you read about June.

The romance between two characters that are complete opposites but seem to have quite a few things in common is adorable, and personally I wanted to see more of it. I guess they were a bit more intent on saving lives and defeating the government and all that stuff. Gets busy I suppose.

ANYWHO. Check out her website http://marielu.org/ . The second book came out January, greaaaaaaat gottta get on that. I’ll give this one a 3.5 OUT OF 5. A good book and fun to read, but not outstanding in my eyes. Toodles,

MRR