Reviews 4UbyU 2003 / 2004

Welcome to the reviews 4U by U archive for 2003 and 2004.

Spy High; Episode 4: The Paranoia Plot by A. J. Butcher

Pub: Penguin reviewed by Tehnuka

This is just one of the six books in the 'Spy High' series; however, it can also stand alone and it's easy enough to understand what's been going on in the previous books. Deveraux College is a school in the USA for training spies, and the series focuses on 'Bond Team,' one of the teams of six that students are divided into.

The story line is that the president of the USA (President Westwood) has ordered the construction of the Guardian Star, a space station loaded with heavy weaponry, to protect Earth in case of an alien invasion. At the same time, strange events are occurring around the world which are blamed on a new phenomenon - 'futurephobia', causing people to act in 'irrational and often homicidal ways.' The whole story - a secret school in the middle of a forest with a huge lake nearby and flying bikes, not to mention the events which take place - seems very Harry Potter-ish.

Part way through the book, it's pretty obvious what's going to happen - relationships are black and white, the personalities of the characters are incredibly clear cut, and there's the usual good-evil division. There is the usual light-hearted banter during battle scenes and the whole tone of the book is more amusing than deep, so don't expect a serious read. A.J. Butcher presents many new ideas, but some of these are just a little wild to follow.

However, that's only the negative stuff. The author's inventions are interesting and thought provoking, and if you're a committed sci-fi fan between the ages of about 8 and 12, with a sense of humour, then I would recommend this book. There are a lot of laughs in here, a lot of action that will keep you glued to the pages, and a lot of potential. We can expect great things from A.J. Butcher - he's already finished the series and started writing another one.

December 2004

Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Pub: Macmillan reviewed by Tehnuka

This is a poignant story about money, greed, and good deeds.

Damian and Anthony Cunningham are brothers - Damian is about ten and Anthony is slightly older. They have moved house after their mother's death and are living with their father. Damian is the narrator of the story, and he is afraid that if he doesn't do exactly what his father instructs him to do, his father will also leave them. His interpretation of being good is to be like a saint and he's started to practise mortification, or self-harm, as the psychiatrist calls it. The most striking thing about Damian is his innocence. He doesn't do any of this for attention, but because he wants to be good.

So when a bag of cash falls from out of the sky, he naturally assumes it's a sign from God, and wants to do good things with it. However, avaricious brother Anthony has other ideas. On the 17th of December, the pound is going to be replaced by the euro, and this gives them about two weeks to spend 229, 370 pounds. In ten pound notes. So naturally, it's not very long before the school playground is full of kids buying and selling toys and hiring each other's bikes, as Damian and Anthony's money starts circulating. By then, their father is getting suspicious of all the toys they are bringing home, and unfortunately, Damian tells us, there is no patron saint of lying and he discovers that doing good deeds is not as easy as expected and that money doesn't always solve everybody's problems.

The beauty of 'Millions' is that it doesn't simply say that money is the root of all evil, but explores all the problems surrounding it while showing the benefits. And it's not all about money, either. Damian's growing maturity is almost tangible, and his narrative is humorous but touching.

I would strongly recommend this book for readers of all ages, although it is probably aimed at seven to thirteen year olds.

December 2004

Explorers Wanted! On the South Sea Islands…
In the Himalayas by Simon Chapman

Pub: Egmont Books reviewed by Tehnuka

These two books are part of Simon Chapman's 'Explorers Wanted!' series, which includes jungle, desert and arctic adventures among others. In 'On the South Sea Islands' you set off to find a mythical bird on 'Lunga Lunga Island' in the Pacific. Encountering a shipwreck, various plants and insects, and trying to figure out how to speak Pijin English all make for a very interesting plot. The book is packed full of exciting information on survival, short quizzes, history, and anecdotes of some strange things that have happened to other travelers. Simon Chapman creates a very vivid picture of your surroundings, and it's a very engaging read.

'In the Himalayas' is, as suggested, set in the Himalayas. The mission involves finding out whether the yeti exists, and being the first to climb Dangiroba Peak, along with your Sherpani guide. Again there are facts, quizzes (some of these were quite hard!!) and some interesting experiences, with getting to the mountain itself being a large part of the adventure. There's a raging river, a monastery, some very dangerous driving, and a crevasse or two (I won't mention yetis - see for yourself).

Apparently these books 'include the author's very own expedition notes and sketches so although Simon Chapman probably has not visited any imaginary islands or mountains, it sounds like he has done a lot of travel - there are about eight books in the series. It sounds as though these books are aimed at younger readers - but they aren't! The language is not that simple, and the quizzes range from relatively easy to really hard. Readers over seven years old would enjoy these books, including those who don't usually enjoy reading, as both of them contain some great adventures which you can lose yourself in. They'll keep you occupied for quite a long time - although personally I wouldn't have minded them being longer.

December 2004

Sleep Rough Tonight by Ian Bone

Published by Penguin reviewed by Alex

Alex is a rather strange high-school junior: He doesn't have a crowd - unless you count the seniors he taunts and gets dunkings from (and he enjoys it!). The other two people he's friend with are a cute girl called Marta, and a rather mixed up senior called "The Jockey." Before the book begins, the Jockey befriended Alex and tried to make him tougher and more respected.

Then the Jockey burgles a store and after Alex inadvertently gives his Dad a tip-off the police are called. Caught in the shop, the Jockey beats a police officer almost to death and is subsequently sent to a Juvenile Detention Centre. But now the Jockey is out, has broken his parole, and has found Alex. Claiming to want to improve Alex further, the Jockey has arranged for them to spend a weekend "sleeping rough" in the city. Is the Jockey somehow gunning for revenge, or is it that he still likes Alex and wants to help him in the only way he knows how? The ensuing weekend is a very character-building situation for not only Alex, but also his friend Marta (but I won't tell you how she gets involved).

This is really quite a gripping story. Throughout the book Ian Bone has managed to maintain a level of high tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat and wanting to read on - thankfully the book is divided into three parts to allow you to put it down briefly. The book is also vivid and the main character - Alex - can be easily related to (unless it's just because we share the same name). Most of the story takes place in the inner city of a place in southern Australia. Characterisation is authentic and works well.

This great, fast-paced book resolves itself very nicely even if the final ending is rather weak - it doesn't quite fit somehow.

While not exactly brilliant, Sleep Rough Tonight is above average in quality and I would encourage any teenager wanting a distraction from their current life to read it.

December 2004

Spy High: Episode 2: The Chaos Connection by A. J. Butcher

Pub: Penguin reviewed by Alex

Well first I had better state that one of the best features of this series is that it seems to be easy to pick up from anywhere - I don't have much of a clue about what happened in Episode 1: The Frankenstein Factory, yet I quickly picked up who was who, and how they all related to each other.

Anyway, set in the not-too-distant future ("Sixty years from now") just north of Boston (USA) is Deveraux College. But this is no ordinary high school. This is a highly secretive school that trains its students to be spies - A big surprise seeing as the series is "Spy High". Students at the school are divided into teams, and the one that the book follows is the "Bond Team" (unfortunately no-one there is called James…). Bond Team is made up of Ben Stanton and Lori Angel (dating), Jake Daly and Jennifer Chen (in love but are not yet dating), and Cally Cross and Eddie Nelligan (at the moment there are only faint hints that these two may get something going later in the series or maybe it's just team spirit - yeah right). So here we have 6 teens training to be spies. To motivate the students there is a prestigious trophy to be won by the best team, and Bond Team's only real challenge comes from the "Solo Team". Please don't despair; there is a plot that's more than the triumph of a group of kids at school. In this book (I believe in each book the team face a different enemy) a group called CHAOS (The Crusade for Havoc Anarchy and the Overthrow of Society) appears and demands the total dismantling of all governments or else they will destroy all technology with an unstoppable computer virus. Packed into this story are fights against CHAOS agents,a manic computer virus, struggles for the Bond Team to win the Sherlock Shield and relationship problems for the characters to also contend with.

This book is definitely an action story - something always happens to keep some part of the plot going - and it is very easy to follow. The ever-moving storyline means that you don't really get a chance to get confused about anything, as the book will skilfully address any puzzles upon the resumption of that strand of plot. Another good feature of the book is the way it twists and turns: At points when you think you've got the next bit sussed, A.J.Butcher has come up with some highly innovative (if a little far-fetched) ideas. Which brings me to my main negative point of this book: call me a sceptic, but some of the ideas presented are not quite believable.

One example of this is that in virtual reality, to aid them against the virus, "anti-binaries" are used - these obviously do the opposite of what binary codes give to programs, but they still sound a bit too imaginative for me (this from the guy who reads lots of fantasy and happily accepts magic). However, I must admit that it is science fiction - a state where technology can basically do whatever it wants - so I really shouldn't complain.

Overall this series is rather interesting, with simple yet busy storylines. The gizmos and gadgets truly make it a sci-fi, spy book, but are also just simple enough to seem possible. With frequent twists and turns, this book is very good and the rest of series has lots of potential to follow suit.

December 2004

The Dark Mirror (Book 1/The Bridei Chronicles) by Juliet Marillier

Pub: Macmillan reviewed by Euna

When Bridei, a mere four-year-old child, is sent to Pitnochie to live with the king's druid Broichan, he is not aware of his foster father's master plan that concerns him. Bridei only knows that he is there to learn to be a warrior, strategist, scholar and sage. As he adjusts to Broichan's remote household, Bridei learns to deal with fear and loneliness. On a freezing midwinter's night, he finds a baby on the doorstep and thanks the gods for the precious gift of a companion. As the young foundling Tuala grows into a young woman, the end of Broichan's long plan draws ever closer and Bridei is set upon many challenges and trials.

The Dark Mirror is the first book of Bridei Chronicles - Juliet Marillier's third series of books. It is set in the 6th Century in the Scottish highland and is based on a true story. The Dark Mirror is a finely woven tale, full of love, loyalty, friendship and betrayal and captures its readers with its exciting storyline and never-ending surprises. This novel is one of the finest historical fictions ever written in history and is a must-read for all historical fantasy fans.

December 2004

The Braves by David Klass

Pub: Penguin, reviewed by Alex

Unfortunately I found there to be not much "Klass" to this book at all.

"The Braves" is a novel about Joe Brickman: an American high-school senior student, who is captain of their terrible soccer team and in love with his long time friend Kristine. To make things even more interesting, one Antonio Silva - a young, rich, Brazilian soccer player - arrives at Joe's small country high school, Lawndale High, and proceeds in becoming the soccer team's star player and steals Kristine from Joe. Things become even more complicated when the school decides to initiate a zero-tolerance scheme to deal with misbehaviour. Will Joe stay as the soccer captain? Will he manage to wrench Kristine away from the embrace of the handsome Brazilian?

Well, without giving the ending away I will state this: It is a highly predictable story and there are no major twists or surprises which affect the plot. One frustrating thing with this book is that the question of why Antonio came to a small out-of-the-way New Jersey town is not satisfactorily answered. Thankfully the key redeeming feature of this book is that it flows past quickly, and while nothing really happens, it does happen fast. Another interesting point of this book is that it shows that people do actually play soccer in America, and not just gridiron.

I found this story rather boring because it is fairly straightforward - there are no really momentous occasions. I am sure there will be people who disagree with my comments, but it all comes down to a matter of taste and reading background. If you are a person who doesn't like (or isn't used to) intricate subplots and prefers books to just give you the story, this is a great choice as it does have drama, tension, and conflict to give it life, but for people who look for a more complicated story this is rather flat.

As a classification this is standard teen fiction that provides a potentially enjoyable story (better than a poke in the eye).

December 2004

Friends To The End: The True Value of Friendship by Bradley Trevor Greive

Published by Random House @ $19.95 reviewed by Jules

This author really made his name with the Blue Day Book and now has a whole series of titles in the same format. Friends To The End maintains this author's reputation as the photos and captions are made for each other … if you go gaga over the Telecom TV ads about staying in touch … you'll love this book!

December 2004

The NZ Wars by Ross Calman

Pub: Reed @ 14.95 reviewed by Alex

Sure, everyone knows that there were wars in New Zealand, but who were they between, and when and where did they occur? Well if you are sick of having to search through giant tomes of history for the answers this book is the one for you. Ross Calman has concisely collated the main events of the New Zealand Wars into one small, unbiased and easy to understand book.

The New Zealand wars began in 1845 after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, with the Northern War between Māori Leaders Hone Heke and Kawiti, and the English forces with the backing of Tamati Waka Nene's tribe. This was later followed with other wars including the Taranaki and Waikato wars.

This book is really useful because it not only details locations, and participants, but also reasons behind the battles, strategies, tactics, and results (including damage and casualties). It also has short biographies on all of the major leaders from all sides involved. I found that I was learning quite a lot as I read this book - things like the fact that Māori fought both for and against the Crown as they saw fit, and that there were also numerous non-Māori fighting against the English.

This book would be really useful for anyone needing to do research on this topic, as it is very concise and comprehensive. In fact it is so simple and yet informative I would say that anyone who doesn't know about this bit of New Zealand history should read this book just for knowledge's sake.

December 2004

The Loser's Club by John Lekich

Pub: Macmillan @ 16.95 reviewed by Tehnuka

This is your typical underdog story. The Loser's Club is a group of students who have been terrorised by Jerry Whitman, the school bully, and his cronies. The main character here is Alex Sherwood, who has managed to escape the bullies, and provides something of a haven for all of the 'losers.' Along with his friends Winston and Manny, Alex sets up the Loser's Club.

Naturally, there's a showdown, between the two groups; the Loser's Club being helped along the way by an eccentric writer, Mr Sankey the landlord, a bully who isn't too sure of his loyalty to Jerry Whitman, the advent of Christmas and, of course, the girl.

Although it's reasonably well written and funny enough if you don't mind a high 'cheese factor,' I didn't find any new pearls of wisdom in here. I'd recommend'The Loser's Club'for readers from eight to twelve years old, but I wouldn't suggest reading it unless you're quite bored -this ismore the sort of book you'd pick up in the library; and I don't think it's particularly good value for money.

December 2004

Indigo Blue by Cathy Cassidy

Pub: Penguin @ 16.95 reviewed by Sheryl

The main character in this book is an 11 year old girl called Indie, who, with her two year old sister Misti and mum Anna, move to another house suddenly. Indie does not understand exactly why they moved so suddenly but she figures it has something to do with Max. They used to live with Max because their mother loved him and even though Indie knew that they quarrelled a lot she didn't think it was that serious… or had she just been living in her own world of daydreams where she could ignore the truth?

Indigo Blue is an excellent story. I really enjoyed it. This is one of those stories that you can not put down. You just have to read it.

December 2004

Merlin by John Matthews

Pub: Reed @ $69.95 Reviewed by Alex

When most people think of Merlin, they think of the old grey-bearded magician who educated and advised the legendary King Arthur. To a point this is true but as explained by John Matthews there is much more to this man of mystery than many believe or know.

This beautifully illustrated book (on about every second page there is a template of some kind of work of art which is relevant to Merlin) is divided into the 5 parts Merlin represented: Shaman, Prophet, Magician, Lover, and Sage.

The first chapter delves deep into the past discussing the earliest known Celtic references of Merlin - or as he was originally called: Myrddin - a poet, warrior, and man of the woods. Further on in the book Merlin's heritage is revealed: He was a son of a human mother and an otherworldly creature (the main hypothesis around this is that the creature was a demon and Merlin was meant to be the Devil's answer to Jesus - but this plan went wrong). One of Merlin's first 'magical' events was when he solved the puzzle of 'Vortigern's Tower'.This is but one example of the cache of knowledge stored within this book and there are many more adventures, prophecies, poems, and historical references inside the pages.

Each chapter of this wonderful authority on Merlin reveals his life and doings in the forms of a man connected to nature, a prophet, a magician and guide to Arthur, and then later as a lover (consort of the misunderstood Nimue) and a sage. There is also another chapter in which it is explained how Merlin has returned to the modern era in such guises as Gandalf, Dumbledore, or even Yoda, and in movies like 'Arthur'.

This is an outstanding anthology of prophecies and anecdotes of Merlin's life. John Matthews, who is an Arthurian expert, has used a wealth of sources to complete this book dating back to 12th century works by Geoffrey of Monmouth including 'Vita Merlini' ('The life of Merlin') and 'Prophecies of Merlin'.

As great as this book is, it is very intense - there is a large amount of detail, facts, and prophecies included in the book. I found that my saturation point was often reached after reading only a few pages, however, having the sections of each chapter consisting of only a few paragraphs deals with this problem (it still takes a long time to read). Overall it is a very interesting read that gives one a great feeling of satisfaction when finished. This is a brilliant choice for anyone interested in Merlin or old-English history.

December 2004

november 2004

The Boy Who Ate Stars by Kochka (translated by Sarah Adams)

Pub: Reed @ 12.95 reviewed by Tehnuka

The Boy Who Ate Stars is about Matthew, a four year old boy with autism. This means that to the narrator, Lucy, he appears to retreat into himself; and although he does acknowledge other people, he views them as he views objects. He has characteristics like any other child - he likes to play with long hair, for example; and he talks, which is unusual in autistic children; but he seems to feel no need to interact with others as most people do.

Autism is very hard to explain, but this book does it brilliantly. Seen through the eyes of twelve year old Lucy, it takes on a different meaning. Her theories about Matthew are intriguing to say the least, and readers will find that autism will no longer be a complex psychological condition, but a beautiful state of being. Marie, Matthew's mother, explains it wonderfully: "Life on earth is about looking at each other, in the same way that the earth moves round the sun… But autistic people are like small independent planets that have landed here by chance, and instead of looking at the other earthlings as they move around them, they spin inside themselves."

Lucy's efforts to draw Matthew out are persistent and, to an extent, effective. While teaching François the dog to be a proper dog instead of a 'fashion accessory' to a 'total airhead', she and her friend Theo begin to discover more about Matthew and always there to help them is Maougo, his Russian care taker and a mystery in herself.

As the characters' names suggest, this story is set in France. In fact, the original book was written in French; however, the translation is simple but well written and captivating. I did find some parts difficult to understand; this could be because it is a translation or because of the complicated ideas the story presents.

I would strongly recommend "The Boy Who Ate Stars" for readers of all ages, because, although written simply, it will explain a lot about autism and the way people think, and it will keep you entertained throughout. It is hard to do this book justice in a review, so read it for yourself. I loved it.

November 2004

The Book of Inventions by Ian Harrison

Pub: Reed @ 49.95 reviewed by Shaun

Ever wanted to know how something came about? No? Well it doesn't matter 'The Book of Inventions' is a fascinating insight into the world around us and the development of technology. This is a good book for fact junkies and fans of the 'Guinness World Records' series and is in an easy format for most readers. To make sure I read it all I had to read it in order but it is better suited to be read irregularly a few pages at a time. I recommend 'The Book of Inventions' to everyone who reads this review - whether they have an interest in inventions or not.

November 2004

Mirror World by Stephen Jackson

Pub: Random House @ $34.95 reviewed by Kim

This is a fantastic gaming book to extend children's imaginations. Included in the book is a mirror in the back to use to find the monsters in the pictures. All you have to do when you find one is yell its name out loud and send it home. There is a list in the back and front of the book to keep track of all the monsters you have found.

The illustrations are very bright and bold, attracting children's attention and there are easy to follow instructions. At the end of the book there is a scoring system to see if you are a Mirrormaster which encourages children to read the book again and again to improve their score. I would recommend this book to children around the age of 10 years old who don't enjoy reading or want something different to read other than your normal storybooks!

November 2004

October 2004

LBD - The Great Escape by Grace Dent

Pub: Penguin @ 16.95 reviewed by Theresa

This story is mainly about Ronnie, Fleur and Claudette who are the LBD (Les Bambinos Dangereuses). They are three girls who are best friends but have different values. Fleur is a blonde who loves partying, Claudette is someone who is organized and smart while Ronnie is a sort of in-between of the two of them.

Although this is the second book in the LBD series you don't have to read the first to follow what's going on. The story is written from Ronnie's point of view and is mainly about partying, boyfriends, parents, love and the Astlebury Festival. I gave it a 2 out of 5 and although it didn't appeal to me personally it did was both funny and readable. I would recommend it for those aged 12+.

October 2004

The Diddakoi by Rumer Godden

Pub: Macmillan @ 16.95 reviewed by Beaulah

The Diddakoi is a very simple, sweet book, definitely worthy of the Whitbread Children's Book Award. The story of a young half-gypsy by the name of Kizzy and the ordeal of losing the only family she's ever known. I loved this book because of its simplicities, none of the people within are 'evil' or 'devious', they are just people. It is easy to fall in love with Kizzy and the other characters and leave with a satisfying ending in only 152 pages.

One thing I did notice about The Diddakoi, however, is the unique writing style used by Rumer Godden, which does take a few pages to get used to. It is almost as though you are following Kizzy's thoughts (even though the book is third person) and being a young child, they tend to wander. So at some points, something may be happening and you will end up going off on a tangent and learning odd details about the characters. It is not too distracting though, and all in all I would give this book a 9 / 10 (for a children's book) as it was a wonderful read.

October 2004

The Bad Book by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton

Pub: Macmillan reviewed by Kim

The Bad Book is a very humorous piece of work from Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. It is very light reading and won't take long to get to the end. This book is full of bad jokes, nursery rhymes, stories and cartoons. My family and I all had some great laughs from some of the inserts, we especially liked 'Bad Diddle Diddle' (Hey diddle diddle): Bad diddle diddle, the cat did a piddle, the cow did a poo on the moon, the little dog barfed to see such fun, and then ate it all up with a spoon! I believe that this book will put a smile on teenagers' faces and I hope you enjoy it just as much as me.

October 2004

Angel Messages by Juan Nakamori

Pub: Random House @ 29.95 reviewed by Kate

This is a beautiful little book. Subtitled: The Complete Book of Celestial Answers to Your Every Question, it's about awakening your inner angel when you have a question or problem. You have to relax, send your question/problem into the universe and you will receive an answer.

There is a different message on each page. However, the messages are much like quotes and a couple are common sense. They do reassure, but only if you take it seriously.

It's a cute, inspiring book but I don't think it's worth its $30. You can pick up any quote book and randomly open a page. It is definitely worth a look if you want to try it, or you are especially spiritual, but it's a judgement call on buying it.

October 2004

Cross Tides by Lorraine Orman

Pub: Longacre @ 18.95 reviewed by Tehnuka

In the early 19th century, sixteen year old Lizzie Dawson was unwillingly married off to a whaler living in the Marlborough Sounds. Things seem to be improving when she falls in love with Matiu, a Māori preacher; but this only causes more heartache. Torn apart from her family in Sydney and thrown into a new and difficult life, her story is a turbulent one.

Now, over 170 years later, Auckland teenager Bel, trying to cope with her parents' divorce, is sent to stay with relatives in the Sounds. Although she initially expects a long and boring holiday, Lizzie has other plans for her. As she comes to terms with her own situation, Bel also begins to learn about Lizzie's past and the reason that she has waited two centuries to tell her story.

Yes, it is the same old recycled plot; but the main character's personality is very strong and likeable, (she has very unusual dress sense…) and current Māori land claim issues create interest. This is a well written first novel; because of the themes I would recommend it for readers around 12 years old, but be prepared for cliché and some tedium. It was a somewhat unsatisfactory book even though all the loose ends are tied up, and at 228 pages it seems quite a long read for quite a simple plot line.

Although it is generally fictitious, some of the characters are based on real people, and 'Crossing Tides' certainly got me more interested in the history of the Marlborough Sounds area.

October 2004

The Hunt Begins (Part I: The Great Hunt) & New Threads in the Pattern (Part II: The Great Hunt)

by Robert Jordan Pub: Penguin @ $16.95

Both reviewed by Beaulah

The Hunt Begins and New Threads in the Pattern are two parts of the original Robert Jordan book "The Great Hunt". They do take a while to 'get into' as the beginning introduces quite a few new characters in slightly obscure ways. If you are a fantasy buff, however, these books do offer quite an engaging and deep story with all the traditional elements. The one thing I will say about the Robert Jordan series is that it takes a while to get anywhere… and, as of yet, has not actually finished. I would recommend his books to teens over 14 and give these two in particular an 8 / 10 for content and 6 / 10 for readability.

October 2004

The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams

Pub by Penguin @ $25 reviewed by Alex

Well make no mistake, this is a doorstep of a book - 750 A5 pages of size 10 writing - but really would you expect anything less from Tad Williams, author of the colossal "Otherland" and "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" quartets? However, unlike them this fantasy story is only one book long.

After an eerie prologue the story begins with a stoned garage band and a 30 year-old vocalist called Theo who is about to become a father. In a flurry of activity Theo soon finds himself without a partner or child, and a chapter or two later, parentless. Needing some solitude and time to put his life back together, Theo heads up into the Santa Cruz Range (just south of San Francisco). This is where things become really strange: Theo unexpectedly meets a very verbal Irish accented faerie who then proceeds in saving both of them from an un-dead type monster. If that episode wasn't excitingly random enough for you, it gets better. Theo is thrown through a magical portal and appears in the land of Faerie - an almost symbiotic world that coexists with our own but it seems to rely on Earth's primitiveness for its magic. Thus begins Theo's adventure of discovery, mystery, and excitement as he travels through the land searching for answers and a way home.

On the whole this is a good story but it is a bit too long. In my opinion it needs to be edited and shortened, but in true Tad Williams style every page is important and the story would not be complete if anything was removed. In this book Tad Williams has created an entire world with meticulous care and has filled the pages with little details that really make the story come alive. However, due to all of this fine detail you can easily become confused. Worst of all are the nobles' names: Faerie is ruled as a plutocracy and every noble family takes the name of a flower. So the Hellebores, Hollyhocks and Hydrangeas get mixed up, as do the Daffodils and Daisies, and Peonies, Periwinkles, and Primroses - and that's to name only a few! Add to that the fact that different groups of them have special alliances and treaties and you find yourself not caring about who's with whom. Also Tad Williams has not yet branched from the ongoing "Help I'm being chased!" theme, which occurs in all of his stories, and to a someone who has read his other books it is rather old hat.

Overall "The War of the Flowers" is an enjoyable book but I advise only seasoned fantasy readers to pick up this book as otherwise it can take ages to read (that or people with plenty of time to spare e.g. while flying to America or something). Remember: More pages do not necessarily mean a better book.

Tad Williams

October 2004

Hunt the Hunters by Anita Bell

Published by Random House @ $16.95 reviewed by Ryan

Kirby Macleod and her two partners, her cousin Scott and her new friend Dee have just pulled off a huge job vandalizing The Great Southern Pacific Express train which hadn't ever been robbed because it is mostly always moving. Once they finally avoid security and police officers where the train is staying, they are ambushed by a group of boys about their age wanting the half million dollars earned for their vandalism.

After a long pursuit they get back to their schools. Kirby and Scott start receiving threatening messages from the boys from the alley and at one stage they even threaten to kill Kirby's horses with the poison arsenic. They come up with a plan to stop the boys and the plan seems perfect. Unbeknown to the other two members of the group someone is betraying them.

This book is based in Australia and is a very interesting read. My favourite character in the book is Kirby, not because she is the main character but because she is inventive and uses her initiative in tight situations.

October 2004

Surprising Joy by Valerie Bloom

Published by Macmillan @ $16.95 reviewed by Laura

This is one book you don't want to miss out on. It's about a young girl called Joyanna although every body calls her Joy. She lives in Jamaica with her Granny and loves it there but wants to go live with her mother in England. However, when she finally does get to England she finds it strange, cold and miserable and even more so when she is told something she completely didn't expect.

Overall I loved the mystery of the book and most of all the detail. Valerie Bloom's style of writing is very easy to read and makes for a wonderful and exciting book.

October 2004

Exclusive To Pulse as at October 2004 - we have the only advance review copy in NZ of:

Hover Car Racer by Matthew Reilly

Published by: Macmillan @ 39.95 reviewed by Alex

Vvvvrrrooooom! There goes Matthew Reilly's latest science-fiction book, Hover Car Racer, flashing by in front of your eyes. For its notable size, Hover Car Racer is the type of gripping story that flies past very quickly.

Hover Car Racer was initially released for free on the Internet as an eight part serial but, so as to supply a completed compilation of the book that wasn't just printed off the net, it has been published in a more physical form.

Upon seeing the title my mind immediately connected the book with the game "F-Zero Racing" (okay so I'm a Nintendo fan…), but the only relation between this book and the game is that hover cars are the racing vehicles - there is much more to this story than just racing!

Jason Chaser is an Australian teenage boy living in the near future. The biggest difference between then and now is the revolutionary development of the hover engine. Using electromagnets and the Earth's magnetic fields as the opposing force has provided a perpetual fuel, and it has dramatically reduced travel times. Of course with a new form of movement a new sport has arisen: Hover Car Racing. This is basically the Formula 1 replacement complete with a world circuit, but there are different race formats - points races (zipping round the course going through gates worth different values), sprints, marathons (like the Bathurst 500), and knockout races (last one over the line each lap is eliminated). Jason loves hover car racing and has devoted his life to becoming a driver, with his genius little brother as the navigator. Their career takes flight when a famous ex-driver invites them to attend the Race School - an internationally renowned institution dedicated to training new drivers, which owns and uses all of Tasmania for teaching and racing. At the school, Jason faces trials of skill, spirit and morality as he (with his crew and car "Argonaut" - a touch of irony with relation to the Greek myth Jason and the Argonauts who also went on an epic adventure) strives to become good enough to be hired by an international racing team.

This is a great story. Because it is centred on racing, every few chapters feature a high-speed race at hundreds of kilometres an hour following devilishly tricky tracks. Thankfully not every race is told from start to finish (like modern racing some of the races have hundreds of laps, and last for hours), but in each there is enough narration to keep intensity very high. The races are exciting and full of suspense, while the chapters without racing are well constructed and develop character personalities.

Author Matthew O'Reilly The chief problem with Hover Car Racer is its predictability at points of high tension - if I could have bet on the races, I would now be rich. It was quite easy to foresee where Jason would or wouldn't win in many races, but as it is Jason Chaser's amazing life we are following, it is expected that he do well. The author, Matthew Reilly, has tackled this problem in the best way possible and fills the races with excitement and also throws in many surprises at random points during the book (on and off track).

That's enough of the negative. Time for the good points: Hover Car Racer, as stated earlier, is full of exciting races at tremendous speeds. When the book finishes, it leaves you wanting more racing action, but on reflection it is apparent that further races would only drag the story out and leave you tired of the high speed competitions - A clever touch leaving the possibility of a sequel… Reilly has also created a sound and well balanced writing style - it doesn't overdo dialogue, description, or narrative passages - and keeps the story moving forward at a very fast pace. The book is relatively innovative as it features charts and tables, maps, and coloured templates (which include some beautiful illustrations of the hover cars). These extras are really useful as leader board positions can be tricky to keep up with, and the maps allow better understanding of the racetracks.

Overall Hover Car Racer is a very thrilling story, which is easily read and enjoyed. While it could be classified as more of a "boy's book", I believe anyone (from about 14 years up) could read it and connect with the story and characters - I know virtually nothing about cars and racing, yet I still found it fantastic. Apparently Walt Disney Pictures has purchased the movie rights to Hover Car Racer, so let's hope they do justice to this great story.

October 2004

The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson

Pub: Macmillan @ 29.95 Reviewed by Shaun W

Annika is abandoned as a baby in the Austria of 1896 and is adopted by the servants of three eccentric professors. Annika grows up happily in Vienna until one of her daydreams comes true and completely redirects the following plot.

'The Star of Kazan' is an improvement on what I have read of Ibbotson's works but like all novels has its faults; it is slightly drawn out (at 388 pages) for the plot and could afford to lose say 20-30 pages. This was a very formulaic story and unfortunately I was very rarely surprised by the supposed plot twists. To show that I am having slight trouble with thinking of faults of this book I'll just mention a personal gripe I have about the title 'The Star of Kazan'. The 'Star' a jewel that plays a small role in the book and has only an occasional mention ost definitely does not merit the naming of the book even if it does allow for an interesting cover.

This is not a fantasy book as some may be expecting from Ibbotson's previous work but is as near as I can describe it is a historical drama/mystery novel. There are many interesting characters which Ibbotson humanizes well.

Even the villains seem not at all contrived, a feat which can be difficult to master. Ibbotson's novel succeeds in creating a story about humans that has humans you can actually care about. This is an enjoyable if somewhat predictable book which despite its faults leaves you feeling satisfied.

October 2004

The Princess Diaries: Sixsational by Meg Cabot

Pub: Macmillan @ 16.95 reviewed by Euna

Mia - the most unlikely princess ever, is back at Albert Einstein High with some drastic changes to cope with. There's nothing to look forward to at school, since Michael has left for college and something has transformed Boris so that he is barely recognisable. That's not all. She's got other things to worry about such as her little brother, her regular 'how to be a princess' lessons with her Grandmother and the list just goes on.

Although the newly released movie - 'The Princess Diaries 2' seems to have the same story line as this novel, they are not. In fact, it is funny to read about Mia complaining about the faults in the two movies. She was rather unhappy that they made her father dead in the first movie and that she broke up with Michael in the second.

'The Princess Diaries - Sixsational' is a funny and interesting novel for anyone - especially for girls. I'm almost certain that if you are a fan of the movies (The Princess Diaries 1 and 2), you will simply love this novel and if you are not a fan, then, you'll enjoy this diary anyway.

October 2004

Coming Back by David Hill

Published by Mallinson Rendel @ 16.95 reviewed by Kim from Burnside High

Coming Back by David Hill is an amazing book, that I really enjoyed. Briefly, it's about a teenage boy who breaks the law and takes passengers on his restricted licence and the unthinkable happens! I wouldn't want to be the main character, Ryan, in real life, but you feel like you are when reading it. Coming Back is written in a way in which the victim and Ryan both express their opinions. It does skip between characters but it's all headed up with their name so you know who it's about. The use of emotion in the book is outstanding and again it makes you feel as though you are there. I found it very hard to put the book down at times because it was so gripping to read. I recommend this book to any one who wants a good read and has their driving licence (this makes it even more realistic - and teaches you a wonderful lesson!)

October 2004

A Little Piece of Ground by Elizabeth Laird

Published by Macmillan @ 16.95 reviewed by Kirsten

“A little piece of Ground” provides us with a glimpse of life living in Palestine in the midst of conflict between Palestine and Israel. The book follows Karim a teenage boy who dreams of being the “liberator of Palestine”, “extremely cool” and a “world champion footballer.” It is Karim's perspective that makes the book what it is - an adolescent's perspective of life. We follow his anger, happiness and pain as he struggles through this time. Although this book is fiction it is easy to relate it to any situation of war and conflict. While knowledge about the conflict between the two nations is not required to understand this book, I feel it would help the reader get the full meaning and understanding out of the story. My only problem about the book was that there seems to be no climax and the storyline often seemed flat, although the emotions and experiences of Karin are enough to keep you reading until the end. “ A little Piece of Ground” is a lovely, charming book which provides the reader with many insights as to what life is like for the children in war.

October 2004

The Reed Book of Māori Mythology by A W Reed

Published by Reed @ 49.94 reviewed by Jules

This is a sumptuous book that you can dip into time and time again. It's full of the wonders of Māori mythology - tales that are both easy and entertaining to browse and it offers a wonderful form of escapism when you need to get away from normal day to day life but more than that they're a part of our heritage. Whether you're Māori or Pakeha … they deserve to be read.

October 2004

september 2004

Kura Toa Warrior School by Tim Pipene

Published by Reed @ 14.95 reviewed by Sheryl from Burnside High

Haki is a teenage Maori boy.

He has a pounamu that was given to him by his grandma, which he treasures. But when he's involved in an accident, an old man comes and takes Haki's pounamu. At first Haki is very angry but when he finds the old man, he has to figure out how to get his pounamu back and in the process becomes a warrior. Haki's search brings him into conflict with his family, his friends and his school. He finds that he must confront his fears and find a way to answer the challenge to serve his people, serve his land, fight a taniwha and ultimately become a warrior.

I really enjoyed this story. It is very well written and is easy to read and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in Maori culture.

September 2004

Dark by Penelope Todd

(The sequel to Watermark):
Published by Longacre Press @ 18.95 reviewed by Sheryl from Burnside High

Joss and Hep are brother and sister. They holiday in Roimata - a place on the wild West Coast. Last year Zillah came and holidayed with them and this year she has come to Roimata again but when they get together Zillah notices that there is something very wrong with Hep. The tragedy is that he refuses refuses to accept any help in dealing with his mental problems - even though his behaviour is affecting everyone around him.

This is a very interesting and beautifully written story. It has some really good points in it about how people handle their own mental instability and it also covers some very different aspects that to a normal person seem very strange.

September 2004

The Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden

Published by Macmillan @ 16.95 reviewed by Euna of Burnside High

This is a lovely book to read for the upcoming summer.

When the Grey children arrive in France, their mother falls ill and they are left in the care of an unknown Englishman named Eliot. The French summer at Les Oeillets is about to begin with an unexpected number of life-changing events ahead. However, as the summer grows hotter and hotter, Cecil, the second-oldest, senses secrets and dangers ahead. The Greengage Summer is a very interesting novel for teens and adults. It is partly based on the author's childhood experiences and memories and filled with detailed descriptions of early French lifestyle. The story is realistic and although there are a number of French phrases that non-French-speakers may have difficulty with (perhaps a French-English dictionary may help).

September 2004

Soundtrack by Julie Bertagna

Published by Macmillan @ 16.95 reviewed by Fran from Burnside High

This book is a little weird and hard to follow but has some definite good points. There are some interesting story lines that could have been taken further but weren't and some that seem to have been fabricated out of nothing which creates an overall air of scattered ideas. You don't learn much about the main character and sometimes the shaky story line falls to bits. There is a musical theme entwined with the main plot and although it certainly livens up the book I fail to see the relevance it has to the story. Other than this the descriptions are good and I enjoyed reading about kickshaws and her creation. After reading this book you will probably be left confused and dazed.

September 2004

Out of Tune by Joanna Orwin

Published by Longacre Press @ 18.95 reviewed by Theresa from Burnside High

This is a story about Jaz, a 14 year old girl who lives in New Zealand. Jaz has some problems with her social life and added to that, her dad has lost his job, her brother has moved out of home and the atmosphere in the family isn’t going well. There is only one person she can confess her problems to and seek advice - her great grandmother but just when she feels that her great grandmother isn’t much help, she gives Jaz a diary that belonged to her great grandmother. The diary describes Jaz’s great great great grandmother’s journey from Shetland (Scotland) to NZ when she was just 15 years old. Jaz begins to seek comfort from the diary and learns a lot from it. The writer Joanna Orwin, combines both fiction and non-fiction in this story well. In order to find out more about Jaz, read the book. I would recommend this for readers aged 13+

September 2004

The Real Thing by Brian Falkner

Published by Mallinson Rendel reviewed by Tehnuka from Burnside High

If you liked Artemis Fowl but found the language a little complicated; if there was a bit too much fantasy in it for you, then this book is the ideal read. Written in a similar style but with an easier vocabulary, 'The Real Thing’ makes for great light-hearted entertainment, and the plot is just random enough to keep you guessing.

The only three people in the world who know the secret Coca-Cola formula have been kidnapped and the company is in a dire predicament as the famous drink seems set to disappear from the market…until a boy from Auckland enters the picture. Fizzer Boyd has some interesting abilities which could help the company to rediscover the secret recipe. However, the kidnappers aren’t out of the picture yet, and it’s up to Fizzer, his friend Tupai, and the employees of the Coca-Cola Company to find out what’s going on. A good old adventure story with a very New Zealand touch, some very interesting characters, and plenty of twists, turns, ups, downs, and an action-filled plot.

The Real Thing is most suitable for readers from about 7 to 12, but if you have a good sense of humour, you’ll appreciate it no matter what your age - just don’t bother trying to count the number of times the words 'Coca-Cola’ appear in the book.

September 2004

Pulling Together: A Book for Young People Living With Cancer by Canteen

Pub: Reed @ 19.95 reviewed by Francesca from Burnside High

If you suffer from cancer or know someone who does then I suggest you read this book. It has every thing you will ever need to know about cancer, the book includes; poems from cancer patients, information about the different types of cancer, tips on how to survive events like hair loss due to chemotherapy, the treatments available, personal experiences and much more. Throughout the book the writing is easy to understand and contains lots of important information. They certainly knew what they were talking about when they wrote this book. I know now how difficult it is to survive this disease and come out the same person you were when you went in, cancer changes you and this book will help you through that.

September 2004

The Mediator: Love You To Death by Meg Cabot

Pub: Macmillan @ 16.95 reviewed by Kate from Burnside High School

Suzannah’s a normal 16 year old girl who has moved to California… except for one thing. She’s a mediator - able to see and talk to ghosts. The two ghosts she meets in this book are Jesse, the most gorgeous ghost she’s ever seen, and Heather, a vicious ghost hell-bent on revenge.

Although the first couple of chapters are slow (meet the family and Suzannah’s "gift") it soon picks up. Suzannah has to rescue a cute guy, and kick some ghost butt. There are also a few love threads scattered throughout… but they don’t get in the way of the storyline.

Sassy Suzannah is such a cool figure - Girl Power!!, and the book really intoxicated me once it got going. It’s chicklit, but suitable for any girl. Suzannah’s never had a boyfriend, but she’s getting there, and she really can kick some ghost butt, even if she has to wreck the school doing it! It was lots of fun! Bring on number 2!!

September 2004

The Opposite of Chocolate by Julie Bertagna

Pub: Macmillan @ $16.95 Reviewed by Kim from Burnside High School

This is a wonderful book about a fourteen year old girl who finds herself pregnant. She has great difficulties with her parents as to what to do and this book follows the issue through. There are some disappointing things in this book such as, the ending does a great dive! It doesn't even tell you the final outcome. The book isn't divided into chapters either, like most books which makes it hard to put down and know when to stop. But other than these two things, this book is really good and I would recommend it to teenage girls. I quite enjoyed reading it although it is something I wouldn't usually read.

September 2004

Seal Boy by Ken Catran

Pub: Random House @ $16.95 reviewed by Kate from Burnside High School

Emmet is a high-society American boy who is abducted on a whaling ship, transfers to a sealing ship, and is then deserted on a small island. Through this, he is on a journey of self-discovery, and takes to a family of seals he feels he must protect. There are some brief but interesting tidbits about whaling and sealing ships (this is good…it doesn’t bog you down), and a thrilling adventure of survival in the 2nd half of the book. If you love animals be warned of some of the descriptions, but Emmet loves the seals. Interesting, with suspense - a cool read.

September 2004

The Golem’s Eye by Jonathon Stroud

(Book II: The Bartimaeus Trilogy)
Pub: Random House 15 October 2004 @ $45.00 hb $29.95 pb Reviewed by Alex from Burnside High School

Fresh from the printers comes 'The Golem's Eye', Book Two of the Bartimaeus Trilogy. By just receiving it, the book seems impressive - it's wrapped in a parchment with ancient runes written all over, and on the blurb it warns you that what is in your hands is a mystic spell - A very classy touch.

The story picks up two years and eight months from where the 'Amulet of Samarkand' finished. John Mandrake, real name Nathaniel (shhh! It's a secret!), is the youngest ever English minister and works as the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs (in other words: National Security). Since the first book Nath…John has become a real wizard - That is to say arrogant, self-centred, and snobbish. His current assignment is to find and punish the "Resistance", a non-magical group of rebels fighting against the oppression of the wizards' caste system.

Problems rocket sky-high as a wealthy street is demolished by an unidentifiable foe. The Resistance is blamed and it's up to John to tidy up the case. Left with no other option, John breaks a vow (which he claims to have never made) made at the end of book 1 and summons that loveable character of great wit: You guessed it! Bartimaeus! Thus another adventure kicks off full of humour, excitement and demons.

To make this book better than the first, Jonathan Stroud has introduced a new character: Kitty, a talented member of the Resistance. During Kitty's chapters the Resistance's side of the story is given, histories are revealed, and a new spin is put on the wizards. Cleverly, Mr Stroud has played around with the reader's feelings. In the first book, Nathaniel has full support from the readers, however, in 'The Golem's Eye' Nathaniel loses his sympathy when his true nature and attitudes are revealed, and Kitty becomes the supported character. As usual Bartimaeus stays his humorous self - I mean how much can a 5000-year-old djinni change in two years and eight months?

'The Golem's Eye' is a brilliant sequel to the 'Amulet of Samarkand' and maintains the high standards of writing quality and the intrigue and excitement. As a great read this series is a must for anybody who believes demons are just nasty, evil, malicious creature from hell - they're quite misunderstood - well slightly misjudged at least. Here's hoping book three isn't too far away!

September 2004

Voyage of the Snake Lady by Theresa Tomlinson

Pub: Random House, reviewed by Rory from Burnside High

Voyage of the Snake Lady is the sequel to The Moon Riders, a book by the same author. It continues the story of Myrina, a moon rider. Moon riders are a group of female horse riders who travel the lands of their native peoples, and are the Amazons of classical Greek Literature. The Moon Riders are plagued by the Achaeans, the classical name of the ancient Greeks. The previous novel, The Moon Riders talks about the Moon Riders involvement in the siege on Troy. I enjoyed this book mostly because of the relevance to Homer’s Iliad and historical information of life in that period. The second book in the series, Voyage of the Snake Lady, is set away from Troy, but yet again involves the rape, pillage and burning of the Achaeans. Myrina is caught up in the story when she and most of her Moon Riders are caught by an Achaean raiding party, to be taken as slaves. They take over the slave ship, and make their way north, through the black sea. The story depicts their adventures there, and the rescue of their friends, before they return their lands to peace.

I definitely enjoyed The Moon Riders more than the Voyage of the Snake Lady. There is less of a direct relevance to the more famous literature of classical times in this second book, one of the aspects I enjoyed most about the first. As the storyline moves into Ukraine and Russia, customs are all I really recognised of the Classical setting. The story is mostly based around the attempt at freedom by the moon riders, and the goals of Myrina, the Snake Lady. The storyline is quite different, not following any resemblance to the first book, and I liked that. The new storyline is more structured and linear, being much easier to tell without shaping itself around the war at troy and the pre-defined events of the Iliad.

The book introduces new characters, mainly Chryse, the mouse boy. He is very well written, and my favourite of the characters. Many new characters come in on the scene, and add a huge amount of interest to the story. These replacements of many characters from the previous story certainly improve the tale.

This difference makes the two books appeal to very different audiences. Though you will be left with a strong preference of one over the other, both are really great reads, and if you read the first book, it’s worth reading the second.

September 2004

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathon Stroud

Book 1: The Bartimaeus Trilogy
Pub: Random House @ 18.95, reviewed by Alex from Burnside High

Wahoo! This was one really good fantasy-fiction book - and the first of a trilogy!

Set in modern times on Earth with all the technology, everything seems normal - except for the severe lack of democracy, as wizards run a caste system giving them complete control of the major countries - namely Britain and Czechoslovakia. This isn't a conventional fantasy story, which can be seen in the way wizard works: The only special 'power' they have is to summon and control demons. It is the demons that have the magical powers, and a demon's abilities are based on its class and rank: The weakest demon is an imp, followed by foliots, djinnis, scary afrits, and downright terrifying marids (who require many magicians to be properly controlled). Of course if a demon is not properly summoned or bound it gets out, normally kills its summoner, and causes havoc.

Nathaniel is a child in the midst of his training to become a magician when he secretly summons a many millennia old djinni called Bartimaeus to steal the Amulet of Samarkand from one Simon Lovelace. Bartimaeus is a forth level
djinni who really brings the book to life. Through his actions the young summoner and his demon enter a world of deceit, murder, and rebellion.

This book is a fantastic, and very funny. To keep the suspense up the author, Jonathan Stroud, varies the style of delivery every few chapters between a third person account of what Nathaniel does, to a first person narration straight from the mouth of Bartimaeus. During Bartimaeus' chapters the story is enhanced with the use of very funny footnotes (appearing as side comments that Bartimaeus deems appropriate to add). This technique is strikingly innovative and used really well - apart from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series I've never encountered such well-done footnotes.

A tale of intrigue, hilarity, and magic makes the Amulet of Samarkand a refreshingly brilliant work of fantasy fiction. Mr Stroud is a skilled writer who has started a great trilogy with very high standards. Keep an eye out for books two and three!

September 2004

Bollywood Babes by Narinder Dhami

Pub: Random House, reviewed by Ilanko from Burnside High

Three teenage sisters: Amber, Geena, and Jazz, growing up in a mostly Indian suburb somewhere in England. As this suggests, 'Bollywood Babes' is vaguely reminiscent of 'Bend it like Beckham,' but simpler and more light-hearted. I would recommend it for 8 to 11 years. The book is a sequel to 'Bindi Babes' but can be read separately.

Narrating the story is Amber, infamous among her friends for her outlandish plans, including an attempt to marry off her aunt to their favourite teacher (and this isn't over yet, either). The school is in need of money, and their aunt has come up with the idea of holding a Bollywood themed party for fundraising - Bollywood being the Indian version of Hollywood. When the sisters hear about an actual Bollywood film star living nearby, Amber naturally suggests that they invite her to be the guest of honour at the party. However, when they arrive at Molly Mahal's doorstep, they find that she isn't quite what they were expecting - totally destitute and not-so-glamorous. Even when they offer to help her out she is demanding and unpredictable, and things go very much downhill.

The problems faced by the three sisters as they desperately try to salvage the situation provide more than enough laughs to keep a dedicated reader occupied. Don't expect anything too deep and meaningful, and this book will show you a good time.

September 2004

HipHop Music in Aotearoa by Gareth Shute

Pub: Reed @ 29.95, Reviewed by Katherine from Burnside High

Interested in New Zealand Hip Hop? Then this book's for you! It provides a basic history of how the popular form of music first began in Aotearoa. Covering a wide range of artists - from Upper Hutt Posse in the earlier stages, to the likes of Scribe in more modern times. Although some of the artists never really hit the big time, the book gives an excellent overview of their journeys. It describes the many development stages of Hip Hop, and presents these through the experiences of artists. Hip Hop Music In Aotearoa is easy reading, flowing well with it's evolution in chronological order.

This book would be found extremely beneficial for anyone doing a research assignment on New Zealand music. I really enjoyed it and give it top marks, suggesting it to anyone looking for a non-fiction of something besides the norm.

September 2004

The Village of Stone by Xiaolu Guo

Translated by Cindy Carter, Reviewed by Theresa from Burnside High

The Village of Stone is a book that tells a story about Coral Jiang’s life as a child to a grown woman. You would be exploring deep into her mind of a seven year old girl to a woman in her 20’s. The story covers both the past and present of her life. Readers would be tempted to read the book from start to finish. This story is both mysterious and haunting at the same time. I would recommend readers above the age of fifteen to read this book.

September 2004

august 2004

The Donkey Man by Glyn Harper, Illus Bruce Potter

Pub Reed @ 14.95 reviewed by Sheryl from Burnside High

Although this is a picture book it has a lot of factual information about the British Army fighting in Gallipoli in the First World War. The war is all seen through the eyes of Roland the donkey. The donkey man is based on a real soldier. He was soldier 3/258 Richard Alexander Henderson who was part of the New Zealand Medical Corps. Roland is based on the donkey that assisted Richard Henderson to carry the wounded soldiers to safety.

This book is a must read if you are doing a study on World War 1 and want easy to understand information. I really liked this book because it had good facts presented in an easy to read manner.

August 2004

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire by Sandy McKay

Pub Longacre Press @ 14.95 Reviewed by Sheryl from Burnside High

Hannah wishes she could be a millionaire the same as many of us wish. But, is being a millionaire really that great? This novel written by Sandy McKay has a clear message, it is not much fun at all when you suddenly have loads of money to spend.
Firstly, what do your friends feel about it? Do they feel like your ditching them for money? Or are the just plain jealous?
Secondly, What should you do with your money? How do you decide what you want?

This great novel is very easy and enjoyable to read. You really want to find out what happens next. On a scale of one to five I give this novel a five. You've just got to read it and find out for yourself, who wants to be a millionaire?

August 2004

Doggy Doo on my Shoe by Dawn McMillan, Illus by Ross Kinnaird

Pub Reed @ 14.95 reviewed by Kim from Burnside High

This is a really fun book for those children who enjoy some humour in their reading. It has the same line, 'there's doggy doo on _______ shoe' the whole way through and there is a funky rhyme which keeps the children attached. It has a twist at the end which adults will get but the children may need it explained to them. The pictures are really bold, and colourful and help the story come to life. This book is more for the ages of 3-4yrs +

August 2004

The Other Ark by Lynley Dodd

Pub Mallinson Rendel @ 27.95 reviewed by Kim from Burnside High

This book has great illustrations because they are bright, bold and full of colour. The story is slightly confusing for young children as it contains long words which they may not understand but there is a catchy rhythm throughout the book and all the lines rhyme which makes it catchy for young children to read along. It is for about 2 yr old and upwards. But most children would have to be at least 5 or so before they started reading it themselves.

August 2004

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon

Pub: Reed @ $24.95 reviewed by Ryan from Burnside High

Christopher Bones is 15 and has Asperger's Syndrome. Christopher is different to most people. He is an expert at maths and loves patterns and things to be in a proper order but he does not like people who lie. Christopher won't eat anything yellow or brown or do anything associated with these colours but he loves the colour red. For example if he is going to school on the bus and he sees five red cars it is a super good day. If he sees four red cars it is a good day, if there are three red cars it's quite a good day and 4 yellow cars makes it a black day.

Christopher hasn't ever been past the shop at the end of his street by himself. One day his life is turned upside down when he finds his neighbour's dog dead after someone threw a fork at its stomach. Upset because he loves dogs, he decides to do some detective work and tries to find out who killed the dog. Writing a book for school, he presents the evidence. This also means he has to face one of his many fears.

I think this book is brilliant and well thought out. The author, Mark Haddon must have put a lot of thought into this book or it must be based on someone he knew. This book is powerful and hard to put down. My favourite character would have to be Christopher because he has such an interesting view on life and it is interesting to read about someone with an unusual disability.

August 2004

Life Is A Journey by Tim Sole & Michael Dunning

Pub: Reed @ $19.95 reviewed by Syliva from Burnside High

Life Is A Journey by Tim Sole & Michael Dunning Life Is A Journey combines vivid images and inspirational quotations to uplift, encourage and touch the heart of the reader. This feel-good book matches gorgeous colour photos by international photographer Michael Dunning with interesting quotations collected by Tim Sole. Some of these famous and meaningful quotations included are:

"It is amazing how complete the delusion is that beauty is goodness" - Leo Tolstoy
"A march of a thousand miles must begin with a single step" -Lao Tzu

What do think your life is? This book will have you thinking seriously about what it really means to you - "Life is short, live it up." Enjoy the moment you are in, it is the only one that is yours.

August 2004

Dizzy by Cathy Cassidy

Pub: Puffin @ $14.95 reviewed by Euna from Burnside High

Dizzy by Cathy Cassidy How many mothers in the world get married in a tablecloth, live in a big grubby van (and occasionally a tepee), are a drug addict, an outlaw and a hippie? Just one - the one and only, Storm, Dizzy's mother who returns after eight years of 'almost neglecting' her daughter. However, Dizzy is happier than ever to see her mother but she doesn't realise that Storm has returned for a reason - to kidnap her away at night into a life Dizzy had left long ago.

This is a novel specially written for girls. Even the cover page strongly suggests enough to put most boys off from even touching it! Its stunning tones of pink and colourful flowers on the cover undoubtedly say Just For Girls and makes sure that the book stands out anywhere.

Dizzy is a short novel young girls between 10 to 14 would love to read (of course, this does not mean that boys should not read it - I hope I have not discouraged anyone). It's interesting storyline makes it a fun novel for a bit of light reading. If there is a fault, it's that half the story is almost too predictable but it's still a fantastic fun read. I give it 8 out of 10.

August 2004

Cannibals: It's A Boy Eat Girl World by Cynthia D Grant

Pub: Macmillan @ 16.95/reviewed by Theresa from Burnside High

Don't judge this book by its unusual title because the story is truly inspiring. It's about Tiffany - a girl who is a beautiful, smart and ambitious. She has a good life and a gorgeous boyfriend. The problem is she wants to be somebody famous. Her dreams finally come true when a movie is being filmed in her school but things don't turn out as expected and somehow she gets herself into a BIG mess. This is a story about Tiffany in her final year at high school and how she grows from her experience. It's sharp, witty, humorous and beautifully written by the author. I strongly recommend readers from the age of thirteen onwards to read this book.

August 2004

The Society of Others by William Nicholson

Pub: Random House @ $39.95. Reviewed by Alemarnos from Burnside High

Well-known fantasy fiction writer William Nicholson (author of The Wind on Fire Trilogy) has produced another great book, this time titled The Society of Others. When I read the blurb of this novel it seemed that it was going to be quite depressing "My life is meaningless. I'm not getting any happier…" and so on. But don't let this put you off! The Society of Others is a strange and confusing, yet somewhat intriguing story written as a narration. The main character is nameless and states "If you want a name, use your own." The first few chapters are rather odd and make you wonder if the story will go anywhere. It does, and very rapidly too. The narrator suddenly leaves his parents and family (the tale starts in England) and goes in search for adventure, which originally takes the form of a truck driver specialising in philosophy. Saying he will travel as far as the driver will take him, the narrator ends up (with nothing but his clothes) in an Eastern European country (another no-namer) that is currently run by the military due to a "state of emergency". Life goes downhill from there as he runs into rebel groups and the government. The ending can catch you off guard as it suddenly appears in one big, rushing climax that almost lost me. This is not really a book one can scan because detail is fairly important, but the detail is well-done.

Throughout the story an enigma is maintained that has the potential to totally lose the reader, but rereading parts of the book is actually quite beneficial. In The Wind on Fire Trilogy William Nicholson concentrated on themes of "self-discovery" and "forms of society", and his latest creation is centred again on these themes however his writing style is extremely different. The world is depicted as harsh, brutal, real, and full of philosophy. It is a gripping and involved story that causes readers to consider their own values. A perturbing, yet great and thoroughly interesting read, that I believe is suitable for anyone past about age 12.

August 2004

The Blood Stone by Jamila Gavin

Pub: Reed @ $16.95. Reviewed by Tehnuka from Burnside High School

Filippo lives in Venice with his family, the Veroneos. His father Geronimo, a master jeweller, left for Hindustan eight months before he was born, and has been missing ever since. Filippo's brother-in-law has gained guardianship of the family; but he needs money, and is desperate to gain hold of a precious diamond, 'The Ocean of the Moon,' which Geronimo had given to his wife when they were married. Suddenly, a man turns up at Filippo's doorstep with news of his father, and the family is told that this diamond could hold the key to Geronimo's return. The title 'The Blood Stone' becomes appropriate as Filippo's quest to find his father takes a dangerous and violent turn.

Although this storyline may sound clichéd and dull, the writing is excellently crafted. It explores the depths of human greed; in some ways it is a simpler version of John Steinbeck's 'The Pearl', and the loyalties and bonds within a family are well expressed. The descriptions of exotic locations such as the court of the Great Moghul in Agra are lavish and powerful. Open to any page, and lines such as the following will grab the attention of a reader. "Even the sky, streaked with red, seemed to shriek out the end of the day, and the sun, as though mortally wounded, plunged into a phosphorescent sea, staining it from green to blood red."

One issue I noticed with 'The Blood Stone' was the lack of a climax. It appears to be building up interestingly at several points, then just as easily diminishes into a dragging plot line. The personalities of the characters also seemed rather two-dimensional. Other than this, I would recommend 'The Blood Stone' as an excellent book by a popular author. Older readers may find it boring, but it should be an engrossing story for most between the ages of eight to twelve. Enjoy!

August 2004

july 2004

Malcolm and Juliet by Bernard Beckett

Pub: Longacre Press @ $18.95 reviewed by Beaulah from Burnside High

Hmm… *Raises an Eyebrow*… Actually, for a book about sex, lies, and science, Malcolm and Juliet is not toooo bad. Malcolm is a 16 year old scientist who dreams of winning the science fair - last year his entry lacked 'visual appeal' so this year he's trying a different approach…A documentary on sex. Though 'Malcolm and Juliet' is on the border, it never actually crosses the line into graphic or disturbing… except for a kiss between certain two male characters.
I'll let you make up your own mind… But for me, 'Malcolm and Juliet' was just an excuse for the author to lower the already low standards of New Zealand youth. As I say, it's up to you, but it's definitely not a book I would read again - 2/10.

July 2004

Overheard On A Saltmarsh - Poets Favourite Poems edited by Carl Ann Duffy

Pub: Macmillan @ $16.95 reviewed by Beaulah from Burnside High

"I would not saw the wood I see if what I saw was not a tree." - Selma Hill

Overheard on a Saltmarsh is a lovely collection of children's' poems, with a unique twist. Every poem chosen by the Editor is accompanied by the Poets' favourite poem. This gives the book an interesting flavour and makes it certainly more than your bland "Children's' Poetry". On the whole, I did enjoy the poems in this collection, although some were a little long and confusing. Do not expect to find very well known poems here, however. I had not heard of any of them before I read it. For children over 3, and anyone who enjoys a laugh, I'd give "Overheard on a Saltmarsh" an 8/10.

July 2004

The Puddleman by Raymond Briggs

Published by Random House @ $36.95. Reviewed by Alex from Burnside High School

Raymond Briggs is a popular writer/illustrator who produces amazing picture books that everyone can enjoy. His more well known books include: Father Christmas, Fungus the Bogeyman, and The Snowman

The Puddle Man is another work of art but it is not a happy story, like many of his other books. It follows the lines of When the Wind Blows, and has puzzling and sad themes. The story itself is quite innocent. It's about a little boy (Tom) who goes for a walk with his grandfather to find puddles and meets a strange man carrying puddles on his back.

The antics of Tom during the story cause the reader to wonder about his family: Why does Tom treat his grandfather the way he does? Where is his immediate family; and is there a deeper meaning to them being "lost"? Another question is "why is the grandfather drawn with an angry expression most of the time?"

I have read this story many times and am only just gaining satisfactory answers. Although it appears to be a book aimed at a younger audience, this is a highly intriguing book, and I think anyone over 12 years should read it.

July 2004

Varjak Paw by S F Said / illus by Dave McKean

Published by Random House @ $16.95. Reviewed by Ryan from Burnside High

Varjak is a breed of cat called a Mesopotamian Blue. Varjak lives on the top of a hill in a house owned by a Contessa with his whole cat family, all having descended from the famous Jalal.

But soon things take a turn for the worse because two black cats arrive with a man. These cats are nothing like Varjak has seen before as they are unnaturally strong. Varjak must go on a quest to find a dog because they can scare away the intruders. He is on his own because the rest of his family does not believe the new cats and the man are a threat as they still feed them and treat them nicely. It is up to Varjak. He gets away from the house and goes into the town and finds more than he bargained for, including cat gangs and the mysterious vanishings.

This is a fantastic book. My favourite part is when Varjak learns how to use his special skills called 'The Way' and uses it to hunt and fight. My favourite character is Holly the cat because she is tough on the inside but deep down she is kind and friendly. I would rate this book 9/10. If you want to know more about this book, I suggest you read it for yourself!!

July 2004

The Life and Times of Gracie Faltrain by Cath Crowley

Published by Macmillan @ $18.95. Reviewed by Tehnuka from Burnside High School

This book centres on a Gracie, a girl of about fifteen who is an avid soccer player with a solid social life. She enjoys the sport, she is popular at school, and the guy she likes seems to be interested in her. However, pride comes before a fall, and when things soon start to come apart she is forced to change her perspectives very quickly as she finds out who her friends really are.

The structure of this book is interesting, if ineffective. It consists of fragments of thought from each of the characters in an attempt to portray all of their personalities. Instead, most of the people appear shallow and single-minded, although the exaggeration of some characteristics makes the story simpler to understand. The language used is comprehensible and teenage culture is expressed quite accurately. The plot is slightly unrealistic in places, but the author clearly shows that life is not black and white.

The life and times of Gracie Faltrain is a book full of good ideas; the only problem is that many of these are only taken half-way. I would recommend it for readers from about ten to twelve years of age who are looking for quick, light entertainment.

July 2004

The Switchers Trilogy by Kate Thompson

Published by Random House @ 19.95. Reviewed by Beaulah from Burnside High School

The general idea of this book had great potential … Tess can turn into animals … until her 15th birthday when her powers stop and she must choose a form to remain in, permanently. Unfortunately, it didn't really manage to pull it off successfully. The book was far too long for it's content, some parts were quite confusing and the almost romance between Kevin and Tess never came to anything. To it's credit, the book does reach a satisfying conclusion and most threads are succinctly tied up at the end. This book is only reccomended to those who have way too much spare time and like reasonably simple storylines. No real age reccomendation here either as there is no unsuitable content.

July 2004

june 2004

The Book For People Who Do Too Much by Bradley Trevor Greive

Published by Random House @ $19.95. Reviewed by Kim from Burnside High School

This book is a great book for the coffee table. It is filled with lovely pictures and a neat message throughout the book. Other books in the series including the Blue Day Book also have fantastic meanings and small sayings/quotes. One of my favourites is "I want a bigger house filled with the newest new things and the oldest antiques". There are some pictures to laugh about and others to just oooh and aaah over! A wonderful book for all ages, especially for those who 'do too much'!

June 2004

Annan Water by Kate Thompson

Published by Random House July 2004 @ 36.95 hb 16.95 pb. Reviewed by Beaulah from Burnside High

Good book, definitely for those who enjoy mysterious almost supernatural themes. Annan Water is about a boy named Michael who somehow seemes to be reliving an old legend … with a tragic ending. I did enjoy Anan Water, though it would have been nice if the various threads tied together better at the end. A 7/10 and probably aimed at 12 - 15 year olds.

June 2004

Small Gains by K M Peyton

Published by Random House July 2004 @ 18.95. Reviewed by Francesca from Burnside High School

This is a wonderfully written story of the great many sorrows in Clara Garland's life. Following the death of her mother, the family farm-Small Gains, has fallen into disrepair with the family strongly relying on their famous trotter 'Tilly' to win the matches and provide them with some money. But with Tilly getting old and Clara's younger sister's medical condition worsening Clara hasn't got a great many things to look forward to. When you start this book be prepared to get involved with the characters, so much so that you will probably cringe when Clara makes some of her decisions. Definitely a recommended read for people aged 12 and over.

June 2004

The Tears of the Salamander by Peter Dickinson

Published by Macmillan @ $16.95. Reviewed by Tehnuka from Burnside High School

This book, set in Italy a few centuries ago, is about a young boy Alfredo, who, after losing his family, is taken away to Mount Etna by a mysterious uncle. He begins to discover something of his family history and the future that has been decided for him.

I found this book extremely tedious as the characters, through both personality and physical attributes, have been manipulated to suit the plot. There is only one storyline, and the people, including Alfredo and other central characters, are constantly changing to fit it. The circumstances are contrived, no important themes are carried through, and although there is a climax it does not have the intended effect. However, the author has partially redeemed himself through his detailed descriptions; his ability to set the scene and create an appropriate atmosphere.

'The Tears of the Salamander' would be suitable for readers between the ages of 7 and 12; a moderately challenging book with limited action for younger readers, or a detached, relaxing book to pass the time for older readers.

June 2004

Lily B On the Brink of Cool by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

Published by Penguin (Puffin) @ $14.95. Reviewed by Theresa from Burnside High School

This is a story about Lily, a girl who decided to write a journal as her project for her advanced English during a summer holiday. She wrote down everything that happened between the start of the summer holiday and the start of school term. At the start of the story, Lily complains about her parents being boring and nothing really exciting happening in her life. This all changes, when she met the LeBlancs at Delia's wedding. She thinks they are the coolest people she has ever known. She begins to spend a lot of time with them, although her parent asks her to stay away from them. When they say they need a place to live for two weeks, she immediately agrees to let them stay in her family's lake house without her parents' knowledge. Things didn't turn out the way she expected them to. She learned a valuable lesson during the holidays.

This is a funny and enjoyable book to read. Readers would be able to relate to what Lily is going through with their own life. I would recommend readers between the ages of 10 - 14 to read this book.

June 2004

Native State by Tony Cohan

Published by Random House. Reviewed by Tehnuka from Burnside High School.

Native State is an autobiography of Tony Cohan's life. An exploration of his relationship with his sick father leads deeper into memories of the author's childhood, with an alcoholic mother and a happy-go-lucky father who the author perceives as belittling his son while thinking highly of himself.

As a young jazz drummer, Tony Cohan travelled throughout Europe after leaving home to get away from his father; meeting writers, singers, and several other interesting people. The story switches from travel memoirs and childhood experiences to more recent events, describing the author's changing attitude towards his father and his past.
'Sex, drugs, and rock and roll' might be an apt description for this book as it takes the reader through the author's life in the 1950s and 1960s, and I recommend it for readers over 13 if not older. Some cultural and musical references, acronyms, and quotes from other languages were slightly baffling, and I would not describe it as an engrossing read; however if you can get past this, Native State is an excellent exploration of family, destiny, and self-acceptance.

June 2004

May 2004

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Upon receiving this book, I was handed some information about the author and his book and two things caught my eye:

Christopher Paolini was 15 when he started writing this book and only 18 when it was published
The book is highly popular in America, with fan clubs set up, and also some sales statistics top the Harry Potter Series.

Unfortunately these facts raised my expectations a bit too high.

Eragon is the first book in a fantasy fiction trilogy set in the land of Alagaësia. The main character is 16 years-old Eragon, whose life is drastically changed when he finds a blue stone that brings forth a baby dragon named Saphira. The two form an inseparable bond and when tragedy befalls Eragon's family, they set out on a perilous quest armed only with a mysterious old storyteller. Their journey is lined with magic, elves, dwarves, treachery, lots of fighting, and oh yes! A corrupt and evil king.

The story is quite good, featuring some interesting ideas and conventions, but unfortunately the plot is a bit too much what I call 'formulaic fantasy' - I found I was correctly predicting most of the storyline.

For a teenage author Eragon is great stuff, and if he keeps writing Christopher Paolini will produce some gripping literature, but in the wider world of fantasy fiction Eragon isn't very good. As a well-read lover of fantasy fiction I find at the moment Christopher Paolini just does not rate. If you like fantasy I suggest you try Terry Goodkind, Tad Williams, or Robin Hobb.

I have definitely read better fantasy books, but I do recommend Eragon as an enjoyable tale, and I'm interested in how parts 2 and 3 turn out. It is suitable for people over 12 years with a good imagination.

Alex R, Burnside High School

Read another review of Eragon in your reviews

May 2004

april 2004

While I Live by John Marsden (part one of The Ellie Chronicles)

Published by Macmillan, 2003 @ $32.95 (paperback available in July 2004 for $16.95). Reviewed by Kim from Burnside High School

While I Live is a fabulous book. It is full of gripping adventures and is a great follow on from the 'Tomorrow' series. For anybody who has read the 'Tomorrow' series, While I Live is a must read. Ellie has really hard decisions and news to overcome, but she does well. I reccomend this book to any teenagers who have read the ' Tomorrow ' series (it would probably be confusing if you hadn't read it.) Hopefully more books in this series are still to come!!!

Read our interview with John Marsden in Pulse features

April 2004

March 2004

The Quotable Equine by Jim Dratfield

published by Random House/April 2004 @ $19.95 Reviewed by Beaulah from Burnside High School

This is a book full of delightful horse pictures, accompanied by thoughtful, and sometimes hilarious quotes. The style is quite different and all the pictures are in sepia tone (brown) like old photographs, which gives them a 'memory' feel. My favourite quote is "Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first". Definately aimed at horse lovers, it's a great idea as a gift.

March 2004

Napoleon and the Chicken Farmer by Lloyd Jones, Illustrated by Graeme Gash

Published by Mallinson Rendel November 2003 @ $29.95
Reviewed by Kim from Burnside High School

Napoleon and the Chicken Farmer has a confusing storyline for children to understand and has unusual things in it, such as when 'the chickens were drunk on fermented peaches.' This book has great pictures, though, which are bold, bright and very attractive for younger readers. It would probably be aimed at 5-8 year olds although adults may enjoy the humour in it too.

March 2004

Mayada: Daughter of Iraq by Jean Sasson

Published by Random House November 2003 @ $34.95
Reviewed by Kate from Burnside High School

Mayada, Daughter of Iraq is a non-fiction story about an Iraqi woman who was the educated daughter of a well-known mother. She was protected by both her mother and a friend placed high in Saddam Hussein’s network. However he was plotted against and died and her mother left the country.

Mayada was falsely accused of a crime of printing leaflets against Saddam and was thrown into a cell with other innocent women. While there, Mayada tells stories about Saddam and his wife, listens to others stories of their imprisonment and is tortured - as the other women are. Mayada does not know whether she will live and be released or die in the little cell.

This book is very sad. The women's stories bring tears as it is discovered that they have families to feed but do not know where they are. The stories about Saddam and his wife show the cruelty and desperation of their lives, a cruelty I have never heard of before. There is also the sickening torture and in the book a poem is given, written by a tortured soul, saying how she was abused, killed then discovered innocent. The brutality of their captors was unbelievable. Luckily little is said about the torture or the book would be too horrific to read.

Although morbid the book is interesting, giving us a look into the lives of the Iraqi people of the past up until around only five years ago. We discover what truly and astonishingly happened in the jail cells to those who were there. Mayada, Daughter of Iraq will move you and fill you with an inexperienced sadness and pity.

March 2004

Rose Blanche by Roberto Innocenti and Ian McEwan

Picture Book published by Random House
Reviewed by Sheryl from Burnside High School

Rose Blanche is a picture book but not in the sense of a little kids picture book. Rose is a young girl who is living in the time of the second World War in Germany. She is deeply moved by the plight of the Jewish children.
This is definitely a book where the pictures paint 1000 words in presenting the images of the times. I think this is a very moving story it certainly touched my heart and I hope it touches your heart in the same way when you read it.

March 2004

February 2004

Midnight by Jacqueline Wilson

Reviewed by Beaulah from Burnside High School and published by Random House November 2003 @ $36.95

This is a lovely, well written story, appropriate for ages 8 and up. In my opinion, the blurb on this book does it no justice and only serves to confuse a potential reader before they even get a chance to open the front cover. It's really about the dynamic relationship between thirteen-year-old Violet, her older brother Will, and best friend Jasmine. I was captivated by the heart of this story and how well I could relate to it's characters. Jacqueline Wilson is a truly brilliant author and this book is a must for those who love her work.

February 2004

Watermark by Penelope Todd

Reviewed by Katie from Burnside High School and published by Longacre Press June 2003 @ $16.95

This is a book that I urge you not to put down. The blurb doesn't do this book justice. I was initially going to read the first few chapters to see if I could manage to plough my way through this novel. However straight away I was hooked into this refreshing novel that didn't follow the normal clichéd books where you have already figured out the ending before you've read the first line. Todd creates strong visual images of the native New Zealand bush, which, particularly for New Zealanders, engages the reader's imagination.

The course of events is somewhat unbelievable but the way in which it is written makes you believe in the strange possibility of these string of events occurring. The book explores the reality of surviving on your own without the use of technological objects, the real outdoors, catching your own food, passing the time without such luxuries as a TV. The book is depicted through the eyes of a young girl who unexpectedly follows a mysterious letter, which leads her to Joss and Hep, two people who aren't caught in the new age hustle and bustle. This book is a great read and I highly recommend it for everyone. It has enough in it to keep the action busters, romantics and naturalists all highly entertained

February 2004

Bloody Liggie by Ken Catran

Reviewed by Beaulah from Burnside High School and published by Penguin February 2004 @ $22

If you've ever wondered why a young girl would kill her father and step-mother one night with an axe, read "Bloody Liggie" by Ken Catran. It's a teen romance mixed with psycho-thriller but not really as scary as I had expected. I thought this book was good and certainly didn't leave me confused by the end, although it isn't really as good as some I've read.
I would probably recommend this book to those above the age of 12.

February 2004

January 2004

Dark Winter by Andy McNab

Reviewed by Alemarnos from Burnside High School and published by Random House/November 2003 @ $34.95

In the modern day fight against terrorism we join secret service operative Nick Stone on a mission in Malaysia. With the target out of the way, Nick heads back to America where he is thrown into a stormy sea of personal problems, at the head of them is his adopted teenage daughter Kelly. Taking Kelly to the UK for recuperative purposes, Nick thinks that the time he has there will be perfect for catching up with his daughter and helping fix her current problems. This is not to be. While there, Nick gets placed on another mission to prevent an act of terror that would dwarf 9/11, and ends up having to make a horrible decision - Save his daughter, or millions of other innocents…

Dark Winter is a highly intriguing book that will keep you reading until it’s over. Having been in the Gulf War himself on covert missions, Andy McNab proceeded in writing his experience in the best selling book: Bravo Two Zero. When it comes to this genre of modern warfare, McNab has more knowledge than other writers do due to the fact that he has had first hand experience. This allows his books to be more believable and compelling. The main fault I found with this book is that McNab utilises the TLA [Two/Three Letter Acronym] a bit too much. This causes the story to become fairly confusing in places.

All in all a very exciting tale that is frighteningly possible.

January 2004

Red Dog in Bandit Country: A True Story by Bill Redding

Reviewed by Beaulah from Burnside High and published by Longacre Press/2003 @ $16.95

Bill (Red Dog) Redding is charming, quick-witted, and has a knack for 'surviving' in extremely dangerous conditions. His life is the stuff of novels and yet has that basis in reality which makes "Red Dog in bandit country" a totally believable story. It is an exciting tale of Red Dog's escapades in the heart of Columbian bandit country, where he dines regularly with the "Bandit Queen" and her twelve sons, works on a construction site handling explosives, and befriends a "man-killing horse named Thunderbolt.

Red Dog is an easy read, targeted at 10-15 years, especially boys (Although I think girls will like it too). A definite must for all those "wild west" fans who like a good adventure.

Note: Sadly Bill Redding died while this book was in production. He was working in Mozambique at the time, clearing land-mines.

January 2004

Thunder Road by Ted Dawe

Reviewed by Alemarnos and published by Longacre Press October 2003 @ $18.95

NZ Post YA Fiction Winner 2004 & Best First Book Award Winner 2004

Fast cars, girls, drugs and cops. Sounds like another boy-racer movie, but this time it's in a book. Thunder Road is a new compelling novel by Ted Dawe, and it immerses you in the very real world of street racing and its links with the drug trade.

Trace is 19 and from a small New Zealand town. He moves to Auckland in search of a better, brighter life, and meeting up with Devon - a guy with contacts everywhere - Trace is introduced to the late night car scene. While Trace is falling in love with racing (and a certain girl), Devon finds a drug scheme to bring in the big bucks, and when a big Maori bloke named Wiremu from the local scorpion gang turns up, life gets messy.
Thunder Road is an exciting read that opens up the street racers' world, but also displays the dangers one faces when caught in the drug trade and how difficult it is to get out. The only negative factor in the book is the realistic but excessive swearing used in all situations.

For mainly a reader of good fantasy fiction, I found this book to be a wonderful change and suitable for anyone over the age of 13.

January 2004

November 2003

No Safe Harbour by David Hill

published by Mallinson Rendel 2003 @ $16.95 / reviewed by Kate from Burnside High

No Safe Harbour is a rocky story about the sinking of the boat, the Wahine. The book follows 15 year old Stuart and his twin sister Sandra (and they do act like brother and sister) as they are on the boat during its tragic last voyage. The book is horrible event unfolds, but is also packed with interesting information.

Because Stuart is a sailor, we find out lots about the ship, and things we have (like cellphones), we discover, were not always there, or at least not in April 1968.

This is a good book to start with for anyone who doesn’t know about the Wahine’s last voyage and anyone who does would enjoy the personalised view, along with feeling of actually being there. As Stuart and Sandra battle to stay alive you’ll be biting your nails with anticipation, unable to put down this chilling story.

November 2003

Thunder Road by Ted Dawe

reviewed by Shaun and published by Longacre Press October 2003 @ $18.95 pb

A bit about Trace, the main character. Trace is 19 and has grown out of small town ways. He's hungry for more. In Auckland he hooks with Devon, a guy with the Midas touch, who introduces Trace to burn-offs, big city style, soon everything is smoking. When Trace falls for a girl even Devon says it's out of his league, loyalties are stretched. Then Devon hits on a scheme for hauling in cash. Soon enough he and Trace find out who really controls the strip. As the underworld closes in it looks like their friendship is heading for burn out.
This is a story about when the lights go out and the cops are in bed, the street racers come out to test their machines and their nerve.

A LITTLE SAYING:
To you, my chief, among the stars and heavens you have inspired me, I am now the seed,
Farewell, farewell, farewell

Just one more "By born to run" Bruce Springsteen.
The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive, everybody's on the run tonight.
But there's no place left to hide.

I loved reading this book and I am looking forward to reading more books from Ted Dawe. I think the reading age should be 13 years plus.

November 2003

Lin and the Red Stranger by Ken Catran

reviewed by Sheryl and published by Random House November 2003 @ $16.95 pb

This wonderful story by Ken Catran is set in the New Zealand gold mines. It is very well written and is fast moving.

The main part of the story is based around two characters. The first character is a young servant girl from China called Lin. Lin has come to New Zealand on a boat with some other Chinese people to help in the gold mines.The other main character is a young lad called Declan who is Irish. He used to live in Australia but he has decided to come to New Zealand because he is running from the law. He has also heard about all the gold in New Zealand so he has decided to try his luck in the gold mines. Lin and Declan first meet each other on the wharf when Lin falls getting out of the boat and Declan helps her up. From then on Lin calls Declan the 'Red Stranger'. But, as Lin cannot speak or understand English their cultures clash. This fascinating story is full of greed, violence and tragedy all because of gold and its effect on these two young lives. Read Lin and the Red stranger to find out what eventuates.

This is a superb book and I really enjoyed it.

November 2003

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Reviews 4UbyU 2003 / 2004

Spy High; Episode 4: The Paranoia Plot by A. J. Butcher

Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Explorers Wanted! On the South Sea Islands… In the Himalayas by Simon Chapman

Sleep Rough Tonight by Ian Bone

Spy High: Episode 2: The Chaos Connection by A. J. Butcher

The Dark Mirror (Book 1/The Bridei Chronicles) by Juliet Marillier

The Braves by David Klass

Friends To The End: The True Value of Friendship by Bradley Trevor Greive

The NZ Wars by Ross Calman

The Loser's Club by John Lekich

Indigo Blue by Cathy Cassidy

Merlin by John Matthews

november 2004

The Boy Who Ate Stars by Kochka (translated by Sarah Adams)

The Book of Inventions by Ian Harrison

Mirror World by Stephen Jackson

October 2004

LBD - The Great Escape by Grace Dent

The Diddakoi by Rumer Godden

The Bad Book by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton

Angel Messages by Juan Nakamori

Cross Tides by Lorraine Orman

The Hunt Begins (Part I: The Great Hunt) & New Threads in the Pattern (Part II: The Great Hunt)

The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams

Hunt the Hunters by Anita Bell

Surprising Joy by Valerie Bloom

Hover Car Racer by Matthew Reilly

The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson

The Princess Diaries: Sixsational by Meg Cabot

Coming Back by David Hill

A Little Piece of Ground by Elizabeth Laird

The Reed Book of Māori Mythology by A W Reed

september 2004

Kura Toa Warrior School by Tim Pipene

Dark by Penelope Todd

The Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden

Soundtrack by Julie Bertagna

Out of Tune by Joanna Orwin

The Real Thing by Brian Falkner

Pulling Together: A Book for Young People Living With Cancer by Canteen

The Mediator: Love You To Death by Meg Cabot

The Opposite of Chocolate by Julie Bertagna

Seal Boy by Ken Catran

The Golem’s Eye by Jonathon Stroud

Voyage of the Snake Lady by Theresa Tomlinson

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathon Stroud

Bollywood Babes by Narinder Dhami

HipHop Music in Aotearoa by Gareth Shute

The Village of Stone by Xiaolu Guo

august 2004

The Donkey Man by Glyn Harper, Illus Bruce Potter

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire by Sandy McKay

Doggy Doo on my Shoe by Dawn McMillan, Illus by Ross Kinnaird

The Other Ark by Lynley Dodd

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon

Life Is A Journey by Tim Sole & Michael Dunning

Dizzy by Cathy Cassidy

Cannibals: It's A Boy Eat Girl World by Cynthia D Grant

The Society of Others by William Nicholson

The Blood Stone by Jamila Gavin

july 2004

Malcolm and Juliet by Bernard Beckett

Overheard On A Saltmarsh - Poets Favourite Poems edited by Carl Ann Duffy

The Puddleman by Raymond Briggs

Varjak Paw by S F Said / illus by Dave McKean

The Life and Times of Gracie Faltrain by Cath Crowley

The Switchers Trilogy by Kate Thompson

june 2004

The Book For People Who Do Too Much by Bradley Trevor Greive

Annan Water by Kate Thompson

Small Gains by K M Peyton

The Tears of the Salamander by Peter Dickinson

Lily B On the Brink of Cool by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

Native State by Tony Cohan

May 2004

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Explorers Wanted! On the South Sea Islands…
In the Himalayas by Simon Chapman