"A Beautiful Friendship" by David Weber

Title: A Beautiful Friendship

Author: David Weber
Publisher: Baen

This is the full length novel of the short story previously published in the anthology "More than Honor".

Book One of the Star Kingdom saga.

Blurb:

Weber delivers the first entry in an original young adult science fiction adventure series, the Star Kingdom saga! Young teen Stephanie Harrington forms a telepathic bond with an intelligent alien treecat on a pioneer planet—and must fight for the freedom of her new friend and his species against highly-placed enemies determined to claim the world for humans only.

Stephanie Harrington always expected to be a forest ranger on her homeworld of Meyerdahl . . . until her parents relocated to the frontier planet of Sphinx in the far distant Star Kingdom of Manticore. It should have been the perfect new home --- a virgin wilderness full of new species of every sort, just waiting to be discovered. But Sphinx is a far more dangerous place than ultra-civilized Meyerdahl, and Stephanie’s explorations come to a sudden halt when her parents lay down the law: no trips into the bush without adult supervision!

Yet Stephanie is a young woman determined to make discoveries, and the biggest one of all awaits her: an intelligent alien species.

The forest-dwelling treecats are small, cute, smart, and have a pronounced taste for celery. And they are also very, very deadly when they or their friends are threatened . . . as Stephanie discovers when she comes face-to-face with Sphinx’s most lethal predator after a hang-gliding accident.

But her discoveries are only beginning, for the treecats are also telepathic and able to bond with certain humans, and Stephanie’s find --- and her first-of-its kind bond with the treecat Climbs Quickly --- land both of them in a fresh torrent of danger. Galactic-sized wealth is at stake, and Stephanie and the treecats are squarely in the path of highly placed enemies determined to make sure the planet Sphinx remains entirely in human hands, even if that means the extermination of another thinking species.

Unfortunately for those enemies, the treecats have saved Stephanie Harrington’s life. She owes them . . . and Stephanie is a young woman who stands by her friends.

Which means things are about to get very interesting on Sphinx.

Synopsis:

The story takes place in the year 1518 PD (Post Diaspora) or 3620 AD, approximately 382 years before the events of "On Basilisk Station". The story centers around the first treecat/human interaction on the planet sphinx.

Climbs Quickly, a young treecat scout of the Bright Water clan, ventures to a human settlement intrigued by the plant known to the treecats as "cluster stalk", a plant unlike any known to the 'cats, with a delicious taste.

Stephanie Harrington, an eleven-year-old girl whose family has recently migrated to Sphinx from the planet Meyerdahl is determined to find out who keeps stealing celery from greenhouses and gardens all over Sphinx.

In the middle of a nightime thunderstorm, Stephanie finally catches Climbs Quickly sneaking out of the greenhouse. The two young beings experience a moment of deep psychic connection, the first bonding between a human and a treecat has just occurred.

Wanting to know more about the treecat, Stephanie sets out to track them, with consequences she could not of thought could happen....Stephanie crashes her glider during a storm, and Climbs Quickly comes to her rescue, unfortunately a six legged beast sees Stephanie as a meal and between her and the treecat they battle for their lives.

Once this new species is public knowledge the rest of the Star Kingdom wants to know more about them, but it is not just the scientific community who are interested. Trade in obscure pets is lucrative, and the treecats are definitely obscure. What follows is how Stephanie and the scientists must protect the species.

Verdict:
At 384 pages this took me about 6 - 8 hours to read. The story flows easily and the short story that I previously read takes up about the first third of the novel. It is not just a reprint, but the author embelishes the short story and really does set the scene for the rest of the novel.

I enjoyed the story, however, the ending seemed a bit abrupt, almost as tho the deadline was looming and it had to be finished quickly. I'm hoping the second book will not dissapoint.

Rating: 4/5

"I am legend" by Richard Matheson

Title: I Am Legend

Author: Richard Matheson
Publisher: Orion Books Ltd

Blurb:

Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth . . . but he is not alone. Every other man, woman and child on the planet has become a vampire, and they are hungry for Neville's blood.

By day he is the hunter, stalking the undead through the ruins of civilisation. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for the dawn.

How long can one man survive like this?

Synopsis:

Robert Neville has survived the plague that has turned the rest of humanity into vampires. Initially at the loss of his wife and daughter, Robert turns to the bottle. He hunts down vampires during the day and cowers in his house at night. As time progresses, he hunts to find a cure rather than simply trying to survive in this new world. By the end of the book, we find he is the last known human, "a legend", in the new vampire world.

Verdict:

Nothing like the film staring Will Smith, but really helps to explain things. In the film I thought they were types of Zombie, silly me. At about 160 pages, this was an enjoyable read, but a little monotonous in places. Honestly the film is a better story.

Rating: 4/5

"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card

Title: Ender's Game
Author: Orson Scott Card
Publisher: Orbit

Blurb:

The human race faces annihilation.

An alien threat is on the horizon, ready to strike. And if humanity is to be defended, the government must create the greatest military commander in history.

The brilliant young Ender Wiggin is their last hope. But first he must survive the rigours of a brutal military training program - to prove that he can be the leader of all leaders.

A saviour for mankind must be produced, through whatever means possible. But are they creating a hero or a monster?

This is the multiple award-winning classic ENDER'S GAME - a groundbreaking tale of war, strategy and survival.

Synopsis:

Ender Wiggin, "third" child in a world where the population is controlled by only having two children, is a six year old genius. He has been allowed to exist only by the governments will in wanting a new military leader to combat the threat of an alien presence which nearly wiped humanity out over 50 years previous.

The book starts with Ender in school, fitted with a monitor device that records everything he sees and hears. After a while the monitor is removed to see how he copes and a fight ensues with a bully. Ender wins and the military want to know why he fought as he did. Satisfied with his answer they package him off to battle school in space. 

Over the next three years he forms friends and enemies commanding an army of boys till the military ship him off to command school. He learns how to fight with space craft until he is eleven when the military start him fighting simulated battles...

Verdict:

I first read this book when I was a teenager, it was great then and still stands the test of time now. An absolute pleasure to read at any age. The book makes you feel the highs and lows of Ender's childhood even tho it seems as tho his childhood has been stolen by the military. If you have seen the film, then read the book, there is so much missed in the film that the book fills in and I mean lots missed. 115 mins of film does not do the book justice.

Rating: 6/5

"The Affair" by Lee Child

Title: The Affair

Author: Lee Child
Publisher: Bantam

Book Zero of the Jack Recher saga

Blurb:

March 1997. A woman has her throat cut behind a bar in Mississippi. Just down the road is a big army base. Is the murderer a local guy - or is he a soldier?

Jack Reacher, still a major in the military police, is sent in undercover. The county sheriff is a former U.S. Marine - and a stunningly beautiful woman. Her investigation is going nowhere. Is the Pentagon stonewalling her? Or doesn't she really want to find the killer?

Set just six months before the opening of Killing Floor, The Affair marks a turning point in Reacher's career. If he does what the army wants, will he be able to live with himself? And if he doesn't, will the army be able to live with him?

Synopsis:

This is the 16th book involving Jack Reacher. The clock is turned back to 1997 where Jack Reacher is a Major in the American Military Police. The book begins with Reacher's arrival at the Pentagon in his Army major's uniform, unshaven and in need of a haircut.

Reacher is sent on a mission to investigate a murder in the small town of Carter Crossing at the edge of an isolated Army Ranger base in Mississippi. What follows is a great Reacher book: a murder investigation mixed with politics and a rising body count.

We find Reacher involved with the town's attractive female sheriff and the freight train that roars through tiny Carter Crossing at 60 mph every day at midnight. This plays a leading role in the action, delivering death and destruction as well as the background for Reacher's adult activities....

Verdict:

I really enjoyed this book and at 544 pages it took me about 12 hours to finish. The writing flows easy, giving great description and really sets the scene. The adult content is kept clean with enough to let you know what is happening, but keeping the graphics to a minimum (Tom Cruise might like this one if the leading lady is right). The action kicks when you expect it to, but lets the story lead you into the investigation where the real drama is.

Rating: 5/5

"Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press

Book Three of The Hunger Games

Blurb:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

Synopsis:

Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen lives in the mining District of the nation of Panem. Every year, one girl and one boy from each district must compete in the televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV.

Having survived two hunger games, Katniss has been pulled from the arena by the rebel forces from district 13. Peeta, however is captured by the Capitol forces. As the face of the rebellion, Katniss assumes the mantel of the Mockingjay, appearing on television when the rebels can interfere with the Capitol broadcasts.

Peeta is forced by the Capitol to try and persuade the rebels to lay down their arms, obvious that the capitol is mistreating him. Once again, Katniss and Haymitch have to work out how to get Peeta out alive.

As is obvious before the book begins, the war comes to a climax in the Capitol.....

Verdict:

At 400 pages, this book took me about 8 hours to finish. The storytelling is rich in description, being able to visualise the areas that Katniss is in. I can see why this is going to be split into two movies and will look forward to seeing them.

On a down side, I felt that the author rushed the end of the book as it just has a feeling of "how can i finish the story?" The story of the Capitol ended too abruptly, with not everything explored. Also some parts of the book were a little disturbing, so I would not recommend for readers under 11.

Not as good as the first two books, but still an enjoyable read.

Rating: 4/5

"Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

Title: Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press

Book Two of The Hunger Games

Blurb:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Synopsis:

Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen lives in the mining District of the nation of Panem. Every year, one girl and one boy from each district must compete in the televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV.

Having survived the first hunger games, Katniss and Peeta return to district 12. No sooner does the capitol believe that they are to be wed, then the Quarter Quell is anounced and two of three victors of the Hunger Games from district 12 must be sent back into the arena for another games. Haymitch and Katniss agree that they must work together to keep Peeta alive.

The rebellion is also growing, and whether they like it or not, Katniss and Peeta beome the face of the rebellion much to President Snows displeasure.

Verdict:

At 400 pages, this book took me about 8 hours to finish. You can envisage what is happening just as easy as in a movie, as the descriptions give you a rich sense of where Katniss and Peeta are. Looking forward to the movie version of the book as I think it will be really well done as there is so much to be pulled from the book.

Rating: 5/5

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Title: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press

Book One of The Hunger Games

Blurb:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

Synopsis:

Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen lives in the mining District of the nation of Panem. Every year, one girl and one boy from each district must compete in the televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV.

Katniss' younger sister is picked at random and Katniss volunteers to take her place, which is an unusual event. Along with Peeta Mellark, the Baker's son, they enter the games. As the story progresses we find that Peeta is in love with Katniss, and the battle for survival of not only one but both of them begins...

Verdict:

At 384 pages, this book took me about 7 hours to finish. This is one of those books that I consider to be a Sunday afternoon read, you pick it up and before you know it Sunday afternoon has gone. From teen to Adult, this book is great! There is a level of violence, but nothing most teens have not already been subjected to in our modern age of films, there is a lot worse out there.

I loved this book so much I had to start reading book two straight away.

Rating: 5/5