REVIEW 'After Mind' by Spencer Wolf

'After Mind' by Spencer Wolf

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Cessini Madden lives with an extremely rare medical condition… then his physical life ends before he reaches age thirteen.

After an Artificial Intelligence breakthrough, Cessini is reborn as a young AI child named Packet. Scared and living alone in a technology center, Packet recognizes nothing from his past, save for one thing: he is deathly allergic to water.

When a mysterious doctor gives him a chance to recover his memories, Packet must face the tormented boy he once was. He must be the courageous lost son his family remembers and loves. But now as his world collapses around him, one thing remains … even a child’s best memories are made to be changed.

Robot or AI, no one can ever be the same human twice.

From the near-future suburbs to the lush Australian forests, from the depths of the oceans to the promise of space, Packet’s urgent struggle for existence grabs hold in everyday victories and extraordinary dreams. After Mind tells a story about the underlying nature of humanity, the impact of undying devotion, and the incredible next generation of us."

4****

Hello Elementareaders!

I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaway programme in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not really sure how to describe ‘After Mind’ by Spencer Wolf. It has so many different themes and would fit into a number of genres (sci-fi, dystopian, coming of age, etc…) and strongly focusses of technology and artificial intelligence. Essentially, it is a science fiction novel about an AI who is trying to figure out his identity.

A boy wakes up in a hospital room unsure of who – or what – he is. But he knows a few things. The doctor, Daniel, is his father. And he’s afraid of water. He believes his name is Packet.

Packet is actually an artificial intelligence with the memories of Cessini, a boy who died in his early teens. Packet has dreams about Cessini's life, his father, his stepmom, his stepsister, but he can’t seem to connect the dots that he IS Cessini. Cessini was reactive to water. Even a small drop would burn his skin, so naturally he feared it. As a result of this he was a very withdrawn boy with no friends, but he did have a very intelligent mind and was building and creating complicated things at a very young age.

Packet sees these snippets of Cessini’s life through his dreams. Throughout the book his dreams become more vivid and abnormal. He sees himself on a ship that is dying, and figures out a terrible secret about the spray children are given to stop them getting sick.

Although this book is very futuristic science-fiction, it's really the story of a young boy trying to figure out his identity. Packet has to try and realise that Cessini isn't just a boy in his dreams, but is actually himself.

I loved the idea of this story and that we saw Cessini's life through Packet’s dreams. I did find the plot a little difficult to follow though as it tended to jump around a lot. Also, the reader is plunged into the deep end of this world, and has to figure out what a lot of the technologies are without a description. But this was a great read and a really different take on the science-fiction genre, as it was more about the journey of this boy than the futuristic technology.

Definitely not an easy read, but a great one all the same! I think this would appeal to both science-fiction lovers and those who love coming of age stories.


I would give this book 4 stars :)


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REVIEW 'Stardust' by Neil Gaiman

'Stardust' by Neil Gaiman

Goodreads Synopsis:

"In the sleepy English countryside at the dawn of the Victorian era, life moves at a leisurely pace in the tiny town of Wall. Young Tristan Thorn has lost his heart to the beautiful Victoria Forester, but Victoria is cold and distant as the star she and Tristan see fall from the sky one evening. For the prize of Victoria's hand, Tristan vows to retrieve the star for his beloved. It is an oath that sends the lovelorn swain over the town's ancient wall and into a world that is dangerous and strange beyond imagining..."










4****

Hello Elementareaders!

‘Stardust’ by Neil Gaiman is a fairy-tale for adults set both in the magical realm of Faerie and the English village of Wall. I saw the film of this a few years ago and thought it was such an enchanting tale. Luckily I found a copy of the book in a used book store and I'm so glad I read it! As with all adaptations the book has so much more content than the film.

Dunstan Thorn is an eighteen year old boy living in the village of Wall. Wall got its name from the long wall that runs alongside it. Beyond the wall is the realm of Faerie. There is only one gap in the wall, through which you can see the meadow beyond, but the gap is guarded night and day and no-one from Wall is allowed to cross. With the exception of once every nine years when a fair is held in the meadow and anyone from England can cross and mix with the beings from Faerie.

The market is to be held again during Dunstan’s eighteenth year and he is excited to go. He wishes to buy a gift for the girl he likes and decides on a glass snowdrop from a flower stall, however the flower isn't all he comes away with. The beautiful girl selling the flowers is the slave of the witch who owns the stall and is forced to serve her until “the day the moon loses her daughter, if that occurs in a week when two Mondays come together.” Dunstan buys the snowflake for the price of a kiss and he promises to go back and see her that evening. Months later, when Dunstan has married his girl Daisy Hempstock, a small wicker basket is pushed through the gap in the wall with a note saying ‘Tristan Thorn’.

Skip forward seventeen years and Tristan Thorn is now a young adult with a love interest of his own. Tristan will do anything to win the heart of Victoria Forrester, including crossing the wall to bring her back a fallen Star. Tristan crosses the forbidden wall and sets out to find the star, enlisting the help of a little hairy man who once stayed in Dunstan’s barn. But Tristan isn't the only one out to get the Star (who isn't a lump of rock as he believes, but a beautiful woman) and Tristan must protect her and outwit the others who wish to claim her.

I thought this was a really wonderful tale of magic and adventure. I saw the film of this first and loved it, but (as always) the book was so much better! There was just so much more content in the book, and Tristan's journey felt more real.

Tristan is such a loveable hero. And I adored his relationship with the Star. I enjoyed seeing how their relationship grew from their first meeting where she absolutely hates him, to friendship and finally love. There were lots of other great quirky characters too! I particularly liked the little hairy man, Captain Alberic and Septimus. The witches were also really great villains, and I loved the idea of the heart of a Star giving them youth, which is then taken away again when they use magic.

This was a really enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who loves magic and adventure!


I would give this book 4 stars :)



Let me know in the comments if you've read Stardust (or seen the film) and what you thought of it!


Places to buy:
Amazon UK
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The Book Depository
Audible.com

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REVIEW 'Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief' Graphic Novel

'Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief' Graphic Novel, story by Rick Riordan, adapted by Robert Venditti, art by Attila Futaki and colour by Jose Villarrubia

Goodreads Synopsis:

'You've read the book. You've seen the movie. Now submerge yourself in the thrilling, stunning, and action-packed graphic novel. 
Mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking out of the pages of twelve-year-old Percy Jackson's textbooks and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now, he and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. 
Series creator Rick Riordan joins forces with some of the biggest names in the comic book industry to tell the story of a boy who must unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.'

5*****

Hi Elementareaders!

I recently discovered the ‘Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief’ graphic novel in my local library. I love the Percy Jackson series but until then has no idea the graphic novel even existed, so of course I snapped it up as I knew this was a book I just HAD to read. The graphic novel, based on the book by Rick Riordan, is adapted by Robert Venditti with art by Attila Futaki and colour by Jose Villarrubia.

Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is on a school trip to a museum when one of his teachers unexpectedly turns into one of the winged Furies from the Underworld and tries to kill him. His other teacher, Mr Brunner throws Percy a pen which transforms into a sword that he uses to slay the creature. Mr Brunner then denies all knowledge of what has just happened leaving Percy very confused. When going to confront his teacher later, Percy overhears his best friend Grover talking to Mr Brunner him saying that he, Percy is in danger.

Percy goes home for the holidays and his mother takes him to a beach cabin where he used to go as a child. Whilst there though, Grover turns up and says that something is chasing them which leads to a getaway in the car and Percy finding out that Grover is a satyr, a half-human, half-goat creature, who has been sent to protect him. Percy’s mother drives them to Camp Half-Blood where they only just escape the Minotaur and Percy finds out about who he really is.

Percy Jackson is a Demigod, son of a human woman and an immortal God; in Percy’s case, Poseidon, Greek God of the Sea, and Camp Half-Blood is a summer camp where Demigods go to train. Before long, however, Percy is given a quest. Percy, along with Grover and a new friend Annabeth, must track down Zeus’s stolen master lightning bolt and return it to him before the Gods of Olympus go to war…

I LOVED this book! I read the Percy Jackson series a couple of years ago and I just adored the idea of the Greek Gods having mortal children, and those children going on quests. The characters and stories are amazing. When I found out there was a graphic novel of the first book I had to read it.
The story is pretty much the same but, like with all graphic novels, there is a lot less text. All the descriptiveness (is that even a word?) has to come across in the artwork as the only text is speech and the occasional onomatopoeia such as ‘RAAAARRRRR!’ and ‘FLAP FLAP’.

I thought the artwork in this novel was wonderful. The characters are exactly how I imagined them in the book, way more so than their film counterparts. Annabeth and Clarisse were just spot on. The story, though simplified, was so much fun to read.

This book would be great for anyone who loves quest and adventure stories. Even if you know nothing about Percy Jackson, this novel is really great as a stand-alone for anyone looking for a new graphic novel. And if you are a fan of Percy Jackson then you should DEFINITELY give this a read.

Since reading this I have discovered that there are graphic novel versions of the next two books, The Sea of Monsters and The Titan’s Curse so I’ll definitely be looking out for those!


I would give this book 5 stars :)


Let me know in the comments if you’re a Percy Jackson fan and if you’re going to read this book!


Places to buy:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
The Book Depository

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