The 2099 series, Book 1 John Peel Scholastic Fiction, MG Sci-Fi Themes: Altered DNA, Apocalypse ***+
Description
In the future, all the world is united under one government, with one Net as the presiding power. Only a few, the forgotten cast-offs of the
Underground, still live without Implant Chips, home Terminals, holo-vacations and other technological perks. There are also a few elite
individuals who live above the current system, undetected and immeasurably powerful. So dependent are the majority of people on the Net and
Net-controlled things that, should it ever collapse, billions would die. Such a catastrophe should be impossible, but is in truth dangerously
close to coming true.
Tristan Connor is the son of the vice-president of one of the world's largest banks... or so he thought. An accident at the birthday party of his
girlfriend Mora's sister reveals the sinister truth that Tristan is not who he thinks he is. Genia is a girl from the Underground whose computer
savvy has enabled her to carve out a surprisingly high living standard among the crumbling buildings and rampant crime of her home. Devon is the
twisted, evil genius whose Doomsday virus may bring the world to its knees. These three lives are about to cross in the year 2099, in a planned
Apocalypse from which nobody is safe.
Review
Having become suspicious of Peel after his young-adult fantasy series Diadem (reviewed in the Fantasy section), I nevertheless decided to give
this book a shot. I was moderately impressed. Initially weak and shallow, the action picks up toward the end. I put it on the border between Okay
and Good. I'm not sure how far I'll follow the series yet, but I might give the next book or two a try.
The 2099 series, Book 2 John Peel Scholastic Fiction, MG Sci-Fi Themes: Altered DNA, Apocalypse ****
Description
The Doomsday Virus has been released, and New York is in ruins. Tristan, barely surviving an attempt on his life by Devon, is now being hunted by
the police for the virus's creation. Knowing nobody will believe that the real culprit was his clone twin Devon, who for all intents and purposes
doesn't officially exist, Tristan must survive on his own while trying to find a way to destroy the Doomsday Virus before it spreads beyond the city.
Meanwhile, Genia and Inspector Shimoda are also working to figure out the device, finding ominous traces of a much larger conspiracy that may even be
affecting Shimoda's boss. Devon himself is finding his position with the terrorist group who created him increasingly rocky after the premature virus
release, and for the first time is wondering just what lies outside the walls of his room.
Review
I liked this better than the first book, as noted by my rating, because by now things are up and running, without some of the awkward moments of the
previous story. Many unexpected plot developments occur in this, the second installment in a series of undetermined length. (Unfortunately, the series
seems to have vanished completely. Oh, well... could've been interesting...)
The Diadem is a network of worlds, each tied in eternal circuits around the central core of magic. So long as the Triad is in control of the center,
magic and the worlds are secure. But lately things have started to come undone. Someone must go the center of the Diadem and set the worlds right
again.
Score is a street-tough punk from New York City. Product of a broken home and an abusive crime-boss father called Bad Tony, he has little to look
forward to but an early death in the back alleys and underworld of the city. Pixel comes from a computer-run world where the only human contact he
knows is in VR. He has never even been outside his own house, and his parents are distant memories. Helaine is the child of a lord in a medieval-style
world. Using the name Renald, she learns to fight with the other boys, but to her parents she is but a pawn in the game of politics, to be married off
to the most suitable ally. All three are plagued by vivid dreams of a book and a jewel. Soon, each are pulled from their worlds by powers and magics
beyond their control. They have been selected for a dangerous quest, one on which all worlds depend.
Review
This is a different idea for a fantasy, with puzzles and riddles the reader can figure out along with the characters. Peel's writing style isn't as
smooth as it could be, tending to tell readers how characters feel instead of showing it in their actions. Still, I enjoyed it, and was intrigued enough
to pick up the second title in the series.
As they travel from the outer worlds through the Middle Circuit of the Diadem, the three questing kids feel their powers growing stronger. As their
magic grows, however, so do the dangers. They are quickly learning that magicians are by and large greedy, selfish creatures, whom the locals have long
learned to avoid or distrust. If they are ever to succeed in their quest, however, they must find the Wizard of Signs... assuming the wizard can be
trusted.
Review
More puzzles, more action and more clues to the kids and their quest fill this book. The characters may not be hugely original, but they become real
enough to care about, and have a decently thrilling adventure as the stakes ratchet up. A good sequel to a good book, even if it's hard to review without
giving away spoilers.
At last, after much hardship, the three kids have almost reached the center of the worlds. Jewel, the center of the Diadem, awaits - but first they
must pass the challenges of the inner worlds. Once at Jewel, they will discover the answer to an even greater riddle, and face their true enemy in a
fight to the finish.
Review
This brings the story of the first three books to a great conclusion, and shows that the characters have in fact grown in their travels. I docked it
one point for a weak cliffhanger ending - trademark of the series until now, true, but with the main quest wrapped up it seemed unwarranted.
The unicorns of Dondar are in trouble. Thunder, the old herd leader, has been displaced by the mysterious Tychus. The biggest problem is, nobody
seems to remember that Thunder was the old herd leader. Something bigger and stronger than a simple unicorn turf war is going on here,
and it will take three young, powerful mages to help set things to rights.
Review
This isn't a bad story, it just seems a little weak. Not as many puzzles to solve, and the main thrust of the series' plotline seems to have ended
after the third volume. This book felt forced, less a continuation of the Diadem series for the sake of the heroes than a marketing tactic to get more
money out of fans by artificially extending the storyline.
Sickened by a powerful spell, Score is compelled to return to Earth to find its source. Bad Tony, his father, wants his kid to take his place in the
crime world. He doesn't know the full extent of Score's new powers, nor does he fully realize the scope of the struggle he has become part of. In order
to save his life, Score's friends Helaine and Pixel must take him home to New York City, a place that may be enough of a challenge without magic.
Review
Personally, I have a very low tolerance for outsiders-confused-by-mundane-modern-America storylines, which is what this mostly boils down to. Maybe
that's why I had such limited patience with this book, or maybe I was just getting tired of feeling strung along by what was essentially a trilogy drawn
out to double the natural length. By this point, the cliffhanger endings and breakneck pace (in relative time, only a couple weeks have passed since Book
1 of this series) have worn out their welcome completely. The challenge and the puzzles that were so unique about the first three books are almost entirely
absent now, being not nearly as integral to the plot. At the end, I found myself wondering just how long they intend to keep this pace up. The characters
ought to be dropping dead of exhaustion by this point. Even if the characters weren't dropping off, I certainly was. The series continues after this point,
but I haven't pursued it.
