Young Adult Review: ASSAULT by Brian Falkner

ASSAULT
Author: Brian Falkner
Series: Recon Team Angel (#1)
Publication date: November 1st, 2011
Publisher: Walker Books Australia
Number of pages: 365
Date read: June 19th, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Suspense
Source: Borrowed from Library
Format: Paperback
Add on Goodreads



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Description source: Goodreads)

The first in a high octane sci-fi adventure series by best-selling and award-winning author, Brian Falkner.

It is 2030, and the world is at war with an alien race. The Bzadians. The battleground: Earth. 

Recon Team Angel, made up of teenagers from around the world, has been training for years. They have learned Bzadian languages. Learned how to operate their weapons. How to work, eat, and think like them. 

Now it is time to act. Recon Team Angel must slip behind enemy lines, work their way into the top-secret alien facility under Uluru, and uncover the truth. But what they discover will shock not just them, but all of humanity.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What drew me to this novel was the name of the series (Recon Team Angel) - it just sounds so cool, and the cover - it's so intriguing.

Set in the year 2030, Earth has been invaded and what is left of humanity is at war with an alien race: the Bzadians - a race of ugly, vomit-coloured beings who have no care for human life, other than the desire to eradicate it.

Recon Team Angel is a group of teenager of multiple nationalities joined together to go undercover, infiltrating the enemy to learn their secrets and report back.

Disguised as their enemies, a team of six "Angels" goes behind enemy lines to learn truths, but their mission is compromised from the get-go: there's a traitor.

Not every Angel is going to make it out alive...

Very interesting introduction, it surprised, but then again I probably should have actually read the blurb before I started reading the actual book...

There is also a glossary that helps you to understand some of the language the characters in the story use.

Chisnall is brave and easy for anyone and everyone to under-estimate. Seargeant Holly Brogan is tough and icey, "Phantom" Price is awesome (one of my favourite characters) - she's fast and determined, Monster likes to talk about "The Monster" in third person which is amusing, Wilton is funny and skilled, and Hunter is a smart-arse.

They all come together to make one hell of a team. The story os told from Chisnall's point of view, with a few scenes evry now and again from the view point of a Bzadian.

The author does reiterates the meaning of words that are included in the glossary at the start of the book, throughout the novel for the first time each of the words is used, which is useful as it means you don't have to keep racking your brain to remember the definitions or keep flipping back to where the glossary is.

There is suspense throughout the novel as you are kept genuinely wondering who the traitor is, I did have a feeling about who it would be but it wasn't even slightly confirmed until about halfway through part two of this book.

The story only reveals small amounts of information pertaining to the plot at a time, and only as they become relevant - this allowed the story to continually hold my interest as I had no idea what was coming next.

Assault sticks to a steady pace and has an incredibly interesting concept.

I thought some of the names/labels in the novel were a little juvenile, but they add some fun to the story, especially when paired with witty and sarcastic banter and general teenage antics.

Intriguing, pacey, funny and action-packed - definitely an enjoyable read.

I don't know how I feel about the epilogue, it seemed not very happy, and a little too final, plus it made me a little sad,  and it made it so I really, really want to read book two: I have to know what happens next, I need to know everything!

....just ordered book two.

I rate ASSAULT Four out of Five!!

THE MARK OF ATHENA by Rick Riordan

Book Three in the Heroes of Olympus series
Publication date: October 2nd 2012
Publisher: Puffin
Number of Pages: 572
Date read: June 13th, 2013
Genre: YA, Mythology, Adventure, Action, Urban Fantasy
Source: Bought




------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Description source: Back cover of book)

ONE FATAL PROPHECY.

SEVEN BRAVE DEMIGODS.

A QUEST TO FINS - AND CLOSE - THE DOORS OF DEATH.

Annabeth and her friends Piper, Jason and Leo have landed at Camp Jupiter with one mission in mind. The time has come for Roman and Greek demigods to unite. With Percy Jackson, Hazel and Frank by their side, they must combine forces to find - and close - the Doors of Death.

But Annabeth is hiding a secret - a command from her mother, the goddess of war and wisdom: 'Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me.' Annabeth is already risking her life... What more does Athena want her daughter to do?

Now the seven demigods must begin their quest across land and sea to Rome, but what will they have to sacrifice this time - what unspeakable horrors await?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Naturally, Coach Hedge went ballistic; but Percy found it hard to take the satyr seriously since he was barely five feet tall.

"Never in my life!" Coach bellowed, waving his bat and knocking over a plate of apples. "Against the rules! Irresponsible!"

"Coach," Annabeth said, "it was an accident. We were talking, and we fell asleep."

"Besides," Percy said, "you're starting to sound like Terminus."

Hedge narrowed his eyes. "Is that an insult, Jackson? 'Cause I'll—I'll terminus you, buddy!” 

There are just no words to describe how I am feeling right now, I only just, literally seconds ago, finished reading The Mark of Athena. Suffice to say, I am a MESS! I am hyper-actively bouncing up and down while on the verge of tears. That book! It is amazing, beyond amazing, it is awesome-sauce on a colossal scale! I was so excited to read this book and now I half can't believe I put off reading it for so long, while at the same time I knew subconsciously that if I finished this novel, the wait for The House of Hades would be even more excruciating and I was right, still I am SO glad I finally finished reading this novel!

The Mark of Athena starts off with Annabeth, Piper, Leo and Jason arriving at Camp Jupiter. Percy and Annabeth's reunion was better than I imagined (judo-flips for the win) and the story was got continuously better from there, I mean, it is not possible for Rick Riordan to write a boring scene, it's just an impossibility. Things at Camp Jupiter go awry and there are ever more schemes and meddling afoot. The seven set course for Rome, for more reasons than one and Annabeth has a dangerous mission given to her by her mother, Athena. With so much happening, the heroes barely have any chance to rest, especially since the situations they find themselves landing in just keep getting worse...

As always, the characters, each and every one of them, has a perfectly developed personality with quirks and flaws. Percy and Jason, both natural leaders, find themselves clashing and needing to prove their abilities. There is also some tension that develops between Leo and Frank...

Hazel and Piper are slightly more calm compared to the rest of the group, while Annabeth is at her butt-kicking best - especially with Percy by her side!

My favourite characters are definitely Percy and Annabeth, they are so, so, so incredible and readers will ache and grieve for some of the decisions they are forced to make! Nevertheless, it is impossible not to love Percy and Annabeth in The Mark of Athena.

Now, the plot of this installment in the Heroes of Olympus series reaches new heights - I'm not even sure if Zeus could reach that high. There is action galore, the most insanely fantastic new weapons and ridiculously hilarious and action-packed fight sequences ever seen (think giants and drama)! The Mark of Athena also has to be the most (personally) devastating novel in this series yet, but do Not let that stop you from picking it up!!!

This novel is one that if you do not pick it up and devour it, you have not lived! I recommend it a thousand, million times over: READ IT NOW :) It is PURE genius!!!

**On a side note, I may just go rock in a corner until the 8th of October when I can finally read The House of Hades!

'You had to break,' she scolded it.

The ankle did not reply.

-------------------------------------------

'The ghost thing won't work,' Otis said. 'Our focus groups say it won't pull ratings.'
'Doubters!'

I rate The Mark of Athena FIVE out of Five!!!

THE SON OF SOBEK by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympian/Kane Chronicles crossover
Publication date: May 7th, 2013
Publisher: Puffin
Number of Pages: 40
Date read: June 13th, 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Mythology, Action, Adventure, Urban Fantasy
Source: Bought
Ebook


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Description source: Goodreads)

Carter Kane is investigating rumored sightings of a monster on Long Island when he runs into something else: a mysterious boy named Percy Jackson. And their meeting isn't exactly friendly. . .

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A giant fist the size of a dishwasher shimmered into existence and slammed Camper Boy into the next county.

I mean I literally punched him out of his shoes.

Rick Riordan is a genius! In this short story, he brings together two of his series - The Kane Chronicle and Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Carter Kane is searching around Long Island for something that has been causing magical disturbances, but so has Percy Jackson. Percy and Carter  clash from the start, due to misunderstandings and male egos. 

This short story is hilarious, there are knock out punches, giant crocodiles and water fights. 

This crossover is amazing in the way it handles two mythologies, two leading characters and so much action, as well as what the implications of such a meeting as that between Carter and Percy could mean.

The Son of Sobek is told from Carter's point of view and will help tide over any readers waiting for the next Rick Riordan novel. You do not necessarily have to have read The Kane Chronicles or Percy Jackson and the Olympians to understand what goes on in this story, but it is best to at least have read one of the series to properly understand the context.

A great way to spend a short amount of time, something you will not regret and that does give avid readers hope about potential future stories.

Camper Boy was sitting nearby in waist-deep water, looking dejected. My magic rope had wrapped round his sword arm,then lashed his hand to the side of his head.

I rate The Son of Sobek Five out of Five!!!