My Summer On Earth by Tom Lombardi

Before I begin my review I would like to let you know that this book has a large amount of foul language, frank discussions of sex, nudity, and crass humor. This book is intended for young adults who are 16 or older and who are not put off by the previously mentioned items. With that out of the way, I really enjoyed the book and found it extremely funny, and think it would be great for reluctant older male readers.

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The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

Daniel X is a 14 year old orphan with incredible powers and a heavy responsibility. He can run incredibly fast, read minds, and create objects with his mind. He even recreates his murdered family when he feels lonely. And what does an orphaned boy with superpowers do everyday? He hunts aliens that are secretly living on Earth. Daniel owns a special laptop that supplies him with a most wanted list of alien threats to Earth. When he decides to go after #6 on the list he bites off more then he bargained for and may face his first defeat. The problem is that in his line of work defeat usually means death.

For me, this book did not live up to its potential. The idea of Daniel X, a teenage alien bounty hunter, is really cool but in the hands of James Patterson it just comes out as if you are reading the Cliffs Notes version of a better book. It is frustrating that the narrative is watered down as much as it is because it made it difficult for me to really get into and enjoy the book. By the end of the book I was enjoying it a bit more, although the ending is just as rushed as the rest of the book. The concept though holds a lot of promise and I really hope that the second in the series will slow down and show us more of Daniel, his job, and powers, and not the slide show tour that made up the first book. Daniel X is appropriate for all readers, and will interest boys who are looking for a quick action book with sci-fi elements. Its narrative problems may work in its favor when introduced to reluctant readers, who may not expect to invest a lot of time in a novel.

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Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Ender’s Game is a classic within the sci-fi genre. The book is about a young boy named Ender who is chosen to go to an elite military academy that is in outer space. There he learns to become a master tactician and advances in rank rapidly. The other half of the narrative follows the academy’s commander as he converses with other offices about how well Ender is progressing. They take such a keen interest in Ender because the Earth faces a deadly threat from an alien race, the Buggers. They are secretly molding Ender into a lethal fighting machine so he can lead the forces of Earth in a genocidal attack on the aliens’ homeworld. The problem with their machinations is that Ender doesn’t want to be a violent person. He struggles with opposing forces; goodness and survival.

I read this book quickly and was pretty riveted to it. I would recommend it to anyone who really enjoys sci-fi, war, and action/adventure yarns. Appropriate for all ages.

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The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

Earth has been invaded by aliens.  Under the command of Captain Smek, the aliens called the Boov have taken control of the planet, renamed everything after their great leader, and forced humans to move to remote locations.  In America, humans are given Florida, until the Boov discover they like oranges, so they are relocated to Arizona.  The main character, Gratuity Tucci, decides to drive to Florida and Arizona, and hopes to find her mother who had been abducted by the aliens shortly before the invasion.  Along the way, she gets a flat tire and a Boov by the name of J.Lo helps her by repairing her car, making it hover.  They set out on a cross-country adventure and wackiness ensues.

Essentially, this is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for kids.  It’s a mix of science-fiction, humor, and some light social commentary.  I’m not always the biggest fan of humor in science-fiction, however when it works, it’s great.  This book has moments that are just ludicrous, and it is very funny.  As J.Lo, our main alien character, discovers new things about Earth, and the English language, funny things just tend to happen.  He loves urinal cakes for a snack and thinks armadillos are awesome, and he finds it difficult to use American restrooms because the Boov have seven genders, not just two.  The book is long, over 400 pages, and the humor seems to fizzle out towards the end.  The author may have just run out of steam, or he was trying to make it more serious in the end.

There are more serious aspects to the book, with social commentary that is never heavy-handed.  My favorite moments were towards the end when Tip (Gratuity’s nickname) finally reaches Arizona and discovers how Americans are rebuilding.  Each city is run differently.  Phoenix is a military dictatorship.  The president is running a small farming community.  There are some fine citizens who think there should be clear lines dividing where each race can live.  “We need to start the new America out right” they say.  Seeing a culture rebuild itself after a major catastrophe always fascinates me.  What I love about this book is that the rebuilding is not the focus, so it never becomes overwrought and complicated.  It’s subtle.

The True Meaning of Smekday is a great, funny sci-fi book in the vein of Douglas Adams’ books.  It is essentially a road trip story involving a girl trying to find her mother.  Helping her along the way is an alien sidekick.  The humor is fun, never vulgar, but seems to run out towards the end, where it is replaced by a compelling vision of America compressed, against its will, into the state of Arizona.  The length could be too much for some younger kids, but the illustrations keep it accessible.  I would recommend it to fans of humor and sci-fi.

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