The Tomorrow Code by Brian Falkner

Review of The Tomorrow Code - Brian Falkner

Other Worlds' Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

Plain and simple - I loved this book. LOVED it. It had everything that I think makes a good book - great characters, great plot, great idea.

This is about Tane and Rebecca, who start receiving messages in binary code from the future. Soon, the messages reveal that something terrible is about to happen - and that they're the only ones who can stop it.

This book had thriller pacing, and great character development. At about halfway through the book, I found it was impossible to put down - I read the rest of the book straight through from there. The best part - this was possibly the most believable time-travel story I've ever heard of before. I guess it's not really time-travel, since the characters don't actually travel through time, but still, it's based around the future altering the past, and it's believable. That takes some serious work to do, in my book, but Falkner pulls it off beautifully. I plan to read more by this author.

Long story short - click on the link below, and buy this book, because it's awesome.

Book Review: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Book Review of The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman


Other Worlds' Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

This book is about a young boy, Nobody Owens, who is raised in a graveyard by the ghostly inhabitants. The book is about his adventures, his misadventures, and the mysterious person known only as the man Jack.

This book is wonderful. It was one of those rare books where reaching the end was a sad experience. I grew to love the characters, the story, and the atmosphere. This book is a Halloween gem, although it could certainly be read at other times of the year as well. It is the winner of both the Hugo Award and the Newberry Award. It's not often you see a book like that.

I loved the mixture of feelings in this book. Sometimes it feels suspenseful, sometimes it feels homey, and sometimes it's downright creepy. However, I'd recommend it to anyone - even if you don't like scary stories. Nobody Owens, the boy from the graveyard, will surely find his way into your list of most lovable characters.

Really. Read this book. You'll love it.

Book Review: Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

Book Review of Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
Other Worlds' Rating: 10 out of 10 stars
There's a reason this book is a classic. It's a great read all around. Ray Bradbury's vision of the future paints a chilling picture of what could happen if our climate of political correctness and appeasing the minorities are taken too far. Bradbury's future is one where most books are banned, because they inspire thinking, which creates possible offenses for the millions of minority groups - the dog-lovers, the cat-lovers, the vegetable eaters, etc. Thus, by eliminating things that get people thinking, no one is offended and everyone is happy.
Or at least that's what Guy Montag has been told. Guy is a fireman - someone hired to burn books, as well as the homes that they've been illegally stashed in. He enjoys his job - but when he meets the teenage girl next door who has a peculiar way of looking at life, he starts to question everything he's ever known, and starts doing the very thing the government fears people doing - thinking.
This book is a must read for anyone. By taking such a critical look at a possible future, it can help us re-evaluate our priorities today. I thought this book was exceptionally well written, and was very interesting and thought provoking. If you're looking for a great book, look no further than Ray Bradbury's classic, Fahrenheit 451. With a lovable main character, and a world that seems all too familiar and relate-able, you'll be pushed through this fairly short book at a quick pace. I loved it!

Book Review: The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson

Book Review of The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson


Other Worlds' Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

Yes, it really deserves a 10.

The Way of Kings is the first novel in the planned Stormlight Archive. It has several main viewpoint characters - Kaladin, the warrior turned slave, Shallan, the scholar turned thief, and Dalinar, the Brightlord turned visionary. It is a tale about bravery, loyalty, and trust.

Seriously, folks, this is a great book. If you like epic fantasy, and you haven't read this, then you really, really need to. Sanderson has always been great about creating imaginative worlds and magic systems, but this one really tops them all. I was blown away by the depth of the world he's created, and by the depth he puts into his characters. Kaladin's story pulled at my heartstrings, it frustrated me when no one would listen to Dalinar, and Shallan's story kept me confused at which side to pull for. It was really a great read. Don't let the massive size of this volume scare you - you'll love every minute of it.

The plot was amazing - it was extremely subtle, but Sanderson does an unrivaled job of setting up the scene and helping you understand the way the world works. This works to his advantage in many ways - it helps give the world more depth, it helps us understand the characters and their motivations better, and it makes it so that when we really understand what the problem is, it is that much more important to us.

I couldn't give this any less than a 10. It was simply excellent. Once again, I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes epic fantasy, or who is just looking for a good read.