On a future version of the Earth where nature and animals are not revered and respected, but instead feared and destroyed, the entire planets population lives behind massive concrete walls to protect them from the Animal Plague. Into this dystopian world, in dreary future-London, twins Mika and Ellie are born and raised in the damp, moldy lower level of the city until one day Ellie goes missing. Everyone but Mika believes that Ellie is dead. When the Youth Development Foundation begins running a contest using video games, Mika knows that winning the contest is the only way to rescue his twin from the clutches of sinister Mal Gorman. As Mika moves through the contest levels, he discovers secrets that were never supposed to be revealed. Secrets that change lives and shake the very foundation upon which life behind the wall has been built.
The Roar by Emma Clayton is a fast-paced futuristic adventure with likable characters and an interesting setting. The Sci-Fi aspects are non-technical enough to appeal to those opposed or unfamiliar with the genre.
The Roar is a very kid-centric novel, which is a large part of its appeal. Parents take a back seat and while some might bristle at the portrayal of the parents as uninterested, naive, and oblivious, with the parents out of the way, the kids can take a more prevalent role, allowing them to not be in positions where adults can rush in and save them. This is a kids against the world story and thats what makes it fun.
The Roar is also a nice social commentary on the treatment of the natural world, the influence of the media, and classism.
This entertaining novel has a wide-open ending, ripe for a sequel.
The Roar by Emma Clayton is a fast-paced futuristic adventure with likable characters and an interesting setting. The Sci-Fi aspects are non-technical enough to appeal to those opposed or unfamiliar with the genre.
The Roar is a very kid-centric novel, which is a large part of its appeal. Parents take a back seat and while some might bristle at the portrayal of the parents as uninterested, naive, and oblivious, with the parents out of the way, the kids can take a more prevalent role, allowing them to not be in positions where adults can rush in and save them. This is a kids against the world story and thats what makes it fun.
The Roar is also a nice social commentary on the treatment of the natural world, the influence of the media, and classism.
This entertaining novel has a wide-open ending, ripe for a sequel.
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
THE ROAR is the latest in a new trend toward futuristic YA novels. Like THE HUNGER GAMES and GONE, the setting is the future after the world has been changed by time and the mistakes of humankind. It's about survival, and teens play a significant role.
Mika and Ellie are siblings split apart by conditions beyond their control. Everyone but Mika believes that Ellie is dead. Something tells him that if he can just figure it out, he might be able to save her. When he gets the chance to compete in a special video game competition, he thinks it might provide just the opportunity he needs.
In a future world populated by haves and have nots, Mika and his parents become part of a sinister scheme to control individuals through programs and chemicals advertised to create healthy and more intelligent young people. Can Mika resist the brain-washing and use his skills to learn what is necessary to rescue Ellie and save his family, or will they become part of a controlled society?
This edge-of-your-seat first novel by Emma Clayton will captivate readers from the very first Pod Fighter flight. Although almost 500 pages, the short chapters and non-stop action make this a fun, fast read.
THE ROAR is the latest in a new trend toward futuristic YA novels. Like THE HUNGER GAMES and GONE, the setting is the future after the world has been changed by time and the mistakes of humankind. It's about survival, and teens play a significant role.
Mika and Ellie are siblings split apart by conditions beyond their control. Everyone but Mika believes that Ellie is dead. Something tells him that if he can just figure it out, he might be able to save her. When he gets the chance to compete in a special video game competition, he thinks it might provide just the opportunity he needs.
In a future world populated by haves and have nots, Mika and his parents become part of a sinister scheme to control individuals through programs and chemicals advertised to create healthy and more intelligent young people. Can Mika resist the brain-washing and use his skills to learn what is necessary to rescue Ellie and save his family, or will they become part of a controlled society?
This edge-of-your-seat first novel by Emma Clayton will captivate readers from the very first Pod Fighter flight. Although almost 500 pages, the short chapters and non-stop action make this a fun, fast read.
I got this book as an Advanced Reading Copy from the Amazon Vine program. This was an interesting book with a few creative elements and many not so creative elements.
Ellie has been kidnapped by a man seeking to develop her "powers" for some unknown purpose. Mika is her twin left behind; everyone believes Ellie is dead except for him. They both live in a world where the northern hemisphere of the earth is walled in order to protect humans from the evil Animals infected with the Animal Plague a generation before them. Ellie it trying to get home and Mika is trying to find a way to get to Ellie despite the fact no one believes she is alive.
This was a fast paced, engaging read. It had some creative elements in the idea of an Animal Plague wiping out half of the earth. Unfortunately it had more uncreative elements in it. For example trapping a subset of humanity behind an enclosure and telling them they are all that is left is a concept explored in many novels. Also genetically modifying kids to develop special talents for fighting or humans morphing to a new species are also both topics that have been overdone in both books and film. Still, if you like reading novels about these types of things this could be the book for you. Personally I thought that this story rehashed a lot of the stories out there. If you are interested in this type of story I think The Storm Thief, The Tripods series, The Hunger Games, and The Diamond Age do this type of story in a more creative and better way that this book does. A lot of people also like The City of Ember (although it wasn't a favorite of mine) and this explores a similar type of story.
What really got me about this book was the end. The ending is rushed and very unsatisfying. This book is either blatantly setting up the reader for a new series or the author just had absolutely no idea how to end the book. Many of the main events in the book were left unresolved and other events are only partially or quickly wrapped up. Nothing about this book was surprising mainly because there are already so many books like this available; especially in the young adult category.
This book is a quick read about isolating humanity in a post-Armageddon type walled city; it is also about genetic modification. If you are really into these topics this isn't a bad read, but it is not an especially mind-blowing or enlightening read either. I personally don't think I will be looking into any more of Clayton's work; it just wasn't creative enough.
Ellie has been kidnapped by a man seeking to develop her "powers" for some unknown purpose. Mika is her twin left behind; everyone believes Ellie is dead except for him. They both live in a world where the northern hemisphere of the earth is walled in order to protect humans from the evil Animals infected with the Animal Plague a generation before them. Ellie it trying to get home and Mika is trying to find a way to get to Ellie despite the fact no one believes she is alive.
This was a fast paced, engaging read. It had some creative elements in the idea of an Animal Plague wiping out half of the earth. Unfortunately it had more uncreative elements in it. For example trapping a subset of humanity behind an enclosure and telling them they are all that is left is a concept explored in many novels. Also genetically modifying kids to develop special talents for fighting or humans morphing to a new species are also both topics that have been overdone in both books and film. Still, if you like reading novels about these types of things this could be the book for you. Personally I thought that this story rehashed a lot of the stories out there. If you are interested in this type of story I think The Storm Thief, The Tripods series, The Hunger Games, and The Diamond Age do this type of story in a more creative and better way that this book does. A lot of people also like The City of Ember (although it wasn't a favorite of mine) and this explores a similar type of story.
What really got me about this book was the end. The ending is rushed and very unsatisfying. This book is either blatantly setting up the reader for a new series or the author just had absolutely no idea how to end the book. Many of the main events in the book were left unresolved and other events are only partially or quickly wrapped up. Nothing about this book was surprising mainly because there are already so many books like this available; especially in the young adult category.
This book is a quick read about isolating humanity in a post-Armageddon type walled city; it is also about genetic modification. If you are really into these topics this isn't a bad read, but it is not an especially mind-blowing or enlightening read either. I personally don't think I will be looking into any more of Clayton's work; it just wasn't creative enough.
