Maximum Ride:Book 1

    Yesterday I started a book called Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. I just started reading that book, and I instantly became hooked. The more and more I read it, the more I couldn't stop flipping the pages of that book. So far, the plot had many intense moments and encounters which the characters had expierenced. Those are the type of books that I generally liked. So what is this book about? Maximum Ride is a story about 6 kids-Max (main character/protagonist) Iggy, Fange Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel. All of them were born through the result of genetic experimentation, and as a result they could fly. Despite that, they live a normal life in a house that is surrounded by mountains. However one day, a group of mutants known as the Erasers, abduct Angel,  the youngest member of their group. The rest of the group then go on a journey to retrieve Angel. There are many obstacles in that journey. That's all I know right now of the book. I can tell that the rest of the book is going to be just as intense.

     The thing about Maximum Ride is it is a sort of all-rounder book. The book has plenty of action, suspense, fantasy elements (the kids are half-bird) yet it also has realistic elements. The book also has comedy and funny parts in it too that break some of the tension. That is what I really like about Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. There are many thrillling moments. Moments that make me want to think of predictions. I am on one such moment right now. Max saved a little girl who was about to be shot by an older group of teenagers. However, while she was escaping, Max gets shot by one of the armed teens. The chapter ends with her limping with her wound through a forest. She can either hide it and not get help from anyone, protecting her true identity and wings, but risking her life. Or she can get help and save herself, but revealing what she actually is. I think she will get help, but she'll reveal herself, and whoever she revealed it to, will report it to local law enforcement. However, I hope that doesn't happen to Max

     I hope this has convinced you to read the book. I will continue reading this book, and make updates on what is going on in the books.

Review of Scorpia Rising

     Scorpia Rising is the ninth book in the Alex Rider series. It is, in a way, the finale of the Alex Rider series. The reason I say that is because the next book in the series does not pick up after the events of this book. Scorpia Rising is in my opinion the best book of the Alex Rider series. It had tons of action and adventure, the setting was stunning, and the plot was amazing, and just as thrilling. In my opinion, this is probably the grittiest, most intense book of the Alex Rider series. However, that doesn't stop it at all from being excellent. Let's start with the plot. The beginning is all about Scorpia and its current state. As they failed their last two missions, it is steadily losing its reputation and they aren't even considered a threat to any part of the world anymore. Scorpia wants to change that. Their new assignment is given by a dying billionaire. That assignment is to collect the Elgin marbles from Britain, as they formerly were owned by Greece. The billionaire is very dissatisfied with that, and is giving Scorpia a chance to steal them back. An the project is given to a new member of Scorpia, Razim. He has a devastating plan involving Alex Rider...you have to read this book to figure out exactly what he plans. The plot then switches to Alex's perspective. He is a normal teen, now 15 years old. He is no longer a kid and he is in 10th grade. The most important fact is he is no longer being used by M16. He no longer associated with them in any way. Same with his housekeeper, Jack. On a regular day in school, a sniper attempts to shoot at him. He misses, how ever very narrowly. Instead he hits Alex's best friend. Alex evades the sniper and attacks him back, getting revenge at the sniper. However, MI6 now contacts him and they say that England is no longer safe for Alex. He must go to a new school in Egypt, until he is safe again. He and Jack argue against M16, but reluctantly agree. He then is sent to Egypt, only to find that Alex and Jack are now pawns of Razim now. Read to find out what happens next to Alex...

     This was a excellent book, probably the best Alex Rider book. The past Alex Rider books often suffer the same mistakes. Alex often gets lucky and the plot is sometimes a little too far-fetched. This book really proves that Alex is unlucky and is finally caught, with real consequences happening to him. It seems very realistic. The plot is probably the best of the whole Alex Rider series. There are many twists and turns in the book that really kept me to the edge, with plenty of intense moments. Some of the biggest secrets that are hidden throughout the series, are finally revealed. There are no cliche moments in this book either, as there were in other books. I felt that this novel was the most emotional in the series, which is definitely a pro. The setting is excellent too. Egypt is very well described, and it seems so alive and vibrant.

     The villain, Razim, is the deadliest, most powerful one yet. Without spoiling too much, I'll tell you that he has no emotion at all. He is cold, calculating, and brutal. Some of the other villains in the series were often portrayed as unintelligent, or downright corny. Not in this one, though. Razim is the best villain in terms of ferocity. He is clearly a guy you don't want to mess with.

     I would rate this book a 9.5 out of 10. The only con is the beginning was a little boring, but that is solved as the book goes on. The plot, the characters, and the setting were all excellent. This time,
Alex Rider is tested beyond his limits. Definitely read this soon! If you haven't read Alex Rider books before, make sure to read the past ones. You'll be very confused if you don't.

Russian Roulette Analysis

     My last post was about Alex Rider series. Currently, I am on the last book of the series. The last book is called Russian Roulette: The Story of an Assassin. I will warn you that if you are looking for an Alex Rider novel that shows us the events after Scorpia Rising, you will end up being disappointed. This novel does not center around Alex Rider and the events about him. This is about the assassin Yassen Gregorovich, and his backstory. It shows us his journey from him being a poor boy living on the streets of Moscow, to him becoming one of the worlds deadliest assassins recruited by one of the top terrorist organizations.

     After reading, the first few chapters, I think that this is a good/interesting book. The imagery in this book is just excellent and it almost makes me feel like I'm in the location of Moscow, Russia. Even the simplest things, have incredible amounts of detail added to them. The author does a great job of this. It is interesting to see things from his perspective. However make sure to read the Alex Rider books first, because it will be quite confusing if you don't. If you have, make sure to read this!

Alex Rider Series

Have you ever imagined a fourteen year version of James Bond? Well, if you read Stormbreaker, written by Anthony Horowitz, that image becomes a reality. Stormbreaker is about Alex Rider, a normal fourteen year old. However, when Alex's uncle dies, Alex discovers more of his uncle's secrets. One of them being that his uncle wasn't a banker, instead he is a spy working for British Intelligence Agency, M16. Now, M16 wants to recruit Alex, ignoring how he's only 14. As Alex has no choice, he reluctantly agrees to work for them. Unfortunately, Alex is dragged deeper into the secret world of espionage, and its dangers. Alex must take on a mad scientist with a plan to poison thousands of children with a single computer. Will he prevent the cold-blooded murders, or will he fail and allow him to get away with it? Read to find out!

There are currently 10 novels in the series. This is a great series to read if you love action novels.

There are many action filled moments and the plot and characters are great. However, the only con is that sometimes the action sequences are a little far-fetched and don't make that much sense. Other than that, this is a great series. 

How the English language has changed and Shakespeare

Have you ever heard someone insult someone deeply, by calling them a loggerhead doghearted clack-dish? Or have you heard someone call someone else a yeasty swag-bellied bum-bailey? I haven't, and I doubt anyone else has, unless they're a fan of Shakespeare-era insults. While some of these insults are laughable today, these were pretty hurtful and offensive many years ago. When I mean many years ago, I mean way back, in the 1500s. This is evidence showing how much the English Language has grown, or changed over time, and it still will change in the future. This is almost inevitable. By the year 2500, I'm sure there will be many more phrases and words that aren't used today. Modern day phrases and terms are much different then the past. If you disagree, try finding evidence where people living in the 1500s used the popular phrase "yolo" in everyday language. I doubt you will find anything. This leads me right into the works of Shakespeare

The past few days in Honors English have been spent on Shakespeare, and understanding his works and writing. I am not going to lie: understanding what he's trying to say is pretty confusing and difficult. What he wrote just doesn't fit in todays style of writing or the way we speak and what we say. Of course, this doesn't deny that he was an excellent writer and one of the greatest playwrights. It just isn't easy to understand what he's trying to convey through his writing. For example, in class we read a poem that Shakespeare is trying to complement and woo a girl. It seems that he loves her very much and cares for her deeply. However, lines like "your tongue is oiled with courtly flatteries" are just downright weird. I don't think using those lines today would exactly impress someone .At that point, I began to wonder, is he really trying to impress this girl, or is he just joking around? I thought about that for a while. That's when I realized that he was actually using those lines in a love-like way, which sort of came to me as a shock.

If you are interested in Shakespeare, you should watch the movies Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, or Hamlet, as those were some of his most famous works. 

Thoughts on Divergent

 finally began to read Divergent, as 90% of the people I know read it also. I had mixed feelings about reading it. I just didn't like its setting, and I had a feeling I would get bored. Yes, I made those judgements despite not even flipping a page in the book. However, after reading the first few chapters of it, those worries were quickly forgotten. I loved its dystopian setting. Since most of the other books I read had realistic settings and actual places, the setting felt so unique. Divergent almost makes those other books feel boring and too realistic. I like how Veronica Roth makes everything seem so interesting in the book and decides to be creative. As many of you may have realized, this book is very similar to The Hunger Games. For example, both have a unique and dystopian setting. Both of them also have a setting where it's divided in factions/districts. Both of them also are packed with lots of adventure.

If you are looking for a book that is similar to The Hunger Games, or just want a book with a unique setting and lots of adventure, then Divergent is right for you. Make sure to read it soon! The reason

Character Analysis of The Chronicles of Vladmir Tod

      Last week I started reading The Chronicles of Vladmir Tod: Eight Grade Bites. Lately, I'd been into the fantasy/realistic fiction genre. So, I was recommended this series. After I picked up the first book, I'd become instantly hooked. The story is about a thirteen year old vampire whose parents have died, and is being raised by his aunt, who knows he's a vampire. However, no one else knows that he is a vampire, except for his best friend, Henry. Life is hard for Vladmir, as he is unpopular among the students and performs poorly in school. However it becomes even harder for Vladmir as a new substitute teacher acts strangely around Vladmir. Vladmir is worried that the substitute teacher, Otis will discover his secret. An at one point he becomes dangerously close. What will happen? Will Vladmir be able to survive one whole year without any suspicion, or will he be discovered of his terrifying secret? Read to find out!

     The characters are very diverse in The Chronicles of Vladmir Tod: Eight Grade Bites. A lot of them have a very different personality. However there was one thing common among all characters in Eight Grade Bites: nobody is perfect, or right all the time. Each character has one or multiple flaws, despite their harsh circumstances. which has to be understood as the reader reads this. For example, even though the central character Vladmir has a tough life, he still has some flaws. Vladmir is often too careless with his powers and can be very irresponsible at times. Even Nelly, his caring aunt, has some flaws. She can be overprotective sometimes and yet careless of what her nephew does. Understanding this in the book will help readers understand the characters intentions and their personalility more.

Horror books

When it comes to the horror genre, most people have only watched the movies. But you must also know there are many critically acclaimed novels that are also just as terrifying. Authors such as Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe clearly prove that with there excellent novels. Whether you love horror books or hate them, you can't deny that it takes true literary talent to write one. For an author to truly scare the lights out of you, isn't easy. The author must make you actually believe that you are the character in the haunted setting of the novel, in order to terrify you. In those works of fiction the imagery is excellent and the setting is so well described that you actually look up while reading the book just to make sure you aren't in that setting. Unfortunately, that is sometimes not appreciated by readers, and often under-looked. The plot for these novels are often great too and draw you in until the very last page. A great example would be author Stephen King. I read his novel The Shining last year, and every bit of it was terrifying. Let's just say after finishing the novel at night in the living room, I was paralyzed to that very spot. To top it all off, I was home alone too. But that doesn't make it a bad novel. In fact it was a great novel, and it had one of the best plots of any book. Those of you who can overlook the scary parts, I definitely would recommend you that book. Also, for anyone else who loves the horror genre should read more novels by Stephen King. However, if you can't stand being scared or are afraid of horror I definitely do NOT recommend those novels.

Sports Fiction

Do you love reading fiction books that are about sports? I definitely do. If you like them too, there are many authors that write about sports fiction. Some of them include Mike Lupica, John Grisham, Tim Green, and many more. My personal favorite is Mike Lupica. His books are very inspiring and teach you many lessons, and their not just about sports. However, his books are generally aimed more towards younger audiences, but that shouldn't stop you from reading some of his books. He is set to release a new novel, QB1, later this year.

One of my favorite books by Mike Lupica is Miracle on 49th Street. This book is about a young girl named Molly. Molly believes that the famous Celtics basketball player Josh Cameron (fictional) is her dad. Unfortunately, Molly's mother died years ago, and she can't prove it. So Molly approaches Josh one day and tells him that he's her father. However, Josh doesn't believe it. Just how far will Molly go to prove that Josh is her dad? Read to find out!

Importance of setting

Recently, in class we learned how setting can have a big impact on the central characters of a novel. I never really focused on that too much until now. As I read any book, instantly, I begin to focus on the setting. A good example would be The Hunger Games. It clearly shows how Katniss and the other tributes had changed and impacted them both mentally and physically just by the setting. Another good example would be the Harry Potter series. He was just a muggle, until he attended Hogwarts, where he trained to be a wizard. If he didn't go there, he would've never learned his wizardry skills. That shows how important setting is to a novel.

Lately, I'd been having trouble trying to find a good book. What I last read was The Kite Runner, and I wanted to read something similar to that, so I looked into more books by that author. So, I started reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. The overall feel to that book is similar to The Kite Runner, if not even better. I'd recommend that book to anyone to greatly enjoyed The Kite Runner.

Summer Reading

The Kite Runner was a great book. It was set in two locations: Afghanistan and California. The book was about two young boys, Amir and Hassan. Amir lived in a wealthy house in Kabul, Afghanistan, and his father was very rich. Hassan lived there too, however he was just the servant's son. They were good friends for along time, till a horrific incident happened to Hassan. Due to that incident, Amir could no longer speak to Hassan. Eventually, Amir and Hassan split ways and never spoke to one another. Over the years Amir felt immeasurable amounts of guilt. As Amir is an adult, he now is on a path to find redemption for his sins. This journey will forever change him, as he goes back to Kabul.

This is a great book. It has an excellent plot, one filled with many intense moments. All of the characters are very interesting too. I'd reccommemd this to anyone, however not for anyone who can't stand violence and/or language.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=the%20kite%20runner&source=newssearch&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDAQqQIoADAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftimesofindia.indiatimes.com%2Flife-style%2Fbooks%2FKhaled-Hosseinis-latest-is-an-absolute-page-turner%2Farticleshow%2F21531436.cms&ei=8CceUofdN47NqQHIsICYBA&usg=AFQjCNHRbJlisz2QERKC1dsMRyCb7thWAQ&sig2=rymiJKMp2b6-N8p0nEauqQ&bvm=bv.51156542,d.aWM

This is an article on The Kite Runner, about how good of a book it is.

This is the trailer for The Kite Runner movie.