Review: The Doomsday Code - Alex Scarrow

Title: The Doomsday Code (TimeRiders #3)
Author: Alex Scarrow
Format: Paperback
Pages: 439
Genre: YA, Scifi
Published: 3rd February 2011 (Puffin)

Liam O'Connor should have died at sea in 1912. Maddy Carter should have died on a plane in 2010. Sal Vikram should have died in a fire in 2026.

But all three have been given a second chance - to work for an agency that no one knows exists. Its purpose: to prevent time travel destroying history ...

In 1993 British computer hacker Adam Lewis finds his name in a coded manuscript that is almost one thousand years old. How did Adam's name get in there ... and why?

Confronted by Adam in 2001, the TimeRiders travel back to Sherwood Forest in 1193 to discover the origins of the ancient message. But when a strange hooded man appears interested in the same thing, they begin to wonder what terrible threat this cryptic link from the past holds for the future ...

Liam, Sal and Maddie are continuing on their mission to save history; to keep events as they are supposed to happen and prevent time shifts in the future. A simple movie poster that wasn't there before, and a warning to watch out for 'Pandora', Maddie and Sal visit a computer hacker, Adam Lewis, who has discovered a coded message in an ancient manuscript. With Adam's help, the team is set on their latest adventure. Liam travels back to the time of the Crusades and Richard the Lionheart. There's a hooded man in Sherwood Forest and Liam must help Prince John regain control in his brother's absence.

I absolutely love the TimeRiders series! Combining science fiction and history is always going to be a winner in my geeky heart. To top it off, Alex Scarrow is an awesome writer who is able to bring a story alive so you feel like you're right there with the characters. Now on the third book of the series, there's a danger of becoming repetitive but although each book follows a similar pattern, with the whole of history to go at, there's no danger of these books becoming boring.

A highly recommended series to anyone which would particularly appeal to fans of Dr Who.

Teaser Tuesday 29/11/11

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others.
* Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Betrayal - Lee Nichols

I shuddered in my peacoat, the November cold penetrating the thin wool, and watched the crowd through the iron gates. Hundreds of mourners stood in a ragged crescent around the grave.

It's Monday - 28/11/11

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly event to celebrate what we are reading for the week hosted at Book Journey, Post the books completed last week, the books you're currently reading, and the books to be read this week. Please comment or leave a link to let me know what you're reading this week!

Completed last week



GLOW - Amy Kathleen Ryan

Currently Reading



Fracture - Megan Miranda
Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian - Rick Riordan

Up soon



Betrayal (Haunting Emma) - Lee Nichols
The Iron Knight (The Iron Fey - Book 4) - Julia Kagawa

Reviews

Touch of Power - Maria V Snyder

In My Mailbox - 26/11/11

I've not done an In My Mailbox post for a few weeks as I haven't had any new books to show off. Thankfully this has helped with making a smallish dent in the tbr pile.

In My Mailbox is a weekly event exploring the books received this week and is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. What books did you get this week?

For Review (from publisher unless stated)



The Iron Knight - Julie Kagawa (Amazon Vine)
Shakespeare's Mistress - Karen Harper (Amazon Vine)

Early Review: Touch of Power - Maria V Snyder

Title: Touch of Power (Avry of Kazan #1)
Author: Maria V Snyder
Format: ARC
Pages: 400
Genre: Fantasy Adventure
Published: 6th January 2012 (UK) (Mira)

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

Touch of Power is a brilliant fantasy adventure story which draws you into an amazing world of magic. Avry lives in a time of plague which has killed off a large amount of the population. As a healer, she should be an essential part of the community but instead, as people believe Healers are the cause of the disease, Avry is having to live in hiding, moving from town to town so she doesn't get found out.

Arrested after healing a small child, Avry lands herself in a cell and is swiftly rescued (or abducted, depending on how it's viewed!) by a group who want her to heal Prince Ryne. The group's leader, Kerrick, is a stern, serious type who Avry pretty much hates, although his character screams out 'love interest' so it's fun to see how that pans out as they bicker and argue their way through most of the story.

I liked all of the characters in the story. Snyder always seems to get a good mix of realism and awesomeness in her characters. Avry is a young woman who's had to survive on her own instinct for a while so there's some level of vulnerability yet toughness in her. The other thing I liked about this book was the age of the chacters. Avry is around twenty with some of the others a bit older. To me this was more truely 'young adult' than 'teen' than most YA books and it added a bit more to the story as the characters were that bit more mature in their feelings and emotions.

The book reminded me a lot of Graceling by Kristin Cashore, which I also loved. It's part medievil type fantasy but there's a more modern twist on it with scientific developments and such. If you enjoy quest tales full of magic, swords, princes and romping across realms then this is the book for you.

It's Monday - 7/11/11

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly event to celebrate what we are reading for the week hosted at Book Journey, Post the books completed last week, the books you're currently reading, and the books to be read this week. Please comment or leave a link to let me know what you're reading this week!

Completed last week



TimeRiders: The Doomsday Code - Alex Scarrow
Touch of Power - Maria V Snyder

Currently Reading



GLOW - Amy Kathleen Ryan
Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian - Rick Riordan

Up soon



Claire De Lune - Christine Johnson

Reviews



Bleeding Hearts - Alyxandra Harvey

In My Mailbox - 06/11/11

In My Mailbox is a weekly event exploring the books received this week and is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. What books did you get this week?

For Review (from publisher unless stated)

This is Not Forgiveness - Celia Rees (Bloomsbury)

Everyone says that Caro is bad ...but Jamie can't help himself. He thinks of her night and day and can't believe that she wants to be his girlfriend. Gorgeous, impulsive and unconventional, she is totally different to all the other girls he knows. His sister, Martha, hates her. Jamie doesn't know why, but there's no way he's going to take any notice of her warnings to stay away from Caro. But as Jamie falls deeper and deeper under her spell, he realises there is more to Caro - much more. There are the times when she disappears and doesn't get in touch, the small scars on her wrists, her talk about revolutions and taking action, not to mention the rumours he hears about the other men in her life. And then always in the background there is Rob, Jamie's older brother, back from Afghanistan and traumatised after having his leg smashed to bits there. Jamie wants to help him, but Rob seems to be living in a world of his own and is increasingly difficult to reach. With Caro, the summer should have been perfect ...but that isn't how things work out in real life, and Jamie is going to find out the hard way. This taut psychological drama is the brilliant new novel from acclaimed Celia Rees.

Review: Bleeding Hearts - Alyxandra Harvey

Title: Bleeding Hearts (Drake Chronicles #4)
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Format: Paperback
Pages: 289
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Published: 3rd October 2011 (Bloomsbury - UK)

Lucy's cousin Christabel has come to live in Violet Hill, and adjusting to the difference between life in a small mountain town and her home in the city is difficult enough. The strict curfew that Lucy's parents enforce is the worst part. Something really dangerous couldn't possibly happen in this tiny town. But Christabel has noticed some mysterious happenings, and it seems like Lucy, her boyfriend Nicholas and his brother Connor are all in on a secret that Christabel doesn't understand - one that seems deadly serious. Although she won't admit it, Christabel would love to be in on any secret with Connor Drake. But after Christabel is kidnapped by the ruthless Hel-Blar vampires, Lucy and Connor finally fill her in on all the undead drama. Together, they must find a way to stamp out the Hel-Blar for good.

With her mother in rehab, Christabel comes to stay in Violet hill with her cousin Lucy. Coming from the city, Christa is surprised by the rules and restrictions set down by her aunt and uncle regarding curfew and being out after dark. Obviously unaware of the vampire problem, she wonders what can be so dangerous. She soon finds out, getting kidnapped by Hel-blar makes her realise she's not in just some sleepy little town. Fortunately, where there's Hel-blar, there's Drakes and the brother in question this time is Connor. Just like his twin, he's hot but Connor is more the geeky computer nerd than the player Quinn is (or was before he hooked up with Hunter in the previous book).

I'm a big fan of this series and this fourth installment doesn't disappoint. Initially I wasn't sure about the new character (Christabel) mainly because I think I was expecting her to be something else. I don't know why but I was waiting for her to be bitchy or something. I quickly grew to like her though and her developing relationship with Connor is great to read.

I loved that we're starting to find out more and more about the vampire lore of this world, in particular the history of the different groups of vampires. The characters are developing well as the series continues and although Solange was a bit irritating at times, this was completely fitting with what's going on with her. My only down point is that I'd like more of Kieran but that's just because he's my favourite of the boys so far.

A great continuation of a brilliant series. I can't wait for the next one!

Read My Review: SciFi

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