Tina's (SciFi) Book Bag

Twilight, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games… fantasy novels are taking over the world of fiction. Here are a few lesser-known books that are just as out of this world.

Generation Dead

By

Daniel Waters

Generation Dead is not your typical zombie novel. Heartwarming and provocative, it actually makes you fall in love with the undead.

Set in contemporary United States, hordes of American teens have risen from the dead. Luckily they do not have an affinity for human flesh and merely resemble the average teenager. They are termed the “differently biotic” and integrate into normal American life. The novel is driven by a love triangle between goth girl Phoebe, her neighbor Adam and the zombie Tommy. But inevitably many humans view the “differently biotic” as gross and unnatural creatures that must be eradicated, and this causes tension.

Generation Dead is engrossing and forces one to view the zombies’ plight as an issue of discrimination rather than one of a missing heartbeat. The novel’s sequels are just as tantalizing and come with countless twists and turns.

The Darkest Minds

By

Alexandra Bracken

In Alexandra Bracken’s world, a mysterious disease termed IAAN has killed the majority of American children. Those who survived have developed frightening abilities, including telekinesis, electrokinesis and mind control. In order to tame this crisis, the American government has confined all children to “rehabilitation camps”. Similar to concentration camps, these so-called rehabilitation centers have resulted in the abuse and death of thousands of innocents. For the past six years, sixteen year-old Ruby has been locked away at one such camp and has only narrowly survived. She is rescued by a group of terrorists who wish to use her abilities to take down the American government. Ruby, however, escapes this terrorist organization and teams up with three other misfit superpower teens.

The Darkest Minds is filled with nonstop action and though it’s a young adult novel, the book discusses some of the most harrowing aspects of the human condition.

Divergent

By

Veronica Roth

Divergent has often been touted as the new Hunger Games, but in my opinion that’s a gross understatement. Divergent is 10 times more intriguing and thought-provoking. Set in the remnants of destroyed Chicago, society has rebuilt itself to be a more peaceful and efficient entity. People are divided into factions: Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Each faction remains separate but works together to maintain the prosperity and improvement of human society. At the age of 16, each person must choose what faction they will belong to for the rest of their life. Beatrice Prior finds this task exceedingly difficult because she is different - she is “divergent”.

The perfect combination of dystopia, horror, and love, Divergent is a must-read. Watch for it this year as it makes its silver screen debut.

I Am Number Four By

Pittacus Lore

Though penned by the author of A Million Little Pieces, I Am Number Four deals with entirely different subject matter. The novel and its sequels follow a group of nine teenage aliens from the planet Lorien. Ten years ago their planet was destroyed in a battle against the evil Mogadorians and those who survived fled to Earth to develop their innate powers called legacies and live in secrecy, protected by a charm that only allows them to be killed in a specific order.

This particular novel follows the story of John Smith, otherwise known as “Number Four.” Although the novel is completely based in fantasy, it is shockingly well written and engrossing. With all the series’ twists and turns, you can’t help but want to learn more about John and his companions.

Skip Michael Bay’s terrible movie adaption of I Am Number Four and read the book instead.

By: Tina Cody