Book Review: The Tomorrow Code

The Tomorrow Code
by Brian Falkner

When New Zealand teens Tane and Rebecca start receiving coded messages from the future, they realize that the world is in trouble. As they begin to decipher the code, they discover that the messages come from their future selves - and contain a worrisome SOS. Tane and Rebecca, along with Tane's brother Fatboy, frantically work to decode the messages and follow the instructions before it's too late. The three teens may be the only ones who stand between the world and disaster.

The Tomorrow Code is a highly suspenseful, exciting eco-thriller reminiscent of the work of Michael Crichton, but with better writing. It's a terrifying page-turner, with interesting, believable characters. Tane and Fatboy are Maori, and although they are in most ways modern teenagers, they are also in touch with their Maori heritage, a heritage that becomes important later in the story. The glimpses of Maori culture are interesting.

Rebecca is brilliant, the daughter of scientists. She excels at math and science, but it's interesting that she isn't always the one to solve the problems. I love the importance that the author gives to multiple intelligences, as it takes the very different skills of the three of them to solve all the problems.

The Tomorrow Code is a 2009 Cybils Fantasy/Science Fiction - teen nominee.

Edited to add: There's a lot of great information about the science, technology, geography and culture from the book, including a stunning gallery of New Zealand photos that has me dying to go there, on the Tomorrow Code web site.

Disclaimers: I received a review copy from the publisher to evaluate for the Cybils award. The Amazon links above are Amazon Associate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

Middle grade fantasy & science fiction review roundup

I've been busy these days reading YA SFF for the Cybils, and haven't had much time to read the middle grade books. If you're looking for good fantasy or science fiction for middle grade readers, Cybils panelist Charlotte has rounded up MG SFF reviews for the week on her blog, Charlotte's Library.

Cybils 2009 Nominee Widget

Tracy Grand of Jacketflap has once again created this terrific Cybils nominee widget. It rotates through the Cybils nominees and displays a different one each time the page is loaded. You can get the widget for your own blog here. The best part is that it's completely customizable! You can choose the colors and the categories that you want to display. I set mine to display the Fantasy/Science Fiction nominees, of course, and I also included the Graphic Novel nominees since some of them have SFF themes.

Book Review: Tiger Moon

Tiger Moon
by Antonia Michaelis
Translated by Anthea Bell

When Safia becomes the eighth wife of the Rajah Ahmed Mudhi, she knows that she will die. Safia's name means "virtue," but Safia is not a virgin, and when the Rajah finds out that he has been deceived, he will kill her. Luckily, the Rajah is ill right after their wedding, and Safia has a few more days to live. Like Scheherazade, Safia tells stories while she waits to die. But Safia's listener is not her husband, but a young eunuch called Lalit.

A young thief named Farhad Kamal finds a silver amulet in a lotus flower, which marks him as the hero chosen to rescue the god Krishna's daughter from the demon king Ravana, who plans to marry her at the next full moon. Farhad knows that he is no hero, but Krishna makes it clear that if Farhad doesn't succeed, he'll be reborn in his next life as a worm, and the cycle of his lives will be prolonged to infinity before achieving Nirvana. Not wanting to risk such a fate, Farhad sets off to find the magical mount promised to him by Krishna, to take him to the city at the heart of the desert of Rajasthan where Krishna's daughter is being held.

As Safia tells Lalit the story of Farhad, both of them are transformed by the story in unexpected ways. And Farhad himself just might become a hero after all.

I adore Tiger Moon! It's such a beautiful story, richly written with a folk-tale feel, yet it also has a smart, sassy voice and an almost modern sensibility that makes it really fun to read. Here's an example:

Sometimes he visited one of the great temples to pray to the gods, and as chance would have it, he usually came out again with a handful of coins from the plate left out for offerings. He had tried going into the new British church, too, but the donation boxes there were kept well locked, so he decided against converting to Christianity. The Muslims were clever and had driven him straight out of their mosque. So Farhad remained a Hindu out of what might be called his economic convictions, and on the whole he looked after himself successfully.

The writing is lovely, and Anthea Bell has done a wonderful job of translating it. The story resonates with warmth and humor. It's a poignant story of sacrifice and true heroism. And who wouldn't love Nitish, the sacred white tiger with a fear of water?

Tiger Moon is a 2009 Cybils nominee.

Tiger Moon does contain some mature content.

Disclaimers: I received a review copy from the publisher to evaluate for the Cybils award. The Amazon links above are Amazon Associate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

2009 Cybils Nominees: Fantasy/Science Fiction Teen

The following books were nominated for the 2009 Cybils in the Fantasy/Science Fiction category at the Teen level:

Soulstice (The Devouring #2)
by Simon Holt
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Melanie
Reviewed by: Nettle

Academy 7
by Anne Osterlund
Speak
Nominated by: Mia Thompson
Reviewed by: Nettle

Amaranth Enchantment, The
by Julie Berry
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Stacey (AKA Aubrey)
Reviewed by: Gwenda007

Another Faust
by Daniel And Dina Nayeri
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Finn

ArchEnemy (The Looking Glass Wars)
by Frank Beddor
Dial
Nominated by: Shannon Messenger

As You Wish
by Jackson Pearce
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Abby
Reviewed by: Nettle

Ash
by Malinda Lo
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Michelle

Ask and the Answer, The: Chaos Walking: Book Two
by Patrick Ness
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Ana
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth | Tadamack

Awakening, The (Darkest Powers, Book 2)
by Kelley Armstrong
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Aja Romano
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Backtracked
by Pedro de Alcantara
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: nikithal

Bad Girls Don't Die
by Katie Alender
Hyperion
Nominated by: Debra
Reviewed by: Nettle

Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie
by Maggie Stiefvater
Flux
Nominated by: Jill Tullo
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Betraying Season (Leland Sisters, Book 2)
by Marissa Doyle
Henry Holt
Nominated by: Shani

Blood Promise (Vampire Academy, Book 4)
by Richelle Mead
Razorbill
Nominated by: Sarah Weiss
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Bloodhound (The Legend of Beka Cooper, Book 2)
by Tamora Pierce
Random House Children's Books
Nominated by: Lizzy
Reviewed by: Angiegirl | SheilaRuth | Tadamack

Blue Moon: The Immortals
by Alyson Noel
St. Martin's Griffin
Nominated by: Claudia

Bones of Faerie
by Janni Lee Simner
Random House Children's Books
Nominated by: Casey Titschinger
Reviewed by: Nettle

Brain Finds a Leg, The
by Martin Chatterton
Peachtree
Nominated by: Lesley

Caenus and The Quiver of Artemis (Of Kings And Gods: Book 1)
by Christopher S Ledbetter
Outskirts Press
Nominated by: Chris Ledbetter

Candor
by Pam Bachorz
Egmont USA
Nominated by: Chelsea Campbell

Carbon Diaries: 2015, The
by Saci Lloyd
Holiday House
Nominated by: kathleen morandini

Carpe Corpus (Morganville Vampires, Book 6)
by Rachel Caine
Signet Books
Nominated by: Sarah Simpson
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)
by Suzanne Collins
Scholastic
Nominated by: Dawn Mooney
Reviewed by: Angiegirl | SheilaRuth | Tadamack | twistedquill

City of Glass (Mortal Instruments)
by Cassandra Clare
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Jessica

Coffeehouse Angel
by Suzanne Selfors
Walker Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Elaine

Creature of the Night
by Kate Thompson
Roaring Brook
Nominated by: Laurie Schneider
Reviewed by: Nettle | Tadamack

Dark Calling (The Demonata #9)
by Darren Shan
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Gila Davidson
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Dark Visions: The Strange Power; The Possessed; The Passion
by L.J. Smith
Simon Pulse
Nominated by: Alexa Nagasue

Daughter of the Flames
by Zoë Marriott
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Stella Patel
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth

Dead Girl in Love: A Dead Girl Book
by Linda Joy Singleton
Flux
Nominated by: Kim Baccellia

Demon's Lexicon, The
by Sarah Rees Brennan
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Nick Jessee

Dreaming Anastasia: A Novel of Love, Magic, and the Power of Dreams
by Joy Preble
Jabberwocky/Sourcebooks
Nominated by: Sara Lea
Reviewed by: Tadamack | twistedquill

Dull Boy
by Sarah Cross
Dutton Juvenile
Nominated by: R.J. Anderson

DupliKate
by Cherry Cheva
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Katie Butler

Dust of 100 Dogs, The
by A.S. King
Flux
Nominated by: Lisa McMann
Reviewed by: Tadamack | twistedquill

Eternal
by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Angela Tatone

Eternal Kiss, The: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire
by
Running Press Kids
Nominated by: Jia Koutsou

Everafter, The
by Amy Huntley
Balzer + Bray
Nominated by: Karen Strong

Evermore: The Immortals
by Alyson Noel
St. Martin's Griffin
Nominated by: Claudia Chavez

Evidence of Angels
by Suza Scalora
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Suza Scalora

Eyes Like Stars: Theatre Illuminata, Act I
by Lisa Mantchev
Feiwel & Friends
Nominated by: Shelly Burns

Fade (Wake, Book 2)
by Lisa McMann
Simon & Schuster
Nominated by: Sarah
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Fairy Tale
by Cyn Balog
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Mandy Hubbard
Reviewed by: Nettle

Falling Bakward
by Henry Melton
Wire Rim Books
Nominated by: Benjamin Potter
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Fate
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Claire

Fire
by Kristin Cashore
Dial
Nominated by: Jenny Moss
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Firebirds Soaring: An Anthology of Original Speculative Fiction
by Nancy Springer
Firebird Books
Nominated by: Sheryl
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth

Forest Born (Books of Bayern)
by Shannon Hale
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Tiffany Emerick

Forest of Hands and Teeth, The
by Carrie Ryan
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Sam Musher
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth | twistedquill

Fragile Eternity
by Melissa Marr
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Susan
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Gateway to DreamWorld
by Brenda Estacio
Eloquent Books
Nominated by: Marilyn Thomas

Generation Dead: Kiss of Life
by Daniel Waters
Hyperion
Nominated by: Nora Olsen

Ghost Town
by Richard W. Jennings
Houghton Mifflin
Nominated by: Charlotte

Gifted: Out of Sight, Out of Mind
by Marilyn Kaye
Kingfisher
Nominated by: Faith
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Girl in the Arena
by Lise Haines
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Mel Robinson
Reviewed by: twistedquill

Give Up the Ghost
by Megan Crewe
Henry Holt
Nominated by: Jenny Moss

Goddess Boot Camp (Oh. My. Gods.)
by Tera Lynn Childs
Dutton Juvenile
Nominated by: Issa

Guardian Of The Darkness (Moribito)
by Nahoko Uehashi
Arthur A Levine
Nominated by: Sara Lewis Holmes

Half World
by Hiromi Goto
Puffin Canada
Nominated by: Sarah Olutola
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Highway to Hell (Maggie Quinn: Girl Vs Evil)
by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Dena

Hollow, The
by Jessica Verday
Simon Pulse
Nominated by: Sarah

Hunchback Assignments, The
by Arthur Slade
Wendy Lamb Books
Nominated by: rachel

Hunger: A Gone Novel
by Michael Grant
Katherine Tegen Books
Nominated by: Heather Kemp

Hunted (House of Night, Book 5)
by P. C. Cast
St. Martins Press
Nominated by: Ellen Trieu

Hush, Hush
by Becca Fitzpatrick
Simon & Schuster
Nominated by: Demi Tate

I Was A Teenage Alien
by Jane Greenhill
The Wild Rose Press
Nominated by: Laurie J. Edwards

Ice
by Sarah Beth Durst
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Sarah Rettger
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Immortal
by Gillian Shields
Katherine Tegen Books
Nominated by: AudryT

Intertwined (Harlequin Teen)
by Gena Showalter
Harlequin Teen
Nominated by: Em King
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side
by Beth Fantaskey
Harcourt
Nominated by: Amber
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Kiss in Time, A
by Alex Flinn
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Oria
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Legacy
by Tom Sniegoski
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Leann Markus

Leviathan
by Scott Westerfeld
Simon Pulse
Nominated by: Jeff Pack

Libyrinth
by Pearl North
Tor Teen
Nominated by: Andrea

Lips Touch
by Laini Taylor
Arthur A Levine
Nominated by: Jolie Stekly
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Malice
by Chris Wooding
Scholastic
Nominated by: Michael
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Maze Runner, The (Maze Runner Trilogy (Hardback))
by James Dashner
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Heather

Meridian
by Amber Kizer
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Sara Grochowski

Midnight Charter, The
by David Whitley
Roaring Brook
Nominated by: Kathleen Jones
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth

Mirrorscape (Mirrorscape Trilogy (Hardback))
by Mike Wilks
Egmont USA
Nominated by: Maya McQueen
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Monstrumologist, The
by Rick Yancey
Simon & Schuster
Nominated by: Nettle

My Fair Godmother
by Janette Rallison
Walker Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Stacey (AKA Aubrey)

My Soul to Take (Harlequin Teen)
by Rachel Vincent
Harlequin Teen
Nominated by: Tez Miller
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Need
by Carrie Jones
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Kate Messner
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Never Slow Dance with a Zombie
by E. Van Lowe
Tor Teen
Nominated by: Melissa K.

Night Runner: A Novel
by Max Turner
St. Martin's Griffin
Nominated by: Bri Meets Books

Novel Of The Titanic, A (Distant Waves)
by Suzanne Weyn
Scholastic
Nominated by: Vikki VanSickle

Once a Princess (Sasharia En Garde)
by Sherwood Smith
Samhain Publishing
Nominated by: Heather Zundel

Once a Witch
by Carolyn MacCullough
Clarion Books
Nominated by: Raina

Pace, The
by Shelena Shorts
Lands Atlantic Publishing, LLC
Nominated by: Valerie

Pastworld
by Ian Beck
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: elaina

Prada and Prejudice
by Mandy Hubbard
Razorbill
Nominated by: Cyn Balog

Princess and the Bear, The
by Mette Ivie Harrison
HarperTeen
Nominated by: melissa

Princess of the Midnight Ball
by Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: melissa
Reviewed by: Nettle | SheilaRuth

Prism
by Faye Kellerman
HarperCollins
Nominated by: patricia

Prophecy of the Sisters (Prophecy of the Sisters Trilogy, Book I)
by Michelle Zink
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Sarah Ockler
Reviewed by: Nettle

Radiant Darkness
by Emily Whitman
Greenwillow Books
Nominated by: jone

Rampant
by Diana Peterfreund
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Samantha
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Ruined: A Novel
by Paula Morris
Point
Nominated by: Brooke

Sacred Scars (A Resurrection of Magic, Book 2)
by Kathleen Duey
Atheneum
Nominated by: Jenn R
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth

Sea Change
by Aimee Friedman
Point
Nominated by: Sarah Weiss

Second Skin
by Jessica Wollman
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: marybeth

Serendipity Market
by Penny Blubaugh
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Caitlin Rourke

Shadow on the Stones (The Sacred Stones)
by Moyra Caldecott
Tricycle Press
Nominated by: Laura Mancuso

Shadowed Summer
by Saundra Mitchell
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Erin Dionne
Reviewed by: Nettle

Shimmer
by Dallas Reed
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Devorah

Shiver
by Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic
Nominated by: Jeni Bell
Reviewed by: Angiegirl | twistedquill

Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia
by Cindy Pon
Greenwillow Books
Nominated by: Angie Frazier

Singing, The: The Fourth Book of Pellinor (Pellinor Series)
by Alison Croggon
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Emily Pate

Siren, The
by Kiera Cass
iUniverse
Nominated by: Samantha Clanton

Snap
by Carol Snow
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Christina

Son of the Great River
by Elijah Meeks
Booklocker
Nominated by: Sarah Sammis

Sorceress, The (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel)
by Michael Scott
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Kristine Michael

Soul Enchilada
by David Macinnis Gill
Greenwillow Books
Nominated by: cindy

Soulless
by Christopher Golden
MTV
Nominated by: Little Willow
Reviewed by: Nettle

Splendor Falls, The
by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Liz

Starfire Angels
by Melanie Nilles
Prairie Star Publishing
Nominated by: Melanie Nilles

Stealing Death
by Janet Lee Carey
Egmont USA
Nominated by: Erin McIntosh

Strange Angels
by Lili St. Crow
Razorbill
Nominated by: Erica
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Swoon
by Nina Malkin
Simon Pulse
Nominated by: Steph Su

Tales From Outer Suburbia
by Shaun Tan
Arthur A Levine
Nominated by: Liz Jones

Tear Collector, The
by Patrick Jones
Walker Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Thea

Tenth Grade Bleeds (Chronicles of Vladimir Tod)
by Heather Brewer
Dutton Juvenile
Nominated by: Jill Foltz

Thirteenth Child (Frontier Magic Book)
by Patricia C. Wrede
Scholastic
Nominated by: Marie

Tiger Moon
by Antonia Michaelis
Amulet
Nominated by: Carolyn Dooman

Tomorrow Code, The
by Brian Falkner
Random House Children's Books
Nominated by: Sarah (aquafortis)

Vampire Diaries, The: The Return: Nightfall
by L. J. Smith
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Alyssa Campbell

Van Alen Legacy, The (Blue Bloods, Book 4)
by Melissa De La Cruz
Hyperion
Nominated by: Emillie
Reviewed by: twistedquill

Waking, The: Dreams of the Dead
by Thomas Randall
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Della

Walls Have Eyes, The
by Clare B. Dunkle
Ginee Seo Books
Nominated by: Laini Bostian

Watersmeet
by Ellen Jensen Abbott
Marshall Cavendish Childrens Books
Nominated by: Beth Kizer

Wings (Aprilynne Pike (Hardback))
by Aprilynne Pike
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Robin Prehn
Reviewed by: Tadamack | twistedquill

Wish After Midnight, A
by Zetta Elliott
CreateSpace
Nominated by: Colleen Mondor
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth

Wondrous Strange
by Lesley Livingston
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Barbara Etlin

Worldweavers: Cybermage
by Alma Alexander
HarperTeen
Nominated by: R.A. Deckert

Young City, The: The Unwritten Books
by James Bow
Dundurn Books
Nominated by: Erin Noteboom

Zenith
by Julie Bertagna
Walker Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Erin Bush