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108th out of 763 books
—
659 voters
This Time of Darkness
Eleven-year-old Amy lives in a decaying underground city. Ignored by her mother and under surveillance by authorities because she can read, Amy reluctantly finds herself befriending Axel-a strange boy who claims to have come from a mythical place called ...Outside. Is Axel crazy? Amy knows there is no such place as Outside.
But what if there were? What would it be like?
Curi
...more
But what if there were? What would it be like?
Curi
Mass Market Paperback, 176 pages
Published
March 14th 2003
by Starscape
(first published 1980)
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Aug 28, 2012
Bill
added it
I was poking around old children's literature for my niece a couple of months ago when I remembered this book. I must have read it sometime in elementary, and it made a strong impression on me. I googled something like "underground city children's book" and boom - there it was. Out of print, so I ordered an old library hardcover copy off of Amazon.
This Time Of Darkness is about a young girl named Amy who lives in an enormous city of the far future, who has never seen the outside world. She has l...more
This Time Of Darkness is about a young girl named Amy who lives in an enormous city of the far future, who has never seen the outside world. She has l...more
This book introduced me to arcologies and dystopias back when I was too young to have heard either word, and long, long before dystopias became a Thing in YA fiction. It changed my internal landscape forever.
The story is good--about 3.5 stars' worth on plot alone--and it holds up to the test of time. But the world...? Splendid. Using characters' own observations and vivid memories, Hoover paints a picture of a cramped, stifling, stinking city where children are taught by computer in classrooms t...more
The story is good--about 3.5 stars' worth on plot alone--and it holds up to the test of time. But the world...? Splendid. Using characters' own observations and vivid memories, Hoover paints a picture of a cramped, stifling, stinking city where children are taught by computer in classrooms t...more
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Another fun little read. It’s the story of a girl who has lived in a filthy, dark, underground city all her life and longs to see the fabled “outside”. With the help of a kid who was originally from the outside, they attempt to escape the only world she’s ever known. Fairly common theme in sci-fi, but it was well done and had me flipping the pages as fast as I could to find out how it ended (it’s short enough that I could read it in one sitting: 161 pages). The first half of the book was exactly...more
Let me give you some background on this book. Back when i was in 5th grade my teacher, Mrs. Kofford read this book to us after lunch each day. I remember loving it, I remember laying my head on my desk, closing my eyes and just loosing myself in the story. She never read long enough for me. Anyway, I actually ran into here this summer and asked her what book that was. She didn't remember the title off the top of her head, but she was kind enough to call me once she got to school.
I have re-read...more
I have re-read...more
Young adult novel - highly recommended to me - hope I like it - starts out very well.
And continued from there. The Author did a great job with action scenes and the story overall. It was a fairly short book, a quick, excellent read involving 11-year-old Amy who lives in a decaying underground city. She's ignored and unwanted by her mother and constant under surveillance by the "authorities" because she can read. When she meets and befriends Axel, a boy who claims to have come from "outside" the...more
And continued from there. The Author did a great job with action scenes and the story overall. It was a fairly short book, a quick, excellent read involving 11-year-old Amy who lives in a decaying underground city. She's ignored and unwanted by her mother and constant under surveillance by the "authorities" because she can read. When she meets and befriends Axel, a boy who claims to have come from "outside" the...more
This book launched my love of all things dystopian. I feel like I owe a lot of my geekery to Helen Mary Hoover. I even took the time to track this one down with my grade school librarian years later so I could own it.
The plot is a familiar one, about some kids who live in a regimented, caste-based society. I remember that what really got me was that they weren't allowed to read books. It was like a nightmare to me.
Thanks, Ms. Hoover, you totally helped me on my path to book nerddom.
The plot is a familiar one, about some kids who live in a regimented, caste-based society. I remember that what really got me was that they weren't allowed to read books. It was like a nightmare to me.
Thanks, Ms. Hoover, you totally helped me on my path to book nerddom.
Jun 10, 2010
Nakee
added it
How I came across this book was actually by my teacher Mr. Smith. at the very beginning of the year, I didnt have one to read during SSR (Student Silent Reading). I started reading the book with very little interest because I don't read fictional books. As I read through the book page by page, I'm getting drowned in with suspence wondering about what was going to happen next. In about the middle of the book, I thought about what if our world was just like theirs in the book; a whole totally diff...more
Amy has lived all her life in the city and knows how to read. All she knows is the city but, she wonders could there be someting else. Then she meets a strange boy named Axel who says he comes from outside. This fires Amy to find out what is outside.
The story has a fast pace that makes it exciting to read. It is though sometimes hard to picture the world of Amy because it is so strange. The ending though is a great payoff.
The story has a fast pace that makes it exciting to read. It is though sometimes hard to picture the world of Amy because it is so strange. The ending though is a great payoff.
I first remember reading this in first grade and it really, really stuck with me. So much in fact I nabbed it off of Amazon to read again! It wasn't a disappointment, but it did seem a bit trite to an adult mind. But it does cover a great concept in an easy way for children to understand: Control of Information=Control of Society.
Interesting scifi for kids. I had to interloan it because it is out of print, but it was interesting and thought provoking. I'd like to see it reissued with better cover artwork. I would really like to see a follow-up. It could be an interesting series. I'd love to find out what happened to the dying underground society.
My oldest son, now 37, read this book when he was in middle school. He could not put it down. when he was finished, I read it. I thoroughly enjoyed it. He and I were recently talking about it. I could not remember the title. Last night he texted me with the title. Looking for a used copt to buy.
I haven't read this in ages. I can barely remember what happens, but I am left with the overall impression that it was quite excellent. After many years it kept nagging me to rediscover it, and as soon as I get it from ebay I will re-read it and give it a proper review then.
A lot of people say this is somewhat like City of Ember. This was *much* better. Didn't have the slow beginning of Ember and the story kept moving a decent pace. Loved it as a teen. Still liked it when my own kids checked it out of the library.
I enjoy a good story of survival, especially if it is one of unusual or seemingly unusual circumstances. This is one of those books I read many years ago but never forgot.
I read the City of Ember recently which reminded me of this book. Thought provoking sci fi novel for the junior high set.
Not a bad book. Sometimes you want a book you don't need to think about, but also has a story to keep you hooked. I found this book in a free box.
Key points: its set in the near-future, the protagonist lives in an under ground city and day dreams about going outside, a boy claims to be from the outside... you get the picture. Simple enough plot.
From page 120:
"She didn't want to talk about it. There was no reason for Axel to care, and somehow, when you told something that mattered very much to...more
Key points: its set in the near-future, the protagonist lives in an under ground city and day dreams about going outside, a boy claims to be from the outside... you get the picture. Simple enough plot.
From page 120:
"She didn't want to talk about it. There was no reason for Axel to care, and somehow, when you told something that mattered very much to...more
Mar 05, 2013
Alexandra Moss
added it
LOVED this in elementary school. Been trying to figure out what the title was for ages and finally found it!
Loved this book as a teenager, and have read it so many times the hardback cover is work out!
I apparently read this. It is on one of my several lists. No recollection whatsoever!
I remember reading this as a child and absolutely loving it.
My favourite book ever.
Jan 04, 2010
June
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
middle-schoolers & up
Recommended to June by:
Elissa
Shelves:
sciencefiction
This was a very quick read, though parts were so depressing I would take brief breaks from it. However, I figure a book is at least 4 stars if I read it in a day, even if it is only 161 pages.
Passages that stand out in my mind.
"I've been scared all my life. I'm used to it. If I acted scared I'd never get anything else done. And it wouldn't change anything. Would it? -Amy 11
James, age 29, talking about how the teddy bear given him kept bad dreams away.
Passages that stand out in my mind.
"I've been scared all my life. I'm used to it. If I acted scared I'd never get anything else done. And it wouldn't change anything. Would it? -Amy 11
James, age 29, talking about how the teddy bear given him kept bad dreams away.
One of my all-time-favorite books! This book might be the first dystopian fantasy I ever read and set the standard for all books of that genre that I've read since. I have re-read it and found it to still be captivating. I've read several books that use the same general theme, but none of them have been better than this one. Because it was the first? Because it really is better? I don't know... but it is a great story!
This book is pretty much Logan's Run or THX-1138 for the elementary school set. I remember liking it a lot at the time, but it also kinda freaked me out.
This is one of the last books I remember being read to us by the teacher as a class, too. So there's that.
This is one of the last books I remember being read to us by the teacher as a class, too. So there's that.
Maybe I'm biased because this book made an indelible impression on me in in middle school, but I just recently reread it, and in terms of writing and atmosphere it is what _The Sky Inside_ could have been, and isn't, quite.
Quite a good book, not as gripping as others in this genre.
Nov 05, 2012
Cheryl in CC NV
marked it as maybe-to-read-but-not-in-clan
(not in ILL)
Bleak and wonderful.
Also includes hidden philosophies such as Plato's Cave and Foucault's Panopticon, although I don't think a kid would get that right away.
Also includes hidden philosophies such as Plato's Cave and Foucault's Panopticon, although I don't think a kid would get that right away.
I remember reading this as a child and absolutely loving it great book.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What's The Name o...: Young adult sci-fi: two kids escaping from a futuristic underground city [s] | 7 | 124 | Oct 02, 2012 06:48pm | |
| What's The Name o...: Vintage dystopian children's book. Reading is forbidden. Boy and girl learn to read. Can read signs to escape. [s] | 6 | 48 | Aug 22, 2011 10:54am |
Feb 18, 2013 03:35pm