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NuGen #1
Gabriella and Dr. Duggan's Secret Dimensional Transport Machine
A young adult science fiction tale of genetic modification and dimensional travel.
Gabriella, a teenage girl who recently lost her genetics researcher father in suspicious circumstances, discovers that she is a surprisingly good athlete and the only "non-modified" able to compete with genetically modified super-athletes in the immensely popular sport of Ultraball. Did she become this way because of a genetic modification experiment her father conducted? Who killed her father and why? Are they after her? Why does it seem like people in black suits keep following her?
Due to her notoriety as an athlete, a friend of her father and fellow-scientist presents her the opportunity to be the spokesperson for his new invention, the Dimensional Transport Machine. Although somewhat untested, the device should enable people to zip from one side of the planet to the other in moments, traveling through another dimension which they call the void. But is there really
nothing there? Or were Gabriella's eyes just playing tricks on her? Or did she really see him?
Join Gabriella, a typical teenage girl who just happens to compete on the Ultraball field and travel instantly around the planet when she is not studying for her English and History exams at high school or trying to learn how to drive in Driver's Ed, as she attempts to find out who killed her father, discover why member's of the company that he worked for seem so interested in her and unearth exactly who she is and where she really comes from.
Gabriella, a teenage girl who recently lost her genetics researcher father in suspicious circumstances, discovers that she is a surprisingly good athlete and the only "non-modified" able to compete with genetically modified super-athletes in the immensely popular sport of Ultraball. Did she become this way because of a genetic modification experiment her father conducted? Who killed her father and why? Are they after her? Why does it seem like people in black suits keep following her?
Due to her notoriety as an athlete, a friend of her father and fellow-scientist presents her the opportunity to be the spokesperson for his new invention, the Dimensional Transport Machine. Although somewhat untested, the device should enable people to zip from one side of the planet to the other in moments, traveling through another dimension which they call the void. But is there really
nothing there? Or were Gabriella's eyes just playing tricks on her? Or did she really see him?
Join Gabriella, a typical teenage girl who just happens to compete on the Ultraball field and travel instantly around the planet when she is not studying for her English and History exams at high school or trying to learn how to drive in Driver's Ed, as she attempts to find out who killed her father, discover why member's of the company that he worked for seem so interested in her and unearth exactly who she is and where she really comes from.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2012
21 people are currently reading
580 people want to read
About the author
James Cardona
13 books54 followersJames Cardona received his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Delaware with a minor in Religious Studies.
He enjoys all things creative including the typical things such as drawing, painting, music and creative writing; and the not-so-typical such as building robots and writing computer code.
James has written five books and is planning on writing many, many more.
He also loves tinkering with computers, electronics and building robots and is a mentor for FIRST Robotics FRC Team 316.
James also helps organize and run the PSEG Salem County Math Showcase which he created back in the year 2000, a math competition for students from grades four through eight, typically attended each year by approximately 500-600 students.
He lives in Southern New Jersey and works as a Senior Test Engineer for the Laboratory and Testing Services group of Public Service Electric and Gas company.
H
He enjoys all things creative including the typical things such as drawing, painting, music and creative writing; and the not-so-typical such as building robots and writing computer code.
James has written five books and is planning on writing many, many more.
He also loves tinkering with computers, electronics and building robots and is a mentor for FIRST Robotics FRC Team 316.
James also helps organize and run the PSEG Salem County Math Showcase which he created back in the year 2000, a math competition for students from grades four through eight, typically attended each year by approximately 500-600 students.
He lives in Southern New Jersey and works as a Senior Test Engineer for the Laboratory and Testing Services group of Public Service Electric and Gas company.
H
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 5, 2013
A Teen with Lots to Do
Gabby is a typical teen until her father is killed and she and her mother are forced into hiding in a new country. She discovers a natural talent for ultraball, despite not being a genetically engineered child as her competitors are. She suffers a terrible injury at 16 and thinks she is done with the sport. To her surprise, however, she is given the opportunity to experiment with new a newly created machine capable of teleporting a person over great distances.
During her travel experiences, she is sent thousands of miles to a research station in Portugal. Being of a curious nature, she decides to step off into the void in hopes of finding her deceased father. She is still deeply troubled by his death and worries for her own safety and that of her mother. In an effort to assuage those fears, she puts her heart and soul once more into training.
Time passes rather quickly throughout this story, despite being told in first person, all in present tense. Six months of training passes within a few paragraphs, and it feels almost too fast at times. On one page, Gabby is riding around with friends and the next she is back in the laboratory for testing. I felt as if I were running alongside Gabby as she trained one moment, argued with her mother over match-making the next, followed up by more training for her sport and a ride on the teleport machine. I came away just a bit weary after so much activity.
The futuristic world is not overly complicated. In fact, it is our own world with a few new elements such as teleportation and genetic modification. This allows the story to be easily followed by younger readers, making the story suitable for kids as young as 12. Active girls who aren't afraid to compete in physical sports will especially enjoy this one.
Gabby is a typical teen until her father is killed and she and her mother are forced into hiding in a new country. She discovers a natural talent for ultraball, despite not being a genetically engineered child as her competitors are. She suffers a terrible injury at 16 and thinks she is done with the sport. To her surprise, however, she is given the opportunity to experiment with new a newly created machine capable of teleporting a person over great distances.
During her travel experiences, she is sent thousands of miles to a research station in Portugal. Being of a curious nature, she decides to step off into the void in hopes of finding her deceased father. She is still deeply troubled by his death and worries for her own safety and that of her mother. In an effort to assuage those fears, she puts her heart and soul once more into training.
Time passes rather quickly throughout this story, despite being told in first person, all in present tense. Six months of training passes within a few paragraphs, and it feels almost too fast at times. On one page, Gabby is riding around with friends and the next she is back in the laboratory for testing. I felt as if I were running alongside Gabby as she trained one moment, argued with her mother over match-making the next, followed up by more training for her sport and a ride on the teleport machine. I came away just a bit weary after so much activity.
The futuristic world is not overly complicated. In fact, it is our own world with a few new elements such as teleportation and genetic modification. This allows the story to be easily followed by younger readers, making the story suitable for kids as young as 12. Active girls who aren't afraid to compete in physical sports will especially enjoy this one.
August 20, 2013
I tremendously enjoyed this story about the questionable ethics of genetic research.
Cardona has crafted a mystery set in a futuristic society, where affluent folks can have their children modified through genetic upgrades. In this setting, narrator Gabriella, a sixteen-year-old girl, finds herself the only “natural” athlete in the most popular global sport, a game called “Ultraball”. While Gabriella’s DNA does not show any genetic alterations, she can keep up with her modified peers and opponents. She, inevitably, becomes a target of NuGen, Ultraball’s biggest sponsor.
A fan favorite, Gabriella is chosen to promote Dr. Duggan’s new Dimensional Transport Machine, which makes continental travel possible within seconds. During one of those transports gone awry, Gabriella encounters her deceased father in that place between destinations called “The Void”.
With NuGen on her heels and her father’s ominous warnings, Gabriella is on a quest to find out her true identity and solve the mystery of her dad’s murder. This book is a real page turner that kept me up several nights in a row! A cleverly crafted story that raises strong ethical questions, it is a welcome break from the usual high school dramas with their cliché characters. I rate it a fully deserved 5 stars!
Cardona has crafted a mystery set in a futuristic society, where affluent folks can have their children modified through genetic upgrades. In this setting, narrator Gabriella, a sixteen-year-old girl, finds herself the only “natural” athlete in the most popular global sport, a game called “Ultraball”. While Gabriella’s DNA does not show any genetic alterations, she can keep up with her modified peers and opponents. She, inevitably, becomes a target of NuGen, Ultraball’s biggest sponsor.
A fan favorite, Gabriella is chosen to promote Dr. Duggan’s new Dimensional Transport Machine, which makes continental travel possible within seconds. During one of those transports gone awry, Gabriella encounters her deceased father in that place between destinations called “The Void”.
With NuGen on her heels and her father’s ominous warnings, Gabriella is on a quest to find out her true identity and solve the mystery of her dad’s murder. This book is a real page turner that kept me up several nights in a row! A cleverly crafted story that raises strong ethical questions, it is a welcome break from the usual high school dramas with their cliché characters. I rate it a fully deserved 5 stars!
November 11, 2013
So here's the thing. I bought this because of the cover. I'm a total Stargate SG1 and Atlantis fangirl, and a bit of a geek. Okay, full on geek and mystic. So much so that one of the nicknames my family has given me is Carter - after Samantha Carter from SG1. Because I'm your goto girl when it comes to tech. But I'm also a geek like Daniel in ways, especially being a member of the Oma Desala fan club. So anyway, the cover, well it reminded me of the Stargate, and that was reason enough to buy the book.
Getting into it at first left me scratching my head, and feeling terrible, so much trauma for a family, then living in a remote area in poverty. That sucked.
The book picked up and took off though and I was completely hooked. The concepts expressed, and the journeys our protagonist had to go through, well they speak all to well to a world we are increasingly finding ourselves living in, weather we want to or not. The way Corporate power and implied ownership of people and our very DNA is brilliant. It's real, it's happening, and there's precious little we can do about it.
But Gabby, she's a fighter, and she's blessed with some extraordinary abilities and circumstances in her lives. Yes, lives. I'm not going to spoil it, but as another reviewer put it, this is like two books in one. And for all the tech, the sports, the science, the PSAs about where our world is heading, there is an underlying message that can't be missed. "When God closes a door, he opens a window."
Gabby's window happens to be a device not unlike a Stargate, only that to get from one gate to another, a gifted traveler can find what lies between. A connection to the mystical, to the realm of moving beyond our limitations into our possibilities. And in this part of the story, and the way Gabby navigates her life is just brilliant and breathtaking. She's a fighter, smart. and sees beyond the limitations some many of us refuse to open ourselves up to. Call it God, or Enlightenment, or whatever fits into your view of time and space, this is where the book really takes off, and Gabby has the chance to have, for the first time in her life, some control of her future. She looks carefully, seriously at the options, and makes hard choices we can each relate to at some level or another.
At first I was disappointed in the way the book ended, because I missed the part about it being book one of three. I'm so jazzed and looking forward to the rest of this story and where the Author takes us. He's doing a wonderful job so far!
Getting into it at first left me scratching my head, and feeling terrible, so much trauma for a family, then living in a remote area in poverty. That sucked.
The book picked up and took off though and I was completely hooked. The concepts expressed, and the journeys our protagonist had to go through, well they speak all to well to a world we are increasingly finding ourselves living in, weather we want to or not. The way Corporate power and implied ownership of people and our very DNA is brilliant. It's real, it's happening, and there's precious little we can do about it.
But Gabby, she's a fighter, and she's blessed with some extraordinary abilities and circumstances in her lives. Yes, lives. I'm not going to spoil it, but as another reviewer put it, this is like two books in one. And for all the tech, the sports, the science, the PSAs about where our world is heading, there is an underlying message that can't be missed. "When God closes a door, he opens a window."
Gabby's window happens to be a device not unlike a Stargate, only that to get from one gate to another, a gifted traveler can find what lies between. A connection to the mystical, to the realm of moving beyond our limitations into our possibilities. And in this part of the story, and the way Gabby navigates her life is just brilliant and breathtaking. She's a fighter, smart. and sees beyond the limitations some many of us refuse to open ourselves up to. Call it God, or Enlightenment, or whatever fits into your view of time and space, this is where the book really takes off, and Gabby has the chance to have, for the first time in her life, some control of her future. She looks carefully, seriously at the options, and makes hard choices we can each relate to at some level or another.
At first I was disappointed in the way the book ended, because I missed the part about it being book one of three. I'm so jazzed and looking forward to the rest of this story and where the Author takes us. He's doing a wonderful job so far!
October 20, 2013
More than your average YA sci-fi yarn, this story explores what it means to be human in a world where people and athletes can be engineered for performance or heightened skills. Where should the line be drawn? What does it mean to be human if you're born in a test tube, and your parents have paid for particular enhancements? How do you measure performance? What is 'normal'?
The story follows Gabriella, a teen athlete who rises from poverty into a position where she begins to attract the attention of the Big Pharma companies that control sports in a near-future world. Gabriella is an all-natural athlete competing in a tough environment against the best the Pharma companies can engineer - or is she all natural? There's the shady connections of her geneticist father, who is murdered very early on ... what was he working on? I like it that not all of the questions are answered in this engaging story.
Gabriella has to work, and work hard, for the successes she sees, and there are also failures along the way and unexpected pressures - pressures to conform, to perform, to please and provide for her mother, and to become involved with what the other athletes are doing. She has to work as part of a team but also excel individually. I enjoyed the pressure of the matchmaking culture she comes from, although for me the love triangle developed in the plot did not quite work. The sport of Ultraball seemed to take something of a second position in the novel, I would have liked to see more of that.
Good, solid, clean sci-fi for YA and above, which does not pull punches when it comes to the big questions, this one for me rates 5/5.
The story follows Gabriella, a teen athlete who rises from poverty into a position where she begins to attract the attention of the Big Pharma companies that control sports in a near-future world. Gabriella is an all-natural athlete competing in a tough environment against the best the Pharma companies can engineer - or is she all natural? There's the shady connections of her geneticist father, who is murdered very early on ... what was he working on? I like it that not all of the questions are answered in this engaging story.
Gabriella has to work, and work hard, for the successes she sees, and there are also failures along the way and unexpected pressures - pressures to conform, to perform, to please and provide for her mother, and to become involved with what the other athletes are doing. She has to work as part of a team but also excel individually. I enjoyed the pressure of the matchmaking culture she comes from, although for me the love triangle developed in the plot did not quite work. The sport of Ultraball seemed to take something of a second position in the novel, I would have liked to see more of that.
Good, solid, clean sci-fi for YA and above, which does not pull punches when it comes to the big questions, this one for me rates 5/5.
November 1, 2013
"I almost can’t believe where I am; surrounded by bright
blinding light, like floating on the surface of the sun, low lying
clouds drifting all around me caressing my skin with tingling
static, and the strong smell of jasmine and lilac that takes my mind
away to another place. And dead silence. An unnatural silence. A
silence so strong that my ears ring, trying to fill in the absence of
sound.
I am standing in the Void.
But the real reason that I am back here, the reason I
couldn’t tell Dr. Duggan... Oh boy, the real reason—yes, the real
reason is that a figure in the distance, at the last possible moment,
the tiniest of moments, a moment just long enough to see a face of
the greatest importance, the face of my dead father, out of the very
corner of my eye, a tiny flash, then gone, just as I passed through
the Void exit and back into the dull of reality —that’s what brought
me back here to this lost and empty place. Am I crazy? I can’t
believe I am doing this! I can’t believe I jumped off the chair! I
must be crazy! I am in another dimension! And for what? A
momentary glimpse out of the corner of my eye? Gabby, what
were you thinking?
I know, I know, I shouldn’t have done this, but I am here
now—"
A great novel for teenagers! At times the narration is long winded and could use a bit more dialogue but the plot advances nicely. We get to see how Gabriella grows through to trials she experiences from moving from country to country and learning to adjust to a new semi-pro sports career. Oh and do not forget the love interest... or two? What would a story line be without a little self conflict? Thanks for the good read.
August 15, 2013
Imagine a world where your parents decide what genetic qualities they want you to have and genetics companies can produce you in a test tube. This is the world that "Gabriella" is set in. The title and the cover make this seem like a book maybe for middle schoolers but don't let that deceive you. This book is much deeper and mature than the cover indicates.
The story begins with Gabriella losing her father so she and her mom have to go undercover and change their names to hide from those responsible. Life is tough until she is discovered to have amazing athletic ability, especially for one who is not genetically modified like most athletes of the day. This throws her into a world of high profile sports that changes her life completely. She is asked to be the spokesperson for Dr. Duggan's Secret Dimensional Transport Machine and life changes forever.
James Cardona's future looks a lot like ours but with some key differences. All of North America is one country. Obviously, genetic engineering is legal and accepted. The major sport is Ultraball. I think anyone from 14 or 15 on up will enjoy this novel. It has a deeper emotional feel than many YA novels. I think it leaves the door open for follow-up books and I, for one, would be anxious to read them.
I received this through Goodreads Early Readers program and I appreciated the chance to read and review it.
The story begins with Gabriella losing her father so she and her mom have to go undercover and change their names to hide from those responsible. Life is tough until she is discovered to have amazing athletic ability, especially for one who is not genetically modified like most athletes of the day. This throws her into a world of high profile sports that changes her life completely. She is asked to be the spokesperson for Dr. Duggan's Secret Dimensional Transport Machine and life changes forever.
James Cardona's future looks a lot like ours but with some key differences. All of North America is one country. Obviously, genetic engineering is legal and accepted. The major sport is Ultraball. I think anyone from 14 or 15 on up will enjoy this novel. It has a deeper emotional feel than many YA novels. I think it leaves the door open for follow-up books and I, for one, would be anxious to read them.
I received this through Goodreads Early Readers program and I appreciated the chance to read and review it.
October 7, 2013
I received a free copy of this book from the author for an honest, non-reciprocal review.
It's definitely clean teen fiction at an appropriate level - Gabriella comes across as a normal teenager, though one who's been through a fair bit of running training. I appreciate the detailed training schedules she refers to, as they definitely show the author's knowledge about training elite athletes and what Gabriella's life became during training, but I admit I skipped over those bits because they weren't relevant to me.
I like the way Gabriella doesn't understand all the complicated science in either the genetics or the transport machine, like a normal teenager with her background. It certainly made the story more believable.
The ending was well-constructed, though it still left questions that I hope will be answered in any sequel to this book.
A well-deserved four stars.
It's definitely clean teen fiction at an appropriate level - Gabriella comes across as a normal teenager, though one who's been through a fair bit of running training. I appreciate the detailed training schedules she refers to, as they definitely show the author's knowledge about training elite athletes and what Gabriella's life became during training, but I admit I skipped over those bits because they weren't relevant to me.
I like the way Gabriella doesn't understand all the complicated science in either the genetics or the transport machine, like a normal teenager with her background. It certainly made the story more believable.
The ending was well-constructed, though it still left questions that I hope will be answered in any sequel to this book.
A well-deserved four stars.
October 21, 2013
I would give this book a 3.5/5 star rating. I enjoyed the story, however I felt there was a lot of back story that was completely missing to help make sense of what was happening in the story. It just became a bit frustrating (as well for Gabriella) that there was this whole life her parents led that she knows nothing about and that seemingly is the cause of why they are having to run once her father dies. Even as more details emerge throughout the story it still feels as though there is so much missing. The ending of the book was the same way. It felt unfinished and somewhat of an abrupt end. Perhaps there will be more details provided in a sequel? Overall though, it was a quick and easy read and did keep my attention. I just would have preferred to have more of the missing pieces filled in.
October 4, 2013
I sincerely like the cover image. Unfortunately, I can't comment on the story because I can't push far enough through the purple prose to actually get to the story. It's like no detail is too small and everything must be described. Sentences already over-burdened with too many adjectives then interrupt themselves with parenthetical asides to over-describe unnecessary bits of background detail. What's here is grammatically sound and the events I did read give me some hope that the plotting might be decent, but it's like trying to enjoy a picnic during wasp season. I spent so much time trying to ignore the buzzing distractions that I never even found out what we were supposed to be eating. I bailed early and ran back to the car.
October 24, 2013
This book was so good! Don't let the silly cover fool you - this book is really well written and a book that adults can really enjoy. While the book is centered around a teenage girl, Cardona tackles some challenging scientific topics like time travel, string theory, and genetic modification of humans. "Gabriella and Dr. Duggan's Secret Dimensional Transport Machine" is fun enough for teens to love reading, and smart enough for adults to like too. I received this book for a Goodreads first read giveaway. Thanks!
October 14, 2013
The story did catch my attention, so I continued to read it. The writing style, however, needed improvement. It came across very amateurish. There were parts of the book that were unclear due to insufficient information, such as what was the war she (Gabriella) spoke of, and what culture was she referring to. There were definitely conflicts in ideas. The book seemed futuristic because of the changes in the world, and the use of genetic engineering. Then they brought up arranged marriages, which is an old world practice. I think this book has potential, but needs some rewriting.
April 20, 2013
This one was a definite positive surprise. Cover was a bit off putting but after reading teaser from author believed would be worth a read. Enjoyed action with characters of enjoyable personality. Get in on the action for a fun summer read. Received as winner on Goodreads which did not influence my review.
September 3, 2013
*I received a free copy of this novel from Goodreads.
This was an extremely unique book. Part thriller, part sci-fi, and part mystery, Gabriella and Dr. Duggan's Secret Dimensional Transport Machine is suspenseful and exhilarating to read. It picks up speed as it goes along, and is impossible to put down.
5/5 stars!
This was an extremely unique book. Part thriller, part sci-fi, and part mystery, Gabriella and Dr. Duggan's Secret Dimensional Transport Machine is suspenseful and exhilarating to read. It picks up speed as it goes along, and is impossible to put down.
5/5 stars!
February 8, 2015
I finished this book long after my husband went to sleep and had to stifle a "Noooooooooo!!!!!" at the abrupt ending. I need NuGen #2 to come out yesterday! Yes I am an adult and yes this is a book about a 16 year old teenage girl, but it was mature enough to hold my attention. It also posed some excellent questions about genetic modification and really caused me to think.
January 29, 2014
What is a poor, young girl to do? After the strange disappearance of her father and a sudden move to another country, Gabriella finds herself at the heart of a strange experiment. For good or for bad, Gabriella bravely works with Dr. Duggan. This is a fast paced novel and is great for teens and tweens. Filled with suspense, great characters, and a wild plot, it's a real page-turner!
January 31, 2015
Grows on you
The genetic key of knowing the unknowable, light vs dark, it's all here or seems to be. The mystery deepens as you read further into the story, all she wants to know is her real past, whom she is. What is true love? Perhaps she knows by end of story. I hope there is a part two?
The genetic key of knowing the unknowable, light vs dark, it's all here or seems to be. The mystery deepens as you read further into the story, all she wants to know is her real past, whom she is. What is true love? Perhaps she knows by end of story. I hope there is a part two?
October 8, 2013
I pushed through to the end. Because I kept hoping it would get better but no. It's not horrible and the concept it good but the love triangle was so poorly done it should have just been left out. The characters are not believable or well developed. I say don't bother.
January 20, 2014
Kept me engaged. Little repetitive on the training, but a good story and character development. Good mix of sports, sci-fi, and YA.
January 10, 2019
I was given this book as a Christmas present, and what a delight! Gabriella is the lead character, of course, but this is not a "girly" book. In fact, with just a few minor adjustments this could just as easily been Gabriel and Dr, Duggan's Secret Dimentional Transport Machine.
Gabriella is an athlete and her sport sounds a lot to me like parkour. Much of the book focuses on her preparations and training, and even though I'm not particularly into sports, I enjoyed this part of the book. And then there's the whole sci-fi part of the book, which is intriguing without being overly scientific.
I think guys and girls equally would enjoy this book, which is well-written and engaging. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, which I also received as a Christmas gift. Woohoo!
Gabriella is an athlete and her sport sounds a lot to me like parkour. Much of the book focuses on her preparations and training, and even though I'm not particularly into sports, I enjoyed this part of the book. And then there's the whole sci-fi part of the book, which is intriguing without being overly scientific.
I think guys and girls equally would enjoy this book, which is well-written and engaging. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, which I also received as a Christmas gift. Woohoo!
July 8, 2015
Gabriella, a teenage girl who lives a simple life selling shoes in her parents clothing store, has her life turned upside down when two NuGen goons show up at their store. Shortly thereafter, her father is dead, tragically, and she finds out the entire life she had been living is a lie. They must change their name, run and hide, leaving everything behind that very night. So starts the whirlwind adventure, a mystery set in a futuristic society, where affluent folks can have their children modified through genetic upgrades. Personally I find this a little boring and not to my taste. I read this cause of the author, but was let down. Sorry James. I would not recommend this to anyone.
November 9, 2013
Though not what I had in my mind with secret dimensional transport machine fiction! the cover Is lot what it is not
April 30, 2017
Really enjoyed this complex story. Well-written. Excellent character and plot development. While sports usually bore me to tears, I found myself drawn into the complex games Gabriella has to play. Glad to see there are more of these books as this volume raised some questions that weren't answered and while usually that ticks me off, for some reason it didn't in this book. Yeah, I realize raising questions and leaving them unanswered is a way to get a person to buy the next volume. And, yeah, usually that angers me and I feel manipulated but I didn't this time. Perhaps it is because the story is so complex, it feels right to me that the author didn't try to force it all into one volume.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews