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Gemini Force 1 #1
Black Horizon
After the tragic death of his father, Ben Carrington's mother, Caroline, teams up with entrepreneur, Jason Truby, to found an elite, top-secret international rescue organization - Gemini Force.
But when disaster strikes and Caroline is killed on a rescue mission, 16-year-old Ben is determined to continue her work with the Gemini Force team. As Ben fights to earn his place, can he prove he has what it takes to face dangerous situations and save lives?
But when disaster strikes and Caroline is killed on a rescue mission, 16-year-old Ben is determined to continue her work with the Gemini Force team. As Ben fights to earn his place, can he prove he has what it takes to face dangerous situations and save lives?
Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
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About the author
M.G. Harris
15 books94 followersAuthor Bio:
MG (Maria Guadalupe) Harris was born in Mexico City but moved to England as a young child. Before becoming a writer, she worked as a scientist and ran an Internet business.
On regular visits back to Mexico, MG became fascinated by Mayan archaeology and made several trips to Mayan ruins in Yucatan and Chiapas. One such trip planted the seed of the idea for THE JOSHUA FILES, a best-selling series of books for middle-grade readers which was translated into 17 foreign languages.
MG Harris is also the author of GEMINI FORCE ONE, a trilogy of action-adventure novels created with Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson and funded initially via a hugely popular Kickstarter campaign. As M.G. Reyes she has is the author of the EMANCIPATED trilogy, a crime-drama for older teenagers. Her latest series, THE MIND GAME, is a mystery spy thriller for teens and young adults.
Favourite living authors are RF Kuang, Haruki Murakami, Mario Vargas Llosa and Junot Diaz.
MG (Maria Guadalupe) Harris was born in Mexico City but moved to England as a young child. Before becoming a writer, she worked as a scientist and ran an Internet business.
On regular visits back to Mexico, MG became fascinated by Mayan archaeology and made several trips to Mayan ruins in Yucatan and Chiapas. One such trip planted the seed of the idea for THE JOSHUA FILES, a best-selling series of books for middle-grade readers which was translated into 17 foreign languages.
MG Harris is also the author of GEMINI FORCE ONE, a trilogy of action-adventure novels created with Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson and funded initially via a hugely popular Kickstarter campaign. As M.G. Reyes she has is the author of the EMANCIPATED trilogy, a crime-drama for older teenagers. Her latest series, THE MIND GAME, is a mystery spy thriller for teens and young adults.
Favourite living authors are RF Kuang, Haruki Murakami, Mario Vargas Llosa and Junot Diaz.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 8, 2015
“Caroline, Addison, Ben; welcome to Gemini Force One..."
When Ben Carrington's father dies, his mother decides to set up a mountain-rescue team, based in her homeland Austria. But when disaster strikes again, she joins forces with a rich businessman and together they create the secretive rescue team named the Gemini Force.
All Ben wants to do is be part of the team – to save people. But being at college, it's a little hard to convince his mother to let him take part…
He'll just have to prove himself – while observing the heroic rescues carried out by the Gemini Force, of course.
But he has no idea what is waiting for him aboard Gemini Force One...
I remember watching old reruns of The Thunderbirds with my Dad and younger brothers. I remember loving the action and quirky humour, even if the puppets and special effects were a bit odd for me. I was so excited when I heard about Gemini Force One – a modern day Thunderbirds team written for teens? Yeah, I needed to get my hands on that book as soon as poss. And I must say, even with all the set-up, this book was truly exciting. I mean, when you open with someone falling from a plane, a second pilot throwing herself from a second plane to catch him and a Countess and her son climbing out on a ledge of one of the highest buildings in the country to rescue the pilots, you know you're in for an adrenaline-pounding ride. And I just know that the rest of the series are going to be a million times more amazing, now that the Gemini Force has been set up and established.
Ben was a great lead character – brave, clever, stubborn and totally human, beneath his "too English" exterior. Sure, he didn't always make the best decision, but he just wanted to help and I admired that about him. He just felt like a real teenager – albeit it a rich, saving-people sort of a real teenager.
Now, I’m not going to lie – aside from Ben, the character-development was not the best, but I definitely had my favourites. I loved Addison, Jasmine and Caroline – they were all brilliant in their varying ways (badass, sweet, badass). And as for Truby, our wealth entrepreneur, it took me a while to warm up to him, but by the end I’d become quite fond. As for the rest of the Gemini team, I kind of occasionally forgot who was who. I mean, there were a lot of names and I kept mixing them up – who did what, who drove which machine, what their code names were... I think there needs to be more fleshing out, more character development in book two, so I can really get to know everyone. I know they could all be so great, if they were just padded out a little more.
But the plot of Black Horizon… awesome. Yes, there was a lot of world-building, but the action and adrenaline of the rescues really burst off the page and utterly hooked me. And then, just over half way through, came an event that totally and completely shocked me to the core. I was just left freaking speechless. I mean, just... whoa. Whoa whoa whoa... I am so excited for the second book – I can’t wait for more high-stakes rescues!
So, I don't normally talk about world-building in non-fantasy books, because generally I don't need to – cause, y'know, it's our world. But in Black Horizon, I loved seeing the Gemini Force being built, loved watching them rescue people, loved getting to know the base and all the machines. It was so cool! The only thing that would make it cooler would be if we had pictures of the ships at the front of the book!
I know all of Anderson's other works were made for TV or the cinema and therefore I know that Gemini Force One would look amazing on screen – and it was brilliant in book form too. M.G. Harris really brought the base to life for me. But as brilliant as Black Horizon was in writing and as amazing as Harris is at telling a story, I can't help wishing that this book will be made into a film. It would just be too perfect – all the action, the awesome ships... yeah, that would be cool. I mean, with the way Harris wrote, it was like watching a movie inside my own head, and ergo it could be awesome on screen!
After all of this rambling, I need to say that it's kind of hard to review Black Horizon. Not because I didn't enjoy the book – because trust me, I really did. But the subject matter, the action, the whole formula, just makes it really hard for me to write a review the way I normally do. I don't want to give anything away and can't think of a better way to say that Black Horizon was just so much fun and such a rush. It was the perfect escape – just like I remember Thunderbirds being. It will draw in a whole new legion of Anderson fans and, I think, will satisfy life-long TB fans too.
Oh, and I am literally dying to get my hands on the second book, Ghost Mine – and to watch Thunderbirds Are Go on Sunday. Yay extreme rescues! And Black Horizon is out today so grab your copy now!
When Ben Carrington's father dies, his mother decides to set up a mountain-rescue team, based in her homeland Austria. But when disaster strikes again, she joins forces with a rich businessman and together they create the secretive rescue team named the Gemini Force.
All Ben wants to do is be part of the team – to save people. But being at college, it's a little hard to convince his mother to let him take part…
He'll just have to prove himself – while observing the heroic rescues carried out by the Gemini Force, of course.
But he has no idea what is waiting for him aboard Gemini Force One...
I remember watching old reruns of The Thunderbirds with my Dad and younger brothers. I remember loving the action and quirky humour, even if the puppets and special effects were a bit odd for me. I was so excited when I heard about Gemini Force One – a modern day Thunderbirds team written for teens? Yeah, I needed to get my hands on that book as soon as poss. And I must say, even with all the set-up, this book was truly exciting. I mean, when you open with someone falling from a plane, a second pilot throwing herself from a second plane to catch him and a Countess and her son climbing out on a ledge of one of the highest buildings in the country to rescue the pilots, you know you're in for an adrenaline-pounding ride. And I just know that the rest of the series are going to be a million times more amazing, now that the Gemini Force has been set up and established.
Ben was a great lead character – brave, clever, stubborn and totally human, beneath his "too English" exterior. Sure, he didn't always make the best decision, but he just wanted to help and I admired that about him. He just felt like a real teenager – albeit it a rich, saving-people sort of a real teenager.
Now, I’m not going to lie – aside from Ben, the character-development was not the best, but I definitely had my favourites. I loved Addison, Jasmine and Caroline – they were all brilliant in their varying ways (badass, sweet, badass). And as for Truby, our wealth entrepreneur, it took me a while to warm up to him, but by the end I’d become quite fond. As for the rest of the Gemini team, I kind of occasionally forgot who was who. I mean, there were a lot of names and I kept mixing them up – who did what, who drove which machine, what their code names were... I think there needs to be more fleshing out, more character development in book two, so I can really get to know everyone. I know they could all be so great, if they were just padded out a little more.
But the plot of Black Horizon… awesome. Yes, there was a lot of world-building, but the action and adrenaline of the rescues really burst off the page and utterly hooked me. And then, just over half way through, came an event that totally and completely shocked me to the core. I was just left freaking speechless. I mean, just... whoa. Whoa whoa whoa... I am so excited for the second book – I can’t wait for more high-stakes rescues!
So, I don't normally talk about world-building in non-fantasy books, because generally I don't need to – cause, y'know, it's our world. But in Black Horizon, I loved seeing the Gemini Force being built, loved watching them rescue people, loved getting to know the base and all the machines. It was so cool! The only thing that would make it cooler would be if we had pictures of the ships at the front of the book!
I know all of Anderson's other works were made for TV or the cinema and therefore I know that Gemini Force One would look amazing on screen – and it was brilliant in book form too. M.G. Harris really brought the base to life for me. But as brilliant as Black Horizon was in writing and as amazing as Harris is at telling a story, I can't help wishing that this book will be made into a film. It would just be too perfect – all the action, the awesome ships... yeah, that would be cool. I mean, with the way Harris wrote, it was like watching a movie inside my own head, and ergo it could be awesome on screen!
After all of this rambling, I need to say that it's kind of hard to review Black Horizon. Not because I didn't enjoy the book – because trust me, I really did. But the subject matter, the action, the whole formula, just makes it really hard for me to write a review the way I normally do. I don't want to give anything away and can't think of a better way to say that Black Horizon was just so much fun and such a rush. It was the perfect escape – just like I remember Thunderbirds being. It will draw in a whole new legion of Anderson fans and, I think, will satisfy life-long TB fans too.
Oh, and I am literally dying to get my hands on the second book, Ghost Mine – and to watch Thunderbirds Are Go on Sunday. Yay extreme rescues! And Black Horizon is out today so grab your copy now!
April 13, 2015
When I first heard about Black Horizon there were a few things that piqued my interest. The synopsis of the book sounded right up my street, the cover is simple yet dramatic, but it's an idea from Gerry Anderson, creator of Thunderbirds, which I watched religiously growing up, there was no way I was going to turn down the chance to review this one. Reading Black Horizon you can see how some of the ideas cross over and this will appeal to fans of the old Thunderbirds, but also fans of the new updated version too.
After the death of his Father, Ben and his Mum are at a loss on what to do. After a daring rescue (more about that in a bit) together, they come up with an idea to form a rescuer team, after months of training this idea is quickly quashed, and that is when Jason Truby steps in to help.
The beginning chapters of Black Horizon have you on tenterhooks, and on the edge of your seat....or roof in this case. With a death defying jump out of a plane for a mid air rescue, then some amazing rescue work from Ben and his Mum on top of one of the tallest buildings in the world, with only some ropes and climbing equipment to save them. After that amazing introduction we are quickly taken back to the reality of the situation, and what Jason has in store for Ben and his Mum, Gemini Force One.
Gemini Force One is a secret rescue agency, placed for convenience near USA for hurricanes and natural disasters, in an island that isn't subject to maritime laws....very convenient. The headquarters for Gemini Force One has a secret landing bay, that comes up from the water. They have some top spec equipment for the vehicles, the crew, and although I want to tell you more about them, I want you to discover them yourself.
Now that the important bits are over with, I'm going to share with you what I thought of Black Horizon. From the minute I began reading I was hooked, I loved seeing how different aspects were used to create the book, but also the added touch of the Thunderbirds link, this made it so easy for me to imagine what things looked like, or how they worked.
Black Horizon was an enjoyable read, there was enough action to keep me interested, but just the right amount of information passed on to the reader to explain who Gemini force are, what they do, and give us glimpses into how they work. The naming of Gemini Force One is also explained, and I thought it was a unique way to do this. I loved not knowing hat would happen on the next page, and turning over to find a new machine, a new place, or even a new mission. I really could not read this book fast enough, the only problem I had was trying to put the names to the people and how he met them.
Final Verdict
A promising start to a new series, I can't wait to see what happens next for Gemini Force One.
After the death of his Father, Ben and his Mum are at a loss on what to do. After a daring rescue (more about that in a bit) together, they come up with an idea to form a rescuer team, after months of training this idea is quickly quashed, and that is when Jason Truby steps in to help.
The beginning chapters of Black Horizon have you on tenterhooks, and on the edge of your seat....or roof in this case. With a death defying jump out of a plane for a mid air rescue, then some amazing rescue work from Ben and his Mum on top of one of the tallest buildings in the world, with only some ropes and climbing equipment to save them. After that amazing introduction we are quickly taken back to the reality of the situation, and what Jason has in store for Ben and his Mum, Gemini Force One.
Gemini Force One is a secret rescue agency, placed for convenience near USA for hurricanes and natural disasters, in an island that isn't subject to maritime laws....very convenient. The headquarters for Gemini Force One has a secret landing bay, that comes up from the water. They have some top spec equipment for the vehicles, the crew, and although I want to tell you more about them, I want you to discover them yourself.
Now that the important bits are over with, I'm going to share with you what I thought of Black Horizon. From the minute I began reading I was hooked, I loved seeing how different aspects were used to create the book, but also the added touch of the Thunderbirds link, this made it so easy for me to imagine what things looked like, or how they worked.
Black Horizon was an enjoyable read, there was enough action to keep me interested, but just the right amount of information passed on to the reader to explain who Gemini force are, what they do, and give us glimpses into how they work. The naming of Gemini Force One is also explained, and I thought it was a unique way to do this. I loved not knowing hat would happen on the next page, and turning over to find a new machine, a new place, or even a new mission. I really could not read this book fast enough, the only problem I had was trying to put the names to the people and how he met them.
Final Verdict
A promising start to a new series, I can't wait to see what happens next for Gemini Force One.
July 4, 2017
*Received from Publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Oh dear, where do I start. I was so excited for this novel, after receiving the press release and hearing its connection to Thunderbirds, I was thrilled to start reading it. Sadly I skipped around sixty pages to finally get to the end as I was thoroughly bored.
In all honesty, the only thing I felt happened in this novel was after Ben's father sadly passed away he wanted to start helping to save people from other disasters happening. And then he meets the individuals who are part of the Gemini Force.
I think one of my main problems with this novel was our protagonist Ben. Ben seemed to think he was indestructible and could do anything he wanted, therefore making him and his age incredibly unrealistic; he spoke like he was thirty! Followed by him coming across as rather immature and frustrating. Not to mention our secondary characters, there were too many and I just could not remember who was who, and what they were suppose to be doing; there was no depth or background to them, they were just there.
The plot was slow. And I mean slow. You would have moments when some information was dropped and some withheld, which is okay because that adds mystery. But you expect to receive a little more towards the end the make some sort of sense, but no. I was thoroughly confused. The plot, was incredibly frustrating and unrealistic. They would complete a mission and it felt like after the next two pages they were off again, whilst the action scenes became rather confusing and boring I found myself just scanning the pages. This novel felt like it was definitely targeted towards a middle-grade audience.
Overall, I was thoroughly bored. Somehow I finished it, but it was a massive disappointment.
Oh dear, where do I start. I was so excited for this novel, after receiving the press release and hearing its connection to Thunderbirds, I was thrilled to start reading it. Sadly I skipped around sixty pages to finally get to the end as I was thoroughly bored.
In all honesty, the only thing I felt happened in this novel was after Ben's father sadly passed away he wanted to start helping to save people from other disasters happening. And then he meets the individuals who are part of the Gemini Force.
I think one of my main problems with this novel was our protagonist Ben. Ben seemed to think he was indestructible and could do anything he wanted, therefore making him and his age incredibly unrealistic; he spoke like he was thirty! Followed by him coming across as rather immature and frustrating. Not to mention our secondary characters, there were too many and I just could not remember who was who, and what they were suppose to be doing; there was no depth or background to them, they were just there.
The plot was slow. And I mean slow. You would have moments when some information was dropped and some withheld, which is okay because that adds mystery. But you expect to receive a little more towards the end the make some sort of sense, but no. I was thoroughly confused. The plot, was incredibly frustrating and unrealistic. They would complete a mission and it felt like after the next two pages they were off again, whilst the action scenes became rather confusing and boring I found myself just scanning the pages. This novel felt like it was definitely targeted towards a middle-grade audience.
Overall, I was thoroughly bored. Somehow I finished it, but it was a massive disappointment.
March 29, 2015
This is the first book in the Gemini Force 1 series, written by M.G. Harris from an original idea by Gerry Anderson, creator of Thunderbirds. The story is about teenager Ben Carrington, who as the start of the book is mourning the loss of his father in a tragic mountaineering accident. His mother, also a top climber, decides to team up with Jason Truby, a wealthy entrepreneur who has set up a top secret rescue squad organisation called Gemini Force. Ben desperately wants to become part of the team but first he has to prove himself.
The opening of the book throws the reader right into the action as a dangerous situation develops involving Ben and his mother. This sets the tone for the rest of the story which is packed full of thrilling danger and adventure. 'Black Horizon' was a great read because I love books which are about teenagers doing incredible things and exhibiting amazing levels of bravery and this fit the bill perfectly. I don't think it was as engaging as some other series I've read in the same vein but I liked the concept and I think it has a lot of potential to get better and better.
So what would I like to see more of? The character of Ben could be developed and polished. He does have to deal with some really tough situations in the book, as well as several personal tragedies, but I didn't warm to him as much as I was expecting to. He is obviously used to getting his own way and that's one of the things that made me think of him as a bit spoilt. I would also love to see more of some of the other characters who were a bit one-dimensional. Plus, the action could be ramped up another notch and the boundaries pushed a little more.
I do like the fact that this book was originally made possible because of a kickstarter campaign by Gerry Anderson fans. That's the power of readers for you!
The second book will be published later this year and will be called 'Ghost Mine'.
The opening of the book throws the reader right into the action as a dangerous situation develops involving Ben and his mother. This sets the tone for the rest of the story which is packed full of thrilling danger and adventure. 'Black Horizon' was a great read because I love books which are about teenagers doing incredible things and exhibiting amazing levels of bravery and this fit the bill perfectly. I don't think it was as engaging as some other series I've read in the same vein but I liked the concept and I think it has a lot of potential to get better and better.
So what would I like to see more of? The character of Ben could be developed and polished. He does have to deal with some really tough situations in the book, as well as several personal tragedies, but I didn't warm to him as much as I was expecting to. He is obviously used to getting his own way and that's one of the things that made me think of him as a bit spoilt. I would also love to see more of some of the other characters who were a bit one-dimensional. Plus, the action could be ramped up another notch and the boundaries pushed a little more.
I do like the fact that this book was originally made possible because of a kickstarter campaign by Gerry Anderson fans. That's the power of readers for you!
The second book will be published later this year and will be called 'Ghost Mine'.
September 22, 2014
I received this as part of a KS reward, backed as a long time fan of Thunderbird, Stingray, and all the other Gerry Anderson productions. A new story was something exciting. As enjoyable as this was, I'm not sure that it remains true to Gerry Anderson. Yes, it's reminiscent of Thunderbirds, as is the plot, and I appreciate that this is the first book in a planned series, but there's just something lacking about the characters. Ben, the main character, comes across as a bit of a whiner, and a typical spoilt rich kid ( yes, I appreciate what befalls him, but that doesn't appear to alter him much ). The rest of the characters are introduced, and then left, with little or no development. Come the end, very little more is known about them. Hopefully, the second / third book will fill in the blanks.
For fans of Thunderbirds, etc, it's still worth a read, but for me, it was lacking....
For fans of Thunderbirds, etc, it's still worth a read, but for me, it was lacking....
June 28, 2020
I have given this book a high rating, even though it is not, as some others have commented perfect. The reason for rating it this way is because it has far more depth than may initially be obvious. I have not read the rest of the series yet, but find the vagueness of the character descriptions interesting, this seems to be serving a function beyond simple introduction. There is a lot of information that connects individual, with team and society and for me is wonderful conversation starter to explore teamwork. I love the perspective of a young man on the outside of a team learning how to engage with what is essentially the alien world of work. MG Harris started out as a scientist and has researched the technical elements of the book well. There is a lot packed in here at both the human and technical levels and I am excited about reading the next installment.
September 16, 2023
Interested in this because I was a fan of Gerry Anderson work and knew the authors Husband .Very much in similar vein to Thunderbirds .Well written and was an enjoyable holiday read although is very much aimed at a teen audience with the key character only being sixteen years of age .
His physical prowess occasionally stretches credulity.
His physical prowess occasionally stretches credulity.
January 30, 2026
The book is absoultely amazing this book go into many historys stories so many suspense that makes it even more interesting to read ....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2016
When Ben's father tragically dies in a climbing accident, it's up to Ben and his mother Caroline to open his final project, a fancy hotel. But it's at this opening that their fate changes forever. When there's an air accident, Ben and his mother have to rescue the two pilots who bailed out, a daring feat, one that catches the attention of entrepreneur Jason Truby.
Ben gives his mother an idea, start a rescue team, but it's Truby who takes it to another level. He recruits Ben's mother to join his top secret, uber cool international rescue force....Gemini Force. Ben's itching to get on the team but his mother is determined he's going to finish school. That doesn't mean Ben can't visit on holidays....and he does.
It's Ben's first holiday trip out to hang with Gemini Force when everything goes wrong. A mission comes in, and Ben's mother is determined to go along....but in the middle of the rescue she becomes trapped, and suddenly Ben is parentless. Ben is determined to continue her work with the Force, but he's going to have to fight for his place....even if it means disobeying what he's been told and putting himself in danger....
Oh my God this was so good I can't even! I knew I had to review this because my Dad loves Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet and I used to watch all of them when they where on TV, I've seen the film as well, which was okay, but yeah I'm so glad I got a proof of this because it was everything I was hoping for and more!
I was sucked in from the first page, and it was all go from then, daring rescue missions...danger....fantastic characters you instantly feel connected to and get emotionally attached to, and what a cast of characters they are! Addie is my favourite, I'm not going to lie, I loved her, she's awesome! I'm not sure what the situation is with the books, but assuming the other books are happening, then I hope to see and learn more about the other team members and get to know them better, it's going to be interesting to see what's going to happen to Ben now he's on the team!
The setting was vivid, I could picture everything, and trust me, it gave my imagination a workout! Picturing all these cool devices and planes and everything. So vivid, so cinematic....just saying! The world is so well constructed it sucks you in and keeps you glued to the page, wanting to know more about the Force and what's going to happen next!
I was so gutted when Ben's mum died, I kept thinking it was going to be like, I don't know...that she was actually fine and they'd got there in time but no, it was so sad, and the book really brings out your emotions when you're reading. I was on the edge of my seat, riddled with tension when I was reading some of the missions!
I was never sure what was going to happen next, and it was a wild ride of a read, fast paced, slick, smooth, I can't gush about it enough to be honest! I wish it was longer! I wanted to keep reading and I didn't want it to end!
I have a feeling this isn't the last we've seen of the bad guy in this book, I got vibes about it, and I'm convinced he'll make an appearance again! It was cool how the two connected as well, to create a mini plot within the main plot!
I really can't get over this book, I had some expectations for this, and every single one was met and exceeded and I think this is a fantastic set up for what's going to be a fun and action filled series!
June 6, 2017
Sadly my first DNF of the year. I really wanted to like this book because it was a Kickstarter crowdfunding first and the writing was thus essentially fan-driven. I did enjoy the first action sequence, but it was extremely boring after that. Whilst the story is easy to follow, the characters were not fleshed out enough and I didn't feel any connection to them - our protagonist Ben was annoying at best and the dimensions of his character could have much more thoroughly explored (he lost his father, yet there doesn't seem to be any mourning period?), and the secondary characters were pretty boring with minimal defining or interesting characteristics (yeah they're from different countries across the globe, but where are their personalities?). The action sequences were not exactly ground-breaking either... I actually had trouble figuring out the intended audience for this book, because it does have a young adult feel to it but at the same time it's written like children's fiction. I don't actually mind the sentence structure and flow of it, but if I wanted something of this genre for a young adult audience let's just say there are so many other series that do this so much better, with more interesting characters. After about 100 pages I just had to put it down because I felt it wasn't really worth the effort to read on, and it's a shame because I love this action genre and I really hate DNFing books...
January 28, 2015
I have to preface this with acknowledging that I am a big Thunderbirds fan and loved the tv show as a kid. This novel certainly has a Thunderbirds feel about it. This is by no means a perfect novel - it certainly has the hallmarks of an introductory novel where plot and setting are dominant; characters are introduced one after another and as a result characterisation suffers. Characters at this stage are merely reacting to a series of dramatic and shocking events. As the series evolves though I am sure we will see more of the characters' backstories and make more sense of their motivations.
Whilst this is not a genre that nomally appeals to me I can see that this will be very popular with upper middle school/lower teen readers. This series will appeal to readers who like fast paced action,(readers of the Young James Bond series), descriptions of rescues and detailed information about marine and air craft and a plucky 16 year old who seems to be in the right place to save the day each time. A good choice for encouraging some reluctant readers with a dose of escapism.
Whilst this is not a genre that nomally appeals to me I can see that this will be very popular with upper middle school/lower teen readers. This series will appeal to readers who like fast paced action,(readers of the Young James Bond series), descriptions of rescues and detailed information about marine and air craft and a plucky 16 year old who seems to be in the right place to save the day each time. A good choice for encouraging some reluctant readers with a dose of escapism.
May 6, 2015
Let me first say that I am a lifelong fan of Gerry Anderson, was one of the Kickstarter backers and proud to do so. As such, having finally got around to reading this, I really wanted to LOVE it, unfortunately although entertaining enough, there's just something missing. It's essentially a Thunderbirds-style concept but set contemporaneously with the central organization's equipment being less advanced. The central character is perhaps too lightweight and only "sketched in" to empathize with. He goes through unimaginable tragedy and yet isn't torn apart by the grief that would be a natural consequence. Perhaps that's the problem, though the rest of the cast only receives similar superficial descriptions. That being said, I'm game to see how the series evolves and give it a solid enough 3 out of 5 stars.
September 26, 2014
So. It's a book with my name in it - I was part of the kickstarter campaign - so that's a positive point. Sadly, it's very much "part one", the dull introductory part. It reads like a young adult book, which might be the intended audience, but its not particularly good even for that genre. (I've enjoyed many young adult books.) The characters are too vague, with "hidden pasts" yet to be revealed but I've finished the book without those revelations.
My main objection is with the main character, Ben. He's annoying, privileged, entitled, stupid and reckless; he gets away with it, mostly by chance, yet learns nothing.
My main objection is with the main character, Ben. He's annoying, privileged, entitled, stupid and reckless; he gets away with it, mostly by chance, yet learns nothing.
August 24, 2016
Overall I enjoyed this book but found some of the writing and story plot a bit clichéd and predictable. While reading the book you could tell that the original format idea came from the mind of Gerry Anderson as much of the basic premise is like his television work such as Thunderbirds, Space: 1999, etc.
March 30, 2015
I also got my copy from the Kickstarter campaign. I've always been a big fan of Gerry Anderson's amazing creations. It is great this one finally made it. It's a bit like Alex Rider meets the Thunderbirds. I enjoyed it and I think young readers will love it.
January 6, 2015
Outstanding...... Book review will be posted on blog first http://www.mrripleysenchantedbooks.com/
March 26, 2015
Brilliant book, not read for a while and this was a page turner, excitement from page 1 and even shook the book when finished hoping there was more in there, can't wait for the next one....
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