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Omega City #1
Omega City: A Thrilling Sci-Fi Mystery for Children (Ages 8-12) About Friends Who Race to Uncover Lost Technology in an Underground Bunker
Gillian Seagret doesn't listen to people who say her father's a crackpot. His conspiracy theories about the lost technology of Cold War–era rocket scientist Dr. Aloysius Underberg may have cost him his job and forced them to move to the middle of nowhere, but Gillian knows he's right and plans to prove it.
When she discovers a missing page from Dr. Underberg's diary in her father's mess of an office, she thinks she's found a big piece of the puzzle—a space-themed riddle promising to lead to Dr. Underberg's greatest invention. Enlisting the help of her skeptical younger brother, Eric, her best friend, Savannah, and Howard, their NASA-obsessed schoolmate, Gillian sets off on a journey into the ruins of Omega City, a vast doomsday bunker deep inside the earth,.
But they aren't alone inside its dark and flooded halls. For while Gillian wants to save her dad's reputation by bringing Dr. Underberg's secrets to light, there are others who will stop at nothing to make sure they stay buried . . . forever.
When she discovers a missing page from Dr. Underberg's diary in her father's mess of an office, she thinks she's found a big piece of the puzzle—a space-themed riddle promising to lead to Dr. Underberg's greatest invention. Enlisting the help of her skeptical younger brother, Eric, her best friend, Savannah, and Howard, their NASA-obsessed schoolmate, Gillian sets off on a journey into the ruins of Omega City, a vast doomsday bunker deep inside the earth,.
But they aren't alone inside its dark and flooded halls. For while Gillian wants to save her dad's reputation by bringing Dr. Underberg's secrets to light, there are others who will stop at nothing to make sure they stay buried . . . forever.
324 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2015
56 people are currently reading
2527 people want to read
About the author
Diana Peterfreund
54 books2,052 followersDiana Peterfreund has been a costume designer, a cover model, and a food critic. Her travels have taken her from the cloud forests of Costa Rica to the underground caverns of New Zealand (and as far as she’s concerned, she’s just getting started). Diana graduated from Yale University in 2001 with dual degrees in Literature and Geology, which her family claimed would only come in handy if she wrote books about rocks. Now, this Florida girl lives with her husband and their puppy in Washington D.C., and writes books that rock
Her first novel, Secret Society Girl (2006), was described as “witty and endearing” by The New York Observer and was placed on the New York Public LIbrary’s 2007 Books for the Teen Age list. The follow-up, Under the Rose (2007) was deemed “impossible to put down” by Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist called the third book, Rites of Spring (Break) (2008), “an ideal summer read.” The final book in the series, Tap & Gown, will be released in 2009. All titles are available from Bantam Dell.
She also contributed to the non-fiction anthologies, Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume, edited by Jennifer O’Connell (Pocket Books, 2007), The World of the Golden Compass, edited by Scott Westerfeld (BenBella Books, 2007), and Through the Wardrobe, edited by Herbie Brennan (BenBella Books, 2008).
Her first young adult novel, Rampant, an adventure fantasy about killer unicorns and the virgin descendents of Alexander the Great who hunt them, will be released by Harper Collins in 2009. When she’s not writing, Diana volunteers at the National Zoo, adds movies she has no intention of watching to her Netflix queue, and plays with her puppy, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever named Rio.
Her first novel, Secret Society Girl (2006), was described as “witty and endearing” by The New York Observer and was placed on the New York Public LIbrary’s 2007 Books for the Teen Age list. The follow-up, Under the Rose (2007) was deemed “impossible to put down” by Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist called the third book, Rites of Spring (Break) (2008), “an ideal summer read.” The final book in the series, Tap & Gown, will be released in 2009. All titles are available from Bantam Dell.
She also contributed to the non-fiction anthologies, Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume, edited by Jennifer O’Connell (Pocket Books, 2007), The World of the Golden Compass, edited by Scott Westerfeld (BenBella Books, 2007), and Through the Wardrobe, edited by Herbie Brennan (BenBella Books, 2008).
Her first young adult novel, Rampant, an adventure fantasy about killer unicorns and the virgin descendents of Alexander the Great who hunt them, will be released by Harper Collins in 2009. When she’s not writing, Diana volunteers at the National Zoo, adds movies she has no intention of watching to her Netflix queue, and plays with her puppy, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever named Rio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
April 29, 2015
THIS IS OUT NOW!!!!
I'm sure that everyone is well aware that the Middle Grade demographic has a lot of adventure books. We have Rick Riordan for example, or the Seven Wonders series by Peter Larangis, and it feels like a new one pops out every year, all following a bunch of kids try to save the world or solve an extremely old riddle that would lead to a secret civilization or something. I love that kind of premise (National Treasure, anybody? That one with Nicolas Cage? I watched that countless times!) but time and time again, the said adventure books failed to amuse or entertain me. I just can't find myself enjoying any of them. I tried, but every time, I failed to read beyond 20%. Oftentimes, I'd find the writing too poor, or too young, or too forced.
Then, like an angel wrapped in a blinding light, Diana Peterfreund appeared from the heavens and graced me with Omega City, which may now be my most favorite Middle Grade Adventure book ever, ever, ever, ever.
I'm serious. I love it so, so, so much. First chapter in and I fell hook, line, and sinker.
It's funny, and not in a manner that feels forced or trying-to-sound-young-yet-failing-miserably. The main characters are 12 year olds (with an addition of an 11th grader) and they really do sound like young kids that are curious and reckless, caring about twelve-year-old things and making jokes that are relevant if you're from that generation. I loved how the humor was so genuine and real. I read the dialogue and could see myself as them when I was their age. I try to remember any other author who impressed me with their writing of a kid, but try to rack my brain as I may, I could remember none who are even half as readl as Peterfreund's.
This only goes to show how great of an author Peterfreund is. I absolutely adored her YA books For Darkness Shows the Stars by Across the Dark-Swept Sea, so I really expected a lot from her. I admit that I was scared she wouldn't be able to effectively write a child's carefree personality, but Omega City proved me wrong and even went beyond what I could ever hope for.
The sibling's dynamics with the other characters were equally awesome, too! Like Gillian and Eric, they also felt real to me, written in a way that they feel like genuine kids (something other MG adventure books never made me feel about their characters).
There's Howard, a strange kid in the same grade, who's obsessed with anything space-related. He's a quiet guy, but blabbers nonstop when asked about his favorite topics (which often results to hilarious "Uh, here we go again!" thoughts). There's Savannah, Gillian's best friend, who is a smart cookie, but masks it all in an airhead-like aura to make herself more popular in school. She's an amazing side-kick to Gillian, always game to support her in her endeavors even if they seem far-fetched. She also has a crush on Nate, an 11th grader who works as a pizza delivery guy. He's Howard's brother and acts as their chaperone and is probably the most regrettful of the group when they find themselves in an adventure they'd never forget. Seriously, I love them all, too. Different personalities, and yet they all mash together really well.
As for the adventure itself, all I can say is: WOW. That was one of the most awesome adventures I've ever had the pleasure of reading. It had mystery, drama, history, and science fiction mixed, resulting to a formula that this book may have just redefined. We don't see no Atlantis being discovered, or any lost wonder revealed, but we get an awesome conspiracy thing going on behind the scenes, all derived from a riddle from the diary of who was deemed a crazy scientist back during the Cold War. I don't really want to spoil anything, but I can certainly assure you that it's something that will excite you, blow your minds away, and make you wonder of the endless possibilities we as a civilization could have obtained if we were not clouded by greed, if we did not hinder progression for the sake of achieving our own selfish agendas. It will make you think back, and wonder, and wonder, and wonder.
And that, my friends, is its beauty.
All in all, hats off to Diana Peterfreund. She made an MG adventure story that even I could appreciate and love, and created a cast of characters so easy to relate to and hold dear to your heart. This is how adventure books should be, folks. This is how they should be.
I'm sure that everyone is well aware that the Middle Grade demographic has a lot of adventure books. We have Rick Riordan for example, or the Seven Wonders series by Peter Larangis, and it feels like a new one pops out every year, all following a bunch of kids try to save the world or solve an extremely old riddle that would lead to a secret civilization or something. I love that kind of premise (National Treasure, anybody? That one with Nicolas Cage? I watched that countless times!) but time and time again, the said adventure books failed to amuse or entertain me. I just can't find myself enjoying any of them. I tried, but every time, I failed to read beyond 20%. Oftentimes, I'd find the writing too poor, or too young, or too forced.
Then, like an angel wrapped in a blinding light, Diana Peterfreund appeared from the heavens and graced me with Omega City, which may now be my most favorite Middle Grade Adventure book ever, ever, ever, ever.
I'm serious. I love it so, so, so much. First chapter in and I fell hook, line, and sinker.
It's funny, and not in a manner that feels forced or trying-to-sound-young-yet-failing-miserably. The main characters are 12 year olds (with an addition of an 11th grader) and they really do sound like young kids that are curious and reckless, caring about twelve-year-old things and making jokes that are relevant if you're from that generation. I loved how the humor was so genuine and real. I read the dialogue and could see myself as them when I was their age. I try to remember any other author who impressed me with their writing of a kid, but try to rack my brain as I may, I could remember none who are even half as readl as Peterfreund's.
"Can we please stop talking about dead bodies and guns and underground monsters?" Eric said. He was swinging his flashlight at every shadow in the room. "Just in general?"
"So it's fine for a video game but not in real life?" Savannah asked.
"Yes!" Eric shook his head at her, incredulous. "In real life you don't get to press reset."
This only goes to show how great of an author Peterfreund is. I absolutely adored her YA books For Darkness Shows the Stars by Across the Dark-Swept Sea, so I really expected a lot from her. I admit that I was scared she wouldn't be able to effectively write a child's carefree personality, but Omega City proved me wrong and even went beyond what I could ever hope for.
Imagine, in this book there are siblings Gillian and Eric, and Peterfreund was able to weave their sibling interaction so fantastically, with a dose of humour every now and then, making the two so endearing and lovable. I absolutely loved how despite being so different, their bond with each other would just glow within the pages. Their conversations were just so awesomely-done that I found myself smiling at almost all of them, because they reminded me how my little brother and I are with each other. Their arguments, casual banters, and protectiveness of one another were simply so captivating. In fact, when I started reading, the first thing I noticed was how their interaction was so realistically-done. I am serious in saying this is probably one of the book's highlights, because it simply stands out.
"Nope." I tapped the page. "The scan is date-stamped. Date-stamped last month. Which means that this diary wasn't destroyed in the flood. Maybe none of Dad's notes were. Maybe that pipe in the wall didn't even burst."
"Don't joke about that," said Eric. "I lost my comic book collection and my Playstation in that flood."
The sibling's dynamics with the other characters were equally awesome, too! Like Gillian and Eric, they also felt real to me, written in a way that they feel like genuine kids (something other MG adventure books never made me feel about their characters).
"Is this our pizza? Tomato, cheese, and sesame chicken?"
"Should be."
Savannah cocked her head to the side. " I don't think that's what you're supposed to say."
Private Pizza rolled his eyes. "Come on, kid."
"I think," Savannah went on coyly, "that if you don't say it, we get it free."
He sighed, straightened, and licked his heels together. "I present to you, lovely maiden, this golden disk of the seven heavens, baked by the flame of four noble dragons." He bowed his head over the pizza box and held it out.
There's Howard, a strange kid in the same grade, who's obsessed with anything space-related. He's a quiet guy, but blabbers nonstop when asked about his favorite topics (which often results to hilarious "Uh, here we go again!" thoughts). There's Savannah, Gillian's best friend, who is a smart cookie, but masks it all in an airhead-like aura to make herself more popular in school. She's an amazing side-kick to Gillian, always game to support her in her endeavors even if they seem far-fetched. She also has a crush on Nate, an 11th grader who works as a pizza delivery guy. He's Howard's brother and acts as their chaperone and is probably the most regrettful of the group when they find themselves in an adventure they'd never forget. Seriously, I love them all, too. Different personalities, and yet they all mash together really well.
"Nate," Howard protested, turning to his brother. "You promised."
Nate's expression was unreadable, but he stared at his brother for a full two seconds. Howard, surprisingly, stared back. Right away, Nate's expression softened. "Okay. But you guys have to swear you'll do exactly as I say."
We all nodded.
"And that the second I say we're going home, we go home."
We all nodded again.
He sighed. "I'm going to regret this. I knew as soon as you two girls showed up at the door I was going to regret this. Get in."
As for the adventure itself, all I can say is: WOW. That was one of the most awesome adventures I've ever had the pleasure of reading. It had mystery, drama, history, and science fiction mixed, resulting to a formula that this book may have just redefined. We don't see no Atlantis being discovered, or any lost wonder revealed, but we get an awesome conspiracy thing going on behind the scenes, all derived from a riddle from the diary of who was deemed a crazy scientist back during the Cold War. I don't really want to spoil anything, but I can certainly assure you that it's something that will excite you, blow your minds away, and make you wonder of the endless possibilities we as a civilization could have obtained if we were not clouded by greed, if we did not hinder progression for the sake of achieving our own selfish agendas. It will make you think back, and wonder, and wonder, and wonder.
And that, my friends, is its beauty.
All in all, hats off to Diana Peterfreund. She made an MG adventure story that even I could appreciate and love, and created a cast of characters so easy to relate to and hold dear to your heart. This is how adventure books should be, folks. This is how they should be.
Want to read
March 31, 2015Goonies meets City of Ember? Sold!
April 23, 2015
2.5 stars
Arc provided by Balzer + Bray through Edelweiss
Release Date: April 28th
The author's series "For Darkness shows the Stars" _ well I hope it is a series, and not a duology _ is amongst my favourites reads, so despite this being labelled as a middle grade story, I couldn't resist requesting it.
Also I've read pretty amazing books labelled as middle grade oriented, so I had pretty high expectactions for this book.
What I found was truly a middle grade story.
.................
Can I complain that it was more middle grade that what I am used to? lol
I could, but that would make of me a complete moron... when I strive to never pass the "partial one" mark.
Allow me then to say _ in a very diplomatic manner_ that I am no longer this story's target. Reading this reminded me of Enyd Blyton adventure stories, like the Famous Five. Books that I more than re-read when I was growing up, but which I haven't touched in decades.
This rating is intended to be seen as a form of compromise: It isn't a bad book... but it never held my interest. Especially the sci-fi bit. That really didn't work out for me.
Despite this, I have to mention that the characters are well developed: there's the adventurer who is determined to clear her father's name, the adventurer's best friend who has not only beauty but also brains... the adventurer's brother who has a terrible fear of MONSTERS, the cute older guy who tries to control the kids _ right _ and his brother, the extremely intelligent one who probably has some level of autism.
The interactions between them were all well done. They are intelligent kids, being chased by a "I am going to reveal all of my secrets to you" villain... so, smart kids versus a less than intelligent foe.
Guess who wins? :)
January 15, 2018
”Great idea, Gillian. Just get the pizza delivery guy to drive his little brother, you, and two of the people you love most in this world out into the middle of nowhere to look for something bad guys with a lot of power are willing to ruin lives over. There’s no way this could all go wrong.”
Synopsis: Just when Steve Harrington thought he was done keeping those little shitheads safe, they stumble upon a Cold War conspiracy instead, prompting him to gather up his nailed baseball bats and become a stressed out single soccer mom again.
Biblio-Babble
This was pitched as City of Ember meets The Goonies (but of course we know that it's just more adventures of our favorite stressed out single soccer mom Steve Harrington). However, it's an insult to The Goonies to compare this snoozefest of a book to such a classic film that is anything but snooze-worthy.
Review coming soon, after I throw cold water on my face to wake myself up...
Synopsis: Just when Steve Harrington thought he was done keeping those little shitheads safe, they stumble upon a Cold War conspiracy instead, prompting him to gather up his nailed baseball bats and become a stressed out single soccer mom again.
Biblio-Babble
This was pitched as City of Ember meets The Goonies (but of course we know that it's just more adventures of our favorite stressed out single soccer mom Steve Harrington). However, it's an insult to The Goonies to compare this snoozefest of a book to such a classic film that is anything but snooze-worthy.
Review coming soon, after I throw cold water on my face to wake myself up...
November 19, 2023
Overall a decent book.
I overestimated how exciting the reveal of the city and the story behind it was going to be. I probably will not be reading the rest of the series.
I overestimated how exciting the reveal of the city and the story behind it was going to be. I probably will not be reading the rest of the series.
May 8, 2015
Review originally posted at Mostly YA Lit
Omega City has been described as similar to City of Embers and The Goonies, and having Googled these movies (didn't watch them - I KNOW, the Goonies is on my list), I think this description is very apt. It's a rollicking adventure full of surprises, twists and turns. I would describe it as X-Files meets Indiana Jones for 8-12 year olds .
One of Diana's strengths has always been complex plotlines that weave together seamlessly , and this one is no different. Gillian's father, a professor who specializes in conspiracies, published a book about an inventor called Dr. Underberg, who supposedly invented a battery that could last a hundred years in the middle of a Cold War. He lost his job because the facts were supposedly debunked, and Gillian and her brother Eric now live in the middle of nowhere Maryland so they can hide from the media scritiny. But when Gillian finds evidence that suggests that Dr Underberg's work might still exist, she embarks on an adventure with her brother Eric, her best friend Savannah, their classmate Howard, and Howard's brother, leading them into an underground world - and possibly into the hands of people who want to keep Dr. Underberg a secret.
“The sad truth is, sometimes it’s easier for people to stick with the problems they know than to try to imagine a new way of life.”
As usual, reading one of Diana's synopses is like unpacking an entire world, and as usual, I had my doubts - until I started reading. As an X-Files fan, I was fully drawn into Gillian's conspiracy-filled life. I liked how intrepid, curious, and questioning Gillian was. I liked how she was okay being the oddball in school, because she believed so passionately in her father and his work .
Being a middle-grade book, two things were a bit jarring for me. Firstly, there was a lot more description than I was used to - scene setting, especially as we get further in - becomes more and more important. For me now, there was a tad too much description, but I know that as a twelve year old, I would have eaten up every word .
“And it has been great. Mostly. Savannah’s different in the fall. Like how she spends more energy deciding where to sit at lunch than she does on the average quiz, and last week, she pretended not to know the answer to a problem in math class, even though she was the one who showed me how to solve it when we were doing our homework…”
Secondly, while I liked the secondary characters, I did feel they were a bit light on character development in service of a fast-paced plot . Don’t get me wrong - each of the characters was a normal kid, from Eric who only wanted to play video games, to Howard the space-obsessed, to Savannah, who wanted to be popular in school and has a crush on the pizza delivery boy. They all had fun and distinctive personalities, but, as an adult, I really wanted to get into their heads because I liked them so much. Again, as a twelve year old, I think I would have adored the characters, so I don’t think this is an issue, but there was a bit of a disconnect for me as an adult.
That said, for this book, plot was the main purpose, and I had so much fun trying to solve clues and run around on adventures with Gillian and her friends. The quest is just epic enough, the world is well-developed, the characters were funny and sarcastic , and at every turn, there was a twist. I definitely had heart-pounding moments where I was stressed for the characters, and I loved that.
Bonuses:
Sibling Rivalry: The relationship between Gillian and her brother Eric, and between Howard and his brother Nate really held this book together – their backtalk, friendly joshing and care for one another reminded me of my own relationship with my brother.
Hints of Romance: As a frequent romance and YA reader, I was totally seeing some major hints at flirting from two characters – I won’t say much else, but I sincerely hope this puppy love happens.
Talking Upwards: I’m not afraid to admit that there were a few ideas and bits of history in this book that I had to look up – and that that is one of my favourite parts of this book. Diana has written a middle grade that never talks down to younger readers – that encourages research, smarts, and innovation.
The Final Word:
Omega City asks readers to go on not only a classic adventure, but also an intellectual one ; there are elements of The Westing Game and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe here. For adults or older readers, this one if you love rollicking journeys. For teachers or librarians, I can totally see this book being read aloud to a group – or even better, placed in a 4th, 5th, or 6th grade classroom for a curious young mind to pick up on a whim and fall in love with reading.
Omega City has been described as similar to City of Embers and The Goonies, and having Googled these movies (didn't watch them - I KNOW, the Goonies is on my list), I think this description is very apt. It's a rollicking adventure full of surprises, twists and turns. I would describe it as X-Files meets Indiana Jones for 8-12 year olds .
One of Diana's strengths has always been complex plotlines that weave together seamlessly , and this one is no different. Gillian's father, a professor who specializes in conspiracies, published a book about an inventor called Dr. Underberg, who supposedly invented a battery that could last a hundred years in the middle of a Cold War. He lost his job because the facts were supposedly debunked, and Gillian and her brother Eric now live in the middle of nowhere Maryland so they can hide from the media scritiny. But when Gillian finds evidence that suggests that Dr Underberg's work might still exist, she embarks on an adventure with her brother Eric, her best friend Savannah, their classmate Howard, and Howard's brother, leading them into an underground world - and possibly into the hands of people who want to keep Dr. Underberg a secret.
“The sad truth is, sometimes it’s easier for people to stick with the problems they know than to try to imagine a new way of life.”
As usual, reading one of Diana's synopses is like unpacking an entire world, and as usual, I had my doubts - until I started reading. As an X-Files fan, I was fully drawn into Gillian's conspiracy-filled life. I liked how intrepid, curious, and questioning Gillian was. I liked how she was okay being the oddball in school, because she believed so passionately in her father and his work .
Being a middle-grade book, two things were a bit jarring for me. Firstly, there was a lot more description than I was used to - scene setting, especially as we get further in - becomes more and more important. For me now, there was a tad too much description, but I know that as a twelve year old, I would have eaten up every word .
“And it has been great. Mostly. Savannah’s different in the fall. Like how she spends more energy deciding where to sit at lunch than she does on the average quiz, and last week, she pretended not to know the answer to a problem in math class, even though she was the one who showed me how to solve it when we were doing our homework…”
Secondly, while I liked the secondary characters, I did feel they were a bit light on character development in service of a fast-paced plot . Don’t get me wrong - each of the characters was a normal kid, from Eric who only wanted to play video games, to Howard the space-obsessed, to Savannah, who wanted to be popular in school and has a crush on the pizza delivery boy. They all had fun and distinctive personalities, but, as an adult, I really wanted to get into their heads because I liked them so much. Again, as a twelve year old, I think I would have adored the characters, so I don’t think this is an issue, but there was a bit of a disconnect for me as an adult.
That said, for this book, plot was the main purpose, and I had so much fun trying to solve clues and run around on adventures with Gillian and her friends. The quest is just epic enough, the world is well-developed, the characters were funny and sarcastic , and at every turn, there was a twist. I definitely had heart-pounding moments where I was stressed for the characters, and I loved that.
Bonuses:
Sibling Rivalry: The relationship between Gillian and her brother Eric, and between Howard and his brother Nate really held this book together – their backtalk, friendly joshing and care for one another reminded me of my own relationship with my brother.
Hints of Romance: As a frequent romance and YA reader, I was totally seeing some major hints at flirting from two characters – I won’t say much else, but I sincerely hope this puppy love happens.
Talking Upwards: I’m not afraid to admit that there were a few ideas and bits of history in this book that I had to look up – and that that is one of my favourite parts of this book. Diana has written a middle grade that never talks down to younger readers – that encourages research, smarts, and innovation.
The Final Word:
Omega City asks readers to go on not only a classic adventure, but also an intellectual one ; there are elements of The Westing Game and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe here. For adults or older readers, this one if you love rollicking journeys. For teachers or librarians, I can totally see this book being read aloud to a group – or even better, placed in a 4th, 5th, or 6th grade classroom for a curious young mind to pick up on a whim and fall in love with reading.
November 29, 2018
Clever, clever! This book was kinda National Treasure meets The City of Ember, and that pretty much equals awesome.
The characters were fun. They had inside jokes, some messy dynamics (I’ll get into that later), and a lot of cool family loyalty. The main character--Gillian, Howard, and Private Pizza (Nate) were my favorites. I especially loved Private Pizza protecting everyone and trying to help Gillian understand his brother Howard better. (Loved how that turned out! Score. :D ) And his sarcasm and stress levels (as the oldest feeling responsible for this gaggle of adventurers) got pretty funny too. ;)
Speaking of Howard, super smart with the whole park measurements thing. Also, I need to try astronaut ice cream.
My nerd heart was so happy with the space, history, doomsday, Cold War tech, and conspiracy theory stuff. And it was really neat how their knowledge played directly into the story, like with that super intense elevator part. O.o.
Because this book was so action-packed with children in extreme danger and some negative attitudes, I had to take a break from it for a while to destress a little. Just a note, one of the girls had an annoying/hilarious crush, and there was one blasphemy and some implied swearing.
Best quote: “All right, Howard,” he said. “I’m going to drive now, and you’re going to tell me where, and blondie here is going to make sure the SUV doesn’t follow us, and the other two are going to keep their heads down and explain to me exactly what is going on. Got it?” “Yes,” we all said, though with varying degrees of enthusiasm.
Altogether, this was a fun romp, and I’m interested in the sequels. :D
The characters were fun. They had inside jokes, some messy dynamics (I’ll get into that later), and a lot of cool family loyalty. The main character--Gillian, Howard, and Private Pizza (Nate) were my favorites. I especially loved Private Pizza protecting everyone and trying to help Gillian understand his brother Howard better. (Loved how that turned out! Score. :D ) And his sarcasm and stress levels (as the oldest feeling responsible for this gaggle of adventurers) got pretty funny too. ;)
Speaking of Howard, super smart with the whole park measurements thing. Also, I need to try astronaut ice cream.
My nerd heart was so happy with the space, history, doomsday, Cold War tech, and conspiracy theory stuff. And it was really neat how their knowledge played directly into the story, like with that super intense elevator part. O.o.
Because this book was so action-packed with children in extreme danger and some negative attitudes, I had to take a break from it for a while to destress a little. Just a note, one of the girls had an annoying/hilarious crush, and there was one blasphemy and some implied swearing.
Best quote: “All right, Howard,” he said. “I’m going to drive now, and you’re going to tell me where, and blondie here is going to make sure the SUV doesn’t follow us, and the other two are going to keep their heads down and explain to me exactly what is going on. Got it?” “Yes,” we all said, though with varying degrees of enthusiasm.
Altogether, this was a fun romp, and I’m interested in the sequels. :D
October 28, 2014
What's that you say? This book doesn't even come out for six months? So how could I possibly review it?
Well, HA HAHAHAHAHAHA! I got to read the manuscript!
Sorry, just had to gloat for a minute. I love Peterfreund's YA books, so naturally when Balzer & Bray asked if I would possibly blurb the book, I jumped at the chance to read this middle grade novel in advance.
And I was not disappointed.
This is a fantastic adventure that went in directions I absolutely did not expect. Since this was a bound manuscript, I hadn't even seen the cover yet, and had read no descriptions of it. I went in completely blind, so every element of the book was new and surprising, and I loved it. So I'm not going to say one word about the plot, except that it was very exciting, and very fascinating. I will say that I really liked the dynamics between Gillian, the main character, and her brother and friends. They were all very realistic kids, and everything about their conversations and reactions rang true, and there was a really good mix of action, drama, and humor.
Well, HA HAHAHAHAHAHA! I got to read the manuscript!
Sorry, just had to gloat for a minute. I love Peterfreund's YA books, so naturally when Balzer & Bray asked if I would possibly blurb the book, I jumped at the chance to read this middle grade novel in advance.
And I was not disappointed.
This is a fantastic adventure that went in directions I absolutely did not expect. Since this was a bound manuscript, I hadn't even seen the cover yet, and had read no descriptions of it. I went in completely blind, so every element of the book was new and surprising, and I loved it. So I'm not going to say one word about the plot, except that it was very exciting, and very fascinating. I will say that I really liked the dynamics between Gillian, the main character, and her brother and friends. They were all very realistic kids, and everything about their conversations and reactions rang true, and there was a really good mix of action, drama, and humor.
May 31, 2015
Ehhhh. There's some interesting worldbuilding here, but absolutely no character growth, which really irks me; I kept waiting for someone, anyone, to make a mistake, and no one did. And the characters are pretty unrealistic to begin with.
Also, this book explained the Cold War. At least three times. I feel old and talked down to simultaneously.
Also, this book explained the Cold War. At least three times. I feel old and talked down to simultaneously.
June 28, 2015
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Seeing the children explore such the strange but wonderful Omega City was deliciously satisfying.
Opening Sentence: It started with a fire.
The Review:
Gillian’s father has been ruined. He’s been a popular author and historian for years, but when his primary source for his newest book was destroyed by the water pipes flooding, he had no evidence to back himself up when people started calling his theories a fraud. But Gillian is starting to think that it wasn’t a water pipe that ruined the famous war scientist Dr. Underburg’s diary. And when a series of clues planted by him lead them to a huge discovery, they get more than they bargained for. What started as an attempt to restore their father’s reputation creates a race against the clock and some gun-hefting adults as they explore the dangerous but wonderful Omega City.
I’ll admit, I am mostly a YA reader. Sure, there are certain middle grade books that I absolutely adore and have reread countless times, but only a select few that are close to my heart. So when I got a middle grade book to review I wasn’t sure how to feel. Would the writing be juvenile? Would the characters be immature? The last middle grade I reviewed put a sour taste over the idea of a middle grade, but I knew that I couldn’t judge this book by my previous reads, so I jumped right in and hoped for the best. I’m happy to say it exceeded all my expectations and more! I finished this novel within a day and I was gripped by the action and ever-twisting plotline. The characters were obviously younger than the usual ones I read from, but I found myself adoring them all the same.
Our main character, Gillian, or “Gills” to some, was a lot of fun to read from. She was passionate, loyal, and believed strongly in her values. It was sometimes funny just how strongly she held on to her beliefs — there were tons of random conspiracy theories she agreed with and tons that she scoffed, and the other characters teased her about it relentlessly. Well, until one of her most outrageous ideas turned out to be correct. The other characters were just as rich and complex. Savanna was the popular girl at school, dumbing herself down to seem good to her peers, with an insane and hilarious crush on a three year older pizza guy. Howard was the resident nerd, and I liked how his complete lack of social skills developed into someone who could make a couple jokes every once and a while. Eric was Gillian’s brother, and I loved their relationship so much and how their family bond was so prominent.
The mystery was completely filled with twists, turns, and plot twists. Right from the get-go we are launched into an adventure that was nonstop and action-packed. The clues weren’t easy, but they weren’t too difficult either, and watching the characters decipher their meaning was awesome. One of my favorite parts about this novel was how we were taught about the Cold War as our characters immersed in its history. Hearing about all the cool inventions by Underburg and his beliefs made me want to research him — too bad my English research paper was just due. His best invention was the Omega City. Seeing the children explore such the strange but wonderful Omega City was deliciously satisfying. I was so excited to see the next thing that would happen in this book that I could hardly put it down!
Altogether this book was a worldwind of action, humor, and fun. There were lots of surprises and the middle grade dialogue flowed very realistically. I have a brother the same age who is a gamer same as Eric and what Eric said I could very well imagine coming out of my brother’s mouth. There wasn’t a romance is this novel, but there didn’t need to be. The relationships between friends and family was more than enough. Thinking and writing about this book right now is making me want to dive in again and reread. Ugh, the horror though — it’s not a standalone. I have to wait a whole year for the final resolution! It didn’t even leave with a cliffhanger, I just want more of Omega City! This novel was super fun!
Notable Scene:
Some secrets are small- the size of a battery, or a button, or a scrap of paper. Other secrets are so big they can bury a man alive, or tear apart a family . . . or even destroy the world.
Omega City was both.
FTC Advisory: Balzar + Bray/HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Omega City. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Seeing the children explore such the strange but wonderful Omega City was deliciously satisfying.
Opening Sentence: It started with a fire.
The Review:
Gillian’s father has been ruined. He’s been a popular author and historian for years, but when his primary source for his newest book was destroyed by the water pipes flooding, he had no evidence to back himself up when people started calling his theories a fraud. But Gillian is starting to think that it wasn’t a water pipe that ruined the famous war scientist Dr. Underburg’s diary. And when a series of clues planted by him lead them to a huge discovery, they get more than they bargained for. What started as an attempt to restore their father’s reputation creates a race against the clock and some gun-hefting adults as they explore the dangerous but wonderful Omega City.
I’ll admit, I am mostly a YA reader. Sure, there are certain middle grade books that I absolutely adore and have reread countless times, but only a select few that are close to my heart. So when I got a middle grade book to review I wasn’t sure how to feel. Would the writing be juvenile? Would the characters be immature? The last middle grade I reviewed put a sour taste over the idea of a middle grade, but I knew that I couldn’t judge this book by my previous reads, so I jumped right in and hoped for the best. I’m happy to say it exceeded all my expectations and more! I finished this novel within a day and I was gripped by the action and ever-twisting plotline. The characters were obviously younger than the usual ones I read from, but I found myself adoring them all the same.
Our main character, Gillian, or “Gills” to some, was a lot of fun to read from. She was passionate, loyal, and believed strongly in her values. It was sometimes funny just how strongly she held on to her beliefs — there were tons of random conspiracy theories she agreed with and tons that she scoffed, and the other characters teased her about it relentlessly. Well, until one of her most outrageous ideas turned out to be correct. The other characters were just as rich and complex. Savanna was the popular girl at school, dumbing herself down to seem good to her peers, with an insane and hilarious crush on a three year older pizza guy. Howard was the resident nerd, and I liked how his complete lack of social skills developed into someone who could make a couple jokes every once and a while. Eric was Gillian’s brother, and I loved their relationship so much and how their family bond was so prominent.
The mystery was completely filled with twists, turns, and plot twists. Right from the get-go we are launched into an adventure that was nonstop and action-packed. The clues weren’t easy, but they weren’t too difficult either, and watching the characters decipher their meaning was awesome. One of my favorite parts about this novel was how we were taught about the Cold War as our characters immersed in its history. Hearing about all the cool inventions by Underburg and his beliefs made me want to research him — too bad my English research paper was just due. His best invention was the Omega City. Seeing the children explore such the strange but wonderful Omega City was deliciously satisfying. I was so excited to see the next thing that would happen in this book that I could hardly put it down!
Altogether this book was a worldwind of action, humor, and fun. There were lots of surprises and the middle grade dialogue flowed very realistically. I have a brother the same age who is a gamer same as Eric and what Eric said I could very well imagine coming out of my brother’s mouth. There wasn’t a romance is this novel, but there didn’t need to be. The relationships between friends and family was more than enough. Thinking and writing about this book right now is making me want to dive in again and reread. Ugh, the horror though — it’s not a standalone. I have to wait a whole year for the final resolution! It didn’t even leave with a cliffhanger, I just want more of Omega City! This novel was super fun!
Notable Scene:
Some secrets are small- the size of a battery, or a button, or a scrap of paper. Other secrets are so big they can bury a man alive, or tear apart a family . . . or even destroy the world.
Omega City was both.
FTC Advisory: Balzar + Bray/HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Omega City. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Want to read
February 20, 2014This sounds amazing!
August 16, 2015
So so awesome! I read it in one sitting and loved how much it reminded me of the Goonies!
December 14, 2015
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a bibliophile.
Omega City is Diana Peterfreund's first MG novel. Billed on Goodreads as City of Ember meets The Goonies, my expectations were pretty high. The Goonies is one of my all time favorite movies. And this book delivered on that promise. Big time.
Gillian's father is in disgrace. He wrote a book about famous scientist Aloysius Underberg that was immediately discredited and that he couldn't back up because a broken pipe destroyed all of his research. Now the only job he has is teaching conspiracy theory nights. When Gillian discovers mysterious files on his new girlfriend's computer that have too much to do with her father's research, she knows something is terribly wrong and she begins to attempt to solve an old code that Underberg left behind. With the help of her brother, Eric, her best friend, Savannah, and an astronomy obsessed classmate named Howard, they figure out where Underberg buried his final gift to humanity. They magnate to convince Howard's older brother, Nate, to drive them out it to it. But the plotting girlfriend is right on their heels. Trying to escape her and her goons with guns, the kids find themselves in an abandoned, ruined underground city with a limited time to find their way back out.
The characters in this book are amazing. Gillian is deeply loyal to her father, ready to fight for what he (and she) believes in, and is determined to find the truth at any cost. Eric is skeptical and wants a normal life, but he's also loyal to his family. Savannah is a math whiz who disguises her abilities in a misguided notion that her ditziness makes her more attractive to boys, but she stands by her friends and knows how to be brave. Howard is focused on NASA and astronomy to the point of true obsession. There is an implication that he is somewhere on the Autism spectrum. He is an important part of the team and the others come to appreciate him and rely on him as the story unfolds. Nate is the older brother, protector, and highly frustrated person who knows he will ultimately be held responsible if anything happens to his young charges. The five of them together are awesome. They all have abilities that make them crucial to the team and get them through their adventure.
The different relationships exhibited within the team are essential to the story too. There are two very different sibling relationships. I love a great sibling story. Gillian/Eric and Nate/Howard exhibit the finest aspects of why. They have very different relationships affected by what they are and their different age spans, but both show what loyalty, love, and understanding for a sibling you don't always like or want to be with looks like. The friendship aspect is important too. Gillian and Savannah are very different and often frustrated with each other, but they adore each other. The evolving friendship all of them have with Howard as the book progresses is incredibly well done, particularly the bond he and Gillian develop.
As far as adventure books for MG go, Omega City stands out. It is fast-paced, well plotted, surprising, and funny. Peterfreund balances humor and peril perfectly. The action never felt like it was too unrealistic either. These are all things I could see kids their age being able to do and succeed at. As science-fiction it works incredibly well too, being just believable enough to feel real but with enough out of the ordinary to spark the imagination.
I adored everything about Omega City and can not wait for the next book in the series.
I read an ARC made available by the publisher, Balzer & Bray, at ALA Midwinter. Omega City is available for purchase on April 28th.
Omega City is Diana Peterfreund's first MG novel. Billed on Goodreads as City of Ember meets The Goonies, my expectations were pretty high. The Goonies is one of my all time favorite movies. And this book delivered on that promise. Big time.
Gillian's father is in disgrace. He wrote a book about famous scientist Aloysius Underberg that was immediately discredited and that he couldn't back up because a broken pipe destroyed all of his research. Now the only job he has is teaching conspiracy theory nights. When Gillian discovers mysterious files on his new girlfriend's computer that have too much to do with her father's research, she knows something is terribly wrong and she begins to attempt to solve an old code that Underberg left behind. With the help of her brother, Eric, her best friend, Savannah, and an astronomy obsessed classmate named Howard, they figure out where Underberg buried his final gift to humanity. They magnate to convince Howard's older brother, Nate, to drive them out it to it. But the plotting girlfriend is right on their heels. Trying to escape her and her goons with guns, the kids find themselves in an abandoned, ruined underground city with a limited time to find their way back out.
The characters in this book are amazing. Gillian is deeply loyal to her father, ready to fight for what he (and she) believes in, and is determined to find the truth at any cost. Eric is skeptical and wants a normal life, but he's also loyal to his family. Savannah is a math whiz who disguises her abilities in a misguided notion that her ditziness makes her more attractive to boys, but she stands by her friends and knows how to be brave. Howard is focused on NASA and astronomy to the point of true obsession. There is an implication that he is somewhere on the Autism spectrum. He is an important part of the team and the others come to appreciate him and rely on him as the story unfolds. Nate is the older brother, protector, and highly frustrated person who knows he will ultimately be held responsible if anything happens to his young charges. The five of them together are awesome. They all have abilities that make them crucial to the team and get them through their adventure.
The different relationships exhibited within the team are essential to the story too. There are two very different sibling relationships. I love a great sibling story. Gillian/Eric and Nate/Howard exhibit the finest aspects of why. They have very different relationships affected by what they are and their different age spans, but both show what loyalty, love, and understanding for a sibling you don't always like or want to be with looks like. The friendship aspect is important too. Gillian and Savannah are very different and often frustrated with each other, but they adore each other. The evolving friendship all of them have with Howard as the book progresses is incredibly well done, particularly the bond he and Gillian develop.
As far as adventure books for MG go, Omega City stands out. It is fast-paced, well plotted, surprising, and funny. Peterfreund balances humor and peril perfectly. The action never felt like it was too unrealistic either. These are all things I could see kids their age being able to do and succeed at. As science-fiction it works incredibly well too, being just believable enough to feel real but with enough out of the ordinary to spark the imagination.
I adored everything about Omega City and can not wait for the next book in the series.
I read an ARC made available by the publisher, Balzer & Bray, at ALA Midwinter. Omega City is available for purchase on April 28th.
May 18, 2015
Omega City is one of those books that are kind of unrealistic- the kind of book where you just can't take everything seriously. I feel like this is fine considering it's a middle grade novel, and supposed to be exciting and "unrealistic" in the sense that it's not something that would happen to the average person. But I can't say that this didn't impair my enjoyment of the the novel a little bit, because it did, however much I tried to escape it.
Omega City is an adventure novel, and it definitely doesn't disappoint on that front. Gillian and her band of sort-of-friends discover the ruins of a hidden city (yep, named Omega City), and spend an afternoon trying to uncover its secrets while at the same time being chased by an "evil" organisation also trying to steal those secrets. You know, your typical secret technology sort of plot.
The characters were pretty fantastic- especially the way the sibling relationship of Gillian and Eric was developed. Howard, Gillian's space-loving classmate, was rather quirky, and Nate (Howard's brother) was much appreciated in that he seemed like the only completely sane one there. The only character I didn't really like was Savannah, mostly because of this one irritating thing that she did, which was to hide her intelligence just because there was a hot guy in the vicinity (seriously, why do people do this....)
I feel like I enjoyed the book overall, but there was the general feeling of it being a little too young for me. There are some middle grade books that everyone can enjoy, and there are some that are probably more suited for younger readers, and I think Omega City falls in the latter group.
Ratings
Overall: 6/10
Plot: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Cover: 4/5
Omega City is an adventure novel, and it definitely doesn't disappoint on that front. Gillian and her band of sort-of-friends discover the ruins of a hidden city (yep, named Omega City), and spend an afternoon trying to uncover its secrets while at the same time being chased by an "evil" organisation also trying to steal those secrets. You know, your typical secret technology sort of plot.
The characters were pretty fantastic- especially the way the sibling relationship of Gillian and Eric was developed. Howard, Gillian's space-loving classmate, was rather quirky, and Nate (Howard's brother) was much appreciated in that he seemed like the only completely sane one there. The only character I didn't really like was Savannah, mostly because of this one irritating thing that she did, which was to hide her intelligence just because there was a hot guy in the vicinity (seriously, why do people do this....)
I feel like I enjoyed the book overall, but there was the general feeling of it being a little too young for me. There are some middle grade books that everyone can enjoy, and there are some that are probably more suited for younger readers, and I think Omega City falls in the latter group.
Ratings
Overall: 6/10
Plot: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Cover: 4/5
July 16, 2015
2.5 stars. This book fell just a little flat for me, unfortunately. I wondered if I was just too old to enjoy it, but no, I enjoy many middle grade and even children's books, so I think this story was just missing a little OOMPH.
It was almost as if Peterfreund was trying to make it too safe and that made it less enjoyable. I imagine it's really difficult to find the right balance between being too stressful or too lackadaisical, but I found that the presence of an older person (Nate) prevented Gillian from having to take charge which prevented her from growing during the story. Or anyone from growing, for that matter. They just sort of maneuvered around the city, finding this, finding that, trying to find a way out.
The stakes just needed to be a little higher, I think.
Omega City would make a great adventure movie, though. Someone should make it. :)
It was almost as if Peterfreund was trying to make it too safe and that made it less enjoyable. I imagine it's really difficult to find the right balance between being too stressful or too lackadaisical, but I found that the presence of an older person (Nate) prevented Gillian from having to take charge which prevented her from growing during the story. Or anyone from growing, for that matter. They just sort of maneuvered around the city, finding this, finding that, trying to find a way out.
The stakes just needed to be a little higher, I think.
Omega City would make a great adventure movie, though. Someone should make it. :)
May 18, 2017
I needed to change it up a bit and find some more YA to read and i'm a fan of Diana Peterfruend so i figured no harm in reading this series. So what we have is the intro to a story that takes us on a journey of a family that's been broken apart because their father is an author of a book that tried to debunk mysteries behind a scientists work and his notes were destroyed so he can't prove the facts. Because of this, their mom left, the kids have had a rough life moving away from what they know and the father can't seem to get a credible following for anything so he's kind of in a bind for work and any forward progress in life.
It's not until the dad gets this new girlfriend who seems to rub the kids Eric and Gillian the wrong way that the story gets good. There are so many questions around the scientists Dr Underberg's whereabouts and some inventions of his because they would have been world changing and because of that, there's so much scrutiny around anything that involves him. When the girlfriend Fiona starts asking questions about the dad's research (along with the fact that she's young and pretty), Gills starts to wonder what her motives are.
That takes us to a missing page in a journal which gives us a treasure map and then a quest to find the missing invention (a battery that will last over 100 years). This leads us to OMEGA CITY.
From there we have a series of events that happen while the kids not only find themselves being hunted by Fiona a 2 guys, but we find Eric, Gills and their friends Nate, Savvy ,and Howard in this underground city that's booby-trapped, and falling apart and without ease of getting out.
There's so much interesting thinking in this book. We have a doomsday thought process here for preparation on how to survive a nuclear war. We see a scientist who was so forward thinking that his inventions could revolutionize the world, and honestly i wouldn't be upset if some of that stuff came to fruition in life since i have a feeling that we'll need it at some point or another.
I can't wait to see what's next though in the sequel since there has to be more - i mean, we know what happened to Dr Underberg but we don't what's happened to his inventions and we don't know what else there is for the father to uncover. there has to be more right?
It's not until the dad gets this new girlfriend who seems to rub the kids Eric and Gillian the wrong way that the story gets good. There are so many questions around the scientists Dr Underberg's whereabouts and some inventions of his because they would have been world changing and because of that, there's so much scrutiny around anything that involves him. When the girlfriend Fiona starts asking questions about the dad's research (along with the fact that she's young and pretty), Gills starts to wonder what her motives are.
That takes us to a missing page in a journal which gives us a treasure map and then a quest to find the missing invention (a battery that will last over 100 years). This leads us to OMEGA CITY.
From there we have a series of events that happen while the kids not only find themselves being hunted by Fiona a 2 guys, but we find Eric, Gills and their friends Nate, Savvy ,and Howard in this underground city that's booby-trapped, and falling apart and without ease of getting out.
There's so much interesting thinking in this book. We have a doomsday thought process here for preparation on how to survive a nuclear war. We see a scientist who was so forward thinking that his inventions could revolutionize the world, and honestly i wouldn't be upset if some of that stuff came to fruition in life since i have a feeling that we'll need it at some point or another.
I can't wait to see what's next though in the sequel since there has to be more - i mean, we know what happened to Dr Underberg but we don't what's happened to his inventions and we don't know what else there is for the father to uncover. there has to be more right?
December 28, 2017
I really really enjoyed this book. A little bit of a slow buildup, but once they got to Omega City (30% into it) it really picked up and was enjoyable. I liked the characters, they weren't perfect but they were good characters over all, I really really liked the City, it was quite unique and I enjoyed their exploration of it. Definitely will read more.
March 26, 2020
When Dr. Aloysius Underberg may have Gillian's, father fired and force them to move. Gillian finds something on her father's desk that may help her father. Gillian, her brother Eric and her two friends go on a crazy adventure to help Gillian's father and they will stop at nothing to bring Dr. Aloysius Underberg down. Read Omega city to find out what happens.
April 27, 2015
Continuing the trend of this years fine-but-not-amazing middle grade, Omega City is a pretty okay story. The mystery has lots of twists and turns but I did see a lot of them coming, some things were fairly fun (rocket; scuba diving up a lift chute) but I wasn't that interested, the characters are fine even if they don't stand out, but they do have a genuine motive for what they do, even if it's just wanting to get out of the city, or Gillian wanting to clear her dad's name. I liked that it wasn't just empty actions, or for the sake of fun, kids being kids. That was pretty good.
What really impressed me was the world of Omega City, the underground war bunker CITY. Now, that was just cool. I liked that it wasn't pristine, that it was in ruins, and that it still housed a perfectly functional rocket. I thought the snippets of history woven in fit the story perfectly and give the city - and Underberg - meaning.
But other than that? I was fairly bored, reading for the sake of finishing a novel. The sci-fi wasn't sci-fi enough for me, and the mystery wasn't all that mysterious. All in all, a decent story with a good concept but nothing to write home about in my opinion.
((i give it 3 stars but it's nearer 2.5 really))
What really impressed me was the world of Omega City, the underground war bunker CITY. Now, that was just cool. I liked that it wasn't pristine, that it was in ruins, and that it still housed a perfectly functional rocket. I thought the snippets of history woven in fit the story perfectly and give the city - and Underberg - meaning.
But other than that? I was fairly bored, reading for the sake of finishing a novel. The sci-fi wasn't sci-fi enough for me, and the mystery wasn't all that mysterious. All in all, a decent story with a good concept but nothing to write home about in my opinion.
((i give it 3 stars but it's nearer 2.5 really))
March 6, 2018
Omega City
Some secrets are small -- the size of a battery, or a button, or a scrap of paper. Other secrets are so big they can bury a man alive, or tear apart a family ... or even destroy the world. Omega City was both.
Gillian's dad is a historian who specializes in Cold War conspiracies and wrote a book about Aloysius Underberg, a brilliant Cold War engineer. But Dr. Underberg is missing and Gillian's dad has been discredited. When Gillian is faced with an opportunity to solve Underberg's greatest mystery and prove her dad right, she can't resist. She enlists the help of her brother Eric, best friend Savannah, a NASA obsessed boy from school (Howard), and Howard's brother Nate. Others are searching for Underberg's secrets too, and they will stop at nothing to get them first.
This is an adventurous mystery with a strong female protagonist. Gillian's team faces life-threatening situations, including nerve gas in an elevator, goons with guns, and scuba diving in unknown waters. I think middle-grade readers will enjoy this thrilling adventure. (for fans of Luck Uglies or City of Ember). Grades 5-8
I am using this book to play a guess for Red Game victim: Lydia Bennet
Some secrets are small -- the size of a battery, or a button, or a scrap of paper. Other secrets are so big they can bury a man alive, or tear apart a family ... or even destroy the world. Omega City was both.
Gillian's dad is a historian who specializes in Cold War conspiracies and wrote a book about Aloysius Underberg, a brilliant Cold War engineer. But Dr. Underberg is missing and Gillian's dad has been discredited. When Gillian is faced with an opportunity to solve Underberg's greatest mystery and prove her dad right, she can't resist. She enlists the help of her brother Eric, best friend Savannah, a NASA obsessed boy from school (Howard), and Howard's brother Nate. Others are searching for Underberg's secrets too, and they will stop at nothing to get them first.
This is an adventurous mystery with a strong female protagonist. Gillian's team faces life-threatening situations, including nerve gas in an elevator, goons with guns, and scuba diving in unknown waters. I think middle-grade readers will enjoy this thrilling adventure. (for fans of Luck Uglies or City of Ember). Grades 5-8
I am using this book to play a guess for Red Game victim: Lydia Bennet
April 8, 2016
An impulse pickup from the library because one of the librarians put it on the "Featured Kids Books" shelf. My older two kids both read it and liked it, and I kept putting it off (and renewing it) for almost three months. It has to go back by next week at the latest so I finally decided to try it. I should have read it sooner! My kids were right: this is very good. Thanks to the librarian who featured it! Also, I'm sorry I've kept it out of circulation for three months.
It's been described as "Goonies meets X Files for kids", which is pretty accurate. The main character is a girl whose father is a conspiracy theorist, and although I was a little sad the father was left out of the adventure, the plotting and characterization is quite good. The bad guys have reasonable motivations and tactics, the good guys make mistakes, and it's definitely not predictable. Bonus points for a character named "Aloysius", which is what my father still threatens he almost named me :).
It's been described as "Goonies meets X Files for kids", which is pretty accurate. The main character is a girl whose father is a conspiracy theorist, and although I was a little sad the father was left out of the adventure, the plotting and characterization is quite good. The bad guys have reasonable motivations and tactics, the good guys make mistakes, and it's definitely not predictable. Bonus points for a character named "Aloysius", which is what my father still threatens he almost named me :).
January 26, 2015
Diana Peterfreund can do middle-grade!
(But please write more older books too.)
When 12-year old Gillian and her friends embark on a search for the "hundred-year battery," their motive is just to clear their dad's reputation, but what they find is more than they could ever have imagined. Many gems are tucked into this wonderful adventure novel: Cold War conspiracy theories, and lost treasures, and more. It's full of puzzles and riddles like those in The Mysterious Benedict Society, as well as exciting perils like in City of Ember. As crazy a ride as that all sounds though, there’s plenty of genuine humor weaved throughout, and even a few touching moments. I felt like I made some new friends in Omega City, and I think you will too.
(But please write more older books too.)
When 12-year old Gillian and her friends embark on a search for the "hundred-year battery," their motive is just to clear their dad's reputation, but what they find is more than they could ever have imagined. Many gems are tucked into this wonderful adventure novel: Cold War conspiracy theories, and lost treasures, and more. It's full of puzzles and riddles like those in The Mysterious Benedict Society, as well as exciting perils like in City of Ember. As crazy a ride as that all sounds though, there’s plenty of genuine humor weaved throughout, and even a few touching moments. I felt like I made some new friends in Omega City, and I think you will too.
April 18, 2015
4.5 stars on my blog. The beginning of the story was quirky and interesting, and draws you in, but then between 11% and 32% the set up for the adventure is too long and repetitive and gets boring. This is why I have subtracted .5 stars from my blog rating. I am a little concerned that some MG readers might stop reading during this section and miss out on the rest of the book. However, once the actual adventure starts, it is action packed and induces nail-bitting! My son would have been thrilled by this book when he was MG reader age. Kids who love the sciences will especially adore this novel! I was approved for an eARC through Edelweiss in return for an honest review. I will be reviewing this book on my blog, and will add the link here after it is posted.
November 19, 2015
Meh? Not really. I loved the historical fiction aspect especially in a middle grade story talking about the Cold War. The relationship with Gillian and Eric was very sweet. I hated Savannah and how she pretended to be "dumb." I guess the point was to show people how intelligent you really are and you don't pretend to be anyone else. Although, these days kids try to appear superior than others, so again not sure how that concept fits in. Overall, another adventurous historical fiction story. Is it kind of strange that I expected there to be fantasy element?
May 2, 2015
A different kind of book for Peterfreund. I wouldn't have guessed it was by her!
I thought the first part of this was a LOT of fun, but I'm not a huge fan of the action part of action-adventure books, so the second half dragged for me. It just seemed to go on and on.
I liked the characters, though. I'll read the next one, I think.
I thought the first part of this was a LOT of fun, but I'm not a huge fan of the action part of action-adventure books, so the second half dragged for me. It just seemed to go on and on.
I liked the characters, though. I'll read the next one, I think.
April 4, 2017
I thought this book was absolutely amazing! It did start out a little bit slow, but once it picked up pace, I couldn't put it down! I have read it several times now, but last night I read the whole thing. Took me until about 1 AM, which probably wasn't the best idea with the Spanish test in the morning...
WARNING: SPOILERS.
This book is about a group of five kids who were searching for a lost invention of the Cold War era scientist Dr. Underberg. However, they find something much bigger than they imagined - a whole underground apocalypse shelter the size of a town! However, there is a group of people who are trying to steal Dr. Underberg's inventions and use them only for profit. They keep trying to kill the kids. Eventually, through a long and moderately complex plotline involving giant fans, scuba diving, blind worms, and almost dying 87 times, the kids find Dr. Underberg, who was thought to have died long ago, and - my favorite part - a spaceship he built.
In order to escape the people who want to kill him, he, well, he goes into space. Rocketship = Chekhov's gun. The kids barely escape the complex before the rocket takes off. Unfortunately, the group of people that tried to kill the kids gained control of the complex. But the kids managed to escape with a few of Dr. Underberg's inventions.
BTW there is a sequel to this book, with a third book currently being written.
WARNING: SPOILERS.
This book is about a group of five kids who were searching for a lost invention of the Cold War era scientist Dr. Underberg. However, they find something much bigger than they imagined - a whole underground apocalypse shelter the size of a town! However, there is a group of people who are trying to steal Dr. Underberg's inventions and use them only for profit. They keep trying to kill the kids. Eventually, through a long and moderately complex plotline involving giant fans, scuba diving, blind worms, and almost dying 87 times, the kids find Dr. Underberg, who was thought to have died long ago, and - my favorite part - a spaceship he built.
In order to escape the people who want to kill him, he, well, he goes into space. Rocketship = Chekhov's gun. The kids barely escape the complex before the rocket takes off. Unfortunately, the group of people that tried to kill the kids gained control of the complex. But the kids managed to escape with a few of Dr. Underberg's inventions.
BTW there is a sequel to this book, with a third book currently being written.
May 25, 2018
great middle grader book about siblings and friends going on an adventure to discover a lost city. mystery and action and derring bits of bravery along with nice reminders about the importance of friendship and family. one character presents on the spectrum and it's great to see how the author preaches inclusion and for others to learn to communicate.
January 13, 2019
So good! I loved the story and the characters, the plot, the idea. And the point towards the end leading into the second book was soo hooking. I can't wait for my library to get the sequel in. It was fast paced, intense, mystery, survival and of course villains added to the stress level. XD personally I enjoyed it a lot.
April 20, 2017
So much fun!
December 29, 2017
A reasonably fun, but ultimately slight adventure story.
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