Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

by Sean Williams

A book review by Ryan Chapman

 

The book of the award-winning videogame by Lucas Arts is a actually a more tense, futuristic expereince than playing the game itself. The story takes place before the adventures of Luke Skywalker and after the events of Anakin Skywalker and his transformation into the evil Darth Vader.

 

The hero is clone of the original hero Starkiller, who was murdered by Darth Sidious during an attempt to free his captured allies (which he did). So, Darth Vader, in secret, decided to clone Starkiller and kept him a hostage, training him in the use of the Dark Side.

 

The way the book is written makes you feel like you're at the edge of your seat. Every moment there's an adventure round the corner. The setting at the beginning is dark and rainy, on a lonely base floating on a stormy ocean. That is where Starkiller's clone is held.

 

The author, Sean Williams, has made the main character, Starkiller, a lonely man, always off in his own mind, learing about with every step he takes.

 

The book is aimed at young adults and teens aged 13 + (I guess).

 

 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

By a student in Y8!

I chose this book because it is a deeply disturbing story about a monstrous creation. It is an excellent horror novel that has terrified and chilled readers since its first publication in 1818. It can still terrify readers today because it portrays how cruel, selfish and inconsiderate man can be.

The preface alone captures your imagination: 'The event on which this fiction is founded has been supposed, by Dr. Darwin and some of the physiological writers of Germany, as not of impossible occurence.'

I will not ruin any more surprises. You have to read it to believe how great it is. It is a truly good piece of writing that still captures our imagination will even capture the imagination of generations to come.

     The narrator of this tender and funny book is eleven-year-old Harrison Opoku, the second best runner in Year 7.  A recent immigrant from the African country of Ghana, along with his mother and his older sister Lydia, Harrison has a unique perspective on his life in a London council estate, dealing with gangs, knives, unfashionable training shoes and a talking pigeon. But his life is changed forever when one of his friends is murdered. Harrison decides to act, turning council-estate detective, but he ends up endangering the protection for himself and his family his mother has worked so hard to create.This is a great novel and could be read by adults or students. Some of the themes are quite tough and hard-hitting, so probably not recommended for very young readers!