About the Book
Title: Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble (Book #1) Author: D. Robert Pease Publication Date: July 22, 2013 Publisher: Evolved Publishing (2nd Edition) Number of pages: 214 Recommended age: 9+
Summary: Noah lives for piloting spaceships through time, dodging killer robots and saving Earth’s animals from extinction. Life couldn’t be better. But the twelve-year-old time traveler learns it could be a whole lot worse. His mom is kidnapped and taken to Mars; his dad is stranded in the Ice Age; and Noah is attacked at every turn by a foe bent on destroying Earth… for the second time.
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Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble by D. Robert Pease
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have to admit that when I first began this book (2 days ago!), I was somewhat dreading it. I don’t honestly know why except that I am not a science fiction enthusiast, and I had hoped that my daughter would be able to read this book in my place. She is the science fiction aficionado, but when I saw the length of the book, I knew it was beyond her years. So I began the book with the intention of just reading it and not fully enjoying it.
I was not instantly smitten with Noah. In fact, he is still not my favorite character, but I have come to respect him and understand him to a degree. Adina was definitely my favorite character. But I am getting ahead of myself. It was an intriguing idea to have a paraplegic boy over a thousand years in the future traveling through time. I am not a fan of time traveling books either (and why did I agree to review the book?), but the book was extremely readable–a very fast read as a matter of fact.
By about page 60, I suddenly realized the “name play” in the book. The family in the book are rescuing animals, and the name of the father and son is Noah Zarc. Say it out loud, and it sounds like Noah’s Ark. I was kind of intrigued by this point. At least it was clear that the author knew something about Bible stories. Maybe the book wasn’t going to be so bad after all.
The moment of truth came today as I got about halfway and the story of Noah’s Ark was retold by one of the characters in an imaginative way that brought a new way of looking at this old story. I began to entertain the idea that maybe this author knew more than the stories of the Bible. Perhaps he knew the author of these stories. I did not want to jump to conclusions. And then I realized that there was no profanity or sex in the book–quite a change for a young adult novel. And the message was even one with moral value. And you know what? I was right!
Dr. Pease has written a fun, easy-to-read young adult novel that will appeal to more than just young adults. In many ways, this story is quite reminiscent of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. His book never comes across as “preachy” or “in your face” when it comes to Biblical principles–which I greatly enjoy. It is so nice to read a clean kid’s book!
I always find it amazing that often the books I dread the most are the books I truly come to enjoy and appreciate, and this is no exception. The story is well-written, and I only found myself getting lost in all the “time travel talk” at the end of the novel. I would love to read the next book in the series, and I can hardly wait for my daughter to get old enough to read and enjoy this series as well!
The Buzz About the Noah Zarc Books
Book 1: “Pease’s strength as a storyteller lies in his ability to connect multiple time periods imaginatively, as well as Noah’s excited, fast-paced narration.” ~ Publishers Weekly
Book 1: “If I had read this book at age 10, I think it would have made me love SF just as much as reading Asimov did. If you like the non-stop action and humor of Rick Riordan’s Olympians books, I think you’ll also like Noah Zarc.” ~ Sher A. Hart, book blogger and author
Book 2: “This is another great mind-bender. The wild time jump details are fabulously thought out and cause some unexpected results.” ~ Michelle Isenhoff, Children’s Author
Book 2: “A well-written, adventurous read for young readers and even adults, Noah Zarc blasts through space and into your imagination.” ~ TKristufek, Amazon Reviewer
Book 3: “I was completely captured by the characters, the action and the issues and questions: set in fantasy but integrating concepts and engaging readers with a fun tale that teaches as it entertains.” ~ Gaele, Amazon Reviewer
About the Author: D. Robert Pease
D. Robert Pease has been interested in creating worlds since childhood. From building in the sandbox behind his house, to drawing fantastical worlds with paper and pencil, there has hardly been a time he hasn’t been off on some adventure in his mind, to the dismay of parents and teachers alike. Also, since the moment he could read, books have consumed vast swaths of his life. From The Mouse and the Motorcycle, to The Lord of the Rings, worlds just beyond reality have called to him like Homer’s Sirens. It’s not surprising then he chose to write stories of his own. Each filled with worlds just beyond reach, but close enough we can all catch a glimpse of ourselves in the characters he brings to life.
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Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble Blog Tour Schedule (2014)
May 13
Mother Daughter Book Reviews (Launch & Review)
Desperate Homeschoolers (Review)
May 14
Sunshine, Bubbles & Books (Review)
May 15
My Devotional Thoughts (Review)
Palace of Twelve Pillars (Review)
May 16
Kay LaLone, I Love Books (Review)
May 17
Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock (Review)
Book Reviews & Giveaways (Review)
May 18
Stitch Says (Review)
May 19
Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys (Review)
May 20
The World of ContestPatti (Review)
May 21
Not Your Ordinary Psychic Mom (Review)
May 22
S. W. Lothian | Author (Review)
Purple Monster Coupons (Review)
May 23
May 24
We Are The DinoFamily (Review)
May 25
Musing With Crayolakim (Review)
May 26
Heart of a Philanthropist (Review)
Nanna Three and Counting (Review)
Oh My Bookness (Review)
* $25 Blog Tour Giveaway *
Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest ends: June 11, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, D. Robert Pease and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
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2 Comments
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Omigosh Ruth – you totally crack me up! You must have flown through the book. Well,I really appreciate your honesty in your review. I’m glad you enjoyed it in the end and that you could recommend it to other readers. I agree with you 100% that Adina was the most intriguing character. I don’t know why, but I just loved her too! I think your daughter will really enjoy this book if she is into sci fi. Thanks so much for taking part in the Noah Zarc Blog Tour! I don’t even want to tell you how many nights it took ME to read it!! lol
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