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mlboyd20's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, I'm a bit iffy on this one. I picked it up from the library earlier this one, because I had some down time coming up. I even started another book and put it down because this one just kept calling to me. Unfortunately, even though parts grabbed me, there was a whole lot of the book that just didn't.
The book starts off just fine. You are introduced to your characters, you get a feel for them. There is mystery, than BAM, quarantine. From there it feels like the author was just kind of tossing this and that into the story, a lot that could have been left out and instead of veering around, gotten straight into it. I haven't read anything else from him, so I don't know if this is his writing style or not.
The story itself is interesting, I really liked the idea the author had and parts of the follow-thru with it. But so much is touched on than just let go. The parents...I know there is more to them, but what?
I look forward to the second book in the SYLO series, because the author has grabbed my interest, especially in the last chapter of this book and I want to know more. I feel that some cutting down on this book would have really made it shine.
I recommend this book to anyone 12+. It's a great mystery with a hint of dystopia and more of that to come in the next installment.
The book starts off just fine. You are introduced to your characters, you get a feel for them. There is mystery, than BAM, quarantine. From there it feels like the author was just kind of tossing this and that into the story, a lot that could have been left out and instead of veering around, gotten straight into it. I haven't read anything else from him, so I don't know if this is his writing style or not.
The story itself is interesting, I really liked the idea the author had and parts of the follow-thru with it. But so much is touched on than just let go. The parents...I know there is more to them, but what?
I look forward to the second book in the SYLO series, because the author has grabbed my interest, especially in the last chapter of this book and I want to know more. I feel that some cutting down on this book would have really made it shine.
I recommend this book to anyone 12+. It's a great mystery with a hint of dystopia and more of that to come in the next installment.
angiems's review against another edition
4.0
At the beginning of the book I absolutely dreaded reading it I almost gave up on it, if it weren't for the fact that it was a Truman I may have quit reading it. I was around page 120-150 when it actually started to pick up speed and I fell in love with it. It is a huge mystery and as it all unravels and falls into place it blows up in your face.
kimal25's review against another edition
5.0
This was the first book I have read from D.J. MacHale since I was a preteen, when I started his Pendragon series (I never finished that series). I really liked this book a lot, it kept me entertained throughout a day of travel and then some. I especially liked the set-up to the next book, that I will be getting out of the library within a few weeks.
suzannedix's review against another edition
4.0
I can certainly see why the middle school boys love this one - lots of action, constant plot twists and a likable main character. For me the book was overly long but many of my students told me they could not put it down.
Amazing that after 400 pages I still can't give this one a definitive genre. For sure it is a mystery but is it going to be more sci-fi or adventure???? Recommended for grades 6 & up. Minute amounts of bad language and some violence.
Students who enjoyed SYLO may also like The Maze Runner, Virals and Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment.
Amazing that after 400 pages I still can't give this one a definitive genre. For sure it is a mystery but is it going to be more sci-fi or adventure???? Recommended for grades 6 & up. Minute amounts of bad language and some violence.
Students who enjoyed SYLO may also like The Maze Runner, Virals and Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment.
siobhan27's review against another edition
3.0
Do you remember the show Are You Afraid of the Dark? Well the you know D.J MacHale. He was a writer for that show and since I was a huge fans growing up I knew I had to pick up his latest book. Sylo follows fourteen-year-old Tucker who is living on Pemberwick Island. Everything seems fine until one night Tucker and his best friend Quinn witness something that changes their lives forever.
I liked this book for many reasons, but the main reason was Tucker himself. I loved that he was naive to everything that was going on around him, and we found out everything right along with him. He was funny and sarcastic, which is a win-win for me and he felt like a real kid. Another aspect that I really enjoyed was the element of the unknown that appears throughout the book. Tuckers home has been quarantined by SYLO, a military based unit who arrive unexpectedly and set up camp--not letting anyone leave. There are a lot of secrets in this novel, and not all of them are resolved at the end, and I think it will be interesting to see where this series goes in the future.
There were a few things that left me feeling disappointed and one of those things was the secondary characters. Although they had a purpose (sometimes), I felt like they lacked something. I couldn't connect with them on any level, which made it very hard to care when something happened to them. I also found the inclusion of a mysterious drug a little forced at times, and I really didn't understand its overall purpose in the story. And then there was the reveal at the end. Although I was surprised and I did not see it coming, I wasn't convinced that it was believable. But I am very interested in seeing where this series goes in the future and I will definitely pick up the next book solely to read Tuckers voice because it was so fantastic!
I liked this book for many reasons, but the main reason was Tucker himself. I loved that he was naive to everything that was going on around him, and we found out everything right along with him. He was funny and sarcastic, which is a win-win for me and he felt like a real kid. Another aspect that I really enjoyed was the element of the unknown that appears throughout the book. Tuckers home has been quarantined by SYLO, a military based unit who arrive unexpectedly and set up camp--not letting anyone leave. There are a lot of secrets in this novel, and not all of them are resolved at the end, and I think it will be interesting to see where this series goes in the future.
There were a few things that left me feeling disappointed and one of those things was the secondary characters. Although they had a purpose (sometimes), I felt like they lacked something. I couldn't connect with them on any level, which made it very hard to care when something happened to them. I also found the inclusion of a mysterious drug a little forced at times, and I really didn't understand its overall purpose in the story. And then there was the reveal at the end. Although I was surprised and I did not see it coming, I wasn't convinced that it was believable. But I am very interested in seeing where this series goes in the future and I will definitely pick up the next book solely to read Tuckers voice because it was so fantastic!
jenbsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars. As I read (listened ... audiobook), this really came across as YA (which it is, I love a lot of YA, but this felt young) but I figured I'd give it a go, to see if it might be something I'd recommend to my boys. Ehh. It started off grabbing your interest, but then became so convoluted with so many unanswered questions (yes, I realize it's the first in a series ... but I'm not compelled to continue even to have my questions answered). I don't plan on reading the sequels.
freybrarian's review against another edition
2.0
Possible read-alikes: Michael Vey series, Lorien Legacies series, Gone series
buj's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed MacHale's easily digestible writing style and refreshing setting, but his characters and plot were basically like any other dystopian-esque, sci-fi YA I've read, so I was a bit bored. Not particularly interested in finishing the series.
erinreadsitall's review against another edition
4.0
This book took me a while to get into. It also was a bit difficult to read. But other than that i enjoyed the story. It stopped and made me think about what would happen if i were in this story