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heather4994's review
5.0
This is the second book in the Noah Zarc series by Robert Pease and it was just as thrilling and full of close calls, time jumping and catastrophes and revelations as the first novel in the series Noah Zarc Mammoth Trouble. Noah is a time hopping space cruiser driving phenom who gets himself roped into helping his father Haon (Noah spelled backwards) visit Earth before whatever catastrophic event happened that made it uninhabitable for thousands of years. Something that destroyed everything that lived and breathed, from human to animal to plant. It's called the Cataclysm, but what caused it is never spoken about nor is it written in any of the history books or even the holopads. Noah has to find out the truth. But sometimes the truth is worse than not knowing. And he is right in the middle of it all.
Haon does seem to have some good sides to him. He wants to save the Venusians, the people that live on Venus in squalor crowded on top of each other in filthy streets with no shelter or jobs or food. But the Poligarchy, the ruling government, refuses to do anything. They won't even see them or take notice of them. So Noah, seeing these people begins to understand Haon being incensed at all the millions being poured into the ARC that his family lives on preserving and rescuing animals from extinction while the Venusians are dying daily. Noah begins to see Haon in a different light. Growing up isn't as black and white as his parents have taught him. Haon isn't the enemy he was brought up to believe he was. And Noah has to wade through the gray area and try to figure out Haon's motives and what is right and wrong.
And when bad is bad and sometimes when it's good.
I read this book so quickly, it's just that kind of book. I did have a little trouble remembering the start of the book. I had to go back and read what happened in the last few chapters of Mammoth Trouble to remember why Noah was where he was. But by chapter two I was settled in and the adventure pretty much begins right there. There are never slow spots in Cataclysm. There is a lot of flying space craft and Noah gets a kick out of dodging missiles and time jumping (just not 20 times in a row) but none of that jargon slows you down. It enhances the feeling that you're sitting in the spacecraft with him. It's a fun ride but as soon as it starts it's over and you're blasting through Earth's atmosphere to a deserted planet.
The only thing that hampers Noah at all is that he doesn't have the use of his legs. But he does have a very cool chair called a magchair that is connected to neuro transplants in his brain that he can communicate with it so it comes at his beckoning. He still has to rely on the chair, but I'm hoping with all the other simulated everything in this new world that Noah will get legs in the next book, only because he wants to feel what it's like to run. And he did get in to a bit of a situation when he had to leave his chair behind.
All I can say is I loved this one even more than Mammoth Trouble. It had action, a bit of butterflies in the stomach romance, and all the excitement you could ask for. I think this a great book for reluctant readers. There is no way they couldn't find this book engaging with all the action going on. Unless they don't like space. But it has more than that. It has moral questions. Family relationship issues. And personal dilemmas. Even what does it mean to be alive?
My only complaint and I think cover lovers will agree, the cover has got to go. That boy on the cover is not 13. The original cover was awesome and I have no idea why the covers were changed but the child on the cover still has his baby face and I can't stand it. I hate reading about his feelings about a girl and seeing that face. So PLEASE, don't look at the cover. The meat and potatoes is there, I promise. It is a book you don't want to miss. Just ignore the cover. It doesn't match the story inside! I PROMISE!
Haon does seem to have some good sides to him. He wants to save the Venusians, the people that live on Venus in squalor crowded on top of each other in filthy streets with no shelter or jobs or food. But the Poligarchy, the ruling government, refuses to do anything. They won't even see them or take notice of them. So Noah, seeing these people begins to understand Haon being incensed at all the millions being poured into the ARC that his family lives on preserving and rescuing animals from extinction while the Venusians are dying daily. Noah begins to see Haon in a different light. Growing up isn't as black and white as his parents have taught him. Haon isn't the enemy he was brought up to believe he was. And Noah has to wade through the gray area and try to figure out Haon's motives and what is right and wrong.
And when bad is bad and sometimes when it's good.
I read this book so quickly, it's just that kind of book. I did have a little trouble remembering the start of the book. I had to go back and read what happened in the last few chapters of Mammoth Trouble to remember why Noah was where he was. But by chapter two I was settled in and the adventure pretty much begins right there. There are never slow spots in Cataclysm. There is a lot of flying space craft and Noah gets a kick out of dodging missiles and time jumping (just not 20 times in a row) but none of that jargon slows you down. It enhances the feeling that you're sitting in the spacecraft with him. It's a fun ride but as soon as it starts it's over and you're blasting through Earth's atmosphere to a deserted planet.
The only thing that hampers Noah at all is that he doesn't have the use of his legs. But he does have a very cool chair called a magchair that is connected to neuro transplants in his brain that he can communicate with it so it comes at his beckoning. He still has to rely on the chair, but I'm hoping with all the other simulated everything in this new world that Noah will get legs in the next book, only because he wants to feel what it's like to run. And he did get in to a bit of a situation when he had to leave his chair behind.
All I can say is I loved this one even more than Mammoth Trouble. It had action, a bit of butterflies in the stomach romance, and all the excitement you could ask for. I think this a great book for reluctant readers. There is no way they couldn't find this book engaging with all the action going on. Unless they don't like space. But it has more than that. It has moral questions. Family relationship issues. And personal dilemmas. Even what does it mean to be alive?
My only complaint and I think cover lovers will agree, the cover has got to go. That boy on the cover is not 13. The original cover was awesome and I have no idea why the covers were changed but the child on the cover still has his baby face and I can't stand it. I hate reading about his feelings about a girl and seeing that face. So PLEASE, don't look at the cover. The meat and potatoes is there, I promise. It is a book you don't want to miss. Just ignore the cover. It doesn't match the story inside! I PROMISE!
aaahndrea's review
4.0
I was lucky enough to read the sequel to Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble, and it was once again surprisingly good! I really enjoyed the easy flow of the book and the writing. It had been away since I read the first book, but Pease refreshed my mind several times throughout the book which I liked. It was nice seeing the development of Noah and seeing him grow up. I’ve never really read any sci-fi and this is as close to it as I can get, nothing to complicated or overly scientific. I found myself enjoying this sequel more than the first which is really good cause sometimes the sequel of a book doesn’t live up to the first but this one definitely did. I also grew to like Haon and feel some sympathy for the guy and the ending was quite sad. Overall very good book, and definitely recommend it to the young readers!
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