Skip to main content

Falling BAKward


Falling BAKward is another of YA sci-fi author Henry Melton's novels.

Jerry isn't the most social, athletic guy at his high school. But he has recently begun an interest in archaeology and exploring. That why when he notices an oddly perfect round patch of darker soil in his father's farming fields in a satellite image, he's curious. Soon enough he is digging - but what he finds isn't what he expects. Instead of Indian artifacts, he finds bones. But the bones... they aren't human. And they aren't from any animal he recognizes either.

This discovery is one Jerry quickly becomes obsessed with. But his obsession may put him in danger as he digs deeper and deeper - unearthing, perhaps, even answers to family mysteries that have been lingering for years, such as why his father's right hand is fingerless, why his uncle and dad rarely speak, and why the local Sheriff is always seeming to spy on him and his family.

But Jerry's going to find a whole lot more than that. Trust me.

Right off the bat, small-town intrigues and family secrets seem to be simmering below the surface of Falling BAKward. And Henry Melton spotlights this story around yet another underrepresented group in YA literature - the farming community. With a sci-fi spin, of course.

Though Falling BAKward starts a little slow, I was intrigued enough by the hinted mysteries to be patient. Not to mention I have read enough Henry Melton books to know that patience is usually rewarded. And it was.

I am truly astonished by the intricacy of Melton's writing - intricacy that could be taken as tedious to some or fascinating to others. I tend to be far closer to the fascinated end of the spectrum. I think most science fiction fans would be.

Falling BAKward has an interesting mix of survival and exploration in its plot and smart characters that make understandable decisions. Though it might not be as big of a blockbuster to me personally as some of Melton's other books, it is expertly plotted and intelligently written.

But as the novel began to reach its Jurassic Park-level tension in the climax, my questioning of it being a blockbuster was silenced. With its shades of the black-and-white, classic television series The Outer Limits and shock of unexpectedly heartrending moments, all of that focused detail lead to a surprisingly satisfying read!

Falling BAKward became quite exhilarating as I got farther and farther into it - another winner for sure! I believe you will find Henry Melton's ability to create aliens that are terrifying, violent threats and aliens that are utterly adorable to be as amazing as I did. Find out for yourself, bookworm!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

First Step: Admit You Have a Problem

Hi fellow Bibliophiles! I have been rather neglectful to this blog... instead continuing to stay buried in a book as I have during the holidays. I'm hopeful that most of you have been doing this too and can easily accept my apology. Have I been reading? Um, yeah! (Translation: duh.) Just haven't been able to pull myself away long enough to actually WRITE about what I'm reading. Lol. But that's me, a bibliophile, an addict, an addict who's fallen off the wagon and fully embraced her love of reading - especially with all this free time to do so!!! I've also been watching awesome holiday movies, eating yummy, but bad-for-me, food and hanging out with the people I love best! You too? I hope! ;) Anyway, I will return with a new book review next week, most likely on Monday or Tuesday. Thanks for your patience and keep reading!!!

Promotion Celebration for Maximum Ride!!!

Do you love the series Maximum Ride ? How about James Patterson? Are you a huge fan of action-packed books? Well, I’m thrilled to bring to you an opportunity to stock up on some awesome reading!!! ENTER TO WIN A SET OF JAMES PATTERSON PAGETURNERS! MAXIMUM RIDE – IF SHE LIVES, THE WORLD LIVES, IT’S THAT SIMPLE. Read “MAX” - the newest book in the bestselling Maximum Ride series. On sale in paperback 09/01/09! Still reeling from their most recent adventure, Maximum Ride and the rest of the flock must head out to sea to uncover the secret behind a brand new series of disasters—fish are dying off the coast of Hawaii, hundreds of ships are being destroyed. As if that weren’t enough, they’re also being tracked by a criminal mastermind with, oh yeah, an army of mercenaries. Can the flock save themselves and the ocean, and the world, from utter destruction? Now for the rules : The Maximum Ride: Max Promotion is open to legal US residents who are at least 13 years of age as of August 24, 200

Author Q & A - Jan Eldredge Stops By!

Next Wednesday y'all will be getting my oh-so-humble opinion of Evangeline of the Bayou , the Summer 2018 Kids' Indie Next List selection! (That means it was picked via booksellers at independent bookstores countrywide.) Until then, I have a Q&A with the Louisiana born and raised author herself: Jan Eldredge! (Don't forget to come back next week for my review!!) A Conversation with JAN ELDRIDGE Author of Evangeline of the Bayou 1) The glossary in the back of the book is so helpful! Where did you learn about all these creatures? Which creature from the book is your favorite? I have a small, but growing, collection of books about mythical creatures around the world. If I couldn’t find what I was looking for there, I researched library books, online websites, and the occasional documentary. Something that really surprised me as I started learning more about mythical monsters was the number of different cultures that share very similar