For the Win by Cory Doctorow (review by Andrew R. '17)

For the Win by Cory Doctorow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On the one hand, For the Win reads like a video game ad. Cory Doctorow describes, with childlike delight, his ideas for massive multi-player online role-playing games with titles like “Svartalfheim Warriors” and “Zombie Mecha” in such painstaking detail that the reader has to wonder why he chose a career as a novelist instead of a game designer. But then the other face of the book shows itself, the professional, educational side that balances out Doctorow’s nerdy fantasies with lessons on economics, of all things. At first, pairing unions and finance with video games seems an odd strategy, but when Doctorow starts drawing parallels between the two, the offline world he’s created is fleshed out as fully as his online ones. There are characters, mostly impoverished gold farmers and corrupt businessmen; there’s a plot, even if it only appears between video game descriptions and economics lessons. But the real meat of the book, the part that Cory Doctorow fans old and new will recognize as part of the author’s style, has nothing to do with the characters or plot. Rather, all the substance lies in novel’s empowering message, its inspiring moral about equality, freedom—and video games. Andrew R. '17

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Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder (review by Elisabeth S. '16)

Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sophie's World is a delightful Intro to Philosophy course wrapped in several layers to make it easier to stomach. It begins innocuously enough, with young 14-going-on-15-year-old Sophie Amundsen receiving a letter in the mail and finding herself suddenly involved in a correspondence-based philosophy course with a mysterious teacher. Sophie runs through a comprehensive history of philosophy through her letters, while also trying to figure out the secret behind the many "Happy Birthday, Hilde!" messages hidden throughout her own narrative. Soon, she begins to question whether she herself is even real. This book is highly recommended for those interested in philosophy whether already well-versed in it or not. It provides a great starting platform for those who are just getting started and an excellent diversion for those that are already experienced in the field. - Elisabeth S. '16

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Plague by Michael Grant (review by Andrew R. '17)

Plague by Michael Grant
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

By the beginning of the fourth book of Michael Grant’s FAYZ series, the situation is grim: deadly epidemics sweep the population, young children resort to cannibalism to survive, an invincible sadistic demon prowls the streets, mutant insects lay eggs inside humans so their larvae can gnaw their way free upon birth…If this description of events makes this book sound over-the-top gruesome, that’s because it is. Grant forgoes any semblance of a plot in favor of graphic death after graphic death, introducing scores of characters whose sole purpose is to be eaten or burnt or flayed or stabbed, and he often undercuts the horror of his plot by going too far with his ideas. Sure, wasps with bulletproof carapaces that can gnaw through stone are scary enough, but making them the size of minivans and perching undead whip-wielding demons on their shoulders is such absurd overkill as to make them seem ridiculous, not frightening. I could go on about the story’s repetitiveness, its clichéd characters, its depressing love interest, or its awful attempts at humor, but I’ll have to be content with warning potential readers that the FAYZ takes a serious turn for the worse at this point in the series. - Andrew R. '17

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Uninvited by Sophie Jordan (review by Sophia S. '15)

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A teenager manages to obtain a gun and uses that weapon in a public place, causing panic and terror, all of which is publicized in the media. Sound familiar? Jordan explores a world where violent behavior is spawned by the Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS). And the country representative of the free world is the leader of the international movement to oppress the doomed individuals who carry the HTS gene. But do genes define who you are? Davy Hamilton used to think so, at least before she tested positive for the HTS gene. Can a harmless, popular, Julliard-bound high school girl be the chillingly mindless killer society thinks she is? The only thing "chilling" about this novel is the possibility of this society arising from a government desperate to appease the terrified victims of violence. Jordan taps into the deep well that is speculation of societal behavior but shies away from that meaningful subject to lash together a rote chick flick. Select parts of the story are stimulating, but the majority of Uninvited is mind numbingly cliché. Recommended for readers in a mood for light reading. - Sophia S. '15

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Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones (review by Andrew R. '17)

Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Jim Henson” never quite became a household name, but his creations are known across the world: Kermit, Miss Piggy, Big Bird, the Great Gonzo…This biography, however, isn’t the story of the Muppets or Sesame Street, and it’s not a list of the wildly successful movies Henson produced in his day. Accomplished biographer Brian Jay Jones paints a picture of the man who launched some of the 20th century’s most successful ventures in entertainment, tracking his rise from madcap coffee advertisements to the creation of the “Muppet Show,” and even beyond, with films like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. Jones has done his research well, and the book’s pages are scattered liberally with wistful insights from Henson’s children, friends, and coworkers. Most remarkably, the book’s atmosphere is light and readable, a tribute to Henson’s love of simplicity and entertainment. Any reader with time to spare should pick up Jim Henson: The Biography—not because it’s an insightful or meaningful experience, just because it’s a fun look into the life and legacy of a this astoundingly creative man. - Andrew R. '17

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