Post by Charlynn on Feb 13, 2012 20:10:01 GMT -5
Roswell High Book Two: The Wild One by Melinda Metz
Just as the first book in the series painted the lead alien, Max, as an outsider, Book Two also presented another extraterrestrial in a very familiar role: that of the rebel without a cause. Nikolas is new to Roswell. Mysterious, good-looking, and dangerous, Isabel is drawn to him, partly because of attraction and partly because he knows things he shouldn't. He's aware of her dreamwalking abilities, and he, too, holds their memories from their home planet. It turns out that Nikolas is also an alien, only he didn't stick around Roswell after he came out of his pod earlier than the other three. Now that he's back, though, he lives his life differently than Max, Michael, and Isabel. He views humans as a weaker life form – mere insects for him to squash. Nikolas does what he wants, whatever he wants, and he does not concern himself with the consequences. In classic high school fashion, Isabel quickly falls for Nikolas' bad-boy ways, giving in to his peer-pressure and alienating the rest of her friends and family.
Perhaps what Metz does best in her books is introduce her audience to science fiction in a way that readers can relate to. The characters, though they possess special powers, just seem like regular teenagers most of the time. Though there are auras, mental connections, and the aliens are able to manipulate molecules with their minds, the science is tempered by the emotions the characters feel and the relationships they share with one another. For a reader who has never tried science fiction before, The Roswell High Series would be an excellent place to start. Additionally, Metz also includes real consequences; by the time The Wild One concludes, it has become evident that the aliens, though an advanced species, are by no means indestructible. Plus, for good measure, Metz tosses a surprise revelation into the very last sentence of the book, a great way to intrigue readers into returning for the third piece in the series. Although the book could have benefited from more focus being placed upon its leads, Max and Liz, for a novel with less than 200 pages, quite a lot happened in this relatively short work.
3 out of 5 Stars
Just as the first book in the series painted the lead alien, Max, as an outsider, Book Two also presented another extraterrestrial in a very familiar role: that of the rebel without a cause. Nikolas is new to Roswell. Mysterious, good-looking, and dangerous, Isabel is drawn to him, partly because of attraction and partly because he knows things he shouldn't. He's aware of her dreamwalking abilities, and he, too, holds their memories from their home planet. It turns out that Nikolas is also an alien, only he didn't stick around Roswell after he came out of his pod earlier than the other three. Now that he's back, though, he lives his life differently than Max, Michael, and Isabel. He views humans as a weaker life form – mere insects for him to squash. Nikolas does what he wants, whatever he wants, and he does not concern himself with the consequences. In classic high school fashion, Isabel quickly falls for Nikolas' bad-boy ways, giving in to his peer-pressure and alienating the rest of her friends and family.
Perhaps what Metz does best in her books is introduce her audience to science fiction in a way that readers can relate to. The characters, though they possess special powers, just seem like regular teenagers most of the time. Though there are auras, mental connections, and the aliens are able to manipulate molecules with their minds, the science is tempered by the emotions the characters feel and the relationships they share with one another. For a reader who has never tried science fiction before, The Roswell High Series would be an excellent place to start. Additionally, Metz also includes real consequences; by the time The Wild One concludes, it has become evident that the aliens, though an advanced species, are by no means indestructible. Plus, for good measure, Metz tosses a surprise revelation into the very last sentence of the book, a great way to intrigue readers into returning for the third piece in the series. Although the book could have benefited from more focus being placed upon its leads, Max and Liz, for a novel with less than 200 pages, quite a lot happened in this relatively short work.
3 out of 5 Stars