| Title | : | Shoal |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9798877044609 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 163 |
| Publication | : | Published April 26, 2024 |
Marcus is a regular kid. He likes cars, going out on his bike, and hanging out with his best friend, Stefan. And science. Marcus is crazy about anything to do with biology and medicine.
And then there’s Milo. Milo isn’t a regular kid. Milo lives on a disc orbiting Earth, pilots spaceships, and lives 300 years in the future.
Marcus and Milo don’t know each other – they can’t possibly know each other – yet they have a lot in common, much more than they could possibly realise.
When a mysterious bright light in the sky lands at a lake near to where Marcus and Stefan live, the friends decide to take a closer look. It’s risky, and, after a fall, the boys end up in hospital. There, Marcus is visited by a mysterious girl who shows him a universe beyond his imagination.
It is the start of an amazing journey that will reveal how connected Marcus and the boy from the future, Milo, really are. There’s a lot at stake… for them, and for the destiny of mankind.
Shoal – a sensational new sci-fi, recommended for children aged 10 to 13.
Shoal Reviews
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BOOK REVIEW - SHOAL by @ianhornett
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
When the stars start to disappear…
An exciting science-fiction novel for 10 - 13 year olds.
This fast-paced time travel novel will thrill children- never patronising it explores complex themes of friendship, belonging and the fate of mankind.
The story follows two boys Marcus and Milo whose fates are entwined in an extraordinary way.
Marcus a talented science nerd who has strange dreams and Milo spaceship pilot from three hundred years in the future who has the same dreams.
When an accident occurs as Milo and his friend Stefan are illicitly observing a possible UFO landing and Milo is left in a coma. A series of curious events unfold orchestrated by a mysterious girl from the future.
Cracking storytelling from author Ian Hornett. A copy will wing its way to my grandson for sure.
#scififorkids #middlegradebooks #booksforchildren #newreleases #readtoyourkids #buybooks #fabulousstories #imagination -
This was super! Punchy sci-fi with really cool characters, I kept trying to figure out the twist but was kept guessing until the end!
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What a great read for its intended age group. Shoal is an entertaining story aimed at mid-grade level which this 56-year-old also enjoyed. Marcus and Milo 8 live very different lives and 300 years separate them, but they both suffer from the same thing. They see the stars running away.
Switching between Marcus and Milo 8, the reader is taken with them as they try to understand what is happening to them and the distinction between what is real and what is imaginary. It’s told in a simplistic style so that it is accessible to younger readers but deals with some heavy-duty stuff — I mean, The End of the Universe is about as heavy as it gets — and has nice themes of friendship and trust.
Wonderfully written, Shaol is an exciting and pacey read and the switches between the two timelines are seamless and clear. Marcus and Milo 8 are endearing characters with enough bratty traits to make them believable but not so many as to make them annoying.
Shaol would be a wonderful way to encourage reluctant younger readers to discover the joy of losing yourself in a good book. -
Shoal is an exciting read aimed at children and younger teens but it’s great for grown-ups like me too. It leaps between two characters – Marcus, exploring a ditched alien spacecraft in a quarry with his Polish friend Stefan in contemporary England, and Milo 8, a spacecraft pilot living in near-space after the virtual destruction of Earth 300 years in the future. Both are dealing with the appearance of mysterious shoals of stars in their minds and an enigmatic woman who keeps telling them they will need to make a monumental decision in relation to the shoals.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a fast-paced, humorous, and exciting sci-fi tale, which deftly weaves the issues we face growing up – friendship, responsibility, status – into a gripping narrative. -
I’ve read and enjoyed everything Ian Hornett has ever written, but even so I wondered whether a book targeted at 10-13 year olds would be for me, given that I haven’t been 10-13 for a very long time. But I needn’t have worried. I loved Shoal, with its compelling characters, snappy believable dialogue, a fascinating premise, great world-building and a plot that approached the speed of light as it moved towards the breath-taking climax, full of unexpected twists and turns – a masterpiece of plotting and pacing. Shoal had a very satisfying ending, subtle, thoughtful, one that tied everything together nicely but was nevertheless surprising and not at all what I might have predicted. So if you’re 10-13 or 100 – 130, you’ll love this book. And if you know any 10-13 year-olds, get them this for their birthday or Christmas or for no reason at all because I can guarantee they’ll love it too.
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Shoal is an enthralling science fiction narrative that delves into the complexities of preserving humanity's future. It offers an immersive experience for young adults, highlighting different approaches to compulsory education and the captivating allure of a futuristic universe. Bright, shiny five stars.
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Imagine if this book were on your school's must-read list instead of the usual picks! It's a thrilling mix of adventure, futuristic ideas, and magical journeys that will captivate and motivate young minds.
