The 13th Reality

I'm a big fan of James Dashner, so I decided to begin the year with his series The 13th Reality. The series is four books: The Journal of Curious Letters, The Hunt for Dark Infinity, The Blade of Shattered Hope, and The Void of Mist and Thunder.

Atticus "Tick" Higginbottom is launched on an adventure when he receives a mysterious letter from a stranger in Alaska. This and future letters lead Tick to join a group of scientists called the Realitants whose mission it is to understand quantum physics and the new realities created by our decisions. Reality Prime has other realities branching off it, each of which contain "alterants" of people who live in the main reality. In one of the realities, the 13th, the power behind everything, chi'karda has mutated and is being used by the crazy Mistress Jane, who wants to destroy all realities but her own.

Dashner often breaks the rules of children's fiction, the main one being that you get rid of the adults so the kids can solve the problems. Tick's family is alive and well and often helps him accomplish his mission. Dashner also requires great sacrifice from his heroes, considerably beyond what is typical for a kid's book.

One of the best things about these books is that they make science cool. The Realitants are a group of scientists who must save all the realities from destruction. Tick and his friends (Sofia, Paul, Sato, Master George, Mothball, and Rutger) must use both science and love to save the world. That's a pretty good message.

James Dashner has delivered a story that kids will find fun and entertaining while possibly learning a little something, too.

My Results from 2012

So I am only 3 months late, but here is my post about the rest of the movies and books I got through in 2012. Overall, I read 41 books and watched 43 movies. I am pretty happy about those results.  I honestly didn't think I would make it that far. It was good for me to have a goal, even if I didn't make it.

Here is the list of the rest of the movies I watched:
Children of Heaven
The Woman in Black
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
The Wedding Date
The Backup Plan
View From the Top
The Christmas Clause
Life of Pi
Mirror, Mirror
Mrs. Miracle
Les Miserables

The rest of the books I read:
Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo 
The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans
Christmas Letters by Debbie Macomber
An Acquaintance with Darkness by Ann Rinaldi
My Loving Vigil Keeping by Carla Kelly

If you want to know my opinion about any of the books or movies, let me know and I will be more than happy to tell you.