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Monday, March 11, 2013

Review: The Fellowship for Alien Detection by Kevin Emerson

 Check out my stop on The Fellowship for Alien Detection Blog Tour to watch a video interview with Kevin Emerson and enter to win a signed copy! You can see the full March MG Madness schedule of events/giveaways here.

The Fellowship for Alien Detection
by Kevin Emerson
2/26/13
Walden Pond Press
Format: ARC
Source: from pub
Two kids from opposite sides of the country find themselves on a road trip to save the world from an impending alien attack - and bolster their middle-school transcripts in the process. First came the missing people, missing time events, and untraceable radio signals. Then came Juliette, Arizona, a town that simply disappeared from existence. Suffice it to say, something strange is going on. Enter Haley and Dodger, two kids from opposite sides of the country who both think they can prove that these unexplained phenomena have a very real cause: aliens, and they are about to discover that their fledgling theories about extraterrestrial life are one-hundred-percent accurate.Having each been awarded a Fellowship for Alien Detection (a grant from a mysterious foundation dedicated to proving aliens have visited earth), Haley and Dodger and their families each set off on a cross-country road trip over summer vacation to figure out what is happening in towns across America. They soon realize that the answers to many of their questions lie in the vanished town of Juliette, AZ, but someone, or something, is doing everything in its power to ensure they never reach it. If Haley and Dodger don't act quickly, more people may go missing, and the world as we know it may change for the worse.




Kevin Emerson's The Fellowship for Alien Detection is an out of this world (yeah, I went there, lol) and wildly fun read! Emerson offers readers a fantastic mix of adventure, mystery, and intergalactic excitement.

Thirteen year old Haley from Connecticut and Dodger from Washington have very little in common, but they've both won a two-week, fully funded research trip from the Fellowship for Alien Detection. Haley sets out with her parents and little brother, determined to uncover the truth behind towns that have experienced town-wide lapses in time and missing persons, while Dodger sets out with his father to uncover the truth behind the mysterious vanished city of Juliette, Arizona. Their separate journeys and research led them both right into the hands of danger and right to each other. Once together, the two teens must work together to save the world from an alien race.

The Fellowship for Alien Detection has everything I love in my middle-grade reads: adventure, fun, humor, great characters, and an author who is a superb storyteller. At over 400 pages, this is a longer MG book, but I gobbled it up quickly in one setting, unable to walk away from Haley and Dodger's intergalactic story for a single moment.

The story Emerson has created is wickedly clever, full of thrills and addicting mystery, and refreshingly unpredictable. The mystery behind Juliette, Arizona, the time-lapses, and the missing people, is so smartly and intricately crafted and kept me absolutely captivated until the very end. I had so much fun traipsing across the US with both Haley and Dodger, and I think younger readers will easily get caught up in the exhilarating pace, genuinely fascinating mystery, and alien fun. And I love how different the alien aspects are. There are no cliché green little men or probing abductions within these pages!

Haley and Dodger make for an excellent heroine and hero. They are both incredibly likable and relatable, and impossible not to root for. Young and old readers alike will love their clever minds, quick thinking, plucky attitudes, and endearing personalities. The two teens form a sweet and genuine friendship, with (innocent) hints of something more. Throw in a kick-butt guardian, a wacky benefactor, some eerie cool aliens, and determined townsfolk, and you have a cast of characters that shine and entertain.

This fast-paced story will keep readers on the edge of their seats and cheering Haley and Dodger on until the very last page.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Kevin Emerson has crafted a spectacular intergalactic romp that is as smart as it is fun. The Fellowship for Alien Detection, with its exciting story, superb characters, and shining storytelling, kept me enthralled until the very last page. A MUST read, for humans and aliens!


MY RATING

Purchase: Amazon / B&N

Kevin Emerson
Kevin Emerson has never been abducted by aliens, at least not that he remembers. He has been to Roswell, but all he found there was a cool key chain. Kevin is the author of a number of books for young readers, including the Oliver Nocturne series,Carlos Is Gonna Get It, and The Lost Code, the first book in the Atlanteans series. Kevin is also a musician. His current project is the brainiac kids’ pop band the Board of Education. He lives in Seattle with his wife and two children. You can visit him online at www.kevinemerson.net or tweet with him at @kcemerson.



4 comments:

JennRenee said...

Great review! I am excited to read this one. MG novels are touch and go for me. I find most of them are more story driven than character driven.. so I am glad to see this book has awesome characters.

Unknown said...

Wow, 400 pages in one sitting? You are either amazing or crazy. :)

Anonymous said...

I knew this might be something I would enjoy, after watching the author's interview vlog. Now with your review? I'm sold.

~Akoss

Unknown said...

LOL I love the gif at the beginning. But yes, I am so glad you enjoyed this book! I can't wait to get my own copy and read it for myself. :)