First sentence:"What chance did Stephen Michael have of winning his Toss?"
Description:
"It's 50 degrees below zero.
The wind and snow blow so hard, you can't see your hand in front of your face. Your heating fuel is nearly gone, and so is your food. How do you survive?
Five fourteen-year-olds face this desperate situtation on a deadly journey in Antarctica. It is 2083. They are contestants on a reality TV show, Antarctic Survivor, which is set up to re-create Robert F. Scott's 1912 doomed attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole.
But in 2083 reality TV is not just an act. Contestants literally relive -- or die during -- the simulations of events. Robert Scott and his team were experienced explorers and scientists, but their attempt to reach the Pole proved fatal. What chance does the Antarctic Survivor team have?
This action-packed, riveting adventure-- full of fascinating, direct quotes from Scott's journals and other accounts of the expedition -- is both a heart-wrenching drama from the past and a disquieting glimpse into the future." -- from the inside flap
My thoughts:
At first I wasn't sure if I would like this book as I thought the premise was cliched. However, soon I found myself enjoying the story as the young teens face many challenges both in Antarctica and back home. I liked the mix of historical events (Scott's expedition) and current events in a future where television ratings determine everything.
Date read: 9/4/2008
Book #: 64
Challenge: What's in a Name? Challenge
Rating: 4*/5 = great
Genre: YA/Adventure
ISBN-10: 006055455X
ISBN-13: 9780060554552
Publisher: Eos
Year: 2005
# of Pages: 318
Binding: Hardcover
LibraryThing Page
2 comments:
I loved the premise of this book the first time I heard about it. It's been on my tbr list for a while. Thanks for the review!
I read this one last year -- borrowed it from the library when I saw it sitting prominently on the "new books" shelf. It's a YA book that I'd definitely recommend to middle-school kids.
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