Qualify (The Atlantis Grail, Book One) by Vera Nazarian

Genre: Science Fiction, Teen Science Fiction, Young Adult Science Fiction

Setting: Earth in the Near Future

First Sentence: Today is a day like any other day.

This Novel is the first in Nazarian's Atlantis Grail series.  The second book in the series is entitled Compete.

This novel is similar to many popular scifi novels such as the Hunger Games and the Maze Runners.  In these novels, a group of teenagers must participate in a series of dangerous, and possibly fatal competitions.  This novel is no exception.

At the beginning of this novel we discover that the legend of the lost continent of Atlantis is true.  Atlantis did exist.  At some point in Earth's past, the Atlanteans left Earth with their advanced civilization and technology.  They went to live on a planet called Atlantis.

Now they have returned with some good news and bad news.  The bad news it that an asteroid is destined to destroy Earth in the near future.  The good news is that the Atlaneans can save a small number of and take them to Planet Atlantis.

All of these survivors will be teenagers.  The Atlantans feel that only teenagers can be trained to fit into Atlantean civilization, albeit as second class citizens.

In an effort to be equitable, a series of qualification events are staged to weed out those best suited to life on Atlantis.  In the days leading up to the Qualification games, the teens are trained in Atlantean culture, technology, weapons, and martial arts in order to help the teens survive and then to fit into Atlantean culture.

Our main character is Gwen Lark.  The story is told from her point of view.  She is fifteen years old, and somewhat of a nerd.  She suffers from many of the same problems that teenagers have: fitting in, dealing with bullies, love, and family issues.

Will Gwen and her friends survive and qualify for a trip into space, and avoid the destruction of Planet Earth?

I liked this book.  I don't usually read this type of novel.  But, it was a nice change form my usual fare.

Maybe, one day, someone will invent a hovering skateboard like the Atlantans have!

 #Iwantone!

                                                              

Deadly Election by Lindsey Davis

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: Ancient Rome in the First Century AD

First Sentence: Never hold an auction in July.

Lindsey Davis is the author of the acclaimed Marcus Didius Falco historical mystery series.  The Flavia Albia mystery series is a spin-off of the Falco novels.  Deadly Election is the third novel of the Flavia Albia series which currently runs to four books.

Albia was adopted by Falco and his wife Helena.  From these two parents, Albia learned to be a very independent woman.

Now, Albia is on her own in Rome.  She participates in the family's auction business.  And, following in her father's footsteps, she is an investigator.

In a recent auction, a strong box that was sold by the family was found to contain a dead body.  No one knows who he was or how he came to be in the safe.

Albia, along with her friend the local magistrate Faustus, start asking questions.

The trail is a long and complicated one which includes auctions, an election, and a toxic family with a complicated family tree.

While Albia and Faustus work together, Albia begins to fall in love with Faustus.  Which is interesting because she once stabbed Faustus in the hand.

Will Albia and Faustus learn who was in the strongbox?

And will they untangle a convoluted family tree to find out who wanted him dead, and why?

For me this was an okay book.  The large number of characters with very similar names made it hard to keep track of who is who.

And since the main character is a woman, there is a lot of talk about emotions and relationships.  Which slows the plot down.

However, if you are a fan of historical mysteries set in the Roman Era, you should enjoy this novel.