Anybody here read the tomorrow series?

[short_circuit]

It was one of the books required of us to read in school last year (along with Holes) in year 9. I really enjoyed the series and thought they were great but I haven't heard anything about them from anyone.

So I guess perhaps they aren't 'one of the best books of all time' but they were so good, filled with remembrable characters and packed full of action that I found them very intresting. They are essentially written for teenagers but I think the series shows a situation that anybody can relate to.

The plot and action is derived from this simple concept. Australia is invaded all of a sudden by an intruding army. Ellie is just a normal teenager who had decided on a little trip with a few of her friends to the desolate, and difficult to reach but otherwise beautiful place known as Hell. During their camping trip their the country is invaded and Hell is so hard to reach and well hidden that they discover upon return that, well I can't just give you the whole story.

Yes it is an australian based book but anybody can relate to how the characters are forced into guerilla type warfare and how they strive together. There are plenty of disputes within the group and friendships formed. All in all it is VERY intresting and I was hooked through the 7 (or maybe 8, I only read the 7) books.

 

[short_circuit]

It starts with Tomorrow When The War Began by John Marsden

 

[MonkeyCatcher]

Read them and loved them. I got the whole set this year, actually, because I enjoyed them so much. I've also read the first book in The Ellie Chronicles, a new series by Marsden, although I havn't had the chance to read the new one out yet. Have you, by any chance?

P.S You may not get many replies to this, as Marsden seems to be popular mainly in Australia and New Zealand, so don't think that people are snobbing you!

 

[Billy]

I've read the first one, Tomorrow When the War Began, but haven't read the others. I liked it. John Marsden is a very good author. If you like his style of writing, he has also writen a lot of other books directed at a teen audience. So Much to tell you and Letters From the Inside are two that I have read. So Much to Tell You is especailly good. Every kid I have given that book to has loved it.

 

[G4G]

I have Marsden's Tomorrow When the War Began right in front of me now. I'm looking at it, but I can't decide if I want to read it or not. I didn't realise it was a 'young adult's' book (that's its classification at my library, anyway) but it looks interesting, and it's a series, which I also didn't realise until this thread. It's going to be this or Nevil Shute's On the Beach.

I just love this crucial moment, choosing which book to read next, don't you?

It's the small things that make me happy.

 

[angerball]

I just love this crucial moment, choosing which book to read next, don't you?

No, I find it frustrating!

 

[short_circuit]

Yeh well I am australian so it was neccessary to read it in school but I loved it.Yeh I got to read The Ellie chronicles and the other book thats being released.

 

[G4G]

I finished Tomorrow WTWB the other night. I'm glad i read it, but I won't be looking up any more of Marsden's books. Not in this series, at least.

It started really well, but towards the end, it seemed to turn into some kind of romance story, and the ending seemed to be tacked on for cliffhanging's sake.

 

[MonkeyCatcher]

It started really well, but towards the end, it seemed to turn into some kind of romance story, and the ending seemed to be tacked on for cliffhanging's sake.

I agree totally. I read the whole series when I was in primary school, so obviously didn't pick up on those, and thought the books were the best ever written. I've since gone back and read them through, but they still remain some of my favourites for nostalgia's sake.

 

[JoannaC]

I agree, I read the first one (when I spent the year living in NZ and all the kids were reading it) and it was okay, but it did not inspire me to seek out the others.