Project Ark follows Mia, a teenager who finds out that Earth has been secretly colonising another planet for 40 years.
The book opens in typical YA fashion, with our protagonist being dumped by her mother. We then follow her trip to New Mexico to meet her, never met before, great grandfather. She then finds out that her distant relative lives on another planet.
I got through this book by the skin of my teeth and I only finished because it was short.The problems I had were numerous, starting with the completely unrealistic main character. Who goes to meet their grandfather and doesn't argue when they're shoved into a barrage of unexpected tests? Then there's this little gem (I nearly gave up at this point) Given that we're dealing with present day tech, how the hell can a spacecraft reach another solar system in 3.... yep I said 3, days when it can take a year to get to Mars? When we get to the planet, it's ludicrously perfect with the very best socialist, hippy, green philosophy that everyone buys into. They all live happily together with no crime and ridiculously long lives.
There is zero conflict in this book, there is nothing for the protagonist to strive for or against. Hell the only bone of contention is the evil earthlings who actually want them to do what they set the colony up for to do in the first place. Even this little snag is solved in a quick and painless way. And of course out main character is happily converted to this new way of life, so much so that she hates....really hates her one trip home because she suddenly feels homesick.
This book is poorly written with absolutely no pacing or plot. It reads like a idealists dream of utopia but completely fails the human condition test. There is no decent reasoning as to why post WW2 governments would band together on such a project secretly whilst entering into the Cold War publicly. Even more ludicrous is the thought of early 50's American society being happy to adopt a communist lifestyle.
In short and before I really start ranting one star.
*
The book opens in typical YA fashion, with our protagonist being dumped by her mother. We then follow her trip to New Mexico to meet her, never met before, great grandfather. She then finds out that her distant relative lives on another planet.
I got through this book by the skin of my teeth and I only finished because it was short.The problems I had were numerous, starting with the completely unrealistic main character. Who goes to meet their grandfather and doesn't argue when they're shoved into a barrage of unexpected tests? Then there's this little gem (I nearly gave up at this point) Given that we're dealing with present day tech, how the hell can a spacecraft reach another solar system in 3.... yep I said 3, days when it can take a year to get to Mars? When we get to the planet, it's ludicrously perfect with the very best socialist, hippy, green philosophy that everyone buys into. They all live happily together with no crime and ridiculously long lives.
There is zero conflict in this book, there is nothing for the protagonist to strive for or against. Hell the only bone of contention is the evil earthlings who actually want them to do what they set the colony up for to do in the first place. Even this little snag is solved in a quick and painless way. And of course out main character is happily converted to this new way of life, so much so that she hates....really hates her one trip home because she suddenly feels homesick.
This book is poorly written with absolutely no pacing or plot. It reads like a idealists dream of utopia but completely fails the human condition test. There is no decent reasoning as to why post WW2 governments would band together on such a project secretly whilst entering into the Cold War publicly. Even more ludicrous is the thought of early 50's American society being happy to adopt a communist lifestyle.
In short and before I really start ranting one star.
*
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