Colony by J A Henderson - Revision history

Sue at 09:35, 17 September 2020

2020-09-17T09:35:46Z

Sue at 13:33, 6 September 2020

2020-09-06T13:33:43Z

Sue at 10:35, 2 March 2018

2018-03-02T10:35:00Z

Sue at 15:45, 21 December 2014

2014-12-21T15:45:29Z

Sue at 14:38, 8 September 2012

2012-09-08T14:38:52Z

Keith: 1 revision

2009-10-24T17:53:17Z

1 revision

Keith at 07:52, 28 September 2009

2009-09-28T07:52:12Z

New review

{{infobox
|title=Colony
|author=J A Henderson
|reviewer=Jill Murphy
|genre=Teens
|summary=A tense and pacy thriller dealing with the horrific potential of biological warfare. A multi-time, multi-strand narrative gives it thematic depth and allows a mystery to gradually unfold. Great stuff and much better than the average conspiracy thriller.
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|format=Paperback
|pages=224
|publisher=OUP Oxford
|date=February 2008
|isbn=0192755390
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192755390</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0192755390</amazonus>
}}

It's 1980 and a secret army research facility in California's Mojave desert is the scene of carnage. Bodies are everywhere and it's overrun by ants. It's 1994 and the remote Diamond Trailer Park plays host to another massacre. The ants are there too. And now it's 2009 on Kirkfallen Island in the Outer Hebrides and a group of teenagers discover their link to these past atrocities. Worse still, the ants are on the move again.

The only person who can prevent another tragedy is the only survivor of the Mojave desert disaster, but he's a fugitive from the law...

Oh, I liked ''Colony''. It's pacy and tight with a multi-strand narrative that takes the reader back and forth in time as the various pieces of its puzzle are gradually slotted into place. By the time the whole, horrific truth has been revealed, the scene is set for a real high-octane denouement. And Henderson certainly gives us that. The fight scenes towards the end of the book are exciting and utterly, utterly ruthless.

There's a large cast of characters, which perhaps prevents the reader from becoming very emotionally attached to any of them, but I don't think this is a particular disadvantage. Everyone is three dimensional and there are no cardboard cut outs. What it does is bring the book's thematic depth to the fore. Biological weapons are a terrifying prospect, not the least because we can never be sure they'll work as expected. Are they ever justified? What about a biological weapon that removed aggression from the target population? Can an end ever justify a means?

These things set ''Colony'' far ahead of the average conspiracy thriller on the junior bookshelves. There's a great deal to think about, but since the plot is intricate and intelligent but tremendously tense, it's also a riveting read. It's recommended by Bookbag for sophisticated readers at late primary school right up to conspiracy lovers in the mid teens.

My thanks to the nice people at OUP for sending the book.

They might also enjoy [[Jigsaw by Garry Kilworth]] and [[The Starlight Conspiracy by Steve Voake]], which both add a supernatural element to a tight conspiracy thriller, or [[Being by Kevin Brooks]], which has an equally pause-for-thought ending.

{{Toptentext|list=Top Ten Books To Drag The Kids Away From Computer Games For Ten Minutes At Least}}

{{amazontext|amazon=0192755390}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6296142}}

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← Older revision		Revision as of 14:38, 8 September 2012
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 There's a large cast of characters, which perhaps prevents the reader from becoming very emotionally attached to any of them, but I don't think this is a particular disadvantage. Everyone is three dimensional and there are no cardboard cut outs. What it does is bring the book's thematic depth to the fore. Biological weapons are a terrifying prospect, not the least because we can never be sure they'll work as expected. Are they ever justified? What about a biological weapon that removed aggression from the target population? Can an end ever justify a means?
-These things set ''Colony'' far ahead of the average conspiracy thriller on the junior bookshelves. There's a great deal to think about, but since the plot is intricate and intelligent but tremendously tense, it's also a riveting read. It's recommended by Bookbag for sophisticated readers at late primary school right up to conspiracy lovers in the mid teens.
+These things set ''Colony'' far ahead of the average conspiracy thriller on the junior bookshelves. There's a great deal to think about, but since the plot is intricate and intelligent but tremendously tense, it's also a riveting read. It's recommended by Bookbag for sophisticated readers at late primary school right up to conspiracy-lovers in the mid-teens.
 My thanks to the nice people at OUP for sending the book.
-They might also enjoy [[Jigsaw by Garry Kilworth]] and [[The Starlight Conspiracy by Steve Voake]], which both add a supernatural element to a tight conspiracy thriller, or [[Being by Kevin Brooks]], which has an equally pause-for-thought ending.  We also enjoyed [[The Treatment by C L Taylor]].
+They might also enjoy [[Jigsaw by Garry Kilworth]] and [[The Starlight Conspiracy by Steve Voake]], which both add a supernatural element to a tight conspiracy thriller, or [[Being by Kevin Brooks]], which has an equally pause-for-thought ending.  We also enjoyed [[The Treatment by C L Taylor]].  Older readers might appreciate [[Nowhere by Jon Robinson]].
 {{Toptentext|list=Top Ten Books To Drag The Kids Away From Computer Games For Ten Minutes At Least}}

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-{{infobox
+{{infobox1
 |title=Colony
 |author=J A Henderson
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 |date=February 2008
 |isbn=0192755390
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192755390</amazonuk>
+|cover=0192755390
-|amazonus=<amazonus>0192755390</amazonus>
+|aznuk=0192755390
 }}

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 |buy=Yes
 |borrow=Yes
 |pages=224
 |publisher=OUP Oxford
@@ Line 33: / Line 32: @@
 {{Toptentext|list=Top Ten Books To Drag The Kids Away From Computer Games For Ten Minutes At Least}}
-{{amazontext|amazon=0192755390}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6296142}}
+{{amazontext|amazon=0192755390}}
 {{commenthead}}
 [[Category:Thrillers]]

← Older revision	Revision as of 17:53, 24 October 2009
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