Jimmy Coates: Power by Joe Craig - Revision history

Sue at 15:40, 15 March 2022

2022-03-15T15:40:41Z

Sue at 09:10, 20 April 2018

2018-04-20T09:10:43Z

Sue at 15:02, 31 December 2014

2014-12-31T15:02:08Z

Keith: 1 revision

2009-10-24T17:53:07Z

1 revision

Jill at 13:44, 28 October 2008

2008-10-28T13:44:38Z

New review

{{infobox
|title=Jimmy Coates: Power
|author=Joe Craig
|reviewer=Jill Murphy
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=More exciting and pacy adventures for Jimmy in this 6th book about the hybrid assassin. The chase sequences continue to improve, and there's still plenty of pause for thought amidst the mayhem.
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|format=Paperback
|pages=284
|publisher=Harper Collins
|date=October 2008
|isbn=000727730X
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>000727730X</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>000727730X</amazonus>
}}

Joe Craig's hybrid hero Jimmy Coates blasts back with a vengeance in his sixth novel. The opening chase scene is the sequence's best yet, I think. Yet again, our genetically engineered hero - he's only 38 percent human, in case you didn't know - is called upon to save his family, protect his country, and deal another blow to the big baddies in NR7. But this time, he has to do it all while his body is poisoned...

... cue pace, action, chase, gadgetry and mayhem.

It's a reprise of ''Bladerunner'' with echoes of the ''X-Men'', and - so other reviews say - a seasoning of ''The Matrix'' added for good measure. And really, do you need me to say more? Jimmy is a victim of an increasingly authoritarian government, turned into an assassin by machine grafts. But he's refusing to bow to his programming and he's trying with every ounce of the superhuman strength he's been given to retain free will and fight the good fight against repression by shadowy government organisations. And if you can't get a thrilling adventure out of that, you probably shouldn't be writing books. Joe Craig, though, gives his readers more than adrenalin thrills.

Spy-come-action novels are far from my favourites in children's fiction, but I do think the Jimmy Coates books are the best of the bunch. The action is as high-octane as any junior fan could want, but underlying it are some tremendously fundamental questions about what it means to be human and the conflict between free will and determinism. So often books billed as perfect for reluctant readers are poor efforts. Children who don't like reading don't need rubbish; they need something good perhaps even more than keen readers do. And Joe Craig does press all the buttons. He has action, excitement, attractive characters, and he underpins them with some thematic depth. Hopefully, as Jimmy Coates matures, so will cohorts of otherwise reluctant readers.

Recommended for all action fans aged from about eight to twelve or thirteen.

My thanks to the nice people at Harper Collins for sending the book.

Older children might like to develop the Bladerunner theme further with [[Being by Kevin Brooks]].

{{amazontext|amazon=000727730X}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6255756}}

{{commenthead}}

@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 My thanks to the nice people at Harper Collins for sending the book.
-Older children might like to develop the Bladerunner theme further with [[Being by Kevin Brooks]].
+Older children might like to develop the Bladerunner theme further with [[Being by Kevin Brooks]].  We think you'll also enjoy [[Monster Doughnuts by Gianna Pollero and Sarah Horne]].
 {{amazontext|amazon=000727730X}}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{infobox
+{{infobox1
 |title=Jimmy Coates: Power
 |author=Joe Craig
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 |date=October 2008
 |isbn=000727730X
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>000727730X</amazonuk>
+|cover=000727730X
-|amazonus=<amazonus>000727730X</amazonus>
+|aznuk=000727730X
 }}

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 |buy=Yes
 |borrow=Yes
 |pages=284
 |publisher=Harper Collins
@@ Line 31: / Line 30: @@
 Older children might like to develop the Bladerunner theme further with [[Being by Kevin Brooks]].
-{{amazontext|amazon=000727730X}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6255756}}
+{{amazontext|amazon=000727730X}}
 {{commenthead}}

← Older revision	Revision as of 17:53, 24 October 2009
(No difference)