21% Monster: Book 1

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Looking at what we know of the young Beatrix, she seems very much a potential scientist. She was shy, thoughtful and liked to invent secret codes only she could understand, but more than anything she loved to draw. She became exceptionally good at scientific drawings of animals, plants and fungi. Amazingly, through studying fungi, she identified that sometimes two different organisms live together in a way that makes them rely on each other to survive. This is called symbiosis. The boys are very different: while Marek is logical and an intellectual genius, Darren is fast, strong and has exceptional instincts. They must combine their incredible, superhuman skills and work as a team if they are to stay one step ahead of the ruthless XSP agents, who will not stop until the boys are eliminated. Something, I imagine, that many people don’t know is how many stories scientists tell other scientists. During my undergraduate degree I was forever being told anecdotes about errors and breakthroughs certain people made and often how a person’s perspective, social standing or beliefs influenced whether they were right or believed. The stories about errors were often the most detailed – cautionary tales about going beyond evidence, refusing to believe what is in front of your eyes, or a scientist’s ideas being shouted down for no good reason. If nanotechnology, xenotechnology, cognitive disrupter balls, camo suits and interdimensional portals intrigue you, 21% Monster is an absolute must. Beatrix Potter tried a number of times to present her work to scientists, but she was thwarted. In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century (she was born in 1866), woman doing science was frowned upon. It was considered a man’s work. Many scientists refused to speak to her at all. Only once did she manage to have her ideas presented to a group of scientists, but even then she had to ask her uncle to present it for her. Her work, even then, was ignored and eventually she gave up.

The 2 boys bond and grow together, helping each other out with their struggles - whilst also trying to stay safe from Department 10 and their covert operation to capture them - the perfect villains. All young pupils at school will adore the adventure of 217 Monster, starring a special 12 year old boy, Darren Devlin. Serpent Strike is complex and gripping, the third in the 21% Monster series, and although it could be read as a stand-alone story, it will make much more sense if read in its proper place in the sequence.What Lord Kelvin did was work out how old the Sun was. He knew its size and how much heat it produced. So, he could work out how long it could have been radiating heat. He was pleased to discover that the Sun could only be twenty million years old. Darwin’s ideas needed life to have been around for hundreds of millions of years. But without the sun, Lord Kelvin argued, there is no life. So, you have to have God to speed up evolution. But the four surviving members of Helix 51, the children who were the subjects of Xastris’s first experiments in mutation, are determined to stop them – even if it means they die trying. Key • Level Book • Entity Book • Research Book • Crowbar • Painting • Partypooper Plushie • Bolt Cutters • Screwdriver • Gasoline • Matches • Bear Trap I received a proof copy of this for free in a Toppsta giveaway in exchange for both an honest review and the agreement that I will pass it on to someone in the targeted age group.

Level 0 • Level 1 • Level 2 • Level 3 • Level 4 • Level 5 • Level 6 • Level 7 • Level 8 • Level 9 • Level 10 • Level 11 • Level 12 • Level 13 • Level 14 • Level 15 • Level 16 Xastris plans to achieve total world domination. By sacrificing the poor, the uneducated and those whose political views don’t align with their own, and mutating them into an unstoppable army,

Genre

Like every great spy/hero novel we have tons of tech and gadgets, special abilities, the thrill of the chase, excitement and intrigue. Definite Alex Rider vibes which is brilliant.

You don’t have to choose between creative pursuits and scientific ones. If Beatrix Potter did both, so can you.

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I enjoyed the story but it doesn’t have a tidy enough ending for me. It is the beginning of a series and whilst I like to meet characters again in a sequel, I prefer each episode or adventure to be stand alone. At the end of this book, the scenario for the next story has already been set up, but apart from a decision to work together, not much from this story has been resolved. Darren’s mum who is a nurse is called to the school as they aren’t happy with Darren as he hasn’t made any progress in school at all, but he loves nothing more than listening to punk music.