The Other Side of Dawn

by John Marsden

Overview

The Other Side of Dawn is the long-awaited, riveting, final title in the Tomorrow series about a group of teenagers in war-torn Australia. Since their home was invaded by enemy soldiers and transformed into a war zone, Ellie and her friends have been fighting for their lives. They have learned survival skills out of necessity and taken care of each other through impossibly dark times. Now, with a roar like a train in a tunnel, the war has entered its final days. There’s no more sitting around, no more waiting. There’s only fast decisions, fast action, fast thinking—and no room to get it wrong. As the enemy forces close in on their hideout in Hell, Ellie, Fi, Homer, Lee, and Kevin, and their adopted group of orphaned children, find themselves facing the last chapter of their struggle for freedom. But it may just be the most dangerous yet. And not everyone will survive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780618070282
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	08/26/2002
Series:	Tomorrow Series , #7
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.75(d)
Lexile:	790L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 Years

About the Author

John Marsden’s highly praised series concludes in this thrilling installment that will bring readers to the edge of their seats and keep them there until the last page is turned. John Marsden is one of Australia’s best-known writers for young adults. His work has received critical acclaim and has earned a cultlike following worldwide. The popular Tomorrow series has been translated into seven languages and has sold over one million copies in Australia alone.

Editorial Reviews

"Although stunning action sequences have always been a hallmark of the series, its true excellence is due in large part to Marsden’s thoughtful exploration of the psychological costs of the teens’ heroic, violent exploits." In the closing sequence, he realistically examines the emotional turbulence of the sudden attack of peace…it may be time for Marsden to shut down his engines, but it’s been one heck of a ride." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"As always, the plot keeps readers on the edge of their seats… an outstanding story of friendship, courage, and survival." Kirkus Reviews

“Marsden is at his exciting, if somewhat improbable, best when writing about Ellie’s single-handed train sabotage and the teens’ attempts to blow up a huge truck stop on the road to Cavendish.” Booklist, ALA

“The action sequences are gripping and there is an expected amount of violence.” School Library Journal —

From the Publisher

A crop of sequels and series additions greet fans this fall. Australian author John Marsden's The Other Side of Dawn brings his Tomorrow series to its dramatic conclusion. Bestsellers in Australia, the seven-book series revolves around a dwindling group of teenagers fighting for their lives and Australia's survival against a brutal invading army. Here, as the war enters a final phase, the dangers for narrator Ellie and her friends seem greater than ever. Who among them will find a lasting peace?

Publishers Weekly

Gr 9 Up-This final installment in the series takes place approximately one year after Ellie and a group of friends became reluctant guerilla fighters in the war that broke out while they were on a camping trip in the Australian bush. The teen and her surviving friends are asked to conduct raids and sneak attacks on the enemy, creating confusion among their troops at a critical point in the fighting. In spite of the great danger, they agree and the action intensifies. Ellie, the narrator, is a strong female character and the weight of her leadership responsibilities and the urgency of the situations the group faces are vividly conveyed. The action sequences are gripping and there is an expected amount of violence. The confusion, depression, and tensions that follow the end of the fighting are also realistically depicted. The book can stand alone, but the many references to the action and characters from the earlier titles make it a better choice for those already familiar with the series. Purchase where the previous books have been popular.-Michele Capozzella, Chappaqua Public Library, NY Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

The Australian teenage resistance fighters are back and as dauntless as ever in this seventh and last installment of the gripping series that started with Tomorrow, When the War Began (1995). Three of the original eight have died since a foreign power invaded their country in the opener, and now the remaining five have word from New Zealand that an all-out effort is imminent. Their assignment is to cause as much trouble as possible in the final days, using the explosives they’ve received. Ellie’s compelling narration continues to have an authentic teenage tone, mixing suspenseful fighting scenes with occasional musings about love and forays into sex. A smart, brave risk-taker, Ellie is one of the group’s leaders, who draws on useful knowledge from her farm upbringing. For about a third of the way, she’s on her own, in serious danger, worried sick about the fate of her friends. As always, the plot keeps readers on the edge of their seats, never knowing if the whole group will survive. Australian writer Marsden provides a realistically imperfect yet hopeful conclusion. Readers new to the series would do well to begin at the beginning, while the series’ many fans will be sorry to reach their final chapter in such an outstanding story of friendship, courage, and survival. (Fiction. 13+)

Kirkus Reviews