Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940156233441 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Catherine Stine |
| Publication date: | 05/21/2015 |
| Series: | A Fireseed book |
| Sold by: | Draft2Digital |
| Format: | NOOK Book |
| Sales rank: | 136,176 |
| File size: | 919 KB |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Fireseed One
4.9 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
16 reviews.
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Varik Teitur has always wanted to study medicine, but when his father dies, he's left to run their sea farm. Food is scarce as the global temperatures rise and the arctic ice has melted. The agar Varik's farms grow feed many. When Marisa Baron breaks into his sea vault, Varik must get back the valuable seeds that were stolen by an activist group. Even as he deals with the infuriating girl, he learns his father had a secret project: a plant called Fireseed that could withstand the cruel sun's rays and feed the world. Varik and Marisa dare the desert oven that is a Hotzone to find Fireseed and save mankind from starvation.
An incredibly unique and fun YA futuristic thriller. It takes place in the not so distant future and makes you wonder if this is what could happen if the polar ice melts. I could definitely see the big corporations taking over, and farming the seas makes a lot of sense. I loved the strange hybrids they grew, and I can only wonder what other wonders man has created. The world in this book seems alien, but it's a great prediction of what might be.
There's also a fantastic cast of characters. Varik is an admirable young man. Though he's only 18, he has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. I didn't feel he acted too old for his age. He just wants to hang out with his friend and have some fun. Marisa is a daring and compassionate girl. She's a great complement to Varik's steadfast personality.
I was quickly caught up in the world and Varik's story. The plot moves along quickly with several surprises along the way. I didn't want to put my Kindle down!
I can't wait for the next book in the series.
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Catherine Stine will capture most readers with Fireseed One. Catherine Stine has created a futuristic world with characters with characters that will have to laughing and cheering right along with them. In Fireseed One global warming has already happened, creating a dystopian society. Catherine Stine created Varik and Marisa, the two main characters in Fireseed One to be likeable and readers will be able to relate easily with them. There is some romance between Varik and Marisa. Just as most 18 year old boys, Varik jumps from disliking Marisa to liking her in a very short amount of time repeatedly. Fireseed One is a fast-paced read, filled with action, adventure, and even a little romance. Catherine Stine has created a great read with Fireseed One and I definitely recommend it.
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A Great Read! Fireseed One kept me interested and excited throughout the whole book. Stine's characters are beautifully well developed with all the vulnerabilities and shortcomings of living people. The story is frightening but at the same time wonderfully optimistic. Stine is a great writer for young adults because she keeps it edgy enough for them to relate to, and yet she weaves into it important life lessons. And if you're having trouble visualizing some of her peculiar creatures and plants, like the "fish plant" for example, Stine provides wonderfully wacky illustrations to help the reader visualize these things. A wonderful read - and not just for young adults!
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Fireseed One is COOL!
It takes hold of your imagination from the first page. It is a rich thriller filled with shocks and surprises. Catherine Stine's imaginative ability is expansive and her keen intellect provides the degree of complexity necessary, in my opinion, to keep both younger and older readers enthralled, while at the same time their minds are challenged by learning new things. You are taken to an exciting but frightening new world where humans are suffering the effects of a world poisoned by pollution and scorched by global warming. And, you are on an exhilarating adventure with Varik and Marisa - a ride that is a life or death struggle to keep hope alive for the human race, and for innovation and creativity to prevail against destruction and chaos. In creating such a narrative then, I believe Stine has accomplished two of some of the most important goals science fiction can fulfill:
1. Her book serves as a warning about what the world could look like if steps aren't taken to resolve our current environmental challenges.
2. Fireseed One helps us think about how to turn new, raw ideas into the innovative technologies needed to actually solve our current problems. This is exactly the kind of intellectual stimulation that is needed in our schools and in the business world to help us and the next generation become as innovative as we must be to not only keep our economies strong, but to keep our world vibrant and sustainable. As importantly, it reminds us that the human spirit won't be kept down, and that kind of inspiration is surely needed during a time like our own when the human spirit can flag in the face of all our daunting challenges.
In addition, we fall in love with Varik and Marisa as they fall in love. There is one interesting factoid or humorous quip after another. And, you are constantly caught off-guard by Stine's fresh and evocative use of language. A FUN READ!
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FIRESEED ONE
By Catherine Stine
Illustrated by Catherine Stine
Sometimes the people we know are not who we think they are, even if they’re our parents. Sometimes our worst enemy turns out to be the person we care about the most. Life changes, and we often find ourselves having to make tough decisions. In Author Catherine Stine’s young adult novel, Fireseed One, eighteen-year-old Varik faces challenges he never dreamed of when he inherits a sea farm after his father’s death. Since his mother was murdered years earlier, Varik is now left alone to carry on the important business of growing food for people in many of the sectors of Ocean Dominion that depend on the produce from Varik’s farm.
Problems plague him from the start, and he soon finds himself on a mission with Marissa, a thief, to discover the whereabouts of his father’s pet project, Fireseed One, that could save the world from starvation. As the two teens search not only for the plants but for answers to questions about their families, their relationship changes from hostile and distrustful to the beginnings of love. A gentle love story between two former enemies is just the right touch for Catherine Stine‘s futuristic adventure. The author has developed a world with familiar places, like Kansas, Vegas, Black Hills, that now are so hot people must wear special suits to survive, and also new places under the sea where most of the world’s food is grown. It makes me wonder if someday our major food sources might come from the sea. An interesting thought.
The author’s illustrations complement the writing, giving the reader a glimpse into Varik’s and Marissa’s lives. I especially like the little fellow on page 245. What is it? You’ll have to read the book to see. The characters have faults like real people, which makes them more human. You’ll want to help them each time they face danger and decisions, at least I did. I recommend Fireseed One for science fiction lovers, adventure lovers, and readers who enjoy young romance. The book would be a great addition to middle school and high school libraries, too. The novel ends with another dilemma for Varik to solve that, in my opinion, is very creative. I just hope book two comes out soon.
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Fireseed One is a captivating thriller set in a futuristic, toxic world teetering on chaos and crisis. Danger, loss, love, and redemption all tie together with rich characters to make for one imaginative blast.
Varik, a young man struggling to manage his family’s farm alone after his father’s death, finds himself thrust into a deadly mission to save the world’s future food source. It gets worse for him. He must do it with his father’s arch enemy’s daughter, Marisa, who wants to save the world’s food now – not later. Sworn enemies caught together in a quest to save the world, they must trust each other against instinct.
Stine beautifully draws Varik and Marisa together as they learn to trust to survive. We suffer with them through a terrifying world where the land is an uninhabitable hot zone and the seas are poisonous sludge. A place that seems oh-so real. Once you put the book down it haunts you. You wonder if it could happen in your lifetime.
In a fiery, dying world Varik and Marisa come together in love and Stine’s lyrical language shines through. Can Varik and Marisa complete their mission in their darkest hour and if so, can they survive the journey back? No spoilers here but you will be in a race to find out.
Stine has created a world as deep and layered as our own, where its own language flows into the story seamlessly. She gives us a beautiful, bittersweet coming-of-age story of survival and love, where two young adults come to terms with who their parents are and who they are. And they face it with the grace of an adult not the petulance of a child anymore. This unique, refreshing story reveals pioneers in a new age, willing to risk the unknown and death for a better life. They are the pioneers of a new frontier. And you want them to survive and succeed at all odds.
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A THOROUGHLY ENTERTAINING PAGE TURNER
Catherine Stine's dystopian novel FIRESEED ONE immediately pulls the reader into a strange, new world. The description of the setting--from the physical architecture of it to the natural land and seascapes--is itself compelling enough that it drives the story. I could see it in the next James Cameron film and, as setting is so important to a good dystopian story, it helps to set up the turning points in this novel. It also helps that Ms. Stine is an accomplished illustrator. Her visual depictions are shown throughout the novel. Good science fiction explores how technology will change. Some writers get too caught up in the details. Stine's descriptions are, just by themselves, worth reading and could be another book. She's clearly done her homework in researching how society might create food for itself in the event of environmental collapse. The classic dystopian elements are also in place. It's a world at war between the have and have nots. A place where authority hovers like an ominous shadow.
Like those imaginative science fiction masters Heinlein, Asimov, and D'Engle, Ms. Stine provides a techno-cool descriptive language interlaced with darkly humorous satiric asides to present this ravaged world, fighting environmental devastation. Human inhabitants struggle to survive, but many intrepid characters have managed to make out pretty well despite the harsh climates and rash of invasive species. Varik is the young narrator/protagonist, a young man still recovering from the mysterious death of his father. As the novel begins, he is attacked by a strange young woman, Marisa. He manages to capture and imprison her, and he is now trying to figure out who she is. Good writers are always careful to reveal just enough information and Stine understands this. There is a always a sense of mystery throughout. We can identify with Varik. What he doesn't know, we also don't know. And what he wants to find out, we also want to find out. We also want to know who Marisa is in the classic tradition of noir and detective books. Is she working for the enemy, the terrorists who may have killed Varik's father? Is she in love with their leader? Is she falling for Varik? This combination of attention to the right kind of detail and letting the story drive itself is the inner strength of FIRESEED ONE. As the novel progresses, the stakes get higher and the central mysteries--including the search for the key to the planet's survival, Fireseed One--deepen.
I was completely transported into the setting, taken aback by the boldness of the writing, and pulled along by a story that revealed itself in pieces--so that by the end the pieces could be assembled by a careful reader. A great reading choice for fans of science and dystopian fiction, and general readers looking for a literary work that is, at the same time, a thoroughly entertaining page turner.
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When I first received the review request for Fireseed One, I was hesitant about taking it on. It sounded interesting enough and although that logic has led me astray before, I'm glad I took the chance. I always enjoy a good adventure and this book provided just that. Now I'll try not to give away much so you'll have to read it yourself.
It took me a little while to get into the story but once I did, I found myself caught up in a futuristic world with characters that made me laugh and cheer them on. In a time where global warming has already happened, a dystopian society has emerged. It was interesting to read another take on the future as there have been quite a few dystopian novels released lately. Like these novels I've been reading, Stine's story was intriguing, especially the illustrations. They really helped put a picture to all the beautiful descriptions. Unlike some novels, Stine's descriptions wasn't over the top and distracting. I found it flowed well with the story.
Just like with any good story, there are characters too. Varik and Marisa had some awkward dialogue here and there but overall were relatable. I don't read books with male protagonists often but I found Fireseed One's Varik easy to follow through the story. The romance between him and Marisa was...sweet. At times I thought it was weird in that Varik seemed to jump from disliking Marisa to liking her in a very short amount of time. Other than that, I liked both of the protagonists. They were well suited for the rough world they lived in.
I found Fireseed One to be a fast-paced read, filled with action, adventure, and even a little romance. A great read and I definitely recommend it.
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FOLLOW ME TO THE HOTZONE! FIRESEED ONE A SCI-FI ADVENTURE FOR EVERY ONE.
BY KATHERINE STINE.
Just a month after his father is found drowned, Varik finds that the vaults holding valuable seeds for his farm are being stolen. He is forced to face the facts that due to global warming the world are a mess and it is up to him and the rebel robber he caught red-handed to head off to save the world from starvation. Varik must also face truths about the people around him as he and the beautiful daughter of a rich megalomaniac go into barren lands to risk death to find the truth and a way to feed and clothe the world.
This is a fast paced sci/fi story that will keep the reader wondering is the world really headed for similar circumstances.
Ms. Stine has written a fast paced tale of a race to save humanity. The story will keep sci/fi fans on the edge of their seats and new fans of hers wanting more. As this reviewer read the story she wondered is this the wave, a prophetic look at what can happen if we don’t do something now or is it just exploring the fantastical possibilities. I enjoyed the story and the quirky plot and characters of how she sees the future. I found the story to be slow and plodding at first but soon sped up the more I read. I will admit that I don’t read a lot of sci-fi stories but I did enjoy this novel. I will give this novel 5 fireseeds.
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Science-fiction and fantasy books aren't always my cup of tea, but Stine has won me over to the dark side with this YA thriller. The characters feel real - especially Varik, who is at once familiar and mysteriously complex, a refreshing standout among the often-bland male teens populating YA lit - past, present, or in the future. Stine renders his fantastic, futuristic world with such a sharp eye that it seems "live", and she's constructed a compelling plot which hooked me. And her vivid and quirky illustrations make the story literally leap off the page. You'll probably find yourself saying after a few pages, BRING IT ON!!!
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I've always loved the YA sci fi/futuristic genre and I've read many of the popular ones, such as "The Hunger Games" Trilogy and Scott Westerfeld's "Uglies" books. I think this book is as good as any of those. It held my attention from the beginning and it was hard to put down. I found I really cared about the characters and thought about them at odd times throughout the day, always a sign of a good book.
Stine does a great job of creating realistic believable characters who are grappling with familiar problems. Like all good sci fi books, the setting and time may seem alien, but the people and their concerns - choosing a path different from what your parents want you to take, deciding whether to resolve a conflict with parents, coping with loss, falling in love, finding oneself - are all things any young adult (or adult) can identify with. The hero, Varik must face the loss of his father, interact with the people his father has always blamed for his mother's death, and learn acceptance and forgiveness. He must learn to see that the world is not so black and white and is more complex than just the bad guys who killed his mother and the good guys. Marisa must try to resolve her anger at and differences with her father and come to see that the paths she chose in rebellion, may not have been the wisest. Both characters evolve through their experiences and become more than they were at the beginning of the novel. At the core of this novel is humanity in all its complexity. The adventure, the quest for Fireseed, the struggles along the way and the people Varik and Marisa meet, carry the reader along on this evolution. A thoroughly enjoyable read. I will be watching for the sequel.
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I am huge sci-fi fan and totally loved Fireseed One. It was a page-turner that I didn't want to put down and just had to finish once I started it. Stein creates an amazing world and believable characters that you care for. Like all good sci-fi, Fireseed One is based in problems or issues that exist today and could spiral out of control to create the future visualized within it's pages. This is a book that is as captivating as The Hunger Games or Snow Crash. The only thing that is missing is a sequel. Hope to see one soon.
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Just finished it, and couldn't put it down. A real page-turner.
In a distant ecologicly disasterous future, an unlikely couple team up to find a hybrid plant that may be the salvation of the planet.
In a consistently envisioned background, Varick and Marissa move with style to overcome the perils of their future world, while taking the reader on a wild ride involving dolphins with prosthetic limbs, island sea farms that move under their own power, robotic spying birds, ruthless cult terrorists, and much more in this detailed description of a world divided between the somewhat habitable north, and a hotzone south where the temperatures soar to almost unbearable degrees.
In an Earth at war with itself, humans struggle to survive and overcome new terrors as well as their traditional dysfunctionalism, as advanced biological genetics add entirely different complications with new questions and unexpected answers to problems only now beginning to emerge on our own horizons.
Take a long look at this future. You might want to take notes.
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Fast-paced and action-packed, Fireseed One by Catherine Stine takes the reader into a world that he or she can only imagine; mostly because the book is set in the future, in a time when the natural landscape as we know it has disappeared. A talented novelist, Stine gives us believable characters who behave with both the silliness of teenagers and the maturity of young adults out to solve a mystery and help preserve humanity. Fireseed One is a must-read for anyone who enjoys action, adventure, sci-fi, or a gripping story with a budding romance too.
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