Mini-Book Review: Scan by Walter Jury & S.E. Fine

Scan
Scan #1
Authors: Walter Jury, S. E. Fine
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Release Date: May 1st 2014
Review Source: Penguin/G. P. Putnam's Sons

MacGyver Meets War of the Worlds in this Exhilarating Adventure

Tate and his father don’t exactly get along. As Tate sees it, his father has unreasonably high expectations for Tate to be the best—at everything. Tate finally learns what he’s being prepared for when he steals one of his dad’s odd tech inventions and mercenaries ambush the school, killing his father in the process and sending Tate on the run from aliens who look just like humans.

Even with all he knows like how to defend himself with useful tools made out of bubblegum, Tate fears he’s still inadequate. With the help of his girlfriend and estranged mother, all Tate can really do is keep moving and ensure his father’s invention stays out of the hands of his pursuers and that his father didn’t die in vain. A riveting, fast-paced adventure, Scan is a clever alien thriller with muscle and heart.

At a Glance:
Non-stop thrills and chills while you are taken on this journey with the main character and his many discoveries (in a matter of 24 hours) that his way of life and intense training sessions had a purpose and now you must use everything your father had you do almost due 24-7  so that you could survive and live to see another day.

Cover:
Its very fitting with the book. When you deal with novel that is based in science fiction and THEM, that cover makes total sense. Love the use of the red tones. Great job from the design team.

Action:
I don't think there is a single page in the book where you are without action, from minimal to all out sweat coming down your forehead. I'm an action junkie, be it in books or movies, so the amount of action was just what I needed.

Romance:
If you looking for Romeo & Juliet romance then you probably don't want this book but if your looking to read about that fierce love that you would do anything to protect the ones you love, then Scan is your book.

Something I Loved:
Tate, he is the main character and I loved everything about his characters. His loyalty, heart and how he doesn't give up even when giving up seems so easy to agree to.

Cliffhanger: 
Of course, when your dealing with an Alien species, how can there not be a cliffhanger. I need to know what HAPPEN!

Would I Recommend It?:
Heck yea! Its a solid book from start to finish. So mark your calendar for May when they bad boy comes out.

Look for my full review closer to release time. 

Book Deal News:

G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, a subsidiary of big five publisher Penguin Random House, signed DIVERGENT producer Pouya Shahbazian and co-author Sarah Fine to a two-book, six-figure deal for an upcoming young adult series, starting with debut novel SCAN. Set for publication in May of 2014, SCAN is a young adult sci-fi thriller series pitched as MACGYVER meets WAR OF THE WORLDS.

Shahbazian, who writes under the pen name Walter Jury, and Fine, who is writing under the pen name S.E. Fine, wrote SCAN and its 2015 sequel, BURN, after being introduced by agents Joanna Volpe & Kathleen Ortiz of New Leaf Literary & Media. Editor Stacey Barney is shepherding the novels for Putnam.

SCAN, also tonally reminiscent of I AM NUMBER FOUR, is a grounded, high-action YA thriller about a 16-year-old boy who has been prepared his whole life for “something important,” only to discover it means he’s one of the last humans left on Earth. After taking his father’s secret invention, a wand scanner, to school, all sorts of chaos breaks loose as numerous government agencies chase him and his girlfriend for what turns out to be the key to a potential interplanetary conflict. The novels have already been picked up for translation in Germany and Brazil.

New York-based manager/producer Shahbazian is the head of film & TV for New Leaf Literary & Media. Focused on book-to-film representation and adaptations, he produced, with Red Wagon Entertainment, DIVERGENT, set for release by Summit Entertainment on March 21, 2014. As a producer, he also has a number of projects in development at major studios including the upcoming Macmillan lead title, RUNNER, by New York Times-bestselling author Patrick Lee, which is set up at Warner Bros with Justin Lin attached to direct, Michael De Luca and Elaine Chin producing and Adam Cozad adapting; New York Times-bestseller SHADOW & BONE by Leigh Bardugo, at Dreamworks with Heyday Films producing and Chris Kyle adapting; and upcoming Harper Children’s anticipated title RED QUEEN by Victoria Aveyard, which is set up at Universal with Benderspink producing.

Fine is a clinical psychologist and the author of the dark urban fantasy YA series, GUARDS OF THE SHADOWLANDS, with book 2, FRACTURED, to publish on October 29th from Skyscape, as well as the upcoming haunting YA gothic, OF METAL AND WISHES, coming August 2014 from McElderry Books with Simon & Schuster.