Lost Republic

August 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-Its 2055 and the S. S. Sir Carlton is the last existing steamship in the world set to go on its final cross-Atlantic voyage. Shadowing this fateful sail is the highly celebrated maiden voyage of the Sunflyer, a solar powered luxury ocean vessel of the future. The Sunflyer's roster is filled with the world's A-list celebrities and society elite while the Carlton's roster is more eclectic, reflective of a diverse group of passengers wanting to experience a moment in history. Among this group of passengers are eight teens, each believing they are on the verge of a newly promising journey to fulfill their own individual future goals: Jenny the Olympic hopeful; Francois the industry heir; siblings Leigh and Julie; Emile the chocolate heir; Eleanor the reluctant traveler; Hans who promised to guard his parents' nautical antiques borrowed by the ship; and Linh the card shark. En route, the ship loses all technological contact and runs up on an undetected land mass. Everyone onboard survives except for eight crew members. The Carlton survivors are thrown for yet another jolt when they are taken hostage by a group of medieval knights and are then handed over to a group of soldiers who only speak Latin, claiming to be Roman Legionnaires. This work provides vast opportunities to discuss and compare the ethical issues of a tech-dependent world vs. one dependent on natural resources. Readers will enjoy this epic time travel adventure. The storyline starts off a little slow, but eventually picks up. For where fantasy is in high demand.-Sabrina Carnesi, Crittenden Middle School, Newport News, VA

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