The Tomorrow Code

February 1, 2009
Gr 7 Up-"The end of the world started quietly enough for Tane Williams and Rebecca Richards." This intriguing first sentence immediately draws readers into the novel. When two New Zealand teens decode a cryptic message consisting of seemingly random patterns of 0s and 1s, they are alarmed to discover that the message appears to have been sent from the future by themselves via gamma rays and warns of a disaster that could affect the entire planet. Though this is a fine premise for a speculative fiction novel, the book suffers a bit from uneven writing and sketchy science. Still, the action scenes are dramatic, the message decoding is intriguing, and the underlying pro-ecology message of respect for the Earth (or else) is timely and will be enough to keep some readers interested. However, David Klass's "Firestorm" (Farrar, 2006) and M. T. Anderson's "Feed" (Candlewick, 2002) are stronger choices."Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2008
Three young New Zealanders square off against a biological apocalypse in this terrifyingsf page-turner. Starting with the notion that quantum foam might be a key to sending messages back through time, Tane, his friend Rebecca, and his older brother Fatboy discover a series of coded transmissions from their own future selves: a set of lottery numbers, circuit diagrams for a transmitter, and ominous warnings about a Chimera Project. That last turns out (they discover too late) to be a scientific experiment gone wrong that produces an opaque cloud of deadly organisms designed to detect and kill all human life. Falkner crafts a solid thriller for his U.S. debut, in which immunology, ecological depredation, and Maori culture all play significant roles. Though he doesnt resolve every time paradox (such as where those circuit diagrams originated), his tale hangs together well enough, and features an open ending that will leave readers waiting with fingers crossed.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)