Invasion (C.H.A.O.S. #1)

Title: Invasion (A C.H.A.O.S. Novel)
Author: Jon S. Lewis

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: December 2010

Genre/Format: Sci-Fi/Novel

Summary: Everything changes for Colt after his parents tragically die in a freak car accident, but not everything is adding up. What if the accident wasn't one, but murder. After being forced to move to Arizona to live with his grandfather, Colt begins to uncover secrets that he thought only existed in comic books.

What I Think: Invasion is a mixture of tragedy, romance, adventure, and sci fi. Though I did have trouble at the beginning of the novel- I felt like the idea of Invasion was so cool (Men in Black + Alex Rider!), but it started off with such little pizzazz; however, do not worry! the rest of the novel makes up for it. After the initial exposition where we learn about CHAOS (a government organization that protects us from aliens) and Colt being considered as an agent, conflicts and action start with the freaky accidental death of Colt's parents and is nonstop until the end.

On top of the main plot, Jon S. Lewis has built a comic book world that seems so thought out and real that I had to google it to make sure I hadn't missed out on reading about an awesome Captain America-esque comic book hero.

AND the technology that was available to the CHAOS agents and Colt in the novel were spectacular! I wish that some of it was real (and afraid that some of it will be one day).

I was surprised at how easily the protagonists bought into all of the weird stuff going on. If a friend of mine told me that aliens I read about in a comic book was real, I don't know if I'd believe him right away. But I guess if you are being chased by lizard men, you start to believe a lot.

Worth reading and looking forward to the next book.

Oh and beware of a major CLIFFHANGER!!

(Alienation is due out January, 2012)

Read Together: 6 - 9

Read Alone: 7 - 10

Read With: Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, Lightning Thief series by Rick Riordan, Spy High by A.J. Butcher, Independence Hall (I, Q #1) by Roland Smith, The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey

Snatch of Text: "War is a terrible thing. All those books... all the movies they've made. And now video games? They've tried to make it glamorous, but it's not. We weren't heroes, Colt. The boys who died over in Europe and the Pacific? They were the heroes. We were just lucky enough to survive. No, if you ask me, there are no winners when it comes to war, and there's no glory in taking another life." (Ch. 57 *read on my Kindle, so am not sure of the exact page number*)

Reading Strategies to Practice: Cause/Effect, Visualization, Making connections, Predicting

Writing Strategies to Practice: Comics, Narrative, Plot development

Writing Prompts: Who's more guilty- those who make the weapon or those who use it?; If we sink down to the level of the bad guy to stop him, are we any better than him?

Topics Covered: Adventure, Death, Family, War, Heroes

Translated to Spanish: No

Thank you to Thomas Nelson & netGalley for allowing me to review Invasion.