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catherine_mack's review against another edition
3.0
This whole series is really fast-paced action but written in simple easy-to-read language.
saracat's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book has the feel of a debut a bit too early in an author’s career. There are some inconsistencies, like the main character not being able to call for an ambulance because supposedly the only phone is downstairs. But then a short time later uses his cell phone that he had on him to make a call.
But, it’s a fun, fast paced story. And I am a bit curious as to how the clues presented in the first book end up coming together to reveal what’s going on.
I think part of the reason I gave it a 3 despite its flaws is that is makes me feel nostalgic for books I read in elementary school and middle school.
But, it’s a fun, fast paced story. And I am a bit curious as to how the clues presented in the first book end up coming together to reveal what’s going on.
I think part of the reason I gave it a 3 despite its flaws is that is makes me feel nostalgic for books I read in elementary school and middle school.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
abbyyy03's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
This was the first-ever book I read with a cliffhanger. Brutal
thebrainlair's review against another edition
3.0
I can see why kids would like this. The writing is weak but there's lots if action and suspense.
veyrith's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Loved this series as a kid, a nostalgic quick re-read, obviously aimed at a younger audience, but I still enjoyed it as an adult.
marlimead's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
3.0
Conspiracy 365 is a series of 12 novels, released one per month, following the story of 15 year old Callum Ormond. Callum's life is turned upside down after the death of his father from a mysterious virus. Before his death his father has provided clues to the mystery of his virus, and whatever it is in the background of the family that Callum needs to know about, but it's not until he is directly threatened himself that he's forced to find the answer.
These books are targeted at kids between 10 and 15 and whilst they are obviously meant specifically for young boys, they would work equally well for girls. But we were lucky enough to receive January-May as review books, and we're definitely going to be going out and buying the rest of the year as they become available. We're both reading these books, so we'll both be commenting on them giving the girl and boy perspective (albeit from people "slightly" older than the target group!).
From Him:
Conspiracy 365 is an interesting approach to young adult fiction, combining a web site with competitions and previews and a monthly release of a novel in serialised form. Each novel ends in a cliff hanger which, by the chat on the website, has been an outstanding success in getting readers hooked onto the story.
The story follows Callum being chased by a number of groups all intent on discovering some secret, although Callum himself is trying at the same time to figure out what the secret is they all want.
In the January instalment, Callum finds himself almost drowned after a boating accident, kidnapped, and a fugitive after being wrongly accused of an attack on his family. So Callum, with only his friend Boges believing him, hides out and tries to put the scant facts together about the Ormond family history and what it means to Callum and his family today.
There was only one technical issue in this that I had a problem with, and that was the use of the mobile phone. I kept wondering why the police did not trace Callum via his mobile, or at least get access to his call record to figure out he was in constant contact with his friend. In an otherwise brilliant story, this kept nagging at me.
From Her:
This series is a very interesting, layered idea, obviously designed to try to make reading more appealing to media-savy consumers - particularly boys. The novels are supported by a website, membership cards, online media and so on. Regardless of the supporting environment, the quality of the story-telling has to hold up in order to grab and keep any reader's attention, although in this case, the supporting multimedia environment is very nicely done.
And the storytelling does hold up. There are tricks and methods used in these books that an adult reader might feel slightly less comfortable with (cliffhanger endings, personal jeopardy and so on), but for young readers, used to a TV world, would probably seem perfectly reasonable and very very appealing.
Callum is on the run from the end of this book, supported and aided in his quest by his best friend. The quest combines an excellent level of physicality as well as online / technological research - the acts spread across both boys in a very realistic manner. Callum's survival living wild in the city, being pursued by people whose motives he doesn't understand is very tense, and scary enough to really give the reader a sense of peril.
The overall sense of tension built around Callum's fate (and in my case a big worry about his best friend), the intricate nature of the quest and the clever layout of clues, along with the way in which Callum sticks to his quest regardless of the amount of pressure placed upon him, well it was excellent.
Roll on February.
These books are targeted at kids between 10 and 15 and whilst they are obviously meant specifically for young boys, they would work equally well for girls. But we were lucky enough to receive January-May as review books, and we're definitely going to be going out and buying the rest of the year as they become available. We're both reading these books, so we'll both be commenting on them giving the girl and boy perspective (albeit from people "slightly" older than the target group!).
From Him:
Conspiracy 365 is an interesting approach to young adult fiction, combining a web site with competitions and previews and a monthly release of a novel in serialised form. Each novel ends in a cliff hanger which, by the chat on the website, has been an outstanding success in getting readers hooked onto the story.
The story follows Callum being chased by a number of groups all intent on discovering some secret, although Callum himself is trying at the same time to figure out what the secret is they all want.
In the January instalment, Callum finds himself almost drowned after a boating accident, kidnapped, and a fugitive after being wrongly accused of an attack on his family. So Callum, with only his friend Boges believing him, hides out and tries to put the scant facts together about the Ormond family history and what it means to Callum and his family today.
There was only one technical issue in this that I had a problem with, and that was the use of the mobile phone. I kept wondering why the police did not trace Callum via his mobile, or at least get access to his call record to figure out he was in constant contact with his friend. In an otherwise brilliant story, this kept nagging at me.
From Her:
This series is a very interesting, layered idea, obviously designed to try to make reading more appealing to media-savy consumers - particularly boys. The novels are supported by a website, membership cards, online media and so on. Regardless of the supporting environment, the quality of the story-telling has to hold up in order to grab and keep any reader's attention, although in this case, the supporting multimedia environment is very nicely done.
And the storytelling does hold up. There are tricks and methods used in these books that an adult reader might feel slightly less comfortable with (cliffhanger endings, personal jeopardy and so on), but for young readers, used to a TV world, would probably seem perfectly reasonable and very very appealing.
Callum is on the run from the end of this book, supported and aided in his quest by his best friend. The quest combines an excellent level of physicality as well as online / technological research - the acts spread across both boys in a very realistic manner. Callum's survival living wild in the city, being pursued by people whose motives he doesn't understand is very tense, and scary enough to really give the reader a sense of peril.
The overall sense of tension built around Callum's fate (and in my case a big worry about his best friend), the intricate nature of the quest and the clever layout of clues, along with the way in which Callum sticks to his quest regardless of the amount of pressure placed upon him, well it was excellent.
Roll on February.
ckausch's review against another edition
2.0
This is great idea for a series! A new book is scheduled for release every month this year. The month-named titles will prevent any confusion about what order in which they should be read.
It is a fast, plot-driven read that I think will appeal particularly to younger teen and pre-teen boys. The cover of the book lets you know that you are in for an action movie in book form...
...The chapters are time stamped, and while I understand the desire to break the book up in to short sections for reluctant readers, it seems unnecessary when a new chapter starts a few minutes after the last one and nothing has changed or happened to necessitate a new chapter.
Personally, I did not love it enough to read further in the series, but I plan to get them all for my school library and think reluctant readers, tweens, and young teens will enjoy it.
Full review at http://dogearedandwellread.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/conspiracy-365-january-by-gabrielle-lord/
It is a fast, plot-driven read that I think will appeal particularly to younger teen and pre-teen boys. The cover of the book lets you know that you are in for an action movie in book form...
...The chapters are time stamped, and while I understand the desire to break the book up in to short sections for reluctant readers, it seems unnecessary when a new chapter starts a few minutes after the last one and nothing has changed or happened to necessitate a new chapter.
Personally, I did not love it enough to read further in the series, but I plan to get them all for my school library and think reluctant readers, tweens, and young teens will enjoy it.
Full review at http://dogearedandwellread.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/conspiracy-365-january-by-gabrielle-lord/
madlenka's review against another edition
1.0
The author wanted to write a book for teens, but she must have very low meaning about their reading abilities. The characters are so shallow. You get to know nothing about what they are actually like, how they behave. The seem unreal. And the story is so empty. You recognise action by sentences with exclamation mark in the end. Moving scene usually looks like this: "She suddenly started crying. Then she blew her nose and said: Sometimes I'm okay, but sometimes..." or "It's hard for everyone."
Tne author is pushing it even more by organising the story to be some kind of deduction. The chapters are divided by dates, and then into time setting: 0.31. 7.40. 10.42. And that is rather distructing than anything else.
I think that if I really wanted to know how it ends (which I don't), I would skip all those 10 books and went straight for December.
Tne author is pushing it even more by organising the story to be some kind of deduction. The chapters are divided by dates, and then into time setting: 0.31. 7.40. 10.42. And that is rather distructing than anything else.
I think that if I really wanted to know how it ends (which I don't), I would skip all those 10 books and went straight for December.
emimia's review against another edition
4.0
4.5. I read these books in 8th grade and loved them. Decided to reread them to see if I still feel the same way. I do.