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The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 (Softwire) Review
Thirteen-year-old Johnny Turnbull has always known there was something different about him. It turns out he’s the first-ever human softwire —- able to enter and communicate with computers with his mind. Now that JT and two hundred other orphans have been put to work in alien factories on the first ring of Orbis, things are going very wrong. The "perfect" central computer is malfunctioning, and suspicious eyes are turning to JT. Could he be the one responsible? User Submitted The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 (Softwire) ReviewsOctober 7, 2008 Really?! Every single one of these reviews is planted. Fake. The majority are pristinely written and punctuated TOO nicely. And they all say the same thing. "I couldn't put it down" "It's not bogged down with description" "I wasn't interested until such and such..." Really?! That being said, I haven't read the book. But I AM interested because I read an article about how Haarsma had video games in mind when he wrote it. He's trying this to reach out to the generation of kids that favor video games over books, and I'm curious to see how well it translates across the two mediums. Please don't look at the other reviews. Even the last one that appears to be poorly written in the awful Internet/chat room/texting lingo. They're all fluff. But don't let it deter you either. I suggest giving it a try and seeing what it's all about. It could be the next great literary idea. Maybe not. September 25, 2007 Great read - especially for those who generally don't like Sci-Fi I've always liked to read science fiction but for the most part you had to read through the tedious technical description of a whole new world. While I think it has always been worthwhile to stick with these books anyway, I can relate to young adults who - for that reason - don't. This is exactly why The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 is the perfect book for reluctant readers. The story is fast paced, the characters draw you in and the new world PJ Haarsma created is complex and fascinating - but it doesn't overwhelm you and, more importantly, - the lack of overwhelming technical details leaves enough room for ones's own imagination and suspense. In fact, it does exactly the opposite: it leaves you wanting more, both of the story and this newly discovered world. The book touches upon a variety of subjects like growing up, taking responsibility and standing up for one's ideas which make it both interesting for young adults and grown-ups. With Christmas again not so far away (again), it's the perfect book to give away as a present! September 5, 2007 Softwire : Virus on Orbis One review by Jericho The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 is an excellent book. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. P.J. Haarsma is obviously a very talented writer, he manages to keep the reader enthralled throughout the novel. The Softwire is a brilliant story filled with original ideas and characters. I particularly liked the Keepers. With plenty of suspense, unanswered questions and mysteries I can't wait for the future installments. Turning the books into a movie series would be a great success as I am sure they will maintain the very high standards set by The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1. Jericho September 1, 2007 Great read For Young Adults I've never really been a fan of science fiction books. They all seemed to follow the same recipe. They all had the same heroes, saving the day at the last moment, telling us how life should be...That gets boring and predictable.I read The Softwire at the suggestion of some good friends, and I found an author who, through the creation of another world, created a bok that was fast paced without giving the reader too much information all at once making it hard to comprehend for the younger reader. August 31, 2007 A Voice for All Children The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 revolves around an imaginative world of computers, fantasy creatures, kids banding together in crisis, and a boy struggling to find his purpose in life amid adversity. It includes themes of facing fears, importance of "family," kindness versus cruelty, self-reliance and the power of a positive attitude. What more can you ask for in a young adult reader? The main character is immediately appealing. In JT, the author has found the voice for all children struggling to deal with self-consciousness towards their unique qualities. Most children can identify with this, but especially kids who face challenges. For this reason, the book has a strong drawing power for youngsters who have difficulty reading. Just like the "hero" in the book, they usually feel less worthy. Further enhancing the appeal for reluctant readers is the fact that there are no long, drawn-out descriptions to drag the story down. The book gives enough information to spark the imagination, but does not overdo it. Rather, the action moves along at a fast clip from the outset, building and building to the exciting and surprising ending. The author has created Rings of Orbis, a free online videogame based on The Softwire book series, to grab the attention of those kids who would never pick up a book for recreation. Answers to questions in the game are found within the book, encouraging the players to read. What an innovative idea for improving literacy among children! The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 is the perfect book to give kids who could benefit from a strong protagonist who overcomes adversity with grace and perseverance. And it's a fun read for adults as well. August 29, 2007 Loved it!! I'm not usually one to read science fiction but a good friend recommended PJ Harrsma's The Softwire- Virus on Orbis 1 to me so I thought I would give it a try. Boy am I glad I did. It's been quite a while since I enjoyed a book as much as I did this one. The book centers on a group of children who were born on a spaceship and have spent all their lives traveling to the planets their parents were meant to work on. When they arrive on Orbis 1, the children quickly learn that they will be forced to work and will remain virtual slaves. The main character, JT is a Softwire- a human being who can talk to and use a computer with his mind. Because of his gift, he is the suspect when the central computer of Orbis 1 begins to malfunction. He must prove his innocence and solve the mystery of the mechanical failures before time runs out. The author strikes the perfect balance in describing JT's world without bogging the reader down with excess descriptions of the alien world. His deft touch allows the world to unfold in your imagination easily. The characters are rich and compelling and the story is fast paced and brings the reader along for a great ride as JT tries to prove his innocence and save Orbis 1 from the virus infecting it. There are lots of twists and turns and I found this book to be a fun read from start to finish. Can't wait for the next installment! July 5, 2007 Great Book! This book amazed me because Mr. Haarsma managed to describe a whole new world and detailed storyline without losing the reader. He made it easy to follow and kept it pretty fast paced. It is a very entertaining and engaging read. April 10, 2007 Courtesy of Teens Read Too I'm the first to admit that science fiction has never been my favorite genre, but I wanted to give VIRUS ON ORBIS 1 a try. I have to say that I'm very glad I did. Besides having an interesting and entertaining story, the true beauty of the book, at least for me, is the fact that I never felt so overwhelmed with the new world the author created that I wanted to give up. There weren't a thousand crazy names I had to figure out how to pronounce, or a million-and-one gizmos and gadgets that made no sense. With this book, Mr. Haarsma has created a world that even young teens will relate to, and that adult fans of science fiction are sure to enjoy, as well. Johnny Turnbull, thirteen, is a resident of the seed ship Renaissance, along with his eight-year-old sister, Ketheria, and about two hundred other children. Children, and no adults, since all of them died and left the children as orphans. In Johnny and Ketheria's case, their parents had signed a contract to work on the Rings of Orbis (four rings surrounding a wormhole) for four years. Unfortunately, since the children have been on a ship with only a computer called Mother supervising them, no one knows what will happen once they finally arrive at the Rings of Orbis. They do know, though, that they'll be at the mercy of its citizens. There's a problem, though, as there usually is. Johnny has recently discovered that he's a human Softwire - the very first human able to directly communicate with any computer using just his mind. He's been trying to warn the citizens of Orbis that a virus is attacking their central computer, but few are willing to listen. Actually, few are willing to even take the fact of his being a Softwire seriously at all. But it is that fact that could possibly be the only thing that will spare Orbis -and its inhabitants, including the orphans - from destruction. VIRUS ON ORBIS 1 is the first book in THE SOFTWIRE series, and it will be interesting to see where the author takes Johnny next. The majority of this story features him battling both the Trading Council and Orbis's rulers, the Keepers. After reading this great first installment, you'll definitely be ready for the next book in the series. I know I am, and I'm not even a science fiction fan! Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius" February 17, 2007 Exciting Series Debut The adults on the seed ship Renaissance have all perished. In their place, two hundred orphans arrive at the Rings of Orbis to meet their destiny. Among their number is Johnny Turnbull, a boy who can connect with computers using his mind--not that more than a few other children believe him. The children didn't know what to expect at the end of their journey, but they never imagined enforced labor. Worse, Johnny's talents as a "Softwire" are exposed, and a series of catastrophic events make the Citizens of Orbis afraid of him. The central computer that keeps the Rings in a precarious orbit over a wormhole has been infected with a virus, but nobody believes Johnny. Rather than accept that the central computer is compromised, the public blames the Softwire. If he doesn't figure out what is causing the malfunctions, panicked Citizens will demand his head--if they survive. Young adult sci-fi fans will find a lot to love in this series debut. Haarsma has created an amazing new world built on high tech and sweat. His brilliance shines through in his creation of setting, where he maintains the critical balance between showing his world and avoiding "info dump."* The characters are engaging and fun, with each one possessing a unique set of personality traits that sets them apart from everyone else. With a great setting and super characters, Haarsma builds a plot that will keep the pages turning. This promises to be an outstanding series. I highly recommend it to all sci-fi fans over the age of twelve. (* "Info dump" occurs when authors describe their world with more detail than necessary, therefore drawing readers out of the story.) Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer 02/16/2007 November 10, 2006 Couldn't put it down! Excellent read! This is the first book by PJ Haarsma and is the first of a series. I read it from cover to cover as soon as I recieved it after intending to only begin it. The story is engaging and kept me wanting more throughout the entire book. The story is also readily accesible to younger readers that might have some interest in science fiction. The hardest thing about reading this book is waiting for the next installment! There is also an online community and web based game for the story at ringsoforbis.com if people would like to know more and get a feel for the universe created by PJ Haarsma. For more The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 (Softwire) reviews click here.
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