What do you think?
Rate this book
Recon Team Angel #1
Assault
From Book 1: It's 2030, and humanity is losing the war against alien invaders. A Band of Brothers meets Ender's Game in this sci-fi military thriller.
A team of six has been chosen . . .
. . . to infiltrate the enemy's headquarters in the heart of the Australian Outback. The six teens have been modified to look like aliens. They have spent years mastering alien culture so that they can talk, act—even think—like their enemies. But from the start, the recon mission goes terribly wrong. It's only when they are close to discovering the shocking truth of the aliens' plans that the team is forced to ask:
Who among them is a traitor?
Brian Falkner, author of The Project, Brain Jack, and The Tomorrow Code, delivers a page-turning military thriller with his signature heart-pounding action and unique sci-fi twists.
Hand this to teens who love playing Call of Duty and Halo!
"Falkner supplies a tight story that features a strong plot and believable characters. . . . [He] effectively employs the tropes of both survival and war stories to great effect. While an entirely satisfying read on its own, readers can only hope there is a second installment in the works."—Kirkus Reviews
A team of six has been chosen . . .
. . . to infiltrate the enemy's headquarters in the heart of the Australian Outback. The six teens have been modified to look like aliens. They have spent years mastering alien culture so that they can talk, act—even think—like their enemies. But from the start, the recon mission goes terribly wrong. It's only when they are close to discovering the shocking truth of the aliens' plans that the team is forced to ask:
Who among them is a traitor?
Brian Falkner, author of The Project, Brain Jack, and The Tomorrow Code, delivers a page-turning military thriller with his signature heart-pounding action and unique sci-fi twists.
Hand this to teens who love playing Call of Duty and Halo!
"Falkner supplies a tight story that features a strong plot and believable characters. . . . [He] effectively employs the tropes of both survival and war stories to great effect. While an entirely satisfying read on its own, readers can only hope there is a second installment in the works."—Kirkus Reviews
Paperback
First published September 25, 2012
18 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
November 27, 2013
It was a good book with action and excitement. Great for COD and Halo lovers. Also a good book for science fiction lovers.
May 15, 2013
Booktalk for middle school:
I am sure you have seen pictures, or even know someone, who is covered with tattoos.
But have you ever seen pictures of those people who have had their tongue surgically split in two, so it is forked like a snake’s?
How about the people who have had implants put in their heads, to make it look like they had horns?
What if you HAD to do that, for your job? Would you still do it?
What if your job was to save the world from an alien invasion?
That is the mission that Recon Angel Team has been given, and they are the only ones who are smart enough, tough enough, and thanks to their young ages, small enough to disguise themselves as the alien invaders and hit them where it hurts-at the very center of the base of operations. And as if THAT weren’t dangerous enough, Lieutenant Ryan Chisnall suspects he may have a traitor on his specialized a team, A traitor who not only could doom the whole mission, but also the entire human race.
Fast-paced, hard to put down, full of suspense, action, military jargon, and lots of explosions, this book played like a summer blockbuster in my mind’s eye as I read it. I think boys and girls will find it appealing as several members of the Angel Team are super capable female soldiers with their own special talents.
I am sure you have seen pictures, or even know someone, who is covered with tattoos.
But have you ever seen pictures of those people who have had their tongue surgically split in two, so it is forked like a snake’s?
How about the people who have had implants put in their heads, to make it look like they had horns?
What if you HAD to do that, for your job? Would you still do it?
What if your job was to save the world from an alien invasion?
That is the mission that Recon Angel Team has been given, and they are the only ones who are smart enough, tough enough, and thanks to their young ages, small enough to disguise themselves as the alien invaders and hit them where it hurts-at the very center of the base of operations. And as if THAT weren’t dangerous enough, Lieutenant Ryan Chisnall suspects he may have a traitor on his specialized a team, A traitor who not only could doom the whole mission, but also the entire human race.
Fast-paced, hard to put down, full of suspense, action, military jargon, and lots of explosions, this book played like a summer blockbuster in my mind’s eye as I read it. I think boys and girls will find it appealing as several members of the Angel Team are super capable female soldiers with their own special talents.
August 22, 2013
2.5 stars
Summary:
Earth has been invaded by the Bzadians, an Alien species who wants to exterminate humanity and claim the planet for their own. Recon Team Angel, made up of six teens who have been physically modified to look like Bzadians, has a special mission to infiltrate Uluru Military Base, assist in an attack, and investigate what is going on in this highly secret location. At the outset, only the team’s leader Lieutenant Chisnall knows the full extent of the plan, and the mission has just barely gotten underway when someone tries to take him out. Chisnall knows it has to be one of the five other members of Team Angel, but he’s not sure who. In the meantime he has to continue on with the mission and contend with many obstacles and surprises along the way.
Evaluation:
The Assault will appeal to readers who like a lot of action and don’t require much character development. The plot moves quickly, and there are a lot of twists and turns which will keep the reader guessing. Most interesting and unique was the idea that these teenagers had not only been thoroughly trained in all the ways of the Bzadians, they have also been surgically modified to look like them (forked tongues, bone extensions to give them elongated skulls, skin discoloration). However, there is no examination of the morality of the humans who were willing to recruit teens to fight and put them through such extreme medical procedures. Though the presence of aliens on Earth certainly put this novel in the category of science fiction, it relies heavily on standard clichés of war novels and movies. Much dialogue was used as a means to develop the characters and show the camaraderie among the members of Team Angel, but most of it came off as clichéd military banter. As a result, the characterization was pretty thin. The point of view occasionally switches to that of one of the aliens, which was interesting but in the end didn’t really seem to serve a purpose. Perhaps it will become important as the series progresses. The cover art suggests that this is aimed at middle grade readers, but the level of violence makes it more appropriate for more mature middle school and younger high school students.
Summary:
Earth has been invaded by the Bzadians, an Alien species who wants to exterminate humanity and claim the planet for their own. Recon Team Angel, made up of six teens who have been physically modified to look like Bzadians, has a special mission to infiltrate Uluru Military Base, assist in an attack, and investigate what is going on in this highly secret location. At the outset, only the team’s leader Lieutenant Chisnall knows the full extent of the plan, and the mission has just barely gotten underway when someone tries to take him out. Chisnall knows it has to be one of the five other members of Team Angel, but he’s not sure who. In the meantime he has to continue on with the mission and contend with many obstacles and surprises along the way.
Evaluation:
The Assault will appeal to readers who like a lot of action and don’t require much character development. The plot moves quickly, and there are a lot of twists and turns which will keep the reader guessing. Most interesting and unique was the idea that these teenagers had not only been thoroughly trained in all the ways of the Bzadians, they have also been surgically modified to look like them (forked tongues, bone extensions to give them elongated skulls, skin discoloration). However, there is no examination of the morality of the humans who were willing to recruit teens to fight and put them through such extreme medical procedures. Though the presence of aliens on Earth certainly put this novel in the category of science fiction, it relies heavily on standard clichés of war novels and movies. Much dialogue was used as a means to develop the characters and show the camaraderie among the members of Team Angel, but most of it came off as clichéd military banter. As a result, the characterization was pretty thin. The point of view occasionally switches to that of one of the aliens, which was interesting but in the end didn’t really seem to serve a purpose. Perhaps it will become important as the series progresses. The cover art suggests that this is aimed at middle grade readers, but the level of violence makes it more appropriate for more mature middle school and younger high school students.
November 6, 2012
This was a very good book. I give out 5 stars a lot (I'm just really good at knowing whether I will like a book or not before I start it), and it sounds silly, but I even started looking for reasons to drop a star, but even if I felt there were faults, they got lost somewhere in my interest and investment of the story and I had to stick with a 5 out of 5 stars. Especially for a YA book, I felt the way he organized the military terms and proceedure was done really well. The story itself is very interesting and the plot has enough turns, although some are predictable, to keep you reading. The only downside was that some things were predictable. It didn't take away from the story at all, they weren't cliche, and I still felt surprised at quite a few things, so overall it didn't bother me at all.
November 11, 2012
I KNEW IT! I knew who the traitor was! BOOYAH!
I really enjoyed the whole story line of this book. Just the thought of teenagers taking on some badass aliens was epic! Definitely make sure to read the Glossary of all the phrases used in the book because it really helped.
Some great aspects of the book were
1.) The characters were very likeable
2.) It keeps you guessing on who the traitor is (I knew who it was almost right away :P)
3.) The phrases and statements between characters were HILARIOUS! ex. Cheese and Rice
So basically...
I can't wait for the next book!
I really enjoyed the whole story line of this book. Just the thought of teenagers taking on some badass aliens was epic! Definitely make sure to read the Glossary of all the phrases used in the book because it really helped.
Some great aspects of the book were
1.) The characters were very likeable
2.) It keeps you guessing on who the traitor is (I knew who it was almost right away :P)
3.) The phrases and statements between characters were HILARIOUS! ex. Cheese and Rice
So basically...
I can't wait for the next book!
February 2, 2014
The story of angel team 1 one is very realistic. Unlike most books that have war violence and weapons and then explain nothing about them, this book has a large glossary that explains every military term used. This book also has a great and original plot. The only thing that was wrong with the book is that the ending is a bit confusing but besides that the book has no errors at all. I personally that Brian Falkner has made a book that everyone will like.
May 25, 2017
Six teenagers, led by Lt. "Lucky" Ryan, undergo physical alterations and extensive training in order to infiltrate the invading alien headquarters on what was once called Australia. Upon landing in Australia Ryan learns one of his team is a traitor and tensions heighten when he finds another member of the squad dead in his sleeping bag with the sabotaged transmitter. With their communication cut, Ryan pushes the team through to their goal, Uluru. Once they make it inside the secretive rock they discover the aliens have been breeding and brainwashing humans to infiltrate what's left of humanity and one of their products is Sergeant Holly Brogan who reveals her betrayal as it becomes clear the team's orders are to destroy Uluru and all it contains. After subduing the sergeant, Ryan orders that all the humans that can, be evacuated before the bomb goes off and the aliens break in. Sending the children and traitor ahead on the team's evacuation transport, Ryan and the three remaining members of his squad must hold out until the backup transport can evacuate them from enemy territory.
This book was a fun, fast-paced read but I feel like it pulled its punches a little. It creates a nice introduction into the conversation about the effects of war on individuals, exploring the contrast between orders given and actions soldiers actually feel comfortable committing as well as effects the death of a member of a group. But it doesn't delve too deeply into the human psyche or emotions, a good book for teens looking for a book in the military or sci-fi genres.
This book was a fun, fast-paced read but I feel like it pulled its punches a little. It creates a nice introduction into the conversation about the effects of war on individuals, exploring the contrast between orders given and actions soldiers actually feel comfortable committing as well as effects the death of a member of a group. But it doesn't delve too deeply into the human psyche or emotions, a good book for teens looking for a book in the military or sci-fi genres.
January 18, 2020
“Five teenage soldiers. Two SAS troopers disguised as RAF officers. One traitor.”
The Earth is losing a war against the Bzadians, an alien species wanting to take over the planet. Lt. “Lucky” Ryan Chisnall and his squad of five other team members must infiltrate the aliens core operations in Uluru and find out what is going on inside. Through extensive training and physical alterations, they have disguised themselves as Bzadians. Upon arriving in what is formally known as Australia, Ryan discovers that there is a traitor among them as his landing pad has been sabotaged. During the trek to Uluru, disaster strikes as one of his team members is killed and the communication transmitter destroyed. When they finally arrive at Uluru, Chisnall finds out what the Bzadians are really doing and who the traitor is.
The Assault is a terrific novel from people who like to mix science-fiction with a mystery. Falkner makes you feel like you are in the story with his description and interpretation. I was with Recon Team Angel as they arrived into Uluru and with Chisnall as he found out what laid inside of Uluru. Falkner makes you want to keep on reading forever.
The Assault is an exciting, dramatic novel. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys an action-packed mystery, but has time to not stop reading a book since you won’t put it down.
The Earth is losing a war against the Bzadians, an alien species wanting to take over the planet. Lt. “Lucky” Ryan Chisnall and his squad of five other team members must infiltrate the aliens core operations in Uluru and find out what is going on inside. Through extensive training and physical alterations, they have disguised themselves as Bzadians. Upon arriving in what is formally known as Australia, Ryan discovers that there is a traitor among them as his landing pad has been sabotaged. During the trek to Uluru, disaster strikes as one of his team members is killed and the communication transmitter destroyed. When they finally arrive at Uluru, Chisnall finds out what the Bzadians are really doing and who the traitor is.
The Assault is a terrific novel from people who like to mix science-fiction with a mystery. Falkner makes you feel like you are in the story with his description and interpretation. I was with Recon Team Angel as they arrived into Uluru and with Chisnall as he found out what laid inside of Uluru. Falkner makes you want to keep on reading forever.
The Assault is an exciting, dramatic novel. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys an action-packed mystery, but has time to not stop reading a book since you won’t put it down.
March 7, 2019
I liked this book because of the action. The amount of action this book has is equal to that of the expendable movies. Books similar to this one are good books for people who like action and adventure. It also has some murder/mystery in it. In this book the mystery is that the main character ( Chisnall ) is almost killed due to an equipment malfunction. throughout the book people on the team were being killed very mystically. When I was reading this book it reminded me of the James Bond movies because of the going behind enemy lines disguised as the enemy itself. Chisnall is like James Bond in this book due to the fact that he is the leader of the group and knows how to accomplish the task at hand.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2023
The Assault is an incredibly engaging story about a military faction resisting alien conquerors. This is the first book in a series, and it does an incredible job at setting up a larger plot. Despite that, it is also a great story on its own. The book never has a moment where it gets boring or loses any tension it has previously built up. Each advancement of the plot only increases the action. The way this story handles aliens is also unique compared to other works. Constantly switching point of views with the aliens and humans results in characters on both sides never getting too boring or repetitive. With enjoyable characters and an intense plot, this is a great book for anyone who enjoys action.
October 5, 2018
I love this book. This book is not difficult to read, this book really gives you a inside perspective of what really goes on in a secret mission. I also believe this is a realistic book I know it has some aliens in it but the secret traitor gives it a realistic feel to it. If you are interested in sci-fi then this if for you. I would recommend this to readers who like action packed stories and love a real life story with twist and turns. Brian throws you off and leads one way then changes to the other quickly one of my favorite books.
January 29, 2018
It was an action-packed pretty exciting book but I think it lacked depth and all of the characters said what they meant and did what they said. It was also good in many ways. The author created a large new dystopian future that was pretty complex and hard to get a grasp on. The characters like I said before were pretty one dimensional and just didn't interest me but a lot of things about it were so action packed I almost enjoyed reading it.
December 12, 2017
I had this finished basically within a day. I couldn't put it down. I look forward to getting my hands on the rest of the series. The plot reminded me of Tomorrow When the War Began only set in the future and with aliens. It had almost everything a good novel should have: action, comedic dialogue, the twist. This was a really great story.
March 20, 2019
This definitely isn't the type of book I would read normally, but I found myself actually really enjoying it. You get right into the world of the story and the characters were all really gritty and interesting.
July 10, 2025
WHYYY??? WHY IS IT HOLLLYYYY!!!! I LIKED HERRRR!!!
And also that bit where Holly 'brushes' Chisnall's legs..... I was kinda cringing.. I'm a bit underage for this book, but...
Also I read this because I was doing a writer's camp with Brian Falkner!
And also that bit where Holly 'brushes' Chisnall's legs..... I was kinda cringing.. I'm a bit underage for this book, but...
Also I read this because I was doing a writer's camp with Brian Falkner!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2017
Not really high-octane whatever that means.
March 1, 2018
A very interesting story, a bit slow paced but overall enjoyable to read.
July 27, 2020
Don’t bother. Written in such a boring fashion that I stopped halfway through
January 24, 2023
pretty boring
September 18, 2024
The book has some insanely descriptive vocabulary, which I cannot deny but that leaves for a cliche and predictable plot. Overall had much more potential but wasn’t a wasted read
May 24, 2018
Personal Response:
Overall, I really liked this book. It was adventurous during the whole book. One thing i didn’t like about this book is that it seemed to jump around quite a bit. I think the author did a great job with accurate details.
Plot Summary:
In the year 2030 the aliens have invaded the Earth. They have strongly fortified there base to keep out any intruders such as humans. Many young men and women have been trained for many years to overcome the aliens. They have learned how to operate their types of equipment and even speak their language. One team that was deployed was Recon Angle 1. The were deployed to sneak behind enemy lines and reveil why the aliens were there. What the team finds will change the lives of humans forever.
Recommendations:
I recommend this book to those who like action books. I also recommend it to early teens and those who like military based books.
Overall, I really liked this book. It was adventurous during the whole book. One thing i didn’t like about this book is that it seemed to jump around quite a bit. I think the author did a great job with accurate details.
Plot Summary:
In the year 2030 the aliens have invaded the Earth. They have strongly fortified there base to keep out any intruders such as humans. Many young men and women have been trained for many years to overcome the aliens. They have learned how to operate their types of equipment and even speak their language. One team that was deployed was Recon Angle 1. The were deployed to sneak behind enemy lines and reveil why the aliens were there. What the team finds will change the lives of humans forever.
Recommendations:
I recommend this book to those who like action books. I also recommend it to early teens and those who like military based books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2012
This science fiction war story was filled with action. A group of six young people have been trained to infiltrate the headquarters of the alien invaders who said they were coming to seek refuge from their dying planet but who now want to take over the whole Earth. This is the story of how they managed to get into the fortress and what they found when they got there.
The leader of the group is sixteen-year-old Lieutenant Ryan Chisnall. The other group members are his Sergeant Holly Brogan, Specialist Steven Huntington, Specialist Janos Panyoczki, Private Blake Wilton, and Private Trianne Price. Each of the members of the team has a specialty. Price is also called Phantom because she can move with so much stealth, Wilton is a sharp shooter, and Panyoczki is called Monster because he is so strong.
Chisnall has picked all of them for their strengths but he doesn't know that he has also picked one team member who is a traitor and is working for the aliens. Chisnall has to figure out who the traitor is after Huntington is killed and some important equipment is damaged. But he also has to complete his mission and get to the center of Uluru to find out what the aliens are hiding.
This book is filled with military jargon and lots of various weapons I found that there was a glossary at the end of the story that would have been more helpful had it been at the beginning. There isn't much character development in the story. The whole thing is written as though it was pieced together from mission reports and interviews with the survivors. It begins with a prologue that sets the stage and ends with an End Note that tells what happened to the characters of this book after this adventure ends.
This is essentially a war story. We don't really learn very much about the aliens who have invaded the Earth. While they talk about how our team has to learn the culture and language of the aliens, the actual aliens don't act much different that any human soldier would. Their "alien-ness" is conveyed by their physical appearance which includes a differently shaped skull, different skin tones, and different things they like to eat. They are supposed to have DNA that is 99% the same as human DNA.
I think this story will appeal most to those who really like war stories with descriptions of weapons and battles. I would have liked more character development and for the aliens to be more alien.
The leader of the group is sixteen-year-old Lieutenant Ryan Chisnall. The other group members are his Sergeant Holly Brogan, Specialist Steven Huntington, Specialist Janos Panyoczki, Private Blake Wilton, and Private Trianne Price. Each of the members of the team has a specialty. Price is also called Phantom because she can move with so much stealth, Wilton is a sharp shooter, and Panyoczki is called Monster because he is so strong.
Chisnall has picked all of them for their strengths but he doesn't know that he has also picked one team member who is a traitor and is working for the aliens. Chisnall has to figure out who the traitor is after Huntington is killed and some important equipment is damaged. But he also has to complete his mission and get to the center of Uluru to find out what the aliens are hiding.
This book is filled with military jargon and lots of various weapons I found that there was a glossary at the end of the story that would have been more helpful had it been at the beginning. There isn't much character development in the story. The whole thing is written as though it was pieced together from mission reports and interviews with the survivors. It begins with a prologue that sets the stage and ends with an End Note that tells what happened to the characters of this book after this adventure ends.
This is essentially a war story. We don't really learn very much about the aliens who have invaded the Earth. While they talk about how our team has to learn the culture and language of the aliens, the actual aliens don't act much different that any human soldier would. Their "alien-ness" is conveyed by their physical appearance which includes a differently shaped skull, different skin tones, and different things they like to eat. They are supposed to have DNA that is 99% the same as human DNA.
I think this story will appeal most to those who really like war stories with descriptions of weapons and battles. I would have liked more character development and for the aliens to be more alien.
November 26, 2014
By the description this book sounded really interesting. It proved to be a massive flop. I got 55% through it and just could not read another page.
Things I liked :::
- I liked the tech in this book. The half pipe (a parachute without a parachute), the automatic holster etc.
- And that was about it...
Things I didn't like :::
- Worst alien invasion ever!!! They have ships that can carry them all the way across the universe but once they get here they have to borrow all of the human tech to take over the planet. How does that go, "hey guys I left my gun at home can I borrow yours? Thanks! Now I'm going to take over your planet."
- The aliens supposedly forgot to bring satellites and didn't think to keep their own ships in orbit. This creates a huge blind spot for them because the humans can track them from space.
- There is no alien culture aside form pointing with flat hands and other mundane and unimportant elements like that. The aliens even remarkably have the same military structure that we do.
- This plot was paper thin and full to the brim with cliches. All of the army and soldier jargon... bland... bland... bland... I have seen it before a million times!
- There was so much pretended suspense that it was painful. The murder plot was not interesting and the characters were forgettable and I really wouldn't care if they got the ax.
- Who in their right mind trains teens and sends them on a critical mission to save the world?! The books says it was because they were good at paintball and were short enough. Well guess what? There are tons of short people in this world who are adults and probably could be good at paintball too!
I will stop my list of things I didn't like there because I think you get the point. This book is nothing you haven't seen before and skipped. Maybe if this was your first EVER encounter with this genre it might hold your attention. In the end it would only serve as a good example of bad sci-fi once you encounter good sci-fi.
Things I liked :::
- I liked the tech in this book. The half pipe (a parachute without a parachute), the automatic holster etc.
- And that was about it...
Things I didn't like :::
- Worst alien invasion ever!!! They have ships that can carry them all the way across the universe but once they get here they have to borrow all of the human tech to take over the planet. How does that go, "hey guys I left my gun at home can I borrow yours? Thanks! Now I'm going to take over your planet."
- The aliens supposedly forgot to bring satellites and didn't think to keep their own ships in orbit. This creates a huge blind spot for them because the humans can track them from space.
- There is no alien culture aside form pointing with flat hands and other mundane and unimportant elements like that. The aliens even remarkably have the same military structure that we do.
- This plot was paper thin and full to the brim with cliches. All of the army and soldier jargon... bland... bland... bland... I have seen it before a million times!
- There was so much pretended suspense that it was painful. The murder plot was not interesting and the characters were forgettable and I really wouldn't care if they got the ax.
- Who in their right mind trains teens and sends them on a critical mission to save the world?! The books says it was because they were good at paintball and were short enough. Well guess what? There are tons of short people in this world who are adults and probably could be good at paintball too!
I will stop my list of things I didn't like there because I think you get the point. This book is nothing you haven't seen before and skipped. Maybe if this was your first EVER encounter with this genre it might hold your attention. In the end it would only serve as a good example of bad sci-fi once you encounter good sci-fi.
May 3, 2012
Set in 2030, the story follow a group of six military teenagers who have been specifically trained for this mission: to infiltrate the base of the alien race, the Bzadians, who have taken over most of the world. However, the mission becomes a lot more dangerous once the team leader learns that there is a traitor within the group. Now, he must get his team through this mission all while trying to find out who between is the traitor to the human race.
All the characters are interesting. Many of the team members are quickly likable with their exchanges of witty banter.
You will spend much of your time while reading the book trying to figure out which of the team members is the traitor. I guessed it pretty early on but that does not mean my thoughts did not flutter over some of the other characters being the traitor.
The Assault has quick paced and quick witted dialogue. Do not worry if you do not understand some of the abbreviations and jargon because the book contains a glossary!
Final Thought.
Give it a go. A unique military novel full of science fiction, action, thrills and adventures, Assault appeals not only to boys but to anyone who wants a fast paced adventure.
All the characters are interesting. Many of the team members are quickly likable with their exchanges of witty banter.
You will spend much of your time while reading the book trying to figure out which of the team members is the traitor. I guessed it pretty early on but that does not mean my thoughts did not flutter over some of the other characters being the traitor.
The Assault has quick paced and quick witted dialogue. Do not worry if you do not understand some of the abbreviations and jargon because the book contains a glossary!
Final Thought.
Give it a go. A unique military novel full of science fiction, action, thrills and adventures, Assault appeals not only to boys but to anyone who wants a fast paced adventure.
April 4, 2013
The Assault by Brian Falkner
Earth is invaded, the invaders are as biologically as close to us as chimpanzees and they are winning our planet. A team of teenage commandos infiltrate their most secure facility and wreak havoc.
My first reaction to the age of the commandos was tainted by the reality of child soldiers in the African conflicts. After I scrubbed that image from my mind I was able to focus on the story.
The story line is fine. The political logic regarding the arrival of the aliens seemed highly plausible. The behavior of the aliens was akin to the behavior of the European assault on colonial America.
Teenage abilities are often overlooked. I found nothing outlandish about the capabilities of teenage commandos. Kids are talented and far more resilient than what is commonly believed. I also liked the way Falkner showed the innate optimism and nobility of the young. Their unwillingness to randomly kill and their resistance to the “collateral damage” attitude was comforting.
This was a good, entertaining YA book.
I recommend the book.
Earth is invaded, the invaders are as biologically as close to us as chimpanzees and they are winning our planet. A team of teenage commandos infiltrate their most secure facility and wreak havoc.
My first reaction to the age of the commandos was tainted by the reality of child soldiers in the African conflicts. After I scrubbed that image from my mind I was able to focus on the story.
The story line is fine. The political logic regarding the arrival of the aliens seemed highly plausible. The behavior of the aliens was akin to the behavior of the European assault on colonial America.
Teenage abilities are often overlooked. I found nothing outlandish about the capabilities of teenage commandos. Kids are talented and far more resilient than what is commonly believed. I also liked the way Falkner showed the innate optimism and nobility of the young. Their unwillingness to randomly kill and their resistance to the “collateral damage” attitude was comforting.
This was a good, entertaining YA book.
I recommend the book.
October 13, 2013
In the year 2030 an alien race has invaded earth and is trying to take it for themselves. Recon Team Angel, a squad of young soldiers and spy's, are forced to infiltrate enemy facilities and find information to help end the war between humanity and the Bzadians (the aliens). When slipping behind enemy lines Recon Team Angel will discover things that they never could imagine possible.
Recon Team Angel Deserves a 5/5 star rating because although it does not have the most original story-line it is written in such a way that it grips the reader no matter what. With its intense story line and big plot twists it leaves you on the edge of your seat until you've finished the book in one sitting and then you desperately want to get your hands on the second book in the series!
Overall, Recon Team Angel is an amazing book and is a good read for all ages. It is gripping, interesting and a great book that would put anyone on the edge of their seat throughout the whole story. Brian Falkner is a Kiwi author and has written many other books, including two others about Recon Team Angel.
Recon Team Angel Deserves a 5/5 star rating because although it does not have the most original story-line it is written in such a way that it grips the reader no matter what. With its intense story line and big plot twists it leaves you on the edge of your seat until you've finished the book in one sitting and then you desperately want to get your hands on the second book in the series!
Overall, Recon Team Angel is an amazing book and is a good read for all ages. It is gripping, interesting and a great book that would put anyone on the edge of their seat throughout the whole story. Brian Falkner is a Kiwi author and has written many other books, including two others about Recon Team Angel.
April 11, 2014
My reason for choosing this book was that it sounded interesting. Well turns out the book is based in Australia. The war with the aliens is going on and has been a stalemate for years so it is external conflict. Chiznall is dynamic from the begging to the end. He was strong, caring, good actor, and observant. "Brogan!" Chisnall tried to keep the relief out of his voice. "Are you okay?"(Falkner 196). The theme was basically I think impossible is nothing. One connection to the book is they are about my age (Falkner 104). Another is that they are good with guns like me (Falkner 36). The last one is that they can shoot fairly well(Falkner 46). My favorite main character was probably Chiznall mainly because he was the leader. Another theme is saw was to watch who you trust. My overall opinion of the book is that it is a great one. Mostly in part to the fact that it kept me entertained and in the book the entire time. I would recommend this book to my friends because it was good army book and most of my friends like that kind of stuff.
March 24, 2016
The strength of the story is action and there certainly was plenty of that and it was well done.
This is the first in a series of books about teenage human soldiers used to infiltrate the ranks of alien invaders of Earth through secret missions.
The premise is that a group of aliens called Bzadians arrived at Earth and settled in the Australian Outback because it was most like their home. Their ships had no propulsion systems to let them take back off of Earth and humanity was persuaded to let them settle in Australia.
But, it turns out that these original ships were the advance force for a full-fledged invasion. Australia became their stronghold and the from their the Bzadians invaded Asia, Africa and Europe. Now, only the Americas hold them off.
Because of the slight, short stature of the Bzadians, human teenagers have been recruited to undergo plastic surgery and go behind enemy lines to gather intelligence and, if possible, actually do some damage...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2016/...
This is the first in a series of books about teenage human soldiers used to infiltrate the ranks of alien invaders of Earth through secret missions.
The premise is that a group of aliens called Bzadians arrived at Earth and settled in the Australian Outback because it was most like their home. Their ships had no propulsion systems to let them take back off of Earth and humanity was persuaded to let them settle in Australia.
But, it turns out that these original ships were the advance force for a full-fledged invasion. Australia became their stronghold and the from their the Bzadians invaded Asia, Africa and Europe. Now, only the Americas hold them off.
Because of the slight, short stature of the Bzadians, human teenagers have been recruited to undergo plastic surgery and go behind enemy lines to gather intelligence and, if possible, actually do some damage...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2016/...
August 30, 2023
Action, characters, lots of aliens and guns- the description is literaly perfect. If you like Halo or call of duty, you’ll like this book. Hell, if you like books you’ll like this book.
Did I predict the traitor? No. I’m dumb. Did my brother? Yes, Immediately. You know what he didn’t do? Guess the reason why, or what was in Uluru. And I think the Uluru twist was the best and way more shocking twist in the novel, though there where a bunch (and I mean a BUNCH.)
That twist really gives this book it’s young ADULT rating. I think I had the exact same reaction as Chisnall- it’s horrible and terrible and sci-fi and oh so fascinating. Really makes you scream “WHAT?” at the pages.
Great book, great pilot for the rest of the series (seriously, if you like this book, go read the rest of the series)
Did I predict the traitor? No. I’m dumb. Did my brother? Yes, Immediately. You know what he didn’t do? Guess the reason why, or what was in Uluru. And I think the Uluru twist was the best and way more shocking twist in the novel, though there where a bunch (and I mean a BUNCH.)
That twist really gives this book it’s young ADULT rating. I think I had the exact same reaction as Chisnall- it’s horrible and terrible and sci-fi and oh so fascinating. Really makes you scream “WHAT?” at the pages.
Great book, great pilot for the rest of the series (seriously, if you like this book, go read the rest of the series)
Read
November 5, 2013I thought that this book was really interesting and how a turn of events can decide a life or death situation. From the beginning where someone tried to kill the leader of the Recon Team, Chisnall to infiltrating the alien base to end the war, it was a turn of events that nobody expected. Chisnall thought that everything went the way it was supposed to. But Chisnall thought wrong. He ended up almost getting caught by the enemy until he and his crew changed costumes. They also thought they had enough time to get out of the alien base until a nuclear warhead started ticking down and almost killed the whole Recon Team and innocent human children and adults. Nothing went in their favor except making it out alive and heading back to the United States for confirmation that the mission was a success.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews