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In the year 2154, sixteen year old Tycho McGrath is an advanced genetics student at the prestigious John Brooke Academy in Tampa. Life seems fairly dull, until he accidentally discovers that in less than a week, a recently designed bacterium known as the Orion Strain will almost certainly wipe out every human being on earth.
Tycho and his friends quickly form a desperate plan to steal an experimental spacecraft and flee to the partially-terraformed Moon, hoping to ride out the plague till it's safe to come home.
But the survivors of Earth soon discover that the Moon has its own dangers. Horrific storms, radiation poisoning, and mutant insects all lie in wait, and worst of all, the betrayal of one of their own.
Can Tycho and the others find their way back home, or will they be trapped forever on the dying Moon?
Tycho and his friends quickly form a desperate plan to steal an experimental spacecraft and flee to the partially-terraformed Moon, hoping to ride out the plague till it's safe to come home.
But the survivors of Earth soon discover that the Moon has its own dangers. Horrific storms, radiation poisoning, and mutant insects all lie in wait, and worst of all, the betrayal of one of their own.
Can Tycho and the others find their way back home, or will they be trapped forever on the dying Moon?
264 pages, Paperback
First published August 5, 2012
About the author
William Woodall
28 books29 followersI am the author of several adventure novels for young adults and middle graders, mostly within the fantasy and science fiction genres.
All my stories contain mild Christian themes. They are inspirational and heartwarming tales, without being preachy.
Almost every reviewer has said my work is unlike anything else they've ever read. It's hard to judge my own work, so give it a try and see if you agree. :)
My website contains free samples of all my books and some free short stories, for those of you who are interested.
All my stories contain mild Christian themes. They are inspirational and heartwarming tales, without being preachy.
Almost every reviewer has said my work is unlike anything else they've ever read. It's hard to judge my own work, so give it a try and see if you agree. :)
My website contains free samples of all my books and some free short stories, for those of you who are interested.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 18, 2012
My son read this book over the summer and loved it! This is what he says about the book: "Tycho is about a boy who winds up on the moon because of a deadly virus on earth. While there, he has many adventures. My favorite thing about this book was that the characters could jump off huge cliffs without getting hurt. I also liked the huge vampire roaches! This is a must read for anyone who likes Syfy. I have other books by the author on Kindle and can't wait to start them"
January 7, 2013
wonderfuly written.really enjoyed this story ,book keeps you inerested from beginning to end.thank you for a great story
March 25, 2013
Tycho, a sci-fi novel set not too far into Earth's future, focuses on the adventures of Tycho McGrath and a small group of family, friends and associates who are faced with a tremendous challenge: stay on Earth and most-assuredly die or steal a spaceship and relocate to the moon that was "terra-formed" a half-century before.
Once Tyke and the others make it to the moon (even though some perish in their ship's crash-landing), the next big challenge is to learn how to survive there. Even though it has an atmosphere similar to Earth's, the drastic changes in weather, etc. make it very difficult for the former residents of Earth to refer to the moon as a "home away from home."
Before long, Tyke discovers that the scientists who turned the moon into a little Earth were a bit too enthusiastic about the enduring effects of the drastic transformation.
Woodall tells an interesting sci-fi story, through the eyes of Tycho the young scientist, of what might happen to Earth if someone releases a virus - intentionally or not - that can kill every creature on the planet that has lungs. The novel's first chapters are interesting as Tyke and more than a few others develop the plan to steal the spaceship and head for the moon. I was hoping for a bit more tension here - as well as more description - of how the Orion Strain was rapidly making its way around the globe. I suppose I was thinking about the novel The Andromeda Strain as well as its film adaptation as I read the beginning chapters of Tycho. Woodall also uses the first two-three chapters to reveal how intelligent Tyke is. Learning that the narrator was not a typical nerdy/goofy/uppity teenager was a pleasant and welcome surprise!
Now the part of the novel that feels too much like a summmary (where it seems that Woodall wanted to "run through" the section as fast as possible to get to the "fun stuff") was the middle part. Let's just say that the summary part begins right when the characters fall into a routine of living on the moon to when another Orion Strain disaaster occurs.
But right about when Tyke convinces enough people that the moon is not a good place to raise a family to the very end of the novel (not including the epilogue!) is the best part of Tycho. Woodall paces the life-and-death action scenes with effective and mature dialogue. Getting to the last third of the novel made wading through the first 2/3 worth the effort.
Editing-wise, Tycho is relatively free of anything that detracts from the plotline. I also appreciate that the novel is completely free of any use of gratuitous profanity, etc. If this were a movie, it would have to be rated PG (and that is only due to a few places of blood and gore that is standard fare for all action/adventure novels).
I was given a PDF version of Tycho in exchange for my honest opinions about the novel.
Once Tyke and the others make it to the moon (even though some perish in their ship's crash-landing), the next big challenge is to learn how to survive there. Even though it has an atmosphere similar to Earth's, the drastic changes in weather, etc. make it very difficult for the former residents of Earth to refer to the moon as a "home away from home."
Before long, Tyke discovers that the scientists who turned the moon into a little Earth were a bit too enthusiastic about the enduring effects of the drastic transformation.
Woodall tells an interesting sci-fi story, through the eyes of Tycho the young scientist, of what might happen to Earth if someone releases a virus - intentionally or not - that can kill every creature on the planet that has lungs. The novel's first chapters are interesting as Tyke and more than a few others develop the plan to steal the spaceship and head for the moon. I was hoping for a bit more tension here - as well as more description - of how the Orion Strain was rapidly making its way around the globe. I suppose I was thinking about the novel The Andromeda Strain as well as its film adaptation as I read the beginning chapters of Tycho. Woodall also uses the first two-three chapters to reveal how intelligent Tyke is. Learning that the narrator was not a typical nerdy/goofy/uppity teenager was a pleasant and welcome surprise!
Now the part of the novel that feels too much like a summmary (where it seems that Woodall wanted to "run through" the section as fast as possible to get to the "fun stuff") was the middle part. Let's just say that the summary part begins right when the characters fall into a routine of living on the moon to when another Orion Strain disaaster occurs.
But right about when Tyke convinces enough people that the moon is not a good place to raise a family to the very end of the novel (not including the epilogue!) is the best part of Tycho. Woodall paces the life-and-death action scenes with effective and mature dialogue. Getting to the last third of the novel made wading through the first 2/3 worth the effort.
Editing-wise, Tycho is relatively free of anything that detracts from the plotline. I also appreciate that the novel is completely free of any use of gratuitous profanity, etc. If this were a movie, it would have to be rated PG (and that is only due to a few places of blood and gore that is standard fare for all action/adventure novels).
I was given a PDF version of Tycho in exchange for my honest opinions about the novel.
March 21, 2013
This was an intriguing book, a dystopian YA science fiction novel with a twist. Gifted 16 YO genetics student Tycho, bored with his current classroom assignment, hacks into the World Health Organization's website and discovers a security-locked file on a disease called the Orion Strain, which kills off not only the human race, but also all the mammal and bird species, with 100% effectiveness. Understanding what he's reading, he and his lab partner plan a strategy to remove a small group to the moon, to wait out the life expectancy of the disease.
Being a long-time science fiction reader, I enjoyed this story. Much of the science seemed plausible, although the idea that the moon could be terra-formed seems quite a stretch to me, but an interesting one, anyway. The characters were likable, and Tycho developed into a well-formed personality, although the rest of the characters remained supporting players, and seemed somewhat flat in their characterization. I would have preferred to see stronger female characters: but the one with the most skills dies early on, another is a nurse who is effectively the group's doctor, yet she isn't recognized as authoritative even when she's the only adult left, the young woman with technical skills is rendered less likable by her gruff, sarcastic characterization. The remaining females are Tycho's love interest (who does show both an adventurous spirit and a responsible side, having brought her young nephew with her to the moon), and a young wife. While this is something of a young man's adventure story, plenty of girls and women read science fiction, and strengthening the female characters wouldn't detract from the tale at all.
The writing was mostly capable, although there were constructions I didn't care for: a number of phrases beginning with "you and me" when, grammatically, it should have been "you and I"; "me and (other name)" also occurred multiple times. Since the story is told in the first person, by a young man, it's possible that this is an attempt at versimilitude, but I found it distracting. A bit more copy editing wouldn't have been amiss, either.
I received a free copy of this book, in order that I might review it, without any expectation that I write a positive review.
Despite my relatively minor criticisms, it's a good story, and the ending hints at a sequel. I'll look forward to it!
Being a long-time science fiction reader, I enjoyed this story. Much of the science seemed plausible, although the idea that the moon could be terra-formed seems quite a stretch to me, but an interesting one, anyway. The characters were likable, and Tycho developed into a well-formed personality, although the rest of the characters remained supporting players, and seemed somewhat flat in their characterization. I would have preferred to see stronger female characters: but the one with the most skills dies early on, another is a nurse who is effectively the group's doctor, yet she isn't recognized as authoritative even when she's the only adult left, the young woman with technical skills is rendered less likable by her gruff, sarcastic characterization. The remaining females are Tycho's love interest (who does show both an adventurous spirit and a responsible side, having brought her young nephew with her to the moon), and a young wife. While this is something of a young man's adventure story, plenty of girls and women read science fiction, and strengthening the female characters wouldn't detract from the tale at all.
The writing was mostly capable, although there were constructions I didn't care for: a number of phrases beginning with "you and me" when, grammatically, it should have been "you and I"; "me and (other name)" also occurred multiple times. Since the story is told in the first person, by a young man, it's possible that this is an attempt at versimilitude, but I found it distracting. A bit more copy editing wouldn't have been amiss, either.
I received a free copy of this book, in order that I might review it, without any expectation that I write a positive review.
Despite my relatively minor criticisms, it's a good story, and the ending hints at a sequel. I'll look forward to it!
September 19, 2023
The story revolves around Tycho McGrath, a teenager with advanced genetics knowledge, who stumbles upon a horrifying discovery: a deadly bacterium, the Orion Strain, threatens to wipe out humanity within days.
What follows is a desperate race against time as Tycho and his friends formulate a daring plan to escape Earth's impending doom. Their goal: to steal an experimental spacecraft and seek refuge on the partially-terraformed Moon, hoping to outlast the plague that threatens to eradicate all life on their home planet.
While this book offered an intriguing science fiction premise, I couldn't help but feel disappointed by certain aspects of the story. One glaring issue for me was the portrayal of female characters. The book seemed to fall into the trap of perpetuating stereotypes about women being weak or needing constant assistance. As a reader, I yearned for stronger, more self-reliant female characters who could contribute meaningfully to the plot.
In terms of the overall plot, I found it engaging but somewhat lacking in depth. It felt like there was untapped potential for more intricate development. However, it's worth noting that despite these drawbacks, the book managed to entertain. The suspenseful journey of Tycho and his friends trying to survive on the Moon was certainly engaging. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that with a bit more character development and a deeper exploration of the plot's potential, it could have been an even more captivating read.
What follows is a desperate race against time as Tycho and his friends formulate a daring plan to escape Earth's impending doom. Their goal: to steal an experimental spacecraft and seek refuge on the partially-terraformed Moon, hoping to outlast the plague that threatens to eradicate all life on their home planet.
While this book offered an intriguing science fiction premise, I couldn't help but feel disappointed by certain aspects of the story. One glaring issue for me was the portrayal of female characters. The book seemed to fall into the trap of perpetuating stereotypes about women being weak or needing constant assistance. As a reader, I yearned for stronger, more self-reliant female characters who could contribute meaningfully to the plot.
In terms of the overall plot, I found it engaging but somewhat lacking in depth. It felt like there was untapped potential for more intricate development. However, it's worth noting that despite these drawbacks, the book managed to entertain. The suspenseful journey of Tycho and his friends trying to survive on the Moon was certainly engaging. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that with a bit more character development and a deeper exploration of the plot's potential, it could have been an even more captivating read.
June 17, 2013
I am usually not a fan of Sci-Fi, but I began reading this book and had to make myself stop to sleep on one occasion, and to go to church on another occasion, and then I literally could not put the book down!
Tycho is set in the future, and many things are different. When dealing with time, there is always one thing that doesn't change-human nature. Even though the locations and events are extremely different, the core of the story holds fast and true: we will survive!
There were times that I was so into the story, which is full of twists and turns, that I know I gasped out loud, because I scared my husband, who was soundly asleep beside me! Just when you thought you knew what was going to happen, well...
This book has something for everyone! Science Fiction action, Space travel, romance and adventure are all masterfully blended together to produce a piece which is in one word-AWESOME! This would make a great movie! Also, being a teacher, I can see how this would be a great book to read and discuss as a class.
I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Amy Magaw
Author of Home and Wheels of Love
Tycho is set in the future, and many things are different. When dealing with time, there is always one thing that doesn't change-human nature. Even though the locations and events are extremely different, the core of the story holds fast and true: we will survive!
There were times that I was so into the story, which is full of twists and turns, that I know I gasped out loud, because I scared my husband, who was soundly asleep beside me! Just when you thought you knew what was going to happen, well...
This book has something for everyone! Science Fiction action, Space travel, romance and adventure are all masterfully blended together to produce a piece which is in one word-AWESOME! This would make a great movie! Also, being a teacher, I can see how this would be a great book to read and discuss as a class.
I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Amy Magaw
Author of Home and Wheels of Love
November 19, 2013
Interesting YA novel about a boy who discovers a pandemic is about to devastate the earth, and flees with a spaceship full of others to a terraformed Moon to escape it. A thrilling survival story is let down only by too many conveniences and mothballed gear popping up at the right time. A good read for teens into a little harder YA SF than the norm.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews