What do you think?
Rate this book
Mr. Fahrenheit: A Smart Coming-of-Age SciFi Thriller Where Four Friends Face an Alien Secret That Could Destroy Them All
Growing up, Benji always looked to the sky. One night, it looked back.
Benji’s lived his whole life in the same sleepy midwestern town—the same town his father grew up in, and his grandfather. But he wants nothing more than to put his past in the rearview mirror as soon as he graduates high school. Benji yearns for a Moment—the Moment that will redeem and transform his ordinary life. The Moment that will propel him into a new, star-bright future.
Then one night, the Moment happens:
Benji and his tight group of friends—CR, Ellie, and Zeeko—accidentally shoot down a flying saucer in the local quarry. At Benji’s urging, they decide to keep it a secret and solve its mysteries on their own. But as they face threats both earthly and alien and old tensions among the friends surface, Benji begins to question whether this Moment is the miracle he’s always dreamed of—or a curse that could destroy them all.
Benji’s lived his whole life in the same sleepy midwestern town—the same town his father grew up in, and his grandfather. But he wants nothing more than to put his past in the rearview mirror as soon as he graduates high school. Benji yearns for a Moment—the Moment that will redeem and transform his ordinary life. The Moment that will propel him into a new, star-bright future.
Then one night, the Moment happens:
Benji and his tight group of friends—CR, Ellie, and Zeeko—accidentally shoot down a flying saucer in the local quarry. At Benji’s urging, they decide to keep it a secret and solve its mysteries on their own. But as they face threats both earthly and alien and old tensions among the friends surface, Benji begins to question whether this Moment is the miracle he’s always dreamed of—or a curse that could destroy them all.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 19, 2016
16 people are currently reading
1065 people want to read
About the author
T. Michael Martin
4 books108 followersT. Michael Martin is a novelist and screenwriter who holds a B.F.A. in Filmmaking from University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He was inspired to write his debut novel, The End Games (Balzer + Bray 2013), by his own younger brother, Patrick, and their shared love of zombie movies. He currently lives with his wife in West Virginia.
VLOG: http://www.youtube.com/tmikemartin
TUMBLR:http://tmichaelmartin.tumblr.com/
EMAIL:tmichaelmartinbooks@gmail.com
FACEBOOK:http://facebook.com/tmichaelmartinauthor
VLOG: http://www.youtube.com/tmikemartin
TUMBLR:http://tmichaelmartin.tumblr.com/
EMAIL:tmichaelmartinbooks@gmail.com
FACEBOOK:http://facebook.com/tmichaelmartinauthor
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
March 5, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This book just wasn’t for me unfortunately. I lost interest pretty early on and just couldn’t get it back. The characters were immature, and I just couldn’t connect with them, and the book seemed to be more about football than aliens.
4.5 out of 10
This book just wasn’t for me unfortunately. I lost interest pretty early on and just couldn’t get it back. The characters were immature, and I just couldn’t connect with them, and the book seemed to be more about football than aliens.
4.5 out of 10
February 3, 2019
This book was awful. It was poorly written (melodramatic and overdone), but also the story was just plain stupid. The whole thing made no sense on many levels: why did Benji see the babies when he was a kid? why did it matter than his grandpa had seen them buried? why did they not want to tell the authorities so badly? what was the point? It was just a long action sequence without any world building or solid plot choices.
December 31, 2015
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
I didn't realize what this book was about when I requested it. My mind was something like this: Cool cover! *clicks request.* So when I started reading this I only knew it was that aliens were somehow involved. Mr. Fahrenheit was a pretty cool book, it was filled with some interesting characters, an interesting concept, and an alien that was only able to speak through song.
I liked Mr. Fahrenheit. But it was slow, I read up to 60% before I started to skim and skip a bit. Nothing action-ish or otherwise doesn't happen to the end. A majority of the book is the panic of having shot down an alien space craft, and now stuck with the pod that survived and Benji's weird connection to it. I spent a good chunk of this book hoping an alien was going to pop out, and sighed and frustration when it didn't. Which happened about every five pages.
I did like the characters. They were fun, but they felt two dimensional to me. We knew enough about Benji whose POV the story is told from. But that was it. The group as a whole was a riot together. CJ specifically said the funniest and most quotable things.
I just don't have much to say about this book. It was okay, but I wasn't blown away. If you are questioning whether to read this book or not, I say give it a shot. You have nothing to loose really. I think this book is going to be a hit or miss for people. Sadly despite a cool idea, it was a miss for me.
I didn't realize what this book was about when I requested it. My mind was something like this: Cool cover! *clicks request.* So when I started reading this I only knew it was that aliens were somehow involved. Mr. Fahrenheit was a pretty cool book, it was filled with some interesting characters, an interesting concept, and an alien that was only able to speak through song.
I liked Mr. Fahrenheit. But it was slow, I read up to 60% before I started to skim and skip a bit. Nothing action-ish or otherwise doesn't happen to the end. A majority of the book is the panic of having shot down an alien space craft, and now stuck with the pod that survived and Benji's weird connection to it. I spent a good chunk of this book hoping an alien was going to pop out, and sighed and frustration when it didn't. Which happened about every five pages.
I did like the characters. They were fun, but they felt two dimensional to me. We knew enough about Benji whose POV the story is told from. But that was it. The group as a whole was a riot together. CJ specifically said the funniest and most quotable things.
I just don't have much to say about this book. It was okay, but I wasn't blown away. If you are questioning whether to read this book or not, I say give it a shot. You have nothing to loose really. I think this book is going to be a hit or miss for people. Sadly despite a cool idea, it was a miss for me.
January 1, 2016
5 stars, easily! Mr. Fahrenheit explores themes relatable to any & every age- childhood crushes, career aspirations, and trusting in family, to name a few. It's a story that poetically succeeds at tugging heartstrings and giving a renewed perspective, where so many others have fallen short.
Mr. Fahrenheit maintains a healthy & playful balance of adventure, mystery, drama and science fiction. Each character is written with the detail and complexity we hope to find in ourselves. Every book-lover will find this one quite difficult to put down, as they follow Benji & his friends on a compelling journey about discovering the true nature of life's "big moments," missed opportunities, and getting exactly what we think we want. Whether you're currently a student, or stumbling through young adulthood, or are succeeding as a full-fledged & thriving adult, Mr. Fahrenheit is a must-read.
Mr. Fahrenheit maintains a healthy & playful balance of adventure, mystery, drama and science fiction. Each character is written with the detail and complexity we hope to find in ourselves. Every book-lover will find this one quite difficult to put down, as they follow Benji & his friends on a compelling journey about discovering the true nature of life's "big moments," missed opportunities, and getting exactly what we think we want. Whether you're currently a student, or stumbling through young adulthood, or are succeeding as a full-fledged & thriving adult, Mr. Fahrenheit is a must-read.
April 26, 2016
Entertaining. First half is a lot of setup and the characters being immature. Second half is very sweet.
November 29, 2018
“This book is going to take you out of this world.” This book Mr. Farenheit is a sci-fi book where the readers will journey beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. There is only one book so it does not belong to a series. Something people ought to know about this book is that Mr. Fahrenheit isn’t the alien. This book takes place in a present day theme and it is in a fantasy type world. The main characters in the book are, Benji, Papaw, who is Benji’s grandfather, Ellie, C.R., Zeeko, and The Voyager. They are all realistic except of course the alien. Also they are all human and except for the alien again. The characters in this book are related with each other because they have all been friends with each other the entire time. They all show tremendous amounts of courage and are just very cool. My favorite character out of those six is Benji. Benji is my favorite because he is very courageous even in the eyes of death, he is strong-willed, and he likes, and is good at magic. So anyways this book is about the four kids, Benji, Ellie, Zeeko, and C.R. who after a big win for Bedford falls goes out and celebrates. When everyone else left the party the four stayed to get drunk C.R. safely home before his dad finds out. They were looking across the lake when the alien spacecraft came down. Benji grabbed C.R’s gun and shot a propane tank that destroyed the alien craft. They tried to grab it out while filming it but the camera went dead, and the rubble blew up. All that was left was a piece of shrapnel and a pod looking thing. They hid the pod and authorities ended up finding out. This book was easy to follow in my mind and I could visualize everything that was happening. Some other problems they face are they don’t have enough time and the alien gets out. What will happen next? Read this book Mr. Fahrenheit to find out.
I very much enjoyed this book. If you aren’t into sci-fi books than you will most likely not like this book. My favorite part of the book and if you don’t want any spoilers then tune out to this part, is when Ellie shoots the alien with a shotgun. I think that this book is made for thirteen and up because there is violence and some language. I also think that this book is a book you would read if you wanted to have some entertainment. If I was the author the only thing I would change about this book is the name of it. I would change the name of it because Mr. Fahrenheit isn’t even the alien, they call him the Voyager. But overall this was a good book, and a decently easy read so I will give this book a four out of five stars.
I very much enjoyed this book. If you aren’t into sci-fi books than you will most likely not like this book. My favorite part of the book and if you don’t want any spoilers then tune out to this part, is when Ellie shoots the alien with a shotgun. I think that this book is made for thirteen and up because there is violence and some language. I also think that this book is a book you would read if you wanted to have some entertainment. If I was the author the only thing I would change about this book is the name of it. I would change the name of it because Mr. Fahrenheit isn’t even the alien, they call him the Voyager. But overall this was a good book, and a decently easy read so I will give this book a four out of five stars.
January 25, 2019
I really thought this was better than his (apparently much more popular) first book, The End Games. A nice YA science-fiction story with some twists that I did not see coming, a real plus in my book. And a better understanding of memory (I'm a psychologist) than about 90% of the authors I read.
May 29, 2016
Mr. Fahrenheit was so good. First of all, I now know how to spell the word "fahrenheit", which is not something I knew before. Thanks, Mike!
But seriously. From page one I was totally enchanted. I have no other accurate description for Mike's use of language--it's just utterly enchanting. On top of that, the story was intricate and surprising, and the intensity of feeling gave me goosebumps just about every other page. Plus the messages about love, family, home, meaning, etc--while some of them were not at all subtle, none of them felt preachy or moralistic... they were just part of the story. The feeling of the friendships between the main characters was almost painfully realistic to how I remember relating with my friends in high school--there's so much love, but everyone's a bit of an idiot. You feel grown-up, but there's still some maturing on your horizon.
I do not know if this was intentional on Mike's part, but I LOVED that the town was called Bedford Falls, as a call back to It's a Wonderful Life. The message of the movie was definitely present in the book--maybe you won't do amazing things, but your life matters because it affects the people around you for the better.
And one other thing that made me swoon: On page 54, Benji ruminates on self-improvement in a way that felt like an intentional reference to my very favorite passage (wherein Sam Clay ruminates about self-improvement) in The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, another book that is enchantingly written, intricately plotted, and intensely felt. You're in good company, Mike.
But seriously. From page one I was totally enchanted. I have no other accurate description for Mike's use of language--it's just utterly enchanting. On top of that, the story was intricate and surprising, and the intensity of feeling gave me goosebumps just about every other page. Plus the messages about love, family, home, meaning, etc--while some of them were not at all subtle, none of them felt preachy or moralistic... they were just part of the story. The feeling of the friendships between the main characters was almost painfully realistic to how I remember relating with my friends in high school--there's so much love, but everyone's a bit of an idiot. You feel grown-up, but there's still some maturing on your horizon.
I do not know if this was intentional on Mike's part, but I LOVED that the town was called Bedford Falls, as a call back to It's a Wonderful Life. The message of the movie was definitely present in the book--maybe you won't do amazing things, but your life matters because it affects the people around you for the better.
And one other thing that made me swoon: On page 54, Benji ruminates on self-improvement in a way that felt like an intentional reference to my very favorite passage (wherein Sam Clay ruminates about self-improvement) in The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, another book that is enchantingly written, intricately plotted, and intensely felt. You're in good company, Mike.
Read
May 25, 2016To begin, this was a book given to me by an author that I know, and I thought it was really cool that right on the front cover was a sticker that said "uncorrected proof. Not for sale."
This story was set in modern times, and several small-town teens have a close encounter of the weirdest things they had ever seen. It changes their lives forever in this science fiction thriller. Benji Lightman wanted to leave Bedford Falls after he graduated from high school, even as he yearned for the one moment that would make his life perfect. When he and his friends accidentally shot down a UFO with a make-shift slingshot, government agents seeking the truth about what happened confront Benji and his friends. Benji and his friends were at odds over how to handle the situation, and the alien craft becoming ever creepier, Benji's grasp for glory may have almost destroyed them all. The saucer and its extraterrestrial cargo are only vaguely described for much of the narrative, and it's Benji's actions and their repercussions within school and family that truly fueled the plot. Callbacks to the music and science fiction culture of the 1950s, beginning with the saucer shape of the alien craft and the doo-wop music preferred by Benji's sheriff grandfather, enhance this book's quirkier aspects. My favorite parts were when they actually shot down the saucer and when the extraterrestrial organisms are extracted from the saucer. I wish the book would've went a little more into detail with all of the extracts, and less about Benji's personal life.
This story was set in modern times, and several small-town teens have a close encounter of the weirdest things they had ever seen. It changes their lives forever in this science fiction thriller. Benji Lightman wanted to leave Bedford Falls after he graduated from high school, even as he yearned for the one moment that would make his life perfect. When he and his friends accidentally shot down a UFO with a make-shift slingshot, government agents seeking the truth about what happened confront Benji and his friends. Benji and his friends were at odds over how to handle the situation, and the alien craft becoming ever creepier, Benji's grasp for glory may have almost destroyed them all. The saucer and its extraterrestrial cargo are only vaguely described for much of the narrative, and it's Benji's actions and their repercussions within school and family that truly fueled the plot. Callbacks to the music and science fiction culture of the 1950s, beginning with the saucer shape of the alien craft and the doo-wop music preferred by Benji's sheriff grandfather, enhance this book's quirkier aspects. My favorite parts were when they actually shot down the saucer and when the extraterrestrial organisms are extracted from the saucer. I wish the book would've went a little more into detail with all of the extracts, and less about Benji's personal life.
March 9, 2025
This book was actually really, good, which I was kind of surprised about because I picked it up out of boredom. But it’s excellently written, with extremely quotable material. I mean, "they were still twelve years old, but they were also thirteen and fifteen and thirty and thirty-nine, their selves composed of all the ways they had imagined their past and remembered their future." Cmon that’s beautiful. He certainty has a way with words, as the whole book is comprised of these linguistic masterpieces.
The characters are really great too, he accurately portrays highschoolers without making them sound young like so writers do. Their interactions are real and relatable. There’s fighting, learning, people of different backgrounds/groups being real friends and so much more. It was really nice to read a book where the people actually felt real, with their beliefs and insecurities on display.
The plot was good and totally unexpected. It did take a little while to really build, though, only getting into what "Mr. Fahrenheit" really is in the last ~100 pages of the book. But what it was was totally crazy and something I never saw coming, which is always good. Overall this was an interesting, captivating, unique read that definitely deserves a greater popularity in the world of YA fiction.
The characters are really great too, he accurately portrays highschoolers without making them sound young like so writers do. Their interactions are real and relatable. There’s fighting, learning, people of different backgrounds/groups being real friends and so much more. It was really nice to read a book where the people actually felt real, with their beliefs and insecurities on display.
The plot was good and totally unexpected. It did take a little while to really build, though, only getting into what "Mr. Fahrenheit" really is in the last ~100 pages of the book. But what it was was totally crazy and something I never saw coming, which is always good. Overall this was an interesting, captivating, unique read that definitely deserves a greater popularity in the world of YA fiction.
March 22, 2016
This is the story of an ordinary, nerdy kid who dreams that someday something special will happen to lift him out of the ordinary. But, when it does, coping with the changes might be enough to ruin everything he wanted or maybe not...
Benji Lightman is a magician who dreams of being an apprentice at a magician's workshop in Chicago but spends his time as a mascot for the football team doing magic tricks at the beginning of the games. His best friends are Zeeko, Ellie and CR. They have been friends since junior high. CR is the team quarterback with a bright future attending a top-notch university on a football scholarship. Ellie is a budding filmmaker hoping to pursue film making in college. Zeeko wants to follow his dad's footsteps into medicine.
One night, the four of them are partying with bunches of other people at a quarry when something comes from outer space. When Benji almost accidentally shoots it down, it starts a series of events that will change the kids' lives.
I thought the story was filled with action and filled with interesting characters. I liked the way Benji grew during the story. Fans of science fiction will enjoy this fast-paced story.
Benji Lightman is a magician who dreams of being an apprentice at a magician's workshop in Chicago but spends his time as a mascot for the football team doing magic tricks at the beginning of the games. His best friends are Zeeko, Ellie and CR. They have been friends since junior high. CR is the team quarterback with a bright future attending a top-notch university on a football scholarship. Ellie is a budding filmmaker hoping to pursue film making in college. Zeeko wants to follow his dad's footsteps into medicine.
One night, the four of them are partying with bunches of other people at a quarry when something comes from outer space. When Benji almost accidentally shoots it down, it starts a series of events that will change the kids' lives.
I thought the story was filled with action and filled with interesting characters. I liked the way Benji grew during the story. Fans of science fiction will enjoy this fast-paced story.
April 3, 2016
The description says Stephen King meets Super 8. I'm more inclined to say this book is Fox Mulder meets the Hardy Boys and they all share a mutual love for John Green's twitter feed. This was a thoroughly entertaining read. The bits of wisdom and thought-provoking knowledge thrown in are very in line with the YA genre. It's not complicated, but for a more advanced teen reader it could be examined at a deeper level. It brings up themes of self-value and the damage of following someone else's path without burying the story under it.
I greatly appreciate the way Martin handled the thin threads of the love story in this book. It is there, it is strong enough for those who cried at Looking for Alaska, but it isn't so prominent that it brings on eye-rolling.
Overall this was a relatively good book. Entertaining and sweet. I feel he could have gone a bit further with the development of Mr. Fahrenheit himself. His story could have used a bit more exposition and depth, but for a novelist still early in his career this is a successful piece of work.
I greatly appreciate the way Martin handled the thin threads of the love story in this book. It is there, it is strong enough for those who cried at Looking for Alaska, but it isn't so prominent that it brings on eye-rolling.
Overall this was a relatively good book. Entertaining and sweet. I feel he could have gone a bit further with the development of Mr. Fahrenheit himself. His story could have used a bit more exposition and depth, but for a novelist still early in his career this is a successful piece of work.
May 4, 2016
A YA book for readers of any age, Mr. Fahrenheit is animated in it's storytelling and lovely in it's execution. Martin deftly mixes an alien fueled sci-fi story with the sincerity and dialogue seen in the best of John Green-esque fiction. With laugh-out-loud humor, heartfelt poignancy and epic adventure this novel should be on any bookworm's 2016 to-read list!
July 15, 2016
DNF @ Page 81...
I don't mind reading YA books, in fact I enjoy reading a lot of them but when there is too much teenage drama and immature banter and dialogue, I just can't do it. And the dialogue in this book was exactly that - I just couldn't engage in it. Plus after 81 pages of nothing happening with the plot either, I gave up!
I don't mind reading YA books, in fact I enjoy reading a lot of them but when there is too much teenage drama and immature banter and dialogue, I just can't do it. And the dialogue in this book was exactly that - I just couldn't engage in it. Plus after 81 pages of nothing happening with the plot either, I gave up!
Want to read
September 14, 2015Expected publication: April 19th 2016 by Balzer + Bray
April 20, 2016
Thi book was strange and so enjoyable, loved the aliens and Benjis magician magic, and the friendships these four teens had!
September 1, 2016
I really enjoyed this book.
June 5, 2016
-most cliche cast of high school characters possible
-no action until ~150 pages in
-no action until ~150 pages in
October 15, 2023
"Mr. Fahrenheit" by T. Michael Martin takes readers on an extraordinary journey through the lens of Benji, a young boy in a sleepy Midwestern town whose life takes a thrilling turn after an unexpected encounter with extraterrestrial beings.
Benji's story is one of longing and aspiration, set against the backdrop of a small town where he dreams of a life beyond the ordinary. The novel opens with a bang as Benji and his friends unintentionally shoot down a flying saucer in their local quarry, setting off a chain of events that tests their friendship and challenges their understanding of the universe.
What stands out in this narrative is the variety of the characters. Benji and his friends—CR, Ellie, and Zeeko—are portrayed as individuals with unique personalities, flaws, and virtues. Their interactions are rich with authenticity, depicting the complexities of teenage friendships. The camaraderie and mutual respect among the characters create a sense of genuine connection, drawing readers into their world.
The novel's pacing, while a bit sluggish in the first half, gains momentum in the latter part, hurtling readers toward an exhilarating conclusion. The inventive plot keeps the reader engaged, exploring themes of friendship, identity, and the unknown.
Martin's writing style, while generally engaging, includes some peculiar language choices that might feel a bit disconnected from natural speech patterns. However, the strength of the characters and the innovative plot compensates for this minor drawback.
The novel contains minimal sexual content if any, mild violence, and moderate language, making it suitable for young adult readers.
In summary, "Mr. Fahrenheit" offers an entertaining and imaginative reading experience, blending elements of science fiction with the complexities of teenage friendships. Martin's ability to create relatable characters and craft an innovative storyline may make this novel a reasonable read for fans of young adult science fiction.
Benji's story is one of longing and aspiration, set against the backdrop of a small town where he dreams of a life beyond the ordinary. The novel opens with a bang as Benji and his friends unintentionally shoot down a flying saucer in their local quarry, setting off a chain of events that tests their friendship and challenges their understanding of the universe.
What stands out in this narrative is the variety of the characters. Benji and his friends—CR, Ellie, and Zeeko—are portrayed as individuals with unique personalities, flaws, and virtues. Their interactions are rich with authenticity, depicting the complexities of teenage friendships. The camaraderie and mutual respect among the characters create a sense of genuine connection, drawing readers into their world.
The novel's pacing, while a bit sluggish in the first half, gains momentum in the latter part, hurtling readers toward an exhilarating conclusion. The inventive plot keeps the reader engaged, exploring themes of friendship, identity, and the unknown.
Martin's writing style, while generally engaging, includes some peculiar language choices that might feel a bit disconnected from natural speech patterns. However, the strength of the characters and the innovative plot compensates for this minor drawback.
The novel contains minimal sexual content if any, mild violence, and moderate language, making it suitable for young adult readers.
In summary, "Mr. Fahrenheit" offers an entertaining and imaginative reading experience, blending elements of science fiction with the complexities of teenage friendships. Martin's ability to create relatable characters and craft an innovative storyline may make this novel a reasonable read for fans of young adult science fiction.
December 16, 2017
If you are reading this for the science-fiction, don't bother. It took over 150 pages for the slightest bit of action with an alien. And even then it's pretty poorly done. The pacing is terrible, with ridiculous teen drama dragged out and then a completely rushed climax and ending. And yet the teen drama did nothing to make you like or care for any of the characters. If anything, you care even less because the protagonist becomes increasingly unlikeable as time goes on, and leaves you utterly bewildered as to how he "got the girl" at the end without any development or chemistry. She even turns him down beforehand! As aforementioned, the romance is awful, forced and at some points non-sensical. You're simply shouted that "THEY BOTH LIKE EACH OTHER" with no real proof. They both act like rip-off John Green characters, with forced "philosophical" conversations. The ending is poorly written and seems like an explanation the author came up with in the last minute, and nothing feels resolved. The entire time I was reading it, I felt no suspense whatsoever, and just wanted it to end. This was a poorly made and disappointing read.
October 9, 2017
This book was a boring and predictable sci-fi story about some highschoolers encountering the extra extraterrestrial. The main characters are your basic protagonist a nerd who has fallen in love with the girl he hangs out with, the girl doesn't notice his approches until he completely embarreses himself, than you got your hot head friend that is a jock. It felt like a annoying little highschooler story, where you don't feel for the characters, no intreasting actions are done that spark disscusions with other readers, except for how stupid is he? There is a lame plot twist with a giant confortation that doesn't feel like the characters have changed at all. Overall do not read if you don't want to waste your time.
February 7, 2019
Benji dreams of being a magician and getting out of the small Indiana town where nothing ever happens...until one night when Benji and his friends are hanging out at an old abandoned quarry.
The "accident" that happens that night brings about a series of unexpected - dangerous - unexplainable - other-worldly events that Benji and friends try to keep under wraps.
- a good "friend" story
- definitely different kind of plot
Not my favorite - but worth the read.
The "accident" that happens that night brings about a series of unexpected - dangerous - unexplainable - other-worldly events that Benji and friends try to keep under wraps.
- a good "friend" story
- definitely different kind of plot
Not my favorite - but worth the read.
September 7, 2021
Ugh, I really wanted to like this book but it was terrible. Coming of age story of a teenager in small town Indiana with sci-fi mystery woven into it. Maybe this would appeal to the YA audience, but it's not marked as YA. And the last 50 pages were so poorly written I almost did not finish.
August 14, 2023
This book started off a little slower, however, the deeper you get into it, the more intense as fast paced it gets. It has an interesting twist towards the end and had a good ending. Ultimately it was a fast and fun read. It would make a good movie. 🤣
March 2, 2022
DNF :( Its not necessarily bad, I’m just not the right audience.
March 2, 2017
3.5 Stars, probably leaning to 4. I really liked it - I just didn't always know what was going on! The aliens were a teensy bit over-the-top, and each human character a little one-dimensional, but overall, it was a fun (and sometimes pretty wild!) ride.
May 26, 2016
Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
I was not exactly sure what to expect when I started this story. I knew it would have a sci-fi feel and thought aliens might be involved. I was not wrong, but sadly this story just did not do it for me.
This is the story of Benji and his ordinary life in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Benji dreams of the day he can leave his hometown and his grandfather in search of something bigger. He is just looking for the one moment where his life will change forever. Well, Benji gets his dream when he is with his friends when they spot a flying saucer falling out of the sky. For several reasons, they choose to keep this UFO a secret. Benji sees his dream recognized right in front of him – he could solve the mystery of this UFO and change his life forever, or is this more of a curse that could destroy everything?
This is another book that had potential but it failed to deliver. It had an interesting concept, such as an alien that was only able to communicate through songs, but it just fell flat. This was just a slow read and I was bored most of the time. Nothing was truly happening at all. No real action happens until the end of the story. When I read a sci-fi about ALIENS, I would like there to be some actual involvement from the alien itself. Jump out of the ship and scare the character! “ET PHONE HOME” if you have to! Anything would have been better than what happened here.
I wanted more from Benji’s character but it just did not happen. I was more frustrated than anything else because nobody did anything, nobody developed or grew up as the story continued. The characters felt shallow and two dimensional. Nobody stood out, I did not connect with any of the characters, and found myself not caring what happened to any of them.
There is not much more to say about this book because it did nothing for me. I was not impressed on any level. It felt like a ho-hum story but nothing I would recommend to anyone. I did not DNF the book, so that has to count for something. I gave this story 2 stars overall.
I was not exactly sure what to expect when I started this story. I knew it would have a sci-fi feel and thought aliens might be involved. I was not wrong, but sadly this story just did not do it for me.
This is the story of Benji and his ordinary life in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Benji dreams of the day he can leave his hometown and his grandfather in search of something bigger. He is just looking for the one moment where his life will change forever. Well, Benji gets his dream when he is with his friends when they spot a flying saucer falling out of the sky. For several reasons, they choose to keep this UFO a secret. Benji sees his dream recognized right in front of him – he could solve the mystery of this UFO and change his life forever, or is this more of a curse that could destroy everything?
This is another book that had potential but it failed to deliver. It had an interesting concept, such as an alien that was only able to communicate through songs, but it just fell flat. This was just a slow read and I was bored most of the time. Nothing was truly happening at all. No real action happens until the end of the story. When I read a sci-fi about ALIENS, I would like there to be some actual involvement from the alien itself. Jump out of the ship and scare the character! “ET PHONE HOME” if you have to! Anything would have been better than what happened here.
I wanted more from Benji’s character but it just did not happen. I was more frustrated than anything else because nobody did anything, nobody developed or grew up as the story continued. The characters felt shallow and two dimensional. Nobody stood out, I did not connect with any of the characters, and found myself not caring what happened to any of them.
There is not much more to say about this book because it did nothing for me. I was not impressed on any level. It felt like a ho-hum story but nothing I would recommend to anyone. I did not DNF the book, so that has to count for something. I gave this story 2 stars overall.
August 10, 2016
"One tree house. Four friends. Eight hands wrapped around a blanket wrapped around a secret wrapped around a winter night in Bedford Falls, Indiana."
From the start, Mr. Fahrenheit introduces you to some of the most likeable characters you'll know, one of which seems to be straight out of the hundred acre woods.
And then, it lets you into their lives and reveals that they, like all of us, are flawed and imperfect. I found myself disappointed in the main characters more times than I expected to be, but I also cheered for them, feared for them, and cried for them.
Mr. Fahrenheit picks up pace near the middle, and once the proverbial crap hits the fan, it's basically a literary Point Break: a no-holds-barred, action-packed, adrenaline-fueled thrill ride. Before that - and during, and after - it is a charming, interesting, and sometimes heart wrenching look at how we use the things in our lives to define us, and how truly complicated both growing up AND being a child can be.
While the alien bits are very interesting, this story's strengths lie in its central characters; in their relationships with each other, and how those bonds are tested throughout the challenges in the book.
I went into this with high expectations and not only was I not disappointed, those expectations were exceeded. As much as I loved The End Games, T. Michael Martin's second book blows it out of the water.
If you like fun, character driven stories that also happen to involve ALIENS, or if you just like good books in general, then this is absolutely a must read!!
From the start, Mr. Fahrenheit introduces you to some of the most likeable characters you'll know, one of which seems to be straight out of the hundred acre woods.
And then, it lets you into their lives and reveals that they, like all of us, are flawed and imperfect. I found myself disappointed in the main characters more times than I expected to be, but I also cheered for them, feared for them, and cried for them.
Mr. Fahrenheit picks up pace near the middle, and once the proverbial crap hits the fan, it's basically a literary Point Break: a no-holds-barred, action-packed, adrenaline-fueled thrill ride. Before that - and during, and after - it is a charming, interesting, and sometimes heart wrenching look at how we use the things in our lives to define us, and how truly complicated both growing up AND being a child can be.
While the alien bits are very interesting, this story's strengths lie in its central characters; in their relationships with each other, and how those bonds are tested throughout the challenges in the book.
I went into this with high expectations and not only was I not disappointed, those expectations were exceeded. As much as I loved The End Games, T. Michael Martin's second book blows it out of the water.
If you like fun, character driven stories that also happen to involve ALIENS, or if you just like good books in general, then this is absolutely a must read!!
July 27, 2016
Reminded me of
Something Wicked This Way Comes
by Ray Bradbury. Benji and his friends make an out of this world discovery. They don't want to let anyone know and Benji might be able to "communicate" with it; however, keeping this secret might cost these teens more than just their friendship.
Benji doesn't know why but the Pod they found has an interest in him, and these visions, dreams, and songs cannot possibly mean him any harm. Slowly, each teen changes, and something dark is looming over them. But with all of this, they still don't tell the FBI, or even Benji's granddad, the sheriff.
I liked the mystery and ambience of the story. The themes were also various degrees of depth, and I especially like the theme about creating your own story, and not falling into the patterns of the those before us.
3 stars.
Benji doesn't know why but the Pod they found has an interest in him, and these visions, dreams, and songs cannot possibly mean him any harm. Slowly, each teen changes, and something dark is looming over them. But with all of this, they still don't tell the FBI, or even Benji's granddad, the sheriff.
I liked the mystery and ambience of the story. The themes were also various degrees of depth, and I especially like the theme about creating your own story, and not falling into the patterns of the those before us.
3 stars.
April 29, 2016
Stephen King said "Books are a uniquely portable magic." That is precisely what MR. FAHRENHEIT is. T. Michael Martin tells a story that perfectly combines very human characters from a small town with the wonder and fascination of the wide world and outer space, and what happens when those things collide. In short, MR. FAHRENHEIT was one of the best, funniest, sweetest, most wonder-full stories I've ever read. If you like sci-fi, suspense, or just want a story that will make you wonder at the world, this is the book for you.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews