NEBADOR - the incredible journey of five young adults from poverty and oppression to respected citizenship in the wide universe ...
A child is born with a lifetime of memories and knowledge. She knows she has an important purpose, and that her world will perish without her help, but has no idea how to get them to listen. She decides to trust the only part of her society that has shown some ability to deal with reality, but fears they will abandon her before the task is complete. -
The crew of the Manessa Kwi, along with Ashley's team of education specialists, gets the easy part: presiding over a critical planetary transition that was paid for with blood, sweat, and tears by others long before. -
These stories are filled with wit-sharpening and skill-honing challenges - mental, emotional, and spiritual - for both the characters and the reader. It is truly a grand adventure in which the characters come to understand a beloved saying of the Nebador Transport Service: Personal power is the ability to stand on your own two feet, with a smile on your face, in the middle of a universe that contains a million ways to crush you.
Born in the Mojave Desert, J. Z. Colby now lives and writes deep in a forest of the Pacific Northwest.
He has studied many subjects, formally and informally, including psychology, philosophy, education, and performing arts, but remains a generalist. His primary profession as a mental health counselor, specializing with families and young adults, gives him many stories of personal growth, and the motivation to develop his team of young critiquers and readers.
All his life, he has been drawn toward a broad understanding of human nature, especially those physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual situations in which our capacity to function seems to reach its limits. He finds fascinating those few individuals who can transcend the limits of our common human nature and the dictates of our cultures.
In his spare time, he flies helicopters and airplanes.
Note: I am not attempting to list all the books I've ever read on GoodReads, but just those I've written, and a few that have passed my way very recently.
LETTER TO READERS:
Greetings, young people of planet Earth,
Much adult science fiction is based on the assumption that the human race will be in charge, or at least high up on the pecking order, when we venture to the stars. Young adults have a somewhat clearer memory that when they graduated elementary school, they were not immediately movers and shakers of the world, but instead found themselves in middle school.
Young adults also remember well the training wheels on their first small bicycles. Will-power alone could not propel them to their destinations.
Nebador is about little steps the smallest of us can make from the playpen to the university, from the gutter to the stars.
As you know, your world is changing very rapidly. During times of change, those who are stuck in old, rigid ways of thinking and feeling often don’t do well. Those who can see far and think clearly are best prepared to survive, prosper in some way, and find happiness.
Stories like these help by letting us walk in the shoes of those who have lived through similar times. They become our heroes, giving us strength when we face challenges, and whispering their inspiration to us when we must solve problems.
Someday, many years from now, your stories may also be told, and you will become heroes to younger people who are struggling to understand the universe. They will take comfort in your courage, and learn from the lessons you have already learned.
Every time I read a book from this amazing series by Colby I feel like it's my favourite. I feel like I've learned a lot, that I've thought deeper thoughts than the previous year, that I'm changed. This book did not let me down.
A quote that really stuck out for me can be found on page 182 of the paperback. Colby writes "I have a purpose, and when you have a purpose, you don't get a life. You don't get all the other things most people think you're entitled to - school, career, marriage, family. If you're lucky, maybe you can grab a little bit along the way, like I do with Brian. But you're always on a sacrificial alter, ready for the ceremonial knife to come down. But running away is for little people. God doesn't choose little people for purposes like this."
I would argue that of all nine books this book boasts the best character development.
This story is available in these editions: PDF document EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc. MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9" LARGE PRINT paperback (in 2 volumes), 18-point type, 8" x 10" GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9" LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
This story is included in: TRILOGY THREE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9" TRILOGY THREE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
As usual, J.Z. Colby delivers a wonderful book. A masterpiece, I would say.
Through the years, I've become involved with Nebador. With the books, the characters, the author and, more specifically, the cause. There is a cause, of course, anyone reading it should see that.
Nebador is about a little group of former slaves, from the gutter, from slavery, to the stars, to being the crew of a deep space response ship called Manessa Kwi and just being wonderful.
On this book, we don't see much of our little crew, because their story and their growth was almost over (not that any growth is completely over at any time, but they were mature enough and wise enough to hold their ground and be as grown up as they could be, they were Nebador citizens), but we see this little world, Ko-Tera Three, which is so much like our own, going through a crisis we should be going through - but we're not and that's terrifying.
I'll try not to spoil the book here, please, forgive me if I let out some minor details. Ko-Tera Three received a wise person to help them through a major break in their history - something every sapient race goes through, the moment when they get so much power, technology and pollution that they have to make it or break it, meaning, they either solve their problems or kill themselves and the planet along them.
Of course we have the powers of Nebador giving them a hand, in a way, but they must solve it by themselves.
As J.Z. mentions, the future of Ko-Tera hasn't been revealed to him. But I've been well touched by this story.
It made me question what I am doing with my life, and if I am still young enough to understand and to actually be and do something for the world.
I know this review may sound more about world and life and being something and doing something... Thing us bookworms aren't used to. But this is why you should read this book.
And everyone should read this book.
Make no mistake. Things will change. The universe will go on. You can either change and go with it. Or you can perish.
Nature is merciless. Because nature is simply nature, cause and consequence.
As always, J.Z. Colby Nebador book series does not disappoint. This book opens our eyes to the necessity -- to change our old thought patterns, behaviors and ideals that are not working; and are threatening to destroy our own world -- we all see it. in the news, on the internet on a global scale. The headlines of war, famine, refugees,forest fires, depletion of our natural resources, ocean dumping grounds destroying sea life, over population, just to name a few; When will we as a united front say in one voice: "Enough is enough...."
The young heroine Heather, a volunteer Temporandek Teacher sent from the Education Services of Nebador; begins her teaching career/journey as a 7 year old girl with a lifetime knowledge of an adult, of what was about to occur on their planet if a timely change was not implemented soon, as their world stood at the crossroads. Heather's most unlikely help actually comes from both the military and scientific task group assigned to her.
(I personally believe we all can make a difference in bringing about a better more sustainable balanced Mother Earth; we as individuals, as communities, as nations, and most importantly as a Global Society!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I have enjoyed all of the Nebador books, this book opens our eyes to the necessity to change our old thought patterns, behaviors, and ideals that are not working and are threatening to destroy our own world. We all see it in the news, on the internet -- on a global scale. The headlines of war, famine, refugees,forest fires, depletion of our natural resources, ocean dumping grounds destroying sea life, over population; when will we as a united front say in one voice "Enough is Enough!!"
The young heroine Heather, a volunteer Temporandek Teacher sent from the Education Service of Nebador; as a 7 year old girl with a "lifetime knowledge" of an adult of what was about to occur on their planet if a timely change was not implemented soon, as their world stood at the crossroads. Heather's most unlikely he;p actually comes from the military and scientific task group assigned to her.
(I personally we All can make a difference right now in bringing about a better more sustainable and balanced Mother Earth; we as individuals, as communities, as nations, and most importantly as a Global Society.)
This story is available in these editions: PDF document EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc. MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9" LARGE PRINT paperback (in 2 volumes), 18-point type, 8" x 10" GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9" LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
This story is included in: TRILOGY THREE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9" TRILOGY THREE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
This story is available in these editions: PDF document EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc. MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9" LARGE PRINT paperback (in 2 volumes), 18-point type, 8" x 10" GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9" LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
This story is included in: TRILOGY THREE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9" TRILOGY THREE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
This story is available in these editions: PDF document EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc. MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9" LARGE PRINT paperback (in 2 volumes), 18-point type, 8" x 10" GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9" LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
This story is included in: TRILOGY THREE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9" TRILOGY THREE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
This story is available in these editions: PDF document EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc. MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9" LARGE PRINT paperback (in 2 volumes), 18-point type, 8" x 10" GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9" LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
This story is included in: TRILOGY THREE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9" TRILOGY THREE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
This story is available in these editions: PDF document EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc. MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9" LARGE PRINT paperback (in 2 volumes), 18-point type, 8" x 10" GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9" LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
This story is included in: TRILOGY THREE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9" TRILOGY THREE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
This story is available in these editions: PDF document EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc. MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9" LARGE PRINT paperback (in 2 volumes), 18-point type, 8" x 10" GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9" LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
This story is included in: TRILOGY THREE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9" TRILOGY THREE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
This story is available in these editions: PDF document EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc. MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9" LARGE PRINT paperback (in 2 volumes), 18-point type, 8" x 10" GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9" LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
This story is included in: TRILOGY THREE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9" TRILOGY THREE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"