What do you think?
Rate this book
The House Next Door #1
The Boy Who Fell from the Sky
The world is falling apart in 2055. Another flood has devastated London and it’s the eve of the First Space War. With the city locked down, sixteen-year-old Mathew Erlang is confined to his house with only his cat, his robot and his holographic dragons for company.
Desperate for a distraction from the chaos around him, Mathew becomes fascinated by his peculiar and reclusive neighbour, August Lestrange. Mathew begins to investigate Mr. Lestrange, turning to the virtual world of the Nexus and Blackweb for answers. But as he digs deeper, Mathew realises that Mr. Lestrange doesn’t seem quite human.
When Mathew accidentally finds himself trapped in Lestrange’s house, he opens a door and falls four hundred years into the future. Unwittingly, he starts to destabilise the course of human history.
A 1984 for a new generation, The Boy Who Fell from the Sky delves into a future where climate change and technology have transformed the world. It is the first book in The House Next Door trilogy, a young adult dystopian science fiction action adventure.
Desperate for a distraction from the chaos around him, Mathew becomes fascinated by his peculiar and reclusive neighbour, August Lestrange. Mathew begins to investigate Mr. Lestrange, turning to the virtual world of the Nexus and Blackweb for answers. But as he digs deeper, Mathew realises that Mr. Lestrange doesn’t seem quite human.
When Mathew accidentally finds himself trapped in Lestrange’s house, he opens a door and falls four hundred years into the future. Unwittingly, he starts to destabilise the course of human history.
A 1984 for a new generation, The Boy Who Fell from the Sky delves into a future where climate change and technology have transformed the world. It is the first book in The House Next Door trilogy, a young adult dystopian science fiction action adventure.
254 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2015
354 people are currently reading
3233 people want to read
About the author
Jule Owen
15 books150 followersJule Owen was born in the North of England and now lives in London. She spent many years working in online technology, latterly in the video games industry and is fascinated by science, technology, futurology and terrified by climate change.
She can be found online and would love to hear from you. Look her up here:
www.juleowen.com
She can be found online and would love to hear from you. Look her up here:
www.juleowen.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
September 25, 2015
I love this novel. The author has created a convincing dystopian future in which much of London is flooded, there's a semi-totalitarian government and a very clever resistance movement. Global war has extended into space for the first time. There are some truly wonderful visualisations of what the future will be like (the author is a futorologist), and the author has her protagonist and his acquaintances using these in beautiful and magical ways. To this is added a really clever and engaging plot that will keep you turning the pages.
What really makes the novel a joy to read is that the author's style is smooth and unobtrusive. Many writers in this genre ram facts into the text, or give exposition in an ungainly fashion. In this novel I felt the backdrop was revealed to me at the right kind of pace - enough to help me make sense of the situation, at the right time, and to keep me wanting more. I've already downloaded book two!
What really makes the novel a joy to read is that the author's style is smooth and unobtrusive. Many writers in this genre ram facts into the text, or give exposition in an ungainly fashion. In this novel I felt the backdrop was revealed to me at the right kind of pace - enough to help me make sense of the situation, at the right time, and to keep me wanting more. I've already downloaded book two!
October 3, 2015
I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the next installment. The author expertly portrays a future world that is very close to what could happen in reality. Issues we face at the moment, such as Climate change, as well as advances in technology are interwoven into the background of the story and have a ring of truth to them where you can feel the author has done her research well. I felt the theme fairly reminiscent of a futuristic version of 1984 with a twist of the original Planet of the Apes film (I am imagining the scene where Charleston Heston realizes he hasn’t landed on a different planet, but rather in the future). The story is certainly compelling and the main characters is well drawn out. The only criticism I would have is that the book is almost too short. I can only hope that the next installment in the trilogy will give us a better glimpse of the characters that have been briefly introduced in the first book, including Mathew’s father, as well as his mother’s story. Overall, I would give this book a 4.5 star review, it is greatly entertaining and I had to fight my own tiredness against the desire of wanting to read on.
September 28, 2015
Wow, so well written. The first few pages drew me right in. This is an interesting story and one outside of my normal genres. Nonetheless, I totally enjoyed it. While it is YA it does not lack intrigue, mystery, or conflicts. The future worlds and problems were thought provoking. Plus it has a cool futuristic creations. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
July 21, 2017
Goodreads Synopsis:
The world is falling apart in 2055. Another flood has devastated London and it’s the eve of the First Space War. With the city locked down, sixteen-year-old Mathew Erlang is confined to his house with only his cat, his robot and his holographic dragons for company.
Desperate for a distraction from the chaos around him, Mathew becomes fascinated by his peculiar and reclusive neighbour, August Lestrange. Mathew begins to investigate Mr. Lestrange, turning to the virtual world of the Nexus and Blackweb for answers. But as he digs deeper, Mathew realises that Mr. Lestrange doesn’t seem quite human.
When Mathew accidentally finds himself trapped in Lestrange’s house, he opens a door and falls four hundred years into the future. Unwittingly, he starts to destabilise the course of human history.
A 1984 for a new generation, The Boy Who Fell from the Sky delves into a future where climate change and technology have transformed the world. It is the first book in The House Next Door trilogy, a young adult dystopian science fiction action adventure.
My Review:
Mathew seems older than he is. Although I was confused by the first few chapters of the book, I found the story interesting and couldn't wait to see what happened next. I love books about the future, especially ones with well thought out worlds and even though this book seemed like one big conspiracy theory, I enjoyed it a lot. I kept saying, okay just one more chapter. Robots are everywhere. It's the year 2055, and there's a war gong on. This was such a good read. I wasn't sure hat I was getting myself into but I'm glad I picked it to read next. It's so exciting and keeps me guessing. I really did not want to put it down. Not only did I like the world it was set in, I really liked reading about the kind of tech they have. It seemed plausible and really helped make me feel like I was reading about something in the future. It's an easy read and I didn't feel too old to be reading it while I worked my way through it. I definitely will check out the next book in the series and recommend you check this book out if you haven't already! Thanks for reading.
Check out this review and more at my blog!
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
The world is falling apart in 2055. Another flood has devastated London and it’s the eve of the First Space War. With the city locked down, sixteen-year-old Mathew Erlang is confined to his house with only his cat, his robot and his holographic dragons for company.
Desperate for a distraction from the chaos around him, Mathew becomes fascinated by his peculiar and reclusive neighbour, August Lestrange. Mathew begins to investigate Mr. Lestrange, turning to the virtual world of the Nexus and Blackweb for answers. But as he digs deeper, Mathew realises that Mr. Lestrange doesn’t seem quite human.
When Mathew accidentally finds himself trapped in Lestrange’s house, he opens a door and falls four hundred years into the future. Unwittingly, he starts to destabilise the course of human history.
A 1984 for a new generation, The Boy Who Fell from the Sky delves into a future where climate change and technology have transformed the world. It is the first book in The House Next Door trilogy, a young adult dystopian science fiction action adventure.
My Review:
Mathew seems older than he is. Although I was confused by the first few chapters of the book, I found the story interesting and couldn't wait to see what happened next. I love books about the future, especially ones with well thought out worlds and even though this book seemed like one big conspiracy theory, I enjoyed it a lot. I kept saying, okay just one more chapter. Robots are everywhere. It's the year 2055, and there's a war gong on. This was such a good read. I wasn't sure hat I was getting myself into but I'm glad I picked it to read next. It's so exciting and keeps me guessing. I really did not want to put it down. Not only did I like the world it was set in, I really liked reading about the kind of tech they have. It seemed plausible and really helped make me feel like I was reading about something in the future. It's an easy read and I didn't feel too old to be reading it while I worked my way through it. I definitely will check out the next book in the series and recommend you check this book out if you haven't already! Thanks for reading.
Check out this review and more at my blog!
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
March 15, 2021
This book is a dystopian young adult novel (currently in vogue) that manages a new slant on the theme. A Chinese-British 16 year old student in London on a world on the brink of war and suffering climate catastrophe shows academic talent and gets swept into something much bigger, and linked to the opening section of the book where he literally falls from the sky into what he assumes is a virtual reality world, but readers will suspect is more than that.
The writing was quite fluid, the prose well done, the characters competently drawn. Calling the American space warships "battlestars" was a gaff that an editor ought to have caught, but on the whole this was competently done.
The story meandered though. It had two timelines and after being introduced to one, we went to the other and then took forever to get back to the first. Worse than the meandering storyline was the almost total lack of resolution. Yes, once again we have a writer writing half a story hoping to sucker the reader into finishing the series. Thus, sadly, my advice with this one is "don't bother start it". Neither character nor mysteries in this one are so deep that I would bother with the next in the series.
The writing was quite fluid, the prose well done, the characters competently drawn. Calling the American space warships "battlestars" was a gaff that an editor ought to have caught, but on the whole this was competently done.
The story meandered though. It had two timelines and after being introduced to one, we went to the other and then took forever to get back to the first. Worse than the meandering storyline was the almost total lack of resolution. Yes, once again we have a writer writing half a story hoping to sucker the reader into finishing the series. Thus, sadly, my advice with this one is "don't bother start it". Neither character nor mysteries in this one are so deep that I would bother with the next in the series.
May 4, 2021
read more like a YA
April 4, 2020
Neutral 3 stars
I'm not 100% sure about this one. I liked it but I didn't so the star rating is neutral. The writing and characters were good. I enjoyed the journey but to me something was missing. But give it a go anyway
I'm not 100% sure about this one. I liked it but I didn't so the star rating is neutral. The writing and characters were good. I enjoyed the journey but to me something was missing. But give it a go anyway
December 4, 2020
Wonderful story
I loved the character development in this book. I felt like I knew them. I found that, unlike other books with teenagers, these teenagers behaved true to their ages and personalities. I find in so many other books they make decisions like an adult would and don't have the unique sense of innocence about people and the world. The story was unlike any I've read, sort of a combination of future upon future, technology, and a suggestion of magic and mystery. Can't wait to read more.
I loved the character development in this book. I felt like I knew them. I found that, unlike other books with teenagers, these teenagers behaved true to their ages and personalities. I find in so many other books they make decisions like an adult would and don't have the unique sense of innocence about people and the world. The story was unlike any I've read, sort of a combination of future upon future, technology, and a suggestion of magic and mystery. Can't wait to read more.
November 30, 2016
Plenty of detail and some interesting scenes but, as a whole, it was a fairly dull read. The pace is slow and the ending an inconclusive disappointment. Mostly, the novel felt like a vehicle for the author's views regarding climate change and international politics. Since it is the first in a series, it is possible the sequels develop the story far better but as a first volume, this book did not get me hooked into the series.
In the mid-21st century, the Earth has warmed altering climate and weather patterns. Young Mathew Erlang lives in London, which is enduring historic floods and high temperatures. The future is filled with wondrous new technologies but Mathew must spend his days at home, working and playing online. One day he notices his neighbor acting strangely and starts getting a little too curious. He discovers his neighbor is hiding a number of incredible technological marvels right next door!
The Boy Who Fell From the Sky is a combination of young adult and climate fiction, but seems better suited for readers on the younger end of the YA age range. Mathew is 15 but largely behaves like a young boy of 10 or 12. He spends his days at home, attending virtual classes, and taking care of his cat. Also, either he is medicated or has a lack of hormones. He spends a fair amount of time with girls his age (albeit much of it is virtual) yet has no "stirrings" so to speak.
While the world-building is impressive and detailed, there just wasn't much of a story. The plot unfolds for Mathew with hardly any conflict or tension. He has almost no impact on the plot whatsoever. Despite the spectacular events taking place in the latter half of the book, Mathew is strangely calm, composed, and just goes with it. Why he is so mellow is never explained. Even after the great adventure, he acts as if none of it was a big deal.
The heavy political and environmental themes do not fully materialize in this first volume. There is a national security angle that doesn't tie up at the end, there's the virtual world Mathew is building with a Russian girl named Eva, there's his blossoming friendship with Clara, and his travels to incredible virtual worlds through his neighbor's home. None of it reaches any kind of significant conclusion.
The author has a talent for description of complex technological features. The book was an easy read but there just isn't much drama. The first book in a series has to hook readers into reading the rest of the series. The Boy Who Fell from the Sky does not succeed. A much more compelling conclusion and more emotion from the protagonist Mathew would've helped, but I think the story needed more tension as well.
Due to the quality writing and the obvious technical knowledge of the author, I would give the next Jule Owen novel a shot but I will not continue House Next Door.
In the mid-21st century, the Earth has warmed altering climate and weather patterns. Young Mathew Erlang lives in London, which is enduring historic floods and high temperatures. The future is filled with wondrous new technologies but Mathew must spend his days at home, working and playing online. One day he notices his neighbor acting strangely and starts getting a little too curious. He discovers his neighbor is hiding a number of incredible technological marvels right next door!
The Boy Who Fell From the Sky is a combination of young adult and climate fiction, but seems better suited for readers on the younger end of the YA age range. Mathew is 15 but largely behaves like a young boy of 10 or 12. He spends his days at home, attending virtual classes, and taking care of his cat. Also, either he is medicated or has a lack of hormones. He spends a fair amount of time with girls his age (albeit much of it is virtual) yet has no "stirrings" so to speak.
While the world-building is impressive and detailed, there just wasn't much of a story. The plot unfolds for Mathew with hardly any conflict or tension. He has almost no impact on the plot whatsoever. Despite the spectacular events taking place in the latter half of the book, Mathew is strangely calm, composed, and just goes with it. Why he is so mellow is never explained. Even after the great adventure, he acts as if none of it was a big deal.
The heavy political and environmental themes do not fully materialize in this first volume. There is a national security angle that doesn't tie up at the end, there's the virtual world Mathew is building with a Russian girl named Eva, there's his blossoming friendship with Clara, and his travels to incredible virtual worlds through his neighbor's home. None of it reaches any kind of significant conclusion.
The author has a talent for description of complex technological features. The book was an easy read but there just isn't much drama. The first book in a series has to hook readers into reading the rest of the series. The Boy Who Fell from the Sky does not succeed. A much more compelling conclusion and more emotion from the protagonist Mathew would've helped, but I think the story needed more tension as well.
Due to the quality writing and the obvious technical knowledge of the author, I would give the next Jule Owen novel a shot but I will not continue House Next Door.
October 8, 2015
Innovative, imaginative, tantalising futuristic fantasy which I loved.
I read the first two chapters of The Boy Who Fell from the Sky on a train out of London. Somewhat appropriate, as events in the novel would later show. I was immediately intrigued to see where the opening sentences would lead me as I was bombarded by the physical sensations and vivid colours of fast-moving action. I was then quickly yanked from this world neither I nor the protagonist had had chance to figure out into a very different world of technology that filled me with a sudden sense of foreboding. House robots and driverless cars gave me a glimpse of a futuristic environment where I half expected a Terminator-type metal spike to protrude from the friendly domestic helper pottering around the kitchen. Relieved that no one appeared to be about to come to a sticky end, at least for now, I read on and was drawn into a fascinating story in a London created by the powerful imagination of Jule Owen. As one of the characters later states: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” This encapsulates what I love about the book as it satisfies the need for intrigue and interest future tech can provide along with my secret urge for a little other worldly, borderline magic, (almost) inexplicable stuff!
This novel gave me interest on many different levels from individual to worldwide; from everyday London landmarks I recognise to a London I hope never to see. As well as being an excellent story to read, there is a serious and sinister thread running throughout which I see as a clear message to all of us to clean up our act before it’s too late and we totally destroy the beautiful place we inhabit and exchange it for somewhere I would never wish to travel to. The somewhat scary part is that 2055 is really not so far off.
Yet I’m a cup-half-full person and I love the optimism embodied in the idea that “there is something sublime” in every one of us. I may be uncomfortable and disturbed by this future London, just about recognisable as a version of the London I was whizzing in and out of as I read this book but I am left with a feeling that through the action the novel’s main characters are taking, there is still hope for all of us.
As they say in the later chapters: “The proper place for people is under the sky, not in tunnels and caves.” Let that be a warning to us. But don’t let that spoil our enjoyment of this thoroughly entertaining book which was a joy to read.
So glad I have already downloaded the sequel!
I read the first two chapters of The Boy Who Fell from the Sky on a train out of London. Somewhat appropriate, as events in the novel would later show. I was immediately intrigued to see where the opening sentences would lead me as I was bombarded by the physical sensations and vivid colours of fast-moving action. I was then quickly yanked from this world neither I nor the protagonist had had chance to figure out into a very different world of technology that filled me with a sudden sense of foreboding. House robots and driverless cars gave me a glimpse of a futuristic environment where I half expected a Terminator-type metal spike to protrude from the friendly domestic helper pottering around the kitchen. Relieved that no one appeared to be about to come to a sticky end, at least for now, I read on and was drawn into a fascinating story in a London created by the powerful imagination of Jule Owen. As one of the characters later states: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” This encapsulates what I love about the book as it satisfies the need for intrigue and interest future tech can provide along with my secret urge for a little other worldly, borderline magic, (almost) inexplicable stuff!
This novel gave me interest on many different levels from individual to worldwide; from everyday London landmarks I recognise to a London I hope never to see. As well as being an excellent story to read, there is a serious and sinister thread running throughout which I see as a clear message to all of us to clean up our act before it’s too late and we totally destroy the beautiful place we inhabit and exchange it for somewhere I would never wish to travel to. The somewhat scary part is that 2055 is really not so far off.
Yet I’m a cup-half-full person and I love the optimism embodied in the idea that “there is something sublime” in every one of us. I may be uncomfortable and disturbed by this future London, just about recognisable as a version of the London I was whizzing in and out of as I read this book but I am left with a feeling that through the action the novel’s main characters are taking, there is still hope for all of us.
As they say in the later chapters: “The proper place for people is under the sky, not in tunnels and caves.” Let that be a warning to us. But don’t let that spoil our enjoyment of this thoroughly entertaining book which was a joy to read.
So glad I have already downloaded the sequel!
July 26, 2020
I am not generally a fan of dystopian fiction due to the pervasiveness of the perspective that all has gone wrong with the world. A world in which personal liberties are restricted, "big brother" is always watching, the world is falling apart, and people just have to slog through each day because there just isn't anything else that can be done. I prefer to look at the positive side of things where these novels generally take the opposing viewpoint. So, it was with that in mind that I began reading this book. It was exactly as I expected and although the story is well thought out and well written I still cannot bring myself to read the next offering in the series just for the mere fact that I don't like the way I feel when I finish these books. So, in a nutshell, I would say that if dystopian is your thing then you'll most likely really enjoy this one but for those who may be like me and want something more positive and upbeat, you'd probably do well to make a different selection.
October 25, 2015
This book is one of the best dystopian type novels I have read in awhile. It also incorporated the time travel element in a really inventive way. Time travel has been written and rewritten about and can make a person sigh sometimes at how often the same themes or methodologies are used.
Not in this book though.
The technology in this book is awesome. If I'm still alive in 2055 I hope we have some of the cool tech described in this novel. Especially the holographic dragons.
I also really enjoyed how climate change is brought to life in this book. It's a very real issue that can and will affect all of us in our lifetimes. The descriptions are well done and on par with what I know of the climate models predictions.
The governments reactions to these climate situations were also very believable. Based upon how we have seen governments around the world react when any type of climate disaster has struck, I would say this book accurately portrays the type of lock down curfew that could be initiated.
The pacing in this book was perfect. There was enough explanation to hook you into each new situation and acclimate you to the world the characters live in without info dumping all over the place. All of the characters are interesting and connected. I like how it all makes a web in a way.
I loved the time travel premise. From the books in the library to the darkroom I was eating up every next thing. It's such a clever idea.
Not in this book though.
The technology in this book is awesome. If I'm still alive in 2055 I hope we have some of the cool tech described in this novel. Especially the holographic dragons.
I also really enjoyed how climate change is brought to life in this book. It's a very real issue that can and will affect all of us in our lifetimes. The descriptions are well done and on par with what I know of the climate models predictions.
The governments reactions to these climate situations were also very believable. Based upon how we have seen governments around the world react when any type of climate disaster has struck, I would say this book accurately portrays the type of lock down curfew that could be initiated.
The pacing in this book was perfect. There was enough explanation to hook you into each new situation and acclimate you to the world the characters live in without info dumping all over the place. All of the characters are interesting and connected. I like how it all makes a web in a way.
I loved the time travel premise. From the books in the library to the darkroom I was eating up every next thing. It's such a clever idea.
November 4, 2015
Reading this book opened up a whole new world to me, and triggered so many questions about the way the world is going, and the realisation of just how fast it might be going there. This debut novel by Jule Owen carries you along with a very readable story which draws you in right from the start, and very skillfully begins to weave in wider issues that emerge as the plot unfolds, surrounding the snowballing rise of technology, the scale of the effects of climate change, the dramatic changes in the way we will begin to interact with one another.. And at the centre of the story is a very likeable, very normal character who is trying to make sense of the worlds he finds himself in - both real and, not quite so real...
Some of the ideas that this book brings up have sparked many interesting conversations with friends, leading to debates and ponderings on what the future of our planet will look like. Having read this book, I now feel much better informed about some of the issues it brings up than I was prior to reading it, but I am also very aware that there is an awful lot more to learn - and Jule Owen has created just the right formula for delivering this information in a fascinating, and very eye-opening way. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds in the rest of the trilogy...
Some of the ideas that this book brings up have sparked many interesting conversations with friends, leading to debates and ponderings on what the future of our planet will look like. Having read this book, I now feel much better informed about some of the issues it brings up than I was prior to reading it, but I am also very aware that there is an awful lot more to learn - and Jule Owen has created just the right formula for delivering this information in a fascinating, and very eye-opening way. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds in the rest of the trilogy...
December 22, 2015
This was very well-written. In a way it felt like two books in one--two stories--a slightly futuristic start to WWIII that feels very possible and a far-future--400 years down the road that feels like something else altogether (don't want to get too spoilery). I was completely pulled in and loved it. My only complaint is it felt like only part of a book--it is amazing as a set-up and I definitely want to read more but I feel a bit manipulated on that front. Something bigger should have been wound up so it would feel like it stood alone. I know it's hard to do with a story that is told in a trilogy form but I would have been more satisfied if it had managed.
Note: I won this book on a blog giveaway, I believe. Whatever the case, I did not pay for it, but also do not know the author. Had I not won the first, I think my preference for reading would be to buy a bundled set--it would have avoided me feeling dropped.
Note: I won this book on a blog giveaway, I believe. Whatever the case, I did not pay for it, but also do not know the author. Had I not won the first, I think my preference for reading would be to buy a bundled set--it would have avoided me feeling dropped.
Read
January 8, 2016Awesome written book, I'm making the review here, but I've already read all 3 books from the series. It's a very convincing sci-fi, most of the technology described could be possible in the near 10 years, and is so good described and implemented, it makes it easy to believe it is already there. I would like to tell you so much about the book, the chapters I like, the characters that I think are awesome, but that would be a major spoiler for the book. From chapter 1 till the last chapter of book 3, this novel has kept my attention, and made it very difficult to put it down. I read on my phone, in the train on my way to work (and back), and has several occasions that I almost missed my stop, because I was to enthralled in the story. For everybody who thinks about reading a story of a young boy in a world full of adventures that make you think about the current (shitty) world situation, this is the correct book for you. 5 stars, without a doubt.
September 28, 2015
Dystopia of the not so distant future. Mathew Erlang takes you on an adventure where the effect of global warming have resulted in London being flooded, resources are scarce (people eat synthetic food), the country is on the brink of civil war (international relations are not too hot either). People are house bound (if they are lucky to have one) and use their dark room to communicate with the outside world via the heavily monitored Nexus network. The world created is utterly believable as the novel is set only 40 years from now and Jule Owen being a futurologist, is better placed than most to analyse trends an philosophies and bring her vision of the future to us. The novel is fast paced and manages to be hugely entertaining and though provoking. Buy the book if you want to find out why beebots are so cool ;)
October 8, 2015
I was hesitant getting into the plot at first - as it usually is for me getting into a new world - but without realising it I found myself gripped in the flow of this dystopian reality that the author has created. She has woven in a plethora of current trends and future possibilities to have you swept along and questioning your own perspective at the same time. So much so that you can tell how much research has gone into the book which addresses many current issues such as global warming, personal data security, driverless car protocol, etc to name a few, all set from the view of a teenage protagonist. Despite the YA category (young adolescent), I would recommend this to anyone willing to immerse themselves in a possible future and anyone questioning the impact of today's decisions on tomorrow's world. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and can't wait to dive into the next book.
October 1, 2015
A chillingly realistic dystopia wrapped up in an enjoyable page turner
There’s floods in London and global resource shortages that cause war, and a paranoid, repressive government that the main character, Mathew, is subject to. Mathew’s world is full of almost magical technology - miniature “biobots” that float in your blood, alert your doctor to problems and automatically administer medication; holographic video and virtual reality, contact lenses and earrings that replace phones and laptops and, of course, holographic dragons. In the midst of all of this, is Mathew’s creepy neighbour Mr. Lestrange, who Mathew suspects is a government spy, and whose house is the portal to other realities. Fun and highly thought-provoking
October 1, 2015
The Boy Who Fell From The Sky is a captivating novel about teenage boy Mathew Erlang. Set in London in 2055, the not so distant future looks quite different in many ways, yet totally plausible; as the reader follows Mathew on his adventures, they get drawn into a fascinating world that comes alive through the author's rich descriptions and detail; a Londoner can even follow along the exact streets and get a realistic glimpse of what living in this city might be like with today's trends in technology as well as the potential effects of climate change. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fascinating story and can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy!
September 29, 2015
They say you can't judge a book by it's cover, but in this case you can. Gorgeous intriguing cover and the book lives up to it. It begins at a blistering pace, with teenager Matthew Erlang falling from the sky into a world which may or may not be virtual, and never lets up. As Matthew negotiates a flooded, treacherous, Apocolyptic London, he's constantly wrestling with the same dilemma: what's real, what isn't. I couldn't stop turning the pages. Beautifully written and compulsive. Can't wait to read the next one.
January 22, 2016
I happened upon this book amongst Amazon suggestions.
It's been a wonderful read, exciting, providing the kind of immersion you long for since childhood tales. It's sucked me in its future world so much that my mind had drawn strange parallels between the events in the book and reality I had to force myself not to express to friends. (Yeah, were the cats cute while playing? I read a book where dragons are playing with each others. Not real ones though... )
I definitely suggest this one, despite being a hard-to-satisfy physicist when it comes to science fiction.
It's been a wonderful read, exciting, providing the kind of immersion you long for since childhood tales. It's sucked me in its future world so much that my mind had drawn strange parallels between the events in the book and reality I had to force myself not to express to friends. (Yeah, were the cats cute while playing? I read a book where dragons are playing with each others. Not real ones though... )
I definitely suggest this one, despite being a hard-to-satisfy physicist when it comes to science fiction.
April 13, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this slice of YA Sci-Fi. Initially I was reminded of Tad Williams Otherland series, but this is by no means as large or demanding and after finishing the first book, is really nothing like it.
This is an entertaining read and the first in a trilogy. It opened enough doors and gave enough hints to what may come next, for me to get the second in the series before I had even finished the first. If the entire trilogy keeps up the good storytelling and interesting ideas, then reading Mathew's adventures will be worth it.
This is an entertaining read and the first in a trilogy. It opened enough doors and gave enough hints to what may come next, for me to get the second in the series before I had even finished the first. If the entire trilogy keeps up the good storytelling and interesting ideas, then reading Mathew's adventures will be worth it.
December 3, 2015
I am in the middle of the book but I couldn't stop myself from taking a moment and recommending it! It's an absolute must to read for everyone interested in the future of the world and wondering, what's going to happen next. I feel like writing down all the brilliant (and sometimes crazy) ideas and see if they are going to come true in the next 5-10 years! Great work, thank you for sharing your work with all of us!
February 24, 2016
This is a wonderful young adult book that seamlessly brings together science fiction, discussion of the environment, and classical music. It tackles some serious issues in a highly accessible way, and I recommend it for both teens and adults. I look forward to reading the future installments in the trilogy!
January 8, 2016
Very interesting read! There wasn't as much action as I had expected. However, the unpredictable plot kept me wanting more. My curiosity concerning what was to come made it difficult to put this book down. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
December 4, 2018
Interesting but doesn’t go anywhere
The plot was interesting but it was more than half way through when the plot really started. Then it just ended. I know it is a series but this was not close enough to a complete story to make me want to continue.
The plot was interesting but it was more than half way through when the plot really started. Then it just ended. I know it is a series but this was not close enough to a complete story to make me want to continue.
December 30, 2015
Not bad...interesting and intriguing, but a tad too long for my liking.
September 14, 2022
Someone else is going to really love this book. It's plot-driven, with an interesting mystery, well written technically, and set in a believable, nearby dystopian future. The events are what drives the story, and those are believable and entertaining. Nothing really feels contrived.
I'm really damning with faint praise here, aren't I? I don't mean to be. I do think people who like plot-based books will probably really like this one. It's just that I like character-based books, so when I wasn't reading I didn't have any emotional attachment, and didn't really think about it or want to get back to it.
Okay, it was a good book if you like plot-driven books. Outside of that, though, there were a couple of things I wasn't thrilled about.
I didn't care for the ending. It felt like I'd read the first part of a book, rather than the first book in a trilogy or series. There wasn't a sense of completion -- in fact, because of the ending, I felt a bit like it could have been half the length and just as important (and it's not a long book to start with). (I did like that, actually.) (That it was a quick read.) (One more parenthetical statement, just for funsies.) Then again, if the book were a liiiiiittle bit more character-focused, I'd already have bought the next two, I'm sure! Even with the things I didn't like, and the fact that it wasn't character-driven, I might buy the next one to see how things play out. (But probably not, because I don't think about it when I'm not reading it, and I've put it down, so I'll likely forget.)
The only other thing that bothered me was how physically able the protagonist was. It kept pulling me out of the story. I'd be reading along and then going, "Wait, what? He hopped over a boundary fence taller than him to do the thing? Because I'm a pretty active and fit person, and I'd have to expend some effort to do that, and he spends all his time in his house in VR and doesn't seem very active AT ALL." So be prepared to suspend some disbelief in unexpected (and not positive) ways.
Especially now that I've pointed it out.
Sorry about that.
(Not really. XD)
I'm really damning with faint praise here, aren't I? I don't mean to be. I do think people who like plot-based books will probably really like this one. It's just that I like character-based books, so when I wasn't reading I didn't have any emotional attachment, and didn't really think about it or want to get back to it.
Okay, it was a good book if you like plot-driven books. Outside of that, though, there were a couple of things I wasn't thrilled about.
I didn't care for the ending. It felt like I'd read the first part of a book, rather than the first book in a trilogy or series. There wasn't a sense of completion -- in fact, because of the ending, I felt a bit like it could have been half the length and just as important (and it's not a long book to start with). (I did like that, actually.) (That it was a quick read.) (One more parenthetical statement, just for funsies.) Then again, if the book were a liiiiiittle bit more character-focused, I'd already have bought the next two, I'm sure! Even with the things I didn't like, and the fact that it wasn't character-driven, I might buy the next one to see how things play out. (But probably not, because I don't think about it when I'm not reading it, and I've put it down, so I'll likely forget.)
The only other thing that bothered me was how physically able the protagonist was. It kept pulling me out of the story. I'd be reading along and then going, "Wait, what? He hopped over a boundary fence taller than him to do the thing? Because I'm a pretty active and fit person, and I'd have to expend some effort to do that, and he spends all his time in his house in VR and doesn't seem very active AT ALL." So be prepared to suspend some disbelief in unexpected (and not positive) ways.
Especially now that I've pointed it out.
Sorry about that.
(Not really. XD)
October 3, 2020
The Boy Who Fell from the Sky by British author Jule Owen is a 2015 YA novel set in a future London reeling from the effects of climate change and the breakdown of government and international relations that accompanies it. The main character is 16-year-old Mathew Erlang, a bright student with a flair for technology, enduring the boredom of a lockdown. While his mother is away at work, from the windows of his house he notices a pretty girl who takes piano lessons next door and a mysterious neighbor who never leaves his house. Meanwhile, freedoms are breaking down as the government increases its restrictions, including inserting a biomarker in all citizens to track them. Matthew’s curiosity about his neighbor leads him into trouble when he accidentally tampers with what he thinks is a VR game but turns out to be a means of time travel into a future world even more impacted by climate change.
The author worked in the video game industry and is very convincing in her description of futuristic tech in the story. I picked this novel up to read during our second pandemic lockdown, and I have to say it sounded weirdly like the world today: extreme weather events, people in lockdown at home, political corruption, tech, homeless people, and disasters. I thought it was imaginative and fast-paced, although losing Mathew as the point of view character in the Siberia section weakened the novel for me a bit. But overall this is worth checking out as an interesting YA story about what the future could look like. It’s the first in a series and available as a free ebook.
The author worked in the video game industry and is very convincing in her description of futuristic tech in the story. I picked this novel up to read during our second pandemic lockdown, and I have to say it sounded weirdly like the world today: extreme weather events, people in lockdown at home, political corruption, tech, homeless people, and disasters. I thought it was imaginative and fast-paced, although losing Mathew as the point of view character in the Siberia section weakened the novel for me a bit. But overall this is worth checking out as an interesting YA story about what the future could look like. It’s the first in a series and available as a free ebook.
January 24, 2018
My finger hovered between 4 and 5 stars, and I chose 5 just because its setting of London in the near-ish future seems spot on with today's news (and this book was published in 'better days' in 2015). What I dislike about the book is it's written in present tense which I find off putting. Fortunately the story is so well done that I still found this absorbing. This is the first book of a YA adult series where the main character, Mat, is young - 16 - likeable and sheltered so that's he's basically a really good smart young man. Set in London primarily, society is falling apart around him in a world where the cat can't go outside (killing what few birds are left is illegal), windows can't be opened due to outdoor hazards, and people, at least people living in these secure neighborhoods, travel from place to place with armed guards. It makes it really tough to have a social life. Yet Mat does manage to connect and leverages technology. Mat's world and the one he goes to set this series up very well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews