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The Seems #2
The Split Second
WARNING: Anything can happen in a Split Second
Becker Drane's still got the coolest job in The World, but it's getting harder and harder to live a normal life outside of The Seems. He's definitely feeling the strain of being a teenager (complete with mood swings and a newfound respect for sarcasm) and he can't stop thinking about Jennifer Kaley, the totally cool girl he met during his Mission in Sleep. Things don't get any easier when a bomb explodes in the Department of Time and Becker is called in to pick up the pieces after a more senior Fixer couldn't disarm the device. It's his toughest mission yet, and Becker finds himself going places in The Seems he never knew existed, and meeting people long thought dead. Yep, it's just another day in the life of Becker Drane. Let's hope he lives to Fix again . . . .
Becker Drane's still got the coolest job in The World, but it's getting harder and harder to live a normal life outside of The Seems. He's definitely feeling the strain of being a teenager (complete with mood swings and a newfound respect for sarcasm) and he can't stop thinking about Jennifer Kaley, the totally cool girl he met during his Mission in Sleep. Things don't get any easier when a bomb explodes in the Department of Time and Becker is called in to pick up the pieces after a more senior Fixer couldn't disarm the device. It's his toughest mission yet, and Becker finds himself going places in The Seems he never knew existed, and meeting people long thought dead. Yep, it's just another day in the life of Becker Drane. Let's hope he lives to Fix again . . . .
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2008
13 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 21, 2013
Really really love this series. It's good brain-candy. This book started slowly for me, but once the plot got cracking I couldn't put it down. I love how they footnote and appendicize so many things. Several of the footnotes had me giggling, and the ones that didn't make me giggle made me groan, which is what you want with a good pun.
It's amazing that such a fun little series can pose and make you ponder deeper philosophical questions. The idea of "The Plan" and "The Powers that Be" being behind the creation and running of the world easily lends itself to religious/philosophical debate and raises thought-provoking questions in young minds without being preachy or really taking a serious stance on the issue.
I liked the evolution of the Tide subplot as well as Becker Drane's evolving relationships with his nemesis Thibedeaux Frick and his crush Jennifer Kaley. Have the third one on my shelf and I'll be saving it for after I finish a few other books on my shelf.
Definitely recommended for people who like to think, but to laugh and have fun while doing it.
It's amazing that such a fun little series can pose and make you ponder deeper philosophical questions. The idea of "The Plan" and "The Powers that Be" being behind the creation and running of the world easily lends itself to religious/philosophical debate and raises thought-provoking questions in young minds without being preachy or really taking a serious stance on the issue.
I liked the evolution of the Tide subplot as well as Becker Drane's evolving relationships with his nemesis Thibedeaux Frick and his crush Jennifer Kaley. Have the third one on my shelf and I'll be saving it for after I finish a few other books on my shelf.
Definitely recommended for people who like to think, but to laugh and have fun while doing it.
June 5, 2023
The Seems: The Split Second is a good book. it is the second book in the seems series and follows Becker drain. A fixer that works for the seems and is called in to fix anything that goes wrong in the seems. The seams are a place outside of earth's reality that is connected only by the In Inbetween. The system is a corporation that controls everything that goes on on earth from luck to food and time. In the seems the split Second the tides a terrorist group in the seems that whats change in how the seems work plants a time bomb in the department of time. And a fixer is sent to defuse the bomb and as the intense seen unfolds the fixer and his briefer believed that they had diffused the bomb but after the started to leave the fixer realized that the bomb was on a timer and as soon as he realized that he saved his briefer sacrificing his life in the proses as the bomb exploded. And that is where Becker drain is called in to fix the split second that was caused by the bomb explosion. As he got to the bomb's explosion site with the previously saved Briefer they found one half of the split second and a melted pool of what were frozen moments. Believing the other half of the split second fell into the frozen moments Becker Drain and his Briefer dove into the pool to chase it. While falling through the frozen moments drain and the Briefer got separated and drain found himself in a weird frozen moment where he found an old legend of the fixers named Jackal who had been living in the frozen moment with his wife and kids. Back to briefer Shan She found herself lost in a mysterious place only known as Meanwhile, a purgatory-like place that is completely void of all light and as she wonders and wonders she finds herself more and more lost while thinking of all of the terrible romers of anyone that enters Meanwhile never comes back. As she loses hope she hears a voice that leads her to a light in the darkness. As she got closer she found a shocking sight. It was the split second but not only that there is the fixer from before that failed to stop the bomb. As she talks with him about what happened some members of the tide use a skeleton key to make a door back to their base in Meanwhile seeing this Shan hides and sees them take away the fixer. While that was happening Becker drain tried to convince Jackal to help him save the world by fixing the Split Second but was ultimately unsuccessful but Jackal showed him away back out of the Frozen memory and told him to find the timekeeper and maybe she can help him fix the Split Second. So he takes the passage back out of the Frozen moment and proceeds to find the timekeeper hidden in New York and asks her to help him save the world and fix the Split Second but she refuses. Confused on why she would refuse he keeps on pressuring her to try to get her to help him but she doesn't crack and after a while of back and forth all of a sudden a door opens up and it is the tides members. They fight with Becker drain and eventually capture him and set a chat with the timekeeper and the tides boss where the boss extends an offer to the timekeeper to join their side and help rewrite the plan. When all seems lost all of a sudden jackal comes out of nowhere and stops the Tides members freeing Becker drain and the other fixer. Stealing The Skeleton Key to go back to Meanwhile to help Shan fix the Split Second. getting there they find Shan inside of the split seconds container trying to fix the second by herself which is impossible.So Becker and Jackal play Rock Paper Scissors to see who will get into the container and help her fix the Split Second Jackal wins and helps fix the split second but sacrificing his life in the process. and after that the book ends with the world saved and the Split Second fixed. I would recommend this book to everyone that likes fiction because of how much thought and creativity is put into the seams and all the little details that make the story very lively.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2024
Me gustó más este libro que el primero,si básicamente es la misma estructura pero en otra situación.
El caso es que mejora bastante o eso llegue a percibir,ya que el transcurso de la historia se desarrolla más rápido y se sabe mantener interesante el punto de vista de cada persona.Aunque eso sí,no le hace justicia estar leyendo por ejemplo;como Becker está en medio de toda la emoción y de la nada pasar a contar algo del hermano (nada encontra tuya Benjamín,eres genial).
La introducción de nuevos personajes hizo la historia mucho más interesante por ejemplo cuando Becker se encuentra con Tom o cuando conoce a Sully (con ayuda de él encuentra a la mujer a la que se le apoda:El segundo presente). Además de abordar temas un tanto debatibles respecto al plan y si funcionaba realmente.Me quedé con ganas de saber que pasará con Becker,ya que el rompió la regla de Oro y sabe cuántas más...
El detalle al final del libro donde se incluye la invitación a la fiesta de jubilación del reparador es muy cálido y atento.
El caso es que mejora bastante o eso llegue a percibir,ya que el transcurso de la historia se desarrolla más rápido y se sabe mantener interesante el punto de vista de cada persona.Aunque eso sí,no le hace justicia estar leyendo por ejemplo;como Becker está en medio de toda la emoción y de la nada pasar a contar algo del hermano (nada encontra tuya Benjamín,eres genial).
La introducción de nuevos personajes hizo la historia mucho más interesante por ejemplo cuando Becker se encuentra con Tom o cuando conoce a Sully (con ayuda de él encuentra a la mujer a la que se le apoda:El segundo presente). Además de abordar temas un tanto debatibles respecto al plan y si funcionaba realmente.Me quedé con ganas de saber que pasará con Becker,ya que el rompió la regla de Oro y sabe cuántas más...
El detalle al final del libro donde se incluye la invitación a la fiesta de jubilación del reparador es muy cálido y atento.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2019
More of the same from the first book, although you can tell that this is developing into a series rather than just a standalone book. There's a lot more work done to set up for book three rather than (in book one) just have a sentence at the end of epologue hint toward book two. It's a 3.25 at best.
Similar likes and criticisms from the first book remain in the second. Great worldbuilding and meh at best characters and plot. One side character though does get some depth which is neat.
I have vague recollections of thinking who Triton was, and I'm interested to see if now-Me and/or young-Me were right. Young-Me's guess was and Now-Me's guess is . Let's see if the questions are answered! :D
The thing I thought was going to happen hasn't happened yet, but if there's a year between books then the thing I'm thinking about might happen...
Similar likes and criticisms from the first book remain in the second. Great worldbuilding and meh at best characters and plot. One side character though does get some depth which is neat.
I have vague recollections of thinking who Triton was, and I'm interested to see if now-Me and/or young-Me were right. Young-Me's guess was and Now-Me's guess is . Let's see if the questions are answered! :D
The thing I thought was going to happen hasn't happened yet, but if there's a year between books then the thing I'm thinking about might happen...
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January 10, 2021 i enjoy all the puns and plays on words in this series.
"sorry little flower. i'm only trying to help."
"how? by making me feel bad?"
"by showing you the world you've created for yourself."
she had to admit it was not a pretty world she lived in, cold dark, and lonely. and yet if the voice was right, and the world had been one of her own creation, then it stood to reason it was possible for her to make a new one.
"now you're starting to see the light."
"sorry little flower. i'm only trying to help."
"how? by making me feel bad?"
"by showing you the world you've created for yourself."
she had to admit it was not a pretty world she lived in, cold dark, and lonely. and yet if the voice was right, and the world had been one of her own creation, then it stood to reason it was possible for her to make a new one.
"now you're starting to see the light."
June 8, 2021
Full of puns and TM footnotes. The story and characters get a little lost in the details, and the sinister series-arc seems a little at odds with the constant gleeful puns, though the protagonist is a good and resourceful boy. This is the second of the series I've read, but I'll leave it there. The target (middle-school audience) will probably enjoy it more than I did.
September 20, 2024
Literally down bad crying at the gym for this one.
Though not as iconic as and a bit more meandering than the first installment in the series, The Split Second tugs at my heartstrings and teases my brain more. I love how the philosophical implications are more at the forefront here, and you gain more insight into the history, structure, and functioning of The Seems, and thus The World.
Though not as iconic as and a bit more meandering than the first installment in the series, The Split Second tugs at my heartstrings and teases my brain more. I love how the philosophical implications are more at the forefront here, and you gain more insight into the history, structure, and functioning of The Seems, and thus The World.
April 13, 2019
Infantil. Sin más.
half-read
March 4, 2025Read the first years ago, completely forgot what happened and this one just didn't reel me in.
Quit 1h 33m, chp3
Quit 1h 33m, chp3
June 5, 2014
If I could, I would rate this book, which I listened to on audiobook, a 3.5.
I think this second installment of the Seems saga is better than the first, in several respects, but the way it began and the way it ended make me fear that third book is going to be a let-down.
Becker Drane is back again as a Fixer, working through the land called the Seems to help our world run better and smoother while still maintaining (kind of) his life as a regular pre-teen kid with a family. The Wave, the rebel group who wants to blow up our world and start over, and appears to be more organized and more aggressive with its plans, and the fixers are having trouble keeping up with the problems. After an explosion on just such a call leaves one veteran fixer MIA four days before retirement, Becker is brought in to sift through the ashes, revitalize the traumatized briefer during the explosion, and put the Split Second back together before the Essence of Time takes over reality.
Becker is a strong character, an agent of good, although he does admittedly waver sometimes, and most of the characters in the books are truly good at heart, doing what they think is right for the world, our world. The books have led to some interesting conversations with my kids about personal conviction and government versus the people, and I think they see some of the conflicts in our world from a different light accordingly. The humor and word play in this book continue to make my smile - it's like Phantom Tollbooth for slightly older kids.
I think this second installment of the Seems saga is better than the first, in several respects, but the way it began and the way it ended make me fear that third book is going to be a let-down.
Becker Drane is back again as a Fixer, working through the land called the Seems to help our world run better and smoother while still maintaining (kind of) his life as a regular pre-teen kid with a family. The Wave, the rebel group who wants to blow up our world and start over, and appears to be more organized and more aggressive with its plans, and the fixers are having trouble keeping up with the problems. After an explosion on just such a call leaves one veteran fixer MIA four days before retirement, Becker is brought in to sift through the ashes, revitalize the traumatized briefer during the explosion, and put the Split Second back together before the Essence of Time takes over reality.
Becker is a strong character, an agent of good, although he does admittedly waver sometimes, and most of the characters in the books are truly good at heart, doing what they think is right for the world, our world. The books have led to some interesting conversations with my kids about personal conviction and government versus the people, and I think they see some of the conflicts in our world from a different light accordingly. The humor and word play in this book continue to make my smile - it's like Phantom Tollbooth for slightly older kids.
February 10, 2012
This book tells the story of another world, called "the seems" which actually keeps our world running. The main character lives a double life, both as a teenage boy on Earth and a "fixer" in The Seems who solves problems that would interfere with the basic functioning of the world. He's supposed to fix a potential disaster that would mess up the passage of time on earth, and he uses all kinds of other-world technology and complicated theories to try and fix things. The author's created a pretty complex world, and I got lost a few times in the detailed explanations of how things work. There are a few deeper themes in the book - the importance of doing your best to help even when things look impossibly bad for instance - but I was a bit concerned by the whole premise that life on earth is more meaningful because there's another world of beings secretly taking care of things, occasionally making mistakes. To me, it seemed almost demeaning to the people on earth, that they were unknowingly the pawns of this other civilization - kind of like the Greek Gods or something! But maybe I'm just reading too much into this. :)
January 5, 2010
The World needs Fixing again. The Tide has successfully constructed and set off a Time Bomb. The Tide makes a mistake, though, and does not put a containment field around the resulting Split Second. The Split Second jumps through Frozen Moments, aiming to break free into the World. Fixer #37, Becker Drane, is called in to Fix the problem. He gets separated from his Briefer, and certain mysteries are finally solved.
Becker is a believable character. He's trying to balance school and a 25/7 work schedule (there's an extra hour in the Seemsian day).
I think that you don't have to love fantasy to like this book, because really good books don't have to be read just by fantasy nuts.
Becker is a believable character. He's trying to balance school and a 25/7 work schedule (there's an extra hour in the Seemsian day).
I think that you don't have to love fantasy to like this book, because really good books don't have to be read just by fantasy nuts.
March 2, 2010
Imagine the world as you know it, but with a shadow world somehow connected to it where people exist for the purpose of making the world run as smothly and flawlessly as possible. There are artists who paint sunsets, technicians who keep time ticking, and fixers who step in when things get out of whack. Becker Drane is a Fixer. At 13 years old, it is his job to repair mishaps - and this time it's a doozy: someone has exploded a time bomb!
The second book in a series, but can stand alone. Full of puns, interesting characters and lots of action. Good read for boys, also for fans of The lightning Thief series.
The second book in a series, but can stand alone. Full of puns, interesting characters and lots of action. Good read for boys, also for fans of The lightning Thief series.
October 1, 2009
This second book in The Seems series features Becker Drain, a teenage prodigy who works as a 'fixer' in an organization called the Seems. This organization is in charge of... well everything. From sunsets to dreams to making sure thunder follows lightning, the Seems makes the world go round. In this story, time is at risk when a second is split. Get it? Split second? And how do you fix a split second? With a stitch in time of course! The book is filled with cute phrases that will make you laugh out loud. The plot is ok, not stellar, but an entertaining book for children and young adults.
December 30, 2008
The second book in the series was, thankfully, not at all a letdown. These gentlemen really know how to write entertaining, funny, intelligent, extremely creative books. Weakness in dialogue is one of the only downfalls to The Seems books, but you almost have to view that through a Star Wars lens (I tried to picture Harrison Ford or Mark Hamill saying a lot of Becker's lines and it worked surprisingly well).
October 13, 2012
This is a fast paced, clever book featuring 13-year-old Becker Drane whose job as a "fixer" places him in mortal danger as he goes behind the scenes to help save the world. It would have helped me to understand better, I am sure, had I listened to book one before this one. I definitely understood the basic plot but got a little lost with all of the characters and all of the places they went. Still, young teens will enjoy this, and there are some nice little philophies about life thrown in.
November 11, 2013
Loved the second book in this trilogy. I am looking forward to the final installment!
This book continues the world of the Seems which takes care of our world. Several storylines from the previous book are advanced here, as well as the introductions to a few new/unique characters. Perhaps the most fun part of this book is the idea of a world running our world somehow makes sense. Which I suppose is all according to The Plan.
This book continues the world of the Seems which takes care of our world. Several storylines from the previous book are advanced here, as well as the introductions to a few new/unique characters. Perhaps the most fun part of this book is the idea of a world running our world somehow makes sense. Which I suppose is all according to The Plan.
March 29, 2016
Becker Drane has another problem to solve; this time it's a literal split second, which, if it explodes, can have unimaginably disastrous consequences. This story has the same quality as the last one, exploring the blend of humor and gravity with even more depth. In particular, the use of the split second, which basically acts as a bomb, provides an analogy to terrorist groups and their motivations today. Definitely five stars.
March 30, 2011
While I was not thirlled with the first installment of this series, I thought that I would give this one a go, and thankfully the series is much improved! The world of the Seems is now familiar to readers so more time was devoted to character development and it really helped. Looking forward to book three.
October 3, 2013
This is a big step-up from the last book but it is still lacking in a few areas. It is not as gripping as it should be making it hard to read in one sitting. The unique writing style is a nice touch which makes it a little more enjoyable. Again, not for anyone to old more of a child's book in my opinion.
January 24, 2017
Evil men are at work again, so Becker is called into help rescue the planet.
With increasingly severe time storms wreaking havoc worldwide, it looks like only the elusive Time Being herself has the power to help; can Becker track her down and persuade her to lend a hand?
Only the reader of this book will know.
With increasingly severe time storms wreaking havoc worldwide, it looks like only the elusive Time Being herself has the power to help; can Becker track her down and persuade her to lend a hand?
Only the reader of this book will know.
July 22, 2009
I enjoyed this a lot better than a Glitch in Sleep. Although I am super excited about the world and its inhabitants. I do love the concept that there are people out there who make the world what it is and insure that we keep getting up everyday. A fun read when nothing else comes your way.
October 1, 2010
Listening to this series on audio with my 8-yr-old and we both love it and look forward to opportunities to listen together. Not for serious sci-fi/fantasy fans, but entertaining for kids and amusing for adults.
April 1, 2012
Becker Drane works as a Fixer for the Seems. The Tide creates a Time bomb and it is up to Chiappa, Becker, Tom Jackal and a briefer to keep the World from being destroyed. Becker wants to contact Jennifer from his first mission.
May 20, 2013
I did not really like this book. The first book had a nice flow to it that kept the story moving along. In this book, the time-bomb and the puddle of melted moments stop the rhythm from ever being established. Tom Jackal just seems like a deus ex machina, and leaves nothing for Becker to do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2013
I found this (#2)even better than the first. Looking forward to #3. Congrats to all involved! And thanks. Great for advanced 4th grade readers through, perhaps, high school freshman. Maybe even a sophomore or 2.
July 21, 2008
Wrote about this series at my blog: http://medinger.wordpress.com/2008/07...
November 3, 2008
A good sequel to The Glitch in Sleep, a fast paced read, and very clever.
April 13, 2009
3.5, really. A very enjoyable sequel, with the same zany humor as the first book, but not quite as strong as the first in some ways. Will review on Finding Wonderland eventually.
November 16, 2009
Another great book in the pun-infested Seems. Hope there is another!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews