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The Boys Who Saved the World
Jon knows what he has to do. If he isn't strong, everyone in his school is going to die. Or so he's been told by Jeremiah, the leader of a group of lonely, damaged boys who have started a new religion. But when the boys become convinced that a classmate is involved in a plot to blow up the school, they lay their own plans.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2007
2 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Sam Mills
29 books23 followersSamantha Mills
Sam Mills was born in 1975. After graduating from Lincoln College, Oxford University, she worked briefly as a chess journalist and publicist before becoming a full-time writer. She has contributed short stories to literary magazines such as Tomazi and 3am and written articles for the Guardian, The Weeklings and The Independent.
She is the author of 3 young adult novels, published by Faber, including The Boys Who Saved the World, which is currently being adapted for film and the award-winning Blackout. Her debut novel for adults, The Quiddity of Will Self (Corsair) was described by The Sunday Times as “an ingenious, energetic read” and the Guardian as “an extraordinary novel of orgiastic obsession.” Sam is one of the founding members of the Will Self Club.
Sam Mills was born in 1975. After graduating from Lincoln College, Oxford University, she worked briefly as a chess journalist and publicist before becoming a full-time writer. She has contributed short stories to literary magazines such as Tomazi and 3am and written articles for the Guardian, The Weeklings and The Independent.
She is the author of 3 young adult novels, published by Faber, including The Boys Who Saved the World, which is currently being adapted for film and the award-winning Blackout. Her debut novel for adults, The Quiddity of Will Self (Corsair) was described by The Sunday Times as “an ingenious, energetic read” and the Guardian as “an extraordinary novel of orgiastic obsession.” Sam is one of the founding members of the Will Self Club.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 17, 2020
DNF - Not for me.
September 16, 2025
Couldn't get into the book. It wasn't my cup of tea.
September 9, 2008
Mills, Sam. 2008. The Viper Within. (Originally published in Great Britain in 2007 as The Boy Who Saved the World.)
Opening paragraph:
7:00 PM: Two Hours To Go...
In two hours' time I--and the rest of the Brotherhood--will kidnap a terrorist. Our code for this terrorist is SNAKE. By kidnapping SNAKE tonight, we the Brotherhood of the Religion of Hebetheus--will prevent a bomb from going off at St. Sebastian's Secondary School.
Our narrator is teen guy named Jon. (His story is told in first person.) And his story is an intense one. Let me warn you now, it won't be for everyone. Exceedingly well-written, it keeps you hooked from cover to cover. In fact, I would venture a guess that you could open the book to any page, begin reading any paragraph, and within a sentence or two be hooked. And you can't say that lightly. Not many books can make good on such a boast. But this is a rare book.
Snake is a girl, an Indian girl named Padma--a Hindu. And she stands accused by a small group of her peers--her classmates--of being a terrorist, of being a Muslim, of being against 'the West.' This group of guys--Jon, Jeremiah, Martyn, Chris, Thomas, and Raymond--are ready to be prosecutor, judge, and jury. To say much more would risk spoiling it for those brave enough to go where this one goes. But Sarah Miller got it right when she said the book was, "The Patron Saint of Butterflies' evil twin."
Opening paragraph:
7:00 PM: Two Hours To Go...
In two hours' time I--and the rest of the Brotherhood--will kidnap a terrorist. Our code for this terrorist is SNAKE. By kidnapping SNAKE tonight, we the Brotherhood of the Religion of Hebetheus--will prevent a bomb from going off at St. Sebastian's Secondary School.
Our narrator is teen guy named Jon. (His story is told in first person.) And his story is an intense one. Let me warn you now, it won't be for everyone. Exceedingly well-written, it keeps you hooked from cover to cover. In fact, I would venture a guess that you could open the book to any page, begin reading any paragraph, and within a sentence or two be hooked. And you can't say that lightly. Not many books can make good on such a boast. But this is a rare book.
Snake is a girl, an Indian girl named Padma--a Hindu. And she stands accused by a small group of her peers--her classmates--of being a terrorist, of being a Muslim, of being against 'the West.' This group of guys--Jon, Jeremiah, Martyn, Chris, Thomas, and Raymond--are ready to be prosecutor, judge, and jury. To say much more would risk spoiling it for those brave enough to go where this one goes. But Sarah Miller got it right when she said the book was, "The Patron Saint of Butterflies' evil twin."
July 9, 2008
Around the middle of this book, I was immediately reminded of when I read Godless by Pete Hautman. In both books, teenagers start their own religion and things go to far creating all sorts of problems. In this novel, Jon is very confused regarding his faith and beliefs. When Jeremiah approaches him and says that God came to Jeremiah in a dream and said that Jon would be part of his new religion, Jon is skeptical at first. But Jon is longing to believe in something--he is longing to belong. And Jeremiah is so sure of himself and so charismatic, that Jon is soon taken by Jeremiah and is completely in over his head when Jeremiah and the other members of the Brotherhood decide they are going to kidnap a terrorist to try and get the government to change the laws regarding the treatment of terrorists. Needless to say, things don't go as planned and Jon begins to question his faith again, this time questioning his faith in Jeremiah, and himself.
January 21, 2020
This book. Not bad, but I am so confused now, that I have finished it. So many different religions, it's almost hard to keep track,who do we believe in at any moment. Very odd situation, I guess everyone in their teenage years would be confused just like Jon was. I am not sure if I like him, to be honest. But I have read it in one afternoon, because I just wanted to know, who will survive, who will live, how is it going to end. Maybe because the end didn't satisfy me competely, I am giving only three stars.
July 28, 2008
Disillusioned in his faith after his vicar father divorces his mom and marries the woman across the street, Jon is drawn to the Brotherhood of Hebetheus lead by the megalomaniac Jeremiah. Jon joins the brotherhood on the mission to abduct a fellow student that Jeremiah claims is a terrorist that goes all wrong. Jon struggles with what is right and the merging of all of his religious thoughts and training new and old as his world slowly disintegrates. Not a book to read before bedtime!
August 12, 2008
Jon joins a cultish new religion created by one of his classmates. In an attempt to save lives, they kidnap Padma, who they believe to be a terrorist at their school. Bogged down by sentiments that seek to be profound in their search for what God and religion really mean. Kind of unbelievable with a disappointing ending.
January 15, 2009
I was only planning to read a little of this before bed, but ended up reading the whole thing in 2.5 hours. It starts out with a cheesy tone, but it is about being in a cult, so I guess the brainwashed would tend to sound cheesy in their narration, right? And I thought the font would bother me the whole way through but I stopped noticing it (it's slightly gothic).
September 30, 2012
I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book. Everything about it played into my interests, but the ending was such a curve ball. If you have an interest in cults, terrorism, etc. then this might be up your alley.
February 25, 2013
I liked the premise and pacing of this book. However, the ending was unsatisfying and personally, I thought it was a cop-out.
March 24, 2013
What the... I don't even know man. I don't even know.
Though this book was good, I would not recommend it. It was kind of like Stolen, it was so disturbing I rushed my way through it.
Though this book was good, I would not recommend it. It was kind of like Stolen, it was so disturbing I rushed my way through it.
February 20, 2015
This is a wonderful book. It tackles a difficult topic in a gritty but sensitive manner. It's beautifully written and should be bought in bulk by all secondary schools.
July 14, 2008
CREEPY!!!! Way goood!!
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December 25, 2009This book confused the SHIZ out of me!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews