Armageddon Summer

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Summary: Armageddon Summer
Review: This time the world will end in fire on July 27, 2000. That is what Reverend Raymond Beelson has told his 2 congregations of the Church of Believers. Reverend Beelson makes plans for 144, a number from scripture, Believers to escape the fire and brimstone destruction of the world. The Believers are led atop Mount Weeupcut in Massachusetts where they live by camping, pray and wait for the day of Armageddon. The days leading up to July 27 are shared with us through the alternating view point of Jed and Marina, who have never met before and came to the fortified mountain because of their families. However, the two teenagers find something compelling about each other as they struggle to find out what is going on in their lives. Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville have skillfully developed the characters of Jed and Marina in this novel. Read this book that explores the nature of faith, the dangers of cults, and relationships that are formed by friendship and love to see how Jed and Marina survive Armageddon Summer.

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Summary: THE END OF THE WORLD IS THURSDAY, JULY 27 2000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I've just completed reading this book! When I first read the plot, I was eager to go ahead and read the rest of the book. What an exciting plot! The story was told from two people's point of view in short, alternating chapters. That was my favorite element of the story. If you got bored of one person, the next person's story was only a page or two away. One was a 13 year old girl named Marina and the other a boy named Jed. The basic plot was that these kids' parents belonged to a new faith called the "Believers." The Believers believe that the world will END on July 27, 2000. Only a couple of weeks away! They believe that at the termination of the world, the earth will go up in flames and everything will burn and die. Everyone- except for the Believers- because they'll be safe on Mount Weeupcut. ONLY 144 Believers can be saved on the mountain...and their duty would be to save the earth when the fire was gone. While waiting for the end of the world, the Believers prepared for what was to happen. Armageddon Summer was a truly suspenseful novel. I was begging for the end the entire time, would the world actually end as the believers thought? Would everything burn up EXCEPT for the mountain they were on? Jed and Marina, the ones telling the story, had so much in common and had very similar reasons for "being" a Believer and for being on the mountain. The ending of the book, (which of course I wouldn't share with you!) was okay. It's hard to explain... it was predictable, yet I was suprised- and I was disappointed. I think there could have been a better ending,.. after all, that's the whole point of reading the whole rest of the book! With the year 2000 coming up in less than 2 months, there has been a lot of talk and controversy about the end of the world. A lot of faiths have said what needs to be done and when. This book compiles a lot of faiths and beliefs together to come up with some new faith- The Believers. This story was, for the most part, realalistic- and it could actually happen. So, here's a question- will the world really end? Find out when you read this book! :)

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Summary: Armageddon Summer
Review: The book I read was called Armageddon Summer. IT is a bout a group of religious people believing that their world is going to end on July 27. They are called the believers. Marina and Jed who come from two different worlds, are brought to a mountain top where the believers think they will be saved. They meet and they fall in love, all the while, the world a round them is falling apart. Not physically, but verbally.
I didn't like this book because the story was really bad. I do not mean the words and the text but the true meaning of each words. It was really religious and everything but they made fun of God like in this quote, "True, they would be spending their summer vacation in top of this mountain, waiting for God to bring destruction to our world." I mean go on with your story without that sarcasm. It really makes the character seem almost satanic talking about God that way.
The two main characters look at God like a joke. Another quote that supports my thoughts is: "God, I prayed silently, save my mother. Not on this walled in stranger mountain. But if he heard me, he sure took along time answering it." I mean the first part is good and sweet, but it again seems like a joke. The all time character to support my though is one if the two main characters. Jed. He is a horrible little devil. Well, maybe not little, they're in their teenage years but he just acts so much like a little whinny boy.
My favorite part was the part where all the believers find out that the idea was all some joke and went there for no reason. I also liked the little action that was in the book but unfortunately some one dies. I liked these two parts because it was the only real important thing. All the rest of the book was how the two main characters feel about each other and how they feel about themselves. I mean, please, I don't care what they think I care how they feel, I care about what happens. For these reasons I liked these parts in the book.

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Summary: Review for Armageddon Summer
Review: I like to compare this reading experience to riding a bicylce for the first time. At first, I found it difficult to enjoy, but as I continued reading the intriguing characters and plot became more entertaining. The more you get into it, the harder it is to put down. Armageddon Summer was interesting to read, and the depth of the characters were exciting to discover.
This book holds the strange exciting story of two young teenagers who are forced against their will to follow a religious cult to the top of a mountain. When Jed's dad and Marina's mother become Believers of Beelson's flock, the children have to leave their home and friends to join the rest of the believers on the top of Mount Weeupcut. Jed is a nonbeliever and feels like he's surrounded by crazy people. Marina wants to believe but doesn't know if it's really in her heart. The teens are strangers at first, but soon meet and eventually fall in love. Other supporting characters bring life to the story as well. For instance, the insanely believable Reverand Beelson. You want to hate him, but can't because he makes you believe that he really cares about all of his followers. You almost think that maybe the world really is coming to an end and it's scary because there really are cult leaders out there like that. It's too real. Jed's father and Marina's mother seem so naive to be caught up in all of this. But it's interesting to analyze their personalities and see how they change throughout the story.
Armageddon Summer takes place mostly outdoors on the top of Mount Weeupcut. The surroundings are mountainous timber country. Many animals are around, but none of which live in the camp. The believers are fenced in a perimeter so they do not get to explore the rest of the mountain. Each day, chores are assigned that keep the follower's busy. The only time they are indoors really is to eat during a designated time or sleeping in tents at night. They are far from the hustle and bustle of large cities. It seems so peaceful and beautiful. Especially at night when Jed takes the oppurtunity to star gaze.
The chapters were fun to follow, going back and forth between characters so that you know what's going through both of their heads'. The newsletters and radio interview added a unique style to the writing that I found to be quite effective. The actual content of this story didn't really grab me until half way through. I found it interesting but couldn't really get into it until Marina and Jed actually met. I think I'm a hopeless romantic which would explain that. And any oddball like myslef could appreciate a strange story of a religious cult and the end of the world. I'm not even a religious person myself, and I found the story to be quite entertaining as well as educational. I found it fun to try and read deeper into the context for more clues of what would happen next and where the story would take me. Although, it was a serious book containing real issues of torn families and personal trials and tribulations, a light sense of humor made it not so depressing to read.
I did get off to a slow start with reading this one. I felt that the authors, Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville, could have grabbed me a little more in the beginning instead of starting off slow to build it's way up. However, I did stick with it and found that the story was rich with adventure, and passion, and love. The end of one chapter left you with suspense and anticipation to go on and read the next. Once I concentrated more on what was going on and tried to get in deeper, I started to really enjoy it. Despite a weak ending, and slow start, Armageddon Summer was an interesting find if nothing else. However the beginning and end are supposed to be something to be remembered. You should go out with a bang and start with an attention getting chapter or two. The book itself was fun and easy to read. All in all, my feelings toward Armageddon Summer are good. I've read better books, but this is definitely one that you will remember for being unique.

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Summary: Will The End Come?
Review: "Armageddon Summer" is one of the best novels I have had the pleasure of reading. A young girl named Marina and a guy named Jed have one word that describes their lives "insanity". After the Pastor of the church declares the end of the world, Jed and Marina are forced to move onto a mountain with their families, where supposedly they will be safe. On top of the mountain Jed and Marina meet eachother and fall in love while the world below could or could not be destroyed. Jed is suspicious of this prophecy but Marina tries best to follow her beliefs even though her father chose not to come onto the mountain.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is so amazing and heartstopping. Right from the beginning the mystery of whether or not the world will be destroyed captures your imagination. The book's format is also very interesting as it splits chapters between Jed and Marina. The only thing is that the emotions the author used with the characters about the world ending weren't genuine. Otherwise this book was amazing. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a gripping suspense novel or maybe just anyone in general. It raises some major questions of faith and it is amazing to follow the swaying of Marina and Jed's beliefs.

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Summary: err.....
Review: this book is like many others and the characters emotions just don't speak to me. it seemed like a kind of uniform book. If you want GOOD end of the world themed books you should try the Fire-us trilogy.

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Summary: Interesting story...if you don't mind being bored.
Review: This is an okay book. I certainly wouldn't read it again or recommend it to my friends, but it wasn't THAT bad. Personally, I think that Marina is really REALLY annoying with her little "Why can't i just believe it all completely" act. I mean, come ON! It gets really old after 20 times saying it!!! I have to say that Jed was my favorite character in the story. He was realistic and acted like a real teenage boy would. But Marina was way too dramatic for me. Another character I though unrealistic was Leo. Leo is a chicken. He gets scared easily and is very clingy. Even for a three year-old, he seems a little too afraid. At three years old, shouldn't he be off terrorizing the other little kids? I thought that three year-olds were supposed to be a nightmare! I know my brother and sister were!

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Summary: End of World- 7/27/03 -Or Not? Book- Armageddon Summer
Review: Are you looking for a great book? Do you find it hard to find a book that makes you want to keep reading? I usually have this problem too. At least I did before I found this book.
The title of the book is Armageddon summer. The book was written by Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville.
There are two main characters in the novel. Their names are Jed and Marina. The story revolves around these two and how they meet. The book is written as two stories and it combines into one at the end which is really good for getting to know what the other characters think. It takes place in a small mountain in Massachusetts called Mt. Weeupcut. They are up there because the reverend of there church, Reverend Beelson, tells them that the world is going to end. He believes that god is going to end the world on July 27th, 2000 and all the people that are not on Mt. Weeupcut will be fried in the flames. The problem is that there is only aloud to be 144 believers up on the mountain at that time. Reverend Beelson thinks god wants 144 because the two sacred numbers are three and four. Multiply them and you get twelve. Twelve and twelve is a 144. It becomes a problem when they have the required 144. There are angels with guns outside and electrical fences surrounding the area. This is so no one can get in or out. Reverend Beelson wants not one more or one less than the needed 144. The believers that get to the mountain too late are not aloud in and wait outside the gates yelling in and waiting for their chance to get in. You will have to read this book to find out what really happens. Will the world end or not?
The authors did a great job with this book. There is great characterization in the book. You really get to know the characters and get inside there minds. The authors also use irony in the novel. The ending came to a surprise to me but I really liked it. One more literary element that made this book so interesting was the mood the author sets. It's calm and happy through most of the book, but then it gets really loud and violent near the end and it makes it impossible to put the book down.
This is one of my favorite books. I really liked it because I could relate to on of the main characters so much. I could really tell what was in his mind and how he felt. I recommend this book to all readers. It is an easy book to read and it was written very well.

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Summary: an easy read
Review: Marina and Jed are two teens stranded on Mount Weeupcut with a total of 144 people there. Their parents found a new religion, their Believers. So Marina and Jed are stuck on this mountain with no technology and having to work all day and get ready for the new world. Because the worlds going to come to an end on July 27, which also happens to be Marina's birthday.

Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville explain the struggles of the kids, their emotions, and the present their living so well.

pg.79

"... "Do you?" she asked slowly, hesitantly. "Marina? Believe?"
It was as if she had spoken God's thoughts to me aloud. In fragglements. A chasm of silence opened between us, and for a long, ugly moment, I could not answer her.
"Believe?" I repeated, And then, purposely misunderstanding her, I said, "About Mount Washington in July?" I nodded, "Been there with my dad."
"Believe?" she said again, shaking her head. "About Armageddon. About the." Her eyes blinked behind the glasses. "End of the World?" Her voice was bigger than it had any right to be. ..."

Rating:
Summary: Easy book
Review: The book focuses around Marina and Jed's life. Their parents found this new religion and so now their all believers. On July 27th, also Marina's birhtday, the world will come to an end. So 144 of the Believers travel up to Weeupcut and spend many weeks there to avoid dying in the fire at the end of the world. Jed and Marina become convinced their parents are nuts, but they can't do anything about it, so they wait with them and help everyone become prepared for the new life after July 27th 200.

This is a very adventurous book, it will make you want to skip a few pages ahead to find out what will happen, but also makr you want to stay and read more. Jane Yolen and Bruse Coville did an amazing job on the description.

pg. 79
"Do you?" she asked slowly, hesitantly. "Marina? Believe?"