Earth Force Rising (Bounders Book 1)

Ok.

I really enjoyed this middle-grade novel (and, perhaps more importantly, so did my 12-year-old son, who read it with me). The story of 12-year-old Jasper, whose difficulty paying attention on Earth hints at a unique brain structure that suits him for quantum space travel (or Bounding), the novel involves Jasper's initiation into the elite Earth Force, which has recruited kids like him to advance the space exploration program. On the space station that serves as the Earth Force training facility, Jasper meets other kids who possess what would have been considered disabilities on Earth: the fact-obsessed Cole, the in-her-own-world Mira, and others. As the group trains for their first Bound, they discover secrets aboard the space station that change everything they believed about Earth Force and about themselves.I felt the book began rather slowly, with less of a sense of urgency or risk than I prefer to see; Jasper's inattentiveness and desire to fit in were the main drivers of the plot for the book's first third. But once the training gets into full swing and the secrets begin to be revealed, the book moves along at a good clip. The child characters are diverse and distinctive, and there are sympathetic adult characters as well (along with the obligatory buffoons and ogres). The book has a certain "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" feel, with the initiation of misfit children into a secret, essentially magical world and the attempts by the main characters to uncover the mysteries within their new school. But that's not a bad thing, and one of the really nice twists is how Tesler utilizes actual, present-day disabilities--ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, etc.--to suggest both the children's difference and their latent powers. Along these lines, one of the most interesting aspects of the book is Jasper's developing relationship with Mira, who just about everyone else aboard ship has written off as hopeless. It's poignant, well conceived, and well handled.All in all, this is a fun and imaginative ride. "Bounders" is first in a series, and I look forward to the next installment!

This book gives me hope! It is both a great story, and a refreshing move toward celebrating less “typical” minds. I work in the public schools and am increasingly concerned about our society’s obsession with labeling children based on their weaknesses. We have created a simplistic intelligence type as a measuring stick for normal. The main characters in “Bounders” are all quirky and don’t fit the mold. But readers soon learn that they all have wonderful, previously unidentified gifts of their own, and we really can’t live without them! The author dares to present a new kind of hero, and it works!!! A fun read, the kids love it, and it gives a fabulous message.

I read this book a long time ago when I was out of books and had just finished the current books in the inheritance cycle;meaning that I compared every book to that series. I found this book on goodreads but not having the best of expectations for it, I grudgingly read it and was blown away by how good it was. It immersed me inside the world where children learned to "bound" and teleport through the universe. If there is one book I would compare it to, then it would be the book "ender's game" all in all this book gets five stars.

My 10 year old son read this book and I couldn't help laughing when he told me, without irony, that it was about "space cadets." Ha! It totally IS about space cadets but as a child of the 70s & 80s that holds an entirely different connotation for me. He loved the book, has recommended it to several school friends and I've overheard him explaining "bounding" to his little sister so they can play it. That's a unequivocal hit in my book. He also says there will definitely be a sequel and I'm on notice to look out for it. :)

This book was intended for my 10 year old son, but I picked it up and couldn't put it down. It is one of the best YA novels I've read in a while. I don't read much sci-fi, so I'd compare it to Wonder or Flora and Ulysses in terms of the quality of the story telling and the interesting, well-drawn characters who stay with you long after you've finished the book. The book is action packed and full of suspense and will appeal to any kid regardless if they are into sci-fi. It's going to be a big hit. Definitely going to be my go-to present for birthday parties, etc

My 9 year old son, in third grade, recently finished this book and loved it. He called "Bounders" an epic, action-packed sci-fi that is a real attention-getter. He liked the characters, especially Jasper, who is really funny, and his friends. The setting at a space setting is "pretty cool." My son wishes he had a jet-pack like the characters in the book! He recommends it for kids looking for a funny, action adventure story to read.

My 13-year-old loved this book, so of course I had to read it, too. As soon as I did, it was clear to me why she raved about it. This book has everything you want in a good story; interesting characters, excitement, adventure, fantastic world-building, and many poignant moments. I'm thrilled that this is the first in a series, as it gives both my daughter and me another book to look forward to!

I got this for my nine year old son for Christmas and he devoured it in two days. We immediately jumped on Amazon to order the second one. Keep writing, Ms. Tesler! Thanks for keeping my son reading more than just graphic novels!

I was hooked on Bounders about five pages in. The main plot was about a young man named Jasper who was in the first class of Earth Force Bounders. It sounded too good to be true for Jasper, but he found out that Earth Force wasn't telling the absolute truth. Jasper had to work with his pod mates to solve difficult problems (which I will not reveal) and learned how to be a good team member.The inventive technology was awesome in Bounders. Who wouldn't want to teleport through galaxies?! Although I won't spoil it, I can honestly say that Bounders is a great choice for any young adult reader who wants a great read. - Jonah (age 11)

After hearing several young people discuss Bounders with enthusiasm, I picked it up to scan it. But I didn’t scan it. I got ensnared and read it word-for-word. The plot is sci-fi, but plausible today. The characters were built with complexity and nuance. They had skills and traits that, as the plot unfolds, are essential to the success of the team’s mission. This is team building that only WATSON the super computer could figure out. Soon I was reading the book on two tracks: one, as a fun sci-fi thriller; two, as a primer on the value of diverse skills in a team environment. I’m hopeful that the next in the series will be out soon.

This book was great! :)Unlike other books I've read, this book got you hooked from the very beginning. I don't usually like books about outer space, but after reading Bounders, I definitely think I'll be reading more science fiction and outer space books. I'm hoping for more books in the series!!If you're looking for a fun adventure in outer space, I definitely recommend Bounders!!

This was such a fun story! I was amazed by all the clever gadgets and world descriptions the author packed into this book. Most of all, I loved the character building. Each character had his/her own quirks and traits and it was so wonderful to watch them form friendships as they faced each challenge.My son gave it 5 stars, A++!

I loved BOUNDERS! Unlike some books that can't fulfill the promise of their fascinating hook, this one drew me in more and more as the plot developed.It's a story of heroes who arise from the ashes of a gene pool so despised that it was deliberately bred out of the human race long ago, on post-climate-change Earth.Ignorant bullies would call them sped-heads today; society in the future calls them "Bounders". The name comes from the fact that their intricate, off-kilter neurological wiring renders them perfect candidates for a new, body-based version of a brilliant kind of space travel called Bounding.But it may also make them the perfect tools for a master plan only 12-year-old Bounder Jasper Adams and his friends at the training academy have begun to suspect.Monica Tesler brings back the wonder of classic science fiction with this surprising, character-driven adventure into a future where technology seems to have done little but give humanity wider scope for making the same old, tired mistakes. With a planet colonization program that's even less culturally sensitive than James T. Kirk, and a space program hand-in-glove with a military that seems strangely focused on glitzy public relations, who can Jasper and the Bounders trust? And when they've been told since birth that Bounding is their destiny, how can they even trust themselves?The story is told through Jasper's POV, in a truly believable Middle Grade voice. The events and technologies are grasped and explained only at the level that Jasper would get them, and so are the budding relationships at the Academy. Tesler demonstrates an extraordinary insight into the workings of varied mindsets along the autism spectrum as she fills us in on the Bounders' personalities with a compassionate, admiring pen. She also presents an inventive space-ship model that behaves like a quantum hybrid between the mechanism in Hitchcock's THE FLY and Schroedinger's Cat, which the "hard" sci fi fans among us should find deeply pleasing. With that, plus some adult characters ranging from the smarmy interplanetary version of Gilderoy Lockhart to a complex, interesting mentor who clearly knows more than he's yet able to reveal, Middle Grade readers will find this an engrossing thrill ride of a book.A debut that left me VERY impatient for the next volume in the series!!

I know I'm only 9, but Bounders is one of the best books I have ever read. Jasper's character and his friends are really cool. The story is action packed from the beginning to the end, and full of very imaginative situations. The concept of Bounding is awesome and the story will blow your mind. I know other kids will really enjoy this story. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.