Scan

by Walter Jury, Sarah Fine

Overview

A riveting, fast-paced adventure, Scan is a clever alien thriller with muscle and heart.

Tate and his father don’t exactly get along. As Tate sees it, his father has unreasonably high expectations for Tate to be the best—at everything. Tate finally learns what he’s being prepared for when he steals one of his dad’s odd tech inventions and mercenaries ambush the school, killing his father in the process and sending Tate on the run from aliens who look just like humans. 

Even with all he knows like how to defend himself with useful tools made out of bubblegum, Tate fears he’s still inadequate.  With the help of his girlfriend and estranged mother, all Tate can really do is keep moving and ensure his father’s invention stays out of the hands of his pursuers and that his father didn’t die in vain.

“Car chases, explosions and action galore—awesome.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A high-octane thriller.”—Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780142423981
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/14/2015
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Walter Jury works in the film industry. This is his debut novel. Sarah Fine is a clinical child pyschologist and the author of Sanctum, the first book in the Guards of the Shadowlands series.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"This novel demands a sequel... a good choice for teen readers seeking action and thrills."—Library Media Connection

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Scan:

"A high-octane thriller...the cinematic approach and constant action make this a satisfying page-turner."—Publishers Weekly

"A thriller at its core... Massive explosions, deadly shoot-outs, and harrowing escapes make this an exciting read for boys."—VOYA

"Car chases, explosions and action galore—awesome."—Kirkus Reviews

"A sci-fi book that reads as fast as a locomotive—and the action is just as nonstop. Be forewarned  before you begin to read—you won’t be able to put it down until the very last page.”—Examiner.com

From the Publisher

03/10/2014
Fine (the Guards of the Shadowlands series) joins movie producer and first-time author Jury to deliver a high-octane thriller, first in a duology, about a young man trained from birth to uphold a family responsibility he knows nothing about. When 16-year-old Tate Archer swipes a mysterious invention from his father’s lab, he inadvertently sets off a multi-faction hunt with devastating results. It seems that aliens live among us and actually make up a significant portion of the populace; this device can identify who’s human and who’s “H2.” With humans and aliens desperate to obtain the device, Tate and his companions, including his girlfriend Christina and his long-absent mother, are thrust into an intense, paranoid situation where no one can be trusted. Tate, a polyglot martial artist skilled in making improvised weapons, is the ideal teen action hero, and Christina is no slouch herself. The story starts strong, but weakens once the heroes find temporary safety in a remote compound filled with human survivalists. However, the cinematic approach and constant action make this a satisfying page-turner, albeit one with a cliffhanger. Ages 12–up. Agent: New Leaf Literary & Media. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Tate Archer is a bright, athletic, compassionate high school junior with a lot of “daddy issues.” His father, a brilliant and disciplined man, is raising Tate alone and has extremely high expectations for his only child. Tate, resentful of his father’s insistence that he be physically perfect, fluent in many languages, tech savvy, and not let distractions (such a girlfriend) interfere with his academics, is starting to rebel. As it turns out, a simple act of defiance will result in his father’s death, the discovery that many humans are not who they think they are, and the possibility of an interspecies power struggle resulting in a global war. In order to save himself and try to correct his gross mistake, Tate finds himself in a situation in which he and his girlfriend, Christina—along with Mitra, his estranged mother—are running from a self-serving organization that wants the technology he took from his father’s laboratory. A thriller at its core, this book is full of mystery and intrigue, with some social commentary and science fiction thrown in for good measure. Massive explosions, deadly shoot-outs, and harrowing escapes make this an exciting read for boys. The characters, as seen through the main character’s eyes, tend to be superficial and stereotypical. It should be noted that Tate uses strong language in his narration. This book ends with a colossal cliff-hanger, leaving the reader wondering what the future holds for Tate, the women in his life, and mankind in general. Reviewer: Lynne Farrell Stover; Ages 12 to 18.

Voya Reviews, April 2014 (Vol. 36, No. 1) - Lynne Farrell Stover

05/01/2014
Gr 8 Up—Typical teen Tate consistently argues with his dad about not being able to have a normal life: Why can't he have a girlfriend? Why did he start learning chemistry at age five? Why must he learn so many languages? One day he breaks into his father's super secret lab and finds a cool, scanner-like gadget that glows blue when he waves it over himself and red for his girlfriend. Bringing the contraption to school results in being attacked by crazy strangers and the death of his father who was trying to protect him. With his dying breath, the scientist reveals that the human race has been infiltrated by aliens who have been breeding with humans, and few "pure" humans are left, including Tate himself. Now the teen is on the run, not sure who to trust. With the help of his mother, possibly alien girlfriend, and the advanced skills in science and fighting he has acquired over the years, the protagonist tries to figure out the secret behind his father's invention. This is a fast-paced, very readable sci-fi novel solidly aimed at young adults who aren't into "bug-eyed aliens" tales but love good suspense stories. Jury and Fine place the narrative firmly in our universe with vague hints of otherness and lots of fights, explosions, and the occasional tame love scene. Readers know only what Tate knows and will enjoy the fun of trying to figure out the mystery. A fun, escapist novel with a cliffhanger ending. A solid choice for reluctant readers.—Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ

School Library Journal

2014-03-17
Tate Archer stumbles into a secret intergalactic conflict. Frederick Archer insists that his son learn multiple languages, math, science and self-defense—all in the name of some mysterious family responsibility. Tate rebels by sneaking into his father's lab and borrowing an invention, a scanner. The next thing Tate knows, he and his girlfriend are on the run from police and secret-agent types. His father—before paying the price for Tate's mistake—spills the family secret: Aliens indistinguishable from humans invaded 400 years ago, systematically infiltrated powerful positions and are outbreeding humanity. Only one-third of the population is biologically human. Indeed, most aliens think they're human; their central organization ruthlessly guards their secret. The Archers are part of a coalition of human families in the know trying to preserve humanity. Tate puzzles out his father's scanner while dodging aliens and discovering other coalition members' unpleasant truths. Untrustworthy adults force Tate to solve his own problems—his skill with improvised, household-materials chemistry allows him to do so explosively, alongside his competent, quick-thinking girlfriend. The chemistry applications are delightful, but bio-geeks might be skeptical about the mechanics of the invasion. The prose sometimes overnarrates, pairing showing with redundant telling, but action keeps the plot moving. The resolution casts doubt on everything Tate and readers think they know, setting up for a sequel. Car chases, explosions and action galore—awesome. (Science fiction. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews