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Description edit
In the year 2154, sixteen year old Tycho McGrath is an advanced genetics student at the prestigious John Brooke Academy in Tampa. Life seems fairly dull, until he accidentally discovers that in less than a week, a recently designed bacterium known as the Orion Strain will almost certainly wipe... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Tycho McGrath: Tycho, or "Tyke" as he is usually called, is a sixteen year old boy and a truly brilliant genetics student who likes computers and tends to be rather quiet and bookish, with only a few close friends. Although he doesn't consider himself very brave, others have a different view of him.
- Jesse Carpenter: Jesse is Tycho's cousin and his best friend, and both of them attend the same academy, although Jesse is more interested in engineering than biology. Jesse is athletic, popular, likable, and enjoys sailing his catamaran on the Gulf. Jesse has dreams of being a space pilot someday and leading the first expedition to Mars.
- Chris Carpenter: Chris is Jesse's brother. He is two years older than Jesse and Tyke, and works in the construction business. He isn't very interested in science, but he has a taste for danger and adventure which might surprise those who didn't know him very well. He has a reputation for extreme bravery, sometimes verging on craziness.
- Drew Breyer: Drew is a friend of Tycho who attends the Academy as a medical science student. Drew is something of a slacker, even though he's very smart. He has a special interest in anything related to the Moon, and likes to pretend he knows everything there is to know about it.
- Tabby Breyer: Drew's twin sister, Tabby has a sour outlook on life and isn't very likable as far as Tycho is concerned. She also has a mean and insensitive streak. But she's also a brilliant aerospace engineering student, and if she has a softer side it's that she adores her brother.
- Danielle Black: Danielle has had a difficult life. She has had to live with her drug-abusing sister since she was eight years old, and as a result has had to learn how to take care of herself and her nephew Derrick by selling pills and occasionally stealing. But she also has an old-fashioned way of looking at the world, and when the occasion presents itself she's more than willing to exchange her old life for something new.
Quotes edit
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“Life is nothing without love, and if you don't believe that, try it sometime.”
Tycho McGrath -
“There are times when you choose to live like a human being, even when it might cost you everything.”
Tycho McGrath -
“Bravery is one thing; insanity is quite another.”
Tycho McGrath -
“A promise may taste like ashes when your heart is broken, but sometimes it’s the only comfort there is.”
Tycho McGrath
Setting & Locations edit
- Tampa Bay, Florida: Tycho and the other characters attend school in Tampa itself, and have always grown up in nearby Clearwater Beach. Several other locations are mentioned briefly, including Citrus Park, Zephyr Hills, and St. Petersburg.
- Moon: Several locations on the Moon turn out to be important, including Lakeside Station, Murchison Station, and Barnaby Station, along with other places such as the Snowy Mountains, Trinity Bay, the Summer Isles, and the Red Rock Desert.
- Tampa: Tycho, Jesse, Drew, and Tabby attend school in Tampa at the John Brooke Academy for Math and Science.
- Clearwater, Florida: Tycho lives in Clearwater Beach with his aunt, uncle, and his four cousins. Additionally, the Rayburns and the Bartows also live in Clearwater.
Organizations edit
- John Brooke Academy for Math and Science: This academy is located in Tampa, on the campus of the former Hillsborough High School. It is a residential school for advanced math and science students from all over Florida, which offers programs in many different areas. The most prestigious programs include advanced genetics, marine science, and aerospace engineering.
- MacDill Aerospace Reasearch Center: A former air force base in Tampa, MacDill has been converted into an aerospace research center with ties to several universities, companies, and also to the Academy, which offers certain classes there. It is the site for many advanced projects, including the XR space plane.
- University of Florida: Tyke's favorite football team.
First Sentence edit
I was at school the day the world fell apart, in Dr. Weiss’s advanced genetics class, as a matter of fact.
Glossary edit
- Electrophoresis: A method used in research labs to separate molecules according to their size and electrical charge. An electric current is passed through a gel containing the mixture of molecules. Each kind of molecule travels through the medium at a different rate, depending on its electrical charge and molecular size. Separation of the molecules occurs based on these differences. Commonly used to separate genetic molecules or various proteins.
- ATP Synthase: An enzyme which catalyzes the formation of ATP inside cells. ATP is an acronym for Adenosine TriPhosphate, which is the energy-storage molecule for most organisms.
- Enzyme: A protein which acts as a catalyst to speed up chemical reactions, without being altered itself.
- Terraforming: The process of making an uninhabitable planet/moon suitable for humans or other creatures to live there.
Authors & Contributors edit
- William Woodall (Author)
Notes for Parents edit
Reading Level: Young AdultsThis book is suitable for ages ten and up, if the child has good reading ability.
Links to Supplemental Material edit
- William Woodall's Author Website: Here you will find sample chapters, commentary about the book by the author, a photo gallery of important locations, and downloadable discussion questions.
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