The Silent Gift by Michael Landon Jr. takes place in America during the 1930s-in the middle of the Great Depression. It tells the story of Mary and her son Jack, who is a deaf mute. At the beginning, Mary finds out her husband is cheating on her and plans to abandon her, so she steals his money and runs away, taking Jack with her. They stow away in a van and wind up in Chicago. Mary lives for several weeks off of the money she took, but then loses all of it when she drops her purse.
Harry Turtledove's third and final installment in the Opening of the World series is as exciting as the first two. At the start, Count Hamnet Thyssen and his friends are finally showing resistance to the conquering Rulers. With their new shaman Marcovefa seemingly unstoppable, it seems only a matter of time before the Rulers are finally pushed out of Raumsdalia. However, each small victory weakens the band of fighters, and if the Rulers aren't defeated soon, all resistance will crumble. It seems their only hope lies in finding the fabled Golden Shrine.
Wings of Wrath by C.S. Friedman is an exciting story, with several different events occurring and intertwining at the same time. Kamala is the first woman to become a Magister, an order that can draw upon humans' souls to use magic. She has just killed another member of the order, and is hunted for it. To save herself, Kamala flees to the Northern Protectorates, where she meets Rhys, who, with his Lyr blood, is immune to the Wrath, a sorcerous boundary that warps magic used by anyone and causes terror in all who approach it.
Harry Turtledove's "The Breath of God" picks up where its predecessor, "Beyond the Gap," left off. It starts with Hamnet Thyssen and his companions wandering the Bizogot Steppe seeking allies to fight off the Rulers. Unfortunately, none of the Jarls believe the Rulers pose a threat until they have already been destroyed. The group of companions fight skirmishes against the Rulers, winning some and losing many.
Citizen Alpha is the exciting story of five students brought together from all corners of the world. It starts with each character, Peter Jobe, Mousa Diop, Mario Costa, Kim Suk Bae, and Larissa Svenson, being introduced separately from their separate countries. Along with them, however are five characters, Musad, Park Il Sung, Xavier Salazar, Rachael, and Abdul, also from five different countries and cultures. Peter, Mousa, Mario, Kim, and Larissa all have a strong faith and interest in science. These two disciplines are rarely mixed, but they seek to connect them.
Troy Stotts has lost most of his family, leaving him with his dad who hardly speaks. He and his friends Gabe Benavidez and Tommy Buller decide that they want to disappear in what they call "ghost medicine." However, when the town bully Chase Rutledge steals their clothes as they're swimming they chase him down to find him attempting to harm Gabe's sister, Luz. They get him away from her, but Gabe accidentally shoots him, causing trouble. The three take a trip up to the mountains, but Chase and his friend Jack follow.
