“Because Gracie had begun to Change.”

This quote, from the novel ‘The Silent Invasion’, started the whole intensifying and extraordinary adventure. This science fiction themed novel is excellent for people who love the adventures of living life on the run and survival Are you one of those people?

‘The Silent Invasion’ by author James Bradley takes place in a world where all plant, animal and human life is being infected by spores from space with a horrible disease. 16-year old Callie discovers that her little sister Grace has been infected by the disease and is ‘changing’. Callie runs away from home with her sister, fleeing to the zone whilst avoiding quarantine, ruthless officers who take people away who are changing. On their mission to the zone they meet many strangers. Who can they trust? Will they make it to the zone? Or will they get hunted down by quarantine? This novel’s main protagonist Callie wants nothing more than to protect her little sister Gracie, so the determination to get her to the zone is what keeps Callie going.

‘The Silent Invasion’ is a perfect example of a science-fiction themed novel and it has a very interesting and intense story. Many times I could not stop turning the pages! This book really reminds me of The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials because the protagonists in that novel are fleeing from Wicked, soldiers who are trying to hunt them down. When reading the Silent Invasion, the feeling of being on the move all the time and living life on the run was what I loved in The Maze Runner.

I definitely recommend this novel to anyone of 13+. Since the main protagonist is a teenager, there are a few coarse words so it would be better for people 13+ to read this. Also, the novel is in first person and goes through the story in Callie’s eyes, so other teenagers are able to live the experience as well! It is quite boring at the start, but after a while it does get interesting with many twists and new faces. If anyone loves science fiction and survival, then you should definitely read The Silent Invasion!

Taku S, Year 8