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| Plot Summary of The Taking |
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Bantam, Jun 2004, 27.00, 338 pp.
ISBN: 055380250X
The rain keeps Molly Sloan indoors so she works on her book which she hopes to complete soon. However, she observes the oddity of the torrent pouring at over seven inches an hour and it has luminescent glow as if snow was falling. On her porch is a horde of coyotes acting as if they fear what is out there but they are friendly towards Molly. Her husband Neil awakens from a nightmare and joins her. From TV they learn that the storm is worldwide.
The Sloans see the probable cause when an UFO hovers in the sky and weird looking fungus and spores multiply at a geometric Malthusian rate. People vanish into the ground or levitate into the air; corpses walk and decapitated heads talk. Special dogs congregate around the beleaguered couple as Molly and Neil search the nearby town for children of parents who disappeared. They believe that the children and their guardians cannot be touched. In less than thirty-six hours the world that the Sloans knew is gone and both wonder how the ETs will deal with the survivors.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Molly and her husband Neil wake up one morning to discover that the world around them has drastically changed. The strangley smelling, glowing rain is the first in signs yet to come. They also notice how the animals seem so frightened they are trying to run for the hills. After their television gets a mind of its own and begins to select its own channels, they need no further happenings to be convinced something is drastically wrong.
Acting on instinct alone, Molly and Neil follow suit with the animals and flee. Having lost all forms of communication and unsure of what to do or where to go, their first stop is to see if their neighbor is okay. Not only is he dead but his body has been animated by some unknown power.
Their next stop is town. Here, they are told of other frightening experiences. Strange creatures lurk outside in the luminous downpour and attack those who have tried to find safety. A plan is devised and the course of action deems all parties will split up and find survivors. With the almost magical leadership of the canine variety, Molly and Neil set out on their journey to survive and help others survive the invasion. "
Tracey Ray, Resident Scholar
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"In the middle of the night, Molly Sloan awakens to a luminescent downpoor. She typically sleeps through these rains but something about tonight worries her. She decides to attempt to write, being a novelist like her mother, but the sight of a pack of coyotes gathering on her front porch in fear intrigues her. She can sense their fear and walks among them. They dart off into the forest suddenly, and the rain causes Molly to feel unclean.
She goes to her husband, who awakens in a cold sweat speaking of a mountain coming down on them. News coverage reveals shocking footage of murders occuring live. The TV eventually only airs porn and violence.
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Richard Hernandez, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Taking |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 30%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%
Tone of book
- scarey (primal ax-wielding fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- fantasy world/fantasy past
Major kinds of combat:
- mental powers battles
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Horror story?
Yes
Horror plotlets
- the zombie chased me!
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- writer
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- an entire race
Has magical powers?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Setting
Earth setting:
- current (early 21st century)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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