Must have Books - The Tomorrow Series

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	Tomorrow: When the War Began by John Marsden When Ellie and her friends return from a camping trip deep in the bush, they find that their country has been invaded and their families taken prisoner. A fax left by one of their parents warns them to "go bush," but that is easier said than done. First, they have to evade patrols, rescue one of their crew, blow up the bridge that serves as the main artery for the invading forces, and, eventually, grow up. In the midst of all the action, Marsden manages to work in a Swiss Family Robinson survival element, a little romance, and a lot of internal turmoil about man's justifications for hurting other human beings. In short, this suspenseful adventure story has something for everyone and just enough insight into what makes us tick in times of stress to allow readers to overlook the implausibility of the premise. It also provides an interesting look at the lives and concerns of Australian teens.
	The Dead of Night by John Marsden Australia has been invaded. Nothing is as it was. Six teenagers are living out their nightmare in the sanctuary of a hidden valley called Hell. Alone, they make their own rules, protect what is theirs, and struggle for courage and hope in a world changed forever. Seeking supplies, allies, and information, the friends make forays into enemy territory, drawing on nerve and resourcefulness they never even knew they had. And as the risks become greater, so too do the sacrifices they must make.
	A Killing Frost by John Marsden Holed up in Hell, a "wild basin of rock and bush," the band of five--two boys and three girls--launches guerrilla attacks, blowing up bridges and rescuing Kevin, a friend captured earlier. The focus here is on their most dangerous plan, the sinking of a container ship in Cobbler's Bay thus disabling the wharf's--and the enemy's--capabilities. Marsden crafts one of the most exciting and harrowing sabotage sequences in YA literature as Ellie, the elected scribe for the group, and Homer stow away in an empty container that eventually is loaded on the ship. The readying and detonation of their homemade bomb and Ellie's terrifying escape from harbor waters as helicopters and gun boats dog her will grab even the most reluctant reader. One cannot help but be struck by the delight and respect that Marsden holds for teenagers. One also cannot help but be aware of the gender equity he subtly espouses. In spite of the fact that Ellie narrates the story, it is obvious that she is the leader because of her courage, stamina, and innate brilliance. In fact, as the tension builds, readers will forget that she is female; she is simply a brave person fighting for her life against incredible odds.
	Darkness Be My Friend by John Marsden Like John Marsden's other books, this story is immersed in darkness and dread. It's packed with almost unbearable suspense and breathtaking action, as the personalities and relationships of these decent country kids are eroded by the imperative for violence. Marsden fans will elbow each other aside for a copy of this one. By the end of the two sequels, The Dead of Night and A Killing Frost, they are strong and resourceful, but tired and soul-sick with the pervasive violence. Two of them have been killed, and one has killed himself in despair. When they were rescued and airlifted to New Zealand, they thought the nightmare was over. But now they have been sent back to Wirrawee to guide a party of adult raiders on a planned sabotage of a strategic airfield. Something goes wrong; the adults never come back from the raid, and Ellie and her friends are again left on their own to do what they can--and must--to survive.
	Burning for Revenge by John Marsden It is this poignant human dimension that lifts Marsden's series above the run-of-the-mill spy action novel--that and the fact that nobody is better at writing about things blowing up. And his scenes leading up to the explosion create tension so powerful it is almost unbearable to keep on reading--but impossible not to. In Burning for Revenge, the five have been abandoned in enemy territory when the New Zealand general decides that they are not valuable enough to send a rescue helicopter. Without any definite plans, they sneak into the back of a truck, only to find themselves at the end of the ride deep within the enemy's airfield. How they battle out of the situation and leave the enemy's air power in ruins makes a breathlessly exciting story that will not disappoint the many teen fans of this excellent series.
	The Night Is for Hunting by John Marsden The adventures of five Australian teenagers continue in the sixth installment in the Tomorrow series, The Night Is for Hunting by John Marsden. While trying to care for a group of ungrateful orphans, Ellie and her friends struggle to survive against enemy invaders.
	The Other Side of Dawn by John Marsden At last, the final episode of the gripping Tomorrow series by wildly popular Aussie author John Marsden has crossed the Pacific, and this concluding chapter in the lives of Ellie, Fi, Homer, Kevin, and Lee may be the most exciting one yet. Informed by Colonel Finley that the military is making a move that could be compared to the D-day attack of WWII, the outback teen guerillas know that the end of the bewildering war that changed their lives is drawing near. Armed with plastic explosives and grenades, courtesy of the New Zealand Army, they have been instructed to "spread chaos and confusion behind their (enemy) lines in every way, shape and form." For Ellie and company, this means targeting a hostile refueling station and train tracks. Of course, nothing is ever easy. There are still the feral kids to worry about and the dismal discovery that soldiers have infiltrated Hell, their only secured hiding place in the bush. As The Other Side of Dawn rockets at breakneck speed towards its stunning climax, only one thing is certain: there is no guarantee that any of them will make it through this last conflict alive.