03 Dec Mechanical Mayhem
Technology — could you imagine living without it? It can make life easier, whether it is getting us where we need to go, allowing us to communicate with others no matter how far away they are, or even providing access to decades of information right at our fingertips. Technology is good — until it isn’t. Take a walk on the bright and dark sides of technology with these stories of mechanical mayhem, where machines work both for and against humanity.
The Kill Factor
by Ben Oliver
A new game show offers young offenders a chance at freedom through a series of mental and physical challenges, with only one winner. In a society where likes can mean the difference between living in luxury or rotting in the streets, contestants are sent to an isolated island to compete for public votes to avoid a deadly fate. Emerson will bet it all to change her family’s circumstances, even if losing could cost her more than life in prison.
Cinder
by Marissa Meyer
Cinder is a talented mechanic and, like most other cyborgs, is treated as a second-class citizen. Reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness, her life changes when she suddenly becomes involved with Prince Kai. As she finds herself caught in a power struggle on an intergalactic scale, she must uncover secrets from her past to safeguard her world’s future.
Bad Bot
by Pierrette Dube
Victor may have received the best present ever this Christmas: the amazing LenBot, the robot that learns to become your best friend. LenBot even lives up to the praise and soon becomes the best friend Victor could ask for. But something isn’t right. LenBot is learning things Victor never taught and has begun acting in ways it shouldn’t. If LenBot can really learn, what else is it capable of?
Grin
by D.W. Gillespe
Danny visits his Uncle Bill’s retro arcade, PixelWorks, planning to play games all week. He eventually discovers a legendary game revered by collectors called Grin. Legend has it that whoever plays the game becomes violent and dangerous. With the help of his streamer friend Jodi, he discovers why everyone who plays Grin changes. But when Danny’s Uncle Bill becomes the game’s next victim, Danny must find a way to stop Grin for good.
Why on Earth
by Multiple Authors
It should have been simple: just go to Earth and rescue her missing brother. What began as a rescue mission for Captain Iona and her crew of friends quickly became an unforgettable interstellar encounter for both them and the people of Earth. With stories of extraterrestrial hitchhiking, fandoms gone astray, and an AI-possessed musical fish, each tale explores the universal desire to find connection and to be understood.
– written by Alex B., Teen Central Library Assistant
