Trapped (The Prometheus Project)

Douglas E. Richards is a superb writer. Whether writing for young people or adults, his books are easy to read, well paced, suspenseful, with twists and turns, and are filled with very clever behaviors and reactions by its heroes, and lots of interesting information. This book is the first of a series of three books about the Prometheus project. Two youngsters, wise beyond their age, are disappointed when their two parents, both scientists, decide to move to an almost desolate area in Pennsylvania. They overhear their parents talking and saying that they feel bad that they are lying to their kids. The two decide to find out why their parents needed to move and what they are involved in. As a result, they undergo adventures and discover things that will fascinate readers. While far from being a youngster, I enjoyed the book and recommended it to my grandchildren.

Book Review: The Prometheus Project - Book 1 : Trapped by Douglas E Richards Reviewed by J Bryden Lloyd Writing Style - 4.0/5.0 (Very Good) Clearly aimed at children, and after I had read the book, my 10 year old daughter devoured this happily, before my 15 year old read it aloud to our 5 year old, who was equally enthralled. The structure is good throughout, the dialogue is nicely levelled and uncomplicated, and there is a good level of educational information included. Character Development - 3.5/5.0 (Good) It is easy to look for something that isn't really meant to be there, and in this case I did feel that too many of the adult characters lacked any development at all, though at the same time, I am very aware that my children were in no way interested whether they had strong characters or not. The brother and sister at the centre of the story do develop reasonably well. Certainly more than enough for the progression of the story. Descriptive - 4.5/5.0 (Excellent) There is a lot of good, solid descriptive work here, which serves to pull the reader along the simple-but-effective plot very nicely indeed. The creative processes must have been working overtime to come up with a lot of the stuff included in the location that is Prometheus, and it is impressively done from start to finish. This, and the severe contrast between Prometheus and the town of Brewster, are executed with a high degree of competence. Language & Grammar - 4.0/5.0 (Very Good) For an adult reading this to a child, the language allows unbroken narrative which is easy for a wide variety of age-groups to enjoy. Word selection is considered and again, serves to support both narrative and quiet solo reading. Plot - 4.0/5.0 (Very Good) - MINOR SPOILERS The plot is simple but very well executed. There is a nice educational undercurrent to the whole work, which makes it the sort of book that does serve a positive purpose for the younger readers. I have seen comments which suggest there was perhaps a little too much, but really? Would you not rather have your kids reading something they find both enjoyable and educational? Yes, it is a stereotypical kids book, where the kids outdo the adults, save everyone and get all the rewards, but I was impressed by the way the author accomplished all of this so well. General - 4.0/5.0 (Very Good) This is a great children's book, but if you look beyond the obvious basic science stuff, adults can enjoy this story for what it is. A much deserved 4 stars.

This story takes you into a world built with such imagination that it is impossible to escape the reading of it. I found myself imagining just how it looked guided by the words of the author. I devote time every evening to reading novels that capture my interest. This one did that and held me throughout. The world created by Mr. Richards is an exceptionally enchanting place, while at the same time there is the overlying sense of danger lurking just out of sight. When the two main characters, brother, and sister, set out to explore and adventure into the vast unknown of this new world, their encounters fascinating, exciting and filled with the promise of even greater things yet to come. It's gratifying to see two characters so young and yet so wise come into the story. It's a definite reflection of the result of their living with parents who engaged in some very intense parenting. I loved that aspect of the benefits of education. I will eagerly read the other books in the series. I am inspired to further encourage my young teen to learn about the romance of power of her mind.

After finding themselves trapped in a strange alien city, Regan and Ryan must puzzle out how to survive on their own and what is the purpose of the city. Using puzzles and science, they find answers only to discover there is more at stake than they imagined. I loved this book. I think it is a wonderful adventure that teaches about science and puzzles while keeping the stakes high and the mystery fun. I think it is the perfect book for my nephew and as a middle grade book fan, it was very entertaining to read. I have the other two books in the series and I'm looking forward to diving into those as well.

I just would like to point out that this book's intended audience is really only 7 to 10 years old at the most. Any kid older than that might find the book too simple. The main characters, however, are 12 and 14. All I am saying is that the kids are smarter than we sometimes give them credit for. Otherwise, it's a very decent book, with a good, positive message. I liked the puzzles the heroes have to solve - they are a nice addition to an adventure side of the story.

Having just finished this author's adult-level sci fi novel, WIRED , I moved on to this affordably priced juvenile novel. I have a very precocious young reader in my household, and it is a constant struggle to supply him with interesting, age-appropriate, yet even-remotely-reading-level-appropriate books. I will happily let him read this novel, and I think he will enjoy it. To start with the negative, this book has an almost old-fashioned writing style, sounding somewhat stilted in the dialog. These kids don't sound like modern kids... but that's part of what I like about it! Thinking back, I can't think of any example in The Prometheus Project: Trapped of the children speaking rudely to adults or to each other. The language is very appropriate for elementary age readers. How refreshing! The brother and sister do tease each other a few times, but it is very mild. Aside from the fact that it isn't the best-written book I've ever read, I have no complaints. It isn't particularly realistic, but it reads like an exciting book for kids, so I can suspend my disbelief about how likely children are to break into top secret government labs or solve alien mysteries. My favorite part of this book is that it presents children who fundamentally respect their parents and what their parents do as scientists. Yes, there are moments where the novel is clearly "teaching" the reader about a scientific principle, but I appreciate that these principles are being offered as valuable and worth learning since they offer useful tools for "real life" (fantastical though these applications are!) You may not love this book, but it is a "safe" story to offer to your child, even if you are protective about mature content. (Our family believes in evolution, so I can't comment if there is enough of that in here to offend anyone of a Creationist mindset.) There is an accident, potentially fatal, that injures one of the kids' parents, so very young or very sensitive children could find that upsetting, but the situation is resolved in a satisfactory way by the end of the book.

This book would be a great gift for any child who shows even the slightest interest in science. Ryan and Regan are very bright kids who use several scientific methods and problem solving to work their way through the obstacles they encounter in their adventure. From figuring out the password puzzles in the first chapters of the book; simple experiments to discover if water is safe to drink; or if the aliens they run across are friend or foe; the book finds great ways to incorporate really interesting science facts without taking away from the story. There were actually quite a few things they figured out that I wouldn't have known myself! Definitely a good read - could use a little more depth in the characters - but with the age range it is intended for, I predict a lot of happy adventure readers with a new respect for science experiments.

I read this book on my Kindle and thought it would be a great book to read to my fourth graders. It took a long time to finish because I only read a chapter or two a day as a reward for the student's good behavior in the cafeteria. Despite the amount of time it took to complete, the students were always excited for the next chapters and seemed to enjoy discussing various events. There were many references to "theories" and "scientific processes" that helped address grade level standards in a fun and captivating form. When I finished, many of the students took the Accelerated Reader exam and did very well. The students really wanted to get the book from the library but, unfortunately, it wasn't stocked. Hopefully next year they will order copies of the series for the school library. I read all three of the books and enjoyed each of them equally.