Darok 9 [Paperback]

H. J. Ralles (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

In 2120 AD, the barren surface of the moon is the only home that three generations of earth's survivors have ever known. Towns, called Daroks, protect inhabitants from the extreme lunar temperatures. But life is harsh. Hank Havant, a young scientist is secretly perfecting SH33, a drug that eliminates the body's need for water. When his First Quadrant laboratory is attacked, Hank saves his research onto a memory card and runs from the enemy. Aided by Will, his teenage nephew, and Madde, Will's computer-wizard classmate, Hank must conceal SH33 from the dreaded Fourth Quadrant. But suddenly Will's life is in danger. Who can Hank trust-and is the enemy really closer to home?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

H. J. Ralles was born in England but spent a portion of her childhood in the United States. She fell in love with the world of books and started to write stories at an early age. After graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Education, she enjoyed teaching creative writing to her elementary school pupils. With the arrival of her own children Ms. Ralles became a stay-at-home Mom but continued to write in her spare time.

In 1997, struggling to find books that appealed to her computer literate children, she rose to the challenge of producing a novel that would captivate them as much as their computer games. Keeper of the Kingdom is her first book.

H. J. Ralles lives in the North Dallas area with her husband, two teenage sons and a devoted black Labrador. She is a member of the Plano Writers Lab. and a Member of Society of Children's Bookwriter's and Illustrator's.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 178 pages
• Publisher: Top (January 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929976100
• ISBN-13: 978-1929976102
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,258,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Out of this World Sci-Fi, January 19, 2003

By 

WhataSlacker.com "Scifislacker.com" (Scifislacker.com) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Darok 9 (Paperback)

H.J. Ralles is the author and creator of this science fiction book for kids. However, Darok 9 certainly can hold its own in the adult world as well. This very entertaining book is hard to put down. Once you start reading it you just want to know how it will end. Filled with action and surprises around every bend this book keeps your attention.

Darok 9 is set in the no so terribly distant future of 2120. The setting is a settlement on the moon. Humans were forced to leave the earth after a devastating nuclear war, but the fighting has not stopped and the hardships continue.

It is up to Hank Harvard, a young scientist to find the answer to the shortage of water with his top secret formula, SH33. His task is made even more difficult by the attacks and the danger he has placed his family in. Can Hank find the answer before his nephew falls deathly ill? Who is behind the plot to steal his formula? Can war be diverted? Or will humans finally do themselves in?

While, Darok 9 is certainly written for the younger generation sci-fi fans of any age will find this story entertaining and delightful. My only concern about the book is the glorification of computer hacking. In these very trying times where kids know more about computers than most adults is it really wise to let them think it is a courageous act to hack into government computers? All in all it is an interesting look into what life on the moon could be. And I look forward to reading H.J. Ralles' other book, Keeper of the Kingdom.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars from Beyond the Words..., April 18, 2002

By 

Jo Rogers (Marlow, OK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Darok 9 (Paperback)

DAROK 9 is another wonderful science fiction book for young adults by H. J. Ralles... Filled with nonstop action and suspense, it tells the story of a young scientist, Hank Havard, and his quest to keep his big discovery out of enemy hands.

World War III has been fought, and has rendered the Earth uninhabitable. The surviving humans have divided the Moon into four quadrants, and each of these quadrants are divided into cities, called Daroks. All are dependent on large shipments of water from Earth, and this must be decontaminated before it can be used. Hank has developed a vaccine which eliminates the human body's need for water. But his research is incomplete, although he has discovered that he has to keep the vaccine at a temperature of no more than forty degrees Fahrenheit for it to work.

The Fourth Quadrant was the last one settled and is the poorest in resources. ...
The language in this book is clean, as it was in KEEPER OF THE KINGDOM, something I found refreshing. Also, the message that violence doesn't pay is strong. The characters are believable, and the plot is solid. DAROK 9 is a can't-put-it-down, go-away-and-let-me-read science fiction thriller, sure to please any reader of any age!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cool book, January 18, 2002

By 

jusme "gr89mom" (Madison, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Darok 9 (Paperback)

Darok 9 is another wonderful book for children by H.J. Ralles. As with Keeper of the Kingdom, the story is fast-paced, the action is relentless and the excitement of the story carries you right through to the end. The gripping plot combines the mystique of the lunar environment with computer wizardry in a way that cannot fail to captivate today's high-tech kids. The strong role of 13 year old Maddie is a delight to see in a science fiction novel. I bought this book as a present for my niece who had persuaded me to read Keeper as an example of what a "cool book" is "these days". I was just going to read a few pages but found I couldn't put it down myself!