Customer Reviews

The Seems: The Split Second

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I cannot recommend this series enough. It's ingenious, wildly inventive, laugh out loud funny, touching and poignant at times. Within the first 50 pages, I laughed out loud dozens of times and actually had tears in my eyes on one occasion.

For you parents out there (and I am one): There are a number of important themes running through the book - the Seemsians, especially our protagonist Becker Drane, have strong ethics, remain true to their goals and doing the right thing, and they understand and buy into doing your part for society and following the rules that accompany life.

For you "kids" out there (I still consider myself one, too) - ignore the parent-ish stuff I said above. Yes, the goal of the Seems is to Fix(tm) problems in the World, and to ensure that people and the planet not only survive but prosper. And yes, this requires a lot of people who work at the Seems to do their jobs with a dedication and love rarely seen in the world today. Regardless, this is NOT a mind-your-manners-and-study book! The Seems is a world beyond our World, an organization dedicated to Fixing(tm) problems that arise in the world you and I think of as "real." The Tools(tm) used by the Fixers and other Seemsians are some of the most inventive and exciting fastasy concepts I've ever encountered, particularly in one book. The witty turns of phrase, the connections between real science and fantasy, make this book unbelieveably fun to read.

As an aside, I am surprised the book is only recommended for eight to twelve year olds, since I feel that (1) adults who enjoy fantasy and science fiction will love this series, and (2) the writing style might be a little complex for an average eight year old to follow, in my opinion. All of the capitals and trademark symbols(tm) that I've used in this review are simply copied over from the series, which relies on this type of language/device heavily (and very successfully). While I found these devices hysterically funny (especially since I'm an attorney - the trademarked names and footnotes kept me in stitches), they might slow down the youngest kids who aren't used to reading jargon filled books. After my own eight year old reads the series, I'll report back with my conclusions.

Also, there is a very funny glossary and other exhibits attached to the novel. Don't forget to use these references while you read about the Seems: The Split Second.

In conclusion: Buy this book! You will love it. RECOMMENDED.

THE SEEMS: THE SPLIT SECOND is the sequel to The Seems: The Glitch in Sleep (Seems), by the just-a-bit-deranged co-authors John Hulme and Michael Wexler. And if you can get past the massive infusion of concepts and themes set in puns and tons of Words in Caps (and nearly all of them trademarked), then this could be a massively fun read.

More of the Seems, that fantastic hidden world so much older than ours, where Meanwhile and the Middle of Nowhere are actual places and The Time Being happens to be one of the oldest creatures in Creation. The good folks at the Seems diligently work behind the scenes to ensure that our own world runs smoothly and according to the enigmatic Plan. We catch up with the first book's protagonist Becker Drane, now 13 years old and in the eight grade. Becker still holds down the best gig in the world. He lives out his life as a normal teenager in New Jersey, but when there's a dire crimp in the fabric of reality (oh, excuse me, that's Fabric of Reality), then Becker takes on his other guise, that of the youngest Fixer in the Seems, working for the Institute for Fixing & Repair. This time, the agents of Tide - that messed-up underground organization determined to undermine each of the Seems' good works - have set off a temporal bomb at the Seems, inducing unnatural rapid aging and many fatalities. Fixer #37 (of 38) Becker Drane is tapped to fix things. And, if he doesn't, then our world is next on the list of casualties.

Nowadays I'm fairly used to the premise of our world not being the real, true world, C.S. Lewis being the first writer to expose me to this concept with his classic Narnia series, followed later by Roger Zelazny's incredible Amber novels. But, man, it never gets old, anyway. John Hulme and Michael Wexler have created a sci-fi/fantasy series for pre-teens (and other ages) which is tremendously fun and exudes a cool, tongue-in-cheek vibe. And if you don't think it's offbeat, then maybe you've already met artists who everyday paint masterpieces translating to glorious sunsets and sunrises in our world. Or teenaged secret agents who boast 12 senses at their beck and call (including those of direction, style, and common).

And Becker's adventures may play out with a lighthearted touch, but the authors know enough to weave layers of depth into their characters. From the engaging lead, Becker Drane, to the ambitious Briefer Shan Mei-Lin to veteran Fixers Lucien Chiappa, who's about to retire until this whole ball of disaster dropped, and the legendary Tom Jackal, long missing and reluctant to return to action. Even Becker's rival and Tide agent, Thibadeau Freck, is a complex cat, never mind that he's French. Back to Becker, I also like that he isn't nearly as self-sufficient as James Bond. He's still young and learning and, here, he needs all the help he can get to save the world (and he gets it).

The only downside to this book is that new readers may have to play some catch up, what with the authors cheerfully thick into dropping Seemsian terminology, plenty of which are plays on words and Capitalized. The Seems, despite its cool sci-fi conceits and whizbang gadgetry, is still an environment of bureaucracy and can be a bit bewildering. And, again, watch out for the puns, which come fast and frantic (don't be afraid to groan). As a bonus, at the end of the book, several much-appreciated appendixes are provided, including a glossary (where you can find out the exact date of when The Day Time Stood Still) and a breakdown of the Fixers' tools of the trade. You can also take a peek at Becker's post mission report.

I have to confess that I've been on the outs with books which rely heavily on puns (I got tired of Piers Anthony's Xanth series a while ago). But Hulme and Wexler offer up a fresh series, and I've gotten swept along by the authors' enthusiasm, energy, and inventiveness, to the point where I'm actually digging the puns (even as I groan). The book's ending makes us somewhat privy to what's in store for Becker Drane and the hard-working staff at the Seems. Naturally, Hulme and Wexler did this to keep us on the eager for the next volume. And, naturally, because they're pretty good writers, it worked, and I'm all eager.

My 11 year-old son and I have read this and the other SEEMS book together and while they are interesting and have some great new insights to think about, they are, as my son put it "too full of details". They use Trademarks for certain words and have definitions at the bottom of the page, all making for additional reading and recalling.

This might be fun & unique for older kids, teens and even adults, but I think that the average younger child might agree with my son. It can sometimes feel like the story is bogged down in explanations & details about gadgets, etc., to the point that, like my son, I feel it might be more fun to just "get on with the story".

I do feel it is definitely better geared toward an older audience who might appreciate the humor and the way it is written. They are entertaining stories, just keep in mind that they will be best enjoyed by those who like to be pulled into another world with a language of its own, absorbed by the fantasy of it all.

I loved everything about this book! The Split Second is a masterful sequel to The Glitch in Sleep. The hero, Becker Drane, now 13 is called to another important mission when the Department of Time in the Seems is threatened. The reader becomes thoroughly immersed in the imaginary world of the Seems where the "Plan" for our own world unfolds moment by moment. The cast of characters comes from all over the globe and take the reader through a rollicking adventure. The action is fast --- the word play is brilliant -- and my favorite part are the creative illustrations which give you the visual sense of everything that is happening. Add to this a deeper dimension of hope for the world and you have a wonderful book for kids and their parents.

This is the second book in the series "The Seems", a young adult sci-fi / fantasy adventure that combines a teenaged male protagonist in the ilk of Artemis Fowl, the puns of Piers Anthony and a bag of cool gadgets in a parallel world something like Garth Nix's House from the "Keys to the Kingdom".

The Seems is a secret organization that makes sure the World runs according to The Plan. However, there are always glitches, and these glitches need to be fixed. That's where our hero Becker Drane comes in. Becker is Fixer #37 (of 38), a normal boy (aged 12 in book one, and a teenager by book two) who lives in the World, but is always on call for The Seems.

Of course there must be bad guys, and in this series it's The Tide, a group who's out to destroy The Seems at all costs. In this book, a Time Bomb explodes in The Seems, and the consequences could destroy the World if Fixer #37 can't handle the situation, and quickly.

The plot is rather complicated, especially if you haven't read book one (I haven't), and there are quite a few characters to keep track of. The puns are great, and the footnotes are funny as well as helpful, but it's a little hard to follow when the story jumps around between the characters in the World and The Seems.

Never-the-less, I admire the imagination and humor of the authors, and I'll probably get around to reading book one when time permits. If you visit the website (theseems dot com), you can take the S.A.T. (Seemsian Aptitude Test) where I scored 11/12 and have achieved the rank of Fixer. (Yay me!) You can also read excerpts from both books, and check out the BeckerBlog.

Recommended for readers from ten and up, and people who like punny stuff.



Amanda Richards, October 22, 2008

I had received a copy of THE SPLIT SECOND, book two in THE SEEMS, and I really didn't want to read it until I had finished book one in the series. So I went out, got a copy of THE GLITCH IN SLEEP, read and mildly enjoyed it, and then felt ready to dive in to the Seems again. I was expecting another mildly humorous and entertaining romp, but THE SPLIT SECOND really did blow me away. And now I must say that I am eagerly anticipating anything else from John Hulme and Michael Wexler.

The story begins with Becker as a thirteen-year old, and he's been on duty as a Fixer in the Seems -- saving the world one mission at a time for a couple years now. But the strain is beginning to wear him down, and he knows that he can't take much more without being able to talk to someone in the World about it all. But then the unthinkable happens -- the Tide comes back in, a chief Fixer dies, and Becker Drane is called in to Fix one of the most terrifying dangers that the World will ever see. And if he can't stop it in time -- the entire World will be not much more than a pile of dust floating in space...

I think one of the things that made this second outing into the Seems so much better was that the stakes are so much higher. Things really are a lot worse than in book one, which seemed a lot more like a fun, not-so-threatening adventure. And the plot twists and turns so many times that I kept getting shocked almost every chapter as things just got worse and worse. And... there are some interesting hints as to some overall mystery that I'm sure will be picked up in the next book.

The writing speeds along much faster than GLITCH did, and the only little bumps I hit were one or two plot points I saw coming early on. But readers in the middle grade set will definitely enjoy this second book in THE SEEMS. It's definitely worth reading book one so that things will make more sense, but the series is really now starting to become amazing with THE SPLIT SECOND.

The cover on this one grabbed me immediately. It's just cool enough that I had the know what was going on. Sadly, it's another one of those books that I missed the first one on. But I will make up for it.

Kids are going to love this book and the series because of all the wicked fun involved. In addition to humor and twisted times, Becker Drane (yes, that's his name) has a totally cool set of weapons and gizmos to use. But he really needs everything he can get his hands on because he has to make "the world" work. That's a pretty hefty job for a 13 year old kid. However, it's so totally cool too.

The Tide, the series bad guys, manage to explode a Time Bomb that really messes up the natural order of the world. Fixer 37 (our hero) has to pick up all the pieces, get everything straightened out, and do something about the bad guys. This is a pure old fashioned adventure romp that will please young fans as well as older ones.

Rating System:
1 star = abysmal; some books deserve to be forgotten
2 star = poor; a total waste of time
3 star = good; worth the effort
4 star = very good; what writing should be
5 star = fantastic; must own it and share it with others


I read the first book in the series, where we experience Becker Drane's initiation as a Fixer for the Seems -- a secret organization behind our world that makes everything work. In book 1, we see Becker's desperate attempt to catch the Glitch in the Department of Sleep that is wreaking havoc in the real world due to side effects of worldwide insomnia.

Like book 1, book 2, continues in the same vain of Artemis Fowl and Robert Asprin's MYTH series. We are once again taken on a sci-fi/adventure/comedy as 13 year old Becker is on a complicated quest to deal with a Time bomb.

This is one of the most imaginative books I've read in a long time. The humor seems to flow on every page, along with the action.

The characters and locations in the Seems are varied and imaginative. There are many likable characters that I wanted to see more of and I hope the authors revisit in future installments.

This is the first time we get a better look at the Tide -- the rebel organization that feels the Powers That Be in the Seems need to be replaced and the Plan of the universe remade

There are gadgets galor. In addition there is a glossary in the back that defines many of the items in the Seems universe.

Make sure you read the footnotes when you come across one. They are very funny and creative.

My main complaint was that book 2 raised the stakes.
But in doing so the puns were just too much. I started at one point simply wanting a straight forward chapter for once. But the entertainment of the puns were at times laugh-out-loud so I kept going with the book and I'm glad I did.

The book is recommended for ages 8-12, but I feel the humor in several instances is only on an adult level. Yes, the first page there is already reference to the middle finger, which some parents may not find appropriate. What I mean by adult level, is in the sense that many puns won't be understood by youth because of antiquity of the pun being made OR the complexity of the writing. With that said, both young advanced readers and adults alike should be able to enjoy this book.

This book is not a complete standalone book, as I feel any reader would be doing themselves a disservice if they didn't start at the beginning of the series with book 1 called, A Glitch in Sleep.

The possibilities the authors have created with this line of stories is unending. I anticipate many, many books to come in this enjoyable series.

The copy I have has fairly small font and not much white space, meaning this book is packed with story, not filler pages -- a very good thing!

Pickup up book 1 so you understand the Seems and other background information. Then try this one for a fun, pun-filled experience.

I started out reading this book to see if I would want to pass it along to my soon-to-be teenaged daughter. Well, I am impressed! The story line is full of romance, intrigue and just plain enjoyment. My favorite part has to be the use of common phrases such as "Water Wings" and "Split Seconds" to weave an ingenious story about times and places that are inter-dimensionally connected and how a whole culture has grown up around the idea of "Fixing" things that go wrong.

I enjoyed this book for its witty use of wordage (complete with a Glossary) to clarify the use of phrases common to my generation and perhaps a little antiquated in the modern language.

It was refreshing to see a young man that was very efficient in his own trained task, show empathy and sympathy in a world setting that had become cold and clinical.

This is an excellent and enjoyable read. By being what seemed to be the second book in a series, it takes a chapter or two to get into the swing of the story, but it is smooth sailing after that. It is a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon. It is a small book, but flipping back and forth soon becomes part of the enjoyment while following the trail of words and phrases you thought you already knew.

I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

The Seems, Book II


This is a book that rewards kids who love to read with a rich, fast moving, funny, intricate, and ultimately inspiring tale set in an imaginary world. Becker Drane, a thirteen year old boy very much like your own son, or the kid who lives down the block, is a "Fixer" in the "Seems," an imaginary world in which Fixers and Briefers (helpers) make sure our world keeps running according to the "Plan." Even though the "Plan" is good, things keep going wrong, and bad things do happen to good people - Does this remind you of the "real" world? -- Fortunately for us, alert, creative, brave, though sometimes frightened and sometimes mistaken 13 year olds like Becker Drane are on the job and - luckily - at the last tension-filled minute they pull our chestnuts out of the fire.
This book is designed for the kind of reader who, a generation or two ago, immersed him or her self in the imaginary worlds of C.S. Lewis's Narnia, and J.R. Tolkien's Hobbits. It is not a simple tale in which the hero, in the end, vaporizes the evil empire with breathtaking acts of daring do and technological pyrotechnics. Rather, it presents a rich cast of varied characters coming from every part of the globe - women, men, and kids -- with real-life strengths and real-life foibles - struggling with complex issues of good and evil, right and wrong. It would be a sad thing if a book which celebrates decency, kindness, courage- all while not taking itself too seriously - did not find a wide and enthusiastic audience.