Boom!

By: Mark Haddon

Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt

An explosive, highly charged, and hilarious middle-grade adventure from Mark Haddon, acclaimed author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.

From the moment that Jim and his best friend, Charlie, bug the staff room and overhear two of their teachers speaking to each other in a secret language, they know there's an adventure on its way.

But what does "spudvetch" actually mean, and why do Mr. Kidd's eyes flicker with fluorescent blue light when Charlie says it to him? Perhaps Kidd and Pearce are bank robbers talking in code. Perhaps they're spies. Perhaps they are aliens. Whatever it is, Jimbo and Charlie are determined to find out.

There really is an adventure on its way. A nuclear-powered, one-hundred-ton adventure with reclining seats and a buffet car. And as it gathers speed and begins to spin out of control, it can only end one way . . . with a BOOM!

Critic reviews

Praise for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time:
"Mark Haddon's portrayal of an emotionally dissociated mind is a superb achievement. He is a wise and bleakly funny writer with rare gifts of empathy."
— Ian McEwan, author of Atonement and Amsterdam

"This original and affecting novel is a triumph of empathy; whether describing Christopher's favorite dream (of a virus depopulating the planet), or his vision of the universe collapsing in a thunder of stars, the author makes his hero's severely limited world a thrilling place to be."
— The New Yorker

Just a romp

ok, maybe a bit goofy, but it's a fun listen and Hadden is such a good writer that I was willing just to enjoy.
The narration was excellent and added to the fun.

Haddon's storytelling is his forte

Would you listen to Boom! again? Why?

Definitely yes. I like Haddon's treatment of juvenile characters and his juxtaposition of their depth and the shallowness of officious adults they interact with.

What other book might you compare Boom! to and why?

The Curious Incident... Another Haddon work and still my favorite from him. It is hard not to love his young characters struggling to find answers in a complex and sometimes absurd world.

Which scene was your favorite?

(Spoiler) The cafeteria scene in space.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction.

Good Book

One of the best Sifi Books That I have every read. Just love the way the narrator reads the book. Quit a good story. Would like more of the same!

Fun 4-hour Sci Fi Romp

Not as good as The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night, nor as thoughtful. And you probably can't avoid a few comparisons to Douglas Adams, but this is still good solid fun. Haddon is always good. Good narration too.