Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sci-fi scavenger hunt tale has lots of action, suspense.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Seventeen-year-old David Sullivan works at a local flea market, buying and selling the brilliantly colored spheres that have become worldwide sensations. No one knows where they came from, but the spheres amplify the physical abilities of those people lucky enough to find a pair and "burn" them. When Sully meets Hunter, a girl with a knack for finding hidden spheres, they team up and start a quest for fame and fortune, battling long odds and the schemes of a high-powered rival who will stop at nothing to win.
Is It Any Good?
Although it seems to ignore some of the implications of its central premise, this novel about a global hunt for mysterious, colored spheres has plenty of action and suspense. Sully, Hunter, and Dom are engaging characters, and their schemes to find and sell spheres are recounted with wit and verve.
What's a little disappointing about BURNING MIDNIGHT is that no one seems to wonder much about who or what created the spheres. It's an event that would reshape global economies, but author Will McIntosh seems unwilling to grapple with that level of world-building complexity. Burning Midnight is definitely a contender for the attention of science-fiction fans, but a bit more depth could have made it a champ.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why superheroes are so popular in a variety of media. Why do readers like stories about people with superpowers?
What are good ways to build trust with someone you don't know well?
Would you be able to commit to a long series of unpleasant tasks if you knew the final reward would be great? What if there was no guarantee of success?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Delacorte Press
- Publication date : February 2, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 18
- Number of pages : 320
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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