The Tomorrow code door Brian Falkner

Title : The Tomorrow code Author : Brian Falkner Publisher : Random House New York Number of pages : 350

Setting : The story takes place in New Zealand, around in the year 2008.

Theme : It is difficult to determine the theme. I would say that the theme is trust. But on the other hand, the book is about the world and what we humans make of it. And what the author is trying to say, I believe, is that nature can not exist if we keep polluting it and we have to be careful with what we have given. So that could be a theme to.

Write down 5 quotes to substantiate the theme (write down the page numbers) : quotes 1-3 are substantiating “Trust” and quotes 4-5 are substantiating “Mother earth” 1. “He'd have no idea what to look for and wouldn't even know if he found it. But no doubt she would make sense of what was in the filing cabinets, or petri dishes, or whatever it was they found.” 2. We'll always be mates, whatever happens.” “I hope so” said Tane. “i know so. I just wanted to to make sure you knew too” 3. “ you need water and salt” “I'll get your information to the boss. He'll listen to me.” [..] If they survive this long night he was going to see that that girl got some kind of medal. If she was right about the water, and the salt, then that might just turn the battle into their favor. He hoped she was right.” 4. “What are they?” “Antibodies” she said. “Mother natures immune system. Now triggered by Dr.Vickey Green. Against the human race” 5. “..land is our privilege, not our right, and it comes with a great responsibility. [..] We can learn to live with the trees and the lakes, the mountains and the seas, the fish and the animals, as family, not as invaders, conquerors!”

Explain the title : Tane and Rebecca receive messages from the future, who are send in codes. The codes from the future; the tomorrow code. The Tomorrow code also refers to what might happen or what could happen. It refers to the future, you never know what it is going to bring you, it's “coded”

What do you like about the book? : What I really like about the book is that it is so well written that it is very tensive. This excitement is by created by gaps in the story at the most exciting moments. I think the author is familiar with cliff-hangers, he uses it very well. Also, the main characters have to solve a problem by decoding things and making weird connections, which I would love to do too. It is a bit Sherlock Holmes, and I love that.

What don't you like? : I love the book, so it is hard to think of something that I do not like. Well, I do not like the end. I want to read more, I am so curious, it is almost annoying, about what is going to happen next!

What part, fragment, did you particularly like? Explain why : I liked the part where Rebecca kisses Tane. I know, it is cheesy but the whole book there are secret hints that Rebecca and Tane like each other, more than just friends and then finally they kiss. The main reason I like this part, is because during all this madness and fighting, there is this moment op peace, trust and love. I think that is also the reason that this part is so powerfull.

What is the “problem” in the story? Is the problem solved? How, or why not? : The problem is quite huge; if Rebecca and Tane are not in time, the human race will extinct because of a plague called “The fog, with jellyfish and snowmen”. It is not solved, because in the end only Rebecca and Tane are in the submarine and the could not fix it in time. They were to late with some precautions, people like the police where slowing them down by arresting them and Tane and Rebecca could not solve the code with the solution in time. No worries; there is an 'open end' so they have solved it in my own imagination.

How would you deal with the problem? : I have no idea. I hope I would do the same, but it is very unlikely that something like this is going to happen. The day we have this plague, I hope I would go and try to solve it, but I do not think I have enough courage like Tane and Rebecca

Describe the climax in the book : I think that the climax in the book was the moment that Tane and Rebecca where eye in eye with the fog. They are captured by dr.Crowe who shows them what the fog is, what is creates and ask them if they know anything more. Tane and Rebecca don't know. Then all of the sudden, the fog has reached their hiding place and they get themselves into a special suit. Dr.Crowe orders them to go outside and run for the van, which will take them to a safer place. It is already to late and everybody has to climb up to the roof to get away from the fog. Suddenly, Tane remembers the code. It said WTRWRKS, Water Works! He says it out loud and Crowe orders everyone to get in to the pool (located on the roof). And indeed, the fog can not come trough the water and they are safe. For now.

For me, there were more climaxes, if you could speak of more climaxes in one book. Everytime when Rebecca and Tane solved another piece of the big puzzle, it was a climax.

Main characters. What are their names, what do they do and what are their character traits? :

Rebecca:

Rebecca is a very, very smart girl whose father has died and her mother does not do anything so raise her. Rebecca always joins the protest marches, and Tane has to come to. Every time. She has clear visions about the world and is very enthusiastic. She dresses a bit punk/rock but on the inside she is a sweet little girl.

Tane:

Tane is a cute, artistic boy. He is one of those “artists” who plays the guitar and makes paintings and stuff. He is friends with Rebecca as long as he can remember, and so he cares about her. He is also smart, but next to Rebecca he looks really stupid.

Fatboy:

Fatboy is Tane's older brother. His nickname is Fatboy and everybody calls him that. He is a bit arrogant and he act's like he is a tough guy, but he also helps his little brother and is on the inside a nice and caring boy.

Dr. Crowe

Crowe is an soldier and scientist. He is the commander who as to end the plague. He is a bit stubborn, but is open for new and even odd thoughts. He is a brave men, who rules with a tough but good hand.

Summary :

*note: The story is divided in to two books. *

Book1: the chimera project

Rebecca and Tane are discussing the possibility of travelling trough time. According to Rebecca it is not possible to travel trough time, because your body was not “invented” in the past, but it would be possible to send a message. Tane is not that smart so he just says yes, while he was not even following at all what Rebecca meant. A few weeks later, when he and Rebecca are discussing the possibility again, Tane mentioned that it would maybe be possible to build a radio/receiver or something so if someone would send messages from the future, they would hear it!

Rebecca knows that there are a sort of waves in space which is received by a program called BATSE. This is only for professors to know, but her father was one (he died in a car crash) so she knows too. Tane and Rebecca go to professor Barnes, who works with this program, and try to get a copy of it. The excuse is that Tane wants to create something artistic with it by displaying the data on a computer screen. Barnes gives them a copy of the data from that day and at home they try to figure out what these bursts from space are. After a long time of research and a genius idea which hit Tane, they figured out that the bursts are morse-code and someone from the future is actually sending them a message! The first time the codes are lottery numbers. The win the lottery and are suddenly rich. Rebecca is able to buy a house and a new computer so they can receive the bursts themselves. The messages do not stop. It is clear that something has gone horribly wrong and they have to stop it from happening.

The next message tells them to buy a submarine and go to professor Greene. They discover that Greene runs a special research program on a small island. At midnight they sail in the submarine, with Tane brother, Fatboy, to the island. When they arrive at the laboratory from Greene Tane and Rebecca see that there is something wrong. Somebody or something has broken out, from the inside! All the professors are gone and Rebecca does not feel good about it so the run back to the submarine. Just two meters before they have reached the submarine, the local police catches up with them and arrests them because they are suspected to be burgulars. They manage to escape. In the mean time they have figuered out that the new codes they are reciving, are creating a pattern, which makes a picture or something. That would be the next hint. Tane and Rebecca created a machine which converts these codes into a picture. This picture would be a “Chronophone”.

Book 2: The long white cloud

A few days later there is something weird on the news. A mystic foam appeard and a whole city was covered for 48 hours in it. When the police arrives, nobody is alive, except for one little boy who keeps screaming “Jerryfish” (which is interpreted as Jellyfish by the police) and “Snowmen”.

Rebecca spends Christmas at Tane's house. Just for a half day they can forget all of the problems. When Tane, Rebecca and Fatboy are at Rebecca's home, they continue to build the Chronophone. Again there is news about the fog, which is drifting towards Auckland. Then Rebecca realises something: what if the submarine was meant to be their shelter against a plague, whoch would wipe out the whole world ?

Finally is the Chronophone done. Now they have to connect it to the Sky Tower. In the submarine they go to the tower where they find a underwater cave. This might be their shelting-spot. The fog is again on the news. Now the government seems to think it is work of terrorists. Tane has a remarkable idea: what if this is the start of a wipe out of all mankind? Maybe the terrorists just wipe out New Zealand, as a warning for the rest of the world. Then he receives an other message in which the first sentence says: Fatboy don't go. When Tane wants to tell him that, he sees Fatboy and Rebecca make out. He gets pissed off and does not say anything, not knowing that Rebecca an Fatboy just broke-up and Fatsboy's life is at stake.

Tane, rebecca an Fatboy are arrested by the troops of Dr.Anthony Crowe. He interviews them and asks for help. He shows them the “jellyfish” in a big see-trough-box. Crow tells that the jellyfish are triggered by vibrations, made by movements or sounds. These things are formed out of the mist. The Jellyfish seem to only attack the humans. Rebecca, Tane and Fatboy have to leave and Rebecca takes Zena the chimpansee with her. Before they reach the front door, the fog is everywhere. Everyone puts on suits and the run for the fire escape. Tane remembers the code: WTRWRKS. Water works! They whole crew of Crowe and the three are entering the pool in the top of the building. They are safe from the fog and the jellyfish but they do not have air for eternity. Rebecca explains everything to Crowe, who believes her. Luckily there is a helicopter in time to rescue them.

Rebecca tells Crowe that this fog with jellyfish and snowmen could be antibodies from mother earth who is trying to protect herself from a plague; humans. Crowe won't listen and sends the three away. They carrie on with the plan to save the earth. Fatboy and Tane are going to install the Chronophone and Rebecca is heading towards the submarine, where she will wait for the boys, with her mum. But her mom won't come and she has to leave her behind. Than she kisses Tane; it could be the last time she sees him. Tane and Fatboy reach te Sky Tower and get the Chronophone installed. In the mean time, Rebecca is driving at high speed towards the sea. She is stopped by policemen, but she runs out of the car (into the mist) towards the sea. Zeta is coming with her. Rebecca is attacked by the jellyfish but reaches just in time the submarine and is safe.

When Tane and Fatboy have installed the Chronophone, they head for a fire truck. Tane drives as fast as he can to the beach. Than the antibodies get into the truck and digest Fatboy, who gave his life for Tane. Tane is in shock, but manages to steer the truck into the sea. The next thing he remembers is wakeing up, with Rebecca next to him, and Zeta.

Rebecca is slowly recovering from the attack of the jellyfish; her right arm works, her legs and left arm looked dead, but somehow she get's feeling in them again. Tane and Rebecca have a plan: they can stop this all from happening, they still have the Chronophone, they just have to send better messages and make sure they don't make a mistake this time.