Essay On The John Marsden Survival Series.         The series of

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Essay On The John Marsden Survival Series.

The series of books written by John Marsden were awesome! I couldn't put them down once I started to read them. They were very captivating and held your interest throughout the story. I really enjoyed this series and would recommend them to anyone. These books predict how life could be should someone invade a peaceable country. Maybe everyone should read this series and learn what to do should the military be forced to draw back on home soil. So first off for this essay I shall start to describe to you the theme and setting of these books.

Ellie, an energetic young teenager whose parents were jailed when the war began, writes the story. She has 5 friends that accompany her (at least most of the way) throughout her journeys across Australia and New Zealand. There is Homer, Who is a large well built 18 year old who likes to take command of the group when he can.

There is also Lee, who is a sleek, 19 year old who seems like a born leader. He usually is the one who has to make quick decisions and he is not usually wrong. There is Kevin and Fe, who are the youngest in the stories (only 17). Kevin learned as a boy to use different explosives, which come in handy later on throughout the series. Fe is a small, timid person who although small, helps the group out in big ways. There is also Robyn, who is a kind of sissy although she does do some helpful activities for the group.

The series takes place mostly on the Down Under soil of Australia, (the odd time there is mention of the characters being on New Zealand ground.) Throughout the novel the teenagers wind up acting as a guerrilla group, that sabotages the enemy's bases and arriving forces. They even get enlisted in the army to help out the war effort. They face many challenges throughout their adventure, including spying, hiding, running from the enemy, cold blood killing, and even their relationship with each other.

By the end of the series they have lost one of their friends, Robyn. She died when they were escaping from jail. (She committed suicide by blowing herself and another officer up with a grenade.) The group really slows down after that and the action subsides a little bit. Later on, however, the group finds themselves acting and taking actions like real commissioned marines. They help out considerably with the war effort and I would even say that they changed the tide of the war.

The series definitely leaves you waiting for another book to add to it. I would recommend these books to anyone who likes to read action/ suspense novels. I really enjoyed these novels. Thanks for letting us read them Mr. Val. And thanks for your time and patience in reading this essay.