The Secret Sea

by Barry Lyga

Overview

Twelve-year-old Zak Killian is hearing a voice. Could it be a guardian angel? A ghost? No, that's crazy. But sometimes the voice is so real. . . . It warns him of danger.

One day Zak is standing on the subway platform when the tunnel starts to fill with water. He sees it before anyone else. The voice warns him to run. His friends Moira and Khalid believe this is more than a premonition, and soon all three find themselves in an alternate universe that is both familiar and seriously strange. As Zak unravels the mystery behind the voice, he faces decisions that may mean the end of their world at home—if they can even get home!

Acclaimed author Barry Lyga explores the depths of friendship, the bonds of family, and the nature of the universe itself in The Secret Sea, his most propulsive and heartfelt book yet.

Praise for The Secret Sea:

"Hold onto your seats. We've got adventure and high-stakes horror here that takes us from our world to another. You did it, Barry. This is the novel you were meant to write." —R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps and Fear Street

“Heart-pounding action. Powerful, eye-popping.” —Gordon Korman, New York Times–bestsellingauthor of the Masterminds and Swindle series

"Readers will love the fast-paced action and terrifying details of the alternate timeline Zak and friends find themselves in, and the satisfying conclusion will leave them considering questions of identity and family." —Publishers Weekly

"Lyga returns to middle grade with a darkly compelling... look at family, morality, and the long-term effects even seemingly small choices can have. A thoughtful—and thought-provoking—piece of science fiction." —Booklist

“Full of twists and turns. . . . It is in some ways reminiscent of Andrew Smith’s The Marbury Lens but not as dark. Science fiction fans of the TV show Fringe will binge read their way through this adventure.” —VOYA

"The narrative’s success ultimately relies on its compelling adventures and character development. This work ultimately delivers the sci-fi, fantasy, and dystopian goods and will draw in middle schoolers with its impressive world-building. A strong choice for many young adult and upper–middle grade collections." —School Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250115249
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	08/22/2017
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	448
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.50(h) x 1.20(d)
Lexile:	710L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Barry Lyga is the author of numerous acclaimed novels, including I Hunt Killers and The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl. He graduated from Yale University, then worked in the comic book industry for ten years and developed Free Comic Book Day. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and their daughter.

Editorial Reviews

"Hold onto your seats. We've got adventure and high-stakes horror here that takes us from our world to another. You did it, Barry. This is the novel you were meant to write." —R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps and Fear Street

“Heart-pounding action. Powerful, eye-popping.” —Gordon Korman, New York Times–bestselling author of the Masterminds and Swindle series

"Readers will love the fast-paced action and terrifying details of the alternate timeline Zak and friends find themselves in, and the satisfying conclusion will leave them considering questions of identity and family." —Publishers Weekly

"Lyga returns to middle grade with a darkly compelling...look at family, morality, and the long-term effects even seemingly small choices can have. A thoughtful—and thought-provoking—piece of science fiction." —Booklist

“Full of twists and turns. . . . It is in some ways reminiscent of Andrew Smith’s The Marbury Lens but not as dark. Science fiction fans of the TV show Fringe will binge read their way through this adventure.” —VOYA

"The narrative’s success ultimately relies on its compelling adventures and character development. This work ultimately delivers the sci-fi, fantasy, and dystopian goods and will draw in middle schoolers with its impressive world-building. A strong choice for many young adult and upper–middle grade collections." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

08/08/2016
When 12-year-old Zak Killian starts dreaming of boats and having visions of flooded Manhattan subways that no one else can see, he begins to think that the voice he keeps hearing in his head might not be his imagination. In a thrilling standalone adventure from Lyga (I Hunt Killers), Zak learns that his longstanding heart condition is the result of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome—he siphoned blood from an identical twin in the womb. Zak's twin brother, Tommy, died when the boys were two, and their parents kept Tommy's existence a secret. Now Zak is hearing Tommy, who tells Zak that he can save him if he and his best friends Khalid and Moira venture into a parallel universe. Lyga used the real-life mystery of a ship under Ground Zero as a spark for the story, and an endnote gives more information and context to the discovery. Readers will love the fast-paced action and terrifying details of the alternate timeline Zak and friends find themselves in, and the satisfying conclusion will leave them considering questions of identity and family. Ages 10–14. Agent: Kathleen Anderson, Anderson Literary Management. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

09/01/2016
Gr 4–8—Terrifying visions of subway stations flooded by ocean water. A somnambulistic journey to the World Trade Center. Things are definitely getting weirder by the day for Zak Killian, and that's before he uncovers the secret of his twin brother, Tommy, who passed away when they were two. That reveal leads Zak and his best friends Khalid and Moira into an alternate universe where Zak can bring Tommy back to life. Lyga creates a compelling and impressively fleshed out alternate universe; sci-fi, fantasy, and dystopian elements feature throughout, from mysterious wild magic to the glowing electroleum power source. A subplot involving the brutal repression of women by means of a legal system very similar to our own slavery adds depth to the comparison of the two worlds. Though upper-middle grade through young adult readers will appreciate these elements, the narrative's success ultimately relies on its compelling adventures and character development. However, it is somewhat disappointing that readers have to wait roughly about 100 pages to cross into the alternate universe proper. VERDICT Though it might start a little slow some for some, this work ultimately delivers the sci-fi, fantasy, and dystopian goods and will draw in middle schoolers with its impressive world-building. A strong choice for many young adult and upper-middle grade collections.—Ted McCoy, formerly at Springfield City Library, MA

School Library Journal