Rebirth
David D. Bernstein (author) Victor Guiza (illustrator)
Outskirts Press (2021)
ISBN 978-1977238429
Reviewed by Sheri Hoyte for Reader Views (01/2022)
“Rebirth” is the third book in The Cort Chronicles, a science fiction series for young readers by David D. Bernstein.
Andy and his brother Zack find themselves in 2009, one hundred years in the future after their quest to destroy the evil CORT corporation. It may be one hundred years since their last adventure, but 2009 is home to Andy and Zack and they cannot wait to see their parents again. The brothers quickly realize this isn’t the 2009 they remember, however. Somehow CORT is back and well on its way to controlling everything again. But how is that possible? Andy and Zack team up with an old friend in an effort to bring the world back to normal again.
With this third book in the series, readers will enjoy a few twists to the story they won’t see coming. What is real? What is the role of technology? Will earth ever be restored to normal? Will Andy and Zack ever see their parents again?
As with the second book in the series, “Spirral,” I found “Rebirth” to be entertaining and hold a lot of potential. This story houses the same elements of magic and dystopia, a cautionary tale about the earth and technology, coming of age, and young love. The characters seemed to grow into themselves a bit more, though I still found myself searching for more tangible traits in order to connect with them on a deeper level. This book felt more like the epilogue to book two instead of book three in a series, and once again I wished this potentially epic middle-grade sci-fi wasn’t rushed to production.
“Rebirth” and the entire Cort Chronicles series is geared toward and best suited to readers ages 8-12.
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