Week 4 Posts A/B

Vocab
Lustrous (159) - bright: made smooth and bright by or as if by rubbing; reflecting a sheen or glow

Audacious (127) - invulnerable to fear or intimidation

Figurative Language
1) "He remembered the alien's ruby eyes and sharpened teeth, the ball of plasma building on it's pistol like a shiny apple. (163)" This example of figurative language is a simile. It uses like to compare to types of things.

2) "The mottled stonework shone of a single hologram high above: a canopy of diamond-shaped leaves that rustled in a simulated breeze. (143)" This is an example of imagery. It lets the reader see what the setting looks like and it allows a mental picture.

3) "You want to shoot, you'll get your chance. He didn't have the heart to add: a whole lot sooner than you think. (139)" This is an example of foreshadowing. It is predicting an event that will happen later on in the book.

quote
"Jenkins also saw the militia as his ticket off of Harvest-a way to escape the thousands of acres of grain that he (as the eldest of three children) was destined to inherit. Farming wasn't a bad future, but it wasn't a very exciting one either. And that's why, even though the Staff Sergeants scared the hell out of him, Jenkins very much wanted to be them- a real soldier. Not because of any deep-seeded patriotism, but because of the imagined adventure of life as a UNSC marine. (137)" I just thought this quote was interesting not because there's any significance to it or anything but just because it was unique.

Theme
There wasn't really a big theme to this part of the book. The reason is though that this section is the calm before the storm so it was setting up the scenario for the next parts of the book to occur.

Post B
For this post I thought I would comment on the author's writing style. First off I have a quote which I think will help. "Avery didn't have time to adjust his aim before one of the trailing aliens slammed into him, slashing with some sort of crystal knife. He parried the knife with the barrel of his rifle as their helmets cracked together. Avery's helmet began to shake, and for a moment he thought the visor was about to shatter. Then he looked the alien square in the face and realized the vibrations were simply the transference of the creature's silent, livid scream... (129)" I chose this specific quote because it shows one aspect of Joseph's style. At least in my mind I find it intriguing because you have these peaceful moments and in the next instant there could be some huge event going on. There's also so much description that it really helps create a picture in your mind about what these characters are feeling and experiencing. Especially for me I really enjoy books that have a lot of action in them but at the same time also have a lot of different points of view because then you get to experience not only what the main character is experiencing but also what other characters are feeling such as the antagonist. Also on that line there is also a clear distinction between when action happens and when there is an emotional part so the book keeps you hooked because you don't get overwhelmed with too much action or too much of the emotional parts. So there is a good balance of everything all around and the book is really enjoyable.