Lover of speed, flying, and his mother’s blackberry cobbler, ten-year-old Henry Stevens also idolizes his dad, Max. In 1926, when Henry’s dad gets a job as an aviation mechanic with Howard Hughes “making the future,” Henry’s world changes dramati
cally, along with life as he knew it.
Before Tomorrowland by Jeff Jensen, Brad Bird, Jonathan Case, and Damon Lindelof is a science fiction mystery-thriller that is as much Henry’s story as it is the story of Lee Brackett and his mother Clara, who is terminally ill with brain cancer. As the two stories intersect, the reader learns about both possibility and the power of the imagination, which can give rise to extraordinary vision or “egregious abuses and living nightmares” ( 256).
Robotics, teleportation, genetic engineering, aviation, and space travel simulators are all reality in this tale, as are transdimensional travel and other emerging technologies. Many of the characters and events described in this book are well-known to history: Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart, Leo Szilard, and H.G. Wells. These great minds of science, technology, engineering, math, and literature produced wild successes as well as profound failures. Plus Ultra—this society of scientists and artists—devoted their lives to expanding horizons of human potential, and their motto comes in their name, which translates to further beyond since they purportedly had no respect for limits. With the power of genius and the resources of wealthy men like Howard Hughes, Plus Ultra envisions a new frontier—Tomrrowland: “The ultimate playground for the imagination, it is a world of infinite possibilities and undreamed-of materials, with its own physical laws opening up entirely new branches of science. It is mankind’s’ greatest hope for an abundant future, a future without threat of war or poverty, a future of incredible inventions and creativity” (191).
Before Tomorrowland not only permits readers to dream but to believe that there is more to life than what we currently see and suffer. It also alludes to the potential terror engendered when creativity and intelligence are harnessed, giving rise to discord, degradation, exploitation, and greed. A new world order can fall under despots, radicals, and villains like Hitler, Rotwang, and Bofinger as surely as it can under misguided, elevated minds. After all, enlightened minds can share, deny, or force their knowledge on the world, as well. The challenge of sharing power and privilege, of making the future a global, democratic project awaits us all.
Published by Disney Press and released in April, Before Tomorrowland comes onto the YA scene with interesting additions: art by Jonathan Case and a retro, dime-store comic that makes history accessible and appealing to adolescent readers. It also joins the ranks of books destined for film. Walt Disney Pictures announced that the film, Tomrrowland starring George Clooney, will release on May 22, 2015!
- Posted by Donna
https://youtube.com/watch?v=w-USh0Womb4frameborder%3D0allowfullscreen