The ''SOS Adventures'' series is a trilogy of

young adult A young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages of human development significantly influencing the definition of ...

novels written by

Northern Irish Northern Irish people is a demonym for all people born in Northern Ireland or people who are entitled to reside in Northern Ireland without any restriction on their period of residence. Most Northern Irish people either identify as Northern ...

author

Colin Bateman Colin Bateman (known Mononymous person, mononymously as Bateman) is a novelist, screenwriter and former journalist from Bangor, County Down, Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Biography Born on 13 June 1962, Bateman attended Bangor Grammar ...

, released between June 2010 and March 2011. The novels surround teenager Michael Monroe and his adventures with a team of international environmental rescue operatives, known as ''SOS''. The first novel in the series was

longlist A short list or shortlist is a list of candidates for a job, prize, award, political position, etc., that has been reduced from a longer list of candidates (sometimes via intermediate lists known as "long lists"). The length of short lists varie ...

ed for the children's Northern Ireland Book Award 2010–11.

Characters

* Michael Monroe – fourteen-year-old

orphan An orphan (from the el, ορφανός, orphanós) is a child whose parents have died. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents due to death is called an orphan. When referring to animals, only the mother's condition is usuall ...

and newest member of the ''SOS'' team. * Katya – teenage member of ''SOS''. * Dr. Jimmy Kincaid – pop-star

millionaire A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. Depending on the currency, a certain level of prestige is associated with being a millionaire. In countries that use the short scal ...

founder of ''SOS''. * Mr. Crown – ''SOS'' team member who specialises in combat. * Bailey – ''SOS''s

helicopter pilot A helicopter pilot manipulates the helicopter flight controls to achieve and maintain controlled aerodynamic flight. Changes to the aircraft flight control system transmit mechanically to the rotor, producing aerodynamic effects on the rotor bla ...

. * Bonsoir –

strategist A strategist is a person with responsibility for the formulation and implementation of a strategy. Strategy generally involves setting goals, determining actions to achieve the goals, and mobilizing resources to execute the actions. A strategy ...

and language expert for ''SOS''. * Dr. Faustus – ''SOS''s

surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

''Ice Quake''

''Ice Quake '' is the first novel of the ''SOS Adventures'' series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, published on 3 June 2010 through

Hodder Children's Books Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette. History Early history The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged 14, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publisher ...

. It sets on Baring Island (aka ''Banks Island'') in the

Canadian Arctic Northern Canada, colloquially the North or the Territories, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories and N ...

. The novel was well received and

ed for the children's Northern Ireland Book Award 2010–11.

Plot

Michael Monroe, a teenage orphan boy, accidentally burns down his

boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...

, St Mark's Retreat, by setting a fire in one of the many disused

fireplace A fireplace or hearth is a structure made of brick, stone or metal designed to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance they create and for heating a room. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending on the design. ...

s. As a result, he is expelled from his sixth school in as many years and leaves on the bus the next morning, to be handed over to the

local education authority Local education authorities (LEAs) were local councils in England that are responsible for education within their jurisdiction. The term was used to identify which council (district or county) is locally responsible for education in a system wit ...

. During this journey, however, the driver loses control of the bus and drives into an icy lake. Monroe then proceeds, along with the

head boy Head boy and head girl are student leadership roles in schools, representing the school's entire student body. They are normally the most senior prefects in the school. The terms are commonly used in the British education system as well as in Aus ...

Vincent Armoury, to save the lives of the school's debate team, who were on their way to a competition, before they all drown. When Armoury is hit in the head during the operation, Monroe pulls him from the water, administers the kiss of life and passes out. Monroe's heroic effort in the rescue of twelve children results in him coming to the attention of Doctor Jimmy Kincaid, millionaire owner of a team named ''SOS'', which engages in risky rescue operations on a worldwide scale. Monroe's first mission is to search for the missing "Eden" satellite, which had been measuring

greenhouse gases A greenhouse gas (GHG or GhG) is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor (), carbon dioxide (), methane ...

in the

Earth's atmosphere The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

. Deployment for the mission doesn't go to plan and Monroe ends up stranded in the

Canadian Rockies The Canadian Rockies (french: Rocheuses canadiennes) or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part ...

with fellow teen-aged ''SOS'' member, Katya, who somewhat resents his presence on the mission. While trying to succeed where the adults have failed, the teenagers run into armed men, wolves and a twice-the-usual-size

polar bear The polar bear (''Ursus maritimus'') is a hypercarnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the largest extant bear specie ...

''Ice Quake'' characters

* Jordan Nappaaluk – native of the area who goes missing * Vincent Armoury – head-boy of St Mark's * Rachael – ''SOSs resident teacher

Reception

The novel was well received. Kieran Fanning from the ''Inis Magazine'' called this novel the "adrenaline-racing, breath-taking adventure" and considered its strengths to be "the dialogue and the lively banter". Fanning found its "characters and relationship ..too similar to Jimmy and Claire's from ''

Titanic 2020 ''Titanic 2020'' is the first novel of the ''Titanic 2020'' series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, published on 19 July 2007 through Hodder Children's Books. Plot The novel is based in the year 2020 and follows a stowaway named Jimmy ...

''", with an exception of "wisecracks and one-liners ..with ateman's

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from others ...

wit". The Clare County Library stated that the children of the area found its characters "clever, funny and very resourceful" and awarded the novel a score of ten out of ten.

''Fire Storm''

''Fire Storm'' is the second novel of the ''SOS Adventures'' series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, published on 7 October 2010 through Hodder Children's Books. Janet Clarke from the ''School Librarian'' magazine called the novel an "action packed thriller", finding it "fast paced and entertaining"; stating that the characters were plausible and the relationship between Michael and Katya was "relaxed" and "friendly".

Plot

The ''SOS'' team was founded by pop-star millionaire, Dr. Jimmy Kincaid, who founded the organisation to assist in environmental rescue on a worldwide scale. Within this organisation, an elite team known as the ''Artists'', derived from ''Action Response Team'', exist and Michael Monroe is promoted to this group, despite being ''SOS''s newest member. The novel takes place on the

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

n island of New Ireland, where the missing scientist, Dr. Anna Roper, who is on the island doing "vital" research into both the

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

and

indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

, was last seen. The ''SOS'' team, including Monroe, set out to find her. However, the team encounter a series of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on the island.

''Fire Storm'' Characters

* Joe Kabui – fourteen-year-old

Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...

boy whose father is killed by bandits. * Dr. Anna Roper – missing scientist and the reason that the ''SOS'' team are on New Ireland; sister of Jimmy Kincaid. * Tracker Mark – tracker.

''Tusk''

''Tusk'' is the third novel of the ''SOS Adventures'' series by Northern Irish author,

, published on 3 March 2011 through

Plot

savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the Canopy (forest), canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to rea ...

for some rest. Michael Monroe and Katya, however, are sent to join a team of unruly youths under the tuition of ex-

commando Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...

Major Calvin Hunter; to both protect a member of his team, future

King of England The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiw ...

Peter Windsor, and to improve their survival skills.

''Tusk'' characters

* Major Calvin Hunter – ex-commando and leader of the expedition. * Peter Windsor – future king of England.

References

{{Colin Bateman Novels from Northern Ireland * 2011 British novels British crime novels British children's novels 2010 British novels Novels set in Indonesia Novels set on islands Hodder & Stoughton books