John Marsden

Somewhere out there Ellie and her friends are hiding. They're shocked, they're frightened, they're alone. Their world has changed, with the speed of a slamming door. They've got no weapons - except courage. They've got no help - except themselves. They've got nothing - except friendship. How strong can you be, when the world is full of people trying to kill you? Tomorrow, When the War Began is the first book in the bestselling series that has been translated and published all over the world. It is the book that started the series that became the legend...

Tomorrow, When the War Began

John Marsden undifferentiated

James Marsden

Seven Australian teenagers return from a camping trip in the bush to discover that their country has been invaded and they must hide to stay alive. Reprint.

ghost girl in satin

Apart from the teena romance stories which are totally unnecessary and not compelling at all, I really liked this book, the survival aspect of it and the characters (although I think they could've been more developed).

Nessa Luna

I don't know why but I always just keep going back to this book series. I first read this book when I was in high school and I got it assigned to read for my Dutch classes (which was hilarious, cuz we weren't allowed to read translated work, and I found out later that this was originally an English book). It stayed with me long after I left school and I reread it almost once a year. It's just such a great series and I love it so much more every time I reread it.

Bri Billaney

Yet another book I read for school, then loved instantly. I've still got my school copy, that's falling apart and broken but it's special to me so I don't replace it. Marsden is fantastic, and this series started me on the whole 'apocalypse/world war' type of survival interest. There were scenes in this that I found genuinely haunting, and riveting and I couldn't imagine putting the book down.

Jessica L. Peryman

Read this book as a child for English class, would happily read it again!

Bee 

Ellie and her friends return from camping in Hell, only to find that Australia has been invaded by an unknown enemy and their families and friends are being held captive. They return to Hell and become guerrilla soldiers doing all they can with their limited means and knowledge to create havoc for the enemy as they try to stay alive in a country that is no longer theirs. Great start to a wonderful series.

Kailey Webb

This book by far is still my fav! 
The hope and determination each of the characters have is amazing, the trust within one another. 
While reading I didn't think i could read the lines fast enough! I had to know what was gonna happen next.

Emma Tickner

I loved this book and it's sad that it never got as popular as it deserved to be. But I loved the friendship of these guys and they realise that it was now them vs everyone else.

When their country is invaded and their families are taken, eight high school teenagers band together to fight. Seventeen-year-old Ellie Linton wants one final adventure with her friends before the school holidays are over. Packed in Ellie's parents' land rover they drive to the famously isolated rock pool Eden dubbed 'Hell' by the locals. Returning to their home town of Wirrawee, the seven teenagers realize that something is seriously wrong. Power to the houses has been cut, pets and livestock have been left dead or dying, and most alarmingly of all, everyone's family has vanished. When the hostile armed forces discover that the teenagers are lying low in the vicinity, Ellie and her friends must band together to escape, outwit and strike back against the mysterious enemy that has seized control of their town and imprisoned their friends and loved ones...

Tomorrow when the War Began

Elli

Jane Krauss

Having seen the film but never read the books, I came into the book with expectations but was super glad that they were surpassed. The book gives a much better context as to what is happening. Reading this book has made me once again realise how easy it would be to invade Australia. I know I'm super late to the bandwagon but I will be devouring this series and can't wait to read the next book.

Sophie Shrimpton

Tomorrow, When The War Began provides an introspective look at the subjectivity and uncertainty of the morality of war and conflict. I find Robyn's view interesting - that she can understand why the invasion occurred, to "reduce imbalances in the region." The theory is that another country saw the wealth and space in Australia, and questioned why they deserved it when they lived in "slums". We value equality so highly, yet are so shocked when it is violently enforced. 

"Invasions only happen in other countries, and on TV. Even if we survive this I know I'll never feel safe again." This rang true. 3 days ago New Zealand was shocked by a terrorist act that killed 50 people. We felt like a safe haven, and now we never will again. 

"People, shadows, good, bad, Heaven, Hell: all of these were names, labels, that was all. Humans had created these opposites: Nature recognised no opposites." "All these words, words like "evil" and "vicious", they meant nothing to Nature. Yes, evil was a human invention."

"All I could think of to do was to trust to instinct. That was all I had really. Human laws, moral laws, religious laws, they seemed artificial and basic, almost childlike." Richard Rorty also believes in moral intuition and sentimentality guiding moral judgment. I used to think this was ridiculous, but I'm becoming more convinced of it by the day. 

"But nothing could be seen of the tiny humans who crawled like bugs over the landscape, committing their monstrous and beautiful acts."

I loved this book when I was younger, and have fond memories of it still. I can see why. One of the few books from my childhood that I have reread and not been disappointed by.

Tomorrow, When the War Began

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