Masterminds

Masterminds (2015) is the first title in a science fiction trilogy of the same name by Canadian American children’s author Gordon Korman. The story is set primarily in the fictional town of Serenity, New Mexico, which is approximately 70 miles from Taos. Although most of the action takes place in New Mexico, the concluding chapter is set in Colorado City and Pueblo, Colorado. The season is presumably early fall; although no particular month is mentioned, the temperature in town is noted as hot during the time the story unfolds. Events take place over a month or more, but the exact span of time isn’t mentioned. The story uses a limited first-person point of view and is told from the perspective of five main characters, all of whom are young teens. Each character gets chapters devoted to their version of events, and this alternating narrative technique remains consistent throughout the novel.

As the story opens, a boy named Eli Frieden talks about life in his peaceful community of Serenity. The town has no crime or poverty, and everyone accepts “the three Essential Qualities of Serenity citizens—honesty, harmony, and contentment” (9).