9 /10 1 Votes
4.5/5 Barnes & Noble Language English Publication date May 2011 Originally published May 2011 Genre Science Fiction Editor Michael Kelly | 4.5/5 Goodreads Country USA Series Transformers Media type Print (Softcover) Page count 144 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Similar Michael Kelly books, Science Fiction books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel is an adaptation of the 2011 film Transformers: Dark of the Moon written by Michael Kelly. For younger readers the violence featured in the movie is scaled down considerably and the book features a different ending than the one seen in the film to avoid spoilers as the novel was released before the movie was, although this could be contributed to the fact that the novel may have been based on an earlier version of the script than the one seen in the final film.
Contents
Plot
As the war raged on Cybertron, Optimus Prime witnessed a ship called the Ark, carrying supplies that could turn the tides in favour of the Autobots shot and left to drift in space by Starscream. It soon crashed on the Earth’s moon in the 1960s. On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 discovered the crashed alien ship on the moon. Which carried a secret cargo.
In the present day, three years after the events of the second film, the Autobots have now become fully sanctioned members of the U.S. military and battling various human threats across the globe. Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Mirage and Wheeljack investigate a nuclear facility in the Middle East encountering humans with stolen Cybertronian tech. Meanwhile, Optimus Prime and Ratchet oversee the destruction of the decommissioned NEST facility in Diego Garcia. With their mission complete in the Middle East, Optimus commands the Autobots to head to Washington D.C, while he, Ratchet and Captain Lennox leave for Prypiat, Ukraine, following a lead on a recently uncovered object that seems Cybertronian in origin.
In Washington D.C. a restless Sam, is now is living with his new girlfriend Carly Spencer, a secretary working for Dylan Gould, a CEO of a major investment company and a car enthusiast. Sam is prying for a new job but having saved the world twice, Sam doesn’t want a job that he knows won’t make a difference in life and complains how the government never bothered to give him a proper job. The pair also lives with decommissioned Autobots; Wheelie and Brains, whose services were turned down by the Autobots. Sam leaves for his job interview with his new boss, Bruce.
Arriving in the uninhabitable city of Prypiat, Optimus Prime, Ratchet and Lennox investigate a dig site where construction workers (who wear special suits) have uncovered a mysterious object resembling a giant pillar. Suddenly, they are attacked by a huge Decepticon named Driller piloted by Shockwave. The Decepticons attempt to retrieve the pillar. Some of the construction workers are killed as Optimus orders Ratchet and the humans to retreat, while he battles the Decepticons. The Decepticons escape, leaving behind the pillar. An incredulous Optimus Prime recovers the pillar and realises that it is a part of the Ark, the long-thought lost Autobot ship.
In Africa, a weakened Megatron, Starscream and Soundwave learn of the discovery of the pillar by the Autobots. Soundwave deploys Laserbeak to silence their human allies. At their base in Washington D.C, U.S Intelligence Director Charlotte Mearing reveals to the Autobots that the space race in 1969 was in response to the Ark crashing on the moon. An angered Optimus demands a mission to the moon with the Autobots on it. Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Ratchet wind up on the moon and discover and retrieve Sentinel Prime; Optimus Prime’s mentor and predecessor. They also recover five other pillars, and return to the Earth, unaware of three Decepticon stowaways named the Dreads (Crankcase, Hatchet and Crowbar).
Later, at his new job, Sam encounters a co-worker who recognises him from the television broadcasts. The co-worker tries to reveal to Sam a Decepticon plot, revealing that he has been forced to work with the Decepticons to cover up something before being killed by Laserbeak, who attacks Sam. After being injured by Sam, Laserbeak retreats and reports back to Soundwave. Sam then heads to NEST operations in Washington D.C. where he is introduced to Director Mearing. Optimus revives Sentinel Prime using the Matrix of Leadership. Having retrieved five other pillars, Sentinel reveals that the pillars allow the user to open space bridges and teleport them anywhere. However, he reveals that a hundred of them have gone missing. Director Mearing then forces Sam away.
Elsewhere, the three stowaway Decepticons adopt Earth vehicle forms and inform Megatron that they are ready to strike.
Later, Sam, puzzled why Decepticons have been enlisting the help of humans, meets with Seymour Simmons, who has now become a millionaire after writing books about his experiences with Sector Seven. He also has a butler and assistant named Dutch. Soon Carly arrives who gets into an argument with Sam. After breaking up with Sam, Carly angrily leaves for a party hosted by Dylan.
Following a lead, Sam and co arrive at Atlantic City, where they meet up with a former Russian cosmonaut living in the states. After a brief scuffle which Brains defuses, the cosmonaut reveals that the Soviet Union were the first to send cameras onto the moon. Footage revealed over a hundred pillars lying over the surface of the moon, however only five was recovered. Sam deduces that the Decepticons must have recovered the other pillars. However, he is puzzled as to why the Decepticons left Sentinel Prime unharmed. He believes that Sentinel Prime maybe the only one who knows how to use the pillars. He realises that the Decepticons left Sentinel Prime, so that the Autobots could recover him as Optimus is the only one who could revive him.
Realising that it was a set-up, Sam warns Director Mearing about Sentinel Prime. The Autobots (Mirage, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Ironhide and the Twins), Sam and co escort Sentinel Prime back to NEST operations. Along the way, the group is attacked by the Dreads. In the ensuing battle, Simmons is severely injured by a Dread, while Sentinel Prime escapes back to base.
When Captain Lennox and Ironhide return to base Sentinel Prime betrays the Autobots, murdering Ironhide and the Twins. He reveals that he always was the key before battling and gravely injuring Optimus, and joining forces with Megatron. Sentinel Prime never believed that the Autobots would have won the war so he forced himself into an alliance with Megatron to end it. Starscream’s attack on the Ark was a ruse, and Sentinel was actually on his way to meet Megatron.
Now with their plan set in motion, Megatron opens a Space Bridge and transports a multitude of Decepticons hidden on the moon to Earth, before going into hiding for the time being. Sentinel Prime speaks to the humans, revealing that he is the true leader of the Autobots, and his plans to mine Earth’s resources to rebuild Cybertron. He also demands the exile of the former rebel Autobots (Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Sideswipe, Mirage and Wheeljack) in order to avoid any conflict. If this agreement is not met, Sentinel Prime reveals he will destroy all human life with a battalion of Transformers.
In Gould Estate, Sam arrives and makes up with Carly. Suddenly they are attacked by Laserbeak and Soundwave, disguised as Carly’s car. Dylan reveals that he is in league with the Decepticons. He reveals that he and his family have been working with the Decepticons all along, noting that his father helped the U.S. government cover up the moon crash landing. In exchange for Carly’s life, Dylan forces Sam to spy on the Autobots and inform the Decepticons about the Autobots plans for retribution. He also forcibly gives Sam a small Decepticon to monitor and record the Autobots plans.
Later, Sam meets up with Director Mearing and Robert Epps, who reveal that the UN has exiled the Autobots. He asks Optimus if they are planning anything, subtly tipping him off. Optimus reveals that the Autobots intend to leave on a ship called The Xantium, built by a hidden sub-team of Autobots called The Wreckers. The Wreckers had been hidden from the public eye due to their abrasive personalities. Bumblebee remains on Earth, disguised as an old Datsun and helps Sam get rid of the Decepticon given to him by Dylan. The Autobots leave on The Xantium, but just as they do, their ship is shot down by Starscream and the Autobots are believed to be dead. Sam convinces Epps to help him find Dylan and rescue Carly. They realise that they are in Chicago, so Sam, Bumblebee, Epps and a few mercenaries in league with Epps head to Chicago.
Planning to open the space bridge in the centre of Chicago, Megatron orders the Decepticons to lay waste to the city. Most of the population is evacuated though. Having secured the city of Chicago and following a meeting between Sentinel Prime and Megatron who are starting to have a friction, Dylan reveals to Carly Sentinel Prime’s plans to use Earth’s human population as slave labour but because humans will be unable to survive going through the space bridge, Sentinel intends to bring Earth and Cybertron together using the space bridge. Though this will destroy the Earth, the surviving human population will be used to rebuild Cybertron by mining the Earth’s resources. Whilst leaving Chicago with Carly, Dylan encounters Sam who attempts to free Carly only to be attacked by Laserbeak. Laserbeak is destroyed by a Decepticon tank piloted by Bumblebee, while Dylan escapes.
Sam rescues Carly and just when Epps and company seem to think all hope is lost, the Autobots (Mirage, Wheeljack, Sideswipe, Ratchet and the Wreckers) return to the city, having never boarded the ship in the first place. Dylan informs Megatron about this; however Sentinel Prime reveals that he anticipated this move on Optimus’ part. As the Autobots prepare for battle, Shockwave arrives with the Driller. Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Ratchet, Mirage and Wheeljack battle him only to quickly realise that they are powerless against Shockwave. Carly reveals to Sam that if they can destroy the control pillar opening the space bridge, the whole space bridge will collapse, having learnt this of off Dylan. However, Epps reveals that they only have one shot left with the launcher and radios for backup.
Eventually, the Autobots are overpowered by the Decepticon forces and captured. Soundwave kills Mirage, and just as he prepares to kill Bumblebee he is knocked aside by a Wheelie piloted Decepticon flagship who massacre a horde of Decepticons. The Autobots manage to escape, and Bumblebee kills Soundwave. Starscream is also killed by Sam. The group attempts to blow the control pillar from afar but that plan fails, and the building that they are in is tipped over by the Driller. Sentinel Prime also betrays Megatron and knocks him off the building, having no intention to work for him.
The Autobot inventor, Wheeljack, outfits Optimus with a jetpack, before being killed by a group of Decepticon protoforms. Optimus arrives and massacres a horde of Decepticons, including the Driller before battling and killing Shockwave. He then uses Shockwave’s laser blaster to destroy the control pillar. The main piece of the pillar falls in front of Sam who attempts to retrieve it only to be confronted by Dylan. A fight ensues, in which Dylan is killed by the piece of the control pillar as it disintegrates him. The military also arrive.
An angered Megatron is persuaded by Carly to destroy Sentinel Prime. Megatron and Optimus join forces and battle Sentinel Prime. While Megatron distracts Sentinel, Optimus gets hold of Sentinel’s rust cannon, and destroys Sentinel with his own weapon. Following the battle, Megatron and Optimus Prime make peace to end the war. Megatron and the remaining Decepticon forces return to Cybertron. Sam and Carly have rekindled, and Bumblebee produces a gasket ring and forces Sam into unwittingly proposing as the two share a kiss.
Optimus Prime and the remaining Autobots remain on Earth; their new home.
Autobots
Decepticons
Humans
Robert Epps