It’s good fluff, but it doesn’t satisfy the dire need for well-wrought SF for preteens.
Can Earth Space Command cadet Mason Stark safeguard a shaky intergalactic peace?
Mason and his fellow cadets brokered peace between humans and Tremist forces, but not before the Earth was snatched from our solar system and deposited near the Tremist homeworld (The Planet Thieves, 2013). Now the grand admiral of the ESC has heard rumors that Tremists are working on a weapon that violates the treaty. Since Mason has a standing invitation to study at the Rhadgast school, an academy for Tremist soldiers, the admiral wants Mason and his best friend, Tom, to spy for the ESC. It will be dangerous, but Mason’s interested, as a Rhadgast told him he might learn the truth of what happened to his parents at the school. In the sometimes-hostile environment of a new school on a new planet, mysteries abound…and one might hold the key to fending off the impending invasion of the monstrous Fangborn. This sequel is Harry Potter in sci-fi robes. Boy seen as hero is thrust into a new school in an unfamiliar culture and sorted into a section of the school by a mysterious ritual, and he investigates when students begin to disappear. The fine mystery/adventure breaks down at the unsatisfying conclusion, which attempts to set up a third volume. Mason’s an interesting character, but those around him don’t develop much.
It’s good fluff, but it doesn’t satisfy the dire need for well-wrought SF for preteens. (Science fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7653-3429-9
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Starscape/Tom Doherty
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2014
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship.
A young tennis champion becomes the target of revenge.
In this sequel to Legacy and the Queen (2019), Legacy Petrin and her friends Javi and Pippa have returned to Legacy’s home province and the orphanage run by her father. With her friends’ help, she is in training to defend her championship when they discover that another player, operating under the protection of High Consul Silla, is presenting herself as Legacy. She is so convincing that the real Legacy is accused of being an imitation. False Legacy has become a hero to the masses, further strengthening Silla’s hold, and it becomes imperative to uncover and defeat her. If Legacy is to win again, she must play her imposter while disguised as someone else. Winning at tennis is not just about money and fame, but resisting Silla’s plans to send more young people into brutal mines with little hope of better lives. Legacy will have to overcome her fears and find the magic that allowed her to claim victory in the past. This story, with its elements of sports, fantasy, and social consciousness that highlight tensions between the powerful and those they prey upon, successfully continues the series conceived by late basketball superstar Bryant. As before, the tennis matches are depicted with pace and spirit. Legacy and Javi have brown skin; most other characters default to White.
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949520-19-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Granity Studios
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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