From creepy to hilarious to murkily outlandish: a freewheeling science-fiction nightmare/comedy from the inventive author of The Green Futures of Tycho (as well as several non-sf winners). Barney, 16, is summering with his folks in a rented house on the New England coast—a house that once belonged to a tormented, insane 19th-century sea-captain. And staying in the cottage nearby are three glamorous, vaguely European jet-set types: Zena, Manny, and Joe—an attractive but apparently non-sexual menage a trois. Why does this trio take such an intense interest in the house where Barney is staying? (They blatantly traipse in and search the place.) Why do they have in their possession the unpublished memoirs of that crazy sea-captain—who went mad after a visitation from some mysterious, unearthly sailor? Why do Barney's parents see the strangers as idealistic (Dad) and socially important (Mom)—when they're really neither? Those are a few of the questions on Barney's mind as he too finds himself being entranced by Zena, Manny, and Joe: they invite him over for an evening of "Interstellar Pig," a space-fantasy board game that's hysterically complicated and fiendishly "extreme." (Zena explains—"If you happen to be a water-breathing gill man from Thrilb, you can't set foot on Vavoosh without special breathing equipment, or you'll drown in boiling ammonia—not a pretty way to go. Or let's suggest you're an arachnoid nyph from Vavoosh, and you end on Mbridlengile, God forbid. . . .") Soon, however, Barney realizes that the trio is after some hidden treasure, buried by that captain on a nearby islet; he beats them to it, digging up "The Piggy," a trinket with unspecified cosmic powers; he now realizes that Zena et al. are aliens, that the board game is a miniature replica of actual space-life, that the sailor who drove the captain mad was a time-traveling alien. Eventually, then, the game turns very nasty indeed—as the glamorous three reveal their gross alien-monster selves, desperate to get The Piggy from Barney. And the closing pages offer a sort of astral battle: Barney turns into a lichen, learns that The Piggy has nuclear hiccups, tries to save the world from a 100 megaton explosion. . . and ultimately figures out the tricky true identity of The Piggy. Notwithstanding the crunch of confusing sf-puzzle cliches in this semi-tongue-in-cheek finale: steady, challenging amusement for savvy readers.
Pub Date: June 11, 1984
ISBN: 0140375953
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1984
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
A well-thought-out magical world that provocatively centers Black experiences.
Black diaspora magic manifests in a boy on the worst day of his life—but later, things only get more complicated.
When Malik Baron was 7, his mother vanished in the explosive moment his powers manifested while he defended them from mysterious cloaked figures. Ten years (and many foster homes later), the short-tempered Malik isn’t much better at controlling his powers, but he’s ready to leave Helena, Alabama, and start over with Taye, his foster brother. Reuniting with Mama Aya, the maternal grandmother in New Orleans he never knew, wasn’t part of the plan, but fate draws Malik to her—and into a secret world of magic. He discovers Caiman University—a sort of magical historically Black college—which may be where he’ll find answers to what happened to his mother. Narrator Malik, who uses colorful language, is fully aware of the Black Harry Potter subtext of his story, and he’s thoughtfully focused on protecting Taye, proving his mother is still alive, and surviving in a world that has never made things easy, even before supernatural threats emerged. The extensive worldbuilding incorporates West African, Caribbean, and Black American history and cultures to explain a magical reality hidden from view and relevant to the Black diaspora and Malik’s family history. When Malik bumps into an old friend and potential love interest on campus, everything is in place for him to grow into his powers, uncover the truth, and face new heartbreak.
A well-thought-out magical world that provocatively centers Black experiences. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: May 7, 2024
ISBN: 9780593711927
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Labyrinth Road
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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