This action-packed apocalyptic SF yarn will please attendees of comic book conventions and gamer expos.
In Gillespie’s YA SF series opener, a young female survivor of a radiation-ravaged planet becomes the protector of a psychic child.
The first installment in the author’s Riders of the Stars series takes place in a space-faring future in which human-colonized worlds throughout the cosmos are devastated by an alien species called the Kraal, who come from a mysterious void to feast on human beings. The only way to deter the scourge is to detonate nuclear warheads. The world of Arcadia, 25 years after the invasion, is now one of numerous hell-planets where people attempt to survive in the “badlands” despite radiation, zombies, other void-spawned monsters, brigands, and a heavy-handed military. Ashe is a young woman raised in safety in a subterranean Arcadian enclave until her family perishes when the ruling “Commissioner” suddenly evicts them. The vengeful Ashe scrounges among the surface ruins and falls in with a couple of misfits on a self-described treasure hunt. Joining their raid on a bandit lair, Ashe becomes the guardian of a captive held there: Jade, a 6-year-old boy who soon displays unusual psychic powers. Jade, the product of a laboratory project, is also known as JDE-82 and is urgently sought by sinister authorities. The protagonists face assorted perils, typically in the form of video game–like “boss” battles; the author is also a game developer with a taste for cinematic action (“An explosion rattled the walls from the path behind them, shaking bits of gravel loose—the raiders were coming. With renewed energy, they continued running, slowing only when approaching cross tunnels”). The plot ultimately transcends video game conventions, growing more twisty and compelling by the final act. The author works in a microgenre defined as astropunk, characterized by post-apocalyptic settings and violence blended with a space-opera sensibility (in a nice touch, the chapter titles are vintage pop-song titles). Many elements here strongly evoke Japanese anime, but the material is devoid of raunch or profanity—the body count among the supporting ensemble gets pretty high, though.
This action-packed apocalyptic SF yarn will please attendees of comic book conventions and gamer expos.Pub Date: June 22, 2023
ISBN: 9780998749921
Page Count: 322
Publisher: Revenant Press
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
After a slow start, an action-packed adventure about embracing vulnerability and trusting yourself.
In this debut by YouTuber Impicciche, a young siren princess is faced with a mission she cannot refuse.
Celeste’s mother, Queen Halia, has always considered her to be too emotional—like the irrational humans. In order to prove herself, Celeste has spent several cycles, the sirens’ unit of time, training to become a member of the Chorus, a militarized unit that patrols the seas. Before her final test, Celeste comes across an attractive human prince, Raiden, whose father is King Leonidas—her mother’s sworn enemy. She ends up saving Raiden’s life, but when her mother learns of her transgression, she offers Celeste the chance to go on a mission that requires her to become human and avoid being executed for treason. The narrative, which initially is strongly reminiscent of “The Little Mermaid,” has some slower moments and repetitive elements that are offset by witty commentary that helps engage readers. The opening drags, but the pace picks up as the story unfolds. Impicciche does a good job of creating a detailed world of siren customs and traditions. Her characters exhibit emotional depth, conveying what it feels like to be lost and betrayed. Sirens have skin of varying colors, including blue, purple, and green; Celeste’s skin is “soft peach.” Raiden presents white, and there’s racial diversity among other humans.
After a slow start, an action-packed adventure about embracing vulnerability and trusting yourself. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 22, 2025
ISBN: 9798212980906
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Blackstone
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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