While this is the conclusion of this particular voyage, there is enough material left to make Galahad fans hope there may be...
The starship Galahad left Earth on a mission with the last remnants of humankind: 250 teens chosen for their intellect, their areas of expertise and their ability to survive.
It’s been a year since lift off from a dying planet. Traveling to the closest star system capable of supporting human life, these teens have already dealt with sabotage, alien life forms, on-board romances, power plays among the crew and the death of one of their own. But they now face their biggest challenge yet. Galahad is breaking down around them and will disintegrate in a matter of days if they can’t escape this sector of space. A new alien species, the Dollovit, has offered to guide the Galahad through a worm hole to deliver them to their destination—for a price. Even more threatening is the discovery of a virus inserted into the ship’s operating software that might cause her to explode at any time. Are the Dollovit friends or foe? Will the ship’s crew stay united or split into factions? Will they arrive at their destination in time to disembark or blow up just when their new life is in sight? Testa knows how to keep the pages turning. An author's note assuring teens they can be both cool and smart at the same time and reader's guide round out the book.
While this is the conclusion of this particular voyage, there is enough material left to make Galahad fans hope there may be more: It’s a new future out there. (Science fiction. 13-17)Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7653-2112-1
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: Nov. 8, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2011
Fast-paced but forgettable.
An antique Japanese sword causes havoc in contemporary London in this series opener.
Growing up in the U.K., Mio has little knowledge of her Japanese heritage. What she does have comes mostly from her late grandfather, who on one unforgettable occasion showed her their family’s heirloom katana. Mio knows it’s stupid to use a priceless family treasure as part of her costume for a Christmas party, but she can’t resist the temptation to accessorize with the Japanese long sword. Of course, when she removes the katana from its hiding place, she unwittingly awakens its powers and unleashes a monster from Japanese myth on London. In her first foray into urban fantasy, Marriott (Shadows of the Moon, 2012) wears her influences on her sleeve. Many details of the plot will feel familiar to fans of shonen manga and anime, like Tite Kubo’s Bleach or Kazue Kato’s Blue Exorcist. While Mio’s wry narration is appealing, her romance with Shinobu, a boy linked to the katana, progresses too quickly to instant love to be compelling. In the end, it’s a shame the London setting isn’t more fully explored, as the contrast between the setting and the use of Japanese myth has the potential to make this otherwise derivative adventure feel fresh.
Fast-paced but forgettable. (Urban fantasy. 13-16)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6957-7
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 30, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2014
The glimpses of monstrous action from the werewolf’s point of view don’t make up for the trite human interactions.
A teenage girl is cursed with lycanthropy.
The morning after her 16th birthday, Dominy Robineau wakes up, naked, next to the mauled corpse of her best friend. She has no memory of what happened but knows she is the killer. This is the culmination of weeks of weirdness, marked by sudden-onset hirsutism (especially painful for the pretty, popular girl), uncontrollable rages and violent outbursts—all of which her friends somehow forgive. Far too late to be helpful, her father tells her of a crime from his youth and the subsequent Native American curse placed on him: that his firstborn child would become a werewolf. Dominy and her miraculously understanding friends must find a way around the curse and the witch who cast it, Luba—who is dubbed the “Psycho Squaw” by the shamelessly politically incorrect Dominy. The monstrousness of the werewolf curse is, surprisingly, the most believable aspect of the story, a break from the usual “monster with a heart of gold” trope. Some sprawling subplots involving a mysterious set of twins and Dominy’s comatose mother don’t go anywhere. Instead, they, and hints at other supernatural creatures, remain underdeveloped in a resolution-free ending evidently set up as a teaser for further books.
The glimpses of monstrous action from the werewolf’s point of view don’t make up for the trite human interactions. (author’s letter to readers, preview of next book) (Paranormal adventure. 14-17)Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7582-8072-5
Page Count: 408
Publisher: Kensington
Review Posted Online: Dec. 25, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2013
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