THE LOST SWORD

Jake Cutler: orphan, space pirate, king…galactic leader?

The 13-year-old heir to the throne of the hidden, crystal-rich planet of Altus, Jake is currently flying with a crew of spacejackers in search of his missing father. He is also on the run from both the Interstellar Navy and the Galactic Trade Corp. There’s a hefty price on his head for destroying the ISS Colossus. Now, Jake is sure the Interstellar Navy, puppet to the crystal-hungry corporations, is planning to start a war with the independent colonies of all the solar systems. Can he, human crystal healer Kella, violet-skinned extraterrestrial Nanoo, and a salty crew of space pirates head off Adm. Vantard and stop a war—or is the galaxy doomed? British author Powell’s second in a trilogy has pacing issues, spending too much time describing travel and training and other mundane tasks and not enough in action. Fans of opening volume Spacejackers (2015) will find more of the same here: easy solutions to unsurprising obstacles but also some diverting derring-do. Those new to Jake’s adventure should start with Volume 1; though some background is filled in, not all is.

Light space opera to the nth degree; think J.J. Abrams’ Firefly interpreted by Nick Jr.