An engaging space adventure with relatable characters.
Taylor’s YA/New Adult SF adventure novel follows a teenager tasked with protecting the savior of humanity.
Jinx is a Protector who’s guarding Laris, whose amazing abilities are needed to save organic life from extinction; another character describes her as “an opening that universal energy pours through.” They’re on a spaceship headed to the Milky Way, and specifically the planet Earth, the crew’s long-abandoned home. This has Jinx on edge, as the Galactic Overseers restricted travel to that galaxy after an atomic war, so there’s no telling what’s waiting for them. Jinx and Laris are joined on their mission by nerdy scientists Jacob and Claire, who keep the ship and technology running; Hadu, who’s tasked with preparing Jinx for her work as a Protector; and DeeDee, an artificial intelligence that’s programmed to watch Jinx’s back. Jinx will do anything to protect Laris—even if it means adventuring with a ragtag group to a whole new world. However, it soon becomes clear that this Earth is nothing like the one inhabited by humanity’s ancestors. Soon, the crew discover that a couple of mercenaries have targeted Laris with tech, hired by an unknown client for a mysterious mission—and it appears that Sartillias, a dangerous enemy they’ve encountered before, is once again involved. Taylor pens an adventure story that will delight adult and young adult readers alike. It’s a direct sequel to Rise of the Protector (2019), and the author does a solid job of bringing readers who are unfamiliar with the first book into the story, without making it feel redundant for others. Many of the characters here are easy to like, thanks to DeeDee’s insatiable ice cream craving (and the mess it creates), Jinx’s absolute adoration of Laris, and the banter that Jinx and Jacob share: “You’re absolutely sure this one is safe?” Jinx says of a black hole. “Define ‘safe,’ ” Jacob responds. The author also shows skill at making impossible sequences, such as a wormhole travel scene, seem real, which makes for an entertaining read.
An engaging space adventure with relatable characters.Pub Date: Aug. 16, 2022
ISBN: 979-8986053714
Page Count: 286
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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