Honor Among Thieves

November 1, 2017
Zara Cole is on the run. A distant-future mobster named Torian Deluca is out to find her after she accidentally/on purpose robbed his daughter. A master thief who has lived for years in the Lower Eight of New Detroit, Zara realizes that if Deluca catches up to her, he might kill her. Faking a violent fit, Zara gets herself checked into a youth-detention facility to stay out of his reach. While she's incarcerated, the story takes a very wide turn when Zara is mysteriously selected to join the Honors space program, a scientific and cultural exchange program between the extraterrestrial Leviathan and humans. Now aboard a Leviathan living ship named Nadim, Zara finds herself communicating with it. She also begins to suspect that there is something sinister about the entire Honors program. Zara's snarky first-person account of her troubled childhood and overnight transition to astronaut keeps the story interesting at times. However, the story is undermined by the perpetuation of common racial and ethnic stereotypes in this futuristic world. Zara, the young, black female protagonist from New Detroit, is a criminal. Deluca is a stereotypical Italian bad guy, and a Chinese Honor participant is described as having "a degree in something complicated." The sentient ships that display emotion fall short in execution and don't give the plot the range it needs.An ambitious premise that is amiable but not believable. (Science fiction. 14-adult)

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Starred review from December 4, 2017
In 2042, sentient spaceships called the Leviathan saved Earth from ruin by sharing their technology. In return, humans agreed to provide crew to assist with research and maintenance while imparting their knowledge and culture. A century later, it has become customary for the Leviathan to tap 100 skilled individuals, known as Honors, every 12 months for yearlong deployments. Homeless teenager Zara Cole isn’t good at anything but fighting and stealing, so she’s shocked when she’s selected to tour the stars with a Leviathan named Nadim. The experience proves transformative: the previously hard-bitten Zara befriends Beatriz Teixeira, the other human on board, and forms an ineffable bond with Nadim. Still, Zara can’t shake the feeling that the Leviathan are hiding something. This series opener from Caine (the Great Library series) and Aguirre (the Immortal Game trilogy) is both a thrilling SF novel and a deeply philosophical examination of the nature of love. Keenly wrought characters, imaginative worldbuilding, and an inventive plot engage and gratify while urging readers to stay curious, question authority, and fight injustice. Ages 13–up. Agent: (for Caine) Lucienne Diver, Knight Agency; (for Aguirre) Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary.

December 1, 2017

Gr 8 Up-In the year 2042, Earth was on the brink of a global crisis when the sentient spaceships known as the Leviathan appeared. In exchange for their help, 100 human Honors are chosen each year to travel with the Leviathan, with the option to continue on to the mysterious lifelong mission known as the Journey. One hundred years later, and to her surprise, loner Zara Cole is chosen to be one of these elite humans, pairing with one of the Leviathan, Nadim, along with her human crewmate, Beatriz. Together they discover that what they thought they knew about the universe is dangerously wrong. Science fiction fans will find comfort in the many familiar story beats here-hints of popular predecessors, such as The 5th Wave and Farscape abound. What could be construed as cliched by making protagonist Zara a streetwise thief is thankfully saved by adding relatable layers to her character. As she opens up about her past, readers learn about her fear of confinement, resourcefulness, and bravery, among other traits. Her relationship with Nadim could be interpreted as a deep bond or read into as a possible alien romance. The diverse cast of supporting characters help to add depth. Beatriz is Portuguese, others come from all over the world, and it's hinted at that Zara is biracial. A revelatory ending will entice teens for the sequel. VERDICT While the story doesn't feel particularly distinctive, it's sure to find a broad fan base among sci-fi readers.-Kimberly Castle-Alberts, Akron-Summit County Public Library

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

When Zara commits another petty crime, instead of going to jail, she's offered a chance to join an elite team that explores the universe. Soon she finds herself aboard the Leviathan, a race of sentient spaceships. Narrator Adenrele Ojo's spunky, young voice captures Zara's fighting spirit as well as her curiosity. Narrator Adam Lazarre-White portrays the character of Nadim, one of the ships, as well as chapter breaks. Zara's prickly exterior begins to soften the longer she's on the Leviathan, and Ojo navigates this change seamlessly as well as expressing the deepening bond between Zara and Nadim. Despite the narrators' strong performances, listeners will wish for more action and less backstory even though it's needed for the story to unfold. A.M. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

November 1, 2017
Grades 8-11 Eighteen-year-old, dark-skinned, petty thief Zara Cole inadvertently steals from a major crime boss not known for forgiveness, but, luckily, fate steps in, and she is chosen to be an Honor in the interspecies exchange program between humans and Leviathans. These sentient creature-ships host humans for a year-long space tour with the option of extending indefinitely. Mystery shrouds this program, and as inquisitive Zara, co-Honor Beatriz (a Rio-born musician), and the Leviathan Nadim travel together, its dark side is revealed. Caine and Aguirre create a fresh and fascinating story of interspecies bonding, the power of music, and the effects of trauma on good creatures. A few culturally specific references seem forced, but the bond between the humans and alien is delicately built and inspiring. Nadim (the ship) and Zara share first-person narrative duties, and this is primarily Zara's story with a few intercut chapters from Nadim's perspective. Pair this with Philip Reeve's Railhead (2016), or for a real throwback, bring out Anne McCaffrey's Brain and Brawn Ship series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)