A Conspiracy of Stars

October 1, 2017
In this sci-fi series opener, one girl is the link between two worlds.Over 40 years ago, humans landed on Faloiv after their home planet became uninhabitable. Since then, whitecoats, highly esteemed scientists, have been studying the planet to discover its secrets. As the daughter of two great scientists, Octavia's greatest ambition is to become a whitecoat herself, but life on Faloiv is changing. With a new, corrupt council leader, people are becoming increasingly hostile toward their native hosts, the Faloii. When Octavia discovers that one of the Faloii has been secretly kidnapped by her people--an act that could spell war--she sets out to find answers. What she discovers shakes the foundation of everything she thought she knew about herself, the whitecoats, and life on the planet. Through rich imagery and descriptions, Cole brings this beautiful world to life. She tackles complex social issues like imperialism and asks where the line is between humanity and scientific progress. The novel features well-rounded characters, from Octavia's lovable friends to her cold, calculating father. However, questions remain about life before Faloiv, as the humans seem to be strangely disconnected from their not-too-distant past. Octavia and her friends, Rondo and Alma, are black but it's unclear how diverse the human population of Faloiv is.Transporting and entrancing, the novel will leave readers craving more adventures in Faloiv. (Science fiction. 13-18)

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November 1, 2017

Gr 8 Up-The survivors of the Origin Planet had only ever planned for Faloiv to be a stopping point, but a broken ship left them stranded. Octavia was born on Faloiv and has known nothing else but the compound of N'Terra and the prestigious whitecoat scientists she has always longed to become. When a new leader is elected as the head of the Council and students are suddenly able to enter the whitecoats' secret labs, Octavia should be thrilled-but something is wrong. She hears buzzing in her ears, smells things that no one else notices, and can't seem to keep it together whenever an animal is near. As she delves deeper into the labs and discovers the extremist views of their new leader, Octavia gets tangled in hidden agendas, deception, and family secrets that threaten to destroy the delicate balance and life of Faloiv. Cole has created a fast-paced adventure full of futuristic science, beautiful and imaginative creatures, and characters that run the gamut of relatable, frightening, and mysterious. While the lush, otherworldly, and at times dangerous Faloiv bares many similarities to the fictitious world of Pandora from the movie Avatar, the unique quality of the plot enables it to stand on its own. In a time when books are so often drawn into series, this installment leaves you begging for more. VERDICT A great science fiction/fantasy addition to any library collection.-Erica Deb, Matawan Aberdeen Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 13, 2017
Cole’s slow-burning adventure, first in a planned duology, is set in a distant future in which mankind has evacuated Earth (aka the Origin Planet) and established the colony of N’Terra on the planet Faloiv after a temporary pit stop became permanent. Sixteen-year-old Octavia yearns to study the natural wonders and dangers of Faloiv, but when she develops the ability to telepathically hear the planet’s native fauna and encounters one of the reclusive, indigenous Faloii, she is inspired to investigate N’Terra’s secrets. It turns out that some of her fellow colonists are no longer interested in living in harmony with nature or playing by the Faloii’s rules, and it falls to Octavia and her friends to prevent war. Though Cole (Panther in the Hive) offers evocative descriptions of the natural landscape of Faloiv, the underlying critique of colonialism, while valuable, overshadows Octavia’s personal journey, and it takes quite some time for the story to gain momentum. It’s an intriguing series opener, but the familiarity of the setup and themes don’t give it much of a spark. Ages 13–up. Agent: Regina Brooks, Serendipity Literary.

Starred review from November 1, 2017
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* In her first YA novel, Cole delivers a brilliant and suspenseful sci-fi adventure revolving around two separate worlds, N'Terra and Faloiv, that exist side by side in a tenuous peace. N'Terra is home to a renowned group of scientists known as whitecoats, and Octavia yearns to become one of the elite scientists who studies the natural wonders of Faloiv. When N'Terra's labs suddenly change their long-standing policy of seclusion and open their doors to students, Octavia seizes the chance to discover Faloiv's secrets. But she soon learns that the whitecoats and N'Terra's ruling council may be hiding information about the true nature of the experiments they conduct. As Octavia discovers one shadowy secret after another, she is set on an inevitable collision course with the new, charming, and extremist leader of the council. She also finds herself at the center of a looming war, spurred on by her discovery of the truths behind the history she's been taught, the science she lives by, and the family from which she hails. This fantastical read is home to exceptional world building that is intricate and lush and vivid, with well-drawn characters. Its sci-fi elements, like skinsuits and the array of peculiar flora and fauna, plunge readers into a mysterious, futuristic world that they will be reluctant to leave. A stellar, captivating start to Cole's duology.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)