Ignite the Stars

July 1, 2018
A 17-year-old girl is the universe's most wanted criminal in Milan's exhilarating debut.After surrendering herself to the imperialist Olympus Commonwealth that is responsible for her home planet's destruction, golden-skinned, black-haired Ia Cocha is forced to join the Royal Star Force Academy on Aphelion. Upon arrival, the notorious expert pilot is feared by her peers and immediately plots her escape. Naturally blue-haired Brinn Tarver, a Commonwealth citizen who conceals her half-Tawny heritage out of fear, enrolls in the Academy and is devastated to discover that her roommate is Ia. Meanwhile, blond-haired and blue-eyed Flight Master Knives has lost faith in the Royal Star Force after his sister died on a mission and receives a remote control for a device implanted on Ia's heart. All three protagonists' alliances come under question as they begin to empathize with one another and dissect their political beliefs surrounding the treatment of refugee groups. Meanwhile, a slaving nation known as the Armada drives the plot forward as it takes over Ia's turf in Dead Space. Ia is a kick-ass fighter and complex heroine whose hot-and-cold attitude is often aimed at introspective Brinn, who has the greatest potential for growth. Knives comes close to being just a convenient love interest, but a future installment may redeem him.Fast-paced and gripping--a stellar opening to a new sci-fi adventure series focused on social justice. (Science fiction. 12-18)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2018

Gr 7 Up-In the year 8921, the Olympus Commonwealth boasts the most powerful military in the galaxy. The Commonwealth intends to explore and conquer as many star systems as possible and advance their political agenda throughout the known universe. Brinn Tarver is a 16-year-old citizen who loves the Commonwealth so much that she joins the Royal Star Force, its military arm. Ia Cõcha is a 17-year-old girl who lives among the fringe planets with her older brother. She is considered the "most dangerous criminal in Commonwealth history." Circumstances bring Brinn and Ia together, forcing them to open their minds to the possibility that not everything is as it seems. Milan has produced an incredible novel that is particularly relevant in the current political climate. Each chapter switches between the protagonists' perspectives, giving readers multiple points of view throughout. Milan is excellent at establishing relatable, complex characters. The action-packed sequences, with spaceship battles and academic competition, are so engaging, teens won't be able to put the book down. The author provides elaborate detail about the Royal Star Force academy, space, and the Commonwealth, immersing readers in a fully developed alternate world. VERDICT A strong first book in a sure-to-be successful science fiction series.-Davia Schmidt, Queens Public Library, NY

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2018
Grades 7-10 Ia Cocha is truly the scourge of her universe: pirate, killer, and as ruthless as they come. When she is caught by the Olympus Commonwealth, she avoids immediate execution by agreeing to join their military academy, Aphelion, where she comes to care deeply about her cohorts, including the son of the man who sent here there. As she learns to trust those around her, she discovers treachery on her brother's part and must choose between family loyalties and newly minted friendships. Despite an occasional clunky phrase, Milan makes a solid debut with this novel of space pirates, governmental empires, simmering teen rebellion, and questions about whether a person is truly all good or bad. The battle scenes are engaging, and the ending indicates further adventures for Ia and her new allies. Give this to fans of space opera, like Melissa Landers' Starfall (2017), or for an amped-up experience, send them to Claudia Gray's Defy the Stars? (2017) or the Illumnae trilogy, by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)