Polaris

December 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Picking up where Avalon (HarperCollins, 2014) left off, this novel has Jeth Seagrave, along with his newly discovered sister and his crew, the Malleus Shades-a bunch of teen outlaws working jobs for an intergalactic crime lord-on the run from the ITA, who are still holding his scientist mother captive. Long-thought dead, she had been imprisoned for years by the galactic organization because she and her unborn child were radically changed by their time in deep space, gaining the ability to manipulate time and space mentally. Jeth's otherworldly sister Cora holds the key to restoring the failed Metadrives that hold the Confederation together. In order to reunite his family, and ensure their continued freedom, Jeth must rely on his crew and enter into an extremely dangerous partnership with the galaxy's newest crime lord, as he takes the fight to the heart of the ITA itself. While Arnett's previous volume in the series bore some similarity to Joss Whedon's TV show, Firefly, her extremely exciting follow-up finds its own voice and spirit. With its high-octane plot, multidimensional characters, witty banter, and lots of heart, Polaris will appeal to fans of science fiction and action/adventure alike.-Ryan F. Paulsen, New Rochelle High School, NY

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