Revenger

Starred review from January 23, 2017
This space adventure from lauded SF author Reynolds is an expert mix of the fantastical and horrific. The time is the very far future, and humankind has spread through a vastly wonderful but daunting universe. Arafura Ness, on the cusp of adulthood, is lured by her older sister, Adrana, into joining the crew of a spaceship seeking intermittently accessible caches of alien treasures. Humans have adapted to many strange circumstances; for example, the Ness sisters are valued because they have the talent to become bone readers, capable of mentally linking space travelers by probing the skulls of long-dead aliens. After an agreeable opening that reads like an SF version of Treasure Island, an attack by horrifyingly sadistic pirate Bosa Sennen shatters the comfortable role Arafura has been settling into and sets her off on the ruthless pursuit of revenge. Her success—or downfall, depending on how a reader views what she makes of herself—is convincing, satisfying, and scary. This is a remarkably creative, resonant space opera.

Space salvage is no occupation for a proper 15-year-old girl. But Fura Ness, as demurely voiced by narrator Clare Corbett, is no ordinary teen. What starts as a lark and a way to financially aid their family ends up a dangerous venture for Fura and her older sister, Adrana. An innocent at first, Fura grows tougher as she pursues the villainous Bosa Sennon, who kidnaps Adrana. Thanks to Corbett's vocal choices, listeners can hear this hardening in Fura. The chameleonlike Corbett also effectively voices Fura's many diverse crewmates--from burly men to hardscrabble women--all seeking "baubles," planetoids that hold priceless relics from past civilizations. The enjoyable result is a layered star-spanning odyssey filled with drama, adventure, and, yes, revenge. D.E.M. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

February 15, 2017

Sisters Adrana and Arafura Ness run away from a safe life, hoping to earn money to help their father. They've been tested and found to have the rare ability to pick up the ghostly signals put out by alien skulls, so they are hired as bone readers for the ship Monetta's Mourn. A good reader can not only pick up what is being sent to their ship but also eavesdrop on other ships' messages. Captains like Rackamore of the Monetta use that hijacked information to help them plan heists on the treasures locked away around the galaxy. But when their ship tangles with Bosa Sennan, the notorious pirate, Adrana and Arafura are separated and Fura vows revenge. VERDICT Reynolds (Slow Bullets) has sketched in a galaxy littered with the relics of former civilizations (human and alien), with plenty left to the reader's imagination, and room for a sequel. The space slang (air is "lungstuff") sometimes seems hokey, but the author marries pirate adventures with a coming-of-age story in a way that should give it great crossover appeal for teens.--MM

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2017

If Pirates of the Caribbean were set in a galaxy far, far away, you might have the tale that unfolds for teenage Arafura. Caught up in her sister Adrana's plans, Arafura agrees to join the crew of a ship as a Bone Reader, one who can give and receive messages through telepathy. The ship is attacked by the dreaded Bosa Sennen, who captures Adrana and sets the gears in motion for revenge. The plot holds few twists, and more mature readers may become frustrated by the sudden and unbelievable resurrection of Paladin, the loyal family robot. There are some scenes of graphic violence, but they are balanced by Arafura's wry humor, the development of a new friendship, and her heroic quest. The straightforward writing will appeal to young adults, even though the story is less than thought provoking. VERDICT For those seeking a quick sci-fi adventure that leaves room for a sequel.-Pamela Schembri, Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2016
The award-winning Reynolds' newest action-packed science fiction novel is a tale of sisterly devotion, heartbreaking loss, and brutal vengeance. During the Thirteenth Occupation, humanity is spread throughout a galactic Congregation using an economy based on the sale of artifacts from earlier occupations. These relics are found on baubles worlds sealed inside shields that open at irregular intervals. Ships equipped with solar sails and utilizing ancient alien skulls to communicate across the cosmos compete for these treasures. Arafura Ness is lured away from her ailing and financially strapped father by older sister Adrana's promises of adventure and fortune. With a sympathetic skull-meshing talent, they are quickly signed on as Bone Readers to a sunjammer heading out on a bauble hunt. Just as they are accepted by the crew, their ship is attacked and Adrana kidnapped. Fura's search for her sibling will change her in ways she could never have considered, and the cost may be more than either can bear. Fans of the authors' Poseidon's Children saga will enjoy the well-developed characters and detailed world building.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)