Nomad

August 17, 2015
Filled with a Heinleinesque sense of wonder, National Book Awardâwinner Alexander's (Goblin Secrets) depictions of life in space pave the way for unlimited possibilities in this sequel to Ambassador (2014). Gabe Fuentes remains the current "ambassador of Terra and all Terran life," a position unknown by most inhabitants of Earth, yet always filled by a child. After a failed assassination attempt, Gabe takes to Zvezda, an abandoned lunar base from the era of the space race, with his bloblike alien teacher/advisor, Envoy. The base was formerly inhabited by Terra's last ambassador, Nadia, who went missing 40 years ago, and is the perfect place to meet with Kaen, another ambassador. Now hidden with an alien fleet in the depths of an asteroid, Gabe and Kaen must figure out how the Outlast, a race bent on universal domination, are traveling galaxies faster than anyone believed possible. Luckily, they have the help of their Envoysâand Nadia. A somewhat slow beginning gives way to imaginative detail and extraterrestrial action that should please fans of the first book. Ages 8â12. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary

Starred review from August 15, 2015
Gabriel Sandro Fuentes, 11-year-old ambassador of Earth, fends off an alien invasion. The superb conclusion to this two-part tale of space diplomacy restarts Gabriel's tale at the very moment Ambassador (2014) concluded: when he meets the shockingly human child ambassador of the nomadic, spacefaring Kaen. The Kaen are still out for Gabe's blood, Earth is threatened by the species-destroying Outlast, and (no less world-shaking) Gabriel's father's been deported from the United States to Mexico. Gabriel convinces the Kaen ambassador that he's her best ally against the Outlast, so he joins her on Kaen territory. The Kaen's jaguar-shaped shuttlecraft, Olmec-style spacesuits, and terrible tamales perturb Gabriel, though his fear that aliens may have been responsible for Mayan civilization prove unfounded. In the fascinatingly familiar craft, Gabriel and Kaen join with Ambassador Nadia, the previous child ambassador of Earth, who flew into a time dilation when she tried to fight the Outlast-in 1974. Soviet Nadia and modern American Gabe get on swimmingly, despite the culture clash; after all, they're both diplomats. Nadia has a vision disability, which Alexander handles with welcome nuance. Though Gabriel's not all that believable as an 11-year-old, he's thoroughly credible as an empathetic hero. With Nadia and Kaen, he relies on one hope to stop the Outlast: "Communication is possible. Communication is always possible." Maybe that's true on Earth, as well. Alexander is clearly passionate about science, space exploration, and social justice, but he never allows that passion to shortchange the crackerjack adventure. (Science fiction. 11-14)

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