Spacejackers

March 15, 2015
Can an orphan hold the key to the location of a lost planet and a fortune in gems?Eleven years ago, Jake Cutler was left in the care of the cyber-monks on the remote planet Remota. Living near the space port, Jake's always dreamed of visiting the stars. When space pirates attack the monastery, Jake escapes and joins forces with Callidus Stone, a fortune hunter, who thinks Jake is from the legendary hidden planet of Altus, rumored to have moons made of precious gems. When the cargo ship they book passage on turns out to be a pirate vessel run by Granny Leatherhead, they broker a deal to split the spoils of Altus. However, the vicious Interstellar Navy is hot on their heels. Can they and their new friends escape, discover the truth of Jake's past, and find the fabled planet? The future milieu that British author Powell imagines in this trilogy starter is interesting and has potential: corrupt military in the pockets of nefarious corporations, technology-worshipping monks, and pirates who pirate for good reason. It's not for seasoned genre readers; the characters are stock, and the storyline feels like a retread. Big reveals are telegraphed far too early, but there are thrills and a few laughs. Perhaps not totally "magnifty," as Jake would say, but far from "garbish," particularly for younger readers in need of a starter space opera. (Science fiction. 8-12)

March 1, 2015

Gr 4-7- Annie meets Star Wars in this swashbuckling if far-fetched science fiction pirate romp. Meet Jake Cutler, mischievous orphan ward of the cyber monks of the (remote) planet Remota. His only possession is the crystal pendant his parents gave him as a baby. Now 13 years old, Jake has attracted the notice of the authoritarian Interstellar Navy and must flee Remota with his treasure-seeking friends Callidus and Capio. They book passage on a space pirate ship captained by Granny Leatherhead and her motley band of profiteers. Searching for the secret location of Jake's home planet Altus, Jake makes two friends, Kella and Nanoo, whose gifts may help him evade pursuit and uncover his origins. One cannot fault the enthusiasm with which Powell retreads familiar science fiction territory. From the orphan with the mysterious past to the hardened treasure-seeker who discovers his conscience to the evil government entity determined to keep the galaxy downtrodden, there is not much new material here. Still, Jake's conversations with various space characters are worth a few smiles, and his epic curiosity leads him into nonstop adventures. Some plot points hinge on coincidence-Jake discovers most of his family secrets in rapid succession, and the author editorializes about his characters to the story's detriment. Still, minimal character development will not matter to most kids, and readers may use these familiar story elements as a framework for comprehension. VERDICT An additional purchase for larger collections that need more middle grade science fiction and adventure titles.-Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
Grades 4-6 A lad with a shadowy past falls in with a crew of cutlass-wielding, skull-helmeted space pirates in this fun interstellar yarn. A sudden attack on the techno-monks who took him in as a very young child sends purple-eyed preteen Jake Cutler fleeing from planet Remota aboard a rickety space scow crewed by the renowned if rather ragged Space Dogs: We put the fear in stratosphere. Along with rescuing a kidnapped rich girl and a stranded young alien from a distant galaxy, Jake and his motley allies escape from a mob at a mafia-owned spaceport, battle a giant space squid, almost fall into a black hole, defeat a much larger warship, and go on to discover the fabled, fabulously wealthy hidden planet Altusand it turns out that Jake is the long-lost heir. Following these breakneck adventures, it's no wonder that Jake's choice between a career in politics and blasting off with his buccaneer buddies turns out to be a no-brainer. At least two sequels are in the works. Pulptastic . . . or, as Jake puts it (repeatedly), Magnifty! (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)