Freefall

July 15, 2017
In Bellin's (Scavenger of Souls, 2016, etc.) imaginative far-future sci-fi, the people selected to escape Earth wake from their millenniumlong sleep only to find their new home planet uninhabitable. As their resources quickly dwindle, two teenagers are the key to human survival--or extinction.Cameron Newell, the 17-year-old white boy who narrates, is more love-sick puppy than intergalactic hero. Son of a high-ranking Upperworld official, his privileged life is completely upended when he sees a broadcast of a Lowerworld protest. Cam is immediately captivated by the mesmerizing brown-skinned young woman leading the crowd. Convinced she is the love of his life and desperate to find her, Cam joins the Lowerworld revolutionaries. Unfortunately, the brilliant, corporation-run world the author creates and the fascinating themes inherent to revolution and colonization of a new planet are suppressed by Cam's self-centered lamentations. For example, through Cam's eyes, a key political decision is framed as a personal betrayal rather than an attempt to save hundreds of thousands of people. The most interesting aspects of the book, be they plot points or nuanced character development, are revealed through stretches of expository dialogue because Cam is too distracted by his single-minded crush on Sofie to know anything of value. Brings new meaning to "star-crossed lovers"--read it for the intriguing concepts that play out behind the romance. (Science fiction. 14-18)

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August 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-Earth, rocked by dwindling resources and increasing divisiveness, has been split into the Upperworld-the few privileged who still have a steady supply of food, wealth, and social mobility-and the Lowerworld, where the masses seethe and fight for their right to live. Cam is Upperworld, unaware of his privilege; when he sees a video of a Lowerworld girl, a revolutionary figure calling for peace and equality, he becomes obsessed with her. His desires, however, are waylaid by the impending space plan; Upperworld has built a huge spaceship capable of shooting thousands of humans far into space in search of a habitable planet. All Cam wants is to go into "deepsleep" and wake up on a fresh, new planet with Sofie, the revolutionary spokeswoman for the Lowerworld-but when he gets what he wants, all is not what it seems. This new planet is spongy and churning with strange-toothed insectoid creatures who try to kill them. As Cam becomes more involved in understanding the why and how of their presence on the planet, he is too far into the conspiracy to extract himself. A unique spin on the sci-fi trope of exploring new worlds, as much of the action is still focused on humanity's weaknesses. Detailed world-building is sacrificed to focus on character development; insightful backstories aid in rooting for (and against) the main characters. Even minor characters come alive with humanity under the author's deft workmanship. VERDICT A strong choice for YA sci-fi shelves.-Amanda C. Buschmann, Carroll Elementary School, Houston

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