The Almost King

June 1, 2016
Seventeen-year-old Aleks leaves home to join the Siberene military in hopes of finding adventure but instead finds abuse, corruption, and despair.Punishing physical training, meager rations, and a brutal beating at the hands of an officer lead to the white teen's decision to desert. He escapes, traveling north to Syvana, where he finds a home, work, and romance. Unfortunately, the military quickly tracks him, dogging his steps at every turn. However, for unexplained reasons they do not take him into custody. Aleks has a dream: to fly an airship through the Stormlands. When the net finally begins to draw closed, he escapes to the skies. A chaotic plot, a bland setting, and mediocre writing are only a few of the problems in this companion to Take Back the Skies (2014). Aleks' immaturity, selfishness, and willingness to sacrifice others for his own comfort make him an unlikable hero. Unnecessary scenes filled with aimless wandering do little to enhance the story, and the ending feels both forced and abrupt. Oddly, it also introduces many missed opportunities for inspiring characters and interesting drama. Russian surnames hint at a Northern European inspiration and, unfortunately, beg comparison to the far superior worldbuilding and plotting of Leigh Bardugo. Lacking in all but length, this adventure never makes it off the ground. (Adventure. 10-14)

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July 1, 2016
Grades 5-8 Seventeen-year-old Aleks, youngest of four brothers, quickly discovers the corrupt Siberenian military isn't for him and flees north to hide and find work in Syvana, the Siberene capital city. Once there he finds love and happiness, while his work with eccentric inventor Luka propels him to great deeds. If he can continue to avoid Lieutenant Shulga, he has hopes for a long and happy life. This companion novel to Take Back the Skies (2014), which also features a runaway protagonist, returns readers to the familiar, dystopian world of Tellus, but this time explores a different country with a new cast of characters. The storytelling is capable but at times a mite literal; however, the place names and climate are a clever riff on Siberia and its neighboring regions. Readers fascinated by clockwork adventure will enjoy Tellus' steampunk technologies and airship-populated skies. Try this with fans of Kenneth Oppel's Airborn novels, or those who aren't quite ready for Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)