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hyururi's review against another edition
3.0
Dan Krokos's writing is simple yet effective, delivering powerful lines that can resonate with readers of all ages.
mselke's review against another edition
4.0
A great middle grade military science fiction. While it had a bit of a slow "ramp up" at the start, I got into the action of the story. A solid start to what should be a very fun series.
angiebayne's review against another edition
3.0
Mason Stark is a cadet on the USS Egypt. He and several other cadets are riding along as part of their training. Suddenly the Tremists attack the ship. Earth and the Tremists have been at war for years, fighting over the only other inhabitable planet in the galaxy. The crew of the Egypt is taken hostage and Mason and the other cadets must liberate the ship. The Tremists were after a giant cross gate that can transport entire planets. They steal Earth and are about to steal the other planet. Mason and the rest of the cadets must stop them and find a way to save the human race.
This was non-stop action adventure in space. Mason is your take charge kind of kid. Not always right, but has good training to help him out in stressful situations. He is surrounded by bright young things who are also good soldiers. I loved the interactions of these kids. I especially enjoyed Merrin and her backstory and friendship with Mason. I believe this is the start of a series and the end definitely justifies this. I will be ordering this book for my library.
I received a copy of the book from the publishers on Netgalley.
This was non-stop action adventure in space. Mason is your take charge kind of kid. Not always right, but has good training to help him out in stressful situations. He is surrounded by bright young things who are also good soldiers. I loved the interactions of these kids. I especially enjoyed Merrin and her backstory and friendship with Mason. I believe this is the start of a series and the end definitely justifies this. I will be ordering this book for my library.
I received a copy of the book from the publishers on Netgalley.
erica_s's review against another edition
3.0
Junior Cadet Mason Stark (age 13?) from future Earth happens to be left in the position to assume role of Captain of a spaceship when war breaks out between humans and the alien race of Tremists. His older sister (captured or killed along with the Captain) was second-in-command, and his deceased parents also had roles of responsibility (the sequel will presumably explain what happened to them), so it's not *that* unusual that Mason has all the demeanor & sixth-sense of a true captain.
Although I was put off in the very first page by the use of "morning", "breakfast", and "daylight" with regards to on-ship routines in space - meaning no over-night watch, even if the creation of dawn/day/dusk/night made their long-distance trip more bearable - everything else was explained enough for novice sci-fi readers to hang in there, without overwelming the action.
There was TONS of action - every attempt the main character made to solve a problem resulted in a near-miss, and consequences that sometimes added to his capabilities, and sometimes worsened the situation. Meaning edge-of-seat breathless action from start to end.
It could be thrilling to young readers that the 12- or 13-year-old character is not only a perfectly competent captain, but that his entire cohort of 10- to 13-year-olds also managed as well as adults. Furthermore, he was often in a position to make judgment-calls & far-reaching decisions that had an effect on the future of the human race, and his circumspectness & perspicacity were spot-on every time. Readers will understand that experience and wisdom are less relevant or useful than gut instincts & naive clarity. There are a few throw-away lines about the main character wishing he had more experience, or wishing for the counsel of others with more experience, but he rarely hesitated to act decisively, and it always worked as well as could be expected.
Finally, in the last bit of action, Mason is granted the boon of a mind-meld with an eons-old sentient energy ball in which he gains all the knowledge of human history in an instant. But at that point, readers just want to find out if he & his friends survive.
Although I was put off in the very first page by the use of "morning", "breakfast", and "daylight" with regards to on-ship routines in space - meaning no over-night watch, even if the creation of dawn/day/dusk/night made their long-distance trip more bearable - everything else was explained enough for novice sci-fi readers to hang in there, without overwelming the action.
There was TONS of action - every attempt the main character made to solve a problem resulted in a near-miss, and consequences that sometimes added to his capabilities, and sometimes worsened the situation. Meaning edge-of-seat breathless action from start to end.
It could be thrilling to young readers that the 12- or 13-year-old character is not only a perfectly competent captain, but that his entire cohort of 10- to 13-year-olds also managed as well as adults. Furthermore, he was often in a position to make judgment-calls & far-reaching decisions that had an effect on the future of the human race, and his circumspectness & perspicacity were spot-on every time. Readers will understand that experience and wisdom are less relevant or useful than gut instincts & naive clarity. There are a few throw-away lines about the main character wishing he had more experience, or wishing for the counsel of others with more experience, but he rarely hesitated to act decisively, and it always worked as well as could be expected.
Finally, in the last bit of action, Mason is granted the boon of a mind-meld with an eons-old sentient energy ball in which he gains all the knowledge of human history in an instant. But at that point, readers just want to find out if he & his friends survive.
lesserjoke's review against another edition
3.0
This is a solid middle-grade space opera, capably balancing the terrors of war with the inherently goofy concept of moving an entire planet to a different solar system. I like that the whole book is basically one long adrenaline rush of action, and that its 7-to-13-year-old ensign protagonists are written as both children and heroes. I have quibbles with some of the worldbuilding and plot developments, but this seems like a great book for younger readers, especially fans of Ender's Game.
novelyon's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
christajls's review against another edition
4.0
This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic
When I was first contacted about The Planet Thieves I was told it was “Star Trek meets Rick Riordan.” I didn’t need to read any further to know this was a book I needed to read. And it was exactly as described. The Planet Thieves is without a doubt, very similar to Star Trek. Remember that Star Trek episode, “The Game” guest staring Ashley Judd? Where all the adults are incapacitated so Wesley saves the day? Combine that with one of Kirk’s crazier adventures, throw in a inter planetary war and you have this book.
The Planet Thieves is an incredibly action packed read. Things happen fast but I never felt like I was struggling to keep up. Krokos kept the pacing steady and smooth. So even though there was a constant sense of urgency to the events unfolding on page, everything was always very clear. This book has already been optioned for a movie by Warner Brothers and HeyDay Films and I can’t wait to see some of the action sequenes on the big screen!
But it wasn’t just the action that made The Planet Thieves enjoyable. It was also the characters. In particular Mason Stark. Mason is just a cadet. A young kid, barely trained, but some heavy responsibility falls on his shoulders. And he bears it well. But I liked that he struggled, and I liked that he second guessed himself. He was amazing but he was also just a regular thirteen year old boy. I also really liked Tom. In the beginning he’s very serious and rule oriented. He clashed with Mason a lot, as they had very differemt personalities. But they had to overcome those differences and learn to work together and I found that aspect of the story especially encouraging.
I think older readers of this series, who also happen to be Star Trek fans (like me) may be a little irked by some of the blatant similarities between The Planet Thieves and Star Trek. For example the enemy warrior race – The Tremist fly a ship called a Hawk which is even described as “a bird circling her prey.” Sounds an awful lot like Klingons and their ship, a Bird of Prey. But that being said, I don’t think this will be a problem for the target audience of this novel – middle grade readers. I think it’s a safe bet they will be more focused on the action and adventure of this novel instead of similiarities to a show their parents may or may not have watched.
Recommendation: A thrilling, exciting start to a new series. Great for fans of Star Trek, Ender’s Game and Star Wars: Clone Wars.
When I was first contacted about The Planet Thieves I was told it was “Star Trek meets Rick Riordan.” I didn’t need to read any further to know this was a book I needed to read. And it was exactly as described. The Planet Thieves is without a doubt, very similar to Star Trek. Remember that Star Trek episode, “The Game” guest staring Ashley Judd? Where all the adults are incapacitated so Wesley saves the day? Combine that with one of Kirk’s crazier adventures, throw in a inter planetary war and you have this book.
The Planet Thieves is an incredibly action packed read. Things happen fast but I never felt like I was struggling to keep up. Krokos kept the pacing steady and smooth. So even though there was a constant sense of urgency to the events unfolding on page, everything was always very clear. This book has already been optioned for a movie by Warner Brothers and HeyDay Films and I can’t wait to see some of the action sequenes on the big screen!
But it wasn’t just the action that made The Planet Thieves enjoyable. It was also the characters. In particular Mason Stark. Mason is just a cadet. A young kid, barely trained, but some heavy responsibility falls on his shoulders. And he bears it well. But I liked that he struggled, and I liked that he second guessed himself. He was amazing but he was also just a regular thirteen year old boy. I also really liked Tom. In the beginning he’s very serious and rule oriented. He clashed with Mason a lot, as they had very differemt personalities. But they had to overcome those differences and learn to work together and I found that aspect of the story especially encouraging.
I think older readers of this series, who also happen to be Star Trek fans (like me) may be a little irked by some of the blatant similarities between The Planet Thieves and Star Trek. For example the enemy warrior race – The Tremist fly a ship called a Hawk which is even described as “a bird circling her prey.” Sounds an awful lot like Klingons and their ship, a Bird of Prey. But that being said, I don’t think this will be a problem for the target audience of this novel – middle grade readers. I think it’s a safe bet they will be more focused on the action and adventure of this novel instead of similiarities to a show their parents may or may not have watched.
Recommendation: A thrilling, exciting start to a new series. Great for fans of Star Trek, Ender’s Game and Star Wars: Clone Wars.
brandypainter's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
Traditionally the books of the inter-galactic battles and alien politics a la Star Trek have not been my thing. At all. That seems to be changing though. I'm becoming more enamored with them, and The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos was such a book that grabbed my attention instantly and held it all the way to the end.
The Planet Thieves makes use of that most popular of MG literary devices: something goes horribly wrong and it is up to the kids to save the day, the universe, and the adults. There is a reason this device is so popular. It works. Kids love this idea. Krokos made good use of it in this book and turned out a story full of adventure, peril, and intrigue. There are great battles, one on one combat, and the greater conflict of negotiating a high stakes adult situation as inexperienced youngsters. The concept of warring species fighting over the same world is not a new one either, but Krokos gives it a fresh voice and some delightful spins.
The character development is a bit sketchy. There is so much action going on from the very first page that there is not much space for it. Mason is certainly a likeable hero, one who also has his fair share of faults. And he does grow over the course of the book from a reckless prankster to a strong leader. His character certainly shines out above the rest. I did thoroughly enjoy the supporting cast, but felt like many of them were there as plot devices rather than actual people. This is the case with Mason's best friend Merrin. I wanted to see her fleshed out more. She is integral to the story and yet I never really got a full sense of who she was as a person. I'm hoping this will be different with the second book.
The Planet Thieves is an exciting adventure story perfect for anyone interested in this type of story. I know several of my students will love it. It is the first in a series. The second book is scheduled for 2014.
Traditionally the books of the inter-galactic battles and alien politics a la Star Trek have not been my thing. At all. That seems to be changing though. I'm becoming more enamored with them, and The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos was such a book that grabbed my attention instantly and held it all the way to the end.
The Planet Thieves makes use of that most popular of MG literary devices: something goes horribly wrong and it is up to the kids to save the day, the universe, and the adults. There is a reason this device is so popular. It works. Kids love this idea. Krokos made good use of it in this book and turned out a story full of adventure, peril, and intrigue. There are great battles, one on one combat, and the greater conflict of negotiating a high stakes adult situation as inexperienced youngsters. The concept of warring species fighting over the same world is not a new one either, but Krokos gives it a fresh voice and some delightful spins.
The character development is a bit sketchy. There is so much action going on from the very first page that there is not much space for it. Mason is certainly a likeable hero, one who also has his fair share of faults. And he does grow over the course of the book from a reckless prankster to a strong leader. His character certainly shines out above the rest. I did thoroughly enjoy the supporting cast, but felt like many of them were there as plot devices rather than actual people. This is the case with Mason's best friend Merrin. I wanted to see her fleshed out more. She is integral to the story and yet I never really got a full sense of who she was as a person. I'm hoping this will be different with the second book.
The Planet Thieves is an exciting adventure story perfect for anyone interested in this type of story. I know several of my students will love it. It is the first in a series. The second book is scheduled for 2014.
beforemyway's review against another edition
3.0
It took a few tries, but i finished it, the book got better towards the end