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A review by thebakersbooks
The Disasters by M.K. England
4.0
4.5/5 stars - accessible sci-fi featuring a snarky teen heist squad
Of The Disasters' many standout features, my favorite is the way M.K. England took five strong, often clashing personalities and forged them into a ride-or-die group. And 'forged' is the correct word, because main character Nax Hall and his crew weather expulsion from their dream school, a spaceship crash, and numerous other perils as they flee the interplanetary conspiracy that has chosen them as scapegoats for its own crimes.
Developing characters with rich backstories is clearly a forte for England; Nax and company each arrive with a multidimensional personal history that includes family life, dreams, goals, and traumas. All five protagonists are voicy, and all are outspoken enough to lead to tons of snarky dialogue and an equal measure of well-written tension. Speaking of which, there's some sexual/romantic tension between a few of the characters, and Nax has a couple of very relatable bisexual moments.
Plot and worldbuilding aren't left by the wayside either. The plot revolves around the five protagonists exonerating themselves and fleeing from Earth First, a terrorist organization whose members are willing to kill to keep humanity from expanding to colonies on other planets. The problem is, such colonies already exist. That's where the worldbuilding comes in: the colonies are melting pots of various Earth cultures on planets shaped to support human life. The mix of recognizable parts of real culture and religion with futuristic tech is reminiscent of space opera favorites like Firefly and Stargate. (There are also a few cool inside jokes/allusions to other sci-fi franchises, like the characters referring to space as "the black.")
Overall, The Disasters was a very enjoyable read! I had one quibble that didn't affect my rating because it might make more sense to younger audiences: Nax (and some of the other characters, although we're only getting Nax's internal voice) are VERY interested in pursuing romance even though they're in constant danger. It was never annoying; since I couldn't relate (again, maybe as a consequence of being more than a decade older than the characters and out of touch with my 17-year-old self), I just viewed it as a quirk of Nax's personality. Even Nax points out the incongruousness of thinking about hooking up when they're on the run, but it doesn't stop anyone's wandering eyes and/or hands.
I liked the resolution of this story arc and I hope the book remains a standalone, although I wouldn't hesitate to pick up a sequel if England happened to write one. Her brand of young adult science fiction is light and optimistic while remaining in touch with the real world. I definitely hope she sells more books! I would recommend The Disasters to every science fiction fan out there, but especially ones who enjoy their space battles with a side of humor. It's also a great example of a book in which diverse characters have adventures that aren't centered on sexuality, race, etc.
Of The Disasters' many standout features, my favorite is the way M.K. England took five strong, often clashing personalities and forged them into a ride-or-die group. And 'forged' is the correct word, because main character Nax Hall and his crew weather expulsion from their dream school, a spaceship crash, and numerous other perils as they flee the interplanetary conspiracy that has chosen them as scapegoats for its own crimes.
Developing characters with rich backstories is clearly a forte for England; Nax and company each arrive with a multidimensional personal history that includes family life, dreams, goals, and traumas. All five protagonists are voicy, and all are outspoken enough to lead to tons of snarky dialogue and an equal measure of well-written tension. Speaking of which, there's some sexual/romantic tension between a few of the characters, and Nax has a couple of very relatable bisexual moments.
Plot and worldbuilding aren't left by the wayside either. The plot revolves around the five protagonists exonerating themselves and fleeing from Earth First, a terrorist organization whose members are willing to kill to keep humanity from expanding to colonies on other planets. The problem is, such colonies already exist. That's where the worldbuilding comes in: the colonies are melting pots of various Earth cultures on planets shaped to support human life. The mix of recognizable parts of real culture and religion with futuristic tech is reminiscent of space opera favorites like Firefly and Stargate. (There are also a few cool inside jokes/allusions to other sci-fi franchises, like the characters referring to space as "the black.")
Overall, The Disasters was a very enjoyable read! I had one quibble that didn't affect my rating because it might make more sense to younger audiences: Nax (and some of the other characters, although we're only getting Nax's internal voice) are VERY interested in pursuing romance even though they're in constant danger. It was never annoying; since I couldn't relate (again, maybe as a consequence of being more than a decade older than the characters and out of touch with my 17-year-old self), I just viewed it as a quirk of Nax's personality. Even Nax points out the incongruousness of thinking about hooking up when they're on the run, but it doesn't stop anyone's wandering eyes and/or hands.
I liked the resolution of this story arc and I hope the book remains a standalone, although I wouldn't hesitate to pick up a sequel if England happened to write one. Her brand of young adult science fiction is light and optimistic while remaining in touch with the real world. I definitely hope she sells more books! I would recommend The Disasters to every science fiction fan out there, but especially ones who enjoy their space battles with a side of humor. It's also a great example of a book in which diverse characters have adventures that aren't centered on sexuality, race, etc.