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A review by erica_s
The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos
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.