Review by New York Times Review
EARLY ON IN "5 Worlds: The Sand Warrior," a politician from the rapidly overheating planet of Mon Domani implores delegates from four neighboring civilizations to set aside their differences and work to save their dying worlds. "The time for yours and mine is over," he says. "Coming together is our only hope." But his (not at all relevant to the real world) call for unity goes unheeded, and a few pages later, war breaks out - on top of all the looming natural disasters. It's a bang-zoom start to a series that promises to be epic in both the classical and internet senses of the word. And the devastation is depicted with cinematic beauty by the art team of Bouma, Rockefeller and Sun, whose every panel could pass for an animation cel. As you might suspect from the opening - or from the three diverse hero kids on the cover - teamwork will indeed be needed to save the day. Fortunately, the Siegel brothers have given us some very likable characters: Oona Lee, a trainee Sand Dancer (think Jedis who would kick butt at sand castle-building contests); An Tzu, a Dickensian street waif who's part plant; and Jax Amboy, the David Beckham of Starball, whose celebrity status makes even enemy soldiers go fanboy on him. Making this threesome even more intriguing is that each hides a deep secret that will completely change the way new friends see them. The title "5 Worlds" implies that this is a capital-S Saga, heavy on the mythologybuilding, and that's no false promise. As in Star Wars, Harry Potter or Avatar: The Last Airbender (probably the most analogous series), there are so many side characters, mysterious subplots and allusions to pre-book history that readers accustomed to simpler narratives might end up with a case of whiplash. But those who love to fully submerge themselves in the geography, politics and folklore of fantasy worlds will likely be preordering Book 2 before they've even turned the last page. The fantasy world of Scott Westerfeld's "Spill Zone" is decidedly smaller in scope - in fact, it's confined to the college town of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. And teamwork is not on the menu for our foul-mouthed, rulesbe- damned, loner heroine, Addison Merritt. Sure, elements from a super-creepy, Lovecraftian dimension may have leaked into her world, enveloping her hometown, consuming her parents and psychologically scarring her little sister, but Addison's not going to let that stop her from making a solid living. Even if that means busting through military roadblocks to sneak into the forbidden "spill zone" and take illegal photos of the horrors within - photos that sell for big bucks on the black market. Addison can come offas cold and harsh, especially to people who try to help her, but her character is far more nuanced than the typical tough-as-nails antihero - as evidenced by some of the heart-tugging scenes between her and her now mute, emotionally detached sister. Readers will have no problem rooting for Addison - and fearing for her. The publisher's recommendation that the book is for "teen readers" should not be taken lightly. Not simply because of the frequent profanity, but because the book is genuinely scary. (Without naming names, there might have been at least one fully grown book reviewer who had nightmares after reading it.) The eeriness quotient is thanks in no small part to Alex Puvilland's gorgeously grotesque depictions of the Spill Zone's otherworldly denizens, including warped wolves, glow-eyed rats and floating corpses (lovingly referred to as "meat puppets"). As frightening as "Spill Zone" can be, though, its greatest asset is its muscletensing suspense. Reading it feels like binge-watching a great cable series, complete with the same feeling of despair you get when you finish the final episode and realize you've got a long time to wait for the next season. AIMED AT A YOUNGER READER, Nathan Hale's "One Trick Pony" is a self-contained story. But while beautifully concise, it still manages to squeeze in loads of suspense, chills (though nothing too nightmare-inducing), action and entertaining character dynamics - all within a refreshingly original take on post-apocalyptic hellscapes. Here we see humanity devolved into a preindustrial society after an invasion by giant arthropod aliens that eat technology - along with any earthlings that get between them and the mainframe they plan to have for lunch. The heroes of this dystopia are a small caravan of people who live on the run, moving from ruin to ruin, carrying with them all the books, movies, computer drives and gadgets they could save along the way - i.e., all that remains of human culture. Hale - a double threat as both author and illustrator - uses a captivating art style here, depicting the story only in shades of gray and yellow, which adds to the arid, barren feel of this depleted Earth. The plot centers on a group of young friends who are plunged into danger when they are accidentally separated from the caravan. While lost, fearless Strata, her pragmatic brother, Auger, and their brawny pal, Inby (who is written wonderfully against type as a comically whinging naysayer), discover a still-functioning robotic horse. The boys are immediately worried that this rather large piece of tech will draw the metal-sniffing aliens to them - and they're right - but Strata can't shake the feeling that this golden pony has an importance they can't yet fathom. So the three begin the long, dangerous search through an alien-heavy hot zone to find their constantly roaming mobile village. On the way, they'll forge an uneasy alliance with a fugitive cattle rustler, become unhappy targets of a territorial barbarian tribe, and have plenty of nail-bitingly close encounters with the insectoid invaders. It all builds to a gripping climax that - as any good sci-ficlimax does - puts the fate of humanity in the balance. It all wraps up rather nicely, but that doesn't mean readers won't want to see more of these characters. Or that Hale wouldn't oblige. CHRISTOPHER HEALY is the author of the Hero's Guide trilogy for middle-grade readers.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [April 24, 2019]
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Oona is lucky to have grown up in the relative luxury of Sand Dancer Academy, though she's clumsy and the last person anyone would expect to have any special powers. An Tzu ekes out a meager life in the slums surrounding the academy, and when Toki rebels from one of the moons making up the five worlds attack the main power station, he and Oona along with Jax Amboy, an athlete with a serious secret find themselves unexpectedly at the center of the conflict. Together, they navigate the city under siege, flee Toki forces curiously insistent on capturing Oona, and try to make sense of some enigmatic clues they discover along the way. The Siegels' immersive series starter drops readers right into the midst of its fully fleshed-out world, a multiplanet system with simmering conflicts that might look awfully familiar to contemporary readers. When those conflicts come to a head, the disarray in the city is terrifying, which only amplifies the suspense of Oona, An Tzu, and Jax's quest. Bouma, Matt Rockefeller, and Boya Sun's richly detailed panels, filled with fluid shapes, swirling sand, and clearly depicted action, imbue the narrative with vivid, compelling atmosphere, while their figures are refreshingly varied in size, shape, and skin tone. With sensitive writing, gorgeous artwork, and a riveting plot, this is a series to keep an eye on.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In a dazzling interplanetary fantasy from the Siegel Brothers, artists Bouma, Rockefeller, and Sun bring to life the cultures, customs, and creatures of a lively new world that will easily appeal to fans of Naruto or Avatar: The Last Airbender. Oona Lee's older sister, Jessa, was their planet's most promising sand dancer before she disappeared; awkward Oona can't even control the sand figures she summons. Their planet, Mon Domani, is beset by cascading environmental crises, and Oona and her classmates are meant to help light an ancient beacon that may bring the galaxy back into balance. But Toki, a rival moon, chooses this moment to attack. In the chaos, Oona finds two allies-An Tzu, a fiercely loyal thief from the planet's slums, and Jax Amboy, a sports superstar-who recognize gifts in Oona that she doesn't see. Explosions, attacks, and evildoing are relieved by neatly timed interludes in tranquil settings. The main characters share an unglamorous, pre-adolescent look, and the authors seize the opportunity to explore issues of race, class, and scarcity. Readers will be all too ready for the planned subsequent books. Ages 8-12. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-5-Oona Lee is a less than successful sand dancer. She can't always control the creatures, called aniforms, that she creates from sand, and others make fun of her. As the plot unfolds, readers discover that Oona Lee lives in the Five Worlds, a galaxy of five planets populated by various species and races, and unless the five ancient beacons are lit, the worlds may be in danger. When Oona meets up with a poor boy named An Tzu and a famous athlete named Jax Amboy, the three of them realize that they might be able to light the beacons and change the destiny of the Five Worlds. Adorable, cartoonish illustrations bring color and life to this action-packed story that's reminiscent of the animated TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender. With lots of characters, backstories, and settings, this is a sweeping narrative, and readers may need time to absorb it all. VERDICT For thoughtful fans of fantasy, friendship, and mystical stories.-Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A sudden attack on the world of Mon Domani and its inhabited moons drives a young dancer, a street urchin, and an illegal android together.Many pages are crowded with sequential panels that are too small to fit the dialogue balloons or convey the hot action discernibly, but the overall plotline is easy enough to follow. Though generally mocked as a poor student of sand dancinga psychokinetic art that uses hand and body movements to conjure solid "aniforms" from mystic vaporsnext to her vanished big sister, Jessa, Oona Lee finds her powers growing as mysterious forces work to prevent the relighting of giant, long-dark Beacons that may stave off the growing environmental instability that is threatening all five worlds. With but little time to address the crisis by learning how to dance up a mighty Sand Warrior aniform and rediscover the lost technique of Beacon lighting, Oona is plunged into a running battle with minions of the Mimic, an ancient shape-changing nemesis. The three illustrators work seamlessly together to place Oona, a thick-bodied but graceful, pale-skinned strawberry blonde, in exotic, elaborately envisioned settings and surround her with a notably variegated cast of green-, blue-, brown-, black-, and pink-skinned allies and adversaries. The climax features a shocking revelation but leaves one Beacon lit with four to go: stay tuned. A headlong, if visually busy, opener for what promises to be a rare adventure. (Graphic science fiction. 10-13) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
