Review by Booklist Review
Seventeen-year-old Ambrose is on an interplanetary mission to rescue his older sister Minerva, whose earlier solo mission to Saturn's moon Titan seems to have failed. With him is 18-year-old, enigmatic Kodiak. The two boys are representatives of their respective countries, which are engaged in a cold war. Despite that, Ambrose finds himself immediately emotionally and physically attracted to Kodiak, who, nevertheless, remains cold--until, well, he isn't. Their ship is guided by a seemingly omniscient operating system (think HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey) that appears dedicated to their survival, but is it? When something disastrous occurs and a shocking secret is revealed, the boys' lives will change forever. Readers of this exciting yet thoughtful exercise will willingly suspend their disbelief that such a rescue mission would be conducted by only two people and Minerva's mission by only her. Everything else that happens in this otherwise ingeniously plotted novel--that for some readers may tangentially evoke another movie, Groundhog Day--rings true and stimulates the imagination. Schrefer masterfully evokes and maintains suspense that keeps the pages turning briskly while still taking the time to limn the two boys' touching, moving relationship. If all of this is space opera, readers will want an encore. Bravo.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this sexy space odyssey by Schrefer (The Popper Penguin Rescue) set in 2472, Earth's two remaining--and warring--countries, Dimokratía and Fédération, mount a mission to rescue Fédération's Minerva Cusk, who sends a distress signal after being sent to colonize one of Saturn's moons. The progeny of a corporate figurehead mother and Alexander the Great's "reconstructed sperm," 17-year- old Ambrose, who has "molten bronze" skin, is dedicated to rescuing his sister. Upon awakening in the Coordinated Endeavor's infirmary, however, he learns that he's been in a coma following a launch accident--and that he's sharing the ship with a Dimokrat- ían spacefarer named Kodiak Celius, an orphan with olive skin. Wary of each other at first, the two slowly join forces as they complete the surveillance-obsessed Operating System's log of tasks, notice strange things about the ship's cargo, and together enjoy manicotti en route to falling in love. Against a backdrop of speculative fiction tropes and Cold War--like identity politics, Schrefer's immersive novel combines the build of mysteries and the tension of romance, slowly unfurling an iterative story about love and attraction, destiny, and connection. Ages 13--up. Agent: Richard Pine, InkWell Management. (June)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--This deep-space survival story, with a strong gay romance and notes of horror, will appeal to fans of Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff's Illuminae. Ambrose wakes up on a ship with no memory of the launch. He knows he was selected to pilot the rescue mission to save his sister, who tripped her emergency beacon on Saturn's moon Titan. He has no memory of the Fédération teaming up with their enemies to send two spacefarers on the mission. With no contact from Earth, bronze-skinned Ambrose, 17, and Kodiak, 18, with olive-toned skin, work their way into a détente and then to something more. They realize the spaceship's operating system is not being honest with them--not about their missing memories or about their mission. Ambrose's dry humor and confidence create a page-turning narrative that carries readers through its slower moments. Schrefer uses the cyclical nature of the plot to turn tables, amplifying fears and piling on the impossibilities, ultimately pulling together a satisfying--if not explosive--climax. Schrefer balances the romance of the novel (Ambrose is pansexual and Kodiak is attracted to men) with the intricate science behind space travel and survival. Readers may find that much of Ambrose's humor, which carries the novel pre-climax, disappears and the ending is less satisfying for its absence. A content warning for self-harm and suicide is applicable, though the romance remains intact. VERDICT A secondary general purchase, though recommended anywhere voracious sci-fi readers can be found. Readers who like accurate science in their fiction will not be disappointed.--Emmy Neal, Lake Forest Lib., IL
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A privileged socialite and orphaned cadet unpack the true intention of their two-person mission to one of Saturn's moons. Ambrose Cusk of Fédération (think United States circa 2470) is the elegant, golden offspring of Alexander the Great's DNA and an emotionally distant mother. Kodiak Celius of Dimokratía (think Russia) is a brawny orphan-turned-cadet. The two 17-year-olds are paired on a mission to find Ambrose's long-lost sister, Minerva, who disappeared while attempting to colonize Titan. Her distress beacon has mysteriously been activated years later. The socially, physically, and emotionally opposite boys are slowly unified by their need to understand their fuzzy, pre-mission memories; to combat an omnipresent, self-serving OS (remember HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey?); and to get to the bottom of why there's a vacuum-sealed supply of their own cloned bodies hidden on the ship. This Groundhog Day--type loop features complex worldbuilding in terms of space, time, light, and sound. What's not complex are base human wants and needs like manicotti, making out, and memories. Ambrose and Kodiak realize that mutual affection is a way to validate one's existence; that human connection is essential even if you're determined to be a loner; and that even with the same memories and experiences, our choices in love and life can be completely, wonderfully different if we have a chance to do them again. And again. And again. Main characters are implied White. 3, 2, 1…blastoff for mystery, adventure, and queer intergalactic bodice-ripping. (Science fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
