The darker the skies

One year ago, Jake Saunders and his best friend, Cal Danielson, saved Earth from destruction at the hands of a mysterious enemy. Their plans to enjoy their hard-earned peace fizzle, however, when they're contracted to uncover intel that might turn the tide of the pirate wars being fought throughout the Milky Way. Extragalactic forces are mobilizing, their sights set on Earth. Backed by old friends and unlikely allies, will they prevail once again, or will the galaxy fall to darkness? Although this is a sequel, enough context from The Brighter the Stars (2020) is provided--presented both in-text and via interstitial news broadcasts--that new readers will not feel lost. Prosek's greatest strength is his worldbuilding: Everything, from minute technical details to villainous plots spanning multiple decades and galaxies, comes across as meticulously planned. Perhaps as a result, the stakes never feel high enough to adequately sustain suspense, although the tight twists and turns remain engaging. Still, there is something vividly cinematic about the worlds depicted: This is old-school science fiction. The narration feels dry and even stilted at times, and the one-dimensional characters' dialogue is somewhat canned, but the ambitious scope of the plot and a tantalizing cliffhanger ending promise exciting prospects for a third book. Jake and Cal read White; the supporting cast is diverse in skin tone. A solid space adventure for fans of the genre's classics. (Science fiction. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.