Out of this world. No, really!
Debut author Monica Tesler, who just so happens to be a friend of mine and a wonderful earthling, takes us beyond the Earth’s atmosphere in the adventure-filled first book of a new series.
Twelve-year-old Jasper is the first from his family to be a cadet in the Earth Force. Bred especially for this role as a “Bounder,” Jasper and his new peers — all of them neurodiverse — have special capabilities that need to be honed in training. Along with his podmates — some friends, some frenemies, and of course, one weirdo for good measure — Jasper is tested in a variety of ways, far, far away from home. But when they stumble on something they never expected to see, they start to wonder if everything they’ve been told about the EarthBound Space Academy is actually true.
Tesler’s book reminds me a lot of Rick Riordan’s successful series. I loved the camaraderie (and mostly friendly competition) between pod mates and the other pods. Likewise, I appreciated the inventive world-building. I spend so much time immersed in highly realistic stories, it was such a treat to step into a book that took place in a different world. That said, as someone who doesn’t typically read much sci-fi, I’m always looking for a way to root myself in the story. Here, I found it with the relationships between the friends. I was super intrigued by Mira from the start, and appreciated seeing Jasper and his friends come to a different understanding with her over the course of the book.
You can snag it at your local indie, or from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and wherever else books are sold. Supposedly, new books officially go on sale on Tuesday, but this one has been spotted in the wild at many bookstores this weekend, so, just saying. 😉
