A devastated Earth's last hope is found in Pearls: small, mysterious orbs that fall from space and are capable of supplying enough energy to power ...
read full description
reviews
Sep 09, 2011
Phoebe
rated it: 
Full review at the Intergalactic Academy.
This is a solid action-adventure read with some really sound worldbuilding. Despite the cover, it's not steampunk at all but rather post-apocalyptic sci-fi. Unfortunately, my engagement was hampered by James' unusual choice in point-of-view (alternating between first person, present tense, and third person past), which kept me from really loving it fully until the conclusion--which was awesome. Great climax with some surprising twists. Overall, More...
This is a solid action-adventure read with some really sound worldbuilding. Despite the cover, it's not steampunk at all but rather post-apocalyptic sci-fi. Unfortunately, my engagement was hampered by James' unusual choice in point-of-view (alternating between first person, present tense, and third person past), which kept me from really loving it fully until the conclusion--which was awesome. Great climax with some surprising twists. Overall, More...
5 comments
like
(6 people liked it)
Feb 06, 2012
Miranda
rated it: 
The problem about reviewing something a good five months or so after first reading it is that it's no longer fresh in your memory. And while I liked SKYSHIP ACADEMY, I don't really want to reread it, especially not when I have three new books on the waiting list.
But I think how memorable a book is can be a telling factor about its quality, too. After all, I read DIVERGENT and WITHER before SKYSHIP ACADEMY, and I feel like I could still write reviews for either one that did the books More...
But I think how memorable a book is can be a telling factor about its quality, too. After all, I read DIVERGENT and WITHER before SKYSHIP ACADEMY, and I feel like I could still write reviews for either one that did the books More...
Dec 05, 2011
Ilsa
rated it: 
James takes a by-now familiar trope–a post-apocalyptic, dystopian scenario–and adds a bit of a twist by throwing in some very good world-building and sci-fi into this coming-of-age story of two boys who start out as enemies and wind up . . . well, not exactly as friends but certainly allies. Earth has been devastated by war. The surviving factions–the Skyships, The Fringers and the Unified Party–have their agendas, among which is the acquisition of Pearls: balls of energy that fall to Earth an
More...
Sep 30, 2011
Dorine
rated it:
Skyship Academy- The Pearl Wars is a 376 page YA fantasy novel published by Flux and written by Nick James.
The Story- The world has been devastated by wars, now people live in one of three places; above the land in skyships, on the surface in protected cities or out in the wastelands called the fringes.
The only saving grace is the discovery of Pearls, small orbs that fall from the sky and contain enough power to run a city for three months.
The hunt for the Pe More...
The Story- The world has been devastated by wars, now people live in one of three places; above the land in skyships, on the surface in protected cities or out in the wastelands called the fringes.
The only saving grace is the discovery of Pearls, small orbs that fall from the sky and contain enough power to run a city for three months.
The hunt for the Pe More...
Oct 25, 2011
Stephen
rated it:
While Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars doesn't always fire on all cylinders, "mass" kudos are due Nick James for delivering the goods in this exciting debut novel.
Skyship starts off strong and gives you good reason to keep reading. The story is interesting enough and I liked having the dual protagonists in Jesse and Cassius. Nick James fleshes them out pretty well — I made more of a connection with Jesse than I did Cassius — but I would have liked to learn more about both More...
Skyship starts off strong and gives you good reason to keep reading. The story is interesting enough and I liked having the dual protagonists in Jesse and Cassius. Nick James fleshes them out pretty well — I made more of a connection with Jesse than I did Cassius — but I would have liked to learn more about both More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Sep 08, 2011
TheBookSmugglers
rated it:
Originally Reviewed on The Book Smugglers: http://thebooksmugglers.com/2011/09/blog...
REVIEW
First Impressions:
Ana: I’ve been excited about reading Skyship Academy ever since I first heard about it in the build-up to BEA last May when Thea put it on my radar because it sounded soooo good. But Holy SciFi YA Batman! I was not prepared for how much fun I would have reading it or for how cool and well developed the SciFi elements would be. Add to that a couple of great p More...
REVIEW
First Impressions:
Ana: I’ve been excited about reading Skyship Academy ever since I first heard about it in the build-up to BEA last May when Thea put it on my radar because it sounded soooo good. But Holy SciFi YA Batman! I was not prepared for how much fun I would have reading it or for how cool and well developed the SciFi elements would be. Add to that a couple of great p More...
0 comments
like
(4 people liked it)
Dec 31, 2011
PF
rated it:
An engaging and intriguing read with many surprise plot twists unfolding throughout the book. Lots of action, less on character development, chock full of questions,dangling open-ended gaps for the plot to unfold over the next couple volumes. While dystopian and post-apocalyptic, it isn't as depressing as many books that fall into those categories. Some of the plot twists seem rather artificial, especially the character motivation flips which usually aren't provided with much context or much in
More...
Jan 12, 2012
Michelle
rated it:
Most natural resources are gone. A new power source has been discovered, Pearls, small meteors that fall from the sky and can be converted to energy. Both the people left living on the surface and those who have made their homes in Skyships race to retrieve fallen Pearls. Academies are set up to train agents to retrieve these Pearls, before the other side can get to them. Jesse is an inept Skyship trainee. That all changes the day he and his teammates are sent on a training mission to retrie
More...
Oct 15, 2011
Tabitha the Pabkins
rated it:
Recently, I’ve been reading more science fiction. As soon as I heard of this new YA Sci-Fi book I had to have it! Last month when it released I was lucky enough to win a copy from the Publisher - which is funny considering I had also overnight ordered a copy – which I ended up giving to my sister.
The story takes place in post-apocalyptic America (and in the skies above it). The view points toggle back and forth between the two male teenagers Jesse and Cassius. Jesse is a Skyshipper More...
The story takes place in post-apocalyptic America (and in the skies above it). The view points toggle back and forth between the two male teenagers Jesse and Cassius. Jesse is a Skyshipper More...
9 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Oct 09, 2011
Gary
rated it: 
Wow. This is unlike anything I've ever read. An interesting premise with pretty awesome characters -- the Skyship Academy series is really one to look out for!
"The Pearl Wars" (TPW) is the first book of a series by author Nick James. It was a story about 2 boys, Jesse and Cassius, who belonged to 2 different bodies -- the Skyshippers and the Unified Party respectively. The Skyshippers were a group of separatists who were at odds with the Unified Party's way of doing things. More...
"The Pearl Wars" (TPW) is the first book of a series by author Nick James. It was a story about 2 boys, Jesse and Cassius, who belonged to 2 different bodies -- the Skyshippers and the Unified Party respectively. The Skyshippers were a group of separatists who were at odds with the Unified Party's way of doing things. More...
Oct 09, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog)
Recently I haven't had much luck with the popular young adult dystopias that have been released. It really started to get me down since I wanted to read a good YA dystopia. Then I read The Pearl Wars and that was it.
This debut novel from Nick James really has it all. There's wonderful worldbuilding. About one hundred years in the future, America is unrecognizable. The Surface was devastated by war and now run by a corrupt govern More...
Recently I haven't had much luck with the popular young adult dystopias that have been released. It really started to get me down since I wanted to read a good YA dystopia. Then I read The Pearl Wars and that was it.
This debut novel from Nick James really has it all. There's wonderful worldbuilding. About one hundred years in the future, America is unrecognizable. The Surface was devastated by war and now run by a corrupt govern More...
Feb 03, 2012
Nichole
rated it:
After much procrastination I have finally finished this book. It took me a while to find a good amount of interest in the story despite my initial excitement. The theory behind this post-apocalyptic universe is familiar and also new enough to stand out a midst the overflow this genre has recently seen.
The story centers around two main characters, Jesse Fisher and Cassius Stevenson. Jesse lives on a skyship which hovers about what is left of a devastated North America while Cassius More...
The story centers around two main characters, Jesse Fisher and Cassius Stevenson. Jesse lives on a skyship which hovers about what is left of a devastated North America while Cassius More...
Jan 21, 2012
Amanda
rated it:
Skyship Academy is one of those books that's incredibly understated. In fact, I never heard of this book until I found it on Amazon and the blurb pulled me in. I'll admit that I wasn't incredibly excited about it -it wasn't at the top of my To-Be-Read pile, and for a few weeks I kept moving it down the pile in favor of other books. But from the first page to the last, I discovered something that was far beyond what I ever expected. But the biggest surprise? Skyship Academy has gotten zero love i
More...
Nov 22, 2011
Christian
rated it:
I’ve been waiting to read this book ever since I read the synopsis on Goodreads. The dystopian world seemed very different from the other books I’ve read, especially The Hunger Games and Divergent. I wanted to buy this book, but I had to make sure that the story, characters, and plot were worth the money. After reading the first page online, I thought that the beginning was super slow. I had several doubts. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t get pass the first page. I had to set aside this book
More...
Feb 10, 2012
Hannah
rated it:
The Pearl Wars (Skyship Academy #1) is a post apocalyptic, dystopian novel about a kid named Jesse who lives and trains at the Skyship Academy, which is really just a front for the Separatists who are trying to find and capture Pearls, the ultimate energy source. Pearls are necessary for energy, because a few decades (I think) ago, the Scarlet Bombings took place, and the face of the Earth changed forever — most of Earth is now hot, barren, and pretty desolate.
After the Scarlet Bombing More...
After the Scarlet Bombing More...
Nov 09, 2011
Cait
rated it:
THE PEARL WARS absolutely intrigued me. I’ve always been a sci-fi fan, and this book just solidified my love for the genre. Jesse and Cassius are two teens living in post-war America. Cassius lives on the surface, in a Chosen city working for Madame – a head honcho in the new Unified government – to try and obtain Pearls, an energy source that falls from space. Jesse lives above ground in a Skyship, working – like Cassius – to obtain Pearls for the ships floating high above the largely unstable
More...
Nov 05, 2011
WilowRaven
rated it:
Such a fantastic read for me! I've always been a huge science fiction fan and recently I've discovered my love of dystopian stories. Nick combines both these elements perfectly so it was pretty much a win win situation for me. What really drew me in was how easily these two worlds fit together.
Jesse Fisher lives in what was once The United States of America. After a devastating attack, Earth has been rendered almost inhabitable. The government has reformed and priorities have shifted More...
Jesse Fisher lives in what was once The United States of America. After a devastating attack, Earth has been rendered almost inhabitable. The government has reformed and priorities have shifted More...
Feb 12, 2012
Angie
rated it:
Skyship Academy is the first book in the Pearl Wars saga. Earth has been devastated by wars and three factions have emerged from the rubble: the Unified Party, the Skyshippers, and the Fringers. The Unified Party and the Skyshippers fight over Pearls that fall to Earth. These mysteries orbs contain enough energy to power the contained cities and ships for months. Our protagonists Jesse (skyshipper) and Cassius (unified party city dweller) meet on a Pearl run to a Fringe town. During their encoun
More...
Sep 18, 2011
Carolyn
rated it:
Two fifteen-year-old orphans on opposite sides of a future cold war are the main characters of this somewhat disappointing dystopian story. Cassius is raised in the dictatorial Chosen Cities on the surface of a barely habitable near-future Earth, while Jesse lives in the democratic Skyships high above; both societies rely on mysterious high-energy space debris known as Pearls for their power. It’s an exciting premise, and the story also opens promisingly enough, with a sneering Cassius danglin
More...
Feb 08, 2012
I am always hesitant to pick up sci-fi books. I think I must have had a bad experience early on! Thankfully this anti-sci-fi book deal I have didn't deter me from The Pearl Wars. I would have missed out!
This book draws you in right away. The event that is the beginning scene is already underway. There is no info dump of history, facts, etc... The reader is introduced to the unique aspects of the world little by little as the information is needed. I liked this because I felt l More...
This book draws you in right away. The event that is the beginning scene is already underway. There is no info dump of history, facts, etc... The reader is introduced to the unique aspects of the world little by little as the information is needed. I liked this because I felt l More...
Jan 16, 2012
Irisheyz77
rated it:
**Originally posted on tickettoanywhere.net**
Prior to BEA 2011 I had never heard of this book and I only stumbled upon it as I attended the book signing of another author and afterwards we all got to talking over at the Flux booth. Nick started to describe his book but once I saw the blurb by James Dashner I knew that it was something I had to check out. I'm not usually one to be swayed by blurbs (and to be honest I don't usually read them) but I've met James several times and so he's More...
Prior to BEA 2011 I had never heard of this book and I only stumbled upon it as I attended the book signing of another author and afterwards we all got to talking over at the Flux booth. Nick started to describe his book but once I saw the blurb by James Dashner I knew that it was something I had to check out. I'm not usually one to be swayed by blurbs (and to be honest I don't usually read them) but I've met James several times and so he's More...
Sep 06, 2011
The book starts off with a bang and left me with a lot of questions after one chapter. I enjoyed piecing together the information and seeing how my ideas compared with what actually happened. There were twists that I didn't see coming, a few that skimmed my brain as I was reading, but overall I was pleasantly surprised. The Pearl Wars is a great story about friendship, discovering who you are, and determining what is right and wrong when you're suddenly faced with more grey than black and white.
More...
Jan 29, 2012
Krystal
rated it:
I finished reading this a while back (I won an ARC from the First Reads program). In my defense, I've been kinda busy with moving across the country and starting graduate school, hence the extreme tardiness of this review, but still ...
Let's get to the review. Jesse and Cassius are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Jesse is something of a screw-up, while Cassius is this elite, competent dude. I'm not going to get into all the gory details and give a great summary (b/c there are now oth More...
Let's get to the review. Jesse and Cassius are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Jesse is something of a screw-up, while Cassius is this elite, competent dude. I'm not going to get into all the gory details and give a great summary (b/c there are now oth More...
Sep 06, 2011
Nikki (Wicked Awesome Books)
rated it:
What do you get when you mix a little sci-fi with a smidge dystopian, and top it all off with some incredible world-building? You get Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars, that’s what. And it is one phenomenally written and executed book, with plenty of action and a plot that only thickens.
Nick James has created this vast world that is still our Earth, but so different. The three different factions – Skyship, the Unified Party, and the Fringers – have these politics that govern them and i More...
Nick James has created this vast world that is still our Earth, but so different. The three different factions – Skyship, the Unified Party, and the Fringers – have these politics that govern them and i More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Dec 04, 2011
Kristen
rated it:
First Impression:
I had seen this book around and when I got a copy, I decided to read it as soon as I could because I had heard so much buzz about it. Part of the reason is because it seems like such a different read. The plot was intriguing and that cover definitely pulls you in.
While Reading:
Two boys meet while each tries to retrieve a Pearl, these objects that fall from the sky and provide energy for ships and cities. Jesse is from Skyship, while Cassius is from the Surfac More...
I had seen this book around and when I got a copy, I decided to read it as soon as I could because I had heard so much buzz about it. Part of the reason is because it seems like such a different read. The plot was intriguing and that cover definitely pulls you in.
While Reading:
Two boys meet while each tries to retrieve a Pearl, these objects that fall from the sky and provide energy for ships and cities. Jesse is from Skyship, while Cassius is from the Surfac More...
Sep 21, 2011
April (CSI:Librarian)
rated it:
(Originally posted @ CSI:Librarian.)
3.5 stars - First and foremost, I have to say I applaud this book's originality and that I am still really pleased by how different it was from a lot of the Young Adult titles that have come out in recent months. There were a lot of unique concepts such as the world Cassius and Jesse were living in and what was going on behind the scenes with their technology.
In terms of the main characters, I liked that the book was from two opposing p More...
3.5 stars - First and foremost, I have to say I applaud this book's originality and that I am still really pleased by how different it was from a lot of the Young Adult titles that have come out in recent months. There were a lot of unique concepts such as the world Cassius and Jesse were living in and what was going on behind the scenes with their technology.
In terms of the main characters, I liked that the book was from two opposing p More...
Sep 25, 2011
Becky
rated it:
I am wavering between a 3 and a 4 for this book, but I decided on a 4 because this book has some very good differences in it. This book is written from two different points of view and both of them are boys. This is one thing I do like, because many of the YA novels are written from the girl's perspective and it is a nice change of pace. However, the author kept switching tenses in this book, which was very distracting for me as a reader. This made it much more difficult for me to lose mysel
More...
Oct 04, 2011
A. T.
rated it:
Review: http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/blog/...
Nick James’ debut novel Skyship Academy is a fast-paced, captivating thrill ride from start to finish. In the aftermath of the American-Chinese war a totalitarian government arose. Dissidents and cessessionists retreated to the great Skyships and a new world balance was created. After war loomed between those on the ground and those in the skyships, the Hernandez Treaty was signed, which drew a line in atmosphere no one was permitted t More...
Nick James’ debut novel Skyship Academy is a fast-paced, captivating thrill ride from start to finish. In the aftermath of the American-Chinese war a totalitarian government arose. Dissidents and cessessionists retreated to the great Skyships and a new world balance was created. After war loomed between those on the ground and those in the skyships, the Hernandez Treaty was signed, which drew a line in atmosphere no one was permitted t More...
Aug 17, 2011
Erica
rated it:
I feel I should probably warn you in advance that this is a super long review with lots and lots of love!
Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars was a book I had heard about briefly before BEA. I picked up a copy, thinking it looked pretty cool. Then I found out James Dashner had blurbed it, so that definitely put it on my radar. What I happened to find was one of those super rare gems of a book that are absolutely brilliant. Oh my golly, this book is absolutely, freaking fantabulous and I More...
Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars was a book I had heard about briefly before BEA. I picked up a copy, thinking it looked pretty cool. Then I found out James Dashner had blurbed it, so that definitely put it on my radar. What I happened to find was one of those super rare gems of a book that are absolutely brilliant. Oh my golly, this book is absolutely, freaking fantabulous and I More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Oct 30, 2011
Triizore
rated it:
I just finished reading the book this morning and I am completely in love with the story. While using two points of view is usually cumbersome James pulls it off fantastically. The story is so action-packed and it kept me on the edge of my seat. The subtle build to the big reveal at the end was fantastic. I'm not a huge SciFi fan myself, so I like that James left out any hard core technobabble that usually turns me away from SciFi. It was a mass awesome read and I can't wait for the next book.
