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Revenge of the Star Survivors
Middle school meets the Dark Side in this grimly hilarious survival story of a sci-fi-obsessed eighth grader.
Clark Sherman's situation is desperate.
He's just crash-landed on an inhospitable planet--also known as Festus Middle School--where the natives don't take kindly to newcomers . . . particularly ones who love sci-fi and memorizing episodes of the hit TV show Star Survivors.
Hostile natives include violent bullies, uncaring teachers, and the fiendishly evil Principal Denton, and Clark realizes he'll be lucky enough to survive eighth grade, let alone thrive. But then, three kindred life forms make themselves known . . . and suddenly, Clark finds he not only has the will to survive, but the strength to fight back.
Sharp, painfully funny, and deeply moving, Revenge of the Star Survivors is a story for sci-fi fans-- and for anyone who's ever felt alone in this world. Michael Merschel's witty writing, by turns hilarious and heartbreaking, brings Clark's inner strength into the light.
Winner of the Texas Institute of Letters Jean Flynn Award for Best Children's Book
Clark Sherman's situation is desperate.
He's just crash-landed on an inhospitable planet--also known as Festus Middle School--where the natives don't take kindly to newcomers . . . particularly ones who love sci-fi and memorizing episodes of the hit TV show Star Survivors.
Hostile natives include violent bullies, uncaring teachers, and the fiendishly evil Principal Denton, and Clark realizes he'll be lucky enough to survive eighth grade, let alone thrive. But then, three kindred life forms make themselves known . . . and suddenly, Clark finds he not only has the will to survive, but the strength to fight back.
Sharp, painfully funny, and deeply moving, Revenge of the Star Survivors is a story for sci-fi fans-- and for anyone who's ever felt alone in this world. Michael Merschel's witty writing, by turns hilarious and heartbreaking, brings Clark's inner strength into the light.
Winner of the Texas Institute of Letters Jean Flynn Award for Best Children's Book
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2017
5 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 15, 2018
This book accurately describes what it’s like being an outsider kid who finds comfort, solace, and even a worldview in science fiction while suffering through the nightmare reality of middle school, and parents who are doing their best but can’t see that, whenever they try to help, it just gets worse. So much so that it gave me some pretty upsetting flashbacks to that time when I was that kid... This is especially true because of how accurately the author portrays the tone deaf faculty and staff, especially that coach who sees bullying as “boys being boys.” I understand that teamwork, etc. are learned in P.E. & sports, but it was my experience that this was also where bullies honed their craft.
If you want to see what it’s like for the quiet kid in the corner in a Star Trek shirt who draws in the margins, doesn’t like group work, and doesn’t talk much I suggest you get to know them and also read this book.
If you want to see what it’s like for the quiet kid in the corner in a Star Trek shirt who draws in the margins, doesn’t like group work, and doesn’t talk much I suggest you get to know them and also read this book.
May 19, 2017
You don’t have to be the new kid in school to understand the protagonist’s plight in Dallas Morning News book page editor turned novelist Michael Merschel’s Revenge of the Star Survivors. If you’ve ever been the new hire, the new parent, the new homeowner, the new -- well, you name it -- you’ll get it.
Unfortunately, hero Clark (“like the explorer”) Sherman, who’s facing the first move, and first major trauma, of his young life, doesn’t get it. His parents think moving from their longtime home in Louisiana to Colorado for a job upgrade is a great idea. To Clark, it’s the end of the world as he knows it. Following the example of his favorite television show, Star Survivors, about a spaceship crew lost in the galaxy, he records his thoughts as entries in an astronaut’s log of a journey to an alien world, Planet Festus, aka Loretta T. Festus Middle School.
“We were hurtling across the planet’s surface, seconds away from the drop zone, when my commander spoke. ‘You really want to do this by yourself? You’re absolutely sure?’ The tiny crease between her eyebrows told me she was as worried as I was. ‘I’ll be fine,’ I replied. By which I meant, ‘No, I don’t want to do this at all. . . Please take me home immediately.’ Unfortunately, I sent that second part via psionic mind blast, forgetting that I was not technically capable of telepathy.”
The climate of Planet Festus proves hostile from the start, with its unfamiliar frozen ground and frozen precipitation. The inhabitants are equally hostile, particularly the one bearing a disconcerting resemblance to a “big, carnivorous reptile.” And the planet’s communications system is beyond primitive, having consigned Clark’s previous school records to the local equivalent of a black hole. Fortunately, among the few academic options available to him is Independent Study, which takes place in the school library, aka The Academic Resource Center.
There, at last, he begins to find allies – the aptly-named Ms. Beacon (“the commander of this zone”), and one of the school’s few Asian-American students, Ricki Roi (whose last name Clark misunderstands as “Wah”, a misunderstanding that stymies his attempts to communicate with her outside the classroom).
There’s also Les, an elusive, possibly wormhole dwelling student who will reveal dark secrets about Planet Festus and its leaders. The only thing uniting the disparate threesome of Clark, Ricki and Les: their mutual devotion to Star Survivors. Well, that and their resistance to the rest of Planet Festus.
On their journey through the planet they must deal with bullies, racism, and an evil ruling coalition determined to perpetuate its dynasty. The with whom they will clash in a satisfyingly dramatic conclusion.
And as all middle schoolers do, the threesome must also deal with parents who seem initially clueless. At least in the case of Clark’s parents, they finally understand in the end.
This is why, as Clark records in his log, “. . . you should ignore anyone who tries to tell you that Star Survivors is an entertainment program. It is so, so much more. It is a guide to orderly behavior in a confusing world.”
(Unknown to Merschel, his mother had arrived from Colorado for his book’s debut. She was warmly supportive. He was slightly embarrassed that she might think the portrayal of the mom, aka commander, in his book was a portrait of her. Perhaps one day his own children, including two who were in middle school during writing, will write their own books about him.)
At his book’s release this spring at the Lincoln Park Barnes and Noble bookstore, Merschel insisted he didn’t even realize he’d written a middle grade book until others in the publishing business informed him who his audience was. Or who they thought it was. As someone who has dipped for the past thirty years into what my daughter and grandkids were reading, I can attest that good books for children have a universal appeal.
With so much good in Revenge of the Star Survivors, my major complaint is that in its determination to root out all evil from Planet Festus it feels over-stuffed, an over-richness that may have led to its too hurried for my taste climax, as if Clark/Merschel was either tiring of his long battle, or perhaps facing pressure from his publisher to get to the end. And although I initially bought the book intending it as a gift for my soon to be middle-schooler grandkids, I’m going to hold off transferring it for a while, for fear it might prove too terrifying for them. But given the state of life on Planet Earth, they may already be familiar with the landscape of Clark’s world.
Unfortunately, hero Clark (“like the explorer”) Sherman, who’s facing the first move, and first major trauma, of his young life, doesn’t get it. His parents think moving from their longtime home in Louisiana to Colorado for a job upgrade is a great idea. To Clark, it’s the end of the world as he knows it. Following the example of his favorite television show, Star Survivors, about a spaceship crew lost in the galaxy, he records his thoughts as entries in an astronaut’s log of a journey to an alien world, Planet Festus, aka Loretta T. Festus Middle School.
“We were hurtling across the planet’s surface, seconds away from the drop zone, when my commander spoke. ‘You really want to do this by yourself? You’re absolutely sure?’ The tiny crease between her eyebrows told me she was as worried as I was. ‘I’ll be fine,’ I replied. By which I meant, ‘No, I don’t want to do this at all. . . Please take me home immediately.’ Unfortunately, I sent that second part via psionic mind blast, forgetting that I was not technically capable of telepathy.”
The climate of Planet Festus proves hostile from the start, with its unfamiliar frozen ground and frozen precipitation. The inhabitants are equally hostile, particularly the one bearing a disconcerting resemblance to a “big, carnivorous reptile.” And the planet’s communications system is beyond primitive, having consigned Clark’s previous school records to the local equivalent of a black hole. Fortunately, among the few academic options available to him is Independent Study, which takes place in the school library, aka The Academic Resource Center.
There, at last, he begins to find allies – the aptly-named Ms. Beacon (“the commander of this zone”), and one of the school’s few Asian-American students, Ricki Roi (whose last name Clark misunderstands as “Wah”, a misunderstanding that stymies his attempts to communicate with her outside the classroom).
There’s also Les, an elusive, possibly wormhole dwelling student who will reveal dark secrets about Planet Festus and its leaders. The only thing uniting the disparate threesome of Clark, Ricki and Les: their mutual devotion to Star Survivors. Well, that and their resistance to the rest of Planet Festus.
On their journey through the planet they must deal with bullies, racism, and an evil ruling coalition determined to perpetuate its dynasty. The with whom they will clash in a satisfyingly dramatic conclusion.
And as all middle schoolers do, the threesome must also deal with parents who seem initially clueless. At least in the case of Clark’s parents, they finally understand in the end.
This is why, as Clark records in his log, “. . . you should ignore anyone who tries to tell you that Star Survivors is an entertainment program. It is so, so much more. It is a guide to orderly behavior in a confusing world.”
(Unknown to Merschel, his mother had arrived from Colorado for his book’s debut. She was warmly supportive. He was slightly embarrassed that she might think the portrayal of the mom, aka commander, in his book was a portrait of her. Perhaps one day his own children, including two who were in middle school during writing, will write their own books about him.)
At his book’s release this spring at the Lincoln Park Barnes and Noble bookstore, Merschel insisted he didn’t even realize he’d written a middle grade book until others in the publishing business informed him who his audience was. Or who they thought it was. As someone who has dipped for the past thirty years into what my daughter and grandkids were reading, I can attest that good books for children have a universal appeal.
With so much good in Revenge of the Star Survivors, my major complaint is that in its determination to root out all evil from Planet Festus it feels over-stuffed, an over-richness that may have led to its too hurried for my taste climax, as if Clark/Merschel was either tiring of his long battle, or perhaps facing pressure from his publisher to get to the end. And although I initially bought the book intending it as a gift for my soon to be middle-schooler grandkids, I’m going to hold off transferring it for a while, for fear it might prove too terrifying for them. But given the state of life on Planet Earth, they may already be familiar with the landscape of Clark’s world.
June 17, 2019
Wonderful realistic middle grade story that speaks intimately to my nerdy little heart.
February 2, 2019
Clark envisions himself as an alien on a new planet as he moves and has to start at a new middle school. Anyone who has ever been to middle school can understand the concept. He was a good student in his past school, but all of his records appear to have been lost and his schedule doesn't reflect his academic achievement. Not only that, but he's now the target of the school bully, feels like his parents are focusing on the new baby and not interested in the challenges he's facing, and unable to connect with the one student with whom he might have a connection. Add in a vindictive, blackmailing principal who is riding on the coattails of that bullying star athlete and Clark doesn't have much of a chance. His unusual friendship with two other outcasts gives him the one chance to make things right, but he may have to sacrifice himself in the process. This is a complex and well-written book with insider geek references, and some of the gritty feel of hopelessness that comes with that age. It's not a fast read, but it is ultimately satisfying.
July 7, 2017
Eighth grader Clark Sherman has done his homework in preparing for his first day at his new school, Festus Middle School, but he catches the attention of Ty Martin and his two minions from the start, and doesn't stand much chance of blending in. In order to survive, he draws inspiration from his favorite science fiction television program, Star Survivors, and tries to lie low. The fact that his academic records have been somehow misplaced means that he's put into remedial classes, and school becomes rather pointless for him. In many respects, he is an alien on a strange planet, a notion that the author plays up throughout the story. Naturally, Ty turns out to be a talented baseball player who's already being recruited by other schools, and his bullying escalates over the book's pages. Unwilling to bring his concerns to his parents, who are distracted by new jobs and a young child, things get even worse for Clark as the principal, Mr. Denton, sets his eyes on the new student as part of a dastardly plot to get rid of Ms. Beacon, the school librarian. Just when it looks as though he has no chance of surviving this most unexcellent year, Clark finds a couple of unlikely allies and a safe space. While some readers will doubt that any of this could ever happen or that a person in power would look the other way when bullying is occurring, the book is certainly no fantasy and many of its scenes have a ring of truth. Teachers would do well to read this debut novel in order to understand just how much goes on when they aren't looking and to realize that much bullying takes place outside the classroom walls. The book is funny but wise, and Clark reminds me of many students who have passed through my own classroom, trying desperately to fit in and yet having no clue how to do so. Even Stephanie Spring, a secondary character who catches Clark's eye is unable to confess to the types of books she loves since it will only bring scorn from her friends, the aptly named Kaitlyn, Kaitlin, and Katelyn, their so similar names an excellent example of the robot-like ways that seem to characterize middle school.
March 2, 2018
Merschel, Michael Revenge of the Star Survivors 309 pages. Holiday House, 2017. $17.95. Language: G, Mature Content: G; Violence: G.
Clark Sherman is miffed that his parents, aka the commanders, moved his family to an alien planet, aka new town. From the moment he steps foot into his new middle school he is under attack. It all starts with the bully trio who harasses him relentlessly. Then the guidance counselor, who should be on his side, messes up his schedule and puts him in remedial math, two PE classes, and independent study in the library. The worst is yet to come when he meets the military style principal who is out to get him. Just when it appears that the alien forces, aka students and teachers, are going to win the attack, two comrades, aka potential friends, come out of the shadows and together form a plan to bring down the bad guys at Festus Middle School.
This story is told from the perspective of a teen boy who likes to compare his everyday challenges to those in his favorite TV show, Star Survivors. He’s your classic sci-fi nerd. At times the author goes overboard when writing in the “space explorer under attack” voice. At other times, he doesn’t use the voice at all and it comes across as inconsistent. However, the overall effect is clever and catchy. Major themes include surviving at a new school, making friends, popular vs. unpopular kids, bullying, and defeating the bad guys. Clark takes everything in stride and tells his story with humor. This is a book for kids who like to read and prefer books with humor.
EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Valerie McEnroe, Media Specialist
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018/...
Clark Sherman is miffed that his parents, aka the commanders, moved his family to an alien planet, aka new town. From the moment he steps foot into his new middle school he is under attack. It all starts with the bully trio who harasses him relentlessly. Then the guidance counselor, who should be on his side, messes up his schedule and puts him in remedial math, two PE classes, and independent study in the library. The worst is yet to come when he meets the military style principal who is out to get him. Just when it appears that the alien forces, aka students and teachers, are going to win the attack, two comrades, aka potential friends, come out of the shadows and together form a plan to bring down the bad guys at Festus Middle School.
This story is told from the perspective of a teen boy who likes to compare his everyday challenges to those in his favorite TV show, Star Survivors. He’s your classic sci-fi nerd. At times the author goes overboard when writing in the “space explorer under attack” voice. At other times, he doesn’t use the voice at all and it comes across as inconsistent. However, the overall effect is clever and catchy. Major themes include surviving at a new school, making friends, popular vs. unpopular kids, bullying, and defeating the bad guys. Clark takes everything in stride and tells his story with humor. This is a book for kids who like to read and prefer books with humor.
EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Valerie McEnroe, Media Specialist
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018/...
June 12, 2018
Disclaimer time: The author is a friend and former editor of mine. And since I'm not a Star Trek fan or in middle school, I probably wouldn't have read it otherwise. And that would have been a mistake.
Michael Merschel has created a character in Clark Sherman that teenagers as well as adults can find relatable. He is an outcast. He is bullied. He doesn't always have the social cues to help him communicate his issues. But he has two things going for him: He has intelligence, and he has friends.
Mike also has crafted a story with pace and intrigue. He puts his characters in harm's way through a bully whose athletic prowess always gives him the benefit of the doubt and a principal who sees our heroes as obstacles, not students. You can't help but turn the page to figure out how Clark and his friends get out of these jams.
People with teenagers and pre-teens in their lives should buy this book for them. People who don't should buy it anyway because it's a great story.
Michael Merschel has created a character in Clark Sherman that teenagers as well as adults can find relatable. He is an outcast. He is bullied. He doesn't always have the social cues to help him communicate his issues. But he has two things going for him: He has intelligence, and he has friends.
Mike also has crafted a story with pace and intrigue. He puts his characters in harm's way through a bully whose athletic prowess always gives him the benefit of the doubt and a principal who sees our heroes as obstacles, not students. You can't help but turn the page to figure out how Clark and his friends get out of these jams.
People with teenagers and pre-teens in their lives should buy this book for them. People who don't should buy it anyway because it's a great story.
October 24, 2022
Did not finish after about 115 pages. Yeah, yeah, I know I am not the demographic for this book (I'm a 30-something-year-old man) but I am a children's librarian and some of my favorite books are juvenile/middle school fiction.
I didn't really like our lead (Clark), even 100 pages in you barely get to know any side characters, the story dragged, and it was just all kind of depressing (the weak attempts at humor were lost on me). I understand some adults are idiots (especially when it comes to kids and relating to them) and I understand that sometimes those books have a special place in middle-schoolers hearts (because some adults in their lives are idiots) but that gets kind of old to me and the adults in this are just too frustrating and clueless...which is partly because Clark rarely tells them anything but to those he does, they don't listen (which I guess reinforces the not telling them anything).
Anyway, I wasn't a fan.
I didn't really like our lead (Clark), even 100 pages in you barely get to know any side characters, the story dragged, and it was just all kind of depressing (the weak attempts at humor were lost on me). I understand some adults are idiots (especially when it comes to kids and relating to them) and I understand that sometimes those books have a special place in middle-schoolers hearts (because some adults in their lives are idiots) but that gets kind of old to me and the adults in this are just too frustrating and clueless...which is partly because Clark rarely tells them anything but to those he does, they don't listen (which I guess reinforces the not telling them anything).
Anyway, I wasn't a fan.
June 5, 2017
Clark Sherman, Star Survivors superfan, has just landed on a hostile planet named Festus Middle School, where the natives seem to practice a variety of behaviors that do not compute. Learning to navigate and survive in this new world prove difficult for Clark, especially with no one to understand his mind or be his mate. This book totally has my heart! I loved the not-so-obvious Starship Troopers references, the renegade librarian, the secretly-nerdy cheerleader, and many other little gems hidden throughout this book. Like the previous book I read (Exit Strategy), this book is an excellent read for anyone who has ever felt different or alone. Some of the characters were a little too stereotypical, but I feel this was all hashed out in the end.
July 2, 2017
I utterly and completely recommend this book. Real but very funny, excellent dialog, fast-paced, with just enough twists and turns. As a geeky Star-Trek-loving kid who moved to a new state and new middle school and never quite recovered, this really spoke to me, and I think any kid who feels out of place in their school life will feel the same. Readers will cheer for Clark Sherman, an unapologetic geek with stubborn reserves of strength and endurance and ingenuity, and his friends facing (or avoiding) the forces arrayed against them. And I suspect a lot of us will wish STAR SURVIVORS was a real show we could go Netflix for ourselves. (I especially want to see the episode called "Occam's Laser.")
If you feel a bit of geekitude in your soul, try this book - you won't regret it.
If you feel a bit of geekitude in your soul, try this book - you won't regret it.
October 15, 2017
This if the first novel by Michael Merschel, editor of Dallas Morning News. The story follow Clark, a new student to Festus, as he deals with bullies and trying to make new friends, Les and Ricki. These kids are each dealing with a lot of tough issues. I liked that Clark showed a lot of compassion towards his biggest tormentor at the end of the novel - forgives without forgetting.
January 5, 2018
This is a great book for anyone who has ever had to move mid year in Middle School.
Or for anyone who has ever had to defend themselves at Middle School.
Or for anyone who has been obsessed with "things nerdy" while being in Middle school.
Or for anyone who has been a middle schooler. So yeah, read it.
Or for anyone who has ever had to defend themselves at Middle School.
Or for anyone who has been obsessed with "things nerdy" while being in Middle school.
Or for anyone who has been a middle schooler. So yeah, read it.
June 7, 2018
As an educator this was a difficult read. I know there are students out there that slip through the cracks (not literally), but no one stepped up for these students. When middle school focuses so much on relationships this was a hard read. Making a group of students feel like they might not have anywhere to run to not even their parents to take down a bully or two was disheartening.
July 7, 2018
Wow! I could not put this down! It's definitely more intense than most of the "middle school" books I read. However, it is phenomenal. There is so much to process with this book. I highly recommend it to both students—and teachers!
September 5, 2021
Love, love, love this book! I don't know how to tell y'all why without spoiling the end. But this is a fantastic book, even if YA isn't your thing. Especially if you were the nerdy new kid at school.
May 20, 2017
I have so many 8th graders that I want to recommend this book to! Very well written - even non-nerds can understand it. This is going to be a class favorite!!
August 5, 2017
Great read if you like Sci-Fi with a male main character!
November 1, 2017
Loved the resolution in this book, finally a win, for such a fun character.
September 15, 2018
I especially liked the Legend of Zelda reference in there. It was even one that I played, too! A life-force eating land-squid = Bellum from Phantom Hourglass.
July 24, 2019
When I was reading this it wasn't all that interesting in the beginning, but as I read on it got better and I wanted to read it more.
November 22, 2019
This was a good story. The "mission logs" got a bit repetitive to me after a bit...my favorite part was honestly Ms. Beacon.
September 9, 2023
A cute children's book about starting a new school and not fitting in.
May 28, 2018
Clark Sherman is miffed that his parents, aka the commanders, moved his family to an alien planet, aka new town. From the moment he steps foot into his new middle school he is under attack. It all starts with the bully trio who harasses him relentlessly. Then the guidance counselor, who should be on his side, messes up his schedule and puts him in remedial math, two PE classes, and independent study in the library. The worst is yet to come when he meets the military style principal who is out to get him. Just when it appears that the alien forces, aka students and teachers, are going to win the attack, two comrades, aka potential friends, come out of the shadows and together form a plan to establish a new order at Festus Middle School.
This story is told from the perspective of a teen boy who likes to compare his everyday challenges to those in his favorite TV show, Star Survivors. He’s your classic sci-fi nerd. At times the author goes overboard when writing in the “space explorer under attack” voice. At other times, he doesn’t use the voice at all and it comes across as inconsistent. However, the overall effect is clever and catchy. Major themes include surviving at a new school, making friends, popular vs. unpopular kids, bullying, and defeating the bad guys. Clark takes everything in stride and tells his story with humor. Unfortunately, the cover is terrible and the title makes the book seem like it's science-fiction, which it's not.
This story is told from the perspective of a teen boy who likes to compare his everyday challenges to those in his favorite TV show, Star Survivors. He’s your classic sci-fi nerd. At times the author goes overboard when writing in the “space explorer under attack” voice. At other times, he doesn’t use the voice at all and it comes across as inconsistent. However, the overall effect is clever and catchy. Major themes include surviving at a new school, making friends, popular vs. unpopular kids, bullying, and defeating the bad guys. Clark takes everything in stride and tells his story with humor. Unfortunately, the cover is terrible and the title makes the book seem like it's science-fiction, which it's not.
April 23, 2017
"My situation is desperate. I have cash-landed on an inhospitable world. Communication with my commanders has broken down. My shields have been compromised. I am critically short on vital supplies. I am isolated. Adrift.Cold.Lonely."
This book was fun to read. My favorite part was definitely the vernacular of Clark. He called his parents his "commanders", and I thought that was hilarious. This story reminds me a little of "Matilda" meets "Wonder." Where you have the over-the-top evil principal, the nice intelligent school teacher, the mean school kids, and the underdogs(the nerds in this case) .
Read if you like
... an underdog story.
... Star Wars, Star Trek, or anything with
Space dramas.
... the middle grade genre.
This book was fun to read. My favorite part was definitely the vernacular of Clark. He called his parents his "commanders", and I thought that was hilarious. This story reminds me a little of "Matilda" meets "Wonder." Where you have the over-the-top evil principal, the nice intelligent school teacher, the mean school kids, and the underdogs(the nerds in this case) .
Read if you like
... an underdog story.
... Star Wars, Star Trek, or anything with
Space dramas.
... the middle grade genre.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews