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My Best Friend Runs Venus
At 12.9 years old, number-obsessed Kade Walker has never heard of death. Literally. But neither has anyone else he knows. Kade is one of hundreds of kids "living" across the solar system through robotic avatars while their real bodies sleep in pods on Earth.
Unfortunately, robot bodies can be hacked.
One day during an (innocent!) experiment, Kade unwittingly breaks a major security wall and releases an infamous hacker. The madwoman targets all the royal avatars, including Kade’s best friend, Princess Tamika of Venus.
If Kade and Tamika don’t want to become the hacker’s puppets, they’ve got to stop her fast--even if that means waking up on Earth to fight with bodies they never realized could be hurt.
Unfortunately, robot bodies can be hacked.
One day during an (innocent!) experiment, Kade unwittingly breaks a major security wall and releases an infamous hacker. The madwoman targets all the royal avatars, including Kade’s best friend, Princess Tamika of Venus.
If Kade and Tamika don’t want to become the hacker’s puppets, they’ve got to stop her fast--even if that means waking up on Earth to fight with bodies they never realized could be hurt.
160 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 24, 2019
A cute read. The story is great for younger readers being easy to read and follow. The ideas in the plot are enough to keep some older readers interested as well. The concept of the story is a nice fresh look at future life possibilities with settlements on other planets. Tamika and Kade are great characters for youth to follow, getting into trouble and then needing to figure things out on their own will resonate with early to mid teen readers. Some subtle lessons about appearances, age and status are neatly woven in so they may not even notice lessons being hinted at.
July 24, 2019
Strange Robot in a Strange Land: A Review of My Best Friend Runs Venus
For those of you who grew up with their noses buried in a book, there’s a very comforting and familiar tone associated with the best fiction written for twelve-ish-year-olds. There is a sense of adventure and wonder that authors like Enid Blyton and C.S. Lewis managed to convey in much of their work. It’s dangerous, and sometimes terrifying, but in the end, the gang comes home, and you can turn off the lights with a smile on your face. My Best Friend Runs Venus by Katarina S. Forest takes this writing tradition and sends us on an exciting journey around the Solar System of the future.
The mechanics of the story sound a little complicated, but make sense in the narrative. There’s a problem with Earth - it apparently isn’t what it used to be. It’s changed from a pretty cool place to hang out, to an inhabitable wasteland. All of the rocky bodies within reach have been colonized - the Moon, Mars, Venus, Triton, Io...but not by people, per se. Robots roam around these planets and satellites, controlled by the consciousness of kids sleeping back on Earth. There isn’t a lot in the way of magnificent buildings or cities, but through Augmented Reality (AR), and a variety of sensors in the robots, the kids experience vast palaces, an expansive environment, and glorious weather - they don’t experience the real hellscape of Venus, but rather one adjusted and vastly improved. There is a social structure of sorts - a “Royal Family” of princes and princesses, complete with a retinue of servants and associated staff. Make sense? It’s like a dream, only you’re not really sleeping, you’re controlling a robot on a far-off planet that sees and feels everything, relaying the experience back to your body on Earth.
Tamika, the Princess of Venus (14), and her “official companion” Kade (12.9, and the owner of sort of a gargoyle “body,” with wings and claws) live in this world. Kade is somewhat of a tech whiz, using the AR experience and all of the information available to him in a series of “screens” that he can view to analyze, and somewhat shape his reality. They seem to be the first generation of humans really bred to it - they note how clumsy adults are when they inhabit the robot bodies. The kids know the robots and the systems inside out, and have no problem “hacking” the systems to find information they might need.
Tamika’s family has a dark past - her mother, Azra Bell, is known as the “Great Traitor,” and is known for her role in trying to destroy the new and fragile civilization. This doesn’t sit well with Tamika, and together with Kade they concoct a plan to use a banned “transporter” to travel to another world, and set the record straight. This is where the fun begins - their unauthorized activation of the transporter frees a treacherous character from the past, who threatens to pick up where she left off 10 years ago and proceed back to smashing up the galaxy.
The story’s pacing picks up here and doesn’t let off until the end. We bounce around in a desperate, wild chase around the solar system, as the young protagonists try to contain an ever-worsening situation. The story draws from several influences - The Matrix meets Ready Player One, with elements from Lord of the Flies and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. The book is in the vein of Robert A. Heinlein’s transitory period - fighting the constraint of being a pulpy kid’s author, he began to inject his work with more serious themes - readers of Have Spacesuit, Will Travel, and Podkayne of Mars will be in familiar territory. The story does venture into cyberpunk topics towards the end, with some questions about the humanity and purpose of the machines and the people in the story. Augmented Reality is a relatively new and fascinating subject, and the book uses it well as a framing device.
The science presented is interesting, but not so dense as to alienate a younger reader. In fact, it serves as an appetizer for headier works by more esteemed authors in the genre, such as Arthur C. Clarke in one direction, or William Gibson in the other. The chapters are short, interesting, and interspersed with fun illustrations. My Best Friend Runs Venus can be consumed in an afternoon by an adult, or a few days by a teen, and can be enjoyed equally as well by both.
For those of you who grew up with their noses buried in a book, there’s a very comforting and familiar tone associated with the best fiction written for twelve-ish-year-olds. There is a sense of adventure and wonder that authors like Enid Blyton and C.S. Lewis managed to convey in much of their work. It’s dangerous, and sometimes terrifying, but in the end, the gang comes home, and you can turn off the lights with a smile on your face. My Best Friend Runs Venus by Katarina S. Forest takes this writing tradition and sends us on an exciting journey around the Solar System of the future.
The mechanics of the story sound a little complicated, but make sense in the narrative. There’s a problem with Earth - it apparently isn’t what it used to be. It’s changed from a pretty cool place to hang out, to an inhabitable wasteland. All of the rocky bodies within reach have been colonized - the Moon, Mars, Venus, Triton, Io...but not by people, per se. Robots roam around these planets and satellites, controlled by the consciousness of kids sleeping back on Earth. There isn’t a lot in the way of magnificent buildings or cities, but through Augmented Reality (AR), and a variety of sensors in the robots, the kids experience vast palaces, an expansive environment, and glorious weather - they don’t experience the real hellscape of Venus, but rather one adjusted and vastly improved. There is a social structure of sorts - a “Royal Family” of princes and princesses, complete with a retinue of servants and associated staff. Make sense? It’s like a dream, only you’re not really sleeping, you’re controlling a robot on a far-off planet that sees and feels everything, relaying the experience back to your body on Earth.
Tamika, the Princess of Venus (14), and her “official companion” Kade (12.9, and the owner of sort of a gargoyle “body,” with wings and claws) live in this world. Kade is somewhat of a tech whiz, using the AR experience and all of the information available to him in a series of “screens” that he can view to analyze, and somewhat shape his reality. They seem to be the first generation of humans really bred to it - they note how clumsy adults are when they inhabit the robot bodies. The kids know the robots and the systems inside out, and have no problem “hacking” the systems to find information they might need.
Tamika’s family has a dark past - her mother, Azra Bell, is known as the “Great Traitor,” and is known for her role in trying to destroy the new and fragile civilization. This doesn’t sit well with Tamika, and together with Kade they concoct a plan to use a banned “transporter” to travel to another world, and set the record straight. This is where the fun begins - their unauthorized activation of the transporter frees a treacherous character from the past, who threatens to pick up where she left off 10 years ago and proceed back to smashing up the galaxy.
The story’s pacing picks up here and doesn’t let off until the end. We bounce around in a desperate, wild chase around the solar system, as the young protagonists try to contain an ever-worsening situation. The story draws from several influences - The Matrix meets Ready Player One, with elements from Lord of the Flies and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. The book is in the vein of Robert A. Heinlein’s transitory period - fighting the constraint of being a pulpy kid’s author, he began to inject his work with more serious themes - readers of Have Spacesuit, Will Travel, and Podkayne of Mars will be in familiar territory. The story does venture into cyberpunk topics towards the end, with some questions about the humanity and purpose of the machines and the people in the story. Augmented Reality is a relatively new and fascinating subject, and the book uses it well as a framing device.
The science presented is interesting, but not so dense as to alienate a younger reader. In fact, it serves as an appetizer for headier works by more esteemed authors in the genre, such as Arthur C. Clarke in one direction, or William Gibson in the other. The chapters are short, interesting, and interspersed with fun illustrations. My Best Friend Runs Venus can be consumed in an afternoon by an adult, or a few days by a teen, and can be enjoyed equally as well by both.
June 22, 2019
In My Best Friend Runs Venus, there’s a lovely blend of sci-fi, adventure and whimsy. The main characters are a couple of pre-teens who have been paired up as companions and sent to Venus via robotic avatars to run the planet. Their curiosity gets the better of them, and they activate a teleporter that releases a dangerous criminal who is intent on taking over their sims and destroying the status quo.
Had I read this as a kid, I think I would have loved it. As it is, I just really liked it, which isn’t all that different, really. I very much enjoyed the planet hopping, the banter between Kade and Tamika, the illustrations, and the imaginative technology that made everything possible: the flavor sticks, the teleporters, the avatars, the environmental overlays. And I thought the story was well executed and well organized. Just overall good!
Still, the idea of sending children to rule the planets of the solar system was interesting, but I couldn’t help but sense the unfairness of it all. The kids are essentially locked into sleep pods and expected to live out their lives as their avatars. The companions are basically the appointed best friend of each of the royals, and they aren’t even allowed to look human, that that seemed to bother Kade too much.
Through it all, I had questions. Did the parents go about their lives on the home world when not overseeing their children? Who else is on each of the planets? How are these children going to have families of their own and keep humanity going if they are living virtual lives? As an adult reader trying to understand the world, these kept me wondering. Would a young reader ask the same? I don’t know.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to younger readers who enjoy science fiction and adventures, particularly those who like imagining the possibilities of space colonization. Adults looking for a lighter read may also enjoy this, particularly if they enjoy middle-grade fiction.
I received the review copy of this book from the author via Lola’s Blog Tours.
Had I read this as a kid, I think I would have loved it. As it is, I just really liked it, which isn’t all that different, really. I very much enjoyed the planet hopping, the banter between Kade and Tamika, the illustrations, and the imaginative technology that made everything possible: the flavor sticks, the teleporters, the avatars, the environmental overlays. And I thought the story was well executed and well organized. Just overall good!
Still, the idea of sending children to rule the planets of the solar system was interesting, but I couldn’t help but sense the unfairness of it all. The kids are essentially locked into sleep pods and expected to live out their lives as their avatars. The companions are basically the appointed best friend of each of the royals, and they aren’t even allowed to look human, that that seemed to bother Kade too much.
Through it all, I had questions. Did the parents go about their lives on the home world when not overseeing their children? Who else is on each of the planets? How are these children going to have families of their own and keep humanity going if they are living virtual lives? As an adult reader trying to understand the world, these kept me wondering. Would a young reader ask the same? I don’t know.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to younger readers who enjoy science fiction and adventures, particularly those who like imagining the possibilities of space colonization. Adults looking for a lighter read may also enjoy this, particularly if they enjoy middle-grade fiction.
I received the review copy of this book from the author via Lola’s Blog Tours.
June 23, 2019
A fun romp from Venus to the moons of Jupiter and onto Earth with a couple of teen avatars as they battle an adult trying to take over the universe.
August 11, 2019
This middle-grade sci-fi is such a fun interplanetary romp! Young Kade and Tamika are great friends; in fact, they are each other’s only friends. Kade wants to help Tamika meet more people so they can both grow more friendships. Meanwhile, Princess Tamika is trying hard to be a good person and a good ruler, nothing like her infamous mother.
They’re doing all this in robotic avatars that allow them to live on the terraformed worlds of Venus, Mercury, and other places in the solar system. Unfortunately, robot bodies can be hacked! So, of course they are.
Kade and Tamika jump from world to world facing danger and meeting other young royalty and their companions on the way. There are great twists, fun characters, and intriguing worlds. The story wraps up in a very satisfying way, but leaves open the possibility for a sequel or two, which I would love to read.
I think tech-savvy middle-graders will love this story.
They’re doing all this in robotic avatars that allow them to live on the terraformed worlds of Venus, Mercury, and other places in the solar system. Unfortunately, robot bodies can be hacked! So, of course they are.
Kade and Tamika jump from world to world facing danger and meeting other young royalty and their companions on the way. There are great twists, fun characters, and intriguing worlds. The story wraps up in a very satisfying way, but leaves open the possibility for a sequel or two, which I would love to read.
I think tech-savvy middle-graders will love this story.
July 18, 2019
I received an arc of this book on netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I got pretty confused about what was happening, and i'm not sure how appealing this one is, because it is definitely one of the more ''out of the box'' space books i've read recently. Also, I get that the kid was kind of numbers obsessed but it got kind of annoying after a while.
I got pretty confused about what was happening, and i'm not sure how appealing this one is, because it is definitely one of the more ''out of the box'' space books i've read recently. Also, I get that the kid was kind of numbers obsessed but it got kind of annoying after a while.
January 14, 2020
This was such an easy, fun read. I enjoyed the world that was created and placed in the future. The characters were easy to relate to and cheer for. The pace of the novel could hold your interest while not going too quickly. Can't wait to read more from this series.
August 11, 2020
Kids who enjoy sci-fi are going to enjoy this little romp across the universe! I'd recommend it as a purchase for a collection or a gift.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
October 21, 2022
This book was pretty great, filled with drama and sort of epicness. I really enjoyed the story and the characters.
Sometimes i even wanted to just give them a hug, tell them everything would be alright.
I got this eARC from Netgalley
Sometimes i even wanted to just give them a hug, tell them everything would be alright.
I got this eARC from Netgalley
November 4, 2020
One of the best books I've read all year. Original, imaginative, funny and packed with action and unexpected twists. It maybe middle-grade, but this is a book that all age groups could enjoy.
August 11, 2019
| Reader Fox Blog |
My Best Friend Runs Venus by Katrina S. Forest was...okay. And frankly, that's really just the best way to put it. This book had a rather fascinating premise, that of a somewhat matrix-like world where all of humanity is now living in little pods and controlling robotic bodies across space. Adults, unfortunately, struggle to remain in control of robotic bodies for extended periods of time and therefore spend a lot of time sleeping. Children, however, are able to control their bodies for what seems like an indefinite period of time. Oh, and none of the kids know what death is and their robot bodies can get hacked.
I had a lot of fun reading this book, but I wouldn't say it was anything amazing. There were some intriguing facets to the whole story, but nothing was really explored in-depth. And, to be fair, this is a children's novel so perhaps that expectation might have been a bit high. There's definitely a juvenile feel to the entire book and plot. Even the villain seems rather young minded, despite being an adult. But it was interesting enough to keep me engaged and entertained.
I think the problem I had with My Best Friend Runs Venus really just comes down to the level I felt that I was reading. It seems to be a book for a higher age interest level, but I would probably read this to a younger kid, if I read it to them at all. I really enjoyed the artwork peppered throughout and I adored the premise of the plot. The characters were all okay, barring Princess Nyx who I loved immensely. I also thought she was kind of tragic and didn't get nearly enough "screen time."
Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but it was nothing brilliant.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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My Best Friend Runs Venus by Katrina S. Forest was...okay. And frankly, that's really just the best way to put it. This book had a rather fascinating premise, that of a somewhat matrix-like world where all of humanity is now living in little pods and controlling robotic bodies across space. Adults, unfortunately, struggle to remain in control of robotic bodies for extended periods of time and therefore spend a lot of time sleeping. Children, however, are able to control their bodies for what seems like an indefinite period of time. Oh, and none of the kids know what death is and their robot bodies can get hacked.
I had a lot of fun reading this book, but I wouldn't say it was anything amazing. There were some intriguing facets to the whole story, but nothing was really explored in-depth. And, to be fair, this is a children's novel so perhaps that expectation might have been a bit high. There's definitely a juvenile feel to the entire book and plot. Even the villain seems rather young minded, despite being an adult. But it was interesting enough to keep me engaged and entertained.
I think the problem I had with My Best Friend Runs Venus really just comes down to the level I felt that I was reading. It seems to be a book for a higher age interest level, but I would probably read this to a younger kid, if I read it to them at all. I really enjoyed the artwork peppered throughout and I adored the premise of the plot. The characters were all okay, barring Princess Nyx who I loved immensely. I also thought she was kind of tragic and didn't get nearly enough "screen time."
Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but it was nothing brilliant.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews