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Loxy Quum and the Merge Experiment
Late in the next century, humans have acquired technology to access the stars, and merges, humans with some animal genes and characteristics, prepare habitable worlds for settlement. Loxy and Lana Quum live on a distant moon with their parents and four other families of merges. Following an unprecedented visit by the authorities, their parents seem to disappear, and a reclusive being directs them to leave Krail and travel to a nearby planet where they can get help. On their long journey they will overcome treachery, unite with their allies, discover their histories, and take sides in a conflict where their lives, the fate of Earth, and the future of life in the universe all hang in the balance.
194 pages, Paperback
First published May 22, 2014
2 people are currently reading
3057 people want to read
About the author
Ricky Mon
7 books38 followersRicky Mon is writing the Loxy Quum series to further his belief in the power of science fiction. As a boy and a young man, he enjoyed the classics by Asimov, Heinlein, Bradbury, Orwell and others, as well as action stories like Doc Savage and comics. Ricky (his pen name) is the author of non-fiction publications in economics and natural resources. When not working on Tabia with the allies, he lives in Grass Valley, California. In his free time he enjoys sharing the earth with other humans and the beings who are all around us.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 21, 2016
This novel was surprisingly very addictive and action packed. When I first picked it up, I wasn't sure whether to expect a more child-like novel, or a Young Adult novel, but it was more towards the latter.
You follow children with very unique traits (similar to super powers, but more along the lines of being half alien and half human) as they try to rescue their parents. The characters were very relatable despite their nonhuman qualities. They all had realistic personalities and were interesting to read about.
While I found the plot to be very predictable, it was a good, short read that didn't take up much time. I would suggest a little bit of an extended plot to make things more interesting, but I wouldn't change much else.
The writing style was good and easy to read, and I didn't find any outstanding errors that made the plot go far from where it should have.
Overall, four out of five stars due to it being a little boring in the sense I've heard this plot before over and over.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
You follow children with very unique traits (similar to super powers, but more along the lines of being half alien and half human) as they try to rescue their parents. The characters were very relatable despite their nonhuman qualities. They all had realistic personalities and were interesting to read about.
While I found the plot to be very predictable, it was a good, short read that didn't take up much time. I would suggest a little bit of an extended plot to make things more interesting, but I wouldn't change much else.
The writing style was good and easy to read, and I didn't find any outstanding errors that made the plot go far from where it should have.
Overall, four out of five stars due to it being a little boring in the sense I've heard this plot before over and over.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
January 26, 2017
Goodreads First Reads copy.
This book is unimpressive start to finish. The presentation of the cover is poor, being some sort of poorly photoshopped picture of what seems to be a popular actress from Doctor Who. The back cover also has this strange diagram that seems out of place. It presents an idea of philosophy that the book itself barely touches. The last minor purely graphical quibble is that the font size choice in the book feels huge and the pages feel empty.
To review the actual content of the book, the writer has some issues with pacing and content. At the ends of the book they have shoved all their exposition in weird prologue and epilogue chapters that feel completely unnatural. The children all have special abilities that are exactly what is needed for each trial or tribulation and the struggles never feel like they matter because of the swiss army children. I felt alienated by the blatant creation of a minority group to struggle against the top 1% owners of the big bad evil capitalism. I also didn't like how all the workers for the big bad evil were excused because for them it was just a job which felt like sort of a cop out.
The whole book felt really preachy without giving a solid story to hang the social commentary on.
This book is unimpressive start to finish. The presentation of the cover is poor, being some sort of poorly photoshopped picture of what seems to be a popular actress from Doctor Who. The back cover also has this strange diagram that seems out of place. It presents an idea of philosophy that the book itself barely touches. The last minor purely graphical quibble is that the font size choice in the book feels huge and the pages feel empty.
To review the actual content of the book, the writer has some issues with pacing and content. At the ends of the book they have shoved all their exposition in weird prologue and epilogue chapters that feel completely unnatural. The children all have special abilities that are exactly what is needed for each trial or tribulation and the struggles never feel like they matter because of the swiss army children. I felt alienated by the blatant creation of a minority group to struggle against the top 1% owners of the big bad evil capitalism. I also didn't like how all the workers for the big bad evil were excused because for them it was just a job which felt like sort of a cop out.
The whole book felt really preachy without giving a solid story to hang the social commentary on.
November 9, 2014
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. FTC guidelines: check!
Loxy and his sister, Lana, are human hybrids. In the distant past, their ancestors were genetically combined with animals. Loxy has a larger nose and an incredibly sophisticated sense of smell from his canine heritage. Lana has fins and the ability to breathe underwater from her fish DNA. They live with a bunch of other hybrid humans on a world far from Earth and they're trying to create a settlement for mankind to inhabit at some point in the future. There are political and social problems in that "pure" humans see themselves as superior to the hybrids. Also, Loxy's parents, along with all of the other parents in the settlement, mysteriously disappear and the children have to go on a quest to find them.
The premise of this story was interesting but in execution it didn't quite work. Mon has developed a sophisticated religion/code of ethics for his world but his explanation of it in the prologue was a bit convoluted. On the back of the book, he graphs it out and I thought that the picture he provided was easier to understand than his words. I wish he had included the graph in the prologue.
The epilogue was excellent in that it explained the basis of the Galactic Scouts and how mankind was able to acquire the technology to travel the stars. I wish that the epilogue had been included in the prologue. After the religious treatise, the reader is tossed into the world of Loxy without the background to really understand what is going on. The Galactic Scout idea comes out of nowhere and feels completely out of context. If the ideas in the epilogue had been presented at the beginning, I think that the world would have been more fully fleshed out before the story began.
I don't mind large groups of characters in books (i.e. Game of Thrones) but they should have a purpose in the story beyond just being there. Mon creates a half dozen or more hybrid children for his quest, but only seriously utilizes two or three of them. Honestly, I kept forgetting that the other ones were along for the ride until he'd drop a line about them crying for their parents. Then I'd think, oh yeah, there are other kids there. Forgot about that one. What does that guy do again? It was annoying rather than entertaining.
I had a major problem with Mon's character development of Lana. She's a teenager and the role of leader is thrust upon her when her parents disappear. She does a believable job, making mistakes but improving upon her skills as she goes. But then, when the children are betrayed, she plants a bomb on the traitor that they are sending back to his people, and without a second thought- sets it off and kills a bunch of people. The pre-meditated nature of her action chilled me and I just didn't believe that the naive and sweet girl, who we started the story with, could have changed that much in such a short period of time. Then, as the quest continues, she claims to place a great value on preserving life at all costs by using stun guns instead of real ones. However, she certainly didn't demonstrate that ethic in her actions earlier in the story. It bothered me.
So, Loxy Quum and the Merge Experiment is a fun romp through a distant time and galaxy if the reader can overlook a few small characterization issues. Star Trek fans may enjoy it because it gives the feel of a larger universe with infinite possibilities for expansion and includes an enormous cast of characters who may or may not have significant character development in the novels that are to come.
Loxy and his sister, Lana, are human hybrids. In the distant past, their ancestors were genetically combined with animals. Loxy has a larger nose and an incredibly sophisticated sense of smell from his canine heritage. Lana has fins and the ability to breathe underwater from her fish DNA. They live with a bunch of other hybrid humans on a world far from Earth and they're trying to create a settlement for mankind to inhabit at some point in the future. There are political and social problems in that "pure" humans see themselves as superior to the hybrids. Also, Loxy's parents, along with all of the other parents in the settlement, mysteriously disappear and the children have to go on a quest to find them.
The premise of this story was interesting but in execution it didn't quite work. Mon has developed a sophisticated religion/code of ethics for his world but his explanation of it in the prologue was a bit convoluted. On the back of the book, he graphs it out and I thought that the picture he provided was easier to understand than his words. I wish he had included the graph in the prologue.
The epilogue was excellent in that it explained the basis of the Galactic Scouts and how mankind was able to acquire the technology to travel the stars. I wish that the epilogue had been included in the prologue. After the religious treatise, the reader is tossed into the world of Loxy without the background to really understand what is going on. The Galactic Scout idea comes out of nowhere and feels completely out of context. If the ideas in the epilogue had been presented at the beginning, I think that the world would have been more fully fleshed out before the story began.
I don't mind large groups of characters in books (i.e. Game of Thrones) but they should have a purpose in the story beyond just being there. Mon creates a half dozen or more hybrid children for his quest, but only seriously utilizes two or three of them. Honestly, I kept forgetting that the other ones were along for the ride until he'd drop a line about them crying for their parents. Then I'd think, oh yeah, there are other kids there. Forgot about that one. What does that guy do again? It was annoying rather than entertaining.
I had a major problem with Mon's character development of Lana. She's a teenager and the role of leader is thrust upon her when her parents disappear. She does a believable job, making mistakes but improving upon her skills as she goes. But then, when the children are betrayed, she plants a bomb on the traitor that they are sending back to his people, and without a second thought- sets it off and kills a bunch of people. The pre-meditated nature of her action chilled me and I just didn't believe that the naive and sweet girl, who we started the story with, could have changed that much in such a short period of time. Then, as the quest continues, she claims to place a great value on preserving life at all costs by using stun guns instead of real ones. However, she certainly didn't demonstrate that ethic in her actions earlier in the story. It bothered me.
So, Loxy Quum and the Merge Experiment is a fun romp through a distant time and galaxy if the reader can overlook a few small characterization issues. Star Trek fans may enjoy it because it gives the feel of a larger universe with infinite possibilities for expansion and includes an enormous cast of characters who may or may not have significant character development in the novels that are to come.
June 14, 2014
Actually star rating would be a 3.75
Reviewed for Readers Favorite.
Loxy and his sister Lana live on a far away planet. They and their parents, along with four other families were sent there to determine if the planet could support life, and if so to build a colony. Loxy and Lana, as well as the others on this planet are what are called merged humans. This means that they have human and animal DNA merged together. One day the parents on the planet all disappear, and it is up to the kids to find out what has happened, and to find out all the truths of the world outside their small planet that their parents have hidden from them throughout their lives. Loxy Quum and the Merge Experiment is science fiction, but there are real life morals and applications from the story that can be applied to real life. Ricky Mon does a wonderful job in merging the science fiction story to attract the attention of the readers with the moral and ethical issues that need to be learned about and learned from.
Loxy Quum and the Merge Experiment is a young adult book, but I definitely feel it could be read by Middle School children, in fact I think it might be a great book to read in school. While the story is science fiction, there is real life application. You can trace the treatment of the merged humans to slavery and more in history. This is what makes this book one that would work well in a school setting for kids to read. While they get a fun story, they also learn of the real life impacts of discrimination. Ricky Mon takes some tough ideals in discrimination and puts them into a story that most pre-teens and teens would enjoy reading. This is a win-win book, and something that teachers would be pleased to take a look at and possible teach from. Even if not in school, I think this is a book worth reading for that age set.
Reviewed for Readers Favorite.
Loxy and his sister Lana live on a far away planet. They and their parents, along with four other families were sent there to determine if the planet could support life, and if so to build a colony. Loxy and Lana, as well as the others on this planet are what are called merged humans. This means that they have human and animal DNA merged together. One day the parents on the planet all disappear, and it is up to the kids to find out what has happened, and to find out all the truths of the world outside their small planet that their parents have hidden from them throughout their lives. Loxy Quum and the Merge Experiment is science fiction, but there are real life morals and applications from the story that can be applied to real life. Ricky Mon does a wonderful job in merging the science fiction story to attract the attention of the readers with the moral and ethical issues that need to be learned about and learned from.
Loxy Quum and the Merge Experiment is a young adult book, but I definitely feel it could be read by Middle School children, in fact I think it might be a great book to read in school. While the story is science fiction, there is real life application. You can trace the treatment of the merged humans to slavery and more in history. This is what makes this book one that would work well in a school setting for kids to read. While they get a fun story, they also learn of the real life impacts of discrimination. Ricky Mon takes some tough ideals in discrimination and puts them into a story that most pre-teens and teens would enjoy reading. This is a win-win book, and something that teachers would be pleased to take a look at and possible teach from. Even if not in school, I think this is a book worth reading for that age set.
September 15, 2014
I got this book via GoodReads First Reads for review.
This book is about a future in which humans who have been combined genetically with animals called "Merges" are sent to other planets to build settlements for "Pure" humans. Our main characters Loxy and Lana are two of these merged humans. They come home from a job one day to find their parents missing along with all the other adults on the planet. So they gather up all the kids on their planet (all 6 of them)
and set out on an intergalactic adventure to find heir families.
The premise of this book was great. The idea of merged humans is one I had never heard of or of anything similar before. I thought it was all a very creative and interesting way to get the point across about discrimination and prejudice. The actual writing, however, was less impressive. The book was told from the 3rd person point of view which was not a good choice for this particular story. There were exclamation points where they really didn't need to be. There is a rule in writing called "Show, don't tell" which was blatantly ignored in this book. The dialog and characters were unrealistic and lifeless. This book had the potential to be great, but it fell short. I think that this is to be expected in a writer's first novel, so I believe the next book will be better (and I am looking forward to reading it).
This book is about a future in which humans who have been combined genetically with animals called "Merges" are sent to other planets to build settlements for "Pure" humans. Our main characters Loxy and Lana are two of these merged humans. They come home from a job one day to find their parents missing along with all the other adults on the planet. So they gather up all the kids on their planet (all 6 of them)
and set out on an intergalactic adventure to find heir families.
The premise of this book was great. The idea of merged humans is one I had never heard of or of anything similar before. I thought it was all a very creative and interesting way to get the point across about discrimination and prejudice. The actual writing, however, was less impressive. The book was told from the 3rd person point of view which was not a good choice for this particular story. There were exclamation points where they really didn't need to be. There is a rule in writing called "Show, don't tell" which was blatantly ignored in this book. The dialog and characters were unrealistic and lifeless. This book had the potential to be great, but it fell short. I think that this is to be expected in a writer's first novel, so I believe the next book will be better (and I am looking forward to reading it).
September 1, 2014
This was a Goodreads giveaway.
And a surprise that the author is a local (to me) neighbor, just in the next town.
I am not the target audience. This is a YA science fiction story. Not a bad story, but definitely aimed at the younger audience. I find issues with some of the technical science in the story, but it only detracts hard science lovers. Aside from that, the story is well paced and can get the imagination running. I would have to guess that the younger audience would eat up this story quickly. It is a complete story on its own.
Last comment. The Epilogue seemed out of place. It would have made more sense to me if it was a Prologue instead? Or did I miss what the author was trying to accomplish? I don't read enough YA fiction, I guess.
Now go out and have a Goodreads.
And a surprise that the author is a local (to me) neighbor, just in the next town.
I am not the target audience. This is a YA science fiction story. Not a bad story, but definitely aimed at the younger audience. I find issues with some of the technical science in the story, but it only detracts hard science lovers. Aside from that, the story is well paced and can get the imagination running. I would have to guess that the younger audience would eat up this story quickly. It is a complete story on its own.
Last comment. The Epilogue seemed out of place. It would have made more sense to me if it was a Prologue instead? Or did I miss what the author was trying to accomplish? I don't read enough YA fiction, I guess.
Now go out and have a Goodreads.
November 7, 2019
** I won a free copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway. **
This was a quick, fun sci-fi novel that would be good for middle readers and young adults who love tales of space exploration and alien encounters. While the language was a bit stilted at times, the story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I did find the part dealing with the kids destroying what they saw as enemy spacecraft and killing all aboard a bit disconcerting. Not the action, because the people on those ships were the enemy and planned to either kill or enslave the protagonists, but the lack of reaction by the kids. I think it would have had a bigger impact on them, at least right after the battle but nothing was said about it until much later in the story. I just found that a bit hard to understand. However, I did enjoy the story and look forward to reading the next installment.
This was a quick, fun sci-fi novel that would be good for middle readers and young adults who love tales of space exploration and alien encounters. While the language was a bit stilted at times, the story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I did find the part dealing with the kids destroying what they saw as enemy spacecraft and killing all aboard a bit disconcerting. Not the action, because the people on those ships were the enemy and planned to either kill or enslave the protagonists, but the lack of reaction by the kids. I think it would have had a bigger impact on them, at least right after the battle but nothing was said about it until much later in the story. I just found that a bit hard to understand. However, I did enjoy the story and look forward to reading the next installment.
March 2, 2020
Late in the next century, humans have acquired technology to access the stars, and merges, humans with some animal genes and characteristics, prepare habitable worlds for settlement. Loxy and Lana Quum live on a distant moon with their parents and four other families of merges. Following an unprecedented visit by the authorities, their parents seem to disappear, and a reclusive being directs them to leave Krail and travel to a nearby planet where they can get help. On their long journey they will overcome treachery, unite with their allies, discover their histories, and take sides in a conflict where their lives, the fate of Earth, and the future of life in the universe all hang in the balance.
October 30, 2014
This book was great, I Love Sci-Fi. This is is about experiments on humans by inner changing body parts with animal parts. It sounded gross to me too, your not alone. Loxy and Lana both sisters were sent to another planet where others like them live. Its suppose to be a trial to see if the planet can sustain life and to see if the people can make it there. Slavery they well became apart of. So much detail and what an imagination the author had when the book was created. I did not think I would like this book when I started it, but by the second page and the third so on and so on, it was not in my nature to stop once I was hooked. Well done Ricky Mon
January 26, 2020
Loxy Quum and his sister Lana have been living on the planet Krail, placed their many years earlier to start construction on the new settlement for humans from the planet earth since they have destroyed the earth with technology. Loxy and Lana have been genetically altered along with the other merges with certain animal traits. Lana has gills, while her brother has the smell abilities of a dog. The Merge Experiment is humans trying to add more genetic splices from aliens along with the animal genetics. Is this why Loxy and the other mergers families parents were held hostage an the Unity Labs?
December 5, 2019
There's clearly an interesting universe to build here.
Some scenes would improve by describing the action itself rather than describing it from afar. Viewing the action through a monitor makes for an interesting scene in a movie, but doesn't work well to immerse a reader.
Some of the lore is confusing, the strength of the weapons seemed arbitrary. The diagram on the back is unclear, but the one on the website looks good. also it is arguable that Lana Quum is the more interesting sibling and should be the name of the series.
Some scenes would improve by describing the action itself rather than describing it from afar. Viewing the action through a monitor makes for an interesting scene in a movie, but doesn't work well to immerse a reader.
Some of the lore is confusing, the strength of the weapons seemed arbitrary. The diagram on the back is unclear, but the one on the website looks good. also it is arguable that Lana Quum is the more interesting sibling and should be the name of the series.
February 8, 2020
I really enjoyed this book once I got a handle on the characters and the strange beings that inhabit its pages. And the ending was exciting and suspenseful. If you like science fiction and fantasy, this is a good book to read. If you are somewhat curious about world affairs, this might be interesting also. It touches on family, prejudice, power and love.
A brother and sister face challenges beyond their capability, and choices they must make. Young adults, as well as older adults will enjoy it.
A brother and sister face challenges beyond their capability, and choices they must make. Young adults, as well as older adults will enjoy it.
December 22, 2019
This is a science fiction novel geared toward the young adult reader. Most teens would enjoy this. Ricky Mon certainly has a great imagination. This is not my genre of reading. I will pass this along. Thank you for the opportunity of receiving this book.
October 29, 2014
I received this book from GoodRead First Reads program- I thought this was a great book. I like the imagery and I love sci-fi books.
May 25, 2020
Hard to put down. Not a bad book.
January 22, 2020
We recieved this book from a Goodreads giveaway, and I enjoyed it very much. The book was written for teens, but it's a fun book for the whole family. Well recommended!
January 25, 2020
A good, quick, run sci-fi read. I enjoyed it. I won this book through goodreads.
January 31, 2020
I like it so much that I read it a couple of times! If you get the chance to read this book don't pass it up.
May 19, 2020
Goodreads Giveaway!
Interesting premise and I enjoyed reading the book. The execution wasn't as I'd hope, but the idea made for a fun read.
Interesting premise and I enjoyed reading the book. The execution wasn't as I'd hope, but the idea made for a fun read.
March 10, 2020
If you judge a book by its cover, then this is not the book for you. Honestly, the cover is atrocious. The book had an easy enough premise to follow and is good or decent if you do not think too hard. This might be a good book if you are trying to get someone into science fiction, but definitely not if you already like the genre.
March 26, 2020
Could have been a 4 star but there were som boring parts.
August 20, 2014
very hard to follow for me
March 27, 2022
This book was confusing. I honestly am not sure what I even read and feel like I wasted hours reading it. We have these beings called merges that are humans that have had animal dna merged into them. Loxy can smell things and Lana has gills. That part of the premise sounded interesting but then things got very confusing. The first chapter is a massive info dump. They are supposed to live by this ethical/religious code or something but it’s very poorly explained and the diagram of it on the back cover is not helpful. This story moved so quickly that there wasn’t really time for tension before whatever was happening was quickly resolved. I won this in a goodreads giveaway and the author included the next book as well but I will not be reading it and will donate it instead.
July 28, 2020
I received this as a complementary copy from a Goodreads giveaway. My thoughts and review are my own.
I thought this was a surprisingly fun read. I’m not usually one who reads a lot of sci fi. It was a fast and easy read, that I feel teenagers would enjoy. Even though the book was named after the main male character, I feel like his sister is the one that stole the show.
One of the things that I liked was how they were all able to work together and problem solve under extraordinary circumstances. There was always something huh i gotta to overcome and pretty action packed. There was not much of a slow down throughout the entire story.
I thought this was a surprisingly fun read. I’m not usually one who reads a lot of sci fi. It was a fast and easy read, that I feel teenagers would enjoy. Even though the book was named after the main male character, I feel like his sister is the one that stole the show.
One of the things that I liked was how they were all able to work together and problem solve under extraordinary circumstances. There was always something huh i gotta to overcome and pretty action packed. There was not much of a slow down throughout the entire story.
August 22, 2023
This is a complex middle-grade sci-fi because the author has defined his world-building to detail and is very confident in the lore so we get a lot of exposition that some readers consider enrichment and extra info that makes this world and adventure more solid, while others will think it slows them down and overwhelms. I recommend it to readers who like to have a lot of information and be challenged. A good way to introduce sci-fi to readers who want more. It has the vibes of some of the great classic sci-fi writers like Bradbury.
My favorite character is Lana.
My favorite character is Lana.
May 2, 2021
It's a nice book with an interesting idea about the future.... But it's a children's book :)
August 20, 2023
a good middle schooler's book
September 5, 2023
I received this book through an ARC offer. I don't read many science fiction books. This book has some great dialogue and some amazing characters. I would read another Ricky Mon book.
January 14, 2017
I received a free review copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.
Why is Lana centered on the cover, if Loxy's the title character? He's the point of view, but shes's the one getting stuff done. Shrug.
I like that the alien has an accent! Not a native English speaker, obviously.
It doesn't make sense for the kids to keep loading stuff on the ship if they're worried about fuel consumption! Stick to the necessities.
"Boinked" is inappropriate in the context of "to make a mistake;" it has sexual connotations. You could've used "borked," if you hadn't already used it as a name!
Swimming in freshwater wouldn't be good for gills intended for use in saltwater. Did their home planet have freshwater seas?
It's not much good to have a "non-lethal" weapon that knocks people unconscious for longer than it takes to die of thirst, is it?
The epilogue is part of the prologue. I can understand not putting it before the story as a spoiler, but maybe relabel it "Background" instead. What I /can't/ understand is why Unity would allow Galactic Scout propaganda to reach their colonist slaves; the two organizations are obviously working at cross-purposes.
In general, the writing could use more "show" and less "tell." It's a fairly low reading level, okay for middle grades. There's a good amount of adventure, and clear-cut good and bad characters. However, I'm bothered by the fact that the loss of life (of "bad" guys), and the taking of life (by "good" guys), is completely glossed over, even celebrated. This is very unrealistic for kids who've just completed their first murders, and especially for one who's supposedly super-responsible. A responsible person would take responsibility for the lives she'd ended! They don't even mourn for more than a couple minutes; the staggering numbers of violent deaths don't seem to affect any of the kids at all.
Why is Lana centered on the cover, if Loxy's the title character? He's the point of view, but shes's the one getting stuff done. Shrug.
I like that the alien has an accent! Not a native English speaker, obviously.
It doesn't make sense for the kids to keep loading stuff on the ship if they're worried about fuel consumption! Stick to the necessities.
"Boinked" is inappropriate in the context of "to make a mistake;" it has sexual connotations. You could've used "borked," if you hadn't already used it as a name!
Swimming in freshwater wouldn't be good for gills intended for use in saltwater. Did their home planet have freshwater seas?
It's not much good to have a "non-lethal" weapon that knocks people unconscious for longer than it takes to die of thirst, is it?
The epilogue is part of the prologue. I can understand not putting it before the story as a spoiler, but maybe relabel it "Background" instead. What I /can't/ understand is why Unity would allow Galactic Scout propaganda to reach their colonist slaves; the two organizations are obviously working at cross-purposes.
In general, the writing could use more "show" and less "tell." It's a fairly low reading level, okay for middle grades. There's a good amount of adventure, and clear-cut good and bad characters. However, I'm bothered by the fact that the loss of life (of "bad" guys), and the taking of life (by "good" guys), is completely glossed over, even celebrated. This is very unrealistic for kids who've just completed their first murders, and especially for one who's supposedly super-responsible. A responsible person would take responsibility for the lives she'd ended! They don't even mourn for more than a couple minutes; the staggering numbers of violent deaths don't seem to affect any of the kids at all.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews