Stowaway

The Icarus Chronicles #1

by John David Anderson

The first book in a coming-of-age sci-fi duology about Leo, a kid trying to navigate the galaxy in order to save his family—and, possibly, the planet Earth.


When scientists discover a rare and mysterious mineral buried in the Earth’s crust, they have no idea that it just happens to be the most valuable substance in the entire universe. It’s not long before aliens show up to our little corner of the galaxy offering a promise of protection, some fabulous new technology, and entry into their intergalactic coalition—all in exchange for this precious resource. A material so precious that other alien forces are willing to start a war over it. A war that soon makes its way to Earth.

Leo knows this all too well. His father, a Coalition scientist, decides it would be best for them to leave Earth behind. It’s on this expedition that their ship is attacked, Leo’s father is kidnapped, and Leo and his brother are stranded in the middle of space. The only chance they have is for Leo to stow away on a strange ship of mercenary space pirates bound for who knows where and beg the captain to help him find his father.

But the road is dangerous, and pirates, of course, only look out for themselves. Leo must decide who to trust as he tries to stay alive and save his family, even as he comes to understand that there aren’t many people—human or alien—that he can count on in this brave new universe.

Genres: Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Adventure, Audiobook, Space, Childrens, Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published August 3, 2021

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

John David Anderson once hit himself so hard on a dare by his sister that he literally knocked himself out of a chair and nearly blacked out. He has since translated this passion and singularity of purpose to the related arts of novel writing and pizza eating. The author of STANDARD HERO BEHAVIOR, SIDEKICKED, MINION, THE DUNGEONEERS and the soon-to-land MS. BIXBY's LAST DAY, Anderson is a firm believer in wearing the same pair of jeans for three days in a row (four in the winter) and the power of writing to solve 73% of the world's problems. He lives with his beautiful wife and twins in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Science Fiction Middle Grade. I have to say I really enjoy this book, but it took me a little bit to get pulled into this book. I also felt some of the middle was to slow moving. I loved the characters in this book, and there was so much action in this book. I normally do not love space books, but this one was really fun and the characters made this book so good. I listen to the audiobook of this book, and I loved the narrator. I was kindly provided an e-audiobook of this book by the publisher or author (John David Anderson) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had some major challenges to overcome. Set the stage for a world several decades into the future and a duology. Create a sci-fi environment with spaceships, pirates, aliens, and a precious mineral. Satisfy readers who love Star Wars without copying Star Wars. Did "Stowaway" succeed? I believe so. The cliffhanger at the end of the first novel definitely has me interested in moving on the to second half of the story. We take a trip through space with Leo. He is the younger brother and has been in space with his widowed father and older brother for several years. His dad is an award-winning scientist helping a band of planets to defeat their enemy--an alien race that destroyed many of the major cities on earth in an attack that killed Leo's mother. There is lots of back story in this first book which, though helpful in setting the stage, also seemed to pop up at the wrong times and interrupt the action. The synthetic voice narration was also a bit difficult to follow at times. It was my choice to go ahead and listen to the ARC even though it was not the final audio version. Not something I will do again.

Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for providing the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Courtny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be one of my favorite Middle Grade Sci-Fi books I have ever written. The way that Anderson weaves the tale of Leo Fender and his family is both heart wrenching and hopeful. An alien race has stumbled upon Earth and they appear to be friendly. They are willing to give the human race advance technology and medicine in return for a very rare resource hidden deep within the Earth's crust. The only thing is, another alien race wants it as well or at least doesn't want the other to have it. We follow Leo on his journey leaving Earth and fighting the unknown with pirates, aliens, and self doubt. I highly recommend this book. I truly enjoyed it. It seems to be a series, so I can't wait for the second one to come out so I can see where the story takes us.

[Mad · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh.



shouldn't have read it right after rereading Aurora rising.

[izzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

*sighs* i wanted to love this book so much... did not finish at 82%
This might have spoilers so, read cautiously if you don't want them.
Before I point out all the bad, I want to say that the first half is pretty good. From then on it falls pretty fast...
The main character (i forget his name...) and his dad and brother moved to space a few years before the story happened and, along with his father getting kidnapped, he's still struggling with the move. That's what made me want to love the book so much. Not only did he move from Denver, Colorado like I did, but its been a few years and he's still struggling with the move.
Because I never finished it, I don't know how it ends so... I don't know if he ever gets his father back.
Now that I've said the good about it, here is the bad:
- some of the characters swear. Most of it is made up but, there are some real swears in it as well. They're also very obvious.
- lots of kissing... this is a middle grade novel!!! Why does it have so much kissing I might as well read YA??? It got out of my comfort zone pretty quick. Some of it was also forced
-allusions to sex? I'm not sure but, I'm pretty sure there were some allusions to it.
- mentions of a concubine. One of the characters has a concubine robot.
-possible gay couple. I wasn't comfortable with that at all. One of the guys also owns the concubine robot mentioned above.
- creepy characters and designs. Some of the characters had... creepy designs. One guy was decapitated but, is still alive and has a floating brain inside a capsule and no actual head.
-mentions of death...
Again, I really wish I could love this story. I just can't. Near when I stopped reading, my conscience really started getting to me.
Parents, please pre-read this book before you let your kids read it. While its in the Middle-Grade section, its essentially Young Adult. There are lots of things that could be triggers for them.

[Ta1ia✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really do like the book! And I can’t wait to read the next one!! The ending kinda leaves you on a cliff hanger? I think, I also didn’t not expect the little twist at the end of the book, would recommend.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Audio for the arc.

This book is an absolute delight. Join the crew of the Icarus: A pirate captain with a bad habit of taking in strays, a fuzzy four-armed alien who's been exiled from his home planet, a teenage robot, an unfriendly (but secretly very caring and loyal) orphan, and, of course, a stowaway. After his ship is ransacked and his father kidnapped, the Beagle crew are left stranded in space, with no way home. The Icarus shows up shortly afterward, but they don't find anything worth taking. Leo's brother hides him in their ship with the hope that he'll be able to call for help. Unfortunately, Leo's not a great stowaway and gets caught immediately. He now has to stick it out with this odd group of criminals until he can find help. A story of space pirates, aliens, gratuitous pop culture references, and a war that's more complicated than it seems, Stowaway is sure to be a hit.

I had an absolute blast with this book. It took me a couple chapters to really get into it, but it was incredible once I did. The characters are funny, have great chemistry, and I got attached to them immediately. If you're looking for a new found family book, look no further. Anderson also reminded me that while I don't read a ton, I love space books. And the ending! It's a crime that I have to wait for the sequel.

As for things I didn't love: I don't think this book translates amazingly well into an audiobook. The formatting is a little confusing, and I have no idea how to spell anything. I would probably recommend reading it as an ebook or physical book instead. There are also a lot of flashbacks, some of which I felt were unnecessary, but it wasn't awful.

Aside from those two things, I adored this book. I will almost certainly be buying a copy once it comes out, and I'll be keeping an eye out for any news on the sequel. Highly recommend :)

Minor TW for sexual harassment

[Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not interesting, hard for me to follow. Just not for me.

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

We listened to this on a road trip and everyone enjoyed it. The story and characters didn't feel very unique (it was basically guardians of the galaxy 😆) but I thought it was fun.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are very few authors that I have encountered that can write across genres and do it well. John David Anderson is one of those authors. I have read almost all of his books and they include fantasy, realistic fiction, and sci-fi, and all are so well done and so different than each other. Stowaway adds another awesome title to his works list.

Once again, Anderson is able to mix adventure, humor, and seriousness in a way that only he can to have the reader reflect on death, choices after loss, mental health, first impressions, and war while also making us laugh about snoring, clothing, descriptions of gyurt, and bad (GOOD!) puns.

And you will love the world-building in this one. Anderson did a great job of making the universe as vast and diverse as it is but not making it all so complicated that the reader cannot keep up with the planets and species.

But I think my favorite thing about this book is the characters. Each character is intriguing, has its own back story, and is so much more than you at first realize. And this is not just Leo’s character, it is all of the characters in the book. I love Baz and his crew, I love Leo and his family, and I love all of the aliens & humans that Leo meets along the way, good and bad! And I assume we’ll get to know even more in the 2nd book!

Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=2...

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Once the Aykari realized that Earth had rich reserves of Ventasium, a valuable mineral, they slowly took over, providing helpful technology and protection from other forces in exchange for it. They also put in place a Coalition, and it is on one of their space ships, the Beagle, that we find Leo Fender living with his older brother Gareth and his scientist father, Ventasium specialist Dr. Fender. Leo would have much preferred to stay on Earth, but once the Djarik started attacking and Earth became a battleground over the mineral, it seemed wise to leave, especially after the tragic death of his mother in an enemy attack. When Djarik forces attack the Beagle, steal its Ventasium, and capture Dr. Fender, there is little that Captain Saito can do. The ship is stranded in space with limited communication and dwindling resources. When it is attacked again by space pirates, the group hopes against hope that pirate Bastian Black will take pity on them and help with their rescue. When this doesn't seem likely, Gareth makes a sudden plan-- he has Leo pack a bag, and the two try to stowaway on the pirates' ship, the Icarus. At the last moment, Gareth realizes that the space he finds is only big enough for Leo, so he sends him off alone. It isn't long before Leo is discovered by crew members Boo, a Queleti, and Skits, a robot. They turn his over to Baz and his first mate, the fiesty, metal armed Kat. Baz is not thrilled, and plans to dump Leo right away, but is eventually convinced to help him find his father. They pay hackers Dev and Mac (who is a brain in a jar!)with an ancient vinyl copy of David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, and determine that Dr. Fender is being held by the Djarik. With Gareth possibly blown up along with the Beagle, Leo is determined to find and rescue his father, a task which is complicated by the fact that there is a large bounty on Baz's head.
Strengths: If Earth is as great as we think it is, it seems likely that we will be attacked by space aliens, and that it won't end particularly well. I've watched enough Star Trek to know that while some alien life forms are friendly, a lot are not. The details of life on a space ship are interesting, and it's especially good that this lifestyle is contrasted against Leo's life on Earth. Gareth, although we see him only briefly, is a great character, and the fact that he manages to save his brother is great. Baz and Kat end up helping Leo, but are reluctant to do so. It's Boo, who initially frightens Leo, who ends up being his closest companion. There are plenty of stops along the way to find Leo's father, interesting space aliens, and action and adventure. The series information was taken from the publication data of the E ARC.
Weaknesses: The flashbacks to Leo's life on Earth, which focus on his grief over his mother's death, slow the story down quite a bit and add an edge of sadness to an otherwise interesting space adventure. Also, as a teacher who frequently is in charge of student inhalers, I was SUPER worried that Leo's one inhaler would run out on his adventures. Perhaps, if one is in space, one should travel with TWO.
What I really think: This has some similarities to Lander's Blastaway, Fry's Jupiter Pirates, or Emerson's Last Day on Mars. I'm curious to see the direction the rest of the series takes.

[Ümit Mutlu · Rating 5 out of 5]

John David Anderson’ı daha ziyade, duyarlılıkla anlattığı dostluk ve aile hikâyelerinden tanırız; Üç Çocuk, Bir Öğretmen ve Unutulmaz Gün’de de böyleydi, Tuhaflıklar Ailesi Yollarda’da da. Yeni romanı Kaçak Yolcu’da ise aslında, kalemini bambaşka bir türe, bilimkurguya yöneltiyor ama içinde her daim yanardağ gibi tüten bu dostluk ve aile bağı izleklerinden vazgeçmiyor. 2050’lerde, evrenin derinliklerinde, uzay korsanlarının arasında ve galaksiyi sarsan bir savaşın ortasında babası ve ağabeyini bulmaya çalışan 13 yaşındaki bir delikanlıdan söz ediyoruz ne de olsa. Muhtemelen hiçbir aile bu denli ayrı düşmemiştir dünyada ve hiçbir aile, galaksilerarası bir savaşı önleyebilecek bilgi birikimine sahip değildir.

Fakat Leo bunu başarabilir. Önce birtakım adımları atmaya mecbur olsa da, başarabilir. Kendisini alıkoyan korsanları bu amaç için ikna edebilir mesela. Sonra, evrendeki en değerli yakıt kaynağı uğruna türlü badireler atlatıp, David Bowie’nin plaklarıyla takas edilecek mücevher değerinde bilgilere erişebilir. Uzay gemileri savaş toplarının arasından son sürat kaçarken o kılık değiştirip düşman saflarına sızabilir. Üstelik tüm bunları yaparken, hem gelecekte gerçekleşecek dramatik bir kavuşmanın hayalini kurabilir hem de geçmişte, annesiyle ilgili koca bir yükü omuzlamayı başarabilir.

Maceranın sonunu ise şimdilik kestiremeyebilir, çünkü... hayatın neler getireceğini kim bilebilir?

Kaçak Yolcu gerek türü, gerek türe ait unsurlara kusursuzca yer vermesi (ve yine türe ait kült eserlere yaptığı harika göndermeleri) gerekse de dram-mizah oranını hassas terazide tartmışçasına dengelemeyi başarması sayesinde, Uzun Zamandır Okuduğum En İyi Middlegrade Romanı Ödülünü kazanıyor benden. Dahası, Anderson, baştan sona sinematik bir üslup tutturduğu kitabında çok daha “derin” konulara da eğiliyor; tabii “aile”den daha ciddi bir şey varsa: çevre sorunları, insanlığın geleceği, evrendeki yerimiz, savaşın ve tüm savaşların anlamsızlığı, güç istenci yolunda yok olan hayatlar...

Yetişkinlerin de büyük zevkle okuyacakları roman “İkarus Günlükleri” serisinin ilk kitabı. İkinci ve son macerayı da merakla bekliyorum.

[Steff Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

| Read on Reader Fox |


He liked listening to the classics (Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift).

Oof. I gotta say, John David Anderson's Stowaway was incredibly boring. I feel bad saying this, because I know that there's certainly some worth in this story--one focused on found families and the concepts of trust and manipulation--but I had such a hard time getting through it. And I think it's telling that you can have fantastic ideas and intriguing plots, but if your characters aren't interesting enough to hold the reader's attention, you have a problem.

Stowing Away

Honestly, I'm not sure if it was the characters or if it was the pacing that really did this novel in for me. Truthfully, it's probably a little bit of both. I simply couldn't bring myself to connect with the characters at all and certain parts of the story took way too long.

It's really surprising that the characters were so difficult to feel emotions for. Most of them had very distinct personalities. But something about the way the characters were written really prevented me from building any emotional connection to them. Their emotions were never displayed in a way that allowed me to. The writing of their big emotional moments just felt so flat and dry. Leo, despite losing his father, and his brother in a way, never really displayed the emotions I would have expected from him.

And the story hurts for this.

Alternately, the book as a whole just dragged. Moments that meant absolutely nothing dragged on and on. And then bigger moments, the exponentially impactful ones felt so damn rushed. It's as though Anderson put the emphasis on all the unimportant miscellaneous moments. And then barely spent time on anything that was meant to really hit you emotionally.

It's Unfortunate

The sad thing is that I do think this book had potential. The themes within it were genuinely great ones. I've grown to really love the concept of a found family in my adult years. Those connections are important. The ideas behind trust given through manipulation and lies is definitely something worth exploring.

The only problem is that these concepts are never really deeply explored. Anderson set up this world with these brilliant themes...and then proceeded to follow a very tell, not show format to them. We got all the information regarding the trust built through lies and manipulation entirely in dialogue exposition. And it was so boring.

So, I'm just kind of left with this novel that really could have been...something, but is instead just disappointing. And I think it comes down to the execution. You can have great ideas, but if you don't put in the effort to write them properly, your novel is going to fall flat.

I get that this is a middlegrade novel. And there are many young boys who will probably love this. But I don't think it was written well. And I, for one, am very disappointed.

I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

| Reader Fox Links |

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as a synthesized voice eARC from NetGalley. It was my first time listening to a book like that and I was aware the entire time that there wasn't a person behind it, we empathize on certain words, or phases, and it was off putting to hear a "man" narrating what was very much a boy's young adult book with monotone. It was sometimes accidentally funny in not-funny spots and some jokes I had to think on before I actually understood why characters where reacting to a scene.

I did like the book, it remanded me of the 2002 movie, Treasure Planet. Only in that it has a boy getting help from pirates, to the theme of Treasure Island. Leo finds himself and his family torn between the "enemy" Djarik aliens, and the Ayakari - aliens who supposedly act as Earth's benefactors, and a pirate "family" that his brother Gareth stows him away on the ship of.

How Leo does and doesn't fit into the puzzle of the universe without his mother, without Earth and a "home", or ship to call his own, and now on a pirate ship looking for the last of his family makes a interesting adventure and I'm looking forward to how it all comes apart and back together with the sequel.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Stowaway. But I can't decide who its target audience is. The main character's age leads me to believe this is a middle grade story. But, in the end I don't think my 5th graders are ready for this.

The beginning seemed too intense for my 5th graders. Or is it just that I've read adult space opera and my mind went places that weren't on the page? The language and action scenes also seemed more appropriate for teens than tweens.

The politics seem like a great introduction for teens to space opera's style of government politics and propaganda.

There is some nostalgia throughout, but I know it would be meaningless for most of my 5th graders. And honestly, the teens I know wouldn't get it either. So, the rock band references seemed aimed at adults. Will teens get the Pirates of the Caribbean references? I'm not sure.

In the end, I don't think this is right for my 5th grade classroom library. But I liked the story myself. The characters were terrific and the plot was good. This is a really tough one to rate.

[Jena Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I warmed up to this one slowly at first. It wasn't exactly what I expected, but once it clicked with me to think of this book as a middle-grade version of Becky Chambers's The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, I was all in for the ride. Leo is forced to stowaway on a space pirate ship when they come to raid the Coalition ship where his family resides. Earth has been all but destroyed in the process of mining a rare galactic substance buried in its core. Leo's father is a leading scientist and a leader in forming an alliance between humans and other alien nations. Within the first few chapters, we find Leo's father has been kidnapped, his brother left behind on the science ship, and Leo hidden away with (but quickly discovered by) a quirky pirate crew.

Comparisons to The Mandelorian and Guardians of the Galaxy are also here. As Leo bonds with his new space pirate crew, we get to know a lovable and fierce wooly alien, a snarky pop-culture-obsessed human captain, a no-nonsense first mate, and an adroid with an attitude problem. This found family is delightful as they have many adventures -- both funny and dangerous -- along the way toward finding Leo's lost family members. The book ends on a cliff-hanger making the reader eager for more.

[Gmr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, it may sound cliché, but it was OUT OF THIS WORLD! Whether you're a die hard science fiction fan or simply a dabbler that loves a good story no matter where it takes place, this one is for you!

The adventure that awaits at every turn of the page will leave you feeling like you've just gazed at the most amazing starfield and can't look back down. I loved how we got caught up on the past while still driving forward in the present. I loved the varied cast of characters and how you could never really pin them down in the best way possible! I loved the unexpected moments of laughter, violence promised (but not overtly so!), and awkward moments defused in ridiculous ways! Boo's kiss...Skits rescue...Leo's inhaler...all moments among the moments I won't soon forget and YOU should watch for! And yes, it ends with loose ends because it IS a duology, but not so many that you don't get a clear picture of where we've landed after all is said and done.


**ecopy received for review; opinions are my own

[Emily Clifford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It's well-written, lots of compelling and nuanced issues to explore and discuss, cinematic scenes, and the characters are fun and have heart. I usually don't like pirate books, but it won me over.

It's actually very literary in terms of how the flashbacks circle back, the symbolism, the evolving conflicts, and the ambiguous ethics of this near-future. For some readers, this could be repetitive, but I felt it gave the book so much more substance. You can certainly incorporate this book into a whole-class read. In terms of language, there's just a couple SF swear-adjacent substitutes, that's it.

It would be a great present for someone who loves SF or a terrific free choice/book club book for middle grades. You could use it for reluctant readers in HS, but the cover is a little juvenile. I def hope they change the cover ASAP. I picked it up bc it's a Nutmeg Nominee.

[Kirsti Call · Rating 5 out of 5]

The night before the attack, Leo's other had introduced him to a new trick, seemingly passing a chain of colored scarves through her skull, in one ear and out the other. "I'm cleaning my brains," she said. "Just getting the dust out." It was marvelous, just like she was. He begged her to teach him, but it was already late.

"Tomorrow," she said. "I promise."

STOWAWAY, by John David Anderson is a riveting MG space opera covering themes of grief, loss, loyalty, family, identity, courage, and sacrifice. Authentic characters, an immersive setting, and a fast paced plot makes this the kind of story that will engage readers of all ages--and it's the first in a series! I can't wait to read the next book.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 - I thought this was a good middle-grade story. I really liked how the plot built over the course of the book. There was enough hinting at what the outcome would be but it didn't completely spell it out to the reader.

I found Leo to be a great character to follow and I loved the small band of pirates.

There's action, there's adventure, there's found family and a lot of heart. I think this will be a fun middle-grade series for young readers.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for the audio ARC of Stowaway in exchange for an honest review.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The constant back and forth between past and present annoyed me, but overall this was a great book. Loved the twist near the end, even though it didn't really surprise me. I also appreciated all the Star Wars references (Djarik/Dejarik, Bastian/Bastion, Dev, Crayt/Krayt, etc); I suppose the similar names could have been coincidence, but I doubt it since the author mentioned in the Acknowledgements that he's a Star Wars fan.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very well done. Marketed as a middle grade and sold at a middle grade price, it felt a bit older. Like a young YA novel. I enjoyed that element of it. I came to really love the characters, and I was fully invested in the plot. I hope to pick up the sequel at some point. Anderson is a good writer. At times, I felt like I was pushing through the writing...but for the most part I was engaged with it.

[Myn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not looking forward to reading this. It was a required read for Middle School Book Club and I don’t like sci fi. But this book surprised me and I was eager to keep reading. It was well-paced and exciting. I may even read the rest of the series.

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

NetGalley Audio ARC.

Takes me a little time get into the audiobooks narrated with a synthesized voice and I thought maybe I just couldn't listen to middle grade ARCs at all but this one broke that mold! Yay! It was a little hard to get into in general but once I did, it was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed Baz's crew! I was a little confused by Leo's father, I might've missed what he was actually doing with the Djarik. Eep. And hello? Must be the first in a series or at least have a sequel!! That cliffhanger ending!

[Jill F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one. Great character development. Hard to pick a favorite!

[Tonya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Painfully slow start, two hundred wasted boring pages, most of the jokes are written for adults, sloooooow pace

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Audio for the synthetic voice audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Trigger warning for loss of a parent. It happens before the story opens but is referenced multiple times.

This was a fun, middle grade, space opera. I enjoyed the band of misfits vibes of the pirate crew, and I was hoping things would go well for everyone! The ending was kind of a cliffhanger, if you’re the kind of reader that waits for a whole series is out to avoid that, definitely wait on this one. Otherwise, I totally recommend it, especially for kids who love space stories.

[D. J. Arévalo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book! Great book to add to my YA reads this summer. I enjoyed the journey with our main character but then I was hooked from the second half on. I will be continuing my seasonal theme of YA Summer Reads into this autumn beginning with the second book that I already picked up from my library.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to write an honest and sincere review of this book.

Stowaway is an excellent science fiction novel for middle grade students (5th-9th). The main character, Leo, finds himself a stowaway on a space pirate's ship, but the pirates are actually kinder, and less cut-throat that Leo expects. If you know kids who are interested in science fiction (i.e. fans of Star Wars or Star Trek, etc.), this would be an excellent book for them. There are quite a few references to 20th and 21st century pop culture, which some kids might catch onto, adding some humor to the story.

I have read several YA level science fiction books that are similar to this title, but it has been a while since I have found a book for younger students in this genre. It is difficult to find good science fiction books for middle grade students, since so many have content or suspenseful themes that might be too mature for a younger audience. This book has just the right amount of space aliens, cybernetic body parts, suspense, and fear that should definitely increase a kid's interest in science fiction.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an ARC to read! I really enjoyed this exciting adventure, and it is definitely my favorite book by John David Anderson yet. At times it reminded me of Guardians of the Galaxy with its cast of eclectic but lovable, characters roaming space as pirates who straddle the line between right and wrong.
It takes place a bit in the future, and Leo and his brother Gareth live aboard a spaceship where their scientist father works with the friendly alien species the Ayakari studying Ventasium, a powerful energy source. But when their ship is suddenly attacked by the enemy alien species the Djarik and Leo's dad is taken hostage, everything changes. The brothers and the crew are left stranded on a damaged ship, so when pirates come along to raid it, Gareth makes Leo hide in their ship so that at least he can escape.
That is when Leo's adventure really starts, and he's caught up in the crazy life of this unlikely crew of pirates and a whirlwind journey to find his dad. But along the way, he'll uncover truths he may not be ready for, reminisce about his past on Earth, and have to start deciding what he stands for and what kind of person he wants to be in this infinite universe.
It was definitely an enjoyable read full of adventure, as well as some heartfelt moments that make you think about what it means to be human. I also feel a sequel coming along and I'm excited!