SOLVED. YA Sci-Fi/ Fantasy. Boy takes a test to see how lucky he is. Government is targeting lucky people. Read around 1988. Title: contains "luck" or "lucky". [s]

[Jarrett]

Read this in approximately 1988. It is Young Adult sci-fi/fantasy.
A boy takes a test and gets a high score. A score that indicates luck because test is virtually impossible. The government is seeking out people with extraordinary luck because they perceive such people as a threat. That's the beginning and as much as I can remember. I believe "luck" or "lucky" was in the title.

[Jarrett]

I think it is Starluck, 1982. Can anyone confirm that the kid to a test at the beginning of the store to identify him?

[Rainbowheart]

Starluck appears to have that scene, according to this review on Amazon.

"I read this book several years ago, when I was a kid. It was one of the first sci-fi books that I truly loved. I don't remember how good the action was, but I remember two neat things that stuck with me. 1) The use of luck as a power. The kid at the center of the action takes an obligatory luck test that shows he's as lucky or more lucky than the current emporer, which may mean he could become emporer himself. So the government wants him, and he goes through several lucky escapades trying to save his skin. 2) There were these cool shields that people wore that doubled as transporters. That is, you wore six panels of "gateway" leading into a star, so anything that got too near you would be transported into a sun. Some grisly deaths came into play, as I remember. Pretty entertaining and recommended read for the blossoming sci-fi fan."

[Jarrett]

Thanks! You've answered my question. Now I just need to track down that book so my kids can read it. :) Hope it is as fun as I remember.

[Rainbowheart]

Glad to help out! Hope you and your kids enjoy reading it again. :)