FEBRUARY 2018 - AudioFile
Cassandra Gupta has a clear goal from the moment her NASA internship supervisor offers her the chance to compete for a top-secret mission. She wins the competition and becomes the youngest person in space. Narrator Soneela Nankani creates a voice for Cassie that is clear, determined, and just a bit arrogant without being unlikable. She also competently tackles a large and diverse cast of secondary characters including competitors from a host of backgrounds and countries whose accents are well done. Nankani hits just the right note for a high-concept, high-stakes work of teen science fiction, narrating with intensity and, at the same time, capturing the sincerity of the protagonist. N.M. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
08/21/2017
Set in 2043, Kaczynski’s gripping debut stars Cassandra Gupta, a genetically engineered high school senior from Huntsville, Ala., who works as an intern in NASA’s legal department. Cassie dreams of becoming an astronaut, but because NASA no longer sends humans into space, she assumes that will never happen. Then she learns that the organization is planning a secret, highly experimental mission, and that she will be competing with 63 exceptional young people for a spot on the crew. Cassie travels to Johnson Space Center in Houston, where the applicants face a grueling selection process. As the field narrows, the tests grow stranger and more dangerous, forcing the candidates to wonder about the mission’s destination and purpose, as well as the nature of the winner’s role on the ship. First in a duology, this SF thriller uses a diverse, well-drawn cast and a twisty, cerebral plot to entertain readers while highlighting science, the space program, and the importance of empathy and friendship. A game-changing cliffhanger paves the way for book two. Ages 13–up. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
With a flawless balance of scientific world-building and imaginative competitions, Dare Mighty Things invites readers on the adventure of a lifetime.” — —Scott Reintgen, author of the Nyxia Triad
“With a smart, driven heroine, a diverse cast, and a high-stakes competition, DARE MIGHTY THINGS is an action-packed novel you won’t want to put down!” — Elizabeth Briggs, New York Times bestselling author of the Future Shock series
“Gripping and original, packed with tension and intrigue, Dare Mighty Things grabbed me from the start and kept me guessing right to the end! Space, STEM and a kickass heroine with her eyes on the prize — what more could you want?” — Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Illuminae Files and The Starbound Trilogy
“An original take on the competition theme featuring a unique and flawed heroine, this sci-fi novel blasts off with tons of action balanced with authentic dialogue and characters...especially appropriate for fans of Andy Weir’s The Martian and James Dashner’s The Maze Runner.” — School Library Journal
“With a diverse cast of strong, fleshed-out characters—including an asexual protagonist—teens of all sorts will find something to like in Kaczynski’s debut.... Kaczynski’s characters and her detailed portrayal of training for space will leave readers impatient for the next volume in this duology.” — Booklist
“…Well crafted… The worldbuilding is exceptional” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
“Cassandra is a relatable character, confident without arrogance, and readers will cheer for her as she works her way up from the bottom of the pack and makes friends in spite of herself…Several plot twists and a diverse cast of characters make for an exciting atmosphere.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Amie Kaufman
Gripping and original, packed with tension and intrigue, Dare Mighty Things grabbed me from the start and kept me guessing right to the end! Space, STEM and a kickass heroine with her eyes on the prize — what more could you want?
Booklist
With a diverse cast of strong, fleshed-out characters—including an asexual protagonist—teens of all sorts will find something to like in Kaczynski’s debut.... Kaczynski’s characters and her detailed portrayal of training for space will leave readers impatient for the next volume in this duology.”
Scott Reintgen
With a flawless balance of scientific world-building and imaginative competitions, Dare Mighty Things invites readers on the adventure of a lifetime.
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
…Well crafted… The worldbuilding is exceptional
Elizabeth Briggs
With a smart, driven heroine, a diverse cast, and a high-stakes competition, DARE MIGHTY THINGS is an action-packed novel you won’t want to put down!
Booklist
With a diverse cast of strong, fleshed-out characters—including an asexual protagonist—teens of all sorts will find something to like in Kaczynski’s debut.... Kaczynski’s characters and her detailed portrayal of training for space will leave readers impatient for the next volume in this duology.”
School Library Journal
09/01/2017
Gr 9 Up—With her "designer genetics," Cassandra Gupta has enhanced intelligence and physical stamina. In a future where infertility is an epidemic, "desi" children are not unusual and at barely 18, Cassie qualifies for a unique opportunity to go into deep space. A diverse group of exceptional young adults undergo punishing physical and mental tests that quickly cull the group to a handful, which includes Cassie. Denied contact with the outside world, Cassie relies on outgoing Emilio and roommate Mitsuko, who acts as a big sister to her. Participants are constantly ranked and the mysterious Luka consistently maintains the lead. When Luka is chosen first and Cassie is selected as the alternate, they learn the nature of a seemingly impossible mission. Training intensifies and Cassie realizes she is drawn to Luka, and that her role in the mission will go far beyond what she ever envisioned. An original take on the competition theme featuring a unique and flawed heroine, this sci-fi novel blasts off with tons of action balanced with authentic dialogue and characters. While the diversity is welcome, repeated references to characters as the "skinny white kid," "tall black guy," or "Hijabi girl" felt tacked on. In such close quarters, Cassie wonders if she might be asexual, which is realistically explored throughout. The science behind the premise is exciting and accessible. A major plot twist sets up a sequel readers will eagerly await. VERDICT A general purchase especially appropriate for fans of Andy Weir's The Martian and James Dashner's The Maze Runner.—Lee De Groft, Jamestown High School, Williamsburg, VA
FEBRUARY 2018 - AudioFile
Cassandra Gupta has a clear goal from the moment her NASA internship supervisor offers her the chance to compete for a top-secret mission. She wins the competition and becomes the youngest person in space. Narrator Soneela Nankani creates a voice for Cassie that is clear, determined, and just a bit arrogant without being unlikable. She also competently tackles a large and diverse cast of secondary characters including competitors from a host of backgrounds and countries whose accents are well done. Nankani hits just the right note for a high-concept, high-stakes work of teen science fiction, narrating with intensity and, at the same time, capturing the sincerity of the protagonist. N.M. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2017-07-17
Cassandra Gupta, a biracial, Indian-American 17-year-old, has been working a boring intern job at NASA when she's chosen to go to Houston to compete for a seat on the next space mission. The child of an Indian dad and a white mom, Cassandra was born in the first generation of designer babies, with DNA that was altered in vitro to give her optimal traits for athleticism and intelligence. Believing this is why she may have been selected, she sets off for Houston with one goal in mind: to win. Candidates from around the world, all under the age of 25, will endure a crash-course space camp that includes astronaut classes along with physical and psychological endurance testing. As the youngest, the anti-social Cassandra slowly begins to bond with the other participants. Friendships are made, but suspicions arise after a mysterious accident, and one by one, candidates drop out. Cassandra's closest friends, Mexican-American Emilio and Japanese-American Mitsuko, believe this expensive and unlikely government program isn't what it seems. There is little new here, as this book joins a small plethora of other teen novels with similar setups. Narrator Cassandra's inner monologue becomes repetitive, as she makes the same observations about her friends over and over. Her one-note focus on winning obscures any potential complexity the author could have explored with her genetically engineered character. The slow-moving story leads to a rushed cliffhanger ending that perplexes more than it entices. (Science fiction. 13-17)
