Publishers Weekly
10/19/2020
Cadets John Douglas Marshall and Vivien Nixon are part of the training complement on the Alliance’s Devastation-class spaceship, the UAS California. When a surprise attack by the alien Kastazi destroys the Gallipoli Station, where the California is docked, all officers but two ensigns are away from the ship. After one is killed and the other has a breakdown, the cadets assume command of the California. Further Kastazi attacks follow, and the crew employs typical science-fiction tech fixes to try to save the day. In this series opener, filmmakers and debut authors Zipper and Mongeon write compelling action sequences, but the book’s first third is slow, the characters are standard, and some plot elements don’t add up—in particular, science-savvy readers may spot an astrophysics fallacy about star movement in descriptions of a device that makes it possible to jump into the future. This will appeal most to action junkies who don’t mind being left hanging, but seasoned genre readers may want to pass. Ages 13–up. (Sept.)
Alex Winter
'Devastation Class looks to be a new classic YA series: gripping, pacey, and action-packed. It reminded me in the best way of the universe-building stories of Heinlein and Card. The cliffhangers matter in this one, so looking forward to the next!' Alex Winter, director (Panama Papers, Showbiz Kids, and Zappa) and actor (Bill and amp; Ted Face the Music)
Seth Grahame-Smith
'Zipper and Mongeon seamlessly weave the thrills and starry-eyed imagination of Star Trek with the introspective heart and humor of a John Hughes film—it's a total blast.' —Seth Grahame-Smith, the New York Times bestselling author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Laura Bradley
'I cannot stress this enough—Devastation Class was just good fun. And right now that's worth traveling to the moon and back for.' Laura Bradley, writer, The Daily Beast
author of the Corpus Trilogy and Last of Her Name Jessica Khoury
'Devastation Class is a rare gem of a space story, packed with twists, hair-raising action, and delicious moral quandary. I instantly fell in love with its band of rebel prodigies—and had my heart broken in the all the right ways. Supremely good sci-fi.' Jessica Khoury, author of the Corpus Trilogy and Last of Her Name
The Nerd Cantina
'Zipper and Mongeon get major points for suspenseful and action-packed storytelling ... Loved this action-packed story about teens in space making difficult choices to save humanity as they know it.' The Nerd Cantina
producer of Contagion and Edge of Tomorrow Gregory Jacobs
'Devastation Class has everything I look for in a book—great characters, action, humor, and a lot of heart. Sci-fi fans across the spectrum are going to love it. I can't wait to see where the series goes from here.' Gregory Jacobs, producer of Contagion and Edge of Tomorrow
School Library Journal
09/01/2020
Gr 8 Up—A thriller reminiscent of Star Trek, this is set in the far future when humans, nearing extinction as a species, hurtle through space fighting alien enemies. Humans are threatened by an alien race called the Kastazi. Teen protagonists JD Marshall and Viv Nixon are overshadowed by the deeds of their famous parents, but they hope to carve out separate identities of their own as cadets on the Alliance Devastation Class starship California. JD and Viv are up-and-coming heroes who are waiting for a chance to prove themselves, and they get that chance when they are forced to mutiny and perform a dangerous teleportation maneuver by activating the ship's Blink Reactor. The themes of self-discovery and eventual disillusionment with reality are classic ones in YA novels, and they are well-placed here. Much attention is paid to keeping the adrenaline level high and the plot moving, leaving character development slightly lacking. As is usual in science fiction set in the distant future, there is some tech-speak to learn—Zipper and Mongeon build a world where space travel, realistic simulations, teleportation, and conversing with alien beings is the norm. Some secondary characters' hair color is noted, but JD and Viv's appearances are notably never described. Readers will not be surprised to learn that the movie rights for this novel have already been sold. VERDICT A futuristic adventure that packs in the action but may leave fans feeling flat; recommended for teen Trekkies looking for something fast and furious.—Shannon O'Connor, Unami M.S., Chalfont, PA
Kirkus Reviews
2020-06-16
Teenage cadets must fight battles both within and outside their ranks to survive the unknown.
When the Kastazi—an alien race fleeing a dying planet—came to Earth, it started the Nine-Year War, but the Alliance destroyed them. Now in peacetime, the Alliance has launched the Explorers Program, selecting only the most elite cadets who will be future leaders. Leading them are JD and Viv. Overwhelmed by the program’s challenges, JD has been sabotaging himself. Meanwhile, Viv is consumed by the events surrounding her father’s death when new evidence of what happened appears. But none of that matters when their battleship, the UAS California, is unexpectedly attacked by a Kastazi Destroyer. The moment the cadets thought was far off is suddenly present: Seizing control of the ship, JD and Viv take risk after risk to fend off hostiles as the deep-rooted distrust between civilian students and cadets mounts. Just as the cadets think they’ve found respite, a new mystery unfolds, leaving them searching for answers. Readers who don’t mind the near-glacial buildup laying out the history with precise, technical language will be rewarded with the action that follows. Although there are several alternating first-person voices, JD and Viv are the most well-realized characters; their peers fall flat. Readers may get lost in the dialogue, as speech indicators are sparse. Main characters are cued as white; names suggest some ethnic diversity in the supporting cast.
A tempting concept marred by uninspired writing. (Science fiction. 13-18)
