The Lost Planet

Once upon a time, I used to be a kid. Some might argue I’m still a kid, and that’s okay with me. Especially when it comes to books.  I’ve said it many times to those who know me, if I could sit and read books to kids all the time, I’d be perfectly happy about that. Luckily, I get to do it on a regular basis with school kids and younger ones who come to storytime. It’s a great job being a children’s librarian, and one of the perks is getting to read great books.

Now, I’m especially lucky to KNOW this particular author. Even though we’ve never met in person, we’ve chatted through emails and through a Google hangout a few times for the YA Buccaneers. Wait. Did I mention she’s a Pirate, too? Yes, Rachel Searles, author of THE LOST PLANET is none other than Brunhilde the Black-Hearted! And her first book was just released in late February. Of course, I’m soooooo late reviewing it, but better late than never, right?

I was so excited when this book came to the library and landed on my desk. I couldn’t wait to crack open the cover and start reading, but life got in the way, and I only just got around to it.  But what an exciting book! From the cover, to the characters, to the adventure, to the adorable font…this book had me thinking about the next class I might be able to read this to.  Here’s a bit of the idea:

THIS IS WHAT THE BOY IS TOLD:

• He woke up on planet Trucon, inside a fence he shouldn’t have been able to pass.
• He has an annirad blaster wound to the back of his head.
• He has no memory.
• He is now under the protection of a mysterious benefactor.
• His name is Chase Garrety.

THIS IS WHAT CHASE GARRETY KNOWS:

• He has a message: “Guide the star.”
• Time is running out.

Doesn’t that sound fun?  What a great premise! And from the very first page, I was hooked! Chase wakes up in a strange place, with no memory, and is immediately thrown into one adventure after another.  There is a cute and remarkable android, lots of villains, explosions, planet hops, memory lapses, super powers and much more! Every page was jam-packed with action. Rachel hardly lets the reader relax before she’s taking us off on another search for clues into this boy’s life. It’s a page-turner!

I loved that there wasn’t a lot of world-building, which can really drag a sci-fi book down sometimes.  She gave us just enough information about the places and people to keep us interested and wanting to know more, without feeling like we had to know every corner of each world. And seriously, (SEMI-SPOILER ALERT*********), how did she fill this book with so many weapons and explosions and chases without killing off any of the characters? Brilliant!

The ending was a bit open-ended to allow for a sequel (which I know she’s busy revising), so I’m looking forward to adding this to our collection as well. For the first release from one of our YA Buccaneers, I think this was a fantastic book, and I hope if you’re in LA and get a chance to go and meet her at an event, you do it! Yay, Rachel!