Space Hostages

November 15, 2015
The titles in McDougall's space-adventure series are a little misleading, and even the characters know it. The first book, Mars Evacuees (2015), was ostensibly the memoir of Alice Dare, a schoolgirl who fought aliens on the red planet. But the book didn't seem to be about Mars--not right away. As she says in this sequel, "when I had written fifty pages and had barely gotten to the place when we landed on Mars, I nearly gave up." There are no hostages in Space Hostages until Page 110, and if that makes the first few chapters slow reading, it also makes the book all the more frightening when the hostage-taking occurs. The kidnapping is so sudden and shocking that it changes the tone of the novel. Not only are the hijackers wonderfully scary, but they feel genuinely alien. The Krakkiluks value marriage above nearly everything, and their warriors speak in romantic poetry, so even their most vicious attacks are strangely beautiful. Every species Alice meets is a fully developed culture. But some readers' favorite character will be the Helen, a soulful, intelligent spaceship who's in love with her captain. The surprise plot twists are genuinely surprising, and there are moments when it really seems possible the main characters won't survive. The book's odd pacing may disorient some readers, but they'll be very happy to be disoriented. (Science fiction. 8-12)

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October 1, 2015

Gr 5-7-Alice Dare, the now 13-year-old Exo-Defense cadet introduced in Mars Evacuees (HarperCollins, 2015), continues her interstellar adventures with friends Carl and Josephine and their persnickety and enthusiastic robot tutor, Goldfish. Peace has been made with the Morrors, and the Vshomu are contained. Millions of Morrors now live harmoniously with humans on Earth. As the story opens, Alice and "The Plucky Kids of Mars," along with Thsaaa (a Morror friend their own age), several siblings, and some scientists are invited to a ribbon cutting on the Morrors' new home world. Midway through the journey there, the lobsterlike Krakkiluk capture the ship and take everyone prisoner. The narrative splits to follow Alice's team (who end up on planet Yaela, with enslaved fruit bat-like creatures) and those who remain onboard, trying to outwit the Krakkiluk. The story moves briskly, with a large cast of nonhuman players. Astute readers will note lessons about slavery, friendship, and accepting differences within the human and alien interactions. The frequent use of invented vocabulary may confuse inattentive readers. An occasional damn or God pops up in context. VERDICT Alice is a spunky heroine, and the story combines otherworldly adventures with a kind and hopeful message. This book can stand alone but will be most appreciated where the first volume has found an audience.-Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2016
A celebratory voyage to the Morrors' new home is interrupted when Alice and friends (Mars Evacuees) are intercepted by predatory aliens. While extraterrestrial Thsaaa and Noel stay on board, Alice works with Carl and Josephine on a nearby planet to form an alliance with an enslaved species and plot an escape. Action and adventure pair with friendship and humor in this rollicking sequel.

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