Old Earth is failing and two ships were sent to colonize
New Earth; the New Horizon and the Empyrean. They are
sister ships although the crews have never met. In Glow by
Amy Kathleen Ryan, the New Horizon attacked the Empyrean,
setting the two ships at war. In SPARK, the second of the
Sky Chasers novels, Waverly, Kieran, and Seth are still
dealing with the aftermath of that first attack and with
their new responsibilities in a world without adults.
The desperate attempt to escape the New Horizon has scarred
Waverly Marshall in more ways than one. No one trusts her
now that she failed to rescue the remaining parents from
Ann Mather on the New Horizon. The one person she should be
able to trust is her fiancé Kieran Aldan, but in her
absence, Kieran has set himself up as the strict and
religious ship's Captain of the Empyrean. For Waverly,
Kieran's newfound religion strikes too close to the zealous
approach of Ann Mather. Kieran is also skirting the rules
and punishing those who defy his orders without trial. He's
thrown Seth Ardvale into the brig without trial and has no
intention of releasing him. When an explosion rocks the
ship and Seth escapes, Kieran places the blame squarely on
Waverly's shoulders. With Kieran refusing to look for other
culprits, Waverly has no choice but to help Seth find out
who is really attacking the Empyrean before it is too late.
SPARK by Amy Kathleen Ryan is a YA dystopian that holds its
own with the best of them. I was reminded of Ender's Game
over and over in Ryan's story. Not because they were
similar but because of the depth of this novel. Waverly,
Seth, and Kieran are kids against impossible odds. They're
doing the jobs of adults and they know they're inadequate
in skill and knowledge. Yet, they don't give up. The
character development is exceptional. My favorite voice is
Seth who in the first Sky Chaser novel didn't exactly show
himself to the best of his advantage. Kieran's character
becomes more brittle and rigid and there's a vulnerability
in Waverly that is new. Their ever evolving personalities
swing from courageous to petty to vulnerable to stubborn;
exactly like any normal person. These shifts in actions
resonate because the characters are capable of admitting
their mistakes and changing as the story progresses. Hope
is never lost that any of these young characters is too far
gone to be saved. All people, whether a teen or adult,
should have that hope.
The Sky Chasers novels are an exceptional YA dystopian that
delves into the darkest parts of humanity. How far would
you go to be the savior of the human race? SPARK by Amy
Kathleen Ryan is a fast-paced novel that stays with you
long after you turn the final page.
Waverly, Kieran and Seth are in a race against time – and
with the future of humanity hanging in the balance, there’s
no room for mistakes…
After a desperate escape from the enemy ship, Waverly has
finally made it back to the Empyrean. The memory of home has
been keeping her alive for the past months… but home is
nothing like she left it. Forced to leave their captive
parents behind on the New Horizon, she’s returned only to
find that Kieran has become a strict leader and turned the
crew against Seth. What happened to the Kieran she thought
she knew? Now Waverly’s not sure whom she can trust. And the
one person she wants to believe in is darkly brilliant Seth,
the ship’s supposed enemy. Waverly knows that the situation
will only get worse until they can rescue their parents –
but how?
Before they have time to make a plan, an explosion rocks the
Empyrean, and Seth and Waverly are targeted as the prime
suspects. Can they find the true culprit before Kieran locks
them away… or worse? Will Waverly follow her heart, even if
it puts lives at risk? Now more than ever, every step could
bring them closer to a new beginning – or a sudden end.
Spark is book two in Amy Kathleen Ryan's thrilling
young adult science fiction series Sky Chasers.
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