Galahad 1: The Comet's Curse

I feel the need to have a slight fan girl moment. I've always been a big fan of the science fiction genre. The sad part is that it's tough to find younger aged science fiction that is appropriate but doesn't speak down to its fans. This, my friends, is great young adult science fiction. It is young adult science fiction that is engaging, unique, and so well written! I had only just picked up The Comet's Curse to skim the first page, and I found myself completely enthralled. A little over an hour later I set the book down and finally had a chance to breathe. Let me tell you, Dom Testa has my heart now.

Now that I have that out of my system, let's talk about the book. The Comet's Curse shows us a world that is suffering in the aftermath of a deadly virus. What's different about this story is that no human engineered this virus, nor was it a result of animals. No, it is a simple comet that has brought about the end of mankind. As the story opens, scientists are scurrying to find a way to preserve what is left of the population (the teenagers) before they too meet an untimely end. If that isn't a great way to start a book that will keep your interest, I don't know what is. Unless of course you add in the fact that the plan is to send these teens into space. Now do I have your attention?

What I loved most about this book, truly, was the characters. Each one of them was so real and deep. Dom Testa allows his characters minds of their own and, love them or hate them, the characters in this book act and think like real teens would. Triana (Tree) was without a doubt my favorite. Without any adult interaction, it falls to Tree to be the sound of reason during the mission. I just couldn't fathom having that much responsibility, no matter how smart she really was. I loved her resilience, her honesty, and most of all the way she sometimes just felt lost. I don't know how you could be millions of miles away from your planet and not feel that way. It's real, and it's wonderful.

As I was falling in love with the characters, I was also introduced to life aboard the ship. The descriptions are vivid, and there were points where I felt like I was actually there. When things took a turn for the creepy, I was pulled right on in. Personally I just adored being able to close my eyes and envision the setting. There is also a lot of room for the reader to think really heavily about what they would do in the situation that these characters are in. Sure, there is a certain amount of improbability to some of the story, but I think to enjoy science fiction you have to let go of reality and just get lost.

I'm rambling I know. I could go on for days about the cute romance that doesn't at all overshadow the story line. Or about the awesome technology that is created. I could even tell you about Roc, the coolest computer ever. However I'll leave that to you to find out when you pick up a copy of The Comet's Curse. Suffice it to say that this is a series that I know I'm going to love! Lucky for me I already have the next book in the series handy, because I'll be diving back in as soon as I can.

The story is told from the point of view of the super advanced computer, nicknamed Roc. This storytelling device really didn't work for me. For one thing, he (I know he's an it, but whatevs) wasn't present for everything he describes, which can be explained by people having told him later but would have worked better in a normal omniscient narrator scenario (especially since Roc makes sure to point out that he can't be everywhere and see everything). The other problem with Roc is that, much as all the characters love him and as much as he adores himself, I find him exceedingly irritating. His insertions into the narration, denoted by italics, always made me want to punch his computery face, especially the one in the last chapter.

Roc aside, the book was fairly predictable and standard. There's a love triangle, which, frankly, is the most absorbing part of the plot. The mystery of who is causing trouble on the ship is so obvious for most of the book that it provides little excitement. And, the final showdown cannot be that worrisome if you know there are two subsequent books. The writing is okay, but not inspirational

The most interesting aspect of the novel is the set up of the dystopia. There aren't too many environmental ones, which I am somewhat glad of after having read Life as We Knew It (shudder!). You have probably figured out how much I love dystopias by now, especially if they cover some new territory.

I recommend this to fans of Life as We Knew It and Gone (which I actually have yet to read, but I'm fairly confident that they're readalikes), young teens looking for an easy science fiction read or dystopia enthusiasts.