The Star Host

May 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-Seventeen-year-old Ren has had a rural upbringing as a duster. He has never known his father and has grown up listening to his mother's legends of Star Hosts. When he's abducted by the power-hungry Baron along with his friends, Ren finds a power awakening within him. When a ruthless general discovers Ren's potential as a technopath, the teen struggles to master his overwhelming new abilities and escape before he can be used in the Baron's scheme to conquer not only Ren's home planet but the entire alliance in their part of the galaxy. Anchoring Ren to his humanity as the star power consumes him is Ash, a hostage member of the Phoenix Corps with an irreverent attitude and an interest in Ren that only intensifies when they're on the run. As the two race to keep Ren's ability out of the Baron's control and seek the aid of the Corps, their connection deepens even amid the fear and suspicion they encounter at every turn. In direct contrast to the energetic plot, the flirtation between the two develops at a tantalizing pace, from their first introduction, in adjacent iron cells, to the final conflict. Lukens writes a satisfying balance of action and romance in a science fiction setting that will feel familiar to fans of the genre. Readers of Shannon Hale's Dangerous will appreciate this work. VERDICT Add this title to young adult sci-fi collections, and expect readers to eagerly anticipate the next book in the series.-Amanda Foulk, Sacramento Public Library

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