The Pearl Wars by Nick A. James

September 8th 2011, Flux
384, Paperback
Won from Publisher
First in the Skyship Academy Series
Young Adult Fiction

A devastated Earth's last hope is found in Pearls: small, mysterious orbs that fall from space and are capable of supplying enough energy to power entire cities. Battling to control the Pearls are the Skyship dwellers—political dissidents who live in massive ships in the Earth's stratosphere—and the corrupt Surface government.

Jesse Fisher, a Skyship slacker, and Cassius Stevenson, a young Surface operative, cross paths when they both venture into forbidden territory in pursuit of Pearls. Their chance encounter triggers an unexpected reaction, endowing each boy with remarkable—and dangerous—abilities that their respective governments would stop at nothing to possess.

Enemies thrust together with a common goal, Jesse and Cassius make their way to the ruins of Seattle to uncover the truth about their new powers, the past they didn't know they shared, and a shocking secret about the Pearls.

  
Opinion:

Recently, I’ve been reading more science fiction.  As soon as I heard of this new YA Sci-Fi book I had to have it!  Last month when it released I was lucky enough to win a copy from the Publisher - which is funny considering I had also overnight ordered a copy – which I ended up giving to my sister.

The story takes place in post-apocalyptic America (and in the skies above it).  The view points toggle back and forth between the two male teenagers Jesse and Cassius.  Jesse is a Skyshipper who grew up in the skies and Cassius is a government goon who was raised in one of the “Chosen Cities” that are spread across what’s left of Northern America.  Outside these Chosen Cities people still live and try to survive – though it is a blasted wasteland – they are called Fringers.

The two factions of people Jesse and Cassius belong to are in competition for Peals which fall from the sky.  They use them to power their skyships and Chosen Cities.  These two kids meet when out in the fringes and fight over a pearl.  Now, I really did enjoy this book and I definitely plan on reading the rest of what I hear is planned to be a trilogy.   There are are a few things however, that I nit picked at while reading.  Mainly in the first few chapters with Jesse he used the word ‘mass’ a lot.  I get that it’s a slang word and I even know a few kids that do the same thing – they latch onto that slang word and use it until you want to smack them.  That’s how I felt about Jesse for a little while.  Of course that wasn’t how it was the whole book, so if you are like me in that easily annoyed respect don’t worry.  I thought the first 100 pages was a tad bit low on the action, but I have to admit that might have been because I was expecting that only based on the first chapter.  My bad – don’t go in expecting just enjoy the ride.   It led you in giving you little tid bits here and there of history and the current state of things in the world, I would definitely have loved to know more, but I’ll just have to wait for the next book.

There is a definite surprise in store for readers at the end of the book, things just hinted at through the second part that just smacked me unawares.  I like being taken by surprise. 

Rating:

4/5

Pabkins

Countess of Crazy, Insane babbler, Giver of the Evil Eye, Walking Hazard Zone, Maker of Monsters, but above all Lover of a Zombie those things that are creepy crawly.  Step in to my library my pretties…

Categories: 4 Stars, First, James, Pabkins, Review, Series, Skyship Academy