Hey Jared,
It’s a decent book, but it didn’t stand-out. And as it turns out the second book just came out a couple of months ago.
Title: EXO
Series: Exo; Book 1
Author: Fonda Lee
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: YA
ROTS Setting: CU, Future, Aliens, Technology, FTL, Dystopian
Synopsis: It’s been a century of peace since Earth became a colony of an alien race with far reaches into the galaxy. Some die-hard extremists still oppose alien rule on Earth, but Donovan Reyes isn’t one of them. His dad holds the prestigious position of Prime Liaison in the collaborationist government, and Donovan’s high social standing along with his exocel (a remarkable alien technology fused to his body) guarantee him a bright future in the security forces. That is, until a routine patrol goes awry and Donovan’s abducted by the human revolutionary group Sapience, determined to end alien control. When Sapience realizes whose son Donovan is, they think they’ve found the ultimate bargaining chip . But the Prime Liaison doesn’t negotiate with terrorists, not even for his own son. Left in the hands of terrorists who have more uses for him dead than alive, the fate of Earth rests on Donovan’s survival. Because if Sapience kills him, it could spark another intergalactic war. And Earth didn’t win the last one…
Recommendation: I recommend this series. It’s nothing special, but not bad.
The basic premise was good and even the plot was good…..but it’s clearly YA when it came to characters. The main character, Donovan, fits the genre perfectly. Hyper-able, daddy-issues, mommy-issues, raised by a single-parent, ties to the rebellion/resistance/underdogs, emotional upheaval, emotional decision making. Ugh.
This should have been a military sci-fi novel. It almost was up until the emo-drama started, then it went down hill from there. And even in the end I was still wishing it had leaned into the “military” elements and turned this into something special.
In summary it’s good. Probably better than most YA I’ve read. But it’s generic.
Robert
Reading Over The Shoulder 