If All the Stars Go Dark

Interpersonal drama unfurls alongside a suspenseful race against the clock in this expansive romantic space opera by Prince (the Elvish trilogy). Having recently graduated from ARCAN Aviation Academy, 18-year-old Keller Hartman is ready to begin his intergalactic assignment with the prestigious Sixth Starfield Fleet. But his new flight partner, pilot Lament Bringer, who’s mourning the suspicious death of his previous gunner, is loath to accept Keller as a replacement. Though he quickly befriends the rest of the Sixth, Keller struggles to win Lament over; the two eventually warm up to each other over the course of their authorized missions and Lament’s off-the-books investigation of his former partner’s death. But when Ran Doc Min, a charismatic prophet, foresees a cataclysmic event on Keller’s home world, the Sixth must prevent this disaster; they must simultaneously unravel Ran Doc Min’s mysterious scheme, entangling both Lament and Keller. The narrative plays fast and loose with scientific accuracy, occasionally employing implausible elements that disrupt readers’ immersion. Tight focus on the primarily white-cued cast cultivates an intimate, emotion-based feel across a worlds-spanning adventure that features alien species and political intrigue. Ages 14–up. Agent: Haley Casey, Creative Media Agency. (Jan.)