Second Star: The Neverland Transmission, Book 1

Sullivan (Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles) builds tension and excitement in this space opera refashioning of Peter Pan. In 2291, orphan Peter is the mechanic aboard the Jolly Roger spaceship under the command of the unstable James Tiberius Hooke. Hooke believes he has finally found the source of immortality on the mysterious planet Neverland, where the green light from the planet’s second star slows down time. An SOS transmission from Hooke reaches Earth 100 years later, and newly minted Capt. Wendy Darling of the Londonierre Brigade Expeditionary Fleet leads a mission to rescue the legendary hero. But when she arrives, she learns that Hooke is not the upstanding figure she’d hoped. Rough-edged Peter and his capable Lost Boys become her unlikely allies in trying to stop an imprisoned evil entity called the Shadow from getting off the planet. Sullivan effortlessly incorporates memorable characters: Tinc is Peter’s fairy-size nanobot, Smee is Hooke’s cybernetic first mate, Johns and Michaels are Wendy’s crew, and Tiger Lily is the kidnapped bride of Neverland’s prince. Sullivan pushes the action in quick, neat chapters from Peter and Wendy’s points of view; depicts flawed but whole characters; and sprinkles in pop culture references. Readers who like riveting space exploration and planetary thrills will be delighted. (Mar.)