Piper at the Gates of Dusk (The New World #1)

An unknown entity plagues young human space settlers in this gripping trilogy opener from Ness, set two decades after his Chaos Walking series. On the planet humans call New World, all native sentient life-forms, including a humanoid species called the Land, communicate via Noise: involuntary telepathic broadcasts of an entity’s every thought. Male humans born on New World also emit Noise until geneticists develop a cure, reinstating personal privacy but widening the communication gulf between people and the Land. When human children start having nightmares that involve self-critical Noise, some xenophobic people claim it’s a disease caused by the Land. Teen brothers Ben, who communicates nonverbally due to a neurological condition, and transgender adoptee Max don’t believe the Land is responsible, however, as their father still has Noise and is friendly with the species’ leader, and their mother, a scientist, suspects an approaching alien vessel is to blame. When flaming skinless giants begin taking human New World kids, the settlers lash out against the Land, impelling Max and Ben to seek answers. Witty, propulsive first-person narration alternates between the sibs’ perspectives as they navigate issues of morality, mortality, identity, and disinformation. Main characters are keenly rendered and cue as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michelle Kass, Michelle Kass Assoc. (Apr.)