A vivid, thought-provoking SF story with heart and high stakes…
A telepathic teen faces interplanetary threats and internal reckoning in State’s emotionally charged sequel to The Dark Galaxy Series. Fourteen-year-old Sam Sanderson is drafted by GAIA, an interplanetary alliance, after Earth receives a chilling ultimatum: surrender Sam to a distant AI-ruled planet or face annihilation. “Deliver the Queen of Kryg to Logom or risk the destruction of Gaia,” reads the message intercepted by a lone Canadian research station. It’s not the welcome she is hoping to get. While Earth’s military scrambles to understand the alien message, Sam must navigate the cold corridors of an underwater base, the weight of her own powers, and the growing suspicion that GAIA’s secrets run as deep as the galaxy itself.
State’s prose is crisp, immersive, and often quietly lyrical. She doesn’t overindulge in exposition. Instead, she lets the characters’ emotions do the heavy lifting. Whether it’s Sam’s internal monologues or Kwan’s silent grief, the emotional beats are precise and believable. Sam’s internal conflict—between being a kid and being a cosmic keystone—makes her a compelling heroine. The supporting cast is portrayed with authenticity. Kato and Kobe add levity and moral counterbalance, while Kwan, a North Korean defector turned signal analyst, offers a parallel narrative of isolation, queerness, and hope. Her subplot, involving a mysterious extraterrestrial message and a lost love, adds emotional gravity and sharpens the story’s global perspective.
State keeps the action tight. From manipulated mall games to encoded threats from the Dark Galaxy, the danger builds without losing its personal edge. A moment as quiet as a shattered mug carries the same weight as a planetary ultimatum. Alien technologies such as the Gideon spark, GAIA’s underwater base, and AI-contested planets are grounded by State’s focus on family, grief, and personal agency. This isn’t just another space adventure. It’s a story about what it means to grow up with power you didn’t ask for, and making the right choices when the lines keep shifting. State raises the bar from book one; expanding the world, digging deeper into the emotional lives of her characters, and anchoring it all in moments that feel real. Sam’s journey isn’t just hers; it’s a reflection of what so many young people face—how to hold onto who you are in a world that keeps trying to decide for you.
A sharply written sci-fi story that blends high-stakes adventure with psychological depth and coming-of-age introspection.
Pub date January 15, 2024
Glowing Light Press
ISBN 978-1777254261
Price $25.99 (USD) Hardcover, $18.99 Paperback, $4.99 Kindle edition
