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camillejoy's review
2.0
I didn't finish it-- the plot seemed too obvious and I didn't like the amount of time spent flashing back to the development of the rocket. Also, there were a lot of characters to keep track of. It just wasn't my thing.
mkschoen's review
3.0
The sci-fi novel takes place in the not-so-distant future, after the tail of Comet Bhaktul has passed through Earth's atmosphere. Particles from the comet are killing off everyone over 18 on Earth, so a decision is made to blast 251 teenagers into space, as a last hope that humanity will survive. But once they've taken off, it becomes clear that there's a saboteur on board.
Testa intersperses the scenes on board with flashbacks to the discovery of the comet and the decision to launch the ship. This helps explain the big reveal comes at the end, but slows the action down as the book begins. And while it's not a new sci-fi premise, it is an intriguing one. Once the pace picked up, you do get caught up the hunt for the stowaway, and concerned for the fate of the mission. The book is the first in a series, and I confess wanting to check out the next few to see what happens.
The idea of teens running their own society will certainly be appealing to YA readers - there are no adults here to tell you what to do. And the issues of leaving home, losing loved ones, having to make friends in a new situation are universal.
I did have a few issues with the novel. One thing that started to grate was that I didn't feel like these kids were actually acting like teenagers - - they're all happy to go to school, do their work on board, get regular exercise so they stay healthy. No one resents that 5 of the 251 are fixed to be leaders while everybody else has to rotate duty shifts. No one says "I want to sleep late, and not go to work." No one is sneaking off to have sex in the dark corridors. When they suspect the stowaway is hiding in the secret storage compartments the kids aren't allowed to enter, they reject the idea of breaking in, because, well, they're not supposed to enter them. It's a function of the plot that these are the most reliable, mature teenagers in the world, that's why they were chosen, but it started to seem a bit unrealistic.
The writing is also a bit weak in several places, mainly because Testa has ignored the classic "show don't tell" rule. When the leader Tree is stressed over a crisis, the on-board computer (which acts as a parental figure and teacher to the passengers) tells her that by the end of the voyage "you’ll hardly recognize the person you are now. And you'll find that friendships will change, too. People you are very close to now will not be so close down the road. On the other hand, some people that you barely know now will turn out to be your best friends. That's not unique to Galahad. It happens to every young person as they mature." (page 54). Excellent advice. But lying just flat out like that makes the book sound like an after-school special.
What to Read Next: Kids who like this will probably want to check out the other books in the series. I could also see a match with Ender's Game, or Asimov's Foundation Series.
Book talk: The comet Bhaktul has flown past the Earth, splashing its tail into the planet's atmosphere. And that's what caused the problem: a disease that's quickly killing off the population, at least everyone over 18. A ship with 251 teenagers on board is shot into space - humanity's last hope for a future. But now there are disturbing signs that something, or someone, doesn't want the mission to succeed.
Testa intersperses the scenes on board with flashbacks to the discovery of the comet and the decision to launch the ship. This helps explain the big reveal comes at the end, but slows the action down as the book begins. And while it's not a new sci-fi premise, it is an intriguing one. Once the pace picked up, you do get caught up the hunt for the stowaway, and concerned for the fate of the mission. The book is the first in a series, and I confess wanting to check out the next few to see what happens.
The idea of teens running their own society will certainly be appealing to YA readers - there are no adults here to tell you what to do. And the issues of leaving home, losing loved ones, having to make friends in a new situation are universal.
I did have a few issues with the novel. One thing that started to grate was that I didn't feel like these kids were actually acting like teenagers - - they're all happy to go to school, do their work on board, get regular exercise so they stay healthy. No one resents that 5 of the 251 are fixed to be leaders while everybody else has to rotate duty shifts. No one says "I want to sleep late, and not go to work." No one is sneaking off to have sex in the dark corridors. When they suspect the stowaway is hiding in the secret storage compartments the kids aren't allowed to enter, they reject the idea of breaking in, because, well, they're not supposed to enter them. It's a function of the plot that these are the most reliable, mature teenagers in the world, that's why they were chosen, but it started to seem a bit unrealistic.
The writing is also a bit weak in several places, mainly because Testa has ignored the classic "show don't tell" rule. When the leader Tree is stressed over a crisis, the on-board computer (which acts as a parental figure and teacher to the passengers) tells her that by the end of the voyage "you’ll hardly recognize the person you are now. And you'll find that friendships will change, too. People you are very close to now will not be so close down the road. On the other hand, some people that you barely know now will turn out to be your best friends. That's not unique to Galahad. It happens to every young person as they mature." (page 54). Excellent advice. But lying just flat out like that makes the book sound like an after-school special.
What to Read Next: Kids who like this will probably want to check out the other books in the series. I could also see a match with Ender's Game, or Asimov's Foundation Series.
Book talk: The comet Bhaktul has flown past the Earth, splashing its tail into the planet's atmosphere. And that's what caused the problem: a disease that's quickly killing off the population, at least everyone over 18. A ship with 251 teenagers on board is shot into space - humanity's last hope for a future. But now there are disturbing signs that something, or someone, doesn't want the mission to succeed.
theartolater's review
2.0
Closer to a 1.5.
Sometimes, if you don't have a lot of nice things to say about a book, you don't say much at all. I'm going to be quick about this one: The Comet's Curse is a poorly-edited attempt at an Ender's Game-style space survival tale that has limited stakes, characters that don't act their ages, and a plot idea that would be interesting if the book ever got to it.
I did get to the sequel, and it's markedly better, but wow, this book is pretty rough. I can't recommend it unless you're willing to power through to the second one, and even that's not something I can necessarily recommend doing.
Sometimes, if you don't have a lot of nice things to say about a book, you don't say much at all. I'm going to be quick about this one: The Comet's Curse is a poorly-edited attempt at an Ender's Game-style space survival tale that has limited stakes, characters that don't act their ages, and a plot idea that would be interesting if the book ever got to it.
I did get to the sequel, and it's markedly better, but wow, this book is pretty rough. I can't recommend it unless you're willing to power through to the second one, and even that's not something I can necessarily recommend doing.
devafagan's review
Enjoyed this! Though it felt more like just the start of a story. But I am a big fan of "teens in space" (see also EARTHSEED and the EARTH STAR VOYAGER tv show) and this fit that bill admirably. Nice to see a diverse cast of characters too!
I look forward to reading more in the series.
I look forward to reading more in the series.
nutti72's review
3.0
Not as good as "Life as We Knew It" or "The Dead and the Gone", but this book involves a comet that changes the atmosphere of the Earth. The solution send 251 kids to another planet to colonize. First in what appears to be a trilogy. Plot is somewhat predictable looking at it as an adult, but a child would probably not figure it out.
mzpolarbear's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book, though the writing was a bit uneven at times and some the characters still feel a little flat. I liked how the story was divided between what was occurring on Galahad and what happened during the prep for launch/shortly after launch.
I did find that the stowaway was a pretty easy guess, a little too tidy, but it does lead me to wonder if the ship is now infected and how that will present itself in the days to come.
I did find that the stowaway was a pretty easy guess, a little too tidy, but it does lead me to wonder if the ship is now infected and how that will present itself in the days to come.
maidmarianlib's review
3.0
Fast paced, interesting premise. Switching back and forth between adult and teen points of view, makes is less of a YA read.
literary_princess's review
3.0
Lost in Space, Across the Universe, Comet's Curse. A familiar story with some disease, scientific miracles, and a spaceship full of teenagers set out to save humanity through colonization.
The characters don't have a whole lot of personality (other than some forced traits for each of the Council) but the story works for what it is.
The characters don't have a whole lot of personality (other than some forced traits for each of the Council) but the story works for what it is.
iceangel9's review
4.0
The first book of the Galahad books. A comet passing through Earth's atmosphere causes a deadly disease that is wiping out everyone over the age of eighteen. A group of scientists decide the only hope of mankind is to settle another world. The governments of the world agree and resources are pooled to build a spaceship to house 251 teenagers to settle a planet in another solar system. Tri is the head of Galahad's council of leaders. She is already struggling with the loss of her beloved father, having to leave Earth, and take responsibility for 250 other kids; now she has a saboteur to worry about. Is there someone hiding out on the Galahad? Does this person really mean to sabotage their ship and kill them all? Aided by the other council members and Roc, the ship's computer, Tri must solve this mystery and quickly. A promising start to an exciting new series.