starknits13's review against another edition
3.0
This book was very interesting! I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the next!
rebeccawolfe's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars, maybe 5, for kid appeal.
You know how a 10-year-old will tell a story - breathless, going from one improbable event to another? That's this book. But somehow it works. It feels like a movie. Nonstop action, some humor. No bad language. Most of the violence is off-screen and/or sanitized. This could be really big, I think.
You know how a 10-year-old will tell a story - breathless, going from one improbable event to another? That's this book. But somehow it works. It feels like a movie. Nonstop action, some humor. No bad language. Most of the violence is off-screen and/or sanitized. This could be really big, I think.
froggylibrarian1's review against another edition
4.0
I really like science fiction...yes I am a nerd or geek or whatever it is. I am a Trekkie - not so much a Star Wars fan. It really doesn't seem that there is much space science fiction for Middle School readers besides all the Star Wars novels. The Planet Thieves fits the bill. The book is obviously influenced by Star Trek - the uniforms, the description of the bridge, the mission; Star Wars - the sword that Mason creates, the Tremist uniforms; and other space books and shows. I liked it.
Mason Stark and other cadets are on the ship The Egypt as part of their training during a break in their school. The ESC and an alien race Tremist have been at war for many years and are currently racing to control a planet that would be suitable for both races who are running out of living space on their home planets. After the Tremist board and overtake The Egypt and seize control of a "gate" that will allow them to effectively move a planet to another location Mason and the cadets find themselves in charge and the only ones left who can save the world.
The book was full of adventure, suspense, good characterization and relationships, and not too much violence. I understand a movie is in the works which will play well with Ender'sGame but not quite as disturbing and violent. I felt it was a really good book that fills a void - at least in my library. There were some things left hanging at the end which means a sequel may be in the works but the book stands alone well.
Mason Stark and other cadets are on the ship The Egypt as part of their training during a break in their school. The ESC and an alien race Tremist have been at war for many years and are currently racing to control a planet that would be suitable for both races who are running out of living space on their home planets. After the Tremist board and overtake The Egypt and seize control of a "gate" that will allow them to effectively move a planet to another location Mason and the cadets find themselves in charge and the only ones left who can save the world.
The book was full of adventure, suspense, good characterization and relationships, and not too much violence. I understand a movie is in the works which will play well with Ender'sGame but not quite as disturbing and violent. I felt it was a really good book that fills a void - at least in my library. There were some things left hanging at the end which means a sequel may be in the works but the book stands alone well.
snazel's review against another edition
2.0
That was cool, but it just wasn't my deal. So much death, lots of telling-not-showing, and the second book in a row which tilted more fantasy than sf. I think my brother would like it, though!
thistlechaser's review against another edition
2.0
I can't remember the last time I did such a 180 on a book.
The story started out great: A space ship full of a regular crew and a team of cadets getting their first chance to go into space is attacked by an alien enemy. This enemy has refused all attempts at contact in the past, and seems bent only on destroying humanity. The writing seemed realistic and exciting at this point.
Then, maybe 40% into the book, we learned the cadets were all 8-13 years old. That made me frowny, as their actions thus far seemed very mature and experienced -- I would have bought them in the 18-22 range, with all the schooling and ground-training a crew getting ready to go into space would have by that point.
Then every single adult on the ship was killed, and these children had to take over the ship. Based on one single class about how all Earth spaceships work, these 8-13 year olds were not just successfully able to fly the ship, they took it into battle.
Up until this point in the book's history, no one had won a fight against the aliens. These kids beat a boarding party of more than a dozen of them...
*spoiler below*
Then we learned that these horrible aliens weren't so alien at all. The aliens wore armor over their bodies, so it wasn't until the kids killed them that they could look inside. The aliens looked 100% human, except with purple hair and purple eyes. At this point I knew the story was going to do a "they were never aliens, they were just humans that somehow got cut off from the rest of humanity" thing, and I was right.
At the 60% or so point, I started skimming, then I skipped to the end to read the last chapter. Everything I had guessed was right, and I had wished I had stopped reading it sooner.
The story started out great: A space ship full of a regular crew and a team of cadets getting their first chance to go into space is attacked by an alien enemy. This enemy has refused all attempts at contact in the past, and seems bent only on destroying humanity. The writing seemed realistic and exciting at this point.
Then, maybe 40% into the book, we learned the cadets were all 8-13 years old. That made me frowny, as their actions thus far seemed very mature and experienced -- I would have bought them in the 18-22 range, with all the schooling and ground-training a crew getting ready to go into space would have by that point.
Then every single adult on the ship was killed, and these children had to take over the ship. Based on one single class about how all Earth spaceships work, these 8-13 year olds were not just successfully able to fly the ship, they took it into battle.
Up until this point in the book's history, no one had won a fight against the aliens. These kids beat a boarding party of more than a dozen of them...
*spoiler below*
Then we learned that these horrible aliens weren't so alien at all. The aliens wore armor over their bodies, so it wasn't until the kids killed them that they could look inside. The aliens looked 100% human, except with purple hair and purple eyes. At this point I knew the story was going to do a "they were never aliens, they were just humans that somehow got cut off from the rest of humanity" thing, and I was right.
At the 60% or so point, I started skimming, then I skipped to the end to read the last chapter. Everything I had guessed was right, and I had wished I had stopped reading it sooner.
nannahnannah's review against another edition
1.0
Okay … The Planet Thieves has to be the most frightening book I’ve read all year. Is it a horror book? Nah. But it terrified me all the same. It feels like a very conservative novel meant to make 8-12yos want to join the military. It’s a military recruitment tool.
This review is pretty harsh and judgmental, sorry. Be prepared. It took me all week to write.
Thirteen-year-old Mason Stark, his best friend, Merrin, and his fellow cadets aboard the SS Egypt were just part of a routine voyage when they were attacked by their alien enemy, the Tremist. When all the other officers are killed or captured, Mason is appointed caption, and it’s up to him and the cadets to save their other officers and find out the mysteries behind the Tremist and what they’re after aboard the Egypt.
Oh, boy. There is so much. So. Much to deal with here. The prose and the writing is a mess, but so is the plot. It’s a small book and a quick read, but it tries to do so much without room to do so. The beginning half of the book deals with Mason’s struggle to find out why the Tremist targeted his ship, which feels a lot like Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, and then the second half plunges into some ludicrous plot taking a lot of inspiration from H.G. Well’s The Time Machine. The pacing seems way off for such a quick read. It’s over so fast, but the plot tries to be so vast--the effect comes off as strange, awkward, and leaves me with a taste of “that’s it?” in my mouth.
I mentioned weak writing but it was Really Weak. “Nori-Blue had rivers and lakes and edible plants that grew fruits more delicious than any on Earth” ; “Tom spit on the ground and bent over, like he was about to throw up. Merrin put her hands over her mouth. Mason wanted to do the same things they were doing, [...] but he didn’t.” There’s also compound words missing hyphens, other editing errors, etc. In the first half, for every page taking place in the present, there’s two more going into backstory, most of it unnecessary.
Then there’s everything I mentioned in the beginning: the book feels like a military recruitment tool aimed at middle-grade readers. First there’s the glorification of the military in general (these characters are so honored and proud to have their grandparents serve and etc.), then there’s the targeting of anyone who’s “different” from them. Especially those who look like … the “Enemy”, aka the Tremist, even if it happens to be your friends. Suddenly it’s “ARE YOU TREMIST? ARE YOU THE ENEMY?”, aka you’re us or you’re them kind of mindset. There’s also the “you have to be a MAN” type bullsh*t. In the text, it’s that Mason can’t cry and be a man at the same time; pain is for soldiers to know they’re strong. There’s also this frightening line: “Be prideful of the uniform, but not of your abilities”.
Not only that, but even though the book has some diverse characters (mentioned in the background, of course. The cover makes it seem like Mason is black but … lmao, no, he’s not), they’re just described as you would normally expect. At one point the book says where people come from on Earth isn’t important, because Earth has become so diverse and mixed. But then suddenly this Swedish kid comes by, and the book completely pauses to describe him: “Stellan was the tallest of them, and bone thin, with hollow cheeks, like he never got enough food at mealtime. His hair was so blond it was almost white. He was from a country called Sweden ([...]), and Mason wondered if all people from Sweden looked looked like him.” Then it goes into how Mason admires him for his unique strength or something, something the book hasn’t done for anyone else. It’s like … the book paused to describe and glorify the one kid who was what, Aryan?
Could I be reaching? Sure. But with all the elements? This book is scary. It’s also written by a white hardcore gamer (stereotyping here, but I’ve listened to my brother and his friends talk, and I’ve heard about what they talk about on 4chan, now 8chan. I can just see someone from there want to write a military propaganda novel for middle-grade readers …).
Anyway, yeah. This book scared me, and it wasn’t written well, even looking past that (past my own biases and stereotyping and fears). I think it’s definitely my least favorite read from this year -- and probably the last couple years, too.
This review is pretty harsh and judgmental, sorry. Be prepared. It took me all week to write.
Thirteen-year-old Mason Stark, his best friend, Merrin, and his fellow cadets aboard the SS Egypt were just part of a routine voyage when they were attacked by their alien enemy, the Tremist. When all the other officers are killed or captured, Mason is appointed caption, and it’s up to him and the cadets to save their other officers and find out the mysteries behind the Tremist and what they’re after aboard the Egypt.
Oh, boy. There is so much. So. Much to deal with here. The prose and the writing is a mess, but so is the plot. It’s a small book and a quick read, but it tries to do so much without room to do so. The beginning half of the book deals with Mason’s struggle to find out why the Tremist targeted his ship, which feels a lot like Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, and then the second half plunges into some ludicrous plot taking a lot of inspiration from H.G. Well’s The Time Machine. The pacing seems way off for such a quick read. It’s over so fast, but the plot tries to be so vast--the effect comes off as strange, awkward, and leaves me with a taste of “that’s it?” in my mouth.
I mentioned weak writing but it was Really Weak. “Nori-Blue had rivers and lakes and edible plants that grew fruits more delicious than any on Earth” ; “Tom spit on the ground and bent over, like he was about to throw up. Merrin put her hands over her mouth. Mason wanted to do the same things they were doing, [...] but he didn’t.” There’s also compound words missing hyphens, other editing errors, etc. In the first half, for every page taking place in the present, there’s two more going into backstory, most of it unnecessary.
Then there’s everything I mentioned in the beginning: the book feels like a military recruitment tool aimed at middle-grade readers. First there’s the glorification of the military in general (these characters are so honored and proud to have their grandparents serve and etc.), then there’s the targeting of anyone who’s “different” from them. Especially those who look like … the “Enemy”, aka the Tremist, even if it happens to be your friends. Suddenly it’s “ARE YOU TREMIST? ARE YOU THE ENEMY?”, aka you’re us or you’re them kind of mindset. There’s also the “you have to be a MAN” type bullsh*t. In the text, it’s that Mason can’t cry and be a man at the same time; pain is for soldiers to know they’re strong. There’s also this frightening line: “Be prideful of the uniform, but not of your abilities”.
Not only that, but even though the book has some diverse characters (mentioned in the background, of course. The cover makes it seem like Mason is black but … lmao, no, he’s not), they’re just described as you would normally expect. At one point the book says where people come from on Earth isn’t important, because Earth has become so diverse and mixed. But then suddenly this Swedish kid comes by, and the book completely pauses to describe him: “Stellan was the tallest of them, and bone thin, with hollow cheeks, like he never got enough food at mealtime. His hair was so blond it was almost white. He was from a country called Sweden ([...]), and Mason wondered if all people from Sweden looked looked like him.” Then it goes into how Mason admires him for his unique strength or something, something the book hasn’t done for anyone else. It’s like … the book paused to describe and glorify the one kid who was what, Aryan?
Could I be reaching? Sure. But with all the elements? This book is scary. It’s also written by a white hardcore gamer (stereotyping here, but I’ve listened to my brother and his friends talk, and I’ve heard about what they talk about on 4chan, now 8chan. I can just see someone from there want to write a military propaganda novel for middle-grade readers …).
Anyway, yeah. This book scared me, and it wasn’t written well, even looking past that (past my own biases and stereotyping and fears). I think it’s definitely my least favorite read from this year -- and probably the last couple years, too.
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism and Antisemitism
jbrooxd's review against another edition
4.0
Great science fiction! Read this on my son's recommendation. Great characters, some good twists, and a burning question to drive you to book 2!
skelleycat's review against another edition
4.0
When I first heard about this book, I was excited because it sounded like Star Trek for YA/MG readers (and we all know how much I love Star Trek)! So when I finally got the chance to read The Planet Thieves, oh my gosh, I was ecstatic! I only got to read a small chunk in my first sitting, but I was already impressed. I’m pretty sure I was bouncing as I exclaimed with glee to my husband: “It’s like Star Trek! It’s so cool!” And the further I got into the book, the more I fell in love with it.
Here are some of the many reasons that The Planet Thieves rocked:
---(Ahem) It’s like Star Trek! They are traveling on a space ship and encounter alien beings and all kinds of mayhem ensues.
---It has illustrations in it! Yes, I was very happily surprised to see some sketches interspersed throughout the book. There’s only a handful, but I found them to be great for helping me visualize some of the creatures and technologies in the book.
---There is action and tension from beginning to end. I think it’s clear to me now that Dan Krokos is great at filling hist stories with intensity, and keeping me glued to the pages.
---The main character was believable and interesting. He had his idiot moments, but he also had some moments of wisdom and bravery that really spoke well for him.
---The enemies were both terrifying and awesomely cool! I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t elaborate, but they were great!---All of the science fiction / technology elements really got me excited. It all felt so… real! So believable, even if some of the technologies were pretty fantastic. Just like Star Trek, they had me wishing this universe was real (well, some parts of it).
---This did not read like a middle grade novel. Not that this isn’t accessible for young readers, because it totally is. What I’m trying to say is, don’t shy away from this just because it’s MG – it’s definitely enjoyable for adult readers!
Though I did find some parts to be extremely predictable, that did not dampen my enjoyment of the book. I was thoroughly intrigued from beginning to end, and I really wish there had been more of it. I am now eagerly anticipating the sequel. This book has basically turned me from a Dan Krokos reader into a Dan Krokos fan!
Here are some of the many reasons that The Planet Thieves rocked:
---(Ahem) It’s like Star Trek! They are traveling on a space ship and encounter alien beings and all kinds of mayhem ensues.
---It has illustrations in it! Yes, I was very happily surprised to see some sketches interspersed throughout the book. There’s only a handful, but I found them to be great for helping me visualize some of the creatures and technologies in the book.
---There is action and tension from beginning to end. I think it’s clear to me now that Dan Krokos is great at filling hist stories with intensity, and keeping me glued to the pages.
---The main character was believable and interesting. He had his idiot moments, but he also had some moments of wisdom and bravery that really spoke well for him.
---The enemies were both terrifying and awesomely cool! I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t elaborate, but they were great!---All of the science fiction / technology elements really got me excited. It all felt so… real! So believable, even if some of the technologies were pretty fantastic. Just like Star Trek, they had me wishing this universe was real (well, some parts of it).
---This did not read like a middle grade novel. Not that this isn’t accessible for young readers, because it totally is. What I’m trying to say is, don’t shy away from this just because it’s MG – it’s definitely enjoyable for adult readers!
Though I did find some parts to be extremely predictable, that did not dampen my enjoyment of the book. I was thoroughly intrigued from beginning to end, and I really wish there had been more of it. I am now eagerly anticipating the sequel. This book has basically turned me from a Dan Krokos reader into a Dan Krokos fan!
prncssbeara3's review against another edition
4.0
starts out a little slow but then it picks up and is quite adventurous. The origin story of Earth and humans is a pretty creative spin on things, and I like that the 2 races come together in the end to battle the evil that remains on the home planet. For a middle grade book it has some intense parts and some people die, but it wasn't terrible, nothing too gory or over the top.
christajls's review
4.0
This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic
When I was first contacted about The Planet Thieves I was told it was “Star Trek meets Rick Riordan.” I didn’t need to read any further to know this was a book I needed to read. And it was exactly as described. The Planet Thieves is without a doubt, very similar to Star Trek. Remember that Star Trek episode, “The Game” guest staring Ashley Judd? Where all the adults are incapacitated so Wesley saves the day? Combine that with one of Kirk’s crazier adventures, throw in a inter planetary war and you have this book.
The Planet Thieves is an incredibly action packed read. Things happen fast but I never felt like I was struggling to keep up. Krokos kept the pacing steady and smooth. So even though there was a constant sense of urgency to the events unfolding on page, everything was always very clear. This book has already been optioned for a movie by Warner Brothers and HeyDay Films and I can’t wait to see some of the action sequenes on the big screen!
But it wasn’t just the action that made The Planet Thieves enjoyable. It was also the characters. In particular Mason Stark. Mason is just a cadet. A young kid, barely trained, but some heavy responsibility falls on his shoulders. And he bears it well. But I liked that he struggled, and I liked that he second guessed himself. He was amazing but he was also just a regular thirteen year old boy. I also really liked Tom. In the beginning he’s very serious and rule oriented. He clashed with Mason a lot, as they had very differemt personalities. But they had to overcome those differences and learn to work together and I found that aspect of the story especially encouraging.
I think older readers of this series, who also happen to be Star Trek fans (like me) may be a little irked by some of the blatant similarities between The Planet Thieves and Star Trek. For example the enemy warrior race – The Tremist fly a ship called a Hawk which is even described as “a bird circling her prey.” Sounds an awful lot like Klingons and their ship, a Bird of Prey. But that being said, I don’t think this will be a problem for the target audience of this novel – middle grade readers. I think it’s a safe bet they will be more focused on the action and adventure of this novel instead of similiarities to a show their parents may or may not have watched.
Recommendation: A thrilling, exciting start to a new series. Great for fans of Star Trek, Ender’s Game and Star Wars: Clone Wars.
When I was first contacted about The Planet Thieves I was told it was “Star Trek meets Rick Riordan.” I didn’t need to read any further to know this was a book I needed to read. And it was exactly as described. The Planet Thieves is without a doubt, very similar to Star Trek. Remember that Star Trek episode, “The Game” guest staring Ashley Judd? Where all the adults are incapacitated so Wesley saves the day? Combine that with one of Kirk’s crazier adventures, throw in a inter planetary war and you have this book.
The Planet Thieves is an incredibly action packed read. Things happen fast but I never felt like I was struggling to keep up. Krokos kept the pacing steady and smooth. So even though there was a constant sense of urgency to the events unfolding on page, everything was always very clear. This book has already been optioned for a movie by Warner Brothers and HeyDay Films and I can’t wait to see some of the action sequenes on the big screen!
But it wasn’t just the action that made The Planet Thieves enjoyable. It was also the characters. In particular Mason Stark. Mason is just a cadet. A young kid, barely trained, but some heavy responsibility falls on his shoulders. And he bears it well. But I liked that he struggled, and I liked that he second guessed himself. He was amazing but he was also just a regular thirteen year old boy. I also really liked Tom. In the beginning he’s very serious and rule oriented. He clashed with Mason a lot, as they had very differemt personalities. But they had to overcome those differences and learn to work together and I found that aspect of the story especially encouraging.
I think older readers of this series, who also happen to be Star Trek fans (like me) may be a little irked by some of the blatant similarities between The Planet Thieves and Star Trek. For example the enemy warrior race – The Tremist fly a ship called a Hawk which is even described as “a bird circling her prey.” Sounds an awful lot like Klingons and their ship, a Bird of Prey. But that being said, I don’t think this will be a problem for the target audience of this novel – middle grade readers. I think it’s a safe bet they will be more focused on the action and adventure of this novel instead of similiarities to a show their parents may or may not have watched.
Recommendation: A thrilling, exciting start to a new series. Great for fans of Star Trek, Ender’s Game and Star Wars: Clone Wars.