Who will forgive you when you can't forgive yourself?
The Colonial Scouts are a group of explorers who seek out habitable planets for the Colonial Expansion Board. They travel through space via programmable wormholes.
Natica is drowning in siblings. She hoped that if she became a Scout, she would rise above her brothers and sisters and shine. But when a man dies because of her mistake, she leaves the elite program and returns home a failure.
Her homecoming is even worse than she imagined, however. Her twin brother is missing. Despite warnings from the authorities, she searches for him and embroils herself in a growing mystery with far-reaching consequences.
Will she save her brother from himself? Or will he save her?
Professional Reviews
A Brilliant Adventure
Roxanne Smolen has done it again! In this third book of the Colonial Scouts series, the characters she created in Alien Worlds and Alien Jungle continue to grow in complexity and maturity. When Natica returns to her home world of Naiad, ostensibly to celebrate her birthday, Impani grows worried about her and decides to join her and help her best friend. Natica is central to this story, and her problem and the steps she takes to resolve it are realistic and can apply to young adults today. To complicate matters further, Impani herself is plagued by a stalker.
As in the other books, the story proceeds at a breakneck pace. Their friendship changes and morphs as they face one problem after another. The girls' personalities become more multi-leveled as Natica's and Impani's backgrounds are revealed. A new character, Steve, is introduced, and I for one hope he will become a permanent addition to the roster. Smolen's handling of his disability and the tech that helps him cope is sensitive and creative.
Smolen's descriptions of the water world, Naiad, make it as real as Earth. She has created a fascinating civilization that lives on the water (and perhaps under it!) that is consistent and endlessly fascinating.
In all, this is an extraordinary novel, suitable for adults as well as young adults. I recommend it highly.
Wracked with guilt and jealous of her best friend, Impani
Alien Seas is the third book in Roxanne Smolen’s Colonial Scouts Adventure series. While all of the main characters from the previous books return for this story, the lead character is now Natica. Being a Colonial Scout is dangerous both physically and mentally. After the tragic death of a colonist during a recent mission (see Alien Jungle), Natica fears she has lost what it takes to be a scout. Wracked with guilt and jealous of her best friend, Impani, she decides to return home for her sixteenth birthday with every intention of staying there. Unfortunately, things aren’t as stable and happy as she remembers them. The fierce rivalries of gangs, pirates, and environmental extremists have not only changed her planet; they have also ripped her family apart. Her twin brother is missing. Topping things off, Impani has followed her home and insists on helping her search for her brother.
Alien Seas is a thrilling adventure story set on, Naiad, a world dominated by the ocean. Author Roxanne Smolen deftly creates a futuristic frontier-like feel by combining elements of the old west and pirates with just the right touch of technology. While the story conjures great visuals, this is not a tale about gadgets. Like the first two books in the series this is a story that focuses on her characters. Despite being a highly trained Colonial Scout, Natica is much like any other teen, full of doubt, angst, and fear. Her battle with her inner demons as well as how she relates them to her past and current life is the crux of the story. Smolen skillfully twists and turns events just inside the edge of believability to keep readers guessing about their resolution until the very last moments of the story.
Recommendation
Alien Seas features many action sequences, numerous conflicts, and a dose of teenage romantic angst. Smolen handles all of these elements in an age appropriate manner. If it was a movie it would be rated PG. So while it’s targeted at the YA market it is also appropriate for strong MG readers and crossover adults who are interested in a fun-filled adventure. I highly recommend Alien Seas to any such readers.
Fast-Paced Science Fiction
This book was described to me as "a fast-paced science fiction story about a girl on a water planet." It definitely lives up to that description, especially the "fast-paced" part. A lot happens in 5 and a half hours. Maybe a bit too much for full character development. Too many of them seem one dimensional. I waffled between giving this book 3 stars and 4. 3.5 stars would be perfect, so I rounded up to be fair.
I am usually not a fan of science fiction, and it takes a special kind of young adult book to keep my full attention. This story is good enough that it doesn't seem too dumbed down, though its target audience is clearly teens. Starting at book 3 left me at a bit of a disadvantage in understanding the story, but there are enough call backs that I was never lost. The narrator does a good job of telling the story, differentiating characters, and keeping pronunciations consistent. Overall, this is a solid read, especially if you love science fiction and young adult books.
My review is not a synopsis of the book, but rather my opinion of it. I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
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