Bookworm Speaks!- Earth Force Rising

Bookworm Speaks!

Earth Force Rising (Bounders)

by Monica Tesler

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Acquired: Barnes and Noble Booksellers. 

Series: Bounders (Book 1)

Paperback: 400 Pages

Publisher: Aladdin; Reprint edition (December 13, 2016)

Language: English

Subject: Non-Fiction

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The Story: Bounders have always known they were different, but they never suspected they were the key to saving Earth.

Thirteen years ago, Earth Force—a space-military agency—discovered a connection between brain structure and space travel. Now they’ve brought together a team of cadets, called Bounders, to be trained as elite astronauts able to pilot ships that can travel across the galaxy in an instant.

Jasper Adams can’t wait to join the first class of Bounders, but when he arrives at the space station, nothing is as it seems. Security is sky-high, and Jasper and his new friends soon realize that Earth Force has been keeping secrets—one of the biggest being a powerful, highly-classified technology that allows the Bounders to teleport through space without a ship. Only Bounders can use this tech, which leads Jasper to a sinister truth—humanity is facing a threat greater than any they’ve ever known, and Bounders are the ones standing between their planet and destruction.

Will Jasper and his friends rebel against Earth Force for hiding the truth, or fulfill their duty and fight for their planet? The fate of Earth may rest on their choice.

The Review: Ever since the release of Harry Potter and quite possibly even longer before them,

 ‘Academy of Adventure’ books have been a mainstay of young adult and children’s fiction. Stories where the young protagonist is whisked away to a faraway boarding school where adventure and colorful characters lurk behind every corner. We have plenty of that in fantasy but it does seem to be lacking in the area of science-fiction. 

This book scratches that itch as the main character is a boy being sent off to an academy to learn how to travel to distant worlds. The space academy is a fun and inventive place filled with colorful characters. The celebrity spaceman/spokesperson they have is pretty funny as well. Considering the fact that Bookworm cannot remember his name at the moment, probably means that the author could have done a better job at making him a bit more memorable. 

Bookworm may cause some controversy in the following statement but Bookworm could not call himself a critic without bringing up a point that meant something to him. It is clear very early on that the class of bounders have several learning differences such as Autism. In the book’s universe they served as evidence of their power. 

As an individual who is also in possession of a learning difference (Aspergers), this is both heartwarming but also a bit jarring. It is heartwarming because with growing awareness of mental health issues, every step must be taken to make them sympathetic and normalize them to normal people. In the book…making each on a different number on the Autism spectrum and other developmental disabilities. Showcasing the diversity of such matters is very important. 

What the author needs to do is strike a balance between making the characters different as well as making them relatable. Make them too different and the average reader might find themselves saying…what a bunch of weirdos. Don’t take that personally because Bookworm felt the exact same thing while among his own kind in the Special Needs class. Some of the more severe cases were rather jarring to his young mind and the same result may happen with this book’s intended audience. The author should be lauded for taking a stand for the different among us, make no mistake. 

There are other factors to consider as well. The book’s pacing could use some work. The first third is rather sluggish as it is mostly Jasper trying to navigate the his new environment and the people who inhabit it. This can showcase the character’s growth as well as show us the new world he is becoming a part off. If not written well though, it can get a bit tedious and pandering. 

Final Verdict: This book deserves praise for its diverse protagonists and the rich universe being constructed but ultimately falls prey to sluggish storytelling. 

Three polished Japser stones out of Five

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