The Disasters

The Disasters by M.K English (Harper Collins) YA Science Fiction

PB RRP $19.99     ISBN: 9780062909817

Reviewed by Jeffery E Doherty

The Disasters follows the adventures of Nax Hall, an aspiring young space pilot, straight from the farm, attending the elite Ellis Station Academy. Unfortunately, he is kicked out on the first day and is about to be sent home with three other young washouts when the station is attacked. The four cadets are thrown together and manage to escape in a stolen shuttle but that is where their real troubles begin.

The four cadets are branded as terrorists and hunted, not only by the ones responsible for the attack but by the authorities on all the colony worlds as well. They need to work together, utilising their individual skills sets to discover who the real terrorists are, what they want and to clear their names. In the process they might just become heroes.

During its early stages, this book seemed in danger of shaping up to be an angsty teenage romance in space. Fortunately, this aspect of the characters relationships did not overpower the flow of the story. The characters are interesting, and their diversity should appeal to fans of LGBTQI fiction.

The Disasters has lots of action but weaves in quiet moments where we learn about the each of the main characters. The book is well written and the story would resonate with teens and lovers of YA speculative fiction. Hard science fiction fans might rankle a little at the story’s mechanics of long-distance space travel but on the whole, I would recommend giving this is a story a read.