Reviewed
by Dianne Bates
It’s
2088 and Nash Steele travels to the space station Misty where his estranged Safety
Officer dad Orson lives. Nash is there for a fortnight while Mum and his
stepdad Mike are on their honeymoon. Space stations like Misty are built like
giant cruise ships, the weather is climate controlled and the station caters
for tourists’ every whim, including the biggest gymnasium that Nash has ever
seen. Misty is privately owned by a multi-billionaire; however, a rival space
station, Wordlink seems to want to destroy it.
The
first chapter of this well-written novel for readers aged 8+ years starts
dramatically, with suspenseful action, and finishes inside a space shuttle
(with Nash and his dad aboard), hurtling to Misty. However, space junk has been
deposited by Wordlink and causes alarm. Fortunately, the shuttle manages to
avoid it and the shuttle lands safely at its destination. At the station Nash
meets Captain Malek’s son Raj who has a pet ferrog (ferret-dog) called Rex. He
also meets Bingo who is visiting with his grandma, as well as Mr Nakimoto who
is regarded with suspicion.
When
multiple malfunctions occur on Misty, Nash is convinced it’s the grumpy Mr
Nakimoto sabotaging the station. But when Nash and the others go for a moon
walk, Bingo reveals his true colours – and his true intentions. He is not a boy
after all, but an assassin robot. Along with his criminal ‘Gran’, Bingo is out
to destroy Misty space station.
Aleesah
Darlison, the author, is an award-winning author of over fifty books for
children and young adults. Her skill as a writer of fast-paced, humorous
adventure stories is evident here. This is a well-written, engaging book which
is sure to win her many more fans.
