03/22/2021
A teen flees her emotionally abusive family in this slow-burning, character-driven space opera by Johnston (The Afterward). Since age five, Pendt Harland has been told she’s useless, her magical gene-sense considered a waste of precious calories aboard her blue-eyed, white-skinned family’s generational trading ship, especially compared to more desirable powers, such as the star-sense required of the ship’s captain. As her 18th birthday approaches, Pendt vanishes into the depths of Brannick Station during a stopover, encountering Fisher and Ned Brannick, the twin brothers who run the station. To legally escape her family’s clutches and aid the brothers with their own plans, she marries Ned, who soon joins the rebellion against the oppressive Stavenger Empire; she then grows closer to Fisher while building a life for herself. When her family returns, though, Pendt must use her powers to engineer an unorthodox, extremely dangerous solution. Johnston packs a lot of galaxy-spanning worldbuilding into a small space. Though some threads, especially surrounding the rebellion, feel underdeveloped, character elements—particularly Pendt’s recovery from a lifetime of abuse—offer an affirmative arc about emotional healing and personal growth in the wake of trauma. Ages 14–up. Author’s agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary. (May)
★"A close-knit, endlessly cathartic gem."—Kirkus, starred review
"Aetherbound had me by the heart in just a few chapters...[a] book for anyone who’s ever underestimated themself, and who had to find their people to figure out their power."—Tor.com
"Brimming with heart, this book is the tale of young people searching for a better, kidner way."—San Diego Union Tribune
"E. K. Johnston writes books that are simultaneously gentle and devastating, and I'm not sure how she does it but I'm so glad she does."—Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken
"E. K. Johnston's Aetherbound is a powerful and gorgeous story of a character who makes her own self, family, and future. I loved it completely."—Kat Howard, Alex Award-winning author of An Unkindness of Magicians
"Compelling and thoughtful, stark and bright, brimming with heart and rebellion, Aetherbound is the space opera you didn't know you needed and a beautiful reminder that the tendrils of hope can grow in even the darkest, hardest world. This book is a gift and a balm."—Delilah S. Dawson, New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma
"I always enjoy found-family stories and the acceptance and love that Pendt finds in Aetherbound satisfies tremendously. Poignant themes surrounding bodily autonomy, human trafficking, and colonialism in space remind us that we must wrestle with these problems now. Looking forward to more adventures with Pendt the gene mage!"—Kevin Hearne, author of the Iron Druid Chronicles and Star Wars: Heir to the Jedi
"A masterful blend of magic, genetics, and interstellar relations in a tale that is as sharp as it is tender, as much a critique as it is an adventure. A true battle cry of a book!"—Natalie C. Parker, author of the Seafire Trilogy
"The beauty of Aetherbound lies in its characters’ abilities to face painful, terrible circumstances and still fight for a better life. It’s a thought-provoking and hopeful book that encourages a closer examination of what truly makes life valuable."—Bookpage
"Johnston gives readers a dystopian space drama that blends the spirit of Firefly with the heart of The Handmaid’s Tale. It’s a rewarding read that reflects on human trafficking, the value of human life, and the ethics of gene editing, all posited within the personal framework of almost 18-year-old Pendt’s sudden bid for freedom during a station stop and the two brothers committed to helping her."—Booklist
"This engrossing, triumphal sci-fi tale is a gritty space-wizard drama in the tradition of Anne McCaffrey."—The Horn Book
A Kirkus Best Book of 2021
A Tor.com Best Book of 2021
06/01/2021
Gr 9 Up—Pendt Harland has only known life on her family's generation ship, traveling through space delivering ore and miners. Everyone is born with a magical ability, but when her family discovers that she is a gene-mage she is deemed useless and essentially starved until she can be sold to another ship. When the ship docks at Brannick station, Pendt sees her opportunity to escape and soon meets Ned and Fisher Brannick, the twin brothers running the station. Through some complicated legal maneuvering, they help protect Pendt from her family and she gives Ned the opportunity to join the resistance fighting the empire. But they know that one day Pendt's family will come back for her. The worldbuilding in this novel is phenomenal. Space opera fans will enjoy the backstory, station features, and technology, though other readers might find it overly descriptive. Pendt develops a loving bond with the brothers, especially after the loneliness and abuse she suffered at the hands of her family, that readers will adore. However, everyone seems a little too happy to the point of it feeling forced and unrealistic. The ending is anti-climatic but hints at a sequel. Characters are cued as white and Fisher is subtly identitfied as trans. VERDICT Buy if you serve a large population of science fiction readers.—Cathy DeCampli, Haddonfield P.L., NJ
★ 2021-02-05
In an oppressive science fiction world, a young woman discovers the meaning of family and autonomy.
The Stavenger Empire has the galaxy in a stronghold, forcing its citizens into tyrannical relationships that prioritize specific lineages and skill sets while dampening rebellion. Pendt Harland lives on a merchant ship tied to her family line: Only Harlands can control the ship, and further, only those with specific abilities. Pendt, having gene-sense (the power to magically sense and alter aspects of organic matter), is considered useless in her family’s strict hierarchy and so faces abuse and neglect until she comes of age and can be sent away to earn her keep outside the Family. When an opportunity to escape presents itself, Pendt leaves everything behind to start anew on a bustling space station. There, she meets twins Fisher and Ned, earnest boys also trapped in the churning machinery of the empire. Together, they might just find a way to loosen the holds that the society has on them all. With an emphasis on valuing chosen family, securing bodily autonomy, and challenging authoritarianism, this intimate, character-driven yarn brings stunning revelations in every chapter. With each mystery that reveals itself, the worldbuilding grows stronger, enveloping readers in a grounded universe that feels nearly tangible. A major character is trans; main characters are coded as White.
A close-knit, endlessly cathartic gem. (Science fiction. 14-18)
