Devastation Class

by Glen Zipper, Elaine Mongeon

Overview

An annihilation force of invading aliens. Human civilization on the brink of extinction. Earth’s only hope—seven cadets and the legendary starship they were never meant to command. No matter the cost, they will stop at nothing to survive. No matter the odds, they will fight to save their future.

The distant future. Earth’s Alliance forces have emerged victorious from a brutal nine-year war with the mysterious Kastazi—a vicious, highly advanced alien race. In the dawn of a new peace, the Alliance Devastation Class starship California embarks on a mission of science and learning with a skeleton crew of seasoned officers, civilian students, and inexperienced military cadets in tow.

For JD Marshall and Viv Nixon, gifted cadets and best friends, the mission holds special meaning: It offers an opportunity to prove themselves and begin to escape the long shadows of their legendary war hero parents.

Suddenly ambushed by a second wave of invading Kastazi forces, JD and Viv make the impossible decision to spearhead a mutiny to save the California and everyone on it. In command and quickly out of options, they are forced to activate the ship's prototype Blink Reactor—an experimental technology they expect to send them to the safe, distant reaches of space. When their escape transports them to a reality they don’t recognize and reveals unimaginably terrifying secrets, they must fight their way home to save not just everyone they love but also humanity itself. Standing in their way are an insurmountable enemy, saboteurs from within, a mystery eons in the making, and the fabric of time and space itself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310769002
Publisher:	Blink
Publication date:	09/08/2020
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	566,465
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 5.40(h) x 1.40(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Glen Zipper produced the Oscar-winning documentary Undefeated, and the hit Netflix series Dogs. Born in New York City and raised in Fort Lee, NJ, Glen currently resides in Los Angeles, where he enjoys motorcycle riding and stopping to pet every dog he sees. Follow him on Twitter @Zipper and Instagram @glenzipper.

Award-winning filmmaker Elaine Mongeon wrote and directed the short films Good Morning for Warner Bros. Pictures and Swiped to Death for Hulu and the Sundance Institute. She also served as an associate producer on Magic Mike XXL. Elaine has a love for the outdoors and has been known to spend her time traversing glaciers in Canada and precision motorcycle riding. Originally from New England, she currently resides in Los Angeles. Follow her on Twitter @E_Mongeon and Instagram @elainemongeon.

Editorial Reviews

10/19/2020

Cadets John Douglas Marshall and Vivien Nixon are part of the training complement on the Alliance’s Devastation-class spaceship, the UAS California. When a surprise attack by the alien Kastazi destroys the Gallipoli Station, where the California is docked, all officers but two ensigns are away from the ship. After one is killed and the other has a breakdown, the cadets assume command of the California. Further Kastazi attacks follow, and the crew employs typical science-fiction tech fixes to try to save the day. In this series opener, filmmakers and debut authors Zipper and Mongeon write compelling action sequences, but the book’s first third is slow, the characters are standard, and some plot elements don’t add up—in particular, science-savvy readers may spot an astrophysics fallacy about star movement in descriptions of a device that makes it possible to jump into the future. This will appeal most to action junkies who don’t mind being left hanging, but seasoned genre readers may want to pass. Ages 13–up. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

'Devastation Class looks to be a new classic YA series: gripping, pacey, and action-packed. It reminded me in the best way of the universe-building stories of Heinlein and Card. The cliffhangers matter in this one, so looking forward to the next!' Alex Winter, director (Panama Papers, Showbiz Kids, and Zappa) and actor (Bill and amp; Ted Face the Music)

Alex Winter

'Devastation Class has everything I look for in a book—great characters, action, humor, and a lot of heart. Sci-fi fans across the spectrum are going to love it. I can't wait to see where the series goes from here.' Gregory Jacobs, producer of Contagion and Edge of Tomorrow

producer of Contagion and Edge of Tomorrow Gregory Jacobs

'Zipper and Mongeon seamlessly weave the thrills and starry-eyed imagination of Star Trek with the introspective heart and humor of a John Hughes film—it's a total blast.' —Seth Grahame-Smith, the New York Times bestselling author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Seth Grahame-Smith

'Zipper and Mongeon get major points for suspenseful and action-packed storytelling ... Loved this action-packed story about teens in space making difficult choices to save humanity as they know it.' The Nerd Cantina

The Nerd Cantina

'I cannot stress this enough—Devastation Class was just good fun. And right now that's worth traveling to the moon and back for.' Laura Bradley, writer, The Daily Beast

Laura Bradley

'Devastation Class is a rare gem of a space story, packed with twists, hair-raising action, and delicious moral quandary. I instantly fell in love with its band of rebel prodigies—and had my heart broken in the all the right ways. Supremely good sci-fi.' Jessica Khoury, author of the Corpus Trilogy and Last of Her Name

author of the Corpus Trilogy and Last of Her Name Jessica Khoury

09/01/2020

Gr 8 Up—A thriller reminiscent of Star Trek, this is set in the far future when humans, nearing extinction as a species, hurtle through space fighting alien enemies. Humans are threatened by an alien race called the Kastazi. Teen protagonists JD Marshall and Viv Nixon are overshadowed by the deeds of their famous parents, but they hope to carve out separate identities of their own as cadets on the Alliance Devastation Class starship California. JD and Viv are up-and-coming heroes who are waiting for a chance to prove themselves, and they get that chance when they are forced to mutiny and perform a dangerous teleportation maneuver by activating the ship's Blink Reactor. The themes of self-discovery and eventual disillusionment with reality are classic ones in YA novels, and they are well-placed here. Much attention is paid to keeping the adrenaline level high and the plot moving, leaving character development slightly lacking. As is usual in science fiction set in the distant future, there is some tech-speak to learn—Zipper and Mongeon build a world where space travel, realistic simulations, teleportation, and conversing with alien beings is the norm. Some secondary characters' hair color is noted, but JD and Viv's appearances are notably never described. Readers will not be surprised to learn that the movie rights for this novel have already been sold. VERDICT A futuristic adventure that packs in the action but may leave fans feeling flat; recommended for teen Trekkies looking for something fast and furious.—Shannon O'Connor, Unami M.S., Chalfont, PA

School Library Journal

2020-06-16
Teenage cadets must fight battles both within and outside their ranks to survive the unknown.

When the Kastazi—an alien race fleeing a dying planet—came to Earth, it started the Nine-Year War, but the Alliance destroyed them. Now in peacetime, the Alliance has launched the Explorers Program, selecting only the most elite cadets who will be future leaders. Leading them are JD and Viv. Overwhelmed by the program’s challenges, JD has been sabotaging himself. Meanwhile, Viv is consumed by the events surrounding her father’s death when new evidence of what happened appears. But none of that matters when their battleship, the UAS California, is unexpectedly attacked by a Kastazi Destroyer. The moment the cadets thought was far off is suddenly present: Seizing control of the ship, JD and Viv take risk after risk to fend off hostiles as the deep-rooted distrust between civilian students and cadets mounts. Just as the cadets think they’ve found respite, a new mystery unfolds, leaving them searching for answers. Readers who don’t mind the near-glacial buildup laying out the history with precise, technical language will be rewarded with the action that follows. Although there are several alternating first-person voices, JD and Viv are the most well-realized characters; their peers fall flat. Readers may get lost in the dialogue, as speech indicators are sparse. Main characters are cued as white; names suggest some ethnic diversity in the supporting cast.

A tempting concept marred by uninspired writing. (Science fiction. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews