Publishers Weekly
★ 03/22/2021
Inspired by the history and lore of Ethiopia, this cinematic space adventure introduces 12-year-old Yared Heywat as he fights to protect those he loves after learning stunning secrets about his world and himself. In the bustling city of Addis Prime, Yared, his uncle Moti, and bionic lioness Besa live under the radar, often moving suddenly, though Moti won’t explain why. It’s a lonely life, but rebellious Yared finds community and glory in an illegal augmented-reality game; he’s the number-two player, beaten only by a girl known as the Ibis. When Yared is forced to compete under his real name, Addis Prime is immediately swarmed by high-tech monsters and brutal soldiers—all of whom are looking for Yared. As Uncle Moti’s fables about the lost space empire of Axum and the evil Werari empire begin to come to life, Yared and rival-turned-ally Ibis fight to escape the city and uncover the truth about Yared’s family roots. In this fast-paced, Afrofuturist homage to Ethiopia, Mbalia (Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky) and Ethiopian prince Makonnen craft an enthralling tale of resilience, family, and bravery that will entertain young sci-fi lovers. Ages 8–12. Agents: (for Mbalia) Patrice Caldwell, New Leaf Literary; (for Makonnen) Jesseca Salky, Lyons & Salky Law. (May)
From the Publisher
"Inspired by the history and lore of Ethiopia, this cinematic space adventure introduces 12-year-old Yared Heywat as he fights to protect those he loves after learning stunning secrets about his world and himself … In this fast-paced, Afrofuturist homage to Ethiopia, Mbalia and Ethiopian prince Makonnen craft an enthralling tale of resilience, family, and bravery that will entertain young sci-fi lovers."
– Publisher's Weekly, starred review
"Action-packed technothriller … Readers will delight in Yared’s puckish demeanor and perspective, his loyal bionic lioness, Besa, and the events that ensue as all of Yared’s childhood stories come to life in a terrifying way, from dangerous monsters to mysterious floating realms. In this vivid, volatile Afrofuturist sf world, as Yared journeys to learn about himself and his spiraling environment, he must figure out who to trust and how he is connected to all of the chaos."
– Booklist
"An epic sci-fi adventure"
– The Nerd Daily
JULY 2021 - AudioFile
Prince Joel Makonnen, coauthor, and Prince Araya Mengesha, narrator, are members of the Ethiopian imperial family, so they bring real history to this fantasy. Yared doesn’t fit in at school and has a strange life with his eccentric uncle. He feels most alive in HKO, the augmented-reality gaming tournament he's dominating. Mengesha crafts a lovable jokester as Yared deflects loneliness and enemy attacks alike with humor. The latest game finds Yared teamed up with his archrival, the Ibis, against real armies in a conflict that reveals Yared’s hidden past. Mengesha employs varying Ethiopian accents for all of the dialogue and speaks Yared’s first-person narrative with American accent. This science fiction story is packed with detailed world-building and intense action. S.T.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2021-05-11
A boy must fight to save his world in this Ethiopian-inspired adventure by noted children’s author Mbalia and Makonnen, the great-grandson of Haile Selassie.
Twelve-year old lone wolf Yared is used to relying only on himself, his Uncle Moti, and his best friend and bionic lioness companion, Besa. Yared hides his loneliness behind bravado and quippy comebacks, using his razor-sharp wit to help him mask his true feelings and survive his family’s many moves. Through his technological acumen, Yared finds comfort and renown in the community of an illegal augmented reality scavenger hunt game, where he shares top ranking with his rival, the Ibis. When their game is interrupted by a giant robotic beast—a creature out of one of his uncle’s stories come to life—Yared and the Ibis must go on the run. The duo soon realizes they must uncover the truth—including the truth of Yared’s past—in order to save their homeland from certain ruin. The themes of teamwork and family are woven throughout as Yared comes to understand the value of working with others as well as the fact that blood and chosen family are both valuable. While a couple of elements strain credulity, and the particularly astute may guess the book’s big reveal, this won’t spoil full enjoyment of this fast-paced, Afro-futurist space romp that will grip both avid and reluctant readers. Main characters are Black.
Entertaining and action-packed. (afterword) (Science fiction. 9-13)
