Losers in Space

by John Barnes

Overview

It is the year 2129 . . . and fame is all that matters

Susan and her friends are celebutantes. Their lives are powered by media awareness, fed by engineered meals, and underscored by cynicism. Everyone has a rating; the more viewers who ID you, the better. So Susan and her almost-boyfriend Derlock cook up a surefire plan: the nine of them will visit a Mars-bound spaceship and stow away. Their survival will be a media sensation, boosting their ratings across the globe. There's only one problem: Derlock is a sociopath. Breakneck narrative, pointed cultural commentary, warm heart, accurate science, a kickass heroine, and a ticking clock . . . who could ask for more?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101567036
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/12/2012
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

John Barnes is the author of Tales of the Madman Underground, as well as many science fiction novels for adults. He lives in Denver, Colorado.

Editorial Reviews

…a curious mash-up: part science fiction, part teenage drama, part thriller. While not all of Barnes's predictions are convincing, he has a pretty good sense of where our media addiction might lead, and he nails the reality of space travel, both the logistics and the emotional impact. And, importantly, Barnes makes the reader care what happens to his characters, even those who are quite annoying at the beginning. For teenagers, Losers in Space may be a welcome introduction to hard science fiction.
—The New York Times Book Review

Jonathan Liu

Printz Honor author Barnes (Tales of the Madman Underground) doesn’t take any shortcuts in this painstakingly constructed SF novel, a sort of amped-up Breakfast Club set in a celebrity-obsessed future. Susan Tervaille, the 16-year-old daughter of an ultra-celebrity in the year 2129, is swept up in a crazy plot hatched by bad-boy Derlock. She and several friends stow away on a spacecraft headed to Mars, hoping they’ll be broadcast in enough “meeds” on Earth to secure their status as up-and-coming superstars. What they don’t realize is that Derlock is insane and hell-bent on snagging fame for himself—even if it means lives are lost. Though Barnes prefaces his story with an option to skip his “Notes for the Interested”—asides where he explains the technical details of his world for hard SF fans—the science that seeps into the story may still put off more casual readers. What keeps this book rolling is Barnes’s unfailing ability to draw readers into his characters’ lives and perils—underneath all the scientific language, Barnes knows how to spin a good yarn. Ages 14–up. Agent: Ashley Grayson, Ashley Grayson Literary Agency. (Apr.)¦

Publishers Weekly

Gr 9 Up—Imagine a future in which technological advances have allowed humanity to achieve PermaPaxPerity, or Permanent Peace and Prosperity. Everyone is guaranteed a generous income and lifestyle and can choose whether to work and/or have children. A select few are allowed, through talent or celebrity, to earn more than the guaranteed minimum, but their fortunes cannot be passed down to their children. The "moes," or losers of the title, are all children of celebrities who have been sent to an elite prep school to try to achieve "eenie" status through fame or talent but, failing that, will be relegated to life as "mineys." To prevent this not-so-horrible fate, Susan and her too-cool-for-school posse decide to stow away on a ship to Mars. Trouble results when the group's ringleader, the son of an infamous trial lawyer, turns out to be less of a charming con man and more of a cold-blooded killer. The fun twist that makes this novel stand out is that it is 100 percent, self-proclaimed "hard" science fiction. Everything that happens is "as true and correct as the author can make it in light of current science" and detailed explanations of everything from the spacecraft to interplanetary radio communications are included in periodic "notes for the interested." Barnes also explores the idea that, even with PermaPaxPerity, not everyone is happy and coming of age is still a struggle, especially with the media a constant presence and dangerously pleasurable drugs readily available. Recommended in particular for sci-fi fans who will appreciate the novel's geeky level of detail.—Eliza Langhans, Hatfield Public Library, MA

School Library Journal

Despite the campy title, Barnes (Tales of the Madman Underground, 2009) spins a space-travel tale with scientific and emotional substance.In 2129, most humans are economically comfortable, but the big money and cachet is in entertainment. In hopes of gaining a fast-track to celebrity status, charismatic Derlock persuades a group of loser "moes," including narrator Susan, to stow away on a spaceship bound to Mars. So begins an adventure filled with tense action, double-crosses, the rhythms of daily life in space and the evolution of characters from insecure teenagers to thriving (or not) members of a team. Nothing is sugarcoated here—readers see deaths, murders and rampant sexism (most of the ways for girls to get famous involve videos of bouncing breasts)—and the author successfully balances the moes' processing and grieving with their ultimate need to survive. The book begins with an explanation of hard science fiction and a promise that "infodumps" will be placed in skippable "notes for the interested." Nevertheless, some dialogue is heavy with math and science particulars, and less scientifically minded readers may find themselves skimming conversations about the mass and acceleration of mud or the statistical likelihood of a distress call being received. Overall, accessible, gripping and poignant. (Science fiction. 14 & up)

Kirkus Reviews