Flame-Amy Kathleen Ryan

Flame Amy Kathleen Ryan St. Martin's Griffin, Jan 7 2014, $18.99 ISBN: 9780312621360 Two ships (the New Horizon and the Empyrean) left dying earth in hopes of finding a new home planet. Instead of a mutual beneficial collaboration between the vessels, Pastor Anne Mather of the New Horizon establishes a brutal lethal theocracy that included abductions from the sister ship. When the kidnapped teen girls led by Kieran escaped back to the Empyrean, with no choice they left their parents behind (see Glow). An attempted rescue fails and the Empyrean destroyed (see Spark). The former leaders of the Empyrean (Waverly, Kieran and Seth) manage to get on board the New Horizon, but under diverse circumstances. Mather mentors Kieran; an elderly male conceals Waverly while plotting rebellion from the theocratic iron fist of the righteous Pastor; and ailing Seth, like he did on the Empyrean, remains alone living in hiding. The final Sky Chasers outer space thriller is an entertaining young adult science fiction. The fast-paced story line rotates perspective between the three teen former leaders of the ruined Empyrean as each has landed in a different set of tsuris. Filled with suspense as the heroes and readers wonder whom to trust and whether the protagonists will ever see each other again, teen fans especially will relish the climax of a strong science fiction trilogy. Harriet Klausner