Monday, September 14, 2015

Earth Flight - Janet Edwards

Earth Flight
Janet Edwards
Pyr, Sep 8 2015, $17.99
ISBN: 9781633880924

Towards the end of the twenty-eighth century, mankind lives on over 1200 planets due to the ease in which 99.9% of humanity can use portals to instantly teleport amongst the myriad of orbs.  In spite of her recent incredible archaeological rescue in the ruins of what were once Manhattan and her astonishing military deeds, teenager Jaara Tell Morath remains handicapped by her immune system to stay permanently on Planet One with no basic human rights.  Her feelings of being a left behind second class citizen were heightened by her parents’ abandonment as a baby and called a Neanderthal ape all her life.

Hate crime attacks on the Handicapped increase dramatically.  At the same time working for the military, Jaara and her normal boyfriend Fian Andrej Eklund decipher a recently found ancient alien probe that proclaims a major threat to all humanity exists.  Jaara is the solo hope for a savior, but she must instantly teleport to a world far, far away from her earthbound home.  She accepts a life threatening experimental surgery to enable her to accomplish the mission.

The third Jaara futuristic middle school science fiction (see Earth Star and Earth Girl) is a fine fast-paced finish to a fascinating trilogy though this entry loses some of its social awareness (re the harmful effects of prejudice) with the operation that normalizes the heroine.  Tweener and young teens will enjoy the daring deeds of Jaara who refused to be stereotyped; and her supportive boyfriend who believes his beloved can do anything a Norm can do and more.


Harriet Klausner

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