A decadent mix of interplanetary politics, interspecies drama, and epic action sequences.
School’s back in session, but Weun Academy isn’t like other schools. Then again, Eisah Tanner isn’t like other sixteen-year-olds. When his crew of Earthers is attacked by a group of Redborns looking for trouble, Eisah does what he has to do to survive. But after weeks in a coma, he awakens in a hospital with no idea what actually happened. Official reports name the incident an explosion caused by a critical structural flaw in the habitat, but the truth is even more shocking: Eisah was the cause. A group of aliens arrives to confront him and acknowledge the strange things he has been feeling and experiencing. As if aliens in a human hospital weren’t unusual enough, they explain his behavior as the manifestation of powerful D’mok abilities and invite him to join Weun Academy. Though Eisah hates to leave his friends behind, factions on Mars have escalated tensions between Earthers and Redborns, and leaving might be the only way to help. He learns that he isn’t the only one with a special gift, that extraterrestrial warriors battle across space, that space ships can sometimes transform into robot cats, and that aliens and humans have a more complex history than he thought. And that’s all before he even reaches the New Eden space station and Weun. Once at the Academy, understanding his gift is only the beginning of the lessons vital for peace.
With a decadent mix of interplanetary politics, interspecies drama, and epic action sequences, Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker is the perfect young adult space adventure. Michael Zummo’s ability to paint rich galactic scenes is top-notch! Between the lights, colors, sounds, pulses, and churning gasses, readers will find themselves immersed in this fictional galaxy and lost in Eisah’s story. His first steps on New Eden are like a fairy tale. An enthusiastic beetle-shaped robot. A swirling nebula of color just outside a tram tube. Wildly friendly creatures made of crystal. This cinematic storytelling complements a well-rounded cast, an engaging plot, and a coming-of-age-in-space character arc that is impossible not to enjoy. Though Eisah lives among four-armed aliens and has superhuman abilities, his struggles feel all too real. Whether facing off against bullies or coming to terms with his family dynamics, readers will feel a kinship with this big-hearted protagonist as he learns the importance of measuring his self-worth based on true inner value, rather than how others estimate him. An energetic novel about friendship, family, and the fate of the universe, Weun Academy takes the school-for-the-gifted genre to the next level.
