Title: The Comet’s Curse
Author: Dom Testa [website] [twitter] [facebook]
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Publisher: Tor Teen
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Parental Advisory: language, criminal activity, death
Teachable Moments: teamwork, leadership, adaptability

“Triana nodded agreement.  She rose from the chair and stretched, her arms crossing over her head.  Leaning back, her long dark hair fell almost to her waist.  It was unlikely, she thought, that there had been very many ship commanders in history like her.  But because this was no ordinary ship — and such a unique moment in history — convention had gone out the window.  A sixteen-year-old girl was in charge….”

Summary (from the publisher):
When the tail of the comet Bhaktul flicks through Earth’s atmosphere, deadly particles are left in it wake.  Suddenly, mankind is confronted with a virus that devastates the adult population.  Only those under the age of eighteen seem to be immune.  Desperate to save humanity, a renowned scientist proposes a bold plan: to create a ship that will carry a crew of 251 teenagers to a home in a distant solar system.  Two years later, the Galahad and its crew — none over the age of sixteen — is launched.

Two years of training have prepared the crew for the challenges of space travel.  But soon after departing Earth, they discover that a saboteur is hiding on the Galahad!  Faced with escalating acts of vandalism and terrorized by threatening messages, sixteen year-old Triana Martell and her council soon realize that the stowaway will do anything to ensure that the Galahad never reaches its destination.  The teens must find a way to neutralize their enemy.  For if their mission fails, it will mean the end of the human race.

Opinion:
I have to admit, I was more than a little skeptical about the premise of this book.  A giant ship filled with fifteen and sixteen year olds sent out into space in an effort to save the human race wasn’t high up there on the plausibility scale.  But it’s fiction after all and I like me some good escapism so I dove in with both feet.

I can tell you with confidence that I’m glad I did.  Testa created a compelling story filled with an engaging cast of characters.  It was difficult not to get sucked in quickly.  Oh and was I ever sucked in!  The Comet’s Curse was a page-turner I found hard to put down.    Dare I even say that it’s up there with Marsden’s Tomorrow series for me?  Cause it kinda is.  Though set in space there are some definite similarities and comparisons to be drawn.  Specifically strong teen characters taking charge of their lives in an effort to overcome tragic circumstances that are out of their control.

Descriptively written Testa created a well-balanced story that volleyed not only between the various characters but also between present and past.  The majority of time is spent focusing on the current state of affairs on the Galahad. During this time each of the council members (the teens put in charge of the ship) is introduced and the reader follows the stories about how they came to be part of the crew.  There is also a good deal of focus on the adults who championed and crafted the Galahad and the role they continue to play in influencing the teen’s further decisions and actions.

I appreciated that there was a well rounded picture of the origin of each character to accompany the vision of their current lives. It made sense to me that I was given some perspective on who they were before and how it influences where they are now.  These vignettes into the past were strategically placed, didn’t detract from the current story and weren’t of large quantities.  I guess my point is, that it didn’t feel disjointed and I never felt like things went off track in one time period so as to focus on another.

The above also enhanced character development and growth.  There are definite changes in these kids (as one would expect given the circumstances).  Thankfully they were still kids though, Testa did a wonderful job of not turning these teens into older versions of themselves.  They fought each other, were spiteful and manipulative at times.  They had their crushes and giggled over them too.  It was just that they also dealt with these extraordinary circumstances of manning a ship into space in the hopes of saving the human race.

Usually I struggle with stories that tend to sport a great deal of prose and explanation at the expense of dialogue.  But in this case it worked really well.  Delving into the minds of these kids as well as seeing and feeling their surroundings brought a realism to a story based on the fantastical.  I sped right through it navigating the different emotions (fear, loss, hope) right along with the crew. I also felt the cool steel of the ship that surrounded them.  It was mechanical and sparse as one would expect but still had flourishes of home that gave small respites of comfort.

There was an abundance of characters in this story  but Testa handles it with great skill.  Heavy on diversity (bravo!) each is not only different from the physical and geographical perspective but their personalities manage to give each the ability to stand out from the crowd.  I don’t think there was a character that I didn’t find interesting or enjoyable.  Even the main foe was well drawn — this person was diligently crafted to allow for that love to hate relationship.   There was even a talking computer.  Roc adds snark and levity to a pretty heavy and dire situation.  The tone of his personality is one that fits perfectly with idea of an older man trying to be “hip” by using pop culture references and slang. He was much needed, well written and greatly appreciated.

This brings me to some of the plot elements.  I liked the overall concept of the teens saving the human race, it was interesting.  But what the story was built on was the interpersonal relationships and the mystery.  Boy was there mystery!  I thought throughout that I had pinpointed who the stowaway saboteur was but nope…I was wrong in the end.  I will say, however, that when revealed this person made total sense and I could go back through what I read and see how it all came together in the end.  Testa has also built in the beginnings of a love triangle.  It was a small part of the book (which I thought was appropriate given the material) but I suspect it will take on a more prominent role in subsequent books in the series.  I personally like the romantic elements when done right so it gives me more to look forward to and encourages me to pick up the second book sooner than later.

This is a great book for readers young and old.  While it’s science fiction based it’s not heavy on that element so that shouldn’t discourage those who may not enjoy that particular genre from giving Comet’s Curse a try.