Academy 7

To be fair, sci-fi isn't my genre. I want it to be desperately, but I usually wind up not caring for the books I pick to read. This one though... It had me right from the start, when the opening pages depict a teenage girl fleeing a planet in the same ship her father died in.

This is the story of Aerin and Dane, two new students at the best school in the universe and they have a connection.

Don't roll your eyes at me. Keep reading, it's not that type of connection.

Aerin and Dane don't fall madly in love at first sight. In fact, when they first meet, neither gives the other much consideration. But, slowly, things start to change. They compete against each other. Then, competition slowly turns to friendship and friendship to love.

First of all, Aerin and Dane are so excellent to read about. Aerin has been hurt - physically and emotionally - and she's prickly. She's got walls and mistrusts people and is so difficult to get to know. Dane has a horrible home life with a absolute bastard of a father and horrid brother - but he tries to soldier on. He doesn't brood or wallow. He makes jokes and tried to make Aerin feel better.

In fact, both character are quite a breath of fresh air over the usual useless girl/jerk-ass boy fare of YA.

As to their connection...I'm not telling! (Now, where's that smiley that sticks out its tongue?) In seriousness though, their connection is because of their fathers and could change both their lives.

The world building is serviceable. I know a lot of people are bored with the ‘Alliance' and the ‘Federation' type of totalitarian government, but I like it. I've always had such a weakness for this huge organization that isn't inherently evil, but that has a severely skewed way of looking at things. About all that could have made the world building better is if we'd actually gotten more information about it. (What was there was lovely though.)

All in all, I love this book.

Except for one huge, glaring problem.

There is no plot.

There is no outside force to overcome.

There is no final climax.

This book meanders through a year plus of time at school, following Aerin and Dane. Yes, they are more stable and happier and all around healthier people than when the story started. Yes, I like them both enough to feel an emotional tug to them and be happy that things turned out so well for them.

But...

It feels like the book just ended.

Like this is the first book of a series.

You know, then it would be awesome. I can easily picture this as the first book of a four book epic series. That would be beyond amazing.

But as it is, what started off with a bang whimpered halfway through and ended to the sound of crickets.

(Originally posted on my blog: http://pagesofstarlight.blogspot.com/)