Disguised Prince Nev joins the crew of spaceship Kaitan Heritage, which is fishing for a cosmic energy source called Shadow. Nev secretly hopes to make a deal with the talented young captain, Qole; his royal family wants to study her inherent affinity for Shadow in hopes of improving life throughout the system. Told in not-always-distinct dual narratives, the political space story thoughtfully addresses issues faced by colonized people. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 8 Up-Shadow, a volatile and dangerous galactic energy sourced from the stars, can be harvested only through risky piloting known as "fishing," and it seems to permanently affect humans exposed to it. After coming into contact with it, some humans are driven mad, some become gifted, some experience both reactions, but all can expect an early death. Powerful and greedy families are willing to go to any lengths to acquire the key to shadow affinity, as it greatly enhances wealth and authority. Captain Qole Uvgamut is supposedly the youngest and most skilled shadow fishing captain in the galaxy and is also rumored to have a special shadow affinity. Nev Dracorte is posing as a shadow loader, hiding his true identity in an effort to persuade Qole to unlock the powers of shadow. These elements are skillfully combined into a grand space adventure, chock-full of action, battles of good and evil, love, and betrayal. The characters are well-developed; Nev and Qole's initial antagonism and mistrust are authentic, and their companions are also nicely fleshed out. The characters are diverse as well, including Basra, whose gender is flexible. The world-building is excellent, with a convincingly unique source of cosmic energy that has the potential for extraordinary power. The writing is accomplished; the plot, though familiar, has good twists; and the pace is appropriately fast. VERDICT Fans of the "Lunar Chronicles" by Marissa Meyer and the "Starbound" series by Amie Kaufman will especially enjoy this strong debut in the YA space opera genre.-Gretchen Crowley, formerly at Alexandria City Public Libraries, VA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Qole knows Nev has dubious reasons for joining her ragtag spaceship crew, but when it comes to fishing for Shadow a valuable and incredibly dangerous substance she's a captain who doesn't ask too many questions. At least, not for long: eventually, she discovers Nev is crown prince of a powerful family, and he's intent on bringing Qole back home to study her almost inhuman ability to handle, even manipulate, Shadow. Though Qole is initially suspicious, Nev's insistence on dignity, respect, and the greater good is convincing enough. But Nev's not as knowledgeable about the world as he thinks he is, and Qole's more fiercely capable than anyone imagines. Strickland and Miller's well-executed sci-fi caper is full of intriguing commentary about wealth inequality and exploitation, and the ensemble cast is peopled with well-rounded characters, including a person whose gender-fluid identity is treated matter-of-factly. Though at times the story feels like a pastiche of classic sci-fi tropes, the cinematically choreographed fight scenes, compelling world building, and touch of romance will likely draw in many readers.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2017 Booklist