Crater: A Helium-3 Novel

Gr 6 Up—Homer Hickam, best known for his memoir, Rocket Boys (Delacortek, 1980), that was made into the movie October Sky, returns to the scene with the exciting first title (Thomas Nelson, 2012) in a projected trilogy set in the 22nd century that's sure resonate with sci-fi fans. Following several Earth wars, the moon was colonized to give hopefuls a fresh—and free—start. Colonel Medaris, a powerful leader, proposes to build a monorail to ease transportation across the treacherous lunar landscape. However, the plan faces opposition, as it will run through Russian-owned territories. Medaris recruits Crater Trueblood, 16, a naive Helium-3 miner, to retrieve a mysterious item that will guarantee the monorail's success. As Crater journeys from Moontown to distant Armstrong City, he encounters subhuman creatures who would kill to get their hands on the mysterious package. Joining Crater is Medaris's granddaughter, Maria, and Gillie, a highly intelligent marvel of bio-engineering technology. But what is this package Medaris is so desperate to have? And when Crater learns the truth, will he still go through with his mission? The extent of Crater's trusting nature and ignorance about his world is somewhat frustrating, but this is at the core of his charm—and a trait that gets him out of more than one scrape. Adam Verner does an apt job of voicing Crater's youthful innocence, but easily switches gears to portray the gruff Captain Teller, sarcastic Petro, sharp-tongued Maria, and wry Gillie. Overall, Hickam is an exceptional storyteller, capable of holding audiences in thrall. Give this enjoyable audio to adventure-seeking boys and fans of classic sci-fi.—Alissa LeMerise, Oxford Public Library, MI