Atomic Fringe

by Orion Friday

"Extraordinary characters headline this brisk, unputdownable SF romp." – Kirkus Reviews

The Goonies meets The Iron Giant in this exciting middle-grade sci-fi adventure.

Join Mattie James and her friends as they evade government agents while struggling to repair a damaged robot that is the key to stopping an alien monster called the T-Max.

Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2024

Reviews

[Glen]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

An updated kids on bikes story. Something has come from the sky and is eating people, and only the kids can stop it.

Not bad, but not really 80's-rific.

[Mari]

I won this as a StoryGraph giveaway, and was super excited to dig in. Stranger Things meets Godzilla Is exactly what I expected and got. Exciting read and curious to see what’s next.

[Orion Friday]

Kirkus Reviews -- "Extraordinary characters headline this brisk, unputdownable SF romp.

Tweens and an otherworldly robot may be a small town’s only defense against a planet-destroying alien in Friday’s debut middle-grade novel.

A bizarre purple glowing object flying through the dense woods near her Oregon home unnerves 11-year-old Mattie James. She’s reluctant to call it a UFO, or to even mention aliens, but she’s still eager to know what’s out there. Surely, her best friend, Nova Diaz, and the new kid in school, Parker Wu (who has a drone), can help her find out. But the kids—soon joined by Nova’s twin sister and aspiring social media influencer Rora—find much more than they anticipated: a fight between aliens with a strange robot in the mix. The confrontation ends with the robot damaged and missing nearly all of its memory. Mattie and Nova, members of their middle school’s robotics club, think they may be able to fix “Cache,” as Nova dubs the robot. The tweens want to make sure that Earth is safe from an extraterrestrial creature that Cache claims is powerful enough to annihilate the planet (“This situation is suboptimal”), but covert alien-hunting government agents may foil their plans. Friday’s story boasts a wonderfully diverse cast, including Auntie Taj, a 3-D animator watching her beloved niece Mattie while the girl’s parents are away; Rora, who, quite unlike her sister, is one of the most popular kids in school; and the intriguing aliens, both good and evil. The story makes room for several nods to SF pop culture, especially the Star Wars franchise (there’s a broken robot in a backpack and a crucial hologram recording). It’s all in service of a boisterous narrative (boasting stellar action sequences) of friends sticking together. It’s convincing, too; Mattie, Nova, and the others are realistically aware of their skill sets and their limits as they overcome such obstacles as nosy government types and school detention."

[Catherine Pafford]

Atomic Fringe is an energetic, imaginative, and wildly fun sci-fi adventure that grabs you from the first page and never lets go. Orion Friday delivers a perfect blend of heart, humor, and high-stakes action as Mattie James and her friends race to protect a mysterious robot and outsmart relentless government agents. With its Stranger Things vibe and Iron Giant charm, this story feels both nostalgic and refreshingly original. Fast-paced, clever, and full of excitement, Atomic Fringe is a fantastic read for young sci-fi fans and anyone who loves a thrilling, big-hearted adventure.

[Beth]

Fun kids, I liked their crazy good coding skillz, Oregon setting, cute robot, prose fine but still developing, pacing a bit jagged.

[Yvonne]

I recommend this book and think you will enjoy going on a great adventure with awesome characters. Excitement, laughs too, await you!