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SpaceJackers #1
Spacejackers
As a baby, Jake Cutler was separated from his family and left on the planet Remota, deep in the seventh solar system. Eleven years later and Jake isn't like other boys-he has purple eyes and carries a secret within himself that could change the entire universe.
When Remota is attacked by ruthless space pirates on the hunt for Jake, he manages to escape. But now he's on the run with a bounty hunter and the suspicious-looking crew of a spaceship called the Dark Horse. Forced to contend with zero-gravity, shipwrecks, black holes, and countless enemies, Jake must discover the truth about his past before he is hunted down and caught.
This action-packed first book in a planned trilogy is full of aliens, space monsters, gadgets, battleships, and one boy's search for his destiny.
When Remota is attacked by ruthless space pirates on the hunt for Jake, he manages to escape. But now he's on the run with a bounty hunter and the suspicious-looking crew of a spaceship called the Dark Horse. Forced to contend with zero-gravity, shipwrecks, black holes, and countless enemies, Jake must discover the truth about his past before he is hunted down and caught.
This action-packed first book in a planned trilogy is full of aliens, space monsters, gadgets, battleships, and one boy's search for his destiny.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 3, 2014
5 people are currently reading
358 people want to read
About the author
Huw Powell
9 books15 followersHUW POWELL is a children’s author from North Somerset in the UK. Spacejackers is his middle-grade debut book series published by Bloomsbury and W F Howes in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The first novel was Literature Work's 'Book of the Month' in August 2014 and it was short-listed for Teach Primary's 'New Children's Fiction Award' in 2015. Huw is an active supporter of initiatives that encourage children to read. He lives with his wife and two sons in Portishead.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 26, 2017
Jake Cutler was just a baby when he was left at a cyber-monk monastery by a strange injured man. The only clue to Jake’s past is an amulet encrusted with 3 crystals which hangs around his neck.
On his 11th birthday, his past finds him in a fiery attack on the monks. He flees to the nearest space port and with the help of an infamous fortune seeker he escapes the planet he grew up on. But little do they know, the cargo ship they’ve hidden on is a pirate ship – the Captain, Granny Leatherhead – an eye-patched, no-nonsense woman, is the leader of the Space Dogs.
Instantly locked up, Jake and his new acquaintances wonder what will happen to them. They are about to embark on the adventure of their lives. Space monsters, black holes, the evil Intergalactic Army and even other pirates are part of their adventure, not to mention a purple skinned alien and their search for a hidden planet with more wealth than all the other planets together!
Fantastic! Pumped with action, adventure, an orphan (or is he?), aliens and a family betrayal, this first book in the Space Jackers series is perfect for thrill seekers.
On his 11th birthday, his past finds him in a fiery attack on the monks. He flees to the nearest space port and with the help of an infamous fortune seeker he escapes the planet he grew up on. But little do they know, the cargo ship they’ve hidden on is a pirate ship – the Captain, Granny Leatherhead – an eye-patched, no-nonsense woman, is the leader of the Space Dogs.
Instantly locked up, Jake and his new acquaintances wonder what will happen to them. They are about to embark on the adventure of their lives. Space monsters, black holes, the evil Intergalactic Army and even other pirates are part of their adventure, not to mention a purple skinned alien and their search for a hidden planet with more wealth than all the other planets together!
Fantastic! Pumped with action, adventure, an orphan (or is he?), aliens and a family betrayal, this first book in the Space Jackers series is perfect for thrill seekers.
December 14, 2016
One reviewer here described this as being derivative of Star Wars. Well, I've got news for that reviewer. Star Wars itself was derivative, harkening back to Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers and other earlier science fiction movies, and a thousand books.
For an example of something that is truly bordering on plagiarism, I suggest the "Eragon" series. They are a blatant rip off of Star Wars, mixed with a little Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. And badly written to boot!
But I digress. This book has all the things that are usually found in kids' science fiction, but this is well done, extremely readable , and more age appropriate for elementary school kids the most of the Star Wars stuff. I could do without a sequel, which is evidently going to happen, but kids who read the first book are likely to want another, so that's okay here.
For an example of something that is truly bordering on plagiarism, I suggest the "Eragon" series. They are a blatant rip off of Star Wars, mixed with a little Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. And badly written to boot!
But I digress. This book has all the things that are usually found in kids' science fiction, but this is well done, extremely readable , and more age appropriate for elementary school kids the most of the Star Wars stuff. I could do without a sequel, which is evidently going to happen, but kids who read the first book are likely to want another, so that's okay here.
April 8, 2021
I won this along with the other two books in the series a couple years ago as part of a writing competition. However I kept pushing reading them to the side, now that I've read this I can definitely say that it was enjoyable. However I think I've slightly grown out of the age demographic that this is aimed at. Still enjoyable though!
January 30, 2017
3.5 stars. This was a fun little middle-school fiction about space pirates. It had a bit of a Firefly vibe to it that I found delightful. I'll check out the other books in the series, and will probably buy this first one for my 8 year old.
August 24, 2017
**Audio book review**
A very cool story about an orphan who falls in with space pirates and their adventures.
Honestly, I love the reader's voice and storytelling dynamic and how he gave each character their own "voice".
A very cool story about an orphan who falls in with space pirates and their adventures.
Honestly, I love the reader's voice and storytelling dynamic and how he gave each character their own "voice".
June 16, 2015
This review is also posted here on kidsreads.com!
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One night, the monastery is attacked by space pirates looking for Jake, and his only hope of escape is to leave the planet with a charismatic treasure seeker. Jake is finally getting the adventure he always wanted, but he quickly discovers he should be careful what he wishes for. Along the way, Jake teams up with a ragtag crew of space pirates and faces several challenges on his quest to unlock the secrets of his past.
The publisher describes SPACEJACKERS as a cross between Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean --- a combination I never knew I wanted until reading this book. After all, what could be better than pirate adventures in space? This book is a great introduction to science fiction for young readers who love a lot of action and adventure. The world-building worked especially well. Readers will be taken all over the multifarious solar systems with Jake and his friends. The universe of SPACKEJACKERS clearly stays true to the author's sci-fi influences (including Star Wars and “Star Trek”), but still has enough differences to be unique and make readers want to learn more about the planets and their various inhabitants. And of course, there were aliens, spaceships, cool tech and a space squid, too.
Jake is a classic hero --- brave and clever with a strong moral compass who gets by with a little help from his friends. It was the diverse crew of pirates that Jake teams up with that kept me the most interested. Their colorful language and diverse characterization brought back memories of one of my favorite gone-too-soon TV shows, "Firefly." Though this story was nonstop action and adventure, it seemed as though some of that could have been sacrificed in exchange for more character development. The plot never slowed or lost my interest, but some scenarios unfolded a little too conveniently and the word "space" was used a little too liberally for my taste.
This book is the first in a planned trilogy, and I would be interested to see what Jake and his friends get up to next and what new characters the author comes up with. I think reluctant readers would be drawn to this story, especially if they're fans of science-fiction or just enjoy lots of adventure. SPACEJACKERS has all of the classic elements of a science-fiction story and would make a stellar (pun intended) first foray into the genre.
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One night, the monastery is attacked by space pirates looking for Jake, and his only hope of escape is to leave the planet with a charismatic treasure seeker. Jake is finally getting the adventure he always wanted, but he quickly discovers he should be careful what he wishes for. Along the way, Jake teams up with a ragtag crew of space pirates and faces several challenges on his quest to unlock the secrets of his past.
The publisher describes SPACEJACKERS as a cross between Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean --- a combination I never knew I wanted until reading this book. After all, what could be better than pirate adventures in space? This book is a great introduction to science fiction for young readers who love a lot of action and adventure. The world-building worked especially well. Readers will be taken all over the multifarious solar systems with Jake and his friends. The universe of SPACKEJACKERS clearly stays true to the author's sci-fi influences (including Star Wars and “Star Trek”), but still has enough differences to be unique and make readers want to learn more about the planets and their various inhabitants. And of course, there were aliens, spaceships, cool tech and a space squid, too.
Jake is a classic hero --- brave and clever with a strong moral compass who gets by with a little help from his friends. It was the diverse crew of pirates that Jake teams up with that kept me the most interested. Their colorful language and diverse characterization brought back memories of one of my favorite gone-too-soon TV shows, "Firefly." Though this story was nonstop action and adventure, it seemed as though some of that could have been sacrificed in exchange for more character development. The plot never slowed or lost my interest, but some scenarios unfolded a little too conveniently and the word "space" was used a little too liberally for my taste.
This book is the first in a planned trilogy, and I would be interested to see what Jake and his friends get up to next and what new characters the author comes up with. I think reluctant readers would be drawn to this story, especially if they're fans of science-fiction or just enjoy lots of adventure. SPACEJACKERS has all of the classic elements of a science-fiction story and would make a stellar (pun intended) first foray into the genre.
March 13, 2017
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Space Jackers is a science fiction novel set in space in various fictional places. Jake Cutler is living on the planet Remota with the cyber monks who took him in when he was dropped off as a baby after a spaceship crash. He overhears a visitor claim that he is a fortune seeker and his mission is to find Jake and take him back to his birth planet, Ulta. Jake’s only remains of his past life are his tattered baby blanket and a gold pendant with three gems set in. He doesn’t know what it’s supposed to mean, but apparently the whole galaxy is after it and him. All Jake wants to do is hang out around the space ports and sketch the cool ships coming in. But other people are looking for him too, and when space pirates attack the seminary, Jake has to escape the planet and leave everything and everyone he’s ever known behind. He is intercepted by the fortune seeker and another clan of space pirates for the adventure of his life and a mission to get back to Ulta. On the journey, he meets new (and his only) friends and learns surprising things about his past and the interstellar government. This is a fun, adventurous, and wonky trip through space with elements of nautical pirates (pirate patches, parrots, giant space squid, space barnacles, and treasure plundering) and space (black holes, galaxies, nebulas, zero-gravity). I just picked this book up because it was the only one left on the new shelf (audiobooks), but I ended up really liking it and I think kids will to. It is also set up to have sequels.
Tags: science fiction, adventure, pirates, space, corrupt governments, treasure hunting, regicide, kidnapping, revenge
If you like Space Jackers, you would probably also like Star Wars and maybe Cinder (if you are okay with a longer book, a girl main character, and some romance).
Space Jackers is a science fiction novel set in space in various fictional places. Jake Cutler is living on the planet Remota with the cyber monks who took him in when he was dropped off as a baby after a spaceship crash. He overhears a visitor claim that he is a fortune seeker and his mission is to find Jake and take him back to his birth planet, Ulta. Jake’s only remains of his past life are his tattered baby blanket and a gold pendant with three gems set in. He doesn’t know what it’s supposed to mean, but apparently the whole galaxy is after it and him. All Jake wants to do is hang out around the space ports and sketch the cool ships coming in. But other people are looking for him too, and when space pirates attack the seminary, Jake has to escape the planet and leave everything and everyone he’s ever known behind. He is intercepted by the fortune seeker and another clan of space pirates for the adventure of his life and a mission to get back to Ulta. On the journey, he meets new (and his only) friends and learns surprising things about his past and the interstellar government. This is a fun, adventurous, and wonky trip through space with elements of nautical pirates (pirate patches, parrots, giant space squid, space barnacles, and treasure plundering) and space (black holes, galaxies, nebulas, zero-gravity). I just picked this book up because it was the only one left on the new shelf (audiobooks), but I ended up really liking it and I think kids will to. It is also set up to have sequels.
Tags: science fiction, adventure, pirates, space, corrupt governments, treasure hunting, regicide, kidnapping, revenge
If you like Space Jackers, you would probably also like Star Wars and maybe Cinder (if you are okay with a longer book, a girl main character, and some romance).
September 8, 2014
Jake Cutler has been raised by cyber-monks on the planet of Remota since the night a mysterious stranger brought him to their monastery eleven years ago. But when the monastery is attacked and burned to the ground, he is forced to go on the run with a treasure hunter and the crew of the Dark Horse, a rusty old space freighter captained by Granny Leatherhead. The only clue to Jake’s past is a mysterious crystal amulet he has always worn, that may lead him to a planet of fabulous wealth, or deeper into danger than he has every been before. Jake must battle both space pirates and the sinister Interstellar Navy before he can find out the truth about his own past, and his destiny.
This is a massively entertaining MG novel, the first in a projected trilogy, that has overtones of Star Wars, Laputa – Castle in the Sky and The Mysterious Cities of Gold, which are all Very Good Things. Jake and his friends, pampered Kella and shipwrecked teenage alien Nanoo, are endearing and courageous, and the disreputable crew of the Dark Horse are funny without being clichéd, and in places they reveal surprising depths to their characters.
There are space battles, black holes, intergalactic squid, sinister fortune seekers, PIRATES!, lost planets and thrilling chases across the galaxy. It’s tremendous fun, and I think it’s a book that would appeal to reluctant young readers as well as anyone who enjoys a good trans-galactic romp.
This is a massively entertaining MG novel, the first in a projected trilogy, that has overtones of Star Wars, Laputa – Castle in the Sky and The Mysterious Cities of Gold, which are all Very Good Things. Jake and his friends, pampered Kella and shipwrecked teenage alien Nanoo, are endearing and courageous, and the disreputable crew of the Dark Horse are funny without being clichéd, and in places they reveal surprising depths to their characters.
There are space battles, black holes, intergalactic squid, sinister fortune seekers, PIRATES!, lost planets and thrilling chases across the galaxy. It’s tremendous fun, and I think it’s a book that would appeal to reluctant young readers as well as anyone who enjoys a good trans-galactic romp.
December 26, 2015
Jake Cutler has been raised by techno-monks since a mysterious stranger brought him to them as a baby. When he is 13, the monks are attacked by space pirates, and Jake escapes offworld with a crew of colorful characters who eventually help him find out about his past.
This book was derivative and predictable. The plot is straight Star Wars with a dash of pirate movies thrown in. Jake ends up with pirates who are all stock characters, and Jake himself is, of course, the heir to a planet, and the pendant he has had since he was a baby proves it. And of course the Interstellar Navy, which the Independent Planets are revolting against, are bad guys. The writing is not bad, and the events are exciting, if over-the-top. All problems are solved almost immediately, and Jake’s nemesis is defeated pretty easily.
Younger middle schoolers might be attracted to the skull-and-crossbones cover, and might enjoy the rip-roaring action without inquiring too closely into the details of what’s actually happening, but like cotton candy, it won’t stay with them after they finish it.
This book was derivative and predictable. The plot is straight Star Wars with a dash of pirate movies thrown in. Jake ends up with pirates who are all stock characters, and Jake himself is, of course, the heir to a planet, and the pendant he has had since he was a baby proves it. And of course the Interstellar Navy, which the Independent Planets are revolting against, are bad guys. The writing is not bad, and the events are exciting, if over-the-top. All problems are solved almost immediately, and Jake’s nemesis is defeated pretty easily.
Younger middle schoolers might be attracted to the skull-and-crossbones cover, and might enjoy the rip-roaring action without inquiring too closely into the details of what’s actually happening, but like cotton candy, it won’t stay with them after they finish it.
July 3, 2015
Jake Cutler was abandoned on a planet when he was just a baby. He knows the story - their ship was hit by an asteroid, his father disappeared, and he was rescued but left at a monastery with just a necklace and a blanket. Now, 11 years later, space pirates have found him. They want him to find the location of his home planet with its crystal moons. But Jake doesn't remember anything so how can he help?
Lots of action in this book and good friendships develop. The ending was unexpected and leads into sequels but the ending was satisfactory (if you have read my blog much you know I hate a bad, wait for the sequel ending). This wasn't my favorite science fiction book but it was pretty good.
Lots of action in this book and good friendships develop. The ending was unexpected and leads into sequels but the ending was satisfactory (if you have read my blog much you know I hate a bad, wait for the sequel ending). This wasn't my favorite science fiction book but it was pretty good.
July 28, 2017
During a nasty storm on the planet of Remota, a stranger abandons Jake into the care of a group of cyber-monks. Eleven years later, Jake finds himself being chased by space pirates and on quest to discover the truth about his past. Lots of action propels this story along at a good pace.
October 2, 2015
It's difficult to pull off a good pirate book, I suppose, and "pirates in space" should probably be something that's an easy sell. A good concept, a great cover... and yet the book just falls flat. Frustratingly so. The book does what it says on the tin, and yet it's just a flat, rote story with a lot of familiar tropes that kids won't know but adult readers certainly will.
Combine that with a title that made my inner 14 year old giggle, and I think we can just let this one pass.
Combine that with a title that made my inner 14 year old giggle, and I think we can just let this one pass.
January 30, 2017
3.5 stars. This was a fun middle-school fiction about space pirates. It had a bit of a Firefly vibe to it that I found delightful. I'll check out the other books in the series, and will probably buy this first book for my 8 - year old.
March 6, 2017
This book is pretty good. It is about Jake, who was orphaned young, and how he finds himself in chaotic times. This is a story told from a different time and space, but the characters go through the same issues faced by teens on earth.
July 31, 2014
Book review will be posted first on http://www.mrripleysenchantedbooks.com/
March 22, 2016
Got the audiobook from the library for my son he loved it. Just finished the second book tonight
July 24, 2025
When Grandma Leatherhead croaked, "WhAt Are thEy doINg?!” I felt that I'm my soul.
My 10 year old is wanting some space traveling audio books and I couldn't find any young adult sci fi--- this audiobook was available right away so we went for it.
10 year old gave it 4.5!
Mom gave it 3. I don't think it was very responsible to cause an uprising against an established government, good or bad, and then ditch the post, Jake Culter. Also super weird everyone had good ol' English names. But we liked it enough all in all.
My 10 year old is wanting some space traveling audio books and I couldn't find any young adult sci fi--- this audiobook was available right away so we went for it.
10 year old gave it 4.5!
Mom gave it 3. I don't think it was very responsible to cause an uprising against an established government, good or bad, and then ditch the post, Jake Culter. Also super weird everyone had good ol' English names. But we liked it enough all in all.
September 4, 2019
Tamara listened to this audiobook and read this review: That was a fun read for kids in mid to upper elementary. Space and pirates, treasure, adventure, mystery and romance what more could you want? Download the audiobook from RB Digital using your Dover Free Library card, or borrow the hardcover copy from the Library.
July 22, 2019
That was a fun read for kids in mid to upper elementary. Space and pirates, treasure, adventure, mystery and romance what more could you want?
April 10, 2016
A boring book with little or no action, and a very disgusting end; A selfish boy chooses to discard his duty, just for mere pleasure. As I said before, disgusting. No integrity.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews