The Surface Trials

by H.M. Waugh, Unknown Author

An epic page-turner full of twists you won't see coming, set on an alien planet where, under the watch of a galaxy-wide TV audience, Ammy Antares and her fellow competitors must complete a challenging quest to gain entry into an elite interplanetary academy.

Three days, three clues, one hungry planet.
Constant surveillance.
The entire universe watching every move.
Some will shatter. Most will fail.
A select few will make it through, instant celebrities.

Welcome to the Surface Trials. The only way into Starsearch Academy.

For Amethyst Antares, Starsearch Academy offers an escape from the prison of her home planet. For Rian - the uber-famous and expertly-disguised heir to the universe's two greatest dynasties - failure to get into his own academy is absolutely not an option. And Deneb? Well, he's an outlier ...

But this year not everything goes to plan, and Amethyst and her squad find themselves playing for more than Starsearch admission. To survive, they'll have to outsmart carnivorous creatures, share dangerous secrets, maintain trust and embrace the most shocking truth in the galaxy.

Set on a fascinating yet hostile alien planet, this pulse-pounding, high-stakes, elimination-quest novel will have readers on the edge of their seats.

Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Survival, Fiction, Friendship

Paperback

First published April 29, 2025

About the author

HM Waugh is a children’s author, educator and environmental scientist with a long-term love of wild places and outdoor adventures. She has been kidnapped twice, handled dragons for a job, and dreams of one day blasting into space. Her books mix humour, danger and friendship with a dash of science and imagination.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

There better be a series.

This was so good and I need more!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed this hunger games- but lower stakes- style middle fiction! got it for the 9 year old of my friends.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: reread for RC question writing

Devoured this action adventure book for young people. There had better be another one. Lots of questions still unanswered.

Brave, resourceful, clever characters defying the odds, and challenging themselves and each other.

Had a great time with it.

[Dianne Wolfer]

Fabulous - I couldn’t put it down and read it in one day.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! I grabbed it for a fun, easy read but oh my word I couldn't put it down! What great sci-fi for both kids and adults. I hope to see a sequel!

[Middle Grade Musings · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘She couldn’t show this weakness. Panic clawed her heart. Something was wrong. Wrong with her.’

This one was sitting in my TBR pile and then it was recommended to me so I couldn’t wait to get started with it. A combination of ‘The Hunger Games’, ‘The Maze Runner’ and ‘Hover Car Racer’ ensued in this fast paced, action packed story that you’ll hardly take a breath in.

Set in 2654 with an entire universe of inhabited planets, ‘The Surface Trials’ tells the story of young Ammy, hoping to escape her outcasted home planet, Proxima, by winning her way into the Starquest Academy. In her way is the Surface Trials, a gruelling 3 day challenge on an unknown planet with carnivorous plants, freaky creatures and 99 fellow competitors with unknown motives and axes to grind (including the heir of the two most influential dynasties in the universe). All this while your every move and word is scrutinised by judges. Plus Ammy carries a secret, a secret that threatens to unravel her chances and future. Will Ammy manage to overcome all this adversity and win her way into the academy or will she be doomed back to a life of misery in her home planet?

Wowza, this one blew me away, with the non-stop, edge of your seat action. The constant danger of the demanding planet, the ever changing banter and mind games between Ammy’s squad, plus a few twists and turns will have you devouring this book in no time. The changing POV is also captivating, as you are provided a window into the thought process and feelings of multiple characters - all with different motives, pressures and backgrounds. I also liked how Waugh included rules, tips and official memos and updates at the start of each chapter to provide more context about the universe and trials.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this! If you like the Hunger Games/Divergent formula, but want a kid friendly version of it, this is the book for you.

The story takes place on an alien planet, where members across the galaxy are competing in a challenge to gain entry into an elite interplanetary academy.  All of this is being televised, the entire universe is watching.

I really liked how the characters all worked together.  There were times where it would have been advantageous for them to leave behind certain other characters but they never did. Each character put themselves in danger to help out other members of their team.

I also really enjoyed how engaging it was. Plenty of action and plot twists. As an adult I was able to spot the plot twists but even so I still found this a very enjoyable read. I think it is suited perfectly for it's target audience, that middle school age range (10-14yrs) but I also think if parents want an entertaining story they can read with their kids to have something to bond over and discuss, this is great for that.

I hope this becomes a series as there is definitely room to expand it, I'd love to see the next stage of Ammy's journey. That being said, it makes for a great standalone too.

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent science fiction story from H.M. Waugh. This instalment maybe isn't terribly original, giving off serious Red Rising vibes (which in turn borrowed from The Hunger Games), but written appropriately for a middle-grade audience and so hitting a gap in the market.

There are lots of elements in this I really enjoyed. Ammy, Deneb & Urs's characters and friendship are a joy to watch unfold. The less likeable characters are also important to the storyline. The constant tension of wanting to perform well as individuals, but needing to perform as a team, but knowing your teammates are also ultimately your competition and your every move is being watched was very well done. The subplot of which character was secretly Rian Amalthea was also fun. Finally the suspicion that Ammy is a Mindbreaker, and her own self-doubt in this regard, was a great element to the story.

This has been set up well for a whole series, so I hope we get at least one more volume in this world, although the storyline of Ammy and Proxima it could easily handle more.

[BookLoverLily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reader's Cup Yr7/8 2026 ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ
Pages: 80, 83, 96, 102, 211, 245, 247, 248, 249, 255, 266, 314, 325

Characters!!
Nav :
Hmmmm...idk what to think about him. I liked him in the start. He was nice, welcoming, but towards the end..? I didn't like him then. Sure he has determination, butttt...
Ammy :
A strong fmc. AHH, why didn't smth happen with Rian!! I SHIP! ❤️ Also, I love her name, Amethyst. :P
Urs🤟: Oh-my-gosh, I loved her. She's like the older, stronger big sister. She has a sense of (dark) humour, and just makes things less awkward and nervy. MAYBE my favourite character!! She's kinda like the strong one from Encanto??!!
Deneb/Rian 👑: Lowkey did not expect that. My thought process:
1. Tayga (I thought it was so obvious, but I kinda RLLY badly wanted a love triangle between him - enemies to lovers- and Deneb/Rian - friends to lovers - with Ammy!!!)
2. Deneb
3. Rox

That's it, THANKSSS

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had me hooked when I read the blurb and didn't let me off the line until I was finished! A young adult, science fiction/dystopian story with more twists and turns than I expected.

It is a young persons version of the Hunger Games or Divergent series without the brutality but with the same messages. I am a huge fan of both and now this one too. I think this is the first of a series as there are loads of story lines not yet completed.

A fantastic book with themes of staying true to yourself, outwitting the system, surviving at all costs and working out who your true friends are. Those coupled with hideous beasts, trees of gloop, air attacks and a series of clues in a treasure hunt and who could resist?!

My first HM Waugh book and it definitely won't be the last.
My very big thanks to Allen and Unwin Publishers for the book, I loved it!

[Brody Hitchcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gave me major 'CHERUB' vibes. Like that series, it follows a group of young people thrown into intense, high-stakes missions for a secret organization. The author does a great job of capturing that youthful energy and grit, and you can really feel the tension and camaraderie between the characters as they navigate their dangerous world.

But what really sets it apart is a darker, more competitive twist that felt a lot like 'The Hunger Games'. The trials are brutal and unforgiving, forcing the characters to compete against each other in a series of deadly challenges. It’s a thrilling and unpredictable blend of espionage and survival, with incredibly high stakes that make you question the moral lines the organization is willing to cross. It's a great start to a series, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next.

[uglybitterandtilda · Rating 4 out of 5]

that was such a fun read!! the surface trials is fast paced, full of action, funny, and emotional, with lots of heart. the sci-fi and world building elements are pretty easy to wrap your head around so you can get straight into enjoying the story. SO many good plot twists!! definitely aimed at a younger audience but i really enjoyed this nonetheless - give me any story with reality tv, a high stakes competition, and a celebrity character and i’ll devour it instantly. preteen me would’ve absolutely loved this book, and so i hope plenty of kids get a chance to read it and rave about it to their friends.

[kate♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this book for school, and honestly, I never would’ve picked it up on my own. The blurb describes it as a non-violent Hunger Games, which is pretty accurate—but that’s also part of the problem. I found it mostly boring, with only one plot twist I didn’t see coming; the rest were predictable. The characters felt flat, and some scenes didn’t flow well—like how conflicts were resolved, which often didn’t make much sense. The romance was especially hard to read and gave me a lot of secondhand embarrassment. That said, it’s not a terrible book—it’s just not my style. I can see younger readers (around 10) enjoying it more, but for me, it didn’t really land.

[Julia Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Escape room meets reality TV - on an unknown planet. Teen contenders must work together as a team to decode clues and survive alien threats, all while secretly battling for limited spaces at an elite intergalactic academy. And yes, it's all being livestreamed and the whole universe is watching. No pressure.

I found the chapter titles a bit condescending, but I'm not the target audience! Younger readers may well appreciate the prompts and find them helpful.

This is sure to be popular at school and I'll need more copies. Hoping for a sequel.

[Jen Nishi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent sci fi novel that is similar to the Hunger Games but not as intense, which is fine! It fits the middle grade / younger teen genre really well. It’s both character and plot driven and well plotted so it moves along quickly. My only complaint is I wished I knew more about the world of the book, you get some idea of society and what it’s like but I just wanted more. No idea if there’s a sequel coming but I’d totally read it if there was. A perfect book for a kid who is not yet ready for the hunger games.

[Dion McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is perhaps the best MG action/adventure I've read in a reallily long time! Hunger Games meets The Maze Runner meets an escape Room: 100 kids thrown into the wilderness to survive three days and be the first of 20 to make it to an extraction point to enter Starquest Academy. The entire universe it watching, but something horrible goes wrong and it becomes a matter of life of death. With some excellent twists and a gripping conclusion, I am now eagerly awaiting the next book!

[Mel Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar middle grade sci-fi adventure! This is one of the more exciting and engaging middle grade reads I’ve read in awhile. It’s got the pace, action and intrigue that Hunger Games has but with content that’s intended for a younger audience. Loved the team work and the world building, I’ll definitely be recommending this title!

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic action and characters.

[Sarah Ciacia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure at first but I ended up loving this book 🫶🏻

[Jaq · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good beginning just let down by the last section, which I found didn't quite live up to how we started.....

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Version of Hunger Games with a few twists. An enjoyable read!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Full of action, great characters, and well-written. Highly recommended.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable middle grade sci-fi - an interesting alien world, distinct characters and snappy pace.

[Lucy Spear · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was awesome. The story line is amazing. Strange planet, friends and foes, hard decisions. All I wish is that there was a sequel. :)

[Caspar · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good a must read 5/5

[Anna Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the Hunger Games on a different planet, this is a fast-paced adventure story with relatable characters who develop over time. A great read for upper primary and lower secondary students.

[Naoma Hoten emmendorfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book 😊

[Lisa Glanville · Rating 5 out of 5]

A YA novel that was a cracking good read.
I hope there’s a sequel.

[Helen Farch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a high action, science fiction adventure that I devoured.

Wonderful characters, a unique setting, danger, secrets, and best of all.... a set up for even more adventures in the future.

With short chapters, great writing, and plenty of action, this is a book that will suit both avid and reluctant readers from ages 10 - 14 years.

[Mariel · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Fun and fast paced middle grade sci-fi that has bits of Ender’s Game, Star Trek, and The Hunger Games. Really enjoyable.