Spaced Out

Moon Base Alpha #2

by Stuart Gibbs

The moon base commander has gone missing and Dash Gibson is on the case in the second mind-boggling mystery of the Moon Base Alpha series from the New York Times bestselling author of Belly Up and Spy School.

There’s nowhere to hide on the world’s first moon base. After all, it’s only the size of a soccer field. So when Nina Stack, the commander of Moon Base Alpha, mysteriously vanishes, the Moonies are at a total loss.

Though he may be just twelve years old, Dashiell Gibson is the best detective they’ve got. But this confusing mystery pushes Dash to his limits. Especially since Dash accidentally made contact with an alien and has to keep it a secret. With the fate of the entire human race hanging in the balance, will Dash be able to solve the mystery of the missing Moonie?

Genres: Mystery, Science Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Audiobook, Childrens, Space

353 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 5, 2016

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. It was a fun and an adventurous space mystery for middle great but as you all now middle grade can be enjoyable for all ages. This wasn't as good as the first but still a good book.

[Emma Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. No particularly new fare here, but Gibbs is always a solid choice for middle grade mysteries.

[Jihoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Stuart gibbs books r awesome

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second book in the Moon Base Alpha series. Dash finds himself cornered in the bathroom and defends himself with the space toilet suction device, getting in trouble for possible damage to an essential machine by MBA's no-nonsense commander, Nina. When Nina disappears, Dash and his posse start snooping around, eventually finding a stash of moon rocks in her living quarters, leading to all kinds of wild speculation about her action and disappearance. The highlights in the book are the frantic search outside the base, with damaged helmets, and Dash's little sister Violet's imaginary friends. I thought this book slow at times, with a much less interesting plot than the first book, Space Case, but it has higher ratings. Go figure.

[Teresa Scherping Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another mystery is afoot at Moon Base Alpha, the first human habitation on the moon. MBA's commander, strict and militaristic Nina, has suddenly gone missing. Twelve-year-old Dashiell solved the base's last mystery, but this one is trickier than ever. Nina doesn't seem to be anywhere in MBA, but her spacesuit is still here, so she couldn't have gone out on the surface, right? Could she have been kidnapped? Is she even still alive? With the help of his friends - including one rather unusual friend who has to remain a secret - Dash investigates every possibility while the grown-ups are busy following their own procedures. Dash discovers that, wherever she is, Nina is in grave danger, but will she be found in time?

Like the first one, this was a real page-turner, and the details of life on the moon seem so realistic. Dash doesn't do anything that's totally unrealistic for a twelve-year-old to do, but his critical thinking skills are remarkable. Like the first book, this one reveals some surprising information outside of the immediate mystery but also doesn't really answer all of the reader's questions. This book also ends with a clue of where the story might be going next. I'd love to read more in this series!

[diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

BROOOOO this book as well as all the other books in the series are so freaking good bro they’re so well written and lowkey getting into it at first I thought I was gunna be kinda bored but I actually really enjoyed it like it had me hooked I love Nina she deserves more love, Kira again is the realest person ever, and dash is so locked in I’m lowkey jealous be be so fr he has to lock in on that whole zan situation like please. Speaking of zan, all her takes on humanity and like everything she says is so real like please like everything she says are REAL IRL ISSUES LIKE buts written in such a good way that it’s just like perfect like idk. THE ENDING WAS SO GOOD I WAS LIKE OHMY GYAT I’m excited for the next and sadly the last book. Bro this book series needs to be either a movie or a tv show or something like pleaseeee BUT ANYWAY 10/10 I LOVED READING, THIS SERIES IS ONE OF MY COMFORT READS, AND ITS SO GOOOD I LOVE IT

[Lindsay Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to love these. Perfect for middle grade readers who like scifi, but it also reads a little like a contemporary. At the heart of it, dash has to deal with things a lot of normal kids have to deal with-friendships, bullying, dealing with parents and adults etc..

[Lindsey Gandhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoying reading this series with my son.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so cleverly designed! It is put in a way that the solution is right in front of the detectives, yet they have to spend hours scratching their heads and figuring out how the mystery worked. The place was right below them, and the evidence is with the youngest kid in the space station, whom no one listened to.

[Jack .V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book for 5th graders. I would rate 12/10 would read again. This I my favorite book series. I like when the rock shower skims his spacesuit. You would like spy school if you like this book. Will Dash die like Dr. Holtz or will he survive?

[WhatShouldIRead]

Unlike the 1st book in this series, I found it difficult to keep reading. For whatever reason I found this book slow going so have decided to put it aside.

[Zoe Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Spaced Out (Moon Base Alpha #2) by Stuart Gibbs. I didn’t know that this was the second book in a series but I still really enjoyed it. I would recommend this to anybody who likes a mystery or fiction. It was one of the best books I’ve ever read.

*Don’t Read the next part if you’re going to read it*

Dash is among the first families and people to live on the moon. They live at a place called Moon Base Alpha. In the first book Dr. Holtz disappeared and Dash figures out he was murdered. In the beginning of the book, their life at MBA is kind of boring. But then one morning, Nina, the commander of MBA goes missing. Everybody is starting to worry and searching everywhere for her.

One day, some of the adults go out on the surface of the moon in the rovers to look for her. Dash is in the control room and finds out that some of the helmets have cracks in them, because another kid said that he and the Sjobergs (a rich, mean family going to the moon for vacation) were playing football inside with the helmets. That meant that one of the adults on the surface could die in only a few minutes. He contacted them and some of them were near MBA so they quickly came back (which wasn’t very fast) and some were near the construction Katie of MBB so they stayed there. That meant Kira and Dash had to bring a helmet repair kit quickly to his parents and Chang. On their way there, they were struck by a meteor shower. One meteor hit The back wheel of their rover and sent them flying. They eventually made it to MBB right as Dash’s suit lost all oxygen.

A lot more happened in between but in the end , Dash figured out that Nina was actually stuck underneath MBA in the pods. He figured that out because of his little sister, Violet. In the morning, when she was in the bathroom, she heard something yell Meeelllpppp, which was actually Nina yelling for help. Violet asked who it was and Nina replied DeeDah. Violet thought it was a space walrus and finally Dash understood it might be Nina.

The reason she went missing was because her grandma was sick and Nina needed money to help her. One day as Dash was talking to her, she got a message and immediately made Dash leave. Later they figured out it was a message from someone named “Charlie” sending her 2 songs. They were hints saying she needed to get 50 more moon rocks (She would get the rocks because she would get paid a lot for moon rocks, but it was illegal). The reason it was a hint was because NASA monitors all of the moonies conversations.

When she went out to get the rocks, her oxygen was getting low (because of the cracked helmet) and the only spot she could go to was the pod under MBA. Later Dash and Chang saved her life and everything on the moon was back to normal.

[Noah]

SO GOOD

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

While humorous, this book lacks the snappy pace of its predecessor, and a missing persons case simply doesn't have the gravity (no pun intended) of a murder investigation -- especially when the missing person is one of the least interesting characters in the book. The plot dragged, and this is one of those mysteries where readers won't have a prayer of figuring out what's going on until they're told. (Rereading my review of Space Case, I wasn't impressed by the mystery aspect of that book, either.) It's clear the series will continue, so hopefully it will regain the pep and ingenuity of the first volume.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A continued story on the mystery’s of Moon Base Alpha, this time about finding Nina. From the chosen group of people who supposedly all got along, would any risk to sabotage or put someone’s life at danger for their own gain? If so, would there be a way to stop all the selfishness, greed, and bad uses that humanity shows like this (in the universe)?

I love that this book doesn’t always give away the most obvious culprit, or the least obvious ones, it takes time through the story while building up clues to get a loose idea. I haven’t been excited about sci-fi books before, but series really gives a turn!

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wonderful!

[Ferson (Jefferson) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one of the most exciting thrilling books I have ever read!! I loved it so much and I would love to own my own book! I can't wait to read the next book and more of Stuart Gibbses books!

Highly recommended!!

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are just great. I love the characters and their development . The kids love listening to these . The author does a great job of writing for kids but makes it appealing for many ages. He portrays Dash and his family in kind loving way but without it being saccharine and fake.

[Arifah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suprisingly fun and unexpected, I think this one is way better than the first one, but as usual this series is so interesting but I can't help to read the third book after this. I like in the second book, the author tell more about the characters in the Moon Base Alpha, so the story has more layers. Love it!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genuinely a really enjoyable read. Obviously there's some parts that you kind of have to suspend your belief for, but you can also tell a lot of the book is well researched and thought out. I read the entire book in one sitting. Would recommend for a fun time!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m starting to really like these. The mystery and suspense feels real and the details about living on a moon base are so exciting!

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Great science......great suspense.......outstanding writing. It is really worth the time to dig into the adventures of this Moon colony. You will love it!

[Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of the time the first book is better then the second but I didn’t feel that way with this book. It was an awesome read and I loved how the end of the book (when they find Nina) connected to the beginning of it.

[C Harpin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of action & intrigue but Zan is starting to get on my nerves. The way she avoids all questions is suspicious.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are seriously so much fun. I can’t wait to finish up the trilogy.

[Tiah Varner · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! Man, you cant even tell who did it! So many twists, and super entertaining!

[Luca La Via · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. I think that it was a little less exciting tan the first book but still very good. Never thought Nina would go missing but it sure is an interesting plot. I like how Stuart Gibbs included Violet a little more in the story and it’s cool how she helps solve the mystery. Overall very well written and I would highly recommend this book. Keep up the good work Stuart Gibbs!

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the mystery, but there was more toilet talk in this book than the first and more about evil humans destroying the world tossed in at the end.

[Agnieszka Kalus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Druga część (pierwszej nie czytałam i chyba nie przeczytam, bo z drugiej dowiedziałam się, najważniejszych rzeczy) cyklu o zamieszkanej bazie na Księżycu. Pewnego dnia znika dowódczyni i nikt nie wie, gdzie jej szukać. Przecież nie mogła oddalić się bez kombinezonu, a w środku nie ma wielu skrytek. Fajna przygodówka ze śmiesznymi dialogami i ciekawymi bohaterami. Polecam nie tylko dzieciom.

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

We listened to the audiobook version and my kids are in love with this series and can not wait for the next book to come out! It was a fun read that made a six hour car trip fly by!