Red Star: The Hunter Trials

Red Star Trilogy #1

by Mary Flint

An artist pledged to serve his planet....

Renderia is a world with only one city, underground, with ten Levels. At the top, you succeed. At the bottom, you are no one. At age seventeen, Edrix Solan is the youngest initiate to graduate from the Higher Program in REGS; the Rendarian Enforcement of Global Security, the protectors of the planet. But something doesn't feel right. He has yet to be given a field assignment, and there's something his older brother, Jai, won't tell him.

A rebel determined to save it...

Andresha has been fighting for years to fee Rendaria from the reign of the Chairman and the other leaders that control the planet, but now, REGS is dangerously close to finding the resistance. To stop them, she must infiltrate the most secure building on the planet, and her only hope of doing so is a deadly tournament on an alien world, and a boy who is too much like the ghosts from her past.

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Camilla]

A good example of the Young Adult science fiction genre. Fast paced and imaginative, easy to read, hard to put down. I am looking forward to the next one; the author puts a twist in the last chapter that I am eager to see how it plays out in the next installment.

It can be hard to find, but you can order it through Amazon.com. It says it is on back order, but it will be shipped to you right away.

If you notice I share the same name with the author, you are right. She is my 16-year-old sister-in-law, but I have been accurate in the review. Honestly, if I had checked it out from the library I would have liked it the same-and would have had a hard time believing a teenager wrote that.

[Rebecca Wetzler]

This fantasy action novel keeps moving from beginning to end. The resolute characters pursue the truth with courage and enthusiasm. The physical skirmishes between adversaries are surprisingly vivid, especially given the author’s youth. An entertaining read, with an unexpected ending.

[Samantha Hamon]

Good book that had me excited to keep reading. A story about a team of rebels trying to take down their “corrupt” government with a sci-fi mix. Impressed that this was written by a 15 year old. Excited to read the second book.

[Amanda Lewis]

Interesting, and definitely worth the read, but it could have gone through another round of editing. Some plot points were confusing, and I caught a few grammatical errors and typos scattered throughout.

[Liz]

I enjoyed this book! A fun read with good character development. I am interested in seeing where the rest of the trilogy goes.

[Nicole]

I was given this book by a family member who knows Ms. Flint. As a lover of Fantasy, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I thought the character development flowed naturally and had enough dimension. The writing itself didn’t get in the way of the story which I would say is a great accomplishment!
It was a little reminisce of the Hunger Games in some aspects, so lacking a little originality and while I thought the pacing was good, I would have liked a little more world development at times, such as when the Hunters were introduced. There were a few plot things that didn’t jive for me but as I began, it was overall very enjoyable.

[Ella Makay]

I grew up with the author and I'm so proud of her and this amazing book!

[Connor Adamson]

The Hunter Trials is the debut work from Mary Flint, an author local to South Texas. A sci-fi work set in a distant galaxy (at least ostensibly), The Hunter Trails does have some familiar elements to it. It's about a rebel group fighting back against an authoritarian power. You know, Star Wars. It's even got the typical YA romance, though it's only lightly peppered into it.

Where The Hunter Trials stands out is in its characterization and unique touches. Despite the sci-fi setting, super powers are introduced which provide an interesting air of mystery to the later half of the book. Our co-lead characters of Edrix and Andresha prove interesting contrasts from each other. Edrix comes from a military background, but is soft and artistic and compassionate. Andresha is the passionate rebel, but harbors the guilt of dark deeds. While I wish we'd gone a bit deeper with both of them, there is enough there to build on in future volumes. The addition of fun side characters like Nelvin, the rebel group's scientist, and Sara, a powerful rogue assassin type, also help build out the cast.

The overall plotting does seem to struggle for a bit, until the titular Hunter Trials are introduced. While they come a bit late in the game, they do provide a strong center for the second half of the book and show off FLint's creativity. A gauntlet of rival hunters all fighting each other in a series of deadly tasks and battles, including a fun brush with psychological horror, keep your interest until the twisty finale.

The Hunter Trials didn't knock my socks off, but it was a fun read and shows enough promise that I'll want to continue the series. The final twist in the final page is certainly an intriguing addition and I wonder if this series will use this turn correctly. Here's hoping!!!

My Casting

Zendaya as Andresha
Lucas Hedges as Edrix
Zac Efron as Jai
Christian Bale as Commandant
Vincent D’Onfrio as Fisk
Glen Powell as Chief
Alexander Skarsgard as Jinx
Rupert Grint as Nelvin
Giovanni Ribisi as Jim
Elisabeth Olsen as Jess
Alex Pettyfer as Short
Jack Black as Thanos
Florence Pugh as Fara
Hailee Steinfeld as Tasha
Mike Coulter as Garrick

[Landry Reynolds]

I got this book several months ago, and after having no time to read, I finally got to dive in and read it. I must say, I am absolutely blown away by everything! This book was impossible to put down. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and an engaging narrative that pulls you in from the very first page. The plot twists, character development, its everything i look for in a novel.

The world that the Mary Flint created is nothing short of genius; it feels so immersive and well thought out that I found myself completely lost in it. Every detail adds depth to the story, making it easy to become emotionally invested in the characters and their journeys.

I definitely would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a captivating story with rich world-building. It has left such a lasting impression on me that I would absolutely read it again. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book in the series! I am eager to see where the story goes next and how the characters continue to evolve (my personal favorite is Andresha).

[Sher]

Red Star was a fast-moving SF book that was hard to put down. Just when you thought you could breathe another plot twist was introduced to keep you wondering what would happen next. The chemistry between the characters builds as you learn more about the world they live in and what they need to do to save their planet.

[SamRose95]

This book is really good. I love the pacing of the story. I felt so invested and I wanted to know what happened the whole time. I love the ending of the book which might be for personal reasons 😂 … but still the ending was great. I also felt like Mary Flint did a great job at creating the setting.

[Liza Thomas]

This is one of those books when you say this is the last chapter but you keep reading because that chapter left you questioning everything. Omg the twist I never saw coming WTF?!?!
Let’s just say I’m glad I got book two when I got book one !

[Julie Harrison]

Not really my cup of tea. Seemed to be a combination of every sci-fi franchise out there.

[Robin Juhl]

Good book. There's a lot of world to be explored in the following book.