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The Elusive Spark #3
Darkfeather
Splinters are forming among the superpowered teens known as the Star Children. Loyalties are tested and relationships fall apart as new ones form. But despite their differences, James, Keira, Lumen, and Paul—along with new allies—must work together. Their doubts and animosity aside, they need to figure out a way to stop Nibiru, a Doomsday object hurtling toward earth. Only the teens—alien-human hybrids—can control a crashed extraterrestrial craft, intercept the object, and prevent death and destruction on a global scale. While they’re held captive at Fort Bragg, where Dr. Albion studies their powers, their friendships, family ties, and romantic bonds are tested. Not all the relationships can remain intact as each teen must make difficult decisions about where they stand—with family, friends, old love interests… or new ones. In the end, the Star Children are the only ones who can save the planet.
- GenresLGBT
198 pages, Paperback
First published February 5, 2019
1 person is currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Demcak
13 books170 followersAndrew Demčák is an award-winning, American poet and novelist, the author of six poetry collections and eight Young Adult novels. His books have been featured by The American Library Association, Verse Daily, The Lambda Literary Foundation, The Best American Poetry, Kirkus Reviews, and Poets & Writers. He was selected to be the keynote speaker for the California Library Association's annual conference to celebrate his contributions to LGBTQ+ Young Adult literature.
He has been a finalist for the prestigious Dorset Poetry Prize, the Gloria E. Anzaldúa Poetry Prize, The Crazyhorse Poetry Award, and the Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence in Poetry. He did win the Three Candles Press Open Book Award, selected by the phenomenal poet, Joan Larkin, for his first poetry collection, Catching Tigers in Red Weather (2007).
He has been a finalist for the prestigious Dorset Poetry Prize, the Gloria E. Anzaldúa Poetry Prize, The Crazyhorse Poetry Award, and the Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence in Poetry. He did win the Three Candles Press Open Book Award, selected by the phenomenal poet, Joan Larkin, for his first poetry collection, Catching Tigers in Red Weather (2007).
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 8, 2021
This book was a bit all over the place, I felt like there was perhaps too much filler for such a short book.
Darkfeather is around 160 pages, and for some reason a lot of those pages are taken up by really random, slightly irrelevant things, so when the action did start happening it all got squished into the last 10-20 pages. Did we really need chapters upon chapters of a 'blossoming romance', that was neither romantic or blossoming?
So much is left unexplained, with the hook of there being a final book called Twelve Heroes. I was under the impression that this book was the last in a trilogy, so as it got closer to that ending, and nothing was getting resolved, but rather more questions were needing answers, I was getting more worried. To be fair, the fact this came out two years ago, and there isn't even a 'publication date to come' sort of Goodreads page for the fabled fourth and final book, the worry hasn't dissipated. Will we ever find out what happens? Who knows. But even though this was a bit of a jumbled mess, with pacing issues, and a lack of personality, I do still want to know!
The first book was a lot of fun, the second book was not quite as fun but still had some interesting things going on, this third book feels like it's completely lost it's way, and become confused as to what it's trying to be (are we like X Men? Are we like Roswell? Are we aimlessly walking through a test facility, doing not a lot?)
The characters feel like they were just going through the motions, I didn't care about anyone. Then on the occasions that interesting things did start to happen, the thread wasn't picked back up (probably all waiting to be resolved in the mysterious Twelve Heroes)
If the fourth and final book does ever blossom into fruition, I hope it manages to recapture that elusive spark that's been missing since A Little Bit Langston.
Darkfeather is around 160 pages, and for some reason a lot of those pages are taken up by really random, slightly irrelevant things, so when the action did start happening it all got squished into the last 10-20 pages. Did we really need chapters upon chapters of a 'blossoming romance', that was neither romantic or blossoming?
So much is left unexplained, with the hook of there being a final book called Twelve Heroes. I was under the impression that this book was the last in a trilogy, so as it got closer to that ending, and nothing was getting resolved, but rather more questions were needing answers, I was getting more worried. To be fair, the fact this came out two years ago, and there isn't even a 'publication date to come' sort of Goodreads page for the fabled fourth and final book, the worry hasn't dissipated. Will we ever find out what happens? Who knows. But even though this was a bit of a jumbled mess, with pacing issues, and a lack of personality, I do still want to know!
The first book was a lot of fun, the second book was not quite as fun but still had some interesting things going on, this third book feels like it's completely lost it's way, and become confused as to what it's trying to be (are we like X Men? Are we like Roswell? Are we aimlessly walking through a test facility, doing not a lot?)
The characters feel like they were just going through the motions, I didn't care about anyone. Then on the occasions that interesting things did start to happen, the thread wasn't picked back up (probably all waiting to be resolved in the mysterious Twelve Heroes)
If the fourth and final book does ever blossom into fruition, I hope it manages to recapture that elusive spark that's been missing since A Little Bit Langston.
December 12, 2018
Back in the world of the Star Children! Our teen heroes James, Keira, Lumen, and Paul are together at a new facility run by the villainous Dr. Albion – a facility that’s just as frightening as the Paragon Academy. A nemesis object in space is on a collision course with Earth, and only these teens with their unique powers can stop it.
I adore these characters, having been with them for 2 previous books, so naturally I get anxious every time they get so much as a hangnail. Which led to some stress as I read Darkfeather. Because boy oh boy, do bad things happen to my book friends. Painful lab testing. Electric shocks as punishment. Betrayal by trusted loved ones.
We encounter a few new faces here, including some long-lost family members we’ve been itching to meet. And there’s more than one fresh love interest. Demcak is adept at weaving realistic love stories into the tapestry of high adventure (and I completely applaud the range of sexuality represented among our four teenagers, plus the new cuties introduced in this book). The cycle of crush-and-heartache brings us back to earth time and again with painfully beautiful writing. Which makes excellent ballast for a story that takes us (just gonna spoil a little here) all the way into outer space.
The Northern California setting is another star. Big chunks of the story happen in the wilderness around Fort Bragg, and Demcak evokes a vibrant, unmistakable sense of place in the smell of the redwoods, the color of the poppies, the squish of the moss, and dozens of other details that will make you want to call in sick, drive to the coast, and joyfully throw your phone in the ocean.
If I could wish for one thing, it would be more of EBE and UBE. There’s a small cameo appearance, but I was looking forward to more time with these wise, affectionate, smoking jacket-wearing aliens. Luckily, going by the cliffhanger ending, the series isn’t over yet.
My favorite part, and I won’t say much because spoilers, is the big scene at the end. It’s a total shock. It’s so smoothly written, it ties up so many loose ends, it makes you love the heroes and hate the baddies so much harder. I don't usually like action scenes, even though I’m a big sci-fi fan – I tend to skip to the What Happened, because so many gunfights, space battles, and brawls just aren’t written very clearly. This one is. I wish I could write an action scene this good. Half this good. *shakes fist*
Darkfeather is a delightful read that will leave you hungry for the next installment. Buy it. Read it. Tell everybody about it.
I adore these characters, having been with them for 2 previous books, so naturally I get anxious every time they get so much as a hangnail. Which led to some stress as I read Darkfeather. Because boy oh boy, do bad things happen to my book friends. Painful lab testing. Electric shocks as punishment. Betrayal by trusted loved ones.
We encounter a few new faces here, including some long-lost family members we’ve been itching to meet. And there’s more than one fresh love interest. Demcak is adept at weaving realistic love stories into the tapestry of high adventure (and I completely applaud the range of sexuality represented among our four teenagers, plus the new cuties introduced in this book). The cycle of crush-and-heartache brings us back to earth time and again with painfully beautiful writing. Which makes excellent ballast for a story that takes us (just gonna spoil a little here) all the way into outer space.
The Northern California setting is another star. Big chunks of the story happen in the wilderness around Fort Bragg, and Demcak evokes a vibrant, unmistakable sense of place in the smell of the redwoods, the color of the poppies, the squish of the moss, and dozens of other details that will make you want to call in sick, drive to the coast, and joyfully throw your phone in the ocean.
If I could wish for one thing, it would be more of EBE and UBE. There’s a small cameo appearance, but I was looking forward to more time with these wise, affectionate, smoking jacket-wearing aliens. Luckily, going by the cliffhanger ending, the series isn’t over yet.
My favorite part, and I won’t say much because spoilers, is the big scene at the end. It’s a total shock. It’s so smoothly written, it ties up so many loose ends, it makes you love the heroes and hate the baddies so much harder. I don't usually like action scenes, even though I’m a big sci-fi fan – I tend to skip to the What Happened, because so many gunfights, space battles, and brawls just aren’t written very clearly. This one is. I wish I could write an action scene this good. Half this good. *shakes fist*
Darkfeather is a delightful read that will leave you hungry for the next installment. Buy it. Read it. Tell everybody about it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews