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Orion Lost
After a catastrophic Unknown Event leaves the colony ship Orion stranded deep in space, it’s up to thirteen-year-old Beth and her friends to navigate through treacherous and uncharted territory and reach safety. But a heavily damaged ship, a mysterious alien species, space pirates, and an Artificial Intelligence which Beth suspects may be lying to her mean that getting home has never been so difficult.
Hugely gripping, with incredible twists and a fast-paced, action-packed story, this is an unputdownable science fiction adventure – perfect for fans of Mortal Engines and Star Wars.
Hugely gripping, with incredible twists and a fast-paced, action-packed story, this is an unputdownable science fiction adventure – perfect for fans of Mortal Engines and Star Wars.
361 pages, Paperback
First published January 9, 2020
28 people are currently reading
1603 people want to read
About the author
Alastair Chisholm
84 books84 followersAlastair is an award-winning children's author and puzzle creator. He's the author of the sci-fi middle-grade adventures ORION LOST and ADAM-2 , and children's picture books THE PRINCE AND THE WITCH AND THE THIEF AND THE BEARS and INCH AND GRUB, as well as books of Sudoku, Kakuro and other puzzles, including the Kids' Book of Sudoku and Kids' Book of Kakuro series.
Alastair lives in Edinburgh with his wife (who is lovely), two children (who are lovely but very loud), and a cat who is yowling at him even though there is clearly food in her bowl, look, it’s right there, *look*.
You can follow him on Twitter at @alastair_ch
Alastair lives in Edinburgh with his wife (who is lovely), two children (who are lovely but very loud), and a cat who is yowling at him even though there is clearly food in her bowl, look, it’s right there, *look*.
You can follow him on Twitter at @alastair_ch
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
May 31, 2020
Re-Read May 2020: I love it even more than I did before.
Orion Lost is my first middle grade science fiction book - and I want more!
A fast-paced, action-packed book that always had something interesting happening. The story was brilliantly plotted - we follow the passengers of the space ship Orion four months after its initial departure from Earth. Every so often, everyone is put into a "sleep" when the ship needs to "jump" (the act of the ship moving from one place to another). But an event happens, causing the adults to be unable to wake from their sleep, and six kids are the only ones who are able to wake and they must take control of the ship!
From the first page I was intrigued by how the story was going to play out. It helps that we have such likeable characters taking the reins and it was intense and entertaining at the same time to watch their stories unfold. Beth, our protagonist, is someone I could root for from the beginning and I was happy to read a middle grade character with some genuine character development. The dynamic she has with her friends (and those that aren't exactly her friends) on the Orion was organic. I could really believe these characters were real with their own defining personalities and traits. I got to the end and I immediately wanted to know what they would be up to next!
There was a lot of mystery going on too, and it was extremely well-written. There were times when I was genuinely terrified by some of the possibilities, and it helps that Chisholm knows how to write suspense well. There were twists and turns galore and an ending I was really onboard with (aayyy punny). In short, a thrilling deep space adventure I am so glad I read, and has started my newfound love of children's science fiction.
Orion Lost is my first middle grade science fiction book - and I want more!
A fast-paced, action-packed book that always had something interesting happening. The story was brilliantly plotted - we follow the passengers of the space ship Orion four months after its initial departure from Earth. Every so often, everyone is put into a "sleep" when the ship needs to "jump" (the act of the ship moving from one place to another). But an event happens, causing the adults to be unable to wake from their sleep, and six kids are the only ones who are able to wake and they must take control of the ship!
From the first page I was intrigued by how the story was going to play out. It helps that we have such likeable characters taking the reins and it was intense and entertaining at the same time to watch their stories unfold. Beth, our protagonist, is someone I could root for from the beginning and I was happy to read a middle grade character with some genuine character development. The dynamic she has with her friends (and those that aren't exactly her friends) on the Orion was organic. I could really believe these characters were real with their own defining personalities and traits. I got to the end and I immediately wanted to know what they would be up to next!
There was a lot of mystery going on too, and it was extremely well-written. There were times when I was genuinely terrified by some of the possibilities, and it helps that Chisholm knows how to write suspense well. There were twists and turns galore and an ending I was really onboard with (aayyy punny). In short, a thrilling deep space adventure I am so glad I read, and has started my newfound love of children's science fiction.
May 20, 2020
INCREDIBLE.
May 24, 2020
Clearly my kind of science fiction is the middle grade kind.
Orion Lost is a story about a group of children who find themselves stuck in space after an 'incident' that leaves all of the adults on board in sleep stasis. The group must learn to pull together and set aside their differences in order to save everyone on board, with the help of a rather overly helpful ship computer. But there are secrets and lies aboard the Orion, and newly appointed captain Beth must face her fears and step into her full potential to protect those that need help.
This was such a unique middle grade story, with a whole heap of diversity and originality. Beth is a strong protagonist - a typical 'Gryffindor' if you will, rushing head long into situations to defend the 'weak' without thinking about the consequences. She frequently butts heads with her rival, who is her polar opposite in temperament, yet its very surprised to learn that she is the student with the highest 'captain' test scores on board when all the adults get stuck - leading to her immediate promotion. I enjoyed watching her character development unfold, as she goes from someone who is hot headed and clearly not a good leader grow into someone dependable and reliable. She learns from her mistakes, and takes on board criticism in a positive way (eventually).
I also really liked Lauren, the hyperactive genius who has a way with computers and spaceships. She's constantly in trouble for hacking into the ship's computer, and follows Beth unconditionally - trusting in her ability to lead. The ship computer is also a great character, with the ability to give a great put down in one sentence while also coming across as incredibly enigmatic and creepy. It's clearly hiding something from the children - and reminded me a lot of the ship computer from Wall-E, with it's constant reiteration that it's actions were for the 'good and safety of the ship'.
I did think that towards the end this started to get very 'deep' and heavy handed with it's messages about the environment and kindness in the world - however, I can forgive this a little given that I am not the target audience - although I do think it could have at least tried to have been a little more subtle in it's delivery.
Overall I loved this. It has a simple premise backed up with a host of great characters and an uncomplicated science fiction, space atmosphere that I've never experienced from a middle grade before. Highly recommend to those looking for a fun, space filled adventure.
Orion Lost is a story about a group of children who find themselves stuck in space after an 'incident' that leaves all of the adults on board in sleep stasis. The group must learn to pull together and set aside their differences in order to save everyone on board, with the help of a rather overly helpful ship computer. But there are secrets and lies aboard the Orion, and newly appointed captain Beth must face her fears and step into her full potential to protect those that need help.
This was such a unique middle grade story, with a whole heap of diversity and originality. Beth is a strong protagonist - a typical 'Gryffindor' if you will, rushing head long into situations to defend the 'weak' without thinking about the consequences. She frequently butts heads with her rival, who is her polar opposite in temperament, yet its very surprised to learn that she is the student with the highest 'captain' test scores on board when all the adults get stuck - leading to her immediate promotion. I enjoyed watching her character development unfold, as she goes from someone who is hot headed and clearly not a good leader grow into someone dependable and reliable. She learns from her mistakes, and takes on board criticism in a positive way (eventually).
I also really liked Lauren, the hyperactive genius who has a way with computers and spaceships. She's constantly in trouble for hacking into the ship's computer, and follows Beth unconditionally - trusting in her ability to lead. The ship computer is also a great character, with the ability to give a great put down in one sentence while also coming across as incredibly enigmatic and creepy. It's clearly hiding something from the children - and reminded me a lot of the ship computer from Wall-E, with it's constant reiteration that it's actions were for the 'good and safety of the ship'.
I did think that towards the end this started to get very 'deep' and heavy handed with it's messages about the environment and kindness in the world - however, I can forgive this a little given that I am not the target audience - although I do think it could have at least tried to have been a little more subtle in it's delivery.
Overall I loved this. It has a simple premise backed up with a host of great characters and an uncomplicated science fiction, space atmosphere that I've never experienced from a middle grade before. Highly recommend to those looking for a fun, space filled adventure.
June 9, 2020
I first found out about this book from Gavin over on his YT channel How To Train Your Gavin. Hearing that middle-grade science fiction books are out there, I really wanted to give Orion Lost a try! It is set on a spaceship called the Orion which is occupied by a group of kids and some family members. Everything is going well until one day all the adults are hit by a 'sleep' mode and the kids have to figure out how to stay safe and to reach their final destination. Beth is 13 and named the one in charge by the spaceship since she is the one that got the highest test score over everyone else. There are lots of plot twists and I was hooked. Good writing style, pacing a little slow at times. Fun adventure!
May 21, 2020
This was my first sci-fi middle grade and it was fantastic. I had so much fun reading it. Chisholm can for sure write atmosphere, you never know if it will end well or not.
I absolutely liked the plot and the characters, they were both really well crafted and written. So many plot twists I didn't see coming at all. It was truly an action-not-even-a-second-to-breathe adventure and not gonna lie I need other books with the Orion crew!
The development between the characters isn't forced or automatic, absolutely not, especially some characters who didn't get along before everything happened didn't magically become friends, you could see them arguing and not liking each other, but at the same time, having to work together to get out of a bad situation. All the changes were completely natural and organic.
I did think some things were a bit unbelievable and I had to turn off logic a bit, but honestly it didn't bother me too much. It was just too fun and intriguing!
I totally see some star wars and star trek influence in here, but also something completely new and interesting to follow.
So happy I read it! And my sci-fi middle grade journey begins.
I absolutely liked the plot and the characters, they were both really well crafted and written. So many plot twists I didn't see coming at all. It was truly an action-not-even-a-second-to-breathe adventure and not gonna lie I need other books with the Orion crew!
The development between the characters isn't forced or automatic, absolutely not, especially some characters who didn't get along before everything happened didn't magically become friends, you could see them arguing and not liking each other, but at the same time, having to work together to get out of a bad situation. All the changes were completely natural and organic.
I did think some things were a bit unbelievable and I had to turn off logic a bit, but honestly it didn't bother me too much. It was just too fun and intriguing!
I totally see some star wars and star trek influence in here, but also something completely new and interesting to follow.
So happy I read it! And my sci-fi middle grade journey begins.
June 18, 2020
A space trip to a new colony should have gone OK…. but then things happen and it is up to a group of teens to get their parents and other adults safe. Warning: This is the first book.
I have been looking forward to reading this book since months before it comes out. I never found time to get this book, so I was entirely happy when I found it at Library #1. I love it when they add more English books to their tiny collection. Especially when those are books I want to read!
Meet Beth, she is delighted and excited to go to a new colony. To discover a new world. To go with her family to explore the world. However she quickly finds out that living on a spaceship isn’t really fun and play. There are fun activities of course, but there is also a daily schedule, school, lessons, training. And it is not like the Orion follows an exciting route through space. But Beth is going to wish she didn’t wish for things to get a bit more exciting when things go wrong just before Sleep. When she wakes up nothing is the same anymore and she has to lead her friends in an exciting mission to help the adults and the others that are still in Sleep and not waking up. I loved Beth, and I just could connect so well with her. She needs to be a leader but she doesn’t know how to do all the things. Yet, she tries. Yet, she steps up. Yet, she goes for it. Yes, things go wrong. Yes, it is stressful, but I loved that she persevered and didn’t give up. Or well… No, I am not saying anything.
I did feel sorry for what her fear was. And yes, she endangered things, but I can imagine that she just wanted to show that she could lead. That she was strong.
I wasn’t too big of a fan of Limit, um sorry Lauryn. I just refuse to use that name. I wasn’t always a fan of the girl she was just too much and didn’t seem to understand that maybe she should just chill a bit. I did like how awesome she was with coding, computers, hacking and that she could just get into the mainframe with just the click of the keyboard.
The other characters, Mikkel, Lucille, Arnold. I really liked them as well. I loved their personalities and seeing what they were good at doing. I wouldn’t mind reading more of the story through Lucille’s POV for instance.
Ship, ah the fun AI, is he good or is he not good. I loved how he was written. It made the story creepier because you had no clue if the AI was on your side… or on his own side.
There are lots of twists and turns, secrets being revealed, and I just loved them all. At times I thought I knew what was going on.. but then something else would happen and I wouldn’t know what to think. It was fantastic. Great job to the author. It definitely kept me on my toes.
We read about Jumps, that people have to Sleep so their mind doesn’t scramble, we learn about baddies, and about Videshi (love that name btw), it was all so well written that I just disappeared in the book and was part of the crew.
The reason I am rating this book 4.5 and not 5 stars is because of two reasons. Mostly Vihaan whose annoying attitude just irritated me to no ends. He was just so cocky, thought he knew everything. And sure, he knew a lot that Beth doesn’t know. But Beth got love, soul, caring, she is sweet, and she is really willing to learn. I just wanted to throw Vihaan into space and leave him there.
And next. I thought this would be a stand-alone. But instead it seems, given the ending, that there will be another book. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy with more stories about the Orion… BUT I was looking forward to a complete story.
But other than those two points I really enjoyed this book and I loved it to bits. I flew through it. There are twists and turns. Secrets uncovered. Friendship being made. Tough decisions. And if you are looking for an exciting space adventure, read this one.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I have been looking forward to reading this book since months before it comes out. I never found time to get this book, so I was entirely happy when I found it at Library #1. I love it when they add more English books to their tiny collection. Especially when those are books I want to read!
Meet Beth, she is delighted and excited to go to a new colony. To discover a new world. To go with her family to explore the world. However she quickly finds out that living on a spaceship isn’t really fun and play. There are fun activities of course, but there is also a daily schedule, school, lessons, training. And it is not like the Orion follows an exciting route through space. But Beth is going to wish she didn’t wish for things to get a bit more exciting when things go wrong just before Sleep. When she wakes up nothing is the same anymore and she has to lead her friends in an exciting mission to help the adults and the others that are still in Sleep and not waking up. I loved Beth, and I just could connect so well with her. She needs to be a leader but she doesn’t know how to do all the things. Yet, she tries. Yet, she steps up. Yet, she goes for it. Yes, things go wrong. Yes, it is stressful, but I loved that she persevered and didn’t give up. Or well… No, I am not saying anything.
I did feel sorry for what her fear was. And yes, she endangered things, but I can imagine that she just wanted to show that she could lead. That she was strong.
I wasn’t too big of a fan of Limit, um sorry Lauryn. I just refuse to use that name. I wasn’t always a fan of the girl she was just too much and didn’t seem to understand that maybe she should just chill a bit. I did like how awesome she was with coding, computers, hacking and that she could just get into the mainframe with just the click of the keyboard.
The other characters, Mikkel, Lucille, Arnold. I really liked them as well. I loved their personalities and seeing what they were good at doing. I wouldn’t mind reading more of the story through Lucille’s POV for instance.
Ship, ah the fun AI, is he good or is he not good. I loved how he was written. It made the story creepier because you had no clue if the AI was on your side… or on his own side.
There are lots of twists and turns, secrets being revealed, and I just loved them all. At times I thought I knew what was going on.. but then something else would happen and I wouldn’t know what to think. It was fantastic. Great job to the author. It definitely kept me on my toes.
We read about Jumps, that people have to Sleep so their mind doesn’t scramble, we learn about baddies, and about Videshi (love that name btw), it was all so well written that I just disappeared in the book and was part of the crew.
The reason I am rating this book 4.5 and not 5 stars is because of two reasons. Mostly Vihaan whose annoying attitude just irritated me to no ends. He was just so cocky, thought he knew everything. And sure, he knew a lot that Beth doesn’t know. But Beth got love, soul, caring, she is sweet, and she is really willing to learn. I just wanted to throw Vihaan into space and leave him there.
And next. I thought this would be a stand-alone. But instead it seems, given the ending, that there will be another book. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy with more stories about the Orion… BUT I was looking forward to a complete story.
But other than those two points I really enjoyed this book and I loved it to bits. I flew through it. There are twists and turns. Secrets uncovered. Friendship being made. Tough decisions. And if you are looking for an exciting space adventure, read this one.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
December 20, 2020
I'm always interested when a book does something differently, and this really does. Orion Lost is a big, meaty science-fiction story set aboard a space-ship where everything suddenly goes wrong. And the only people who can put things right are the kids - thirteen year old Beth and her friends. Being in charge is never easy, and it's particularly uneasy when your crew is panicking, you're responsible for the lives of every one on board, you're ricocheting from crisis to crisis, and the AI might actually be evil.
There's a clear heritage here to things like Firefly, Star Wars and Star Trek, but what really appealed was how Chisholm handled his characters. They're real people, flawed and fascinating and this is a story that you don't want to put down. I had no expectations about this when I started it, but then I really couldn't put it down. It's a big, powerful, hooky read.
Also, I was pleased that it's as big as it is - there's a lot of story here, in a way that's perhaps unusual for middle grade books, but it's all there for a reason. I thought that the ending could perhaps have done with a little more and that's again an unusual thing for this age-group. Stories sometimes strain against circumstance and genre, but this is a story that fits so very well into its situation and could even give more under the circumstances. I really do want to say something about the engines being able to take it but I'm not sure I can write that in an appropriate 'Scottish engineer on the Enterprise' tone of voice so just consider it as implied, thank you.
This is a really great read. I was happily surprised and I'm delighted to be; this is something fresh, unique and rather well handled indeed. And it surprised me - a lot - and I love that.
My thanks to the publisher for a review copy.
There's a clear heritage here to things like Firefly, Star Wars and Star Trek, but what really appealed was how Chisholm handled his characters. They're real people, flawed and fascinating and this is a story that you don't want to put down. I had no expectations about this when I started it, but then I really couldn't put it down. It's a big, powerful, hooky read.
Also, I was pleased that it's as big as it is - there's a lot of story here, in a way that's perhaps unusual for middle grade books, but it's all there for a reason. I thought that the ending could perhaps have done with a little more and that's again an unusual thing for this age-group. Stories sometimes strain against circumstance and genre, but this is a story that fits so very well into its situation and could even give more under the circumstances. I really do want to say something about the engines being able to take it but I'm not sure I can write that in an appropriate 'Scottish engineer on the Enterprise' tone of voice so just consider it as implied, thank you.
This is a really great read. I was happily surprised and I'm delighted to be; this is something fresh, unique and rather well handled indeed. And it surprised me - a lot - and I love that.
My thanks to the publisher for a review copy.
June 3, 2020
I was reading this for the May pick for #middlegrademonthly but I’m a little late(with so much going on it put me behind). But I finished this last night and...wow!! This is my first sci-fi MG...or first in general...ever I believe, and I loved this so much!!!! It is so well written! I wasn’t confused about anything being talked about! I understood everything going on & I was so invested in it all! I got so lost in this book every time I picked it up. The plot twists were so amazing! I love Beth! She was a rockstar💜💜It was such a fun ride! Of course a stunning cover as well!!😍😍I highly recommend this book!
Synopsis: After a catastrophic Unknown Event leaves the colony ship Orion stranded deep in space, it's up to thirteen-year-old Beth and her friends to navigate through treacherous and uncharted territory and reach safety.
But a heavily damaged ship, a mysterious alien species, space pirates, and an Artificial Intelligence which Beth suspects may be lying to her mean that getting home has never been so difficult.
Synopsis: After a catastrophic Unknown Event leaves the colony ship Orion stranded deep in space, it's up to thirteen-year-old Beth and her friends to navigate through treacherous and uncharted territory and reach safety.
But a heavily damaged ship, a mysterious alien species, space pirates, and an Artificial Intelligence which Beth suspects may be lying to her mean that getting home has never been so difficult.
February 17, 2021
A great book with twists and turns and plenty of surprises. You might think you know where the story is going (I did) but you'll probably be wrong!
Beth and her friends are a good mix of characters and it should appeal to boys and girls alike. A very solid 4.5 stars.
Beth and her friends are a good mix of characters and it should appeal to boys and girls alike. A very solid 4.5 stars.
May 1, 2025
5 years later and it still hits.
2023 popsugar reading challenge: A book by a first-time author
RIVALRY REVIEW
INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERIZATION: (5/5). I love Beth! So much! And Vihaan occupies one of the top spots on my ranked list of "characters I like but also would like to punch".
INITIAL DYNAMIC: (5/5). LMAOAOOAOAAO I mean??? It's perfect??? Nothing else to say
RIVALRY DEVELOPMENT: (5/5). Yeah I do think it would have been cool to see more on the far end of the rivalry (the "getting along" end) but the way it's set up makes the most sense for the story AND what we did get was really good anyway.
GENERAL CHAOS LEVEL: (5/5). There is no other score to give. Walls get punched, chairs get kicked, there's a lot of screaming, you get the point.
Average: 5/5 (surprising no one)
BONUS POINTS:
FIRST IMPRESSION, BEST IMPRESSION (+1) - The first impression sets the tone, you know? So when the first impression is Like That, it's obvious you're in for a good time.
GETTING THE FAMILY INVOLVED (+0.5) - "I understand you've already met my son" ends me every time. Like how do you even respond to that? Is it enthusiastic or a vague warning? Both? I swear once the family gets dragged into rivalries they get 10x better.
SIKE. YOU THOUGHT (+0.5) - As I said similarly in another review, sometimes you think you should have been named captain, but life is never that simple. 0.5 bonus points in honor of the 0.5 point difference between Beth and Vihaan's scores that decided who became captain :)
YOU'RE IN MY SEAT (+0.5) - If there's one thing I'm learning from this week it's that rivals feel a weird need to take each other's seats/absolutely hate when the other sits in their seat. I guess maybe it's a kind of "nonverbal challenge"? Something something that one AP lang test about sitting in chairs or whatever. A strange yet captivating phenomenon
ACCUSATION NATION (+0.5) - Rivals are separate from enemies mainly because they fall on the same side of the overall conflict, while enemies are on opposing sides. So to have one accuse the other of being not a rival, but an enemy? Bold moves indeed.
TRAGIC: YOU MAKE A GREAT TEAM (+1) - It takes these two the ENTIRE BOOK to figure this out, meanwhile I knew since the beginning. I guess we can't all have incredible foresight sigh
CINEMATIC PARALLELS (+1) - This bonus section is a clear sign that I've read this book too many times. Anyway both Beth and Vihaan have moments at the beginning where they refuse the other's help, mirrors of moments at the end where they end up accepting the help instead. My brain is so huge for this actually
TOTAL RIVALRY SCORE: 10/5. (again, surprising no one)
A perfect sweep 😌. I expected nothing less!!
2023 popsugar reading challenge: A book by a first-time author
RIVALRY REVIEW
INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERIZATION: (5/5). I love Beth! So much! And Vihaan occupies one of the top spots on my ranked list of "characters I like but also would like to punch".
INITIAL DYNAMIC: (5/5). LMAOAOOAOAAO I mean??? It's perfect??? Nothing else to say
RIVALRY DEVELOPMENT: (5/5). Yeah I do think it would have been cool to see more on the far end of the rivalry (the "getting along" end) but the way it's set up makes the most sense for the story AND what we did get was really good anyway.
GENERAL CHAOS LEVEL: (5/5). There is no other score to give. Walls get punched, chairs get kicked, there's a lot of screaming, you get the point.
Average: 5/5 (surprising no one)
BONUS POINTS:
FIRST IMPRESSION, BEST IMPRESSION (+1) - The first impression sets the tone, you know? So when the first impression is Like That, it's obvious you're in for a good time.
GETTING THE FAMILY INVOLVED (+0.5) - "I understand you've already met my son" ends me every time. Like how do you even respond to that? Is it enthusiastic or a vague warning? Both? I swear once the family gets dragged into rivalries they get 10x better.
SIKE. YOU THOUGHT (+0.5) - As I said similarly in another review, sometimes you think you should have been named captain, but life is never that simple. 0.5 bonus points in honor of the 0.5 point difference between Beth and Vihaan's scores that decided who became captain :)
YOU'RE IN MY SEAT (+0.5) - If there's one thing I'm learning from this week it's that rivals feel a weird need to take each other's seats/absolutely hate when the other sits in their seat. I guess maybe it's a kind of "nonverbal challenge"? Something something that one AP lang test about sitting in chairs or whatever. A strange yet captivating phenomenon
ACCUSATION NATION (+0.5) - Rivals are separate from enemies mainly because they fall on the same side of the overall conflict, while enemies are on opposing sides. So to have one accuse the other of being not a rival, but an enemy? Bold moves indeed.
TRAGIC: YOU MAKE A GREAT TEAM (+1) - It takes these two the ENTIRE BOOK to figure this out, meanwhile I knew since the beginning. I guess we can't all have incredible foresight sigh
CINEMATIC PARALLELS (+1) - This bonus section is a clear sign that I've read this book too many times. Anyway both Beth and Vihaan have moments at the beginning where they refuse the other's help, mirrors of moments at the end where they end up accepting the help instead. My brain is so huge for this actually
TOTAL RIVALRY SCORE: 10/5. (again, surprising no one)
A perfect sweep 😌. I expected nothing less!!
April 17, 2021
So much fun! The premise of this didn't sound super convincing when I first heard about it, but I decided to give it a chance because I was really in the mood for some Sci-Fi. I think going in with mediocre expectations did me a lot of good, bc this book blew me away. I loved Beth and her peers and how they navigated the intricacies of life in space. There were twists and turns that I obviously saw coming and then some that completely took me by surprise. I thought the way the "aliens" were portrayed in the book was brilliant! Overall definitely enjoyed and will encourage others to read it as well.
Note: Since this is a book written for middle grade audiences I did want to mention that there are a couple of swear words in this book. I know for some that matters and others it doesn't, but thought it was worth mentioning.
Note: Since this is a book written for middle grade audiences I did want to mention that there are a couple of swear words in this book. I know for some that matters and others it doesn't, but thought it was worth mentioning.
January 3, 2021
I really enjoyed this! I feel like you don't need to be a middle grade fan, or a sci-fi fan, to have a really good time with this. it was quick, easy, had some big twists, and was all-around a really fun time!
January 3, 2021
Favorite book of the year. I loved every second.
Seriously, everyone needs to read this book. If you love sci-fi, READ IT. If you hate sci-fi, READ IT. If you love children's books, READ IT. If you never read children's books because you think you're too old, READ IT.
The kids and teens in Orion Lost talk and act like real people. They act their age. They make mistakes. They struggle and they learn. There is so much to this book that I think would surprise a lot of people. Alastair Chisholm has a excellent ability to show and not tell. He shows the emotions and struggles so perfectly.
The story is action-packed without feeling rushed or lacking in development. It will keep you guessing to the very end, and even if you figure out every twist Chisholm throws at you, you will enjoy the journey. It's that good.
Seriously, everyone needs to read this book. If you love sci-fi, READ IT. If you hate sci-fi, READ IT. If you love children's books, READ IT. If you never read children's books because you think you're too old, READ IT.
The kids and teens in Orion Lost talk and act like real people. They act their age. They make mistakes. They struggle and they learn. There is so much to this book that I think would surprise a lot of people. Alastair Chisholm has a excellent ability to show and not tell. He shows the emotions and struggles so perfectly.
The story is action-packed without feeling rushed or lacking in development. It will keep you guessing to the very end, and even if you figure out every twist Chisholm throws at you, you will enjoy the journey. It's that good.
May 20, 2020
4.5* rating. I adored this novel! A delightful action-packed sci-fi middle grade that has glorious plot twists and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I really enjoyed going along for the ride and finding out about the characters and praying that they'd be okay. It felt high stakes for a middle grade and really bought some new things to the table.
May 19, 2020
Actual rating: 4,5 stars! What an amazing space adventure! These children were so amazing and it had some spectaculair twist and turns! Can’t wait for the next one! 🛸
May 20, 2021
GOOD!!!! BOOK!!!!
February 8, 2021
Exciting sci-fi for children
February 13, 2020
Reading Orion Lost you get this delicious uneasy sense of malevolent energy on the ship, lies, Time has been manipulated, useful items disappeared. A deep sense of claustrophobia and inability to trust anyone completely and in this way you get a sense of a classic isolation mystery, a whodunnit mystery where the inhabitants are ‘cut off’ coupled with a Space saga. Though there are alien encounters, worker droids, space welding and space pirates to keep interest for fans of the intrepid explorers of new worlds style stories.
With recognisable but not necessarily predictable hints from classic and cult Sci-Fi and space-set films it has a warm familiarity but different enough to be intensely exciting!
I read this in one sitting, an exciting exploration of very relatable human reactions to a Sci-Fi experience with a real sense of claustrophobia and constant questioning.
With recognisable but not necessarily predictable hints from classic and cult Sci-Fi and space-set films it has a warm familiarity but different enough to be intensely exciting!
I read this in one sitting, an exciting exploration of very relatable human reactions to a Sci-Fi experience with a real sense of claustrophobia and constant questioning.
October 5, 2020
This book seriously was so good!! I wasn’t even expecting a lot from it seeing I’m a bit older than the intended audience and there weren’t that many reviews, but Wow. I would also love to see a second book with these characters??
January 10, 2021
Orion Lost takes place deep in space, on a ship en route to establish a colony for humans. What seems like a straightforward journey quickly turns wayward when a mysterious Event leaves a group of six kids to bring a broken ship back to safety, all while uncovering why their circumstances don’t seem to add up.
So I went into this book with very high expectations, and am happy to say that they were essentially entirely met!
The beginning kind of dragged for me, just a little, in that Beth was kind of a frustrating protagonist to read from. She was too indecisive for me, honestly, and a little too stubborn. To me, she really didn’t seem to be much better than Vihaan despite the fact that she was kind of portrayed as superior to him. Of course, when her character development kicked in it was incredible and she quickly became very exciting to read from! It just took a lot of development to get there. The plot, also, was kind of slow for me in the middle. It just felt like a lot of arguing and fixing the ship and finding out why Beth wasn’t a great leader.
But when the pace picked up?? I literally could not put the book down! I was so hooked onto the story trying to figure out who was sketchy and why, and what the heck was happening to their memories. The last half of the book was absolutely phenomenal and made me so immersed in their journey, and also care so much more about the characters.
This is a fantastic middle grade/early YA! I’m really looking forward to reading more from this author, as this was such an incredible debut.
So I went into this book with very high expectations, and am happy to say that they were essentially entirely met!
The beginning kind of dragged for me, just a little, in that Beth was kind of a frustrating protagonist to read from. She was too indecisive for me, honestly, and a little too stubborn. To me, she really didn’t seem to be much better than Vihaan despite the fact that she was kind of portrayed as superior to him. Of course, when her character development kicked in it was incredible and she quickly became very exciting to read from! It just took a lot of development to get there. The plot, also, was kind of slow for me in the middle. It just felt like a lot of arguing and fixing the ship and finding out why Beth wasn’t a great leader.
But when the pace picked up?? I literally could not put the book down! I was so hooked onto the story trying to figure out who was sketchy and why, and what the heck was happening to their memories. The last half of the book was absolutely phenomenal and made me so immersed in their journey, and also care so much more about the characters.
This is a fantastic middle grade/early YA! I’m really looking forward to reading more from this author, as this was such an incredible debut.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2020
a really fun, smart and engaging kids book with a bunch of fun characters! my only issue was that i felt it ended rather abruptly, and i think the message about not trusting surveillance got muddled when the AI turned out to be a good guy, also one character had an outrageous french accent which sent me hurtling back to 2012 les mis fandom and that is a crime that cannot be forgiven
September 10, 2020
What a fun wild ride!! Loved every second.
June 13, 2022
More of a 4.5 star!
I’ve been dying to pick this one up for ages and I’m so glad that I did! This was my first true sci-fi middle grade and it was so much fun! I wish there were more middle grade sci-fi novels because they’re so great!
Sci-fi always surprises me with how much I really enjoy it as a genre. Which is the exact same way with middle grade because I really enjoy the middle grade age range quite a lot!
I really enjoyed once this got itself going with everything that was happening and how you just wanted to see what was going to happen next! I love sci-fi that’s set in space on a ship and they’re exploring everything happening within it all.
I need to find more sci-fi middle grades for sure! Highly recommend reading this one!
I’ve been dying to pick this one up for ages and I’m so glad that I did! This was my first true sci-fi middle grade and it was so much fun! I wish there were more middle grade sci-fi novels because they’re so great!
Sci-fi always surprises me with how much I really enjoy it as a genre. Which is the exact same way with middle grade because I really enjoy the middle grade age range quite a lot!
I really enjoyed once this got itself going with everything that was happening and how you just wanted to see what was going to happen next! I love sci-fi that’s set in space on a ship and they’re exploring everything happening within it all.
I need to find more sci-fi middle grades for sure! Highly recommend reading this one!
December 28, 2020
Nice to have a really engaging Sci- fi novel I can recommend to our upper primary and junior college students. This book has lots of adventure, intrigue and twisty plot turns that middle years' readers will enjoy.
October 13, 2020
Orion Lost is a twisty, nail-biting space adventure that will hook kids on sci-fi. I loved every minute of it!
The ship Orion is travelling from Earth to a new home on Eos Five. The ship has to make a series of Jumps through space time to shorten their travel time and when these jumps happen everyone is put to Sleep and woken after the Jump. The human crew aren’t the only ones in the depths of space - there are the mysterious alien race, the Videshi, and the vicious Scrapers, space pirates who will rip a ship apart to scrap it. When danger lurks the ship’s crew and passengers are all sent to Sleep, but when Beth and her classmates are the only ones woken it is up to the kids to run the ship and try to figure out what went wrong. As they look for answers they discover that someone has been lying to them.
I hope Alastair Chisholm has more adventures planned for the Orion crew because I’m eager for more.
The ship Orion is travelling from Earth to a new home on Eos Five. The ship has to make a series of Jumps through space time to shorten their travel time and when these jumps happen everyone is put to Sleep and woken after the Jump. The human crew aren’t the only ones in the depths of space - there are the mysterious alien race, the Videshi, and the vicious Scrapers, space pirates who will rip a ship apart to scrap it. When danger lurks the ship’s crew and passengers are all sent to Sleep, but when Beth and her classmates are the only ones woken it is up to the kids to run the ship and try to figure out what went wrong. As they look for answers they discover that someone has been lying to them.
I hope Alastair Chisholm has more adventures planned for the Orion crew because I’m eager for more.
June 27, 2020
Magnificent middle grade sci-fi with a great range of characters, fantastic world-building, exciting premise, and believable chain of command. I loved this. In fact, it was everything I'd been hoping Skyward would be and wasn't. Fast-paced, accurate and relatable character dynamics, child characters who are not OverPowered nor obnoxious, with no false tension brought about by unnecessary conflict. Instead, 13 year old Beth and her friends work together, fight against one another, and resolve their conflicts in order to go forward together. It's fantastic! And the resolution took me by surprise in a very pleasing manner. Top-notch!
May 29, 2020
I thought this was such a great book. Once I got started I got hooked. I'm not much of a fan of science fiction, but this one caught my attention and it stayed there. I love the characters and plot of the story. I think Beth was such a great main character she is a 13 year old girl who would like to command a ship of her own one day, but she never thought it would happen at the age 13 and after an event that kept all the grown ups in sleep mode. I think this book is a great one about friendship and how it can get tested when they have to work together as a team to save their own lives.. This book had lots of twists and turns. Highly recommend.
May 16, 2020
If anyone thinks that middle grade/children’s books are not worth reading by adults then you are missing out on some great stories, and this is one of them! With an important message running throughout the exciting storyline we are learning we are all ‘masters of our own ship’! Children with realistic worries about their own abilities are left to save the crew and it’s ship, they fight and squabble, nothing comes easy to these kids. But in the end they learn to trust themselves and each other and live to fight another day! Please, please tell me we’re getting more books in this world!!!! X
May 21, 2020
Wow, I didn't expect this. I hate anything to do with space because it freaks me out. I've never been able to watch E.T since I watched it the first time when I was a little girl and I'm 33 now!
But I loved this book and couldn't fault anything about it. When it was chosen as the 'Middle Grade Monthly' book choice I was disappointed but decided to read it anyway because I've read them all so far.
I never thought this would be my favourite one so far.
It didn't feel like I was reading a middle grade book at all. I hope it's not too long before a sequel is released.
But I loved this book and couldn't fault anything about it. When it was chosen as the 'Middle Grade Monthly' book choice I was disappointed but decided to read it anyway because I've read them all so far.
I never thought this would be my favourite one so far.
It didn't feel like I was reading a middle grade book at all. I hope it's not too long before a sequel is released.
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