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The Ptolemy Project
Four Teams. One Test. No Way Out.
Wake up, report to the tect, try to survive.
Life on Carcer Station is a change from the daily struggle of four strangers, Lyra, Zeke, Aquila, and Pollux.
As Children of Titan, the first generation born on Saturn’s colonized moon, they’re used to following rules. But when they wake up on an empty space station with no memory of how they got there and no one in charge, the ghosts of their past scratch their way to the surface. Then things start to go wrong. The power in Carcer Station shorts out, and the veil around them thins. The four must fight to stay alive inside a system that’s falling apart as quickly as their own minds. Even if they can make it out, will they be able to find a way back to Titan, and to a society that accepts them—scars and all?
Wake up, report to the tect, try to survive.
Life on Carcer Station is a change from the daily struggle of four strangers, Lyra, Zeke, Aquila, and Pollux.
As Children of Titan, the first generation born on Saturn’s colonized moon, they’re used to following rules. But when they wake up on an empty space station with no memory of how they got there and no one in charge, the ghosts of their past scratch their way to the surface. Then things start to go wrong. The power in Carcer Station shorts out, and the veil around them thins. The four must fight to stay alive inside a system that’s falling apart as quickly as their own minds. Even if they can make it out, will they be able to find a way back to Titan, and to a society that accepts them—scars and all?
- GenresScience Fiction
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2022
1 person is currently reading
4667 people want to read
About the author
Kate St.Clair
5 books22 followersKate St.Clair is a young adult author and practicing witch. She lives in Austin, TX.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 15, 2023
I'm going to be honest, I didn't like this book. The 2nd star is purely for the potential this plot had.
I love when books have good representation. This didn't. It felt so forced, at times offensively wrong or heavy-handed (introducing a character as Black through a totally-not-racist comment, or the trans girl who mentions within pages her overly wide hands). There are portrayals of a variety of mental illnesses, and from my knowledge of these from own voices creators, a lot of the details are off. It's implied one condition is genetic - it isn't, in the same way PTSD isn't genetic.
Some of the challenges were written so confusingly I had to go back and reread them multiple times just so they'd make sense. At one point, a character leads another to their room and it's implied they sleep together, but literally the next line, without even a paragraph break, is them waking up.
There was potential here, but it was very much wasted. I was so relieved when the book ended for a preview at 95%.
I wouldn't recommend this, honestly.
I love when books have good representation. This didn't. It felt so forced, at times offensively wrong or heavy-handed (introducing a character as Black through a totally-not-racist comment, or the trans girl who mentions within pages her overly wide hands). There are portrayals of a variety of mental illnesses, and from my knowledge of these from own voices creators, a lot of the details are off. It's implied one condition is genetic - it isn't, in the same way PTSD isn't genetic.
Some of the challenges were written so confusingly I had to go back and reread them multiple times just so they'd make sense. At one point, a character leads another to their room and it's implied they sleep together, but literally the next line, without even a paragraph break, is them waking up.
There was potential here, but it was very much wasted. I was so relieved when the book ended for a preview at 95%.
I wouldn't recommend this, honestly.
July 11, 2024
I bought this book back in 2022 in preparation for a plane ride and I started it, but never got much farther than chapter 3, so The other day I picked it up and decided to give it an actual fighting chance. I’m glad I did, it was entertaining and I was excited to figure out the whole puzzle of the characters circumstances. The main reason it only gets 3 stars is because the story feels unfinished and the ending seems rushed. It took almost half the book to get me really intrigued enough to struggle to put it down, which leads to why finishing the book ended up taking away from my enjoyment of it. I read the sneak peek for the sequel and a part of me was genuinely excited to order and binge-read it ASAP, but I couldn’t even find a release date for the next one, much less a place to buy it from. In summary, maybe I’m just salty because I don’t get to figure out what happens, but the ending just cut off all excitement and contentment that the actual book had given me.
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October 20, 2025I received my copy free through GoodReads Giveaways.
January 9, 2023
The Ptolemy Project is a diverse, engaging, unique and incredibly interesting story. This story follows a group of teenagers that wake up and find themselves in an empty space station with no recollection of how they’ve got there. Written from the point of views of Lyra, Zeke, Aquila and Pollux, follow their new life on Carcer station and the struggles and dangers that follow. Will they uncover the secrets? And if they do, what happens then?
I literally could not put it down, it is one of the best YA stories I've read in years. I love the different POV's and every character is so different to anything I've ever read before and Kate St. Clair shines a new light on mental health and emotional struggles teenagers/ young adult's go through. I also couldn't get enough of the mystery element and learning about this alternate reality/future of Earth and humanity expanding into space. St. Clair's writing style is so incredibly detailed and intriguing and provides a new spin on dystopian YA writing. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves Hunger games, Divergent and The Maze Runner. Overall I believe this is a must read, I can't think of anything bad to say about it, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I literally could not put it down, it is one of the best YA stories I've read in years. I love the different POV's and every character is so different to anything I've ever read before and Kate St. Clair shines a new light on mental health and emotional struggles teenagers/ young adult's go through. I also couldn't get enough of the mystery element and learning about this alternate reality/future of Earth and humanity expanding into space. St. Clair's writing style is so incredibly detailed and intriguing and provides a new spin on dystopian YA writing. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves Hunger games, Divergent and The Maze Runner. Overall I believe this is a must read, I can't think of anything bad to say about it, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
July 26, 2022
Like The Hunger Games, I simply COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! The story immediately pulls you in and the writer's writing style is just fantastic. The Ptolemy Project has a diverse group of characters, and somehow the author has you rooting for them all! They are just players in this game that you won't be able to stop reading about!
Brief Synopsis: Life on Carcer Station is a change from the daily struggle of four strangers, Lyra, Zeke, Aquila, and Pollux. As Children of Titan, the first generation born on Saturn’s colonized moon, they’re used to following rules. But when they wake up on an empty space station with no memory of how they got there and no one in charge, the ghosts of their past scratch their way to the surface. The four must fight to stay alive inside a system that’s falling apart as quickly as their own minds.
If you're a fan of things like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Maze Runner, or just books that you can't put down you must read The Ptolemy Project by Kate St. Clair!
Brief Synopsis: Life on Carcer Station is a change from the daily struggle of four strangers, Lyra, Zeke, Aquila, and Pollux. As Children of Titan, the first generation born on Saturn’s colonized moon, they’re used to following rules. But when they wake up on an empty space station with no memory of how they got there and no one in charge, the ghosts of their past scratch their way to the surface. The four must fight to stay alive inside a system that’s falling apart as quickly as their own minds.
If you're a fan of things like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Maze Runner, or just books that you can't put down you must read The Ptolemy Project by Kate St. Clair!
July 14, 2024
PRAISE FOR GOOD SCI-FI BOOKS FINALLY???
I was lucky enough to happen to befriend Kate at Imaginarium in June, and when I found out she wrote a book about my favorite celestial body in our solar system, I knew I was gonna love this one (Titan fucking RULES everyone). Kate did not disappoint either; I am so intrigued by the worldbuilding for Titan and absolutely want to see more. The science included felt fresh and always interesting and I was never bored with the events transpiring in the book.
I went into this book knowing nothing and was absolutely pleasantly surprised. The characters were well rounded and diverse (including a beautiful trans rep character, Aquila ilyilyily). I loved the character relationships and especially the writing style.
The story also tackles mental health as an important focal point, as each of the characters struggle with a different illness--mostly the prejudices and misconceptions that arise do to their particular cases. I know this is an incredibly hard thing to tackle and write well in books--Kate does not disappoint here either. I think the conversation around mental health rep, especially since the book included wrongful criminalization and constant rejection of mentally ill people--is hard to get right. I think Kate included such realistic portrayals of them and the writing felt genuine in its representation of them. I especially liked that she included protagonists with more stigmatized mental health problems, such as schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder. Most of the time, when I see those particular ones represented, those people end up being the villains or "evil" because of their diagnoses. I am so glad this didn't happen here; the characters were flawed of course, but at their base they were scared teenagers navigating a world who would turn a blind eye at best and imprison them at worst. This had me rooting for their success.
Such an incredible story and I cannot wait for the next one!!
I was lucky enough to happen to befriend Kate at Imaginarium in June, and when I found out she wrote a book about my favorite celestial body in our solar system, I knew I was gonna love this one (Titan fucking RULES everyone). Kate did not disappoint either; I am so intrigued by the worldbuilding for Titan and absolutely want to see more. The science included felt fresh and always interesting and I was never bored with the events transpiring in the book.
I went into this book knowing nothing and was absolutely pleasantly surprised. The characters were well rounded and diverse (including a beautiful trans rep character, Aquila ilyilyily). I loved the character relationships and especially the writing style.
The story also tackles mental health as an important focal point, as each of the characters struggle with a different illness--mostly the prejudices and misconceptions that arise do to their particular cases. I know this is an incredibly hard thing to tackle and write well in books--Kate does not disappoint here either. I think the conversation around mental health rep, especially since the book included wrongful criminalization and constant rejection of mentally ill people--is hard to get right. I think Kate included such realistic portrayals of them and the writing felt genuine in its representation of them. I especially liked that she included protagonists with more stigmatized mental health problems, such as schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder. Most of the time, when I see those particular ones represented, those people end up being the villains or "evil" because of their diagnoses. I am so glad this didn't happen here; the characters were flawed of course, but at their base they were scared teenagers navigating a world who would turn a blind eye at best and imprison them at worst. This had me rooting for their success.
Such an incredible story and I cannot wait for the next one!!
October 1, 2025
The Ptolemy Project starts off a little slow, but I actually appreciated that — it gave space to establish the characters and the strange, unsettling world they’ve woken up in. Once the middle hits, the pacing really takes off and it becomes one of those books you can’t put down. The action is sharp, the tension builds quickly, and it drives straight into a cliffhanger that leaves you eager for the next installment.
What stood out to me most was the writing style. Each POV feels distinct, and Kate St. Clair does a great job portraying the characters and weaving in their personal struggles while they’re forced to play the deadly games on Carcer to survive. I especially appreciated how she ties what feels like personal experience with mental health into the characters — it’s subtle, not heavy-handed, and it makes them feel more human.
If you like The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner, this will be right up your alley. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where this series goes next.
What stood out to me most was the writing style. Each POV feels distinct, and Kate St. Clair does a great job portraying the characters and weaving in their personal struggles while they’re forced to play the deadly games on Carcer to survive. I especially appreciated how she ties what feels like personal experience with mental health into the characters — it’s subtle, not heavy-handed, and it makes them feel more human.
If you like The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner, this will be right up your alley. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where this series goes next.
August 21, 2022
The Ptolemy Project is a YA dystopian sci-fi and the first book in the Children of Titan series. The story follows a group of teens that wake up and find themselves in an empty space station with no recollection of how they’ve got there. Overcoming challenges and put through the motions it becomes clear that they are part of a rehabilitation project but why were they chosen? The answer to that I’m not going to share because it was a great plot twist. Do they make it out alive? If so where can they escape to in the middle of space?
I’m a huge dystopian fan and I recently re-read the Hunger Games, honestly I’m so pleased I did because to be quite frank there is no comparison. St Clair’s writing is exceptional and just shows how great YA fiction can be. It’s made me fall in love with this genre all over again.
This one hits the shelves next month so make sure you add it to your TBR.
I’m a huge dystopian fan and I recently re-read the Hunger Games, honestly I’m so pleased I did because to be quite frank there is no comparison. St Clair’s writing is exceptional and just shows how great YA fiction can be. It’s made me fall in love with this genre all over again.
This one hits the shelves next month so make sure you add it to your TBR.
February 4, 2023
The first in the new series Children of Titan. It's a really interesting read. It's intense, in the way really good sci-fi adventures are. The characters are well-developed and layered. Likeable, even with all of their considerable scars and pasts.
The premise isn't an unfamiliar one. Four, seemingly unrelated, characters are left at the mercy of the technology around them. They don't have enough information to know what is going on, and soon they learn the situation is dire.That's been done, but the back story of what pits them all together is different. I don't want to slip and spoil something, but their histories are formidable and daunting. But somehow that's what makes them gel so well together.
I look forward to the next book in the series. This series has some definite escapist potential.
Disclaimer, I received a copy of this title from the publisher.
The premise isn't an unfamiliar one. Four, seemingly unrelated, characters are left at the mercy of the technology around them. They don't have enough information to know what is going on, and soon they learn the situation is dire.That's been done, but the back story of what pits them all together is different. I don't want to slip and spoil something, but their histories are formidable and daunting. But somehow that's what makes them gel so well together.
I look forward to the next book in the series. This series has some definite escapist potential.
Disclaimer, I received a copy of this title from the publisher.
February 14, 2023
I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
Eight young adults wake up in a strange place. They are tattooed with their names and strange codes. They are strangers to each other. Soon, they are forced to cooperate together in a series of challenges. As they work together they learn that they hiding more than they thought.
This was an interesting story. It is set in space with a history of how humans got there, however, the backstory is very sparse. I do have to say that I was a bit disappointed in how some of the characters were described, especially how the characters noted how the others were different from themselves. All of the characters a supposed to have mental illnesses, however, the way they are written does not fit with what they are supposed to have. If they have the author's own versions, then it is not made clear.
Eight young adults wake up in a strange place. They are tattooed with their names and strange codes. They are strangers to each other. Soon, they are forced to cooperate together in a series of challenges. As they work together they learn that they hiding more than they thought.
This was an interesting story. It is set in space with a history of how humans got there, however, the backstory is very sparse. I do have to say that I was a bit disappointed in how some of the characters were described, especially how the characters noted how the others were different from themselves. All of the characters a supposed to have mental illnesses, however, the way they are written does not fit with what they are supposed to have. If they have the author's own versions, then it is not made clear.
July 18, 2022
I absolutely LOVED this book. Im not a huge YA/sci-fi reader but I couldnt put this book down and read it in 2 days. The plot was very engaging, I loved the idea of a prison in outer space but with a twist. The author made the concept of "rehabilitation" actually plausible, which was very refreshing. The best part, however were the characters and how she truly brought a human element to mental health. Through human empathy and connection she showed the struggles they endured without labeling them, which allows the reader to see them for the people they are, not their illness. Fantastic job, I cant wait to read the next one!!
November 15, 2022
this book was so odd but so interesting. the first quarter of it was incredibly confusing because all 10 characters were introduced at the same time, and i ended up having to make a note doc to keep track of all of them. however, once i learned the personalities of the characters, it was easier to follow.
the psychological idea of this book was so unique and fascinating to me. although the characters abilities and skills seemed unusually convient, but it wasn’t a huge deal to me.
this book was really a wild card for me, i just saw it on the shelf of half price books and decided to go for. overall i was pretty happy and i enjoyed this book!
the psychological idea of this book was so unique and fascinating to me. although the characters abilities and skills seemed unusually convient, but it wasn’t a huge deal to me.
this book was really a wild card for me, i just saw it on the shelf of half price books and decided to go for. overall i was pretty happy and i enjoyed this book!
May 23, 2023
An absolutely page-turning journey, filled with tension, puzzles (both moral and the more traditional), intrigue, unlikely allies, fantastic character development, twists, turns, and a dash of romance. I’ve grown very fond of the main cast, seeing them bound by the fires of ceaseless trials, and have so much faith in where this series is headed. It does not let off the gas once it gets going, so strap in. I'm not joking. Everyone get in a crash seat, this is going to get dangerous.
July 30, 2025
This book absolutely blew my mind. I literally could not put it down. I have so much I could possibly say that I can’t even think of where to start. The setting, the dialogue, the prose, the characters—especially their different arcs. I’m so obsessed with everything about this book; this completely took me by surprise & altered my brain. I can’t wait to read it again,
June 9, 2023
This book had me at the blurb. I'm absolutely obsessed with books set in space or on space stations, as long as they're done well, which this one was. Feed your space station cravings with this book.
July 15, 2024
3.5 bumping up to a 4. The characters were far more fleshed out than the setting as many of the descriptions were so wildly confusing to me. I would have given this a 3, but the last 100 pages was were literally everything kicked off and I couldn't put the book down.
August 31, 2023
What is everyone seeing. I was really bored in this and nothing happened.
July 28, 2025
Read IT!!!!!
May 21, 2023
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was so excited to read this book based on the premise. When I read a Sci-Fi book, it's usually in space. Once I started reading, I had to force myself to finish for the sake of giving an honest and thorough review. And trust me, I really wanted to like this book. The saving grace was mostly the plot and the fact that the characters faced their inner demons.
Find my entire review here: https://whatimreading6.wordpress.com/...
I was so excited to read this book based on the premise. When I read a Sci-Fi book, it's usually in space. Once I started reading, I had to force myself to finish for the sake of giving an honest and thorough review. And trust me, I really wanted to like this book. The saving grace was mostly the plot and the fact that the characters faced their inner demons.
Find my entire review here: https://whatimreading6.wordpress.com/...
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews