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The Zero Chronicles #3
Stargazer
The Quest To Find A Ship Lost To Time!
Zero, Nyx, and the other Pathfinder colonists have adjusted to life on Kaguya. But Earth has built much faster starships—the Dreamcatcher arrives ten years early, and the Stargazer arrives so early it actually got there before the Pathfinder did!
Now the Stargazer is a lost shipwreck, and the race is on to find it, and who should show up looking for it but Nyx’s dangerous Big Mama, Jim, and Kratt. Nyx and Zero will face kidnappers, pirates, shipwrecks, warlords, dragons, and maybe a new ally or two on their way to save the day once again.
Zero, Nyx, and the other Pathfinder colonists have adjusted to life on Kaguya. But Earth has built much faster starships—the Dreamcatcher arrives ten years early, and the Stargazer arrives so early it actually got there before the Pathfinder did!
Now the Stargazer is a lost shipwreck, and the race is on to find it, and who should show up looking for it but Nyx’s dangerous Big Mama, Jim, and Kratt. Nyx and Zero will face kidnappers, pirates, shipwrecks, warlords, dragons, and maybe a new ally or two on their way to save the day once again.
176 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2021
About the author
Dan Wells
83 books6,099 followersDan Wells is a thriller and science fiction writer. Born in Utah, he spent his early years reading and writing. He is he author of the Partials series (Partials, Isolation, Fragments, and Ruins), the John Cleaver series (I Am Not a Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, and I Don't Want To Kill You), and a few others (The Hollow City, A Night of Blacker Darkness, etc). He was a Campbell nomine for best new writer, and has won a Hugo award for his work on the podcast Writing Excuses; the podcast is also a multiple winner of the Parsec Award.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
March 10, 2021
A decent short yarn geared for teens or mature children. 5 of 10 stars
February 26, 2021
as soon as I saw this one got out, I needed to read it, love this series.
one thing that doesn't seem to amaze me, it how well produced these are, they have a full cast, sounds it just so cool and interactive.
A good point in this one too it's that is very fast paced and really you don't seem to have a dull moment in this narration, there's always something to discover or to ponder an idea about, it do help a lot with your imagination.
Even when this one it's the 3rd book in the series there's always something to uncover and new things to try, that's very nice in this type of books.
And it does teach values, morals and so much more with just a few scenarios, with a few words or thoughts, it's awesome, perfect book for middle graders and everyone that want to unwind and learn without learning.
one thing that doesn't seem to amaze me, it how well produced these are, they have a full cast, sounds it just so cool and interactive.
A good point in this one too it's that is very fast paced and really you don't seem to have a dull moment in this narration, there's always something to discover or to ponder an idea about, it do help a lot with your imagination.
Even when this one it's the 3rd book in the series there's always something to uncover and new things to try, that's very nice in this type of books.
And it does teach values, morals and so much more with just a few scenarios, with a few words or thoughts, it's awesome, perfect book for middle graders and everyone that want to unwind and learn without learning.
August 20, 2024
Audiobook (4.5 hours) narrated by a full cast, including:
Cindy Kay
Margaret Ying Drake
Betsy Hogg
Jennifer Van Dyck
Charlie Thurston
Frankie Corzo
Leer Leary
Allyson Johnson
Polly Lee
Eunice Wong
David Shih
Josh Hurley
Steve Routman
Ellen Archer
Michael Braun
The narration team does a fantastic job, as does the audio team in this fully scored production.
There is just enough sound effects to make this audiobook an audio visual experience, without overdoing it.
Stargazer is the final book in The Zero Chronicles trilogy.
While the second installation, Dragon Planet is my favorite of the three, mostly because of the amount of science and pro-science slant of the story, Stargazer is a nice wrap up.
Keep in mind that this is a family friendly story, suitable for all ages, but written with younger tween children in mind. Due to the child friendly narrative, there is a "feel safe" vibe in the wrap up, along with a kind of "moral of the story" type ending. I didn't find it overly cringe, and enjoyed it a lot.
The characters developed in a realistic and fun way, as did the world building. There are some tense moments, but nothing overly dark. If you have really littles or those who get nervous from tense moments, you may want to do a fast paced solo listen through to get the temperature of the water before doing a family listen.
Overall an entertaining and fun listen that I recommend for us science fiction fans.
Cindy Kay
Margaret Ying Drake
Betsy Hogg
Jennifer Van Dyck
Charlie Thurston
Frankie Corzo
Leer Leary
Allyson Johnson
Polly Lee
Eunice Wong
David Shih
Josh Hurley
Steve Routman
Ellen Archer
Michael Braun
The narration team does a fantastic job, as does the audio team in this fully scored production.
There is just enough sound effects to make this audiobook an audio visual experience, without overdoing it.
Stargazer is the final book in The Zero Chronicles trilogy.
While the second installation, Dragon Planet is my favorite of the three, mostly because of the amount of science and pro-science slant of the story, Stargazer is a nice wrap up.
Keep in mind that this is a family friendly story, suitable for all ages, but written with younger tween children in mind. Due to the child friendly narrative, there is a "feel safe" vibe in the wrap up, along with a kind of "moral of the story" type ending. I didn't find it overly cringe, and enjoyed it a lot.
The characters developed in a realistic and fun way, as did the world building. There are some tense moments, but nothing overly dark. If you have really littles or those who get nervous from tense moments, you may want to do a fast paced solo listen through to get the temperature of the water before doing a family listen.
Overall an entertaining and fun listen that I recommend for us science fiction fans.
December 8, 2021
*4.5 stars
This trilogy of full-cast audio with music is so much fun, it might just give me an audiobook hangover.
This trilogy of full-cast audio with music is so much fun, it might just give me an audiobook hangover.
December 17, 2021
5 full ✨!!! This one is my favourite out of the trilogy.
RTC
RTC
February 6, 2026
My grandson's demanded I give this a 5-star rating and they are pretty hard to please. They have many more DNFs than me. This was one of all of their favorite series. wyh ages ranging from 5 - 12, that is saying alot.
May 19, 2023
Glowing 5 star review from my 7 year old
Mom gives it 3 for a decent story and good performance
Mom gives it 3 for a decent story and good performance
February 20, 2021
5 stars. This is the perfect middle grade book/series for people of all ages to enjoy and love.
August 25, 2022
Y'all. Listening to this made me want to play Mass Effect: Andromeda. And I really like ME: A for the record so it's not a huge hardship for me to have that urge but also I don't have the time to replay the game.
Humans are an invasive species. I've said it before. I'll say it again. And hilariously this follows the rules for the third movie in a horror trilogy.
Is this a cohesive review? No. But I've loved literally every moment of listening to this series and I'm not an audiobook person.
Also, there's a dragon.
I am here for the dragon.
Humans are an invasive species. I've said it before. I'll say it again. And hilariously this follows the rules for the third movie in a horror trilogy.
Is this a cohesive review? No. But I've loved literally every moment of listening to this series and I'm not an audiobook person.
Also, there's a dragon.
I am here for the dragon.
May 10, 2022
I think this was my favorite book of the series. Enjoyed the conclusion to the story arch with Big Mama as well as getting to see more of the dragons.
January 15, 2023
I thought this was a little older than middle grade (like YA), but it's definitely better for kids over teens. I liked the story. It was cute even though it was much younger than I normally read.
January 18, 2024
Love this MG book series about colonists on a new planet with space pirates, lost ships, evil kings, and dragons!
December 19, 2021
I really enjoyed this, such a fun little story. The audio narration was great.
April 11, 2026
Critical Review of Stargazer by Dan Wells
Introduction
Stargazer, the third installment in Dan Wells’s The Zero Chronicles, arrives with a clear task: bring the trilogy to a close while keeping the adventurous, science-friendly spirit that defined the earlier books. By this point, Zero and Nyx are no longer simply surviving one isolated crisis after another. They are part of a growing colony on Kaguya, and the stakes have widened from local danger to hidden history, arriving ships, pirates, and the long shadow of Nyx’s past. The result is a conclusion that feels broader in scope than the earlier installments while still remaining accessible to younger readers.
Basic Plot Summary
Life on Kaguya has become more stable for Zero, Nyx, and the Pathfinder colonists, but that stability is disrupted by the arrival of faster starships from Earth. One ship arrives years earlier than expected, and another—the Stargazer—arrived even earlier and has become a lost shipwreck. When Nyx’s dangerous pirate family reappears, the search for the lost ship turns into a race involving kidnappers, survival, old enemies, and new allies. Zero and Nyx once again find themselves at the center of events, trying to protect their people while uncovering what happened to the missing ship and confronting unresolved personal history.
Analysis / Evaluation
What makes Stargazer work is that it does more than simply repeat the first two books. It still uses the same basic strengths—curious kids, dangerous environments, fast pacing, and accessible science fiction—but now it ties those things into a more direct sense of payoff. Nyx’s family history finally matters in a central way, and the mystery of the earlier-arriving ship gives the book a stronger narrative engine than a simple “kids get stranded again” setup.
That said, the novel still operates within middle-grade conventions. The danger is real, but it remains controlled. The moral direction is clear. The pacing is brisk enough that deeper implications sometimes pass quickly. This is not a flaw so much as a design choice. Wells is writing for younger readers first, and the book seems to understand that emotional clarity matters more here than gray-area complexity.
Characters
Zero remains an effective protagonist because he brings curiosity, decency, and problem-solving energy to the story. He is easy to root for, not because he is unusually complicated, but because he consistently acts with intelligence and heart. He fits the series well: a child hero who thinks rather than postures.
Nyx is arguably the stronger character in this volume. Her conflict with her past, her identity, and her connection to her family gives Stargazer more emotional weight than the previous books. Several readers clearly responded to the way the story handles redemption and self-definition, and that makes sense. Nyx is no longer just the sharp-edged companion; she becomes one of the trilogy’s most meaningful emotional anchors.
The villains and adult antagonists appear more functional than layered. They serve the plot effectively, but they are not especially subtle. For a book like this, that is acceptable, though it does limit the story’s dramatic complexity.
Setting
Kaguya continues to be one of the trilogy’s best assets. Even in a third installment, the setting still has room to expand through lost ships, isolated groups, dragons, and the consequences of human settlement on an alien planet. The world feels bigger here, and that added scope helps the finale feel worthy of being a conclusion rather than just another episode.
The introduction of the shipwrecked Stargazer and the society built around it gives the book an additional layer of texture. It introduces a more fractured view of colonization and survival, showing that arrival on a new world does not guarantee equality, order, or justice.
Structure
Structurally, the novel seems designed as a culmination. It brings back familiar enemies, expands the scale, and ties together past threads in a way that gives the trilogy coherence. The pacing appears consistently fast, which helps maintain momentum, especially for younger readers.
The weakness is that this speed can sometimes work against depth. Some readers noted that the ending or certain developments could have used more room. That feels fair. Stargazer seems effective as a wrap-up, but there is also a sense that some ideas could have supported a longer book with more breathing space.
Themes
The clearest theme is identity shaped by present choices rather than by past mistakes or inherited reputation. That is most visible through Nyx, whose story appears to revolve around the idea that family history does not define moral worth. This is strong material for a middle-grade book because it gives younger readers a constructive and emotionally direct message without becoming overly preachy.
There are also continuing themes of science, cooperation, adaptation, and responsible exploration. The series as a whole seems committed to the idea that intelligence and curiosity are strengths, and Stargazer carries that forward even when it leans more into action and payoff than classroom-style wonder.
Writing Style
Dan Wells writes in a straightforward, accessible style that suits the target age range. The prose seems built for clarity, movement, and engagement rather than literary flourish. That works well in a short, action-oriented middle-grade science fiction trilogy.
The style’s limitation is that it does not always linger where an older reader might want more texture or emotional nuance. Still, that same simplicity is part of why the series appears to work so well for shared listening and family reading.
Tone
The tone is adventurous, optimistic, and emotionally safe without becoming toothless. There is danger, conflict, and tension, but the story maintains the sense that courage, intelligence, and compassion matter. That makes the book suitable for younger audiences while still giving enough excitement to keep it from feeling flat.
There is also a distinctly uplifting quality to the conclusion. Even where the story touches on betrayal, family damage, and survival, it seems more interested in resolution than bitterness.
Impact
For its intended audience, Stargazer appears to have strong impact. It gives young readers a space adventure with memorable stakes, reinforces curiosity and moral responsibility, and offers an emotionally satisfying finish to a trilogy. For adults, the impact is lighter, but the book seems to succeed as the kind of all-ages story that can be enjoyed with children rather than merely tolerated for their sake.
Its strongest lasting effect may be that it makes science fiction feel welcoming. The series does not treat science as cold abstraction; it treats it as part of survival, wonder, and discovery.
Praise and Critique
Praise:
The biggest strength of Stargazer is that it feels like a conclusion rather than an afterthought. It expands the setting, reconnects with Nyx’s backstory, reuses earlier elements in a way that feels purposeful, and gives the trilogy emotional closure. The focus on redemption, belonging, and present-day choices gives the book more heart than a simple adventure plot would have had on its own. The audio production also appears to remain a major advantage for listeners, with strong praise for the full-cast format.
Critique:
The book still shows some of the limits of the series’ format. Its brevity and pacing sometimes prevent ideas from developing as fully as they could. The antagonists and broader political elements seem more functional than deeply explored, and some readers clearly wanted more from the ending, the colonization angle, or the world’s long-term implications. In that sense, the book is satisfying, but not exhaustive.
Evaluation
Overall, Stargazer is a strong trilogy finale. It does not radically transform the series, but it sharpens what was already working and gives it payoff. It is probably most effective when judged by its actual goals: a fun, intelligent, family-friendly science fiction adventure with a moral center and a clean emotional finish. By that measure, it appears to succeed well.
Comparison
Compared to Zero G, Stargazer seems broader and more cumulative, though perhaps less fresh in immediate premise. Compared to Dragon Planet, it appears to trade some of that book’s environmental novelty for stronger emotional and series-level resolution. It may not be the most scientifically playful of the three, but it sounds like the one most committed to tying the trilogy together.
Conclusion
Stargazer is a good example of how to end a middle-grade trilogy without overcomplicating it. Dan Wells brings back the elements that made the earlier books appealing—science-minded kids, planetary danger, imaginative adventure—and gives them a clearer emotional purpose through Nyx’s story and the mystery of the lost ship. The book may not push beyond the limits of its genre or age category, but it does not need to. It is thoughtful, entertaining, and satisfying where it counts.
As a critical assessment, Stargazer is not a grand or groundbreaking science fiction novel. It is something narrower and cleaner: a well-made finale to a smart children’s trilogy that values curiosity, courage, and chosen identity. Within that frame, it does its job well.
Hook and Thesis:
Stargazer is a satisfying final entry in The Zero Chronicles because it understands exactly what this series does well: fast-moving middle-grade science fiction, likable young heroes, imaginative planetary adventure, and a strong sense of moral clarity. It is not the deepest or most ambitious book in the genre, but it succeeds as a lively, family-friendly conclusion that gives emotional payoff to Nyx’s arc and broadens the world in meaningful ways.
Introduction
Stargazer, the third installment in Dan Wells’s The Zero Chronicles, arrives with a clear task: bring the trilogy to a close while keeping the adventurous, science-friendly spirit that defined the earlier books. By this point, Zero and Nyx are no longer simply surviving one isolated crisis after another. They are part of a growing colony on Kaguya, and the stakes have widened from local danger to hidden history, arriving ships, pirates, and the long shadow of Nyx’s past. The result is a conclusion that feels broader in scope than the earlier installments while still remaining accessible to younger readers.
Basic Plot Summary
Life on Kaguya has become more stable for Zero, Nyx, and the Pathfinder colonists, but that stability is disrupted by the arrival of faster starships from Earth. One ship arrives years earlier than expected, and another—the Stargazer—arrived even earlier and has become a lost shipwreck. When Nyx’s dangerous pirate family reappears, the search for the lost ship turns into a race involving kidnappers, survival, old enemies, and new allies. Zero and Nyx once again find themselves at the center of events, trying to protect their people while uncovering what happened to the missing ship and confronting unresolved personal history.
Analysis / Evaluation
What makes Stargazer work is that it does more than simply repeat the first two books. It still uses the same basic strengths—curious kids, dangerous environments, fast pacing, and accessible science fiction—but now it ties those things into a more direct sense of payoff. Nyx’s family history finally matters in a central way, and the mystery of the earlier-arriving ship gives the book a stronger narrative engine than a simple “kids get stranded again” setup.
That said, the novel still operates within middle-grade conventions. The danger is real, but it remains controlled. The moral direction is clear. The pacing is brisk enough that deeper implications sometimes pass quickly. This is not a flaw so much as a design choice. Wells is writing for younger readers first, and the book seems to understand that emotional clarity matters more here than gray-area complexity.
Characters
Zero remains an effective protagonist because he brings curiosity, decency, and problem-solving energy to the story. He is easy to root for, not because he is unusually complicated, but because he consistently acts with intelligence and heart. He fits the series well: a child hero who thinks rather than postures.
Nyx is arguably the stronger character in this volume. Her conflict with her past, her identity, and her connection to her family gives Stargazer more emotional weight than the previous books. Several readers clearly responded to the way the story handles redemption and self-definition, and that makes sense. Nyx is no longer just the sharp-edged companion; she becomes one of the trilogy’s most meaningful emotional anchors.
The villains and adult antagonists appear more functional than layered. They serve the plot effectively, but they are not especially subtle. For a book like this, that is acceptable, though it does limit the story’s dramatic complexity.
Setting
Kaguya continues to be one of the trilogy’s best assets. Even in a third installment, the setting still has room to expand through lost ships, isolated groups, dragons, and the consequences of human settlement on an alien planet. The world feels bigger here, and that added scope helps the finale feel worthy of being a conclusion rather than just another episode.
The introduction of the shipwrecked Stargazer and the society built around it gives the book an additional layer of texture. It introduces a more fractured view of colonization and survival, showing that arrival on a new world does not guarantee equality, order, or justice.
Structure
Structurally, the novel seems designed as a culmination. It brings back familiar enemies, expands the scale, and ties together past threads in a way that gives the trilogy coherence. The pacing appears consistently fast, which helps maintain momentum, especially for younger readers.
The weakness is that this speed can sometimes work against depth. Some readers noted that the ending or certain developments could have used more room. That feels fair. Stargazer seems effective as a wrap-up, but there is also a sense that some ideas could have supported a longer book with more breathing space.
Themes
The clearest theme is identity shaped by present choices rather than by past mistakes or inherited reputation. That is most visible through Nyx, whose story appears to revolve around the idea that family history does not define moral worth. This is strong material for a middle-grade book because it gives younger readers a constructive and emotionally direct message without becoming overly preachy.
There are also continuing themes of science, cooperation, adaptation, and responsible exploration. The series as a whole seems committed to the idea that intelligence and curiosity are strengths, and Stargazer carries that forward even when it leans more into action and payoff than classroom-style wonder.
Writing Style
Dan Wells writes in a straightforward, accessible style that suits the target age range. The prose seems built for clarity, movement, and engagement rather than literary flourish. That works well in a short, action-oriented middle-grade science fiction trilogy.
The style’s limitation is that it does not always linger where an older reader might want more texture or emotional nuance. Still, that same simplicity is part of why the series appears to work so well for shared listening and family reading.
Tone
The tone is adventurous, optimistic, and emotionally safe without becoming toothless. There is danger, conflict, and tension, but the story maintains the sense that courage, intelligence, and compassion matter. That makes the book suitable for younger audiences while still giving enough excitement to keep it from feeling flat.
There is also a distinctly uplifting quality to the conclusion. Even where the story touches on betrayal, family damage, and survival, it seems more interested in resolution than bitterness.
Impact
For its intended audience, Stargazer appears to have strong impact. It gives young readers a space adventure with memorable stakes, reinforces curiosity and moral responsibility, and offers an emotionally satisfying finish to a trilogy. For adults, the impact is lighter, but the book seems to succeed as the kind of all-ages story that can be enjoyed with children rather than merely tolerated for their sake.
Its strongest lasting effect may be that it makes science fiction feel welcoming. The series does not treat science as cold abstraction; it treats it as part of survival, wonder, and discovery.
Praise and Critique
Praise:
The biggest strength of Stargazer is that it feels like a conclusion rather than an afterthought. It expands the setting, reconnects with Nyx’s backstory, reuses earlier elements in a way that feels purposeful, and gives the trilogy emotional closure. The focus on redemption, belonging, and present-day choices gives the book more heart than a simple adventure plot would have had on its own. The audio production also appears to remain a major advantage for listeners, with strong praise for the full-cast format.
Critique:
The book still shows some of the limits of the series’ format. Its brevity and pacing sometimes prevent ideas from developing as fully as they could. The antagonists and broader political elements seem more functional than deeply explored, and some readers clearly wanted more from the ending, the colonization angle, or the world’s long-term implications. In that sense, the book is satisfying, but not exhaustive.
Evaluation
Overall, Stargazer is a strong trilogy finale. It does not radically transform the series, but it sharpens what was already working and gives it payoff. It is probably most effective when judged by its actual goals: a fun, intelligent, family-friendly science fiction adventure with a moral center and a clean emotional finish. By that measure, it appears to succeed well.
Comparison
Compared to Zero G, Stargazer seems broader and more cumulative, though perhaps less fresh in immediate premise. Compared to Dragon Planet, it appears to trade some of that book’s environmental novelty for stronger emotional and series-level resolution. It may not be the most scientifically playful of the three, but it sounds like the one most committed to tying the trilogy together.
Conclusion
Stargazer is a good example of how to end a middle-grade trilogy without overcomplicating it. Dan Wells brings back the elements that made the earlier books appealing—science-minded kids, planetary danger, imaginative adventure—and gives them a clearer emotional purpose through Nyx’s story and the mystery of the lost ship. The book may not push beyond the limits of its genre or age category, but it does not need to. It is thoughtful, entertaining, and satisfying where it counts.
As a critical assessment, Stargazer is not a grand or groundbreaking science fiction novel. It is something narrower and cleaner: a well-made finale to a smart children’s trilogy that values curiosity, courage, and chosen identity. Within that frame, it does its job well.
April 30, 2021
Lots of fun, a great continuation (is it a finale? It might be, idk) of the Zero G series. Zero and Nix get to fight the pirates from book 1, use some fun new tech, and meet a whole other colony on their new planet! Of course the other colony is run by an evil overlord king, but hey, they can maybe handle that too. We loved this one so much that we listened to the second half of the book in one sitting. My kids love how the characters are kids but they’re pretty smart too.
August 13, 2022
This was my second favorite of the series. I enjoyed that they thought through the fact that science would progress as it did. Also, bringing up old enemies was cool.
I found it frustrating that they didn't follow up on the fact that they were changing the ecosystem. Or that the others would have changed it to. They just said the flowers changed colors, and that was it.
I found it frustrating that they didn't follow up on the fact that they were changing the ecosystem. Or that the others would have changed it to. They just said the flowers changed colors, and that was it.
October 27, 2021
A fine conclusion to a fine series of children’s books with a not-so-subtle aim of teaching kids about science. Nothing particularly stand out about these books but they would be a solid resource for encouraging excitement around science with kids in their age demographic.
April 15, 2021
Dan Wells nails it again with another fun instalment of this kid’s own adventure series set on a colony world.
The ending is particularly cool and should be a crowd pleaser.
The ending is particularly cool and should be a crowd pleaser.
April 7, 2024
The biggest surprise of this book to me was the absence of Emily Woo Zeller. Don't get me wrong, Cindy Kay did a stellar job, but I was used to Zeller's voice for this series.
Nyx and Zero are siblings now! Zero's parents adopted Nyx, officially. But Nyx is still unable to let her past as a space pirate go, she thinks that people talk about her behind her back and they don't really trust her.
Nyx sees a chance to redeem herself when Path Finder's (the ship Zero and his family came to Kaguya with) sister ship Dreamcatcher arrives at Kaguya and Nyx's family come with the ship. With the arrival of Dreamcatcher, it is revaled that Path Finder was only one ship among three other: Torchearer, Dreamcatcher, and Stargazer. The AI of Dreamcatcher and Stargazer were hacked, changing their time of arrival at Kaguya. As the adults are busy with preparing the colony for the arrival of Dreamcatcher's passengers, the kids find out that Nyx's family is after Stargazer, because they need one of these ships to escape from the little mining planet they are stuck at.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Zero realized that Stargazer is not far away, it is right there on Kaguya. They need to reach the Stargazer before Nyx's family. When they reach Stargazer, they learn that it landed on Kaguya 40 years ago, and the passengers of Stargazer survived there for all those years. A man declared himself king after the arrival of the ship, and he is making the Stargazer passangers suffer. Nyx's grandmother want to work with this king, while the kids want to save the Stargazer passengers from him and liberate them.
Zero learns how to befriend one of the dragons with a special frequency and with the help of the dragon, they are able to defeat the king and Nyx manages to convince her grandmother to turn herself in to the autorities of the colony.
Lastly, Zero realizes that the dragon wasn't his friend because of the special frequency, but because she (the dragon) simply liked him, which made the finale downright adorable, in my opinion.
Nyx and Zero are siblings now! Zero's parents adopted Nyx, officially. But Nyx is still unable to let her past as a space pirate go, she thinks that people talk about her behind her back and they don't really trust her.
Nyx sees a chance to redeem herself when Path Finder's (the ship Zero and his family came to Kaguya with) sister ship Dreamcatcher arrives at Kaguya and Nyx's family come with the ship. With the arrival of Dreamcatcher, it is revaled that Path Finder was only one ship among three other: Torchearer, Dreamcatcher, and Stargazer. The AI of Dreamcatcher and Stargazer were hacked, changing their time of arrival at Kaguya. As the adults are busy with preparing the colony for the arrival of Dreamcatcher's passengers, the kids find out that Nyx's family is after Stargazer, because they need one of these ships to escape from the little mining planet they are stuck at.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Zero realized that Stargazer is not far away, it is right there on Kaguya. They need to reach the Stargazer before Nyx's family. When they reach Stargazer, they learn that it landed on Kaguya 40 years ago, and the passengers of Stargazer survived there for all those years. A man declared himself king after the arrival of the ship, and he is making the Stargazer passangers suffer. Nyx's grandmother want to work with this king, while the kids want to save the Stargazer passengers from him and liberate them.
Zero learns how to befriend one of the dragons with a special frequency and with the help of the dragon, they are able to defeat the king and Nyx manages to convince her grandmother to turn herself in to the autorities of the colony.
Lastly, Zero realizes that the dragon wasn't his friend because of the special frequency, but because she (the dragon) simply liked him, which made the finale downright adorable, in my opinion.
December 1, 2025
EXACT RATING: 2.75 stars
As I said in my review of "Dragon Planet", I don't want this somewhat sub-par review of the book to be representative at all of the very fun time I had reading it to Clark. It's been so great to have these mid-grade sci-fi novels to share with him and I'm appreciative of Wells' work in creating them.
However, the series started out quite strong with "Zero G". It was set entirely on a spaceship, but Well used that environment well and I thought it was really well-paced and full of adventure. "Dragon Planet" struggled a little bit more because the overall plot was a bit less exciting, but the fun of being on an interesting new planet, and the characters encountering all sorts of new flora and fauna really compensated for the weaknesses.
But in "Stargazer", we are still on planet Kaguya, of course, but there's nothing really new. We get the same villains from the original, and the same flora and fauna from the sequel. The plot centers around a second space ship that left years later than them, but somehow arrived decades earlier. It's a pretty good concept, but in practice this book is just really really slow. It was the first of the three that Clark wasn't all that keen to continue, despite the best efforts of the cliffhanger chapter-ends.
I will say that the action really does pick up in the final 25-30 pages or so, but that's really just 15% of the novel's length. But even still, I was glad that the story DID pick up, because it provided an entertaining and satisfying resolution to the trilogy as a whole, and I would have been quite disappointed if it didn't do that.
As I said in my review of "Dragon Planet", I don't want this somewhat sub-par review of the book to be representative at all of the very fun time I had reading it to Clark. It's been so great to have these mid-grade sci-fi novels to share with him and I'm appreciative of Wells' work in creating them.
However, the series started out quite strong with "Zero G". It was set entirely on a spaceship, but Well used that environment well and I thought it was really well-paced and full of adventure. "Dragon Planet" struggled a little bit more because the overall plot was a bit less exciting, but the fun of being on an interesting new planet, and the characters encountering all sorts of new flora and fauna really compensated for the weaknesses.
But in "Stargazer", we are still on planet Kaguya, of course, but there's nothing really new. We get the same villains from the original, and the same flora and fauna from the sequel. The plot centers around a second space ship that left years later than them, but somehow arrived decades earlier. It's a pretty good concept, but in practice this book is just really really slow. It was the first of the three that Clark wasn't all that keen to continue, despite the best efforts of the cliffhanger chapter-ends.
I will say that the action really does pick up in the final 25-30 pages or so, but that's really just 15% of the novel's length. But even still, I was glad that the story DID pick up, because it provided an entertaining and satisfying resolution to the trilogy as a whole, and I would have been quite disappointed if it didn't do that.
October 27, 2026
Zero G Trilogy — 2/5 stars for each book
The Zero G trilogy follows a familiar YA science fiction formula, hitting many of the tropes you’d expect from the genre. The first book begins with Zero’s stasis pod conveniently breaking just before things go wrong, leaving him to survive the situation and make it to the planet. In the second book, the survivors must learn to live on their new planet after starting over from the ship, with plenty of shenanigans along the way. By the third book, ships have become much faster at travelling from Earth, bringing events forward by ten years compared with the original timeline.
Unfortunately, the trilogy didn’t quite work for me. While the premise had potential, the stories felt as though they were aimed at a younger audience than I expected. The familiar tropes also made the series feel predictable, and by the end, I was simply ready to move on. All three books received two stars from me.
The Zero G trilogy follows a familiar YA science fiction formula, hitting many of the tropes you’d expect from the genre. The first book begins with Zero’s stasis pod conveniently breaking just before things go wrong, leaving him to survive the situation and make it to the planet. In the second book, the survivors must learn to live on their new planet after starting over from the ship, with plenty of shenanigans along the way. By the third book, ships have become much faster at travelling from Earth, bringing events forward by ten years compared with the original timeline.
Unfortunately, the trilogy didn’t quite work for me. While the premise had potential, the stories felt as though they were aimed at a younger audience than I expected. The familiar tropes also made the series feel predictable, and by the end, I was simply ready to move on. All three books received two stars from me.
May 19, 2024
This was a very fun book. A fitting conclusion. I loved the redemption, finding the new colonists, and having pirate girl understand her actions are what define her not her past or her family. My son loved listening to this with me.
Please note, I have looked at other things but the bio of the author mentions the type of other books that are not in my interest. Thrillers, slight horror, etc. I likely won’t pick anything else up by this author unless it is this youth type book. But it was well worth it. Highly recommend this series for any young man that wants to have a small story to sink his teeth into.
Please note, I have looked at other things but the bio of the author mentions the type of other books that are not in my interest. Thrillers, slight horror, etc. I likely won’t pick anything else up by this author unless it is this youth type book. But it was well worth it. Highly recommend this series for any young man that wants to have a small story to sink his teeth into.
October 11, 2025
I had picked up Zero G back as an Audible Original back in 2019 and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was delighted, earlier this year, to learn that two more books had been published. Of all the Audible Originals that I've listened to, I feel like Zero G is the one that I felt had the greatest potential for an expanded storyline, and I'm so glad that there was more to this story.
The voice acting and narration is excellent and immersive, the story is well reasoned and exciting, and I felt myself taking every opportunity to listen to just a little more. Definitely worth a listen. It was very enjoyable.
The voice acting and narration is excellent and immersive, the story is well reasoned and exciting, and I felt myself taking every opportunity to listen to just a little more. Definitely worth a listen. It was very enjoyable.
February 13, 2022
Such a great final installment for the trilogy! I know this story is written for children and young adults, but it is just as compelling for adults.
I love how this book illustrates how it's our current choices that determine who we are, rather than what we've done in the past. Yes, our past is important, but it doesn't determine who we have to be in the future - we can always change.
For anyone who has listened to the first two books, you need to listen to this one to complete the trilogy. To those who haven't listened to any of the books, you need to listen to the trilogy.
I love how this book illustrates how it's our current choices that determine who we are, rather than what we've done in the past. Yes, our past is important, but it doesn't determine who we have to be in the future - we can always change.
For anyone who has listened to the first two books, you need to listen to this one to complete the trilogy. To those who haven't listened to any of the books, you need to listen to the trilogy.
January 27, 2023
Another really fun story from this adorable middle-grade series. It's my personal favorite of the three with more worldbuilding and interesting planetary tidbits than previously as well as good character development for the kiddos, especially Nix. Any kid interested by science-y stuff would probably like this adventure, and they might even learn something too. The voice actors do a great job and it's really entertaining. I could see it as a way to spend road trip time with everyone quietly engaged with a good story.
March 7, 2025
The audible original book, Stargazer, is such a great kids book. I enjoyed listening to it with my boys on audible. It has great immersive world building and an action packed story. This one does not contain much in the way of educational facts or vocabulary but it does revisit some of the terms used in previous books, in this series. However, it does incorporate some scientific theories that get the reader to think about the possibilities with facts that may pertain to our world. This series is great for the whole family to listen to and I highly recommend it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 27, 2021
The series is creative and fun. I want to thank the author for making this series available. The ending is not as well groomed and cohesive as the rest of the series, which is quite a shame. Some trite plot twists, but still very enjoyable. The audio version was nicely done. Great mix of voices that added greatly to the telling of the story. This series would be great for a car full of youngsters on a long road trip...
January 31, 2022
3.5 Settled into Kaguya life, Zero and his now-sister Nyx continue to get into hijinks as they again save their community from imminent danger. More characters are introduced, old characters are brought back, and everything is brought to life with the full cast performing.
This was a great read with my kiddo, and we’re already hoping for a fourth installment to this series.
This was a great read with my kiddo, and we’re already hoping for a fourth installment to this series.
December 27, 2022
Fun continuation of this middle-grade short novel series. Full cast narration was great. I honestly wish this had been a little longer to hear more about the colonization efforts. I couldn’t find anything about another installment coming but maybe there will be eventually. Even though this is middle grade, I enjoyed listening.
February 29, 2024
My daughter and I were so sad when this one was over since there’s no book 4 yet! We haven’t been able to fill the void in storytelling that the ZERO series provided us. We make Zero jokes amongst ourselves that no one else gets 🤣 and we’ve decided that Mama is Mama Fertelli from Goonies ❤️ we will be impatiently waiting for more Zero and Nix adventures!
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