The Starlight Conspiracy

by Steve Voake

Book by Steve Voake

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Mystery

388 pages, Paperback

First published March 6, 2008

About the author

Steve Voake is the author of all the Daisy Dawson books, as well as two novels for older readers. He lives in Somerset, England.

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of my daughter's young teen books. An alien artefact must be transported from A to B. The task falls to a young girl and her friend. Some bad guys want the artefact, and so do the FBI. It's a simple linear plot without too many surprises, but it's entertaining and easy to read.

[Tabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most adorable little book I’ve ever read, such an easy read for anyone and has such a cute ending. The friendship between ell and berry was just so enjoyable to experience with them and I’d highly recommend. I think the best part was when the imagine on her mums card came back around to the ranch at the end and made her whole journey through grief feel complete 😌

[Grace Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still think about this book over a decade on from when I first read it. Steve, I'm certain you won't remember me, but I came to a creative writing exercise you lead in 2008-2010. I was enthralled at the characters, the setting, the philosophical questions...and you've no idea the real mystery it helped me stumble across 🫣

[Violet-May Davey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who is interested in the mystery and detective work would really enjoy this book.

[Sally906 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fourteen year old Berry has lived the gypsy life with her mother in a dilapidated blue bus. Until now. Now that her mother has died, Social Services are going to provide her with foster parents and send her to school. She is told she has one day to pack. While half-heartedly packing she finds a birthday card from her mother containing two tickets from London to San Francisco. As she thinks about her future she becomes emotionally overwhelmed and runs off in a panic. She is rescued from being run over by a bus by an elderly man. When he hears that she has tickets to the US, he urges her to take a packet to deliver a friend in New Mexico. He says she is not to open the packet as it contains a mysterious item that has unbelievable powers. Such power that a group of evil people want the item. For the sake of the planet, they must not get their hands on it. When the old man is murdered she realises he is not joking, and she escapes out of the back window of her bus when a group of men claiming to be FBI turn up.

She links up with another runaway, sixteen year old Ell, at a music festival. Ell agrees to help her when a security guard is killed by the mysterious men who are following Berry. Fleeing to San Francisco, they quickly discover the terrorists have followed them, and they will have no qualms about killing to get their hands on the mysterious object. Berry knows that she must stay alive long enough to find the item’s rightful owner – whoever, or whatever, they may be.

THE STARLIGHT CONSPIRACY is a thriller with an element of science fiction. With a fill-in back story that takes the reader from the Second World War, through the various UFO crash site cover-ups to the present day, the tension builds up quickly. Chased by terrorists, bikies and both the FBI and the CIA the reader gradually learns who the old man was, what is in the package and who they can trust. It is a gripping book with quality writing that I recommend for young and old. This is the third novel by author Steve Voake, and I will definitely be looking out for the other two, THE DREAMWALKER’S CHILD and THE WEB OF FIRE.

[Noriko · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd say the book was not so bad but not too good either. It was an 'okay' read for me. One thing that attracted me for reading the book was the fact that it is a Quest story: Young girl gets entrusted with a mysterious object by a shady character and told to deliver it. She and fellow companion journey through thick and thin, followed by the baddies.

However, I find the protagonist, Berry, a little unrealistic although her mother strongly reminds me of Kyoko from the Japanese anime, Fruits Basket. The beginning was a bit draggy and it only gets interesting when we meet Elliot (whom I picture as a caricature of 'L' from the Japanese movie 'Death Note'). Elliot is a wonderful invention and I find his presence in the book the only thing that keeps me reading on, although later on we see another side of him which shows progression in his character (it's a bit sad for me though, he doesn't remain as quirky as before.)

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there was nothing here that was utterly amazing it was a surprisingly enjoyable read. It is certainly aimed at the teen/young adult market so its not the most thrilling and the two main characters are frustrating in their naiveté at times (a few too many for me I'll be honest) but the story itself is pretty good. It keeps you interested for the most part and has a good pace with a few twists and turns along the way to keep you engrossed (just try not to over-think things though). While there are many things in this book that make you think 'stupid girl/boy, what the hell are you thinking' you can see how such carefree attitudes suit the characters (hopefully teens won't be getting too many ideas here) and helps the story move along. Overall a good easy read, not too taxing but none too simplified either.

[Joyce Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book encourages young people to trust random strangers and carry packages for them through airports even when the contents of said package are not known for large sums of money. I would worry more about this, but the plot is such a long rambling one about a journey of mundane self discovery that I lost interest half way. The book reads like a teenage chick flick in an action movie setting - think spy kids but older.

I could not get into it at all.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and eventful, but also quite confusing. I got this book after meeting the great Steve Voake himself at our school... It was a good book while i was reading it, but afterwards i realised that really it had little effect on me and i could harldy remember anything that happened...

[Anthony Burt · Rating 1 out of 5]

I managed to read about 60 pages of this book and realised that, by then, I had no idea what it was about, who the main character was and why I should care about any of it. So I stopped reading. There was simply no depth to this story, so don't bother reading it. Sorry Steve, I'm sure you're a lovely bloke and actually a fantastic writer, but this wasn't for me.

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think i got this for my birthday and i was very pleased with it. Much better than the average tweenage/teenage books that are floating around nowadays. A bit of motorbikes and police-type-people but not a "guy book" at all.

[Jess Round · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite book as a child. The author came to my school and read a section of this book to us, I related extremely well with the girl in the book.
Almost 10 years on and I remember the day I read this book, my daughter is now named Berry.
❤️

[Absey11 · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is so good!! I met the auther, steve voake, today and it was a really good experience! I got his autograph and he is a very nice guy!

[Siabhaon · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG Miss T should get this for the classroom library. I want to read his others.

[Maz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of twists and turns in this one. Loved it to the end!