ISBN-13: 978-1548692483
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 2nd edition (July 6, 2017)
Genre: Middle Grade Sci-Fi
Series: Drifter
Rating: MG
Connor Laurel was always small, normal, and routine. He lived in a tiny, tight neighborhood where nothing ever happened. This was his life until he found out he had a rare disease.Connor wasn't just frightened, he was also getting taken away from his home by strange men. He soon finds out that these men, and the place they're taking him is anything but small, normal, and routine. Finding out who he really is, what he really has changes everything and raises the stakes. If Connor wants to find understanding, he has to be patient and learn everything he can from his new home. There's only one problem -- Connor isn't sick, he has an unseen, super power. R. K. Holliday introduces an unforgettable boy who must learn to fight, learn to fly, and defy all he knows to uncover the truth.
The central plot of this book hit all the Harry Potter points. Young kid finds out he's special, gets sent off to a special school, makes friends and enemies as middle grade heroes are prone to do, and of course there's that one bad teacher whom we're not sure whether or not is the enemy. There's even a mock Hagrid, a giant clumsy oaf of a man who is sweet and loves the children.
Connor and his friends are likeable if not very deeply built. They might have more depth as the series continues, but we didn't get much insight into anyone's thoughts or feelings other than Connor, so it lacked that comradery you felt with Hermione and Ron. I'm going to keep on with that comparison because it was so similar, with a sci-fi super human twist that made it a little comic bookey (something I liked.) Although it probably isn't fair to R.K. Holiday to compare him to the queen of middle grade books J.K. Rowling, but hey, even their names are the same, so...
The dialogue seemed quite advanced for the way normal middle grade kids speak, and was too formal to be as believable as I'd like, which was my biggest issue with the book. Other than that, the plot was interesting and I want to know what will happen as the series continues.
3.5/5 Stars