Skip to main content

Hunt for the Hydra

By
Cover image for Hunt for the Hydra
Hunt for the Hydra
by Jason Fry
Harper, 2014.  241 pgs. Science Fiction

     First in The Jupiter Pirates series, Hunt for the Hydra is a goodish sci-fi-thriller with an unusual array of heroes and villains.  For once, the earthlings are the bad guys. Tycho Hashoone, his twin sister Yana, and his older brother Carlo are vying for positions of importance in the family business, which is privateering.  They hold a Letter of Marque from the Jovian Union giving them the right to move against Earth's merchant space fleet. The Jovian Union consists of a confederation of people living on Jupiter's moons, and their relationship with earth seems to be something similar to the American colonies and Great Britain, back in the day. In any case, the kids are full participants in the family business, including the dangers of that business, so they not only fly the ship, but take on enemy vessels as member of the boarding party. On one such mission, the captain pleads diplomatic immunity - he has an ambassador on board. But his "ambassador" and hundreds of newly-minted state department personnel seem to be crew members suddenly elevated in rank to protect their vessels from pirates. Soon Tycho and his family are sent into what would have been the Neutral Zone in Star Trek-speak to try to smoke out the notorious and dangerous pirate, Throadbone Max. Hunt for the Hydra is a good adventure story with appealing characters, but is slowed considerably by lots of talking to supply background information. Hopefully the sequel will move along a bit more briskly.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Umami

By
  Umami By Jacob Grant New York: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2024. Picture Book. Umami is a little penguin who is sick of eating the same thing everyday, cold fish --ugh! She becomes determined to find new foods and flavors, so Umami begins a journey across the sea in search of something different to eat. She reaches a place with a plethora of delicious options, and tries bitter, sweet, sour, and foods with umami (just like her name!) among others. Umami decides to bring all these delicious new flavors back for the other penguins to try in a feast. But, will the other penguins enjoy this new experience?  Filled with charm and humor, Umami is a diverse romp through a universal experience --am I willing to try something new? What will it be like? The idea of trying new foods and flavors make it especially relatable, and the appealing illustrations will have many readers ready to hop out on a culinary adventure. A humorous and sweet ending, caps off this delig...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Faker

By
Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...
Post a Comment
Read more

Five Faves: Picture Books with Festive Treats

By
In my family, December marks the beginning of the holiday season, where we get to spend time together and do all of our favorite traditions. And, of course, eat lots of yummy food. I love that holidays look different for different families, but so many families have special foods they eat during the holidays. These are some of my favorite picture books about families making (and eating!) special holiday treats. These books might even give you new ideas of festive treats to try! The Last Tamale Written by Mendiola Orlando Illustrated by Teresa Martinez New York: Harper, 2024. Picture Book. Once a year, Luis' whole family gets together for their annual tamalada -- a party where they make tamales using a super-secret recipe. It's all love, family, and tradition until there is only one tamale left. Who will get it? It's an all-out family battle to decide who gets the last tamale. Colorful and humorous, this story is perfect for the holidays or whenever your family likes to enjo...
Post a Comment
Read more