Black Hole Sun

Suzanne Collins

School Library Journal Best Book"Rockets readers to new frontiers . . . action-packed."

Chris Crutcher

"Great story, great characters, and nonstop action. David Gill takes you to a rugged, fast, tough world."

Laurie Halse Anderson

"Black Hole Sun grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go until the last page. In the best tradition of Heinlein and Firefly, Black Hole Sun is for readers who like their books fast-paced, intense, and relentless. Buy it, read it, pass it on!"

Booklist (starred review)

“Readers will have a hard time turning the pages fast enough as the body count rises to the climactic, satisfying ending, which will leave new fans hopeful for more adventures.”

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“Fast-paced, compulsively readable, and outright funny.”

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Action, adventure, sci-fi, and horror buffs will all find this an almost perfect mix of all of the genres, and the addition of a soupçon of romance and hints of painful family drama results in a book that’s got appeal to just about any potential speculative-fiction fan."

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Action, adventure, sci-fi, and horror buffs will all find this an almost perfect mix of all of the genres, and the addition of a soupçon of romance and hints of painful family drama results in a book that’s got appeal to just about any potential speculative-fiction fan.”

The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books

“Action, adventure, sci-fi, and horror buffs will all find this an almost perfect mix of all of the genres, and the addition of a soupçon of romance and hints of painful family drama results in a book that’s got appeal to just about any potential speculative-fiction fan.”

Booklist

"Readers will have a hard time turning the pages fast enough as the body count rises to the climactic, satisfying ending, which will leave new fans hopeful for more adventures."

Publishers Weekly

Gill (Soul Enchilada) shifts literary gears, delivering an exciting and brutal science fiction tale about teenage mercenaries on Mars. Durango is a disgraced Regulator who, roninlike, did not kill himself when his previous master (his father) was arrested. Along with his gorgeous second, Vienne, and the snarky AI of his former commander, Mimi, which has been “flash-cloned” to his brain, he now takes jobs that most other Regulators would refuse, using the money to try to make his father’s life in prison more bearable. When they get called to protect a group of miners from the cannibalistic monstrosities called Dræu, they discover secrets that could cast new light on the entire history of Mars, as well Durango’s own past. Gill fills his story with well-crafted action sequences and witty dialogue, and the fast pace more than makes up for the predictability of the plot. Everything from the inevitable betrayals and the heroic sacrifices to the dark secrets is by the numbers, though the character development, banter between Durango and Mimi, and solid action will entertain most readers. Ages 14–up. (Sept.)

The Horn Book

“Delightfully wacky.”

VOYA

Mars has been colonized by humans, but the new world they have created is far from idyllic. The original government the colonists set up has collapsed, water is scarce, and kidnappings are rampant. In the void of law and order, bands of mercenaries can be hired to protect and serve those with money. Living by an outdated code of chivalry, Durango, a teen with a past, leads a group of these mercenaries on a mission to protect an outpost of miners from the Draeu—mysterious, savage creatures intent on destroying the miners and stealing their precious resources. Gill has crafted a fast-paced, compulsively readable, and outright funny story with plot twists that will keep readers guessing to the end. The dark themes and setting of the book are balanced by the screwball cast of characters assembled to protect the miners. Durango himself is a complex and relatable teen character. Dealing with the weight of his family's past, Martian society's rigid class structure, and a love triangle, Durango is by turns sullen, bold, and clueless. Some plot elements, like the former government's human experimentation program, are not fully fleshed out, and others are overblown, but with witty, sarcastic dialogue and nonstop action, Black Hole Sun will find plenty of eager readers. Give it to fans of other misfit-saves-the-world stories, like Rick Yancy's The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp (Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2005/VOYA October 2005) or Jay Amory's The Fledgling of Az Gabrielson (Gollancz, 2006/VOYA October 2008); they will not be disappointed. Reviewer: Bethany Martin

Library Journal

In the near to far future, humankind has decamped to Mars. Teenaged Durango was once a favorite son, destined to rule the planet, but now he is the fallen leader of a ragtag band of mercenaries. A desperate colony of miners hires Durango and his team to fight the Dræu, a gruesome band of cannibals. The Dræu's wicked queen and Durango have a past and the miners have a secret, raising the stakes of the inevitable battle between the two forces. In last year's Soul Enchilada, Gill had great fun with the beasties terrorizing his heroes. Here the Dræu approach their condition with such bloodthirsty delight that it is difficult to decide whether to giggle or close the book in disgust when they tear into a fresh victim. With this grisly foray into sf, Gill further proves his ability to create a gritty setting and people it with engagingly flawed heroes. Angelina Benedetti, "13 Going on 30", Booksmack! 10/21/10

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—In this high-energy dystopian novel set on Mars, 16-year-old Durango and his crew of Regulators have been hired to protect a group of miners and their children from the cannibalistic Draeu, who are led by an evil, enigmatic queen in search of the miners' reputed treasure. The Regulators are vastly outnumbered, and this might be their last mission unless quick-witted Durango and his feisty lieutenant, Vienne, can come up with a plan. The spirited, sarcastic dialogue between them masks their growing feelings for each other, though there's no time to explore romance with the high-octane action going on around them. The story is more violent than many YA science-fiction novels; there's scarcely a moment between flying shrapnel, explosions, and bloody fistfights. The occasional lack of exposition on the unfamiliar Martian technology may stump some readers, but that tiny flaw is easily overcome by the appealing characters, sharp dialogue, and action-packed plot. Durango's tendency toward acting first and thinking later is tempered by his former chief, Mimi, now a symbiotic nano-implant in Durango's brain, who offers equal parts hilarious sarcasm and logical advice sprinkled with quotes from classical poetry and 20th-century pop culture. Science-fiction fans will cheer Durango on in his exploits and enjoy the twists in the novel's satisfying conclusion. Those clamoring for more of Durango, Vienne, and Mimi will find their hopes for a sequel bolstered when the trio set off at the novel's end for a mysterious outpost that seems perfect for another adventure.—Leah J. Sparks, formerly at Bowie Public Library, MD

Kirkus Reviews

Intrepid teen regulator Jake Durango leads a daring pack of fearless freedom fighters in a dystopian future where humans rage against ferocious, porcine creatures called Drau, who prey upon human flesh. Based on Mars, Jake and his crew are hired to protect a colony of human miners from the Drau and their evil queen. Throw in a forbidden love triangle, an extensive underground cave system, a smart-alecky, trigger-happy Buckaroo Banzai–like soldier and plenty of blood and guts, and Gill scores a fast and funny science-fiction novel with plenty of surprises. The author injects many of the elements from his unforgettable first novel (Soul Enchilada, 2009) into this new work, including bizarro plot twists, kooky oddball characters and plenty of laugh-out-loud humor. His energetic sense of pacing keeps the pages turning even when the most ridiculous episode seems to be getting steroid injections. Despite the insanity, the plot races onward seamlessly, and well-rounded characters and sharp, contemporary dialogue keep the work grounded. Fans of science fiction and the strange will eat this up. (Science fiction. 12 & up)