Buckley, author of popular adventure and fantasy series including N.E.R.D.S. and Sisters Grimm, has produced a new science fiction epic that's a wild ride from start to finish.
The story opens dramatically, with a blue-skinned extraterrestrial named Dax and her robot partner Highbeam fighting for their lives and their planet against the Plague, a destructive and deadly horde of locust-like creatures. Dax manages to toss a dangerous weapon and Highbeam through a wormhole and then...
Finn hates his life. After his dad walked out and disappeared, his mom moved him and his unicorn-obsessed sister Kate to a run-down house in a new town. At his new school, he tries to stay out of trouble and under the radar but, as we meet him in the first chapter sitting in the principal's office, it's not so easy. Especially when a nasty bully like Lincoln Sindana keeps beating him up for no reason. Not to mention the weird feelings he gets whenever he sees Julep Li, the coolest girl in school, in his opinion.
When Finn and Lincoln are stuck in the principal's office until they "become friends" they aren't expecting a wormhole, robot, and all manner of craziness. Before they know what's happening, Finn has become half of an intergalactic weapon/portal, the other half of which is suck in his sister's unicorn lunchbox, Julep Li turns out to be even cooler than he could have imagined, and he's stuck with Lincoln in trying to battle an alien invasion. Even Principal Dooley gets plenty of opportunity to show his bravery as he battles the locust leader to try and save his students. Along the way Finn learns more about Lincoln's family and gets some mysterious hints about his own father as well.
In many ways, this is somewhat stereotypical. Lincoln bullies Finn because his prospective stepbrother and stepmother are abusing him, there's a clueless principal who blames them both for the fights that are instigated by Lincoln, an intelligent robot, and lots of non-stop action. However, there's nothing like a formula that works! There are some nice touches of diversity - Lincoln's dad is Indian, Julep is Asian and has an older brother with a serious illness (he provides occasional transport in his van that's been adapted for the times when he can't use his legs) and some stereotypes are flipped. Julep is a quiet, studious girl but it turns out she's studying cryptography and is obsessed with Bigfoot. Each character has strengths that are brought to bear in the final battle - Julep's imagination, Lincoln's anger and need to punch things, and Finn's ability to fix stuff, which he has previously been putting to use in their run-down house.
There's a journey to other planets, lots of weird aliens, and some quick jumps into politics and rebellions. There's also bloodthirsty unicorns, weird inventions and weapons, and a satisfying conclusion with a jump to the next book that will keep readers waiting eagerly to find out what happens next in the Finniverse.
Verdict: Buckley is an expert adventure writer and this new sci-fi series is sure to appeal to fans of Max Brallier, not to mention Buckley's own fans - I have new kids who discover his work every year and are eager for more. Recommended for middle grade reader who like lots of action, humor, and a great story.
ISBN: 9780525646877; Published April 2020 by Delacorte; Borrowed from another library in my consortium
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