Strickland (Mars Year One
) attempts to capture the spirit of the classic Heinlein juveniles with this first book in the Academy series. After an attack by space raiders, 13-year-old Asteria Locke is taken in by a colony of repressive religious fanatics. Using her dead cousin's papers, she escapes and enrolls in the Royal Space Fleet Academy, soon learning that commoners like herself and her best friend Dai are often at the mercy of “Aristos,” like the bullying, cheating Mastral Kayser. Asteria's struggles against her newfound nemesis and her experiences over her first year of school follow a largely predictable pattern, with early struggles eventually earning grudging respect. She's helped by the mysterious belt she finds among her father's possessions, which enhances her fighting and flying skills. Hanging over all of this is not only her father's death but the resentment among some Aristos over her father's heroic actions during a space battle. Strickland crams a lot into the book—clumsy exposition bogs down early chapters—and while the pace picks up, the story doesn't offer much to distinguish itself. Ages 9–12. (Apr.)
