Book review: Space Jumpers

Space Jumpers is a mind-bending story about a young man coming neck deep into trouble. Trouble that he caused himself. This review contains spoilers.

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Title: Space Jumpers
Series: The Young Soldier Book 1
Author: M.K. Clark
Release: March 2017
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
Goodreads: HERE

Switching lives was supposed to be the answer, not the problem. Now, he’ll have to set things right to save his friends from himself. All Don wants is to defend Earth on his own terms. His father is hell-bent on making him into an officer, just like him. Suffocating under the weight of the family legacy, Don isn’t going to waste his last chance at freedom. While unaccompanied on a busy space station, Don swaps lives with a trainee headed to Basic. He’s finally in control of his destiny and he’s ready to make the most of it. But when rebel forces recognize him during a training exercise, it puts him and his newfound friends in danger. The only way to protect them all is to finally submit to his father’s plans.

I “read” this book in audio. So I have to say that part of my experience was dictated by the reading. Although the voice was nice, soothing even, there were some parts that really need to get amped up. Action sequences were just as soothing as the soothing sequences. Overall, I thought the story was read well but it lacked a little of the emotion I wanted.

The plot of this story was interesting and to me, a bit mind bending. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the main characters troubles. Things started out so innocently but his behavior had consequences which shaped the story, his interactions and the outcome of the story. Clark did a good job mixing it up but there were some things I thought were confusing. Maybe I just missed it but I never saw the pay off for that kidnapping/training portion of the book. I never figured out if it was all staged.

Typically this doesn’t happen to me but my favorite character was the main, Don. I usually have an amazing secondary character that I gravitate too, but this time the main character was the most developed. I enjoyed his storyline and the struggles he went through. Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with the other characters and couldn’t always distinguish them apart. Don was definitely a stand out.

It took me a while to realize that Earth was an abstract setting in the story. My familiarity with Earth and the way it was portrayed in the story actually made it fun. All the settings were well done and added character to the story.

Clark’s writing style was “easy to read”. I listened to the audiobook so although I wasn’t looking at the words and literally reading, listening to the narrator proved that there were no big, outrageous words. Clark was concise, the language was easy to understand. I thought Clark did a good job of moving us around the story. I would definitely recommend this book to young adults who enjoy space odyssey’s, stories about young men and coming of age stories.

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