The Incredible Space Raiders from Space by Wesley King (review)

Jonah’s been dropped onto a spaceship with a crew of other kids and told that he’s going to be facing the baddest of bad guys in a few weeks, so he’s got no choice except to get it together and be a Space Raider hero. The problem is that the wrong Jonah was grabbed; this Jonah has thought of himself as a wimpy loner, and he hasn’t actually been destined for greatness. As he’s stuck on the ship for now, Jonah makes the best of it, determined to find his shipmates who keep disappearing, even if they do all consider him a mistake and outcast. While the big mystery of the ship (who the kids are, who the bad guys actually are, and what the secret plot behind it all is) is sharp and clever, most of the revelations come awkwardly in an expositional rush at the end. In addition, Jonah’s transformation from nobody to universally adored hero requires several saves and personality leaps that go beyond straining credulity. Even so, readers seeking a swift-moving, exciting romp through a giant spaceship full of cool (and creepy) nooks and crannies will be sucked right in, and they likely won’t give much thought to the novel’s shortcomings.