Avalon by Mindee Arnett (review)

Seventeen-year-old Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage miscreants are the best thieves in the universe, stealing spacecrafts and stripping them of their valuable metatech. Now they are being sent on their most dangerous heist yet, pursuing a downed ship into the mysterious Belgrave Quadrant and retrieving its cargo. Jeth is uneasy, but he can’t pass up the reward, which will be enough to get himself, his sister, and his crew out from under the thumb of the gangster they work for. Venturing into the most unpredictable corner of the known universe, he expects trouble, but not in the form of an attractive teenage girl and her two compatriots, who are on the run themselves. The three turn out to know more about the secret cargo, the Belgrave, and metatech than Jeth could imagine, and he must decide if he should rely on their help or betray them for his own freedom. A well-plotted and suspenseful space adventure, this novel is perfect for science fiction fans who prefer reasoned plans of escape over a chase-filled adventure. The story moves at a steady pace, piling on the secrets and betrayals and gradually entwining the reader in its myriad twists and turns. Much of the narrative is dedicated to meticulous, inventive world-building, including a kind of Bermuda Triangle in space, and to Jeth’s attempts to puzzle his way out of seemingly unwinnable situations; though the characterization isn’t deep, the ragtag crew of misfits adds plenty of appeal. With its focus on fighting the good fight despite an unfair world, the story is likely to appeal to fans of Capetta’s Entangled (BCCB 1/14).