I just finished reading a neat YA-style sci-fi written by James Bow called Icarus Down. I won’t say it’s the best sci-fi I’ve ever read, but it was very good. Enjoyable, light, moved at a nice pace… the protagonist is a little too mature for the age he’s depicted, but under the circumstances it’s a justifiable choice. Like, it feels slightly surreal, but by the same token the situation he is thrust into is pretty surreal, so it works.
I love good YA fiction. I don’t read a tonne of it, but the stuff I have read is as satisfying as “adult” sci-fi. Actually, much of it is more so… trying to find that balance of approachability without patronizing, and still engaging? That’s a very tight balance to hit, and honestly I think Bow did a great job!
Added bonus: James Bow is (or at least was at the time of writing Icarus Down) a local! He apparently lives in Kitchener, Ontario, which is where I am! The thought that I may have randomly run into him at some point makes me smile. He’s a bit older than me (I think 7 years or so?), but that’s still pretty close. I wonder what he’s up to these days… I hope still writing good sci-fi! I should check out the rest of his oeuvre… in fact, I’m going to do that right after I leave him a 5-star review on Goodreads!
Hope everyone out there is staying safe and healthy!