ALOUETTE’S GALAXY

Sixteen-year-old artist Rick Seaton works on his metalsmithing at his New Jersey home. Using a lamp he bought at an auction (“It’s antique, a piece of history, and an investment!”), Rick inadvertently launches a piece of metal into the sky. He relays this discovery to his summer-camp friend Martin Crane in Idaho while Martin’s former schoolmate Marge Spencer, an autistic teen with a genius-level IQ, is visiting. Marge has the brains to turn Rick’s “happy accident” into a functional space drive that can propel a spacecraft, which Martin can build and his wealthy parents can fund. But doing this without federal involvement is illegal, which is where Dotty Vaneman comes in. She’s a skilled, well-known violinist whose life Rick recently saved and who can “launder” the necessary millions via her debut world tour. But even after the teens successfully launch the Alouette into outer space, they’re targets of a clandestine American group that essentially polices technological advancements. This interference leads to a kidnapping and an attempt to take them out as they orbit another planet in the Milky Way. Things get even more dangerous when they need to refuel for the return home. They’ll have to land the Alouette on an unknown, Earth-like planet, where they mingle with friendly inhabitants but ultimately end up in a whole new set of precarious circumstances. With any luck, Martin and the others will survive long enough to recover the fuel their ship needs and make it back to their home world.

Fine’s engrossing series-opener is a modern take on E.E. Smith and Lee Hawkins Garby’s 1928 novel The Skylark of Space. Much like the source text, romance abounds among the lead characters. Marge, for one, is enamored with Martin, who stands up for her at school but has been exploring his gay sexuality. Similarly, Rick and Dotty are paired off almost immediately, as the first time he sees her, she’s in peril. Despite an abundance of characters on the other planet, the best among the supporting cast are earthlings—Dr. Marc DuQuesne, who takes in and mentors foster kid Marge but harbors a dark secret, and Shiro Higa, who proves a great help with the spaceship’s construction. Martin’s father and Shiro are Vietnam “war buddies.” The author structures this narrative to great effect, skillfully introducing the main characters before their lives interact organically and the Alouette slowly comes together. There’s also an intriguing Judaism theme running throughout. For starters, both Rick and Dotty are Jewish but hail from noticeably different backgrounds; Dotty’s parents are loving, and Rick’s are emotionally abusive. At the same time, Rick’s reason for space exploration ties to his religion, as he’s certain the teens can “settle the Solar System” and prevent another Holocaust. Nevertheless, while the science and tech are sound, the bulk of the story is explicitly relayed through dialogue. The teens, in particular, often say exactly what’s in their heads, forgoing any nuance in terms of character development. Meanwhile, the ending offers both a resolution and dangling plot threads for the sequel to pick up.