Review of The Pearl Wars (Skyship Academy #1) by Nick James

Overview
A devastated Earth's last hope is found in Pearls: small, mysterious orbs that fall from space and are capable of supplying enough energy to power entire cities. Battling to control the Pearls are the Skyship dwellers—political dissidents who live in massive ships in the Earth's stratosphere—and the corrupt Surface government.

Jesse Fisher, a Skyship slacker, and Cassius Stevenson, a young Surface operative, cross paths when they both venture into forbidden territory in pursuit of Pearls. Their chance encounter triggers an unexpected reaction, endowing each boy with remarkable—and dangerous—abilities that their respective governments would stop at nothing to possess.

Enemies thrust together with a common goal, Jesse and Cassius make their way to the ruins of Seattle to uncover the truth about their new powers, the past they didn't know they shared, and a shocking secret about the Pearls.
 Add this to Your Goodreads.com Shelf   

Recommended: Yes, you need to check it out!

                     About The Pearl Wars

Available as: Paperback $9.95 from Amazon.com ,  E-book $7.69 from Amazon.com Kindle's Edition 

                                                        Recommended Ages: 15 and Up

Paperback: 376 pgs

Published: September 8th 2011 by Flux

For This Review: *Bought a paperback book copy!*

My Star Review 

If you like this review - Like It on Goodreads.com


The world was thoroughly changed from our time 2000-2012 and huge war attacks involving supposed terrorists have changed the geography on Earth as well as man such as the government in the whole world. Now agents of the Skyship Academy exist as well as agents of The Unified Party. Not everyone belongs to either of these sides such as The Fringers who are poor denizens and take the harsh brunt of climate change for the reason they can't afford protection from these two sides. Jessie Fisher a Skyship dweller who collects Pearls for Skyship Academy agents soon clashes with Cassius Stevenson an agent of The Unified Party who collects for a mysterious woman known only as Madame. When both these guys meet for the first time, they'll discover they share a past that connects them to something not from Earth.

The Pearl Wars was a gripping read in science fiction. While upon first reading wasn't as captivating it quickly got so good. There is a certain mystery from the beginning over Jesse Fisher's involvement with Cassius Stevenson. Nick James's novel was an easy voice to follow when he switches from Jessie to Cassius's point of view. He adapts a certain dry humour that is pleasant to hear. What was most admirable in the world created in The Pearl Wars was the reason that its very apparent the care Nick James put into making his world from the political turmoil and world having new horrible climate changes. There is so much to learn about the surroundings/gadgets of Skyship Academy. The Pearls Wars was a novel entirely from a male perspective which for many novels out there is something fresh. You really see the way that romance is handled by Nick James which, hmm, found different from the overtly emotional take sometimes found in a female outlook in some novels. It's still emotional but not overpowering in any way. We really see in particular Jesse who seems to hold a torch for a fellow Skyship dweller who's name is Avery Wickensen while also may or may not have a draw toward another girl, Eva Rodriguez, who is a very ambitious Skyship Academy classmate and friend of Jessie. 

The enjoyment of The Pearl Wars was there. With a scenic take in the movement of the story this is one of the better science fiction novels to come out recently with ideas centering on very real dystopian possible outcomes and some not so much. The scifi main point which should for the novel's sake remain a secret is genius. It's well done even with some drawbacks mentioned before. 

Recommended for those fans that like scifi much like The Hunger Games that is something that many love or novels on the lines of The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. Should be a good reading experience if those examples are anything to go by.
Overall: Touching read
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Spaceships, Dystopian


                          About the Author 

Nick James grew up in the small island town of Anacortes, Washington, where an active imagination was often a prerequisite for a good time. No shopping malls, no movie theater, etc, etc. His first brush with publishing was in third grade, where we were encouraged to not only write stories, but to publish, bind and present them. He thinks the teacher got more than she bargained for because he was soon amassing quite a personal library of colored-paper bound sagas.

As a kid, Nick was a voracious reader of comic books. Of course, they didn’t sell them anywhere in little Anacortes, so it was a thirty-mile drive “off island” to get them. At that age, it wasn’t even about the pictures. It was one hundred percent the stories. Nick was always attracted to the big drama and dialogue.

He started writing seriously when he entered college. Five “practice” novels later (some weirder than others) and he started querying what was to become Skyship Academy. Then he was lucky enough to find a fantastic publisher in Flux. And next comes the moment when he get to share his debut novel with readers!