Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/01/2021 Half-human, half-alien teenager Syd Chambers has been on the run with his mother for years, constantly moving towns and changing names. When his uncle finally tracks him down, Syd is given the chance to find out what really happened to his long-presumed-dead father. When Syd begins training at a special academy in space, he realizes he has a lot more to learn—about himself, his father, and the great big universe—than he thought. Not all is what it seems, and the revelation of a deadly secret could spell all-out intergalactic war. With an ending that demands a sequel and a world with room for plenty more adventures, this marks Lore’s first departure from the Lorien Legacies series and its spin-offs. The I Am Number Four (2011) author’s legions of existing fans will be pleased to find the same explosive twists and witty humor that marked his other books, and readers unfamiliar with Lore who love epic, sprawling worlds and fast-paced storytelling should also be directed to this action-packed sf adventure. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 08/01/2021 Gr 7–10—Sydney Chambers has been known by many names: Aaron Abrams, Darren Drake, and currently, Wyatt Williams. That's because, as long as he can remember, he and his mother have been on the run from a secret government agency hell-bent on finding him. Sydney is half Denzan, the product of an intergalactic (mostly undercover) alliance between Earth and the planet Denza. The nonviolent civilization has been surreptitiously recruiting humans to help protect them from the Etherazi, their mortal enemies, and Sydney represents a serious threat to this mission being unveiled. Also, Sydney's dad has been missing for more than a decade, lost while on a secret expedition, so when Syd and his mom are finally caught by Syd's uncle, the teen leaves Earth to enroll in the Serpo Institute on Denza. Sydney swiftly becomes swept up in an intergalactic conflict while trying to find his dad, not realizing his precarious place in the universe---for good or ill. The "Lorien Legacies" author returns with an action-packed new series opener. Sydney and his cohort of space cadets are all well fleshed-out. The role humanity plays in this intergalactic space war will draw in fans of the superhero genre. Equal parts humorous and thrilling, Sydney's adventures through the universe will keep fans of Lore's previous series satisfied. VERDICT A solid addition to any library's sci-fi shelf. Recommended.—Tyler Hixson, Brooklyn P.L. - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.