Spark: A Sky Chasers Novel [Hardcover]

Amy Kathleen Ryan (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 17, 2012 | Series: Sky Chasers (Book 2)

Waverly, Kieran and Seth are in a race against time – and with the future of humanity hanging in the balance, there’s no room for mistakes…

After a desperate escape from the enemy ship, Waverly has finally made it back to the Empyrean. The memory of home has been keeping her alive for the past months… but home is nothing like she left it. Forced to leave their captive parents behind on the New Horizon, she’s returned only to find that Kieran has become a strict leader and turned the crew against Seth. What happened to the Kieran she thought she knew? Now Waverly’s not sure whom she can trust. And the one person she wants to believe in is darkly brilliant Seth, the ship’s supposed enemy. Waverly knows that the situation will only get worse until they can rescue their parents – but how?

Before they have time to make a plan, an explosion rocks the Empyrean, and Seth and Waverly are targeted as the prime suspects. Can they find the true culprit before Kieran locks them away… or worse? Will Waverly follow her heart, even if it puts lives at risk? Now more than ever, every step could bring them closer to a new beginning – or a sudden end.

 

Spark is book two in Amy Kathleen Ryan's thrilling young adult science fiction series Sky Chasers.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-In Glow (2011), the first book in the series, the Empyrean was first attacked by their sister ship, the New Horizon, and almost every adult on board perished. Then, the New Horizon's leader kidnapped every girl child to use for procreation purposes. In Ryan's second title (2012, both St. Martin's Griffin), it is only through a brash plan and the acknowledgment that the few remaining adult crew members being held for ransom will not be able to be saved that the eldest girl, Waverly, can reunite the girls with their brothers and friends again. As their relieved elation fades, harsh realities set in, and each child begins to buckle from the strain. Waverly, now blamed by many for failing to save their parents, questions her feelings for Kieran, the boy she once loved, but no longer recognizes. Kieran has turned to religion, hoping to unite and buoy the entire crew. He has also become power hungry and hardened after almost being killed by his rival, Seth. Meanwhile, Seth has been languishing in the brig, until a stowaway releases him to create a distraction to mask his own nefarious actions. Ilyana Kadushin and Matthew Brown both bring depth to their characters, narrating the tough decisions that Waverly and Kieran must make as they attempt to lead their ship to safety. Seth's added perspective brings action and danger to the story line, keeping the pace moving, though this book is much more character driven than the previous title. Fans of the first audiobook will clamor for this sequel.-Jessica Miller, West Springfield Public Library, MAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review

“The sequel to Glow delivers a page-turning plot while delving deeper into questions of leadership, trauma and violence….Readers hungry for the next installment will have plenty to ponder in the meantime.” – Kirkus Reviews on Spark

Praise for GLOW, Sky Chasers Book 1:

 

“Glow captivated me from start to finish. The action-packed narrative and the characters’ struggle to survive without losing their humanity make for a compelling read.” – Alexandra Adornetto, New York Times bestselling author of Halo

 

"Utterly engrossing. Dinner went uncooked, children were left to fend for themselves, and dog howled all night, because I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN." – Lauren Myracle, New York Times bestselling author of ttyl and Shine

 

“GLOW has an ingenious, twisty, heart-stopping plot, and characters that are in turns both sympathetic and sinister all the way to the last page – I don’t know who I can trust, and I love it!” – Lisa McMann, New York Times bestselling author of the WAKE trilogy

 

"This swift-moving epic is filled with plot twists and enigmatic characters... Fans of the Hunger Games series will zip through and clamor for the next installment."  --Booklist

"A super-exciting plot... Plus, the mysterious ending left us anxious for the next installment! You'll love it if...  you love futuristic post-apocalyptic stories, like The Hunger Games!... Ideal for fans of action books and stories of survival."  --Seventeen.com

"A fascinating and thrilling story that is sure to captivate teens. The themes of survival, morality, religion, and power are well developed, and the characters are equally complex.... This gripping first installment is difficult to put down, and successfully sets the stage for the rest of the series." --School Library Journal (Starred Review)

 

"The opening salvo in a promising series."  --People Magazine

"No less than the fate of humanity is at stake in Ryan's rich and emotional sci-fi tale... an entertaining read featuring hairy action sequences and a female antagonist on par with the literary likes of Nurse Ratched or Dolores Umbridge."  --USA Today

“By the end, you’ll be desperate for the sequel. [Ryan] throws together a host of moral issues and then launches them into outer space! I’m looking forward to the next book...” – RT Book Reviews

 

“Get some snacks and prepare to stay up all night because GLOW is a tense and riveting look at the social power of fear and jealousy. Killer suspense, complicated characters and explosive plot twists made this book so much more than a space story. It’s an unputdownable test of nerves, and we want our fingernails back.” – Justine Magazine

  

"With a compelling plot and complicated characters you love to hate and hate to love, Glow will capture readers." – April Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Girl, Stolen and Learning to Fly

 

"GLOW has it all – intrigue, action, suspense and romance set against a jaw-dropping futuristic backdrop.  Amy Kathleen Ryan has woven a thought-provoking and compelling novel that readers will be hard-pressed to put down. I couldn't!  This is a thrilling read.” – Courtney Summers, author of Fall for Anything and Cracked up to Be

 

 

 

 

 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (July 17, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312621353
• ISBN-13: 978-0312621353
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,350 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Amy Kathleen Ryan is a graduate of the New School Creative Writing Program. She lives in Colorado. Visit her website at: www.AmyKathleenRyan.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Action-packed and better than the first! May 4, 2012

By Megan Ellinger VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I have to admit, after reading the first book in the series, I was lukewarm about this. I liked the characters (especially Waverly) but the religious aspect was something I found tiring and...a little creepy in ways.

The story was intriguing enough to get me to read this one and I'm really glad I gave the series a second chance. This book is leaps and bounds above the first. The plot was action packed and managed to move the entire story arc forward while also maintaining a plot of its own. Waverly experienced the most transformation as she worked through the emerging darker side that was brought to the forefront during her captivity which gives her a very tangible personality. I both envy and pity her at points as she goes through periods of extreme strength and weakness--some of which are rather frightening and graphic.

Overall, this is probably the best "second" installment of a series since...dare I say it? Catching Fire? I read it in a few hours and now I'm excited to get my hands on the third book as soon as possible.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Reading with Tequila July 15, 2012

By Jennifer Sicurella VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

What impressed me: Seth became the star of this book, not just in his coming between Waverly and Kieran, but also because of his seemingly being the only person who is capable at looking at things objectively. I absolutely loved how the secrets of the past came out and their bearing on those today.

What disappointed me: Kieran's inability to lead well drove me crazy. As did the animosity Waverly constantly experienced because she returned to the ship without everyone's parents. While both of these things were necessary to move the story to where it needed to be, both came off as completely unrealistic. Kieran would have never lasted that long acting as blind as he does and anyone in their right mind, children included, would have easily been able to see that Waverly had no choice about the parents.

Recommended: Yes. While I didn't absolutely love Spark the way I did Glow, it's a decent sequel.

Continue series: Yes. I can't live without finding out how everything turns out.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Book Two of the Sky Chasers Series September 28, 2012

By J. Kaye Oldner VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audible Audio Edition

"Spark" is book two of the Sky Chasers Series by Amy Kathleen Ryan. If you haven't read book one, "Glow,"do not start with this book. The author gives readers nuggets of information from book one, but only enough to refresh our memories. There's no heavy information dump of what happened previously. Also, if you read book one and were disappointed, I have a feeling book two will make up for everything.

Book two leaves off where book one ends. Waverly and Kieran have been reunited, but both are not the same people. They are strangers and what trust between them slowly dwindles during challenges on the Empyrean. Seth, the bad guy in book one, changes too. I never thought I'd say this, but my attitude towards him changed. Though most of his time was spent locked up, he became a hero. Well, to me, Kieran never felt this way and can you blame him? When someone almost kills you, sorry doesn't cut it.

The ending leaves off with a harsh cliffhanger. Normally something like this agitates the mess of me, but I was ready for a break. The last part of the book was intense.

Rating this book didn't come easy. Although I couldn't put the book down, there were some believability issues. One example was the brain surgery. Yes, that was explained and no, we don't know what his condition will be. Still, the whole thing had me rolling my eyes. On the flip side, I freaking loved the book. I hid behind closed doors listening when I should have been doing other stuff. I want to give it a 5/5, but the believability thing has me knocking off a star.

I began this series in audio with narrators Ilyana Kadushin and Matthew Brown. They were also narrators for "Spark" and did a phenomenal job. I hope the two continue with the series. Book three, "Flame," will be out in June 2013. I can't wait!