Customer Reviews

Titan A.E.: Cale's Story

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Seperated from his father, whose fate he never learned, just before Earth was destroyed by the hostile Drej species, Cale Tucker was raised by one of his father's friends, Tek, a member of a peaceful alien race. Taken to Tek's desolate homeland, he grew up longing for his father's return, and eventually accepting that he'd never see him again. Tek is determined that Cale, now fifteen, learn something of Earth and Humanity, so, along with an orphan alien girl, they begin a journey that takes them throughout the galaxy. This book explained a lot of how Cale became the person he was in the movie - why he resented his father, why he looked down on drifter colonies, etc. I highly reccomend this companion novel to science fiction fans who are looking forward to seeing Titan A. E.

I will do the review on both "Titan AE: Cale's story" & "Titan AE: Akima's Story," since, really, they go together.

First, the book's put together the missing pieces that may have been missing seen in the movie itself; & that was the main reason I purchased the novels. What I enjoyed was the "human" connection (pardon the choice of words) between Cale, Tek & Iji; & in Akima's story, the relationship between Akima & Stith & Ishaq. Combine this with some small fine points about their personalities; why Cale & Akima are the way they are, & it really brings the stories together, both individually & also both books together.

Both stories keep your attention all the way to the end; setting up the final book in the triology. However...I would read that one first, since after you get all the aswers to the questions you may have had from the movie, the third book derails a number of the points of the first two.

The only thing I did not care for is the repeating of the "full" names of ships or places, planets. For example, Tek flew a TR-Epsilon Z. That is the manufacturer/model of the ship. Any time this ship is mentioned, it is always by the full name, the TR-Epsilon Z. Ok, maybe I'm being petty, but if you read the book, you'll see. In Akima's Story, the same thing occurs, but a bit more frequently. I'm sure other pilots in that time (the story) didn't call it by that. So, get past this, & you've got two very good stories.

I am a fan of Titan AE. I feel the movie got a bum rap when it came out, in spite the research that was done, & the time taken for the layout & plot to make the story a good one. The Bottom Line? Both of these books were were an adventure to read.

Released in 2000 preceding the movie on which it is based- "Titan AE"- "Cale's Story" is 181 pages long, paperback only, and an all-around good movie-based novel. Or prequel novel. Regardless, it is a good read and an outstanding value. I got mine for a penny. Four dollars in shipping and a penny. Even if this was a terrible novel- though it isn't- you would hardly have much to complain about with a price like that.

Anyway, "Titan AE: Cale's Story" tells the story of- no, I'll try that again. It tells us the *background* of Cale Tucker, son of the great human scientist and inventor, Sam Tucker. Sam placed his son on another ship just moments before blasting into space on the "Titan", a ship with unknown- but very significant- abilities, and has not been seen since. "Cale's Story" familiarises us with this and Cale's bitterness over his father's failure to ever return, despite his promise that he would. It introduces us to Tek, an alien scientist who was a good friend of Cale's father, and becomes Cale's foster father after the evacuation and destruction of Earth. Also introduced is Iji, Tek's adopted daughter.

Iji's story I found every bit as interesting as Cale's. She first appears to be an annoying pest, then annoying pest of a sister, and then finally just a sister. Cale saves her life when a group of Human drifter colonists threaten to kill her during a run-in on Tau-14, the salvage station Cale works at early in the film. Cale gives up his father's ring as a trade, losing it but convincing the drifters to free Iji. This deeply moves Iji, since she knows what the ring meant to Cale, and further worsens Cale's already dubious view of drifter colonies. His obvious disdain for them in the movie is well-documented here.

When the book ends, Cale is newly-arrived on Tau-14, and Tek is residing there with him, having used reclaimed portions of Professor Tucker's research to begin restoring his pollution-ruined homeworld, while Iji is away at school. Tek's work on his home planet brings up an interesting theme, by the way- Humanity had its world taken away by the Drej, but the Vusstrans neglected and wasted theirs as they expanded among the stars. Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta may have intended to hint something there.

Overall, this inexpensive novel is well-written and interesting. If you liked the movie as much as I did, you can hardly go wrong in purchasing a copy of this novel.

Cale's Story is a rather grand book which extends the reader's knowledge further into the world (or universe) which has been created by the many makers of Titan A.E. There is an element of suspense at several key parts of the book which is sure to get the reader excited! I recommend this book to any science-fiction lover along with the 2 other books written to tie-in with the movie.