Sylo

Maine islander Tucker Pierce is sitting on the bench at a high school football gamewhen the star running back drops dead. Before Tucker knows what's happening, he's been introduced to Ruby, a mysterious substance that changes the user into a superhuman. It also killed his teammate. Shortly after, a mysterious military force, Sylo, invades the island and people are rounded up or killed outright. Tucker and Tory, a lobsterman's daughter, realize something is terribly wrong and they must reach the mainland so the rest of the world can hear what's happening. Mysterious planes engage the U.S. Navy in wild battles, Tory gets shot, and they have a wild ride through a naval blockade. There are minor plot holes, some strong language, and the main characters use the same exclamations a bit too frequently. None of these detract from how gripping the story is, thanks in large part to Andrew S. Bates's excellent narration.—John R. Clark, Hartland Public Library, ME