The Exo Project

Gr 9 Up—Heat and radiation have risen to severe levels on ecologically bankrupt Earth. The global government, OmniCore, has developed a plan, the Exo Project, to find a new, habitable planet. Desperate for money, 17-year-old Matthew enters a lottery and winds up being cryogenically frozen so that he can join a three-person crew who are sent to Planet H-240, 100 light years away. The story is told primarily from two viewpoints: those of Matthew and Kiva, one of the Vagri natives on planet H-240 (known locally as Gle'ah). Matthew and Kiva have some depth as characters, but most of the supporting cast members are thinly drawn. The novel also lacks creative world-building: Gle'ah seems very similar to Earth, with breathable air, grassy prairies, and comfortable temperatures. The Vagri are so similar to humans in temperament and physical construction that mating is possible. There are points of tension: Will Matthew alert OmniCore that Planet H-240 will support human life? Will the Vagri outcasts kill the Strangers?