The Abyss Surrounds Us

February 8, 2016
Seventeen-year-old Cassandra Leung has been preparing her whole life to train Reckoners, genetically altered beasts raised to defend the Southern Republic of California's fleet against pirate vessels. Cas's first mission to guard the cruise ship Nereid sounds easy enough, but it quickly turns into a disaster. Her Reckoner, "a big dumb turtle four times the weight of a blue whale," dies, leaving their ship vulnerable, and Cas is taken captive on the pirate ship Minnow. While onboard, she is forced to raise a stolen Reckoner to do the pirates' bidding while learning how to survive among corrupt crewmembers and the merciless captain, Santa Elena. In her debut novel, Skrutskie creates an intriguing fantasy world full of floating cities, ruthless monsters, betrayals, and unlikely friendships. Her dynamic characters come from a slew of ethnic backgrounds, further contributing to a rich landscape. Cas's descent into pirate life is as unexpected as it is full of action, and her journey to find her place on the ship should keep readers riveted. Ages 12âup. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.

Starred review from November 15, 2015
The world's geopolitical balance rests on a genetically modified sea monster and his 17 1/2-year-old trainer. Can she resist the adrenaline rush of a pirate's life to keep the world aright? In Skrutskie's debut, swelling seas and a one-world government rearrange national boundaries. Pirates, quite a few who are born on sovereign flotillas, are the new world threat. The governments hire businesses like the one owned by Cassandra Leung's mom, which create genetically modified sea monsters called Reckoners to destroy the pirates and their vessels. Cassandra, like her dad, trains the aquatic escorts. On her first voyage, her first Reckoner, a terrapoid--a half-turtle, half-marine iguana hybrid "the size of a football field" and named Durga--is killed while trying to protect her assigned ship from the attack of the pirate leader Santa Elena. Cassandra hesitates too long in killing herself, per her dad's instruction in order to keep the proprietary secrets, and Santa Elena captures her. Somehow, the pirate leader secures her own marine escort and coerces Cassandra to rear the creature. Even as the author offers pure speculative fiction, she also gives readers a terrifically believable heroine with Cassandra, who makes some all-too-human decisions to survive. Most fascinatingly, the author creates a multicultural world led by two women of color--Asian-American Cassandra and ethnically ambiguous Santa Elena--who are larger than life without resorting to stereotypes. Personal and cultural complexities distinguish this fresh and fascinating look at a lawless future. (Science fiction. 14 & up)

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February 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Life on the sea is anything but relaxing and safe. Pirates will attack and pillage any unprotected ship they come across. Ships must be ever vigilant to protect their passengers and cargo. To ensure the safety of those traveling by the sea, genetically engineered sea monsters are trained and tasked with protecting the ships. Cassandra Leung is a Reckoner trainer, a trainer of these creatures. Her family has been in this business for years, and Cassandra cannot wait to take her beloved sea monster on their first solo mission. However, her dreams of success are dashed by Santa Elena, a pirate leader with her own agenda. Santa Elena has acquired her own creature and expects Cassandra to train it for evil instead of good. Her sea monster destroyed and Cassandra a captive, the girl must find a way to survive and protect her heritage. Choosing sides becomes more difficult as she becomes deeply engrossed in the pirate lifestyle and develops a kinship and interest in one of the pirates. On whose side will she end up? Skrutskie adeptly creates a fantastical world of ruthless pirates; lovable, deadly creatures; and dynamic characters. Readers will be constantly changing their opinions on which side they're rooting for. VERDICT Sci-fi and adventure fans will enjoy this quick read and escape into a new world.-Jessica Strefling, US Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Library

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2016
Grades 9-12 Decades before Cassandra Leung was born, the world flooded and countries and continents separated, leaving everything covered in water and forcing a new way of life upon all who came after. Cas was raised as a Reckoner trainer, destined to bond with a Reckoner (a genetically modified sea monster) named Durga, whom she will lead in battle against pirates that are part and parcel of life on the sea. But their first time out, Durga is killed and Cas kidnapped by a pirate queen for her skills with the monsters, even though she should have sunk to the bottom of the NeoPacific. Under the threat of certain death, she must train a new Reckoner, named Bao, to defend the pirates against anyone they consider an enemy. She might gain friends, or she might die trying. This is a solid, well-crafted, new adventure story with an interesting, unusual hook. Cas is a tough heroine worth rooting for, and the sea monsters themselves, not the most common of beasts, are sure to pull interest.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)