Taken by Brock D. Eastman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Space sagas are one of the most unexplored genres of Christian fiction for middle grade and young adult readers. Having thoroughly enjoyed Sigmund Brouwer’s Robot Wars series (previously known as the Mars Diaries), I have been waiting for another well-written Christian science fiction adventure. Into this space (no pun intended) comes Brock Eastman with The Quest for Truth series.
In book one, Taken, the Wikk siblings wake up to a nightmare: their parents have vanished, and worse, someone named Captain Vedrik has ambushed their home. The four Wikk siblings must escape and follow the clues left behind in their parents’ journal in order to find them before it’s too late. Along the way, they’ll explore the outer reaches of space and encounter strange creatures on far off planets, all while hoping to stay out of Captain Vedrik’s clutches.
Taken reads much like the first installment in a space serial, with just enough mystery to keep the reader intrigued, while wondering what will happen next. The characters are mostly introduced here, taking time with each of the Wikk siblings to explore who they are in relation to this adventure they’ve embarked upon.
** SLIGHT SPOILER WARNING **
The one downside I see is that by the end of the novel, the heroes end up in roughly the same place they began with a very long side tangent taken by two of the characters that ultimately seems to go nowhere. While Eastman leaves open one possibility for the future, it comes across as though nothing of significance has changed after a good one third of the book takes a turn. Likewise, there are a few threads introduced that have not had any pay off as of yet, leaving the reader needing to read book two to find out what happens next.
** END SPOILER WARNING **
The action is tight, well-written, and enjoyable. While long-time science fiction fans may not be surprised by some of the revelations throughout, overall, this is definitely a fun intergalactic romp with some moments of real danger for the Wikks. For anyone interested in outer space, this is one series worth picking up!