The Web of Titan
Dom Testa
One common trait people have carried through the years, with a few exceptions, is fear of the unknown. Humans need a comfort zone of the familiar, and when that’s shattered the automatic response is often dread, anxiety, or downright terror.
Take our good friends on the spacecraft called Galahad. Their entire mission is a voyage to the unknown, and it’s unfair to think that an ample dose of fear doesn’t ride along with them. Each day they move farther away from the warm embrace of Earth, and deeper into the infinite void of space. (p. 9, ARC)
Life on Galahad has calmed down considerably since the saboteur was defeated. As the teenagers settle in on their voyage, they quite naturally begin to think and talk about romance. But things are not destined to remain calm. Galahad is close to Saturn where they are asked to pick up a pod from a research station orbiting the planet. They have no idea about what’s in the pod, or about what happened to the people in the research station who mysteriously stopped transmitting to Earth at approximately the same time Galahad left the planet.
When they get the pod in the ship they discover an empty cryogenic chamber and a smaller chamber with a cat inside. They revive the cat, but can’t help but wonder what happened to the human who was obviously meant for the other chamber. In addition, strange things are beginning to happen on board Galahad. Some crewmembers are reporting excruciating headaches, eventually becoming unconscious and then waking up with glowing eyes. And systems aboard the ship are mysteriously malfunctioning, threatening the ship’s survival. Without help from Earth, the crew has to figure out what happened to the original research station in order to try and save their ship.
I really enjoyed the first book of this series, The Comet’s Curse, and I also enjoyed this installment. I especially like the characters – they are diverse both culturally and personality. It will be interesting to see how these characters develop as they progress on their journey. That said, this is a series book and it reads like one. It doesn’t stand alone and you are left waiting for the next installment. I know that the romances on board are important to the development of the characters but I hope that Testa will concentrate on the adventures they will have as they travel to their new home.
The copy of The Web of Titan that I used for this review was an Advanced Reading copy that I received from the author. The Web of Titan will be released on June 29, 2010 . Quotes are from the ARC and should be checked against the final printed copy of the book.
