Sci-Fi With Heart, Purpose, and Characters You Root For
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started Starpoint Center: Class Zero, but I ended up genuinely enjoying this book.
The story follows twelve very different cadets who make up the first class at Starpoint Space Training Center. They all arrive incredibly talented in their own ways, but it doesn’t take long to realize that being good at what you do and being ready for space are two very different things. This was probably my favorite part of the story. This isn’t a story just about learning orbital navigation, engineering, medicine, and survival. It’s about learning to trust other people, recognizing your own weaknesses, figuring out where you fit within a team, and becoming someone other people can depend on when everything goes wrong.
I also really enjoyed that the characters come into Starpoint with completely different strengths and backgrounds. Some of them surprised me, and watching the relationships between the cadets change as the training became more difficult kept me invested in their individual stories as much as the larger plot.
There is also a spiritual side woven throughout the book that gives it a little more depth than I normally expect from science fiction. It made parts of the story feel less like Can humans make it farther into space? and more like Who do we need to become before we’re ready to go there?
I had the opportunity to read the full manuscript while working with the author, and this was one I genuinely enjoyed. If you like character-driven sci-fi, space exploration, found-family/team dynamics, and stories that make you think a little along the way, I definitely recommend giving Starpoint Center: Class Zero a read.
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Disclosure: I had the pleasure of working with the author professionally and was compensated for my time. But want to be clear the thought’s and opinions in this review are my own.