The Pioneer by Bridget Tyler

After an accident caused Jo to give up her dreams of being a pilot, she feels lost. But when she arrives on the planet of Tau Ceti E, she is excited for a fresh start on a seemingly perfect new planet. However, everyone seems to be hiding something- a secret about the planet itself. When a ship crashes and Jo is forced to make First Contact with two sentient alien species she wasn't told about, disaster strikes. Humanity is caught up in a war between aliens, and Jo must make it back to base camp to make sure they don't make it worse.

I enjoyed reading this novel. Many of the ideas and the story of interstellar travel and sentience were very interesting to read about. The story was also very captivating- there was a lot of suspense and action, along with betrayal and chaos. However, I felt as if the story finished off as a cliffhanger- which might be remedied by a second book. Also, some parts of the novel felt too shallow or unrealistic, but it was still a fun read. People who like space travel, aliens, and futuristic action would probably like this book. Overall, I would recommend this book to people who want a great, action-packed read.

Reviewed by NK, Grade 10
Montrose Library