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Talin Kanami was robbed of her voice and her home when the Karensa Federation attacked her country, forcing her and her mother to seek asylum in one of the last free nations of the world. She knows firsthand the brutality of the Federation and what it can do: It’s why she wanted to become a Striker.
The Strikers of Mara are a legendary elite fighting force trained to stop the mutant war-beasts known as Ghosts — gruesome creatures the Federation continually sends to attack Mara. Lately, the number of Ghosts are growing and Karensa is closing in, but Talin refuses to give up hope that they will survive.
When a mysterious prisoner is brought back from the front lines, Talin senses there is something more to him than meets the eye. He refuses to give them any information about who he is or where he’s from. Is he a Federation spy? Or could he be the very weapon they need to destroy the Federation?
Skyhunter is a blend of futuristic sci-fi and postapocalyptic fantasy complete with creepy zombie-like monsters, mad-science experiments, a nation at war, elite teen soldiers, and an enemies-to-friends relationship. And while it feels like nothing new to the genre, it’s also a complicated book that isn’t your typical dystopian or futuristic fantasy.
Darker tones are woven through the book, including racism and the brutality of war. It’s a harsh world familiar with destruction, and Talin herself is mute due to a traumatic event from her childhood. She still struggles with emotional trauma and echoes of PTSD because of it. However, the story also has its high points, focusing on unbreakable friendships, the positive differences between them, and the undefeated desire for freedom that drives a person to fight back against insurmountable odds.
Rated: Moderate, for violence, bloody battles, dark tones, and difficult themes. There are around 10 uses of mild language. A scene in a bathhouse features two characters of opposite genders, but nothing is described.
