School Library Journal Starred Review

Gr 4-6 Following the catastrophic Battle of 624, Hektor, the Jovian Union outlawed space piracy but offered letters of marque to any pirates who were willing to turn privateer. The Hashoone family accepted the offer and their starship has been harrying Earth merchant ships ever since. Tycho, 12, is at the helm as the Comet captures what seems to be an ordinary freighter. When the privateer boarding party tries to collect its prize, the freighter claims to be on a diplomatic mission, but the "diplomat" looks more like a seedy space tough than a respectable Earth official. Tycho's mother, the privateer captain, decides to take the captured ship—and the case—to the admiralty court at the neutral settlement on Ceres. There, the Hashoones learn that more than 100 doubtful "diplomatic credentials" have been issued recently. Moreover, 16 Jovian vessels have mysteriously disappeared. The Comet and crew are recruited to investigate—a dangerous mission that risks their vessel and their lives—and could force the Jovian Union and Earth back into open warfare. This is space opera in the classic style—ultracool technology, sinister interplanetary intrigue, and thrilling space-battle action. Necessary background information is seamlessly integrated into the story, creating a fully realized future world. While Tycho is the main focus, the other members of the Hashoone clan are interesting in their own right. Half-cyborg Grandpa Huff is a particularly fascinating character. A barely reformed old pirate who yearns for the good old days, he provides moments of comic relief, but also represents a link to family history. There's plenty of sci-fi action, and readers will admire and envy the respect and responsibility that adult characters give to Tycho and his crew members.— Elaine E. Knight, formerly at Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

ALA Booklist

Life on the starship Shadow Comet is never dull. As privateers for the Jovian Union, the Hashoone family makes its living by seizing the cargos of enemy ships. After discovering a suspicious passenger aboard a captured ship, the Jovian Union enlists the Comet and her crew to help the government stop a cleverly disguised plot against the Jovian people. Captained by their mother, the three Hashoone children are in constant competition to one day win command of the Comet,and their dynamic is fun to watch as they balance their roles in the family with their roles as crew members. Battle tactics feature prominently in the narrative, providing a close look at the strategy behind the story's action. Ship schematics and a glossary are also included to make readers feel at home. The first title in the Jupiter Pirates series mixes old-fashioned swashbuckling with laser cannons and politics, resulting in an exciting read with a dash of intrigue ink Star Wars meets Treasure Island.

Horn Book

Tycho and his family are privateers, plundering Earth cargo ships in Jovian space while uncovering a conspiracy that could jeopardize their livelihood. Tycho must confront enemy pirates, overcome sibling rivalries, and learn if he has what it takes to be a leader. Mystery, cloak and dagger operations, and action keep readers turning the pages as they follow Tycho's personal growth.

Kirkus Reviews

A high-seas pirate adventure is transformed, straight up, into space opera. Tycho Hashoone has been vying with his twin sister, Yana, and older brother, Carlo, to be the next hereditary captain of his family's privateer, Shadow Comet, all his life. Though he's only 12, he's already taking watches on the bridge and leading boarding parties of tattooed "crewers" armed with blasters and laser "musketoons" to capture prize ships. In this series opener, he also pitches in to unmask a scheme by His Majesty's Sovereign Government of Earth and the nefarious Earth corporation GlobalRex to infiltrate the independent Jovian Union with hundreds of piratical "diplomats." Fry plays a little fast and loose with astrophysics and gives this story set 300 years in the future a steampunk edge: Among other impossibilities, the Comet turns upside down in space, and gunnery crews "fling open the Comet's gunports and winch the barrels of her weapons out through the hull." He also loads up his supporting cast with colorful characters and his nonstop yarn with hot action or its imminent prospect. As Tycho's cyborg grandpa, a semiretired pirate who clanks about brandishing the blaster cannon that has replaced his lost forearm puts it: "Arrr." (glossary of nautical and pirate lingo) (Steampunk. 10-12)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

In this kickoff to the Jupiter Pirates series, strained diplomatic relations between Earth and the Jovian Union exacerbate the dangers of interplanetary space travel, as well as the livelihood of the Hashoones, a family of privateers. Twelve-year-old Tycho and his siblings compete for their mother-s approval, as only one of them can succeed her as captain of the Shadow Comet; however, they also work together to pilot the Comet and capture other ships. Fry, the author of numerous Star Wars-themed books, combines the futuristic with classic touches that hearken back to Earth (for example, a wig-wearing judge pounds a gavel and checks his mediapad). Technical terms (a glossary is included) and physical challenges add texture to the story. Tycho-s cyborg grandfather Huff and Vesuvia, the Comet-s software program, provide comic relief when they bicker (-What if I engage this blaster cannon in yer cognitive module-), while larger moral questions-such as what constitutes true piracy-bring a degree of gravitas. Danger and political intrigue blend with wholesome family dynamics, making for an entertaining space adventure. Ages 8-12. Agent: Rob McQuilkin, Lippincott Massie McQuilkin. (Jan.)