ALA Booklist (Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

The author-illustrator team behind Varjak Paw (2003) reunites for this mystical sf adventure about a boy with the power to save his galaxy from the Wolf That Eats the Stars, an encroaching void caused by the war between humans and alien Axxa. In his dreams, Lucky travels among the stars and listens to their songs, but when he wakes, everything around him is covered in ashes. Before his mother is able to explain what's happening, she is killed, and Lucky winds up fleeing the planet on an alien starship. Lucky and the Axxa crew are reluctant to travel together, but as they search for Lucky's lost father, who may hold the key to his powers, they learn their differences are less striking than their similarities. The narrative and evocative artwork come together to form an inspirational tale of embracing empathy and fighting despair, couched in a familiar "chosen-one" arc, that works both as an allegory and a straightforward adventure. McKean's stylized illustrations add to the mythic tone of Lucky's transformative experience.

Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

When a "crack in the sky, shaped like a V" appears above human boy Lucky's home on remote moon Phoenix, his terrified mother bundles him away on a ship with alien Axxa for a clandestine journey through the universe--and into the human-vs.-Axxa war. McKean's trippy black-and-white illustrations evoke reverence for the expansive universe and play with Said's unique, staccato text.

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

Said reunites with his Varjak Paw collaborator, McKean, for an SF adventure that favors an elaborate cosmology over science, as Lucky, a boy of mysterious parentage, discovers that it-s up to him to save the galaxy from destruction. There is no shortage of enmity between humans and the extraterrestrial creatures they dismiss simply as -Aliens,- and the two sides are engaged in a devastating war in which entire suns are going supernova and collapsing into black holes. Lucky barely escapes from his home moon on an alien starship, losing his single mother in the process, and he soon learns that the aliens are far less different from humans than he had been taught, and that neither side of the conflict is in the right. Powerful and ancient beings known as the Astraeus are helpless against a growing evil force, and Lucky must use his own unexplained, newly awakening superpowers to end the war. Coincidences abound in Said-s story, but the plentiful intergalactic action should easily hold readers- attention, and McKean-s haunting illustrations strongly support the mystical nature of the adventure. Ages 10-up. (Oct.)

School Library Journal (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

Gr 6 Up-When Lucky wakes to a scorched bedsheet and the smell of smoke, his mother begins frantically packing his things. She rushes him out of their apartment and to a nearby space station, hoping to catch a flight off Phoenix, the moon they call home. Although desperately asking questions, Lucky can't get his mother to tell him what's wrong, and he is appalled when, after all flights off Phoenix are canceled, she accepts the help of a group of aliens known as Axxa, with whom humans are at war. But learning to trust the four Axxa offering him travel on their ship is only the beginning of Lucky's trek across the war-torn galaxy. He is the key to the conflict between humans and aliens; he just doesn't know it yet. Built around Axxa legends of the Twelve Astraeus, this sci-fi novel follows Lucky from one solar system to the next; Said creates not just a new religion and planet but multiple galaxies with a star at the heart of each, all connected to the Axxa pantheon. As the characters travel, revelations old and new slowly unravel and the secrets of Lucky's own past untangle. However, despite a fleshed-out narrative, captivating black-and-white illustrations, and themes of equality, connection, healing, and creation, Lucky's severe lack of self-confidence and general slow-wittedness may leave readers frustrated and make it difficult to form a bond with him. VERDICT For patient sci-fi fans searching for new characters in a unique world. Maggie Mason Smith, Clemson University, SC

Voice of Youth Advocates

With his father in the army somewhere in the galaxy and his mother full of secrets she will not reveal, Lucky longs to go offworld among the stars. In a dream, he swims towards a singing star, only to wake up covered with ashes. He incinerated his clothes and sheets in his sleep. His mother recognizes the danger and they flee, for Shadow Guards, government agents, are after them. Lucky and his mother secure passage offworld aboard an Axxa ship. The Axxa have cloven hooves and tall horns, and are considered devils. Axxa and humans are at war, and the Axxa living in human space are displaced refugees with no rights. Lucky meets Frollix and Bixa, an Axxa brother and sister team ready to leave the planet. As Shadow Guards hunt for Lucky, he must master his strange fire curse before the fire devours him, while finding his missing father at the far end of the galaxy. With enemies on both sides, can Lucky count on Bixa and Frollix?A well-crafted science fiction novel, Said takes the reader on an identity quest while packing in action and adventure. The world-building is seamless and integrates perfectly with the story. The main characters are well defined and feature rich and varied motivations to which readers can easily relate. The ending is not the typical happily-ever-after affair, but rather a bittersweet conclusion to Lucky's search. Similar to Fonda Lee's Zeroboxer, science fiction fans and those who enjoy action novels will devour this book with fantastic artwork. Recommend it to most readers, as they are bound to discover something they like about this galactic adventure.Etienne VallÚe.This is the tale of a boy who has a secret he does not even know he has, and he is trying to survive in the middle of a galactic war. The author creates many cliffhangers in this story. Despite the setting, the reader can easily relate to all the characters. The ending is atypical yet satisfying. Readers who enjoy science fiction will like Lucky's story, brought to life even more by the illustrations throughout the book. 4Q, 4P.Kobi Dostie, Teen Reviewer.