Heartbroken after his best friend was paid off to throw their championship game, the Taiko Miners' Ultraball (read: space football) captain Shinzo "Strike" Sazaki sets out to find a new player. He can't help but recruit Boom, despite the fact that she's from a reclusive society none of the United Colonies trusts e's too good at the game to pass up. If she's not the traitor rumors suggest she is, she's their only shot at winning, and this season the stakes are higher than ever: a bet hangs in the balance that could secure the well-being of the impoverished Taiko colony or doom them all. In between the fart jokes and extended play-by-plays, Chen's debut also delivers a smart and subtle exploration of socioeconomic inequality. Sf and sports readers alike will enjoy the futuristic dystopia Chen has created and the relatable cast of kids trying to save it. Fans of Mike Lupica, Dan Gutman, and Tim Green looking to get their feet wet in sf should be directed to this series opener.

Adventure and sports abound in this post-apocalyptic sci-fi debut.It has been 10 years since Earthfall, and the human race, now all dark skinned with black hair, lives in moon colonies, some named from an assortment of East Asian or Middle Eastern derivations. Shinzo "Strike" Sazaki is captain of Taiko Colony's Ultraball team. It's a sport similar to football but played in mechanical Ultrabot suits that enhance players' physical capabilities. Teams compete for colony pride, and the champions are set for life with fame and fortune. Strike is obsessed with winning this year, his past seasons having been marred by traitors paid off by Zuna, the corrupt governor of North Pole Colony, the richest one on the moon. When a talented player named Boom shows up from the mysterious Dark Side of the moon, Strike reluctantly recruits her despite doubts of her loyalty. Soon secrets begin to unravel, and the team finds itself playing for the survival of their entire colony. While there are plenty of twists to keep readers guessing, inconsistencies in the worldbuilding may have readers puzzling over the lunar political landscape, and occasional odd word choices jar the flow of text. Despite this, every Ultraball game is tightly written with great clarity.Though a bit loosey-goosey off the field, this series opener is still an intriguing hybrid of football and sci-fi with plenty of butt jokes. (Science fiction. 10-14)

Gr 3-7 In the year 2352, Earth has fallen from nuclear disaster and the United Moon Colonies are what's left of humanity. Ultraball, a sport similar to football involving child-players in high-tech space suits, is the main source of entertainment on the moon. Strike, the quarterback for the Taiko Miners, has a lot at stake. He must win the Ultrabowl for his colony or risk the colony's possible extinction. When a mysterious Dark Sider, a non-colonist who lives on the dark side of the moon, tries out for the team and offers to help them win the Ultrabowl, Strike must decide whether his new teammate can be trusted. Part science fiction, part sports story, Chen's novel portrays a dystopian world where not all colonies are equal and some are run in a police state. The backstory about what happened on Earth and the history of the political climate of the Moon are left unanswered. Fart jokes and cheesy banter makes this well suited for a middle school audience. The ending sets up the premise for the next book in the series. VERDICT Consider for sports fans who like their action with a sci-fi twist. Ashley Leffel, Griffin Middle School, Frisco, TX