Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

In this trilogy closer, a group of teens fights their final battle against intergalactic foes.Picking up where Born To Run (2019) left off with its nail-biting cliffhanger, siblings Samantha and Wyatt Erickson are trying to find each other across vast galaxies. Sam and girlfriend Mia escape from an interstellar prison while Wyatt and friend Adiva fly across the cosmos to save them. Sam believes her parents are alive and presumes to have found the prison where inmates are forced to fight in an alien civil war. The maliciously evil extraterrestrial known as the Sheriff, now sick with a mutating virus, is in close pursuit of the Ericksons. As the tension ratchets up with a ferocious intensity, they face off for the ultimate battle, which both profoundly thrills and devastates with its bittersweet conclusion. Walz's series has been consistently fantastic, with its inclusive worldbuilding and electrifying pacing coupled with dazzling, cinematically styled art. Throughout the series, the characters have explored what it means to be labeled "useless," affirming the intrinsic value of those considered lesser for being different by small-minded bigots (in this case, virulent, war-hungry aliens). The team that saves the day encompasses a broad spectrum of identities: Sam, neurodiverse Wyatt, and Harper, Wyatt's Deaf girlfriend, present White; Mia is cued as Latinx; and Adiva is a brown-skinned, hijabi Muslim girl from the U.S. South.An affecting and unforgettable SF series with heart. (Graphic science fiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

In this trilogy closer, a group of teens fights their final battle against intergalactic foes.Picking up where Born To Run (2019) left off with its nail-biting cliffhanger, siblings Samantha and Wyatt Erickson are trying to find each other across vast galaxies. Sam and girlfriend Mia escape from an interstellar prison while Wyatt and friend Adiva fly across the cosmos to save them. Sam believes her parents are alive and presumes to have found the prison where inmates are forced to fight in an alien civil war. The maliciously evil extraterrestrial known as the Sheriff, now sick with a mutating virus, is in close pursuit of the Ericksons. As the tension ratchets up with a ferocious intensity, they face off for the ultimate battle, which both profoundly thrills and devastates with its bittersweet conclusion. Walz's series has been consistently fantastic, with its inclusive worldbuilding and electrifying pacing coupled with dazzling, cinematically styled art. Throughout the series, the characters have explored what it means to be labeled "useless," affirming the intrinsic value of those considered lesser for being different by small-minded bigots (in this case, virulent, war-hungry aliens). The team that saves the day encompasses a broad spectrum of identities: Sam, neurodiverse Wyatt, and Harper, Wyatt's Deaf girlfriend, present White; Mia is cued as Latinx; and Adiva is a brown-skinned, hijabi Muslim girl from the U.S. South.An affecting and unforgettable SF series with heart. (Graphic science fiction. 12-18)

School Library Journal (Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2021)

Gr 4-8 Earth, in Walz's "Last Pick" universe, is a grim and dismal planet where humans viewed as useful were abducted while the "unworthy" (those under 16 and/or disabled) are left to toil under the oppressive rule of the Alien Federation. Originally deemed useless at the beginning of an alien invasion a few years ago (as depicted in the graphic novels Last Pick and Last Pick: Born To Run), twins Sam and Wyatt Erickson started a revolution. Sam, having turned 16, was taken by the aliens, while Wyatt, who appears to be on the autism spectrum, was left behind. Accompanied by an alien guide named Jackie and a human named Adiva, he travels intergalactically to plead with the aliens to free the humans. Wyatt and Sam's plan sparks a dangerous, high-stakes war. Wyatt not only uncovers a secret that might alter the entire universe but also sharpens his leadership abilities. This is an adventure-filled sci-fi novel that sensitively highlights the humanity and heroism of those whom society sees as marginalized or unimportant. The characters in this dystopian landscape simply exist in their identities, free of stereotypes, while acknowledging the challenges they faceAdiva, who is Muslim, describes the discrimination she faces. Sam is in a same-sex relationship; Wyatt's friend-turned-girlfriend is deaf. Sam and Wyatt are white, while Adiva is brown-skinned and wears a headscarf. A muted palette of green, browns, black, and grays, punctuated by pops of bright colors, helps convey mood and tone. VERDICT Walz brings his trilogy to a satisfying conclusion. A must for fans of the earlier installments.Tamela Chambers, Chicago P.L.