Polaris by Mindee Arnett (Avalon #2)

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teen criminals are free from Hammer, and Jeth finally has ownership of Avalon, his parents' spaceship. However, their troubles are far from over. Jeth's mother is still in danger, and the ITA will do anything to get their hands on Jeth's little sister, Cora. Cora hold the secret to saving metatech, the technology that allows people to travel through space faster than light. Without their control of metatech, the ITA will no longer have their unquestioned power. In any case, Jeth's quest to save his friends and family leads him back to Dax, a man who has taken Hammer's place in the criminal underworld. Dax agrees to help Jeth, but his aid comes at a heavy price. Jeth and the others also have to work with a rival gang leader named Trouble, a girl with secrets and a desperate quest of her own.

Jeth changed a lot in Polaris, and I can wholeheartedly say that I like him a bit better now. For starters, one condition on which Dax helps him is that Jeth must be fitted with a black implant, which means that Dax can exert his will on the boy and make him do whatever he wants. Jeth can still think for himself, and he can remove the implant at will, which he does. At first. With the implant, Jeth is stronger and faster, and he heals much more quickly. Jeth also can communicate with others that also have a black implant. To make matters worse, his body is also used to it, and he craves it when he's not wearing it. On one hand, he doesn't want to give in and wear it 24/7 because it would give Dax power over him. On the other hand, it helps him. It makes for a very interesting conflict.

I was troubled by how angry Jeth is now, too. He resents his mother for leaving him and Lizzie, his younger sister, to fend for themselves. Jeth is also hurt and angry about two members of his crew that betray him. When they do, however, he's strong and firmly kicks them off Avalon. Jeth needs to be able to trust his team, a trait that I can sympathize with. I think that he's stronger now, and I like the depth that his moral conflict over the implant adds to the story.

Trouble was a new character that interested me. Her real name is Aileen, and she's one of the few people who has ever come this close to besting Jeth and his crew. She's clever, planning carefully, but also does things that are in her best interest, such as when she jumps from employer to employer depending on what she needs. Trouble is a glib, cocky girl who's constantly bantering back and forth with Jeth and a total adrenaline junky who takes on missions more for the thrill and adventure than the money. The paycheck is a nice bonus, though. However, she cares more about people than she lets on and feels guilty about the way she hurts people close to Jeth. (No spoilers.) I think she's a fierce, strong sort-of-heroine. One of the major things I like about her is her love of adventure over money, something that has been uncommon in the book so far. It helps her stand out, and it's nice to see that someone is doing things that make her happy.

I adored this sequel! Polaris had all the action, thrilling twists, and off-the-charts suspense that Avalon did with its fighting and chase scenes and unpredictable, fast-paced plot. I couldn't even try to guess what would happen next! The characters in this book feel very real and strong, from Jeth, who would do anything to protect his crew, to villains like Saar, a ITA general who is undoubtedly sick in the head. The space world of Avalon and Polaris is creative and original, and I'm going to dearly miss it. If there was anything that could have been done better, I would have liked more character development. Jeth grew and changed, but I'd like to see something with the other people in this story. I was satisfied by the ending of this duology, and I look forwards to reading more great books by Mindee in the future! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sci-fi and non-stop action. 4.5/5 stars.

#space #crimeandmystery #scifi #steampunkmachinesandtechnology