Devastation Class by Glen Zipper and Elaine Mongeon

An annihilation force of invading aliens. Human civilization on the brink of extinction. Earth’s only hope—seven cadets and the legendary starship they were never meant to command. No matter the cost, they will stop at nothing to survive. No matter the odds, they will fight to save their future.

The distant future. Earth’s Alliance forces have emerged victorious from a brutal nine-year war with the mysterious Kastazi—a vicious, highly advanced alien race. In the dawn of a new peace, the Alliance Devastation Class starship California embarks on a mission of science and learning with a skeleton crew of seasoned officers, civilian students, and inexperienced military cadets in tow.

For JD Marshall and Viv Nixon, gifted cadets and best friends, the mission holds special meaning: It offers an opportunity to prove themselves and begin to escape the long shadows of their legendary war hero parents.

Suddenly ambushed by a second wave of invading Kastazi forces, JD and Viv make the impossible decision to spearhead a mutiny to save the California and everyone on it. In command and quickly out of options, they are forced to activate the ship's prototype Blink Reactor—an experimental technology they expect to send them to the safe, distant reaches of space. When their escape transports them to a reality they don’t recognize and reveals unimaginably terrifying secrets, they must fight their way home to save not just everyone they love but also humanity itself. Standing in their way are an insurmountable enemy, saboteurs from within, a mystery eons in the making, and the fabric of time and space itself.

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Look at that amazing cover, people. Drink it in.

I don't have very much to say about this. It's fun, it's interesting, the characters are good, but it takes a long time for anything to happen - the book's half over before the things described in the blurb happen - and the 'twists' are pretty obvious. It took a while before I figured out the different groups and what was going on, too, but the explanations do eventually come.

I did enjoy this. It's a good read, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book when it comes out to see what happens next. Hopefully now that all the set up is out of the way, things will progress faster. To be fair, there was a lot to get set up and ready in this one, so maybe it was unavoidable. I'd love to see this televised! I think it could be a great show. It's very cinematic.

A good read; I recommend it to fans of sci fi or teen dramas.

Devastation Class publishes on the 8th September, 2020.