MOONSTORM Moonstorm, Book 1

Korean American Ami Park ably voices Yoon Ha Lee's space opera, incorporating the character names and gender-neutral pronouns naturally, allowing listeners to more easily follow the story. Ten-year-old Hwajinn is saved by a Lancer pilot after being the only survivor of an Imperial attack on her rebel moon. Five years later, she's become Hwa Young, a loyal servant of the Empire who is determined to fly a Lancer of her own. When rebels attack, she's dismayed but acts quickly, saving her schoolmates. A shortage of pilot candidates leaves all of them, including her nemesis and the class clown, equally unprepared for the realities of battle but desperately needed. Park skillfully conveys Hwa's anxiety and determination. E.J.F. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2025]