Synopsis: This is a series of 14 books for middle grades, but I love, love, love these books. I’ll review them all together here since each book on its own is tiny. The series starts of in a 2001 view of 2011. The technology isn’t all that on par with what we have now, but the train of thought was about right.

The main characters learn that there is an asteroid headed towards earth that is big enough to literally rip the planet apart. The only hope is getting onto a ship that is going to be shot into the universe with just a hope and a prayer.

Centuries later, the survivors wake up, having landed in a strange landscape that is unlike anything they’ve known. Many of the people on the ship didn’t survive, and now there are only a handful of humans left. They’re faced with aliens, a sentient space ship, super powers and constantly life threatening situations.

Review: If I had ever been an eight year old boy I would have LOVED this series. The eighteen year old girl me was pretty into it too, and I still am. This series has everything. I don’t really read a lot of sci fi but this is the epitome of the genre for me. Not that this is the best sci fi series I’ve ever read, but this series embodies what sci fi can be for children.

There are a wide range of characters in this series, a few of who are definitely darker individuals. A lot of this series is darker than what I would have thought the middle grade genre usually covers. Deception and self serving acts are everywhere, there is even an evil baby with empty eye sockets, MAJORLY creepy.

The alien’s are actually pretty, well, alien, which I like. They aren’t just super humans from a different planet. Sometimes aliens need a second head and a hover board.

One thing that did big me about this series is that a little too much goes unanswered by the end of the series. I’m all for leaving a bit up to the imagination, but sometimes you really do need answers.

K.A. Applegate is best known for her Animorphs series (interestingly enough, that’s being rereleased) but I think Remnants is the stronger work by far. She’s also done a mythology based series, Everworld which I will probably cover later on as I haven’t read them the three or four times I’ve read these. Anyways, if you haven’t caught it yet, I highly recommend this entire series. ESPECIALLY if these aren’t usually the kind of books you read. There is an epic in these books, and you’re missing out if you don’t go along for the ride.

Rating: