Review of “Starcross,” by Philip Reeve
“Starcross,” by Philip Reeve is a fantastic adventure story set in an alternate reality Victorian world in which airships sail the “aether,” taking passengers to the most distant parts of the solar system.
Art Mumby and his sister Myrtle live a rather exciting and unusual life. Indeed that is to be expected when your mother is a “five thousand million year old entity from another star” and creator of your solar system. Art and Myrtle discovered their mother’s secret past in “Larklight,” book one of the Larklight series. When their mother stepped in to save the universe from an invasion of giant spiders, she did it with her usual grace and careful calmness. However, it left Myrtle embarrassed by the fact that her mother is different, and it left Art wondering would happen next.
Fortunately, Art doesn’t have to wait long before he and his family once again become involved in a fantastic struggle to save the universe. It starts with a simple invitation to a new resort hotel in the Asteroid Belt. The hotel, called Starcross, advertises “sea bathing” and other comforts typically unknown to life in the airy expanses of aether beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Intrigued, Art and his family accept the invitation and set off on an aether ship to Starcross. The resort is very posh, with the finest of dining, and every luxury imaginable. And strangest of all, it really does have sea bathing. Once a day, “the tide comes in” and the hotel is surrounded by perfect seas, something which should be impossible in space.
It doesn’t take long for Art and his mother to figure it out. Once a day Starcross is sucked back in time millions of years to a time when it was not an asteroid, but a chunk of rock on the surface of Mars near an ocean. The question is, how is this happening?
By the time Art and his sister Myrtle stumble upon the secret it is too late. Someone, has retrieved the Shapeshifter engine, a powerful machine that Art’s mother used to create the solar system. Not only are they using it to transport Starcross back and forth in time, but they also have another plan in the works: the opening of a time portal to the distant future, where a swarm of intelligent hats waits to take over the universe.
A few of these hats have already managed to slip through time. Now they are disguised as ordinary apparel, top hats, cravats, and scarves. But once they are put on they feed on a person’s thoughts and control his or her body.
Will Art, Myrtle, and their mother be able to stop these deadly monsters before they take over the universe?
Philip Reeve has done a phenomenal job writing “Starcross.” If anything, “Starcross” is even better than “Larklight.” The alternate Victorian setting is superbly defined. Every aspect of the unique world is carefully crafted, from the distant space colonies, to the sailing aether ships that cross the expanses, to the space railroads linking the separate worlds of the Asteroid Belt. In “Starcross” the solar system has been conquered by British ingenuity.
The characters in “Starcross” are all very British. They are never too busy saving the world to stop for a cup of tea. Overall, I really like the way Philip Reeve has given his characters such a unique feel.
“Starcross” is superb in every respect, from the amazing world and sensitive characters, to the exciting plot. I definitely recommend it to readers who like science fiction fantasy.
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