Skyboy
A Sci-Fi Action-Adventure novel
A meek immigrant comes into his own with the help of friends in the gripping science fiction novel Skyboy.
In Adam Aresty’s thrilling, futuristic science fiction novel Skyboy, advanced technology can be used for both righteous and immoral motives.
Konstant is a teenager who lives with his sister and uncle. His family immigrated to the United States from a war-torn nation. After his mother’s pandemic death, Konstant is labeled a “carrier” and is forced to wear a red pin denoting his proximity to the virus.
With vaccines only accessible to the ultrawealthy, Konstant decides to enter a technology contest hosted by megacorporation Metronome. His hopes of earning enough money to afford the daily vaccine are challenged as he faces the wrath of a schoolyard bully, Marcos; a competing technology firm; and an unknown informant threatening to destroy him.
The story moves with swift immediacy through moments of suspense and unforeseen plot twists. While Konstant works to find the mole who’s attempting to dismantle Metronome, he teams up with Rose, the daughter of Metronome’s founder. Konstant, Rose, and Konstant’s fellow competitors are thrust into peril on repeat, evading drones, hijacked AI robots, and adults who want them dead. Such action scenes are crucial; the group struggles to determine where the next threat will come from, resulting in continual investment. The greatest revelation comes at the end of the novel, though, after which an even greater uncertainty is born.
The book’s characterizations are multifaceted. At the start of the book, Konstant is meek, uncertain of himself, and plagued by the discrimination he faces as a carrier. When he decides to stand up for himself and reenter the competition, he exemplifies determination and bravery. Other contest entrants face the same upward trajectory thanks to their cooperation and friendships. Indeed, as intense situations arise that require them to work together, Marcos and Konstant’s relationship begins to heal and Marcos transforms from villain to comrade.
Konstant’s relationships with his family members, friends, and his love interest, Rose, are developed via conversations, some of which are stilted. Clichés like “the rest is history” and “look alive” also undermine the story’s realism. Repeating phrases like “jeez” also exist in notable contrast to the book’s quick, exciting action. More compelling are the story’s implicit critiques of wealth disparities and discrimination against immigrants, as well as its projections for the future in the face of unchecked technology.
The complex science fiction novel Skyboy is about what technology can provide and what it can take away.
Reviewed by
Jennifer Maveety
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
