Falling BAKward – Henry Melton

©2009 Wire Rim Books, Hutto, Texas

In 2008, Henry Melton received the Darrell award for Emperor Dad, the first of his Small Towns, Big Ideas stories. And now he wows us with another installment. And again he doesn’t disappoint. Set in Chamberlain, South Dakota, this YA interstellar tale will have you racing to get to the end, just to see how it turns out.

Jerry Ingram is just digging for Indian artifacts, hoping to make an important discovery. What he doesn’t count on is discovering strange new worlds and new civilizations – in his dad’s sunflower fields.

I have been impressed with Melton’s writing since I discovered him about a year ago. I’ve come to expect the best from his stories, his characters, and his conflicts. In Falling BAKward, the sci-fi aficionado will be well pleased to find alien races, intergalactic wars, telepathic communication, espionage, and even strange languages of the aliens.

The only distraction that I found in this book was the extensive use of the Bak language. However, much of this was interpreted at one point or another in the book. My suggestions for the avid reader—get this book and enjoy. You have opportunity to read it in traditional trade paperback form or in a variety of e-book options. If you get the TPB you get to enjoy the story and the coool cover art as well.

Here’s four more reading glasses for the master of YA SF.

—Benjamin Potter, April 9, 2009