Books, Bad Boys & Tattoos

Book description: Six teens struggle to discover the source of their strange and horrific abilities in this first book of The Star Shards Chronicles.

Dillon has the terrifying power to create massive amounts of destruction with the slightest tweak of his will. Deanna is so consumed by fear, it has become like a black hole, drawing to her the very things that terrify her. Then, when the glare of a supernova sixteen light-years away illuminates the night sky, they have a vision: There are six of them out there, all teenagers, and all suffering from supernatural afflictions that disfigure their bodies and souls. Only by finding one another will the six ever be strong enough to defeat these mysterious forces that, bit by bit, are devouring their souls from the inside out.

4 out of 5 stars.

Could I just hug Mr. Shusterman right now? The urge to hug and thank him for this skillfully-written book is as hard to resist as Dillon's wrecking-hunger. I swear I couldn't think of any more appraisal for this book. The writing style is utterly savvy and the characters are just so superb!

The book's divided into several parts, each part carefully designed not to overwhelm the reader especially with an intricate storyline like this. 

One thing I love about this book is that every sentence and dialogue are interrelated, it's as if Shusterman couldn't afford wasting a statement. He clearly explains each scene and event through his characters, which makes it definitely comprehensible to the reader. He doesn't recklessly inject scenes just to make each picture colorful. The scenes he throws in are very much relevant, no matter how trivial it may be. No such things as beating around the bush, or skimming on the surface, crazy stuff like that.

Most people will find scientific explanations in a fiction book a tad bit too much to take in. But Shusterman is just the person who makes science talks enjoyable.

There is also a reason behind his characters' complexity. Most authors nowadays create characters with specific backgrounds because they have to, for the sake of having a plot. But Shusterman's characterization is the plot itself. Skimming through the pages I pondered why Dillon and Deanna seem to be of much importance in the story and why the four others are somehow just minor characters when the story's supposed to be about them all, all six. And then Shusterman once again plays with me when I discover the answer midway through...Dillon and Deanna are the plot twist, the missing pieces not only to these shards of the Scorpion star's tail (otherwise these beyond normal juveniles) but to the story as well. 

And of course, the thing that I always look for in books: genius characters, okay, maybe not as brilliant as Einstein but brainy enough to figure out the solutions to their obstacles. Dillon and Tory, goodness gracious, I love their impressive intellect. Tory's is for getting them through these extreme challenges as they weave through the unveiling of their mysterious lives while Dillon's is exactly what a criminal mind is. I love smartass characters, making me love this book all the more.

Over all the book is quite impressive and worth-reading. It's a short read but I wouldn't say this is a fun and light one. I recommend this to sci-fi fanatics like me, especially those who are into astrophysics. I've a lot to say about this book but I rather you read the book instead. 

Why I didn't give it a perfect rating is somehow personal. I am deeply offended by Shusterman's portrayal of God in the story. I know, I know, books of today practically question God's existence. But hey, I'm a believer in God, and as one, I don't like it when people almost insist that God is unjust let alone nonexistent. There are also minimal errors in spelling and grammar but I don't think there's any other writer who can ever be at par with Shusterman's writing style in terms of organization of thoughts and most importantly, efficiency.