Joe Shaughnessy

Orion's War Joe Shaughnessy

Invincible - that's how twelve-year-old Ryan feels when he's traveling the galaxy, dodging asteroids, and shooting giant sandworms. He wishes he could live there forever. But first, he needs to survive middle school. Ryan fails another English test and he's flunking school. He's not going to graduate. His home life isn't any better as his mom overdoses on prescription pills, and her drunk boyfriend breaks Ryan's nose. He would do anything to leave his rusted mobile home, but he's afraid of losing his mom in the process. When a librarian takes interest in Ryan, she shows him the World of Wonderment - a special closet packed full of adventure books. He picks a sci-fi book, Savior of the Stars, and begins to read. He feels sucked into the adventure - a feeling he's never known from reading. It's a fast-paced space adventure full of spaceship dogfights, surviving hostile sand dunes, and eating the local delicacy of eyeball soup. And even though Ryan loses hours every time he reads - he goes back for more. However, not all is well with the book. When the characters crash-land on a desert planet, Ryan feels the pain in his chest. When the characters are tossed in jail, his wrists become sore from the handcuffs. Then when he shows up to school bloody and bruised, no one believes it's the book that's hurting him - and he's not sure he believes it himself. It's not until the decision is ripped from him and a foster home intervenes. The OK Dude Ranch is a safe place, with other boys just like him. For once, he lets his guard down and is able to relax. Yet, in the comfort of the home, Ryan continues to read the book. He's never been on such an exciting journey, alongside a fishy space pirate and a pretty, yet cranky Queen. Finally, Ryan discovers the power of the book, and how invincible he truly is. He then must decide whether to risk his own life, or to rid the galaxy of the dreaded Hive - while hopefully saving his friends, and himself, in the process.