Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐-(4/5)
Sherman
Tuckerman is a boy who has autism and has a penchant for slapping anyone who
gets on his nerves. Communication and proper interaction are a seeming
challenge for him, yet he insists that everyone should use unique knocking
patterns to gain entry to his living space.
When
two visiting officials discover that some of the details shared with the public
about the exploration of Mars were made up, Sherman's entire world is turned
upside down. The first-ever manned Mars retrieval mission then presents him
with the chance to serve as the mathematics flight specialist. It wasn't long
before he had the job of his dreams. With crewmates he would prefer not to work
with, the mission forced him to board the Ares Pilgrim for a yearlong journey.
Sherman, however, is adamant about achieving his objectives and uses his spare
time to figure out what is in a mysterious gift that was sent to him by his
best friend Zeke. If the risky mission is successful, important strides in
medical research may result. Will the crew find the object in time and return
home safely? There's only one way to find out!
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There
are a lot of good things in this book. I didn't see any faults while reading,
which is a testament to the book's superb editing. I adore how the author kept
each chapter to a single topic without dragging out the plot. Because of this,
the book's length was kept reasonable, and I had no trouble following the plot.
I was able to learn a little about space travel thanks to the vocabulary, and
it is obvious that the author did their research and/or had the necessary
knowledge. This is made clear by the author's strategy for simplifying the
majority of difficult terminology for easier comprehension. I was inspired to
continue learning about space flight whenever I have the chance. The characters
had a lot of depth. Sherman's intense desire to learn about new things was
incredibly encouraging to witness. This is clear from the way he eagerly
absorbs all of Maya's tales about her upbringing.
I
appreciate the author using Sherman's entries in the Captain's Log to highlight
the time jumps in chapters 49, 50, and 63. This was a big help in clearing out
any ambiguity I might have had while reading. I initially didn't get the book's
title, but after finishing it, I understood why Sherman did everything in his
power to establish himself, including putting his life in danger. He became
aware of his purpose and vowed to pursue it relentlessly. Sherman made an
effort to step up and help wherever he could while the Tuckerman family struggled
to come to terms with the loss of his mother. The book's conclusion was
generally gratifying and not overly foreordained. However, I doubt I can
elaborate much on it without giving too much away.
Nevertheless,
I found a drawback while reading this book. The plot, in my opinion, seemed a
little hurried. Sherman, despite being a minor, trains for only a week before
boarding the Ares Pilgrim for the space voyage. Despite his extensive
understanding of space travel, it seems absurd to entrust such a crucial
mission to a young person who is barely a teenager and is dealing with personal
issues. Sherman could have learned more if the training and evaluation had gone
on for longer, in my opinion.
For
the reasons listed above, I will give this book a rating of four out of five
stars. I was more able to appreciate the value of exploring the uncharted after
reading the author's message in this book. Findings from the exploration of
these undiscovered territories may potentially help civilization in various ways.
I
advise fans of science fiction and space exploration to read this book. I also
advise developing kids to read it since it demonstrates that, despite the odds,
any desire or goal is attainable.
