Have you ever wondered what would happen if you stuck 8 people who barely know each other on a desert island…in space? And by the way…it’s actually a desert planet.
Starganauts is a debut novel by C.E. Stone; and it is a space opera set in the not so far flung future where the Earth has faced a catastrophic apocalyptic event which results in the destruction of all life…except for the 8 souls who’ve escaped in a homemade shuttle and rocketed into unknown space. I grew up watching Stark Trek and Stargate: SG-1 with my mom (never got into Star Wars though); but I haven’t read much in this genre before. So, I was excited to give it a go!
The overall plot intrigued me as we have 1) a villain with connections both to Earth and the aliens he commands; as well as 2) a whole cluster of people who are trying to survive crash landing on an alien planet while also sorting out their emotions having watched the death of everyone and every thing they’ve ever known.
While there were times where I found it difficult to keep track of the various names and backstories, it was interesting to see so many different (and realistic) reactions to this tragic situation. The main couple, Sharko and Kaity, were particular relatable to me as they try to reconcile their joy of being newlyweds who’ve escaped Earth’s destruction and their grief at their uncertain future. As this is a Christian space opera, there remains a strong correlation between the characters’ faith and their responses to the ongoing events of the book. One character even functions as a prophetess of God, complete with visions of the future and words from God for the survivors.
Things take an even more interesting turn when the survivors discover a cave filled with eight orbs that give them mysterious powers…perhaps even enough to defeat their relentlessly pursuing enemy? I thought this development was well done, and I personally love any story that dives into what it’s like for people to discover and understand new “superpowers”.
If you’re a sci-fi fan looking for an interesting Christian alternative to mainstream classics, I would definitely recommend checking out Starganauts! I’d give it a 4 out of 5 star rating, and I’m intrigued to see where the series goes from here…particularly with that cliffhanger of an ending…
Kathleen Bird 
One thought on “Starganauts by C.E. Stone”
Comments are closed.