Set on a fascinating yet hostile alien planet, this pulse-pounding, high-stakes, elimination-quest novel will have readers on the edge of their seats. HM Waugh
Groups of kids who live on different planets are sent to complete a trial as a way to enter the Starquest Academy, an exclusive institution dedicated to training future Planeticians. The title uses the word surface because on one level the surface of this planet is terrifying and dangerous beyond almost your wildest imagination. The danger is mostly from enormous 'man eating' plants. Yes I did say plants! And there are also huge man-eating insects too. If you fall into one of the plants it immediately starts to digest you. The word surface, though, also refers to the way these kids judge each other. How much each of the kids in the group we are following are prepared to reveal to the others - to go under the surface. One kid is not who he seems, one kid has dangerous extra powers, and one kid is utterly selfish and out to win at all costs including jeopardising the lives his own team mates.
"During the trials, candidates will be judged on their ... courage, teamwork, innovation and exploration. Assessors will be looking for resilience, assertiveness, empathy and creativity."
Adding to all this pressure the kids are being watched and filmed and this is broadcast on televisions all over the universe. Every kid in this team has watched all the previous trials. They know the rules, they know how easily they can be eliminated. Every moment, every interaction has to be carefully enacted because they are being watched. And this is a race because they have to reach the end in just three days so they can be picked up and return to safety. Survival means looking out for yourself but one of the rules is about teamwork and co-operation. What should they do if helping the team stands in the way of winning?
Bookseller blurb:
Three days, three clues, one hungry planet.
Constant surveillance.
The entire universe watching every move.
Some will shatter. Most will fail.
A select few will make it through, instant celebrities.
Welcome to the Surface Trials. The only way into Starquest Academy. For Amethyst Antares, Starquest Academy offers an escape from the prison of her home planet. For Rian - the uber-famous and expertly-disguised heir to the universe's two greatest dynasties - failure to get into his own academy is not an option. And Deneb? Well, he's an outlier... But this year not everything goes to plan, and Amethyst and her squad find themselves playing for more than Starquest admission. To survive, they'll have to outsmart carnivorous creatures, share dangerous secrets, maintain trust and embrace the most shocking truth in the galaxy. Set on a fascinating yet hostile alien planet, this pulse-pounding, high-stakes, elimination-quest novel will have readers on the edge of their seats.
Here are a couple of text quotes:
"Panic flooded him, and he fought it back, knowing they were already being watched. Wherever they were about to land, he had to believe he had the skills to make it."
"Daneb shot out, slime oozing all around him, the goo dotted with carcasses of breeders and viperwasps and other unrecogisable things. "
"There were no such things as alien ruins. Through all the worlds that humans had spread to, no hint of other human-level intelligence had ever been found. That's what gave humanity the right to take over all these new planets."
I think lovers of science fiction will enjoy this book, and as someone who does not read a lot of science fiction, it’s a really nice introduction to the genre. Not too heavy or technical at all. It gets things in a nice balance to appeal to all readers who like adventure stories or who want to try science fiction without being overwhelmed by too much of the technical aspects of the genre. And the way it ended made me wonder if it is part of a duology or series, so it will be interesting to see if it is. But it also works as a standalone, and this is what makes it a great book to read when trying out this genre, and it fits in nicely with other books HM Waugh has written over the years as well. The Book Muse
I was interested to read this book because it was a 2026 CBCA Younger Readers Notable title but I am going to say right up front this is book will much better suit an older reader aged 12+. Reviewers consistently compare this book to other YA titles - The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner.
Here are the CBCA Judges' comments:
I seem to have read quite a few Science Fiction books recently. Here are a few:
I previously read this book by HM Waugh - her debut.
HM Waugh is a children’s author, educator and environmental scientist with a long-term love of wild places and outdoor adventures. She has been kidnapped twice, handled dragons for a job, and dreams of one day blasting into space. Her books mix humour, danger and friendship with a dash of science and imagination.
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