Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Exciting start to high-octane alien-invasion series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
The Illyri, a refined, attractive race of humanoid aliens, have invaded Earth and subjugated its human inhabitants. In Edinburgh, Scotland, teen brothers Paul and Steven Kerr work with the Resistance, gathering intelligence about the Illyri in hopes of overthrowing them. When 16-year-old Syl Hellais and her friend Ani take an illicit trip outside the Illyri stronghold, the boys protect them from a deadly explosion. Before they understand what's happening, Paul and Steven are taken captive, and Syl and Ani are accused of treason. Torn between their loyalty to their own civilization and their sympathy for the downtrodden humans, the girls work to save themselves, their families, and their new friends from a secret that threatens to destroy them all.
Is It Any Good?
CONQUEST finds new juice in a standard science-fiction premise: the alien invasion. Bestselling mystery writer John Connolly, in collaboration with Jennifer Ridyard, knows how to keep the suspense cranked high, and together the authors deliver a densely plotted thriller that avoids many of the problems that plague potboilers by less experienced hands. Human and alien characters are presented as fully rounded individuals, with conflicting motives and relatable traits. The setting is fresh and the scientific speculation plausible. Best of all, there's a real sense at the end of the volume that the best is still to come, that the next two volumes will be just as original and pulse-pounding.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why stories of alien invasions are so popular. What can imagining extraterrestrial life illuminate about the human condition?
What reasons do governments give for invading other countries? What kinds of problems arise from such actions?
What assumptions do people make about members of another culture? How can those assumptions change over time?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , Fantasy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Emily Bestler Books
- Publication date : February 11, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 448
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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