Common Sense Media Review
By Karen Wirsing
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Thought-provoking, dystopian eco-adventure great for boys.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Cael McAvoy is a teen boy living in the Heartland, an impoverished city that has been overgrown with strains of genetically modified corn. As captain of the Big Sky Scavengers (a group of teens who make their living by finding random goods and reselling them for profit), he's beyond angry when the rival scavenger gang, led by the mayor's son, causes him to crash his ship. While forced to meander through the living corn, Cael and his team come across a field of forbidden fruits and vegetables. Just before Cael was born, the Empyrean government banned growing anything but corn. Cael, tired of looking into the sky to see the Empyrean privileged floating on their flotillas, living like lords and ladies while he and his loved ones barely scrape by, decides to take the seeds from the untouched garden and illegally harvest his own vegetables. There are just a couple of obstacles in his way: his father and the all-knowing government.
Is It Any Good?
This is a great story for those who love The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The colloquial language, thought-provoking themes, and tribulations that are frighteningly similar to modern-day issues will inspire lively discussion. Readers are drawn in emotionally as they watch innocent, likable people attempt to make sense of an unjust governing system they simply can't escape. Charming and abrasive characters mixed with funny one-liners on every page make Under the Empyrean Sky difficult to put down and leave readers eager for the second installment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about dystopian novels. Why do you think books about oppressive futuristic governments are so popular?
Do you notice any similarities between the Heartlanders or the Empyreans and Americans today?
How does Under the Empyrean Sky compare with other dystopian novels you've read? How is it different? How is it similar?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Skyscape
- Publication date : July 30, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 354
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : December 4, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate