Book Reviews: The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

 

The author is known for various series including The Lost Rainforest (Mez - Nightwalker panther - unlocks an ancient mystery with the help of unlikely friends), The Ape Quartet (a girl bonds with an infant ape in a tale set against the backdrop of an armed revolution in the Congo), the Animal Rescue Agency (Esquire Fox - turned from a life of crime - to help animals in need and takes a trip to the Arctic and help a polar bear cub), and Animal Spirits (which is a series written by other animals as well such as Brandon Mull and Maggie Stiefvater). Solo novels include The Popper Penguin Rescue (brother and sister find two penguin eggs and embark on an adventure to find them home) and The School for Dangerous Girls (Angela is sent to Hidden Oak to be "rehabilitate"). 

The Darkness Outside Us is about two boys alone in space, two enemies alone in the universe. The two boys - Ambrose and Kodiak - share a mission that sends them on a journey to space where the only one they can trust is each other. Ambrose awakens (with no memory of the launch) and quickly notices the strange things in the ship with evidence of strangers, his mother's voice, and the silence of his shipmate. But he can't put too much thought into any of that. He must focus on rescuing his sister (their mission). But as they begin to uncover startling secrets, they'll have to learn to trust each other if they're going to survive. Find the book here. 

REVIEW

This is an epic adventure through space grounded in the coming-of-age journeys of two individuals and the surprising love story that helps them find their way home. As a work of science fiction, the story incorporates various futuristic elements such as clones, space travel, space ships, the fate of mankind, and the use of DNA from Alexander the Great as parentage to Ambrose. These little touches show the futuristic setting such as Ambrose mentioning watching a version of the movie The Mummy - made in 2459. These elements are drawn from their different personalities while also creating a well-rounded setting that draws you into the science fiction world. The story is set entirely in space and blends the adventure with elements of mystery that are woven throughout the plot as Ambrose finds odd things about the ship. These include the voice of his mother, evidence of someone being in the ship without them realizing it, and blanks in memory. All of which leads Ambrose and Kodiak to uncover shocking revelations that also add surprise, suspense, and twists to the story. 

Ambrose and Kodiak are opposites right down to their countries - which are at war and sworn enemies. The story explores the question of what happens when you trap two enemies in a ship and put them in space. The love story follows two very different people as they come to learn about each other and through the bond they make find a connection that changes everything - and allows them to understand more about themselves. Their different backgrounds - from enemy countries - put them originally at odds and create a built-in tension between them from the start as they get to know each other. They soon realize they aren't so different after all. They begin to learn from the other - and soon come to depend on each other for help, sanity, and connection. They begin to rely on each other as they navigate the trials and stress of being alone in space away from not only everyone they know but away from the very planet they called home. By learning from each other they are able to discover themselves in a way that they couldn't have predicted and ways that'll help keep each other alive.

Mystery, romance, adventure, and coming-of-age are four elements that Schrefer blends together to create a memorable tale of perseverance, hope, and the future of mankind.