The Darkness Outside Us
-
-
4.6 • 205 Ratings
-
-
- $13.99
Publisher Description
They Both Die at the End meets Gravity in this mind-bending sci-fi mystery and tender love story about two boys aboard a spaceship sent on a rescue mission, from two-time National Book Award finalist Eliot Schrefer. Stonewall Honor Award winner!
Two boys, alone in space. Sworn enemies sent on the same rescue mission.
Ambrose wakes up on the Coordinated Endeavor with no memory of a launch. There’s more that doesn’t add up: evidence indicates strangers have been on board, the ship’s operating system is voiced by his mother, and his handsome, brooding shipmate has barricaded himself away. But nothing will stop Ambrose from making his mission succeed—not when he’s rescuing his own sister.
In order to survive the ship’s secrets, Ambrose and Kodiak will need to work together and learn to trust each other . . . especially once they discover what they are truly up against. Love might be the only way to survive.
* Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books of the Year * A Booklist Editor's Choice of the Year * A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book of the Year * A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults & Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Book of the Year *
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this sexy space odyssey by Schrefer (The Popper Penguin Rescue) set in 2472, Earth's two remaining—and warring—countries, Dimokratía and Fédération, mount a mission to rescue Fédération's Minerva Cusk, who sends a distress signal after being sent to colonize one of Saturn's moons. The progeny of a corporate figurehead mother and Alexander the Great's "reconstructed sperm," 17-year-old Ambrose, who has "molten bronze" skin, is dedicated to rescuing his sister. Upon awakening in the Coordinated Endeavor's infirmary, however, he learns that he's been in a coma following a launch accident—and that he's sharing the ship with a Dimokrat-ían spacefarer named Kodiak Celius, an orphan with olive skin. Wary of each other at first, the two slowly join forces as they complete the surveillance-obsessed Operating System's log of tasks, notice strange things about the ship's cargo, and together enjoy manicotti en route to falling in love. Against a backdrop of speculative fiction tropes and Cold War–like identity politics, Schrefer's immersive novel combines the build of mysteries and the tension of romance, slowly unfurling an iterative story about love and attraction, destiny, and connection. Ages 13–up.
Customer Reviews
Captivating, and Irresistible
Many books claim to be a mind-bender, but this one definitely takes it to the next level. My recent love for LGBTQ+ novella has exploded into a world of fantastic writers and this one tops the charts in many ways. Thank you-Eliot-for bringing such life to love between two people, especially that of two boys.
A little leap
Book is amazing just missing pages 169-197 but I assumed what happened there but otherwise it’s great
Intense
At first, I almost put this book down. That would have been a huge mistake. The writing was fantastic and the plot twists kept me engaged. It’s such a good story about more than just love. So excited because I didn’t even know there would be a sequel.