About the novel
When Brian’s mother dies suddenly, the teenage genius is stripped of his last vestige of a normal childhood — the invincibility and limitless possibilities of youth. The exposure to mortality magnifies his inner fears, and he becomes ever more cautious. Despite his social awkwardness, Brian forms an unlikely friendship with Will Star, a charismatic, popular, and fearless athletic dynamo battling his own demons and living on the edge.
While touring a new spacecraft developed by Brian’s father and his team at NASA, an accident launches the vehicle with Brian and Will inside through an interstellar corridor to the Alpha Centauri star system. There is no way home.
The boys discover an Earthlike planet inhabited by the Chimera, a technically advanced race that has already enslaved the people of two worlds and has its sights set on Earth. Only Brian’s genius can stand in their way. To join a slave rebellion entails great risk — a risk that fearful Brian is reticent to accept.
When Will joins the rebels, Brian must choose between the security of his ship and the only real chance of toppling the Chimera, and thereby protecting Earth. As events unfold, Brian learns many things about himself and about life, but none more important than this: you can’t live if you can’t die.
“DeLue proves to be a wizard of his craft as he builds Carpella into a world imbued with natural human emotion, savory plotlines, memorable characters, history-changing situations, a fight for freedom and everlasting glory in this epic page-turner.” Kirkus Reviews, Critic’s Pick
“A terrific piece of work! Brian Nine is a cracking good story very well told with just the right amount of emotion tempering the intense action adventure — the action scenes are absolutely first rate. A book for boys that girls will love.” Beverly Swerling