Daeson Lockridge didn’t know he had a family secret from among the stars. But once he learns his true heritage, his old life of privilege and spaceflight training lightspeeds into spycraft, divine prophecies, and a daring escape to a death nebula where new destiny awaits. Chuck Black launches the Starlore Legacy series with Nova, piloting The Prince of Egypt into Star Wars for this allegorical adventure. Bible students might guess the main trajectory, yet Black pivots into hard plot turns, while keeping time for wholesome character growth. Style proves serviceable but offers vivid settings, ending with an unpredictable course into even bigger worlds.

Best for: Older middle-grade readers and teen boys who love space operas.

Discern: Elite rulers enslave a lower class, chaste romance between two main characters that includes acts of longing and some physical contact, street violence and abuse toward an entire people group, some references to genocide, occasional dreams and oracles relating to a chosen-one hero.