Denver author Dom Testa’s science fiction adventure fantasy “The Comet’s Curse” is the choice for the 2015 Youth One Book One Denver, and Testa, a voice familiar to MIX100 FM morning listeners, is over the moon.
“Back when One Book One Denver first started, I thought, wow, I’d love for the choice to be one of my books,” he said.
“And then they called me out of the blue. Oh, my gosh! I have always wanted this!”
This is the fourth year for the Youth One Book One Denver, a collaboration between Denver Arts & Venues, the Office of Children’s Affairs and the Denver Quality Afterschool Connection. The program, which includes events at more than 40 summer youth projects, has grown from 1,600 participants to more than 2,500 last year.
“The Comet’s Curse” is part of Testa’s popular Galahad Legacy series. When Planet Earth’s orbit intersects with the tail of a comet carrying a virus deadly to everyone over age 18, 251 teenagers are chosen to fly to a distant solar system in hopes of preserving the human race.
The adolescent astronauts represent nearly every nation. They’re exactingly trained for space travel, including sustaining an on-ship garden. But once they’re en route, they discover a treacherous stowaway bent on ruining the mission.
It’s a fast read, with bright, engaging characters who could be charter members of Testa’s Big Brain Club, and the tense dynamics of a clever mystery.
“The Comet’s Curse” was chosen by students who preferred it over Claudia Mills’ “Zero Tolerance,” a story about a student’s punishment for bringing a paring knife to school, and Elaine Pease’s historical young adult novel “Ghost Over Boulder Creek.”
“The Comet’s Curse” was initially self-published. Its success attracted the attention of publishing giant MacMillan’s Tor Teen division. Tor Teen has printed several thousand new copies of “The Comet’s Curse” to be distributed through Youth One Book One Denver.
Claire Martin: 303-954-1477, cmartin@denverpost.com or twitter.com/byclairemartin
“The Comet’s Curse”
Science fantasy author and Denver DJ Dom Testa’s first volume in his Galahad series is the 2015 choice for Youth One Book One Denver.
