Acorna's Quest

I see that Anne McCaffrey's website classifies this book as YA and I guess I can see that since many of the characters are teenagers, including Acorna herself. However, this isn't juvenile fiction and even though I am far from young I found lots to enjoy.

Acorna was found by three asteroid miners in a suspension pod. Her translucent horn and unusual hands and feet made it clear she was from an alien race. She also matured much more quickly than humans reaching full growth in three years. The three miners raised her at first and then turned her over to others to further her education. At the opening of this book Acorna and one of the miners, Calum, are wanting to set out to find her people but others who care for Acorna keep coming up show more with reasons for delay. Finally Calum and Acorna steal away in their ship only to find that there is a problem with the hydroponics system that means Acorna will starve unless they get new seeds and plants. They head to a planet which is agriculture based, Rushima. When they get there they find that the planet's crops have been decimated by floods and drought brought on by a starship that can manipulate weather systems. The starship is in the control of a group of refugees from another planet who are holding Rushima to ransom. Before they can escape the area and let others know of the settlers' plight Calum and Acorna are captured by the starship. Meanwhile back home a mysterious craft has appeared and it contains four beings of the same race as Acorna. They bring news of another alien race that overran their planet and are coming to human space specifically to the planet Rushima. Some great space opera ensues.

This is the second book in the Acorna series and I have not read the first one. However, there is enough reference to the first book that it doesn't really make a difference. Not sure if I will read the rest of the series but if I do I think I will try to read them in order. show less

Having matured quickly into a young woman with a small forehead horn and unique, magical, or telepathic/empathic abilities, including healing and purifying, Acorna seeks to find her own kind. She leaves her adopted uncles, Calum, Gill, and Rafik, to journey across the galaxy, driven by dreams of a gentle, telepathic, and horn-touching species.

Acorna discovers her people are the Linyaari, a peaceful race currently searching for her and warning the galaxy of the Khleevi, murderous, cockroach-like aliens responsible for the death of Acorna's parents and the destruction of her home planet.

This novel had interesting twists and turns, as far as the Linayarii, coming to warn Acorna (and her uncles) of the dangers waiting in the arrival of the Kleevi. Her people coming to her was a surprising twist that she experienced as did the reader, since Callum and her were supposed to take off on the Acadecki, to locate Acorna's homeland. While they are in transit, they end being captured by the Starfarers on the Haven. It is rather lucky, since Markel is a genuine first generation Starfarer before the organization went corrupt and that he is alive and can rescue Acorna, Dr. Hoa, and Callum. This book keeps the intensity throughout the story, but there were a few parts when Mccaffrey's trying to match up Uhuru, to find Acorna with the show more vessel the Haven that get a bit muddled. Otherwise, I enjoyed it and can't wait to read book three. show less

At the end of the last book, the children on the planet Kezdet were being liberated, enrolled in school and are learning actual trades. This next installment involves Acorna wanting to find her own kind, humanoids like her. There are practical as well as sentimental reasons for this. Her “Uncle” Calum believes he knows the general area of space where they will find her home planet. The two of them set off to find it, rather impulsively since it appears everyone else doesn’t want them to go and end up on a planet they were not planning to go to. This lands them smack dab in the middle of a armed conflict.

Meanwhile, the Linyaari appear with a warning about the Khleev and in doing so discover that a little girl they thought was dead show more is alive, but missing. Acorna needs to be found and something needs to be done about the Khleev, who are coming and are deadly.

Once again we have Acorna acting impulsively, this time she drags Calum along with her. We meet some old friends and foes and discover new friends and foes. The action is fast paced. The characters are again not well developed, you have good, who are very good, and evil who are very evil, and the ones who are good as long as it profits them. But still this was an enjoyable read.

This could almost be considered a young adult book, but there is some violence and adult situations in it. show less

Found as an infant drifting in space, Acorna, the Unicorn Girl, has become a young woman. She still has her tiny, translucent horn, and her "funny" feet and hands. And, she still has her miraculous ability to make plants grow and heal human sickness.
But Acorna has strange dreams of a gentle folk who mind-speak by touching horns. With her "Uncle" Calum, one of the three grizzled asteroid prospectors who rescued, protected, and raised her, she sets off to find her people. No sooner does she leave than a mysterious craft appears, piloted by the Linyaari, a gentle race with telepathic powers.

The Linyaari are roaming the galaxy, spreading the alarm about the deadly Khleev--And searching for a beloved little girl they had given up for lost, show more long ago... show less

Acorna leaves with Calum to search for the home of her people, but gets derailed. Crossing paths with a warning ship from her people!
I didn't enjoy this as much as I was in a reading funk. I finished it and will try the next one though.

Very much in the style of its predecessor, Acorna, this book is fast-paced and uncomplicated, ending in a Disney-like all-is-well fashion. Very enjoyable.