CassaStar

 CassaStar  by Alex Cavanaugh

 I sometimes tear up in movies. I've even gone so far as to bawl through an entire movie. I'm known to get sulky when I end up really liking a character and the book ends, or said character dies or some other tragedy falls. But I've only cried reading one book before. It was at the end, when the hero rides off to meet up with his best friend. And I cried because I didn't have a best friend, not even anyone I could really call a friend. So, it wasn't really me crying over the book, just crying over being lonely.

 However, I finally read a book that had me in tears over the characters. (Well, more like shameless bawling.)

 Cassastar is the story about a young outer space pilot named Bryon. All Bryon has ever known is rejection and loneliness, and he's pulled away from everyone because of it. He has come to believe no one will ever like him. 

 Pursuing his dream of becoming a fighter pilot, Bryon is forced to work with another young man who is to be his Navigator. The two become close, at least as close as Bryon will ever allow himself to become with anyone. Together they begin their training, and they make a pretty good team. Except Bryon is arrogant and cocky - typical in one who knows he's one of the best pilots out there - and for some reason he catches the attention of Bassa, one of the hard to please instructors. 

 Even though Bryon preforms well, Bassa always seems to find fault with him. But things only get worse. When his Navigator leaves, Bryon is faced with the realization that he might never get to live his dream. A pilot cannot fly without a Navigator. 

 When his chance to become a pilot actually does happen, it comes around in a way Bryon never expected. And now he is faced with the hardest choice of his life. Learn to trust a man he doesn't like, or give up the dream he's spent so long chasing, and allow everyone to say he is the failure they always knew he'd be.

 This story isn't exactly fast paced. It isn't the story of some high speed space battle. The war isn't even the main theme. Instead, this is a story about friendship, and how one man, by accepting another completely, changed his life.

 The characters were well done in this book. Bryon kind of reminded me of Kirk in the new movies, but without the extra load of annoyingness. (Sorry to all who like Kirk in the new movies. I like him as well, to an extent. I just have trouble thinking of him as Kirk after seeing the original show first.)

 Anyways, Bryon is bitter, untrusting, and only out to get what he wants. But, unlike other characters with these characteristics, Bryon isn't always picking fights with everyone. He is willing to put aside his temper if it risks loosing his chance at becoming a pilot.

 I think my favourite character in the book was Bassa. He reminded me something between Han Solo, Coulson, and Obi Wan. (He was wise, mysterious, could see in others what most people missed, and he was willing to befriend a young man everyone else avoids.

 I love reading friendship and character stories, and this was one of the best I've read in awhile. I would highly recommend it, though I do caution. There was some language in it. Not a whole lot and mostly the D and H words, but just keep that in mind.

 I am very excited for the second and third books!

 (And for those who are wondering why I was bawling in this book....I can't tell you for spoilers sake. But trust me, it was worth a good cry.)

 Alex's blog can be found HERE!