The Intergalactics written by Erik Jon Slangerup and reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary: The Intergalactics follows Brinx, a gene-spliced, lab-grown mutant who has spent his entire life on Base Lab 9 undergoing survival tests. Created by the HyperHelix corporation, Brinx is a Featherbone, a hybrid designed with webbed hands and the ability to jump abnormally high and far. His existence has been defined by a single goal: completing one thousand survival challenges to earn the right to travel to Havenport, the mysterious Graduation Center. Living in poor conditions with constant fear of death, Brinx's only source of hope is his best friend Jang, an older-generation Featherbone who has helped him survive. When both boys finally complete their thousand challenges and board an armored transport vessel bound for Havenport, disaster strikes. A meteor shower destroys the ship, crash-landing Brinx and the other survivors in the Driftlands, an uncharted, hostile region teeming with monstrous flora and fauna designed to kill. Separated from Jang during the crash, Brinx must band together with other survivors, including Goz, a skilled Griplock warrior, and Rigel, a vulnerable Allseer whose ability to read situations proves invaluable. As the group fights through relentless predators and deadly plants, they discover a hidden base that transforms their understanding of their world and their possible fate.

Straight Talk for Librarians: Fans of dystopian sci-fi adventures will love The Intergalactics.  The non-stop action keeps thrill-seekers on the edge of their seats, barely giving readers a chance to catch their breath before the next danger arrives. Bloodthirsty giant vines, relentless scavengers, and terrifying Shankwyrms create an atmosphere of constant peril that makes survival feel genuinely uncertain.What sets this novel apart is its richly imagined universe populated by diverse hybrids, each with unique characteristics and abilities. Notably, the characters cooperate rather than infight, a refreshing departure from many dystopian adventures where internal conflict undermines the group's chances.The worldbuilding is imaginative and distinctive, featuring a universe unlike Earth where genetic material from around the cosmos creates a myriad of colors, shapes, and abilities. Young readers seeking fresh, exciting sci-fi adventures with themes of friendship, teamwork, and belonging will find exactly what they're looking for in The Intergalactics.  I was not expecting so many characters to die, or the plot twists!  It was definitely a roller-coaster ride and I had to finish the book in one sitting.  I think this would make for a good book club book and it would be a fun addition to a "Mutants & Hybrids" book display.