Castle in the stars vol 1 by Alex Alice

Vol 1: The Space Race of 1869

After a tragic science experiment claims the life of a family member, Séraphin his father find themselves in the castle of the King of Bavaria, working with a small crew on an engine powered by the legendary substance known as Aether. But there is more involved than just science and engineering in this tale of political intrigue and invention.  Séraphin recognizes someone in the castle as a person who tried to sabotage everything, but none of the adults believe him.  Instead, Séraphin and his new friends swear to protect the project and the King as the Knights of the Aether. 

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​The first two volumes in this series have been favorably reviewed by professional publications, so I won't gush too much here.

This story is an interesting alternative history that makes an interesting assumption on the space race happening much earlier than reality.  The adventure really sweeps you away, and readers will need to have the second volume close at hand.  The watercolor art is beautiful and really detailed.  Some of the machines are wonderful and fanciful, complete with orchestra pit, as any proper conveyance of a king should have. The one minor problem I had was that Séraphin’s friend Hans is drawn rather like a monkey, and I’m not sure why just yet.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 5-8

Tags: Rating: 9/10, Suitability: Elementary School, Suitability: Middle School, Graphic Literature, Steampunk, Action Adventure, Family