The Duke of Uranium

✍ Scribed by Barnes, John

• Book ID: 107757947
• Publisher: Aspect
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 1 MB
• Series: Jak Jinnaka 1
• Category: Fiction
• ISBN-13: 9781480456969

✦ Synopsis

Jak Jinnaka plunges into a world of danger and intrigue beyond imagination as he is forced to ask: “Where’s the party?”

Jak Jinnaka’s thirty-sixth-century teenage life has been nothing but fun—ignoring school, partying outrageously with his beautiful girlfriend, Sesh, and spending his uncle Sib’s huge fortune. But while they are out for a wild night of postgraduation clubbing, Sesh is kidnapped by the dangerous, enigmatic Duke of Uranium. Bruised and battered, Jak wakes up to a whole new reality: sweet, superficial Sesh is actually Princess Shyf of Greenworld, daughter of the rulers of a powerful faraway spaceport; kind and slightly dotty old Uncle Sib is a legendary spymaster; and Jak’s whole life has been preparation for the world of espionage. Now, his maiden mission is to rescue his girlfriend from one of the most powerful aristocrats in the solar system—or is it? The world Uncle Sib has plunged him into has wheels within every wheel and hidden forces in every shadow, and the only thing that is just what it seems is Jak himself: an amoral party animal looking out for number one!

From Booklist

Barnes' latest is a wildly entertaining homage to the best '60s Heinlein juveniles, an amiable, slangy adventure for the teenager in everyone. Good-looking, athletic Jak Jinnaka, 18, has survived compulsory education with the help of his pretty girlfriend, Sesh, and a generous allowance from Uncle Sib. After Sesh is kidnapped, Uncle Sib explains a few things. Sesh is really the princess of the powerful distant planet Greenworld. Sib is a senior agent of a political cabal, or zybot, planning to rescue and then, possibly, exploit her. Promising Jak will meet no harm, Sib invites him to be an emissary to Sesh's captors. On the long trip to the Duchy of Uranium, Jak befriends a few members of a trading starship's crew, survives his shuttle being shot out of the sky, befriends the duchy's imprisoned heir, and discovers additional details of Sib's career that make joining Sib's particular political group something he should consider very, very carefully. Lots of action, dancing, interesting clothes, hints of sex, and a lovable, laid-back hero. Roberta Johnson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“Rollicking space opera with outlaws, space travel, kidnappings, rescues, chases, and the abrupt coming of age of the protagonist.” — Science Fiction Chronicle

“Barnes plays with old-fashioned space opera in this far-future SF adventure. . . . This is a fun romp.” — Locus

“If you miss days of wild adventures in farflung futures, grab a ticket . . . ride along with The Duke of Uranium.” — Rambles