Changes

I loved this space quest of a story. It has great worldbuilding, sparkling characters and a thrilling plot. It's beautifully illustrated by the great Dave McKean, who gives the galaxy its rightful majesty. Lucky is a great central character - the typical reluctant hero, his quest transforms him from a geeky, naive child into a wise, mature person who will fight for the forces of good until the very end.  And I loved the portrayal of the Axxa. Lucky has been taught that aliens are all that is evil. They have cloven hooves for feet, terrifying horns on their heads and they eat eyeballs. But as the book goes on, and the Axxa are slowly revealed, Lucky - and his readers - discover that the hooves, the horns and the eyeballs aren't at all what they seem. It's a wise warning about misplaced distrust for "the other" that has clear comparisons in the Earth-bound world in which readers actually live. The plot is clever too - you might see some reveals coming, but you won't see them all.