Academy Bound

By: J.C. Mastro

Narrated by: Fred Berman

"Failure is not an option."

Sixteen-year-old Zachariah Aurelian dreams of joining the prestigious Earth Alliance Fleet Academy, where only the most elite cadets earn a place among the stars. Armed with his unyielding determination and his clever AI companion, Giles, Zach is prepared to tackle the Academy's grueling entrance exams. But the path to Fleet Command is anything but smooth. Simulated space battles push his skills to the breaking point.

Political tensions between Earth and the Independent Colony Worlds threaten to spark another war. And the mystery surrounding his mother’s disappearance—a hero lost in the last war—haunts his every step, driving him to prove her legacy and uncover the truth.

In this high-stakes YA space opera, Zach’s journey weaves together personal resilience, intense competition, and the thrill of adventure against the vast backdrop of a galaxy on the brink of chaos.

With echoes of Ender’s Game, Skyward, and Aurora Rising, Academy Bound delivers a thrilling blend of heart, action, and ambition, perfect for listeners who crave emotionally charged, character-driven science fiction.

Will Zach conquer the odds, find the answers he’s seeking, and prove he’s ready to lead? The stars are waiting.

©2022 J.C. Mastro (P)2024 J.C. Mastro

Excellent example of the genre

I love YA sci-fi. My favorite book ever is Ender's Game. This hits that same sweet spot. It's fun, accessible, and surprising, and I want to spend more time with the characters.

Excellent Thrilling Action!

inspiring protagonist, balancing the pressure of proving himself in grueling simulated space battles The exploration of themes like loyalty, leadership, and sacrifice resonates deeply prove he’s ready to lead will keep you hooked until the very last page. Highly recommended!

A thrilling story for sci-fi fans

A thrilling story for sci-fi fans. We follow Zachariah, a teen who dreams of getting into an elite academy to train with the top space cadets. Along the way, he has to overcome challenges that push his skills and determination to the limit. The writing is engaging and the world-building is rich and detailed. It has a great mix of action, thrills, and emotions that will delight listeners.

May be written with Young Adults in mind, but there are things for Adults of all ages to like about this Book!

Though I took on this book by choice to leave a review, as I love to both read and listen to books, I had mixed feelings about this book and considered asking my 16 year old to just listen to it, and write a few sentences for the review. But as the writer/reviewer that I am, I chose to listen to it personally.
As I stated earlier, I learned this book is aimed at young adults, but after having a brief conversation with the author more recently he said he is interested in keeping it aimed at all adults, though it is sold in the YA section.

The main characters are as a matter of fact a group of 15-16 year old teenagers, and I don't know about you, but I was still a little rowdy back then. It is set in a futuristic time-frame, where it seems that Earth is governed and protected by a political group called Earth's Alliance, and there is another terrorist type group which has been in an on again, off again war with Earth's Fleet which is who the book is mainly about. The students are at the Fleet Academy, learning what they want to do with their lives.

I personally really enjoyed J.C. Mastro's writing, as he kept me really engaged with what was going on at all times. He made me even feel like I was there through his words, and then the narrator, Fred Berman made it even more realistic with his voice and inflections.
As I stated earlier in this review, I have communicated with the author, and in that conversation I learned he is working on the next book. I can hardly wait till it's ready, and have already listened to this book a second time! I hope you ENJOY IT as much as I did!

Very Exciting

Academy Bound is a gripping YA space opera filled with action, heart, and mystery. Perfect for fans of Ender’s Game and Skyward, it’s an exciting journey to the stars you won’t want to miss!