Skyboy is a fast-paced and emotionally rich young adult sci-fi adventure set in a gritty post-pandemic future. It follows Konstant, a smart and scrappy teenager marked by the stigma of being a carrier of the deadly MX-13 virus. He’s bullied, misunderstood, and stuck on the fringes of society, yet he dreams of something greater. When a chance to compete in a global invention contest—the Piano Prize—lands in his lap, Konstant is hurled into a whirlwind of scientific ambition, corporate spectacle, and personal redemption. Aresty builds a world that teeters between collapse and innovation, where wonder and despair exist side by side.

Konstant isn’t your average sci-fi hero. He’s awkward, bitter, and incredibly real. His grief for his mother and the raw unfairness of his situation was emotionally resonant. Aresty doesn’t hold back from showing how cruel the world can be to those who are different. But even more powerful is how he weaves hope into all that darkness—through Konstant’s resilience, his wild imagination, and his refusal to stay down no matter how often he’s knocked flat. The writing can be vivid and punchy one moment, then pull back to let a quiet emotional truth sneak in and catch you off guard. That’s rare. It feels lived in.

The book moves fast. Some supporting characters are fun and quirky, but I was left wanting to learn more about them. I found myself wanting to spend more time with certain ideas, like the ethics of innovation or the deeper cracks in the society Aresty hints at. Still, the action is tight, the stakes are always rising, and the tech is just plain cool without getting bogged down in sci-fi babble. And the worldbuilding is bonkers in the best way. Kind of like Willy Wonka got dumped into Ready Player One with a dose of The Hunger Games grit.

If you’re a fan of high-concept sci-fi with a lot of heart, Skyboy is absolutely worth your time. It’s perfect for teen readers who love stories about underdogs and dreamers, and for adults who still remember what it’s like to feel like the world’s stacked against you. This one’s for the kids who’ve been counted out and still want to build something amazing anyway.

Pages: 321 | ASIN : B0F7FZ8SY8