Author: Bradley Caffee
Recommended Age: 15+
Date Published: 2025
Genre: Dystopian
Summary: Ted James just wants his dad back. Ever since the Skya’ja came to earth promising a clean energy source, his dad jumped at the offer to work with these aliens and other scientists to make the world a better place to live. But instead of improving their lives, an explosion called the Cataclysm wiped out governments, electricity, everything Ted has known. And his dad’s gone, trapped in the Bubble that now encircles the capital of his once-home. A lucky shot allows Ted to capture a lone Skya’ja, but interrogating this alien leads to answers Ted doesn’t want to face and questions he doesn’t want to ask.
Notes from The Radical Reader:
- Noble Characters: Ted is a nineteen-year-old struggling to live on the ruined streets of what once was the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina. Now he’s captured a Skya’ja, determined to make this alien answer for the destruction they wreaked on earth. From captor to captive, Ted’s journey takes him to the center of the Bubble to face his prejudice against the Skya’ja and finally understand the truth about the Cataclysm.
- Captivating Plots: I spent far too many late nights reading this book. And I can absolutely say that the end of the story delivered the epic climax I had been waiting for. With twists in every single chapter, readers will have a hard time catching their breath before the action begins again. So engaging! Perfect for readers struggling to find a story they want to read. Captive is a must-read for anyone who loves adventure.
- Elaborate Worlds: Set in the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina two years after the Cataclysm destroyed earth as Ted James knows it, aliens and humans battle in the streets for survival. But who is really in the right? And are the Skya’ja actually to blame for the world’s collapse?
Noteworthy Elements:
- Sexual Tension: Ted describes a kiss as “drinking in each other’s touch”.
- Profanity: The word “heck” is used one time and the word “hell” is used one time as a literal reference to that location.
- Other: Much of the story centers around the reason the Skya’ja (aliens) came to earth and whether their presence is helping or harming humanity. People who dislike the Skya’ja are referred to as racists and the word “bugger” is used once to describe them. Author Bradley Caffee treats the Skya’ja like a fantasy race of beings, but they are shown to be equal to humans through many parts of the story. While many may find this to be unconcerning, I find it worth mentioning for families who prefer to stay away from books containing extraterrestrial life and inhuman characters.
