Where The Rock Splits The Sky
Hardcover | Kindle Edition
Written by Phillip Webb
Chicken House/Scholastic Press
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Cover Price: $17.99

Perpetual sunset. That’s what happens when the world stops spinning on its axis. That’s elementary school science, right? It’s the only time of day Megan has ever known. She has never seen a sunrise and has never walked in moonlight. Not that there’s a moon anymore anyway. It was cracked in half 20 years ago, when the Visitors came. It is the “rock that splits the sky.” In the west is the Zone, a dangerous, time-warped and space-warped area, where Megan’s father has disappeared. Megan has had a vision — the vision of the Visitors plan for the rest of the survivors. She has to brave the Zone to find her father and stop the Visitors. She, her friend Luis, and Kelly, the girl they find along the way, set out into this unknown.

The first thought that comes to mind when you pick this up is, “Space cowboy! Where is Malcolm Reynolds?!” Then you calm down. There are some cowboys and the Visitors do come from space (even though they don’t actually visit space). It’s definitely a sci-fi western though, which is always fun-tumbleweeds, sheriffs, horseback chases, saloons, outlaws…….yes — western.

The Rock That Splits The Sky has a good premise and a compelling storyline. The YA set will find it a challenging read, yet not so much as to disengage. Megan’s adventures have enough regular surprises and disgusting surprises to engross readers. However, it does feel like it needs a prequel, only because you are thrust right into the action before you realize what is happening. Author Philip Webb has created a rich beginning to a very explorable dystopia. I hope he continues to flesh out this world.