Linda M. Williams' The Caretakers is a young adult sci-fi novel that follows the adventures of nineteen-year-old Cadet Astra Newton and her IRG partner Billy Crux. It's 2033, and Astra is ready for her first mission for the Interstellar Research Group, a consortium of aliens who help civilizations and planets in need. Prophet Leo, Astra's mentor, sends them to help a man plant trees to save Earth's forests. Their next mission takes Astra and Billy to the planet Gonzen, where they must save the inhabitants from a deadly virus. On Oxlar, the duo helps two rival factions stop fighting over water. Along with Leo, Astra and Billy help bring down an alien whose actions harm Earth. In their fifth mission together, Astra and Billy will visit an ancient tribe on Argon to rescue IRG agent Lexi Smulch.

This is a book tailor-made for space adventure fans. The Caretakers takes you on an interstellar voyage to exotic worlds featuring alien civilizations and futuristic tech that you will relish. Using the same characters, Linda M. Williams tells five interconnected science fiction tales that shed light on some increasingly relevant issues we face in the real world today. While the author's worldbuilding is immersive, the characters keep you invested in the narrative. Both Astra and Billy are immensely likable characters who play off each other. I very much enjoyed their light-hearted back-and-forth banter and Leo taking them under his wing. Young adult readers will have a blast with this book. If you're a sci-fi fan who enjoys adventure stories, do not miss out on this one!

The Caretakers: Journey to Planet Zenray by Linda M. Williams is a fun, thought-provoking young-adult science fiction novel. The protagonist, Astra Newton, is not like other girls. Her father was from Earth, but her mother was from the planet Zenray. Unfortunately, Astra's parents were murdered when she was fourteen. She was taken in by Leo, a fellow Zenrayian. Subsequently, Leo, an agent at the Interstellar Research Group (IRG), enrolls Astra as a trainee at this agency. The IRG consists of members from across the galaxy, all dedicated to helping establish and maintain peace. Astra, now eighteen years old, is ready to be sent on important missions to various planets. She is partnered with Bilampocianous (Billy), a Zenrayian with an appetite for alien cuisine.

I enjoyed reading Linda M. Williams' The Caretakers. I liked how well all the main characters were developed. Astra's backstory gave depth to her anger issues. However, she was also shown to be funny, compassionate and quick-witted. The Zenrayian people were portrayed as cool, calm, and collected. Hence, it was interesting to see the times when Leo and Billy seemed to lose their composure. Williams chronicles Astra's first five missions as a caretaker of the IRG in such a way that every mission feels like an episode of a science fiction thriller. I especially liked the mission to planet Gozen, where Billy had to struggle with his prejudice against the people of that planet due to their shared history. Aside from being a fun read, this work promotes being environmentally friendly and helping each other for the good of society. I highly recommend The Caretakers to all science-fiction lovers.