Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker by Michael Zummo is an action-packed young adult sci-fi novel that follows Eisah Tanner, a bullied teen from a Martian colony. When his latent powers awaken during a brutal attack, Eisah is whisked away to Weun Academy, a school for gifted outcasts on the massive New Eden space station. There, he struggles to control his abilities while forming unexpected bonds. However, danger looms as a violent incident shakes the academy, forcing Eisah and his friends into a battle of shifting loyalties and hidden agendas. As enemies close in, Eisah must master his powers before darkness consumes them all.

Author Michael Zummo knows how to grab an audience with cinematic style action scenes right from the start. The vivid and imaginative galactic setting makes the academy feel realistically vast but immersive at the same time. Eisah is a likeable figure to whom YA readers will instantly warm, and his journey from an underdog to a potential hero is told with a relatable amount of grit and personal growth so that nothing ever feels automatic or given to him. Through great attention to detail in dialogue and the exchanges he has with others, the novel explores themes of identity, friendship, and self-acceptance with raw emotional depth from Eisah. This makes the personal twists and sacrifices even more compelling. Overall, Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker is a highly recommended read for fans of action-packed narratives and high-stakes conflicts that keep the tension and excitement going from cover to cover.

Weun Academy by Michael Zummo begins on Mars and shifts to a view of the broader universe as the main character, Eisah, learns of a whole other world outside his understanding. Eisah has powers he can’t control, abilities that can enhance or destroy everything around him. Weun Academy opens his mind as he meets others like him, but it also tests him emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This storyline gripped me immediately as I dropped headfirst into an intense action scene. The plot is exciting and moves quickly. While action-packed and thrilling, this novel is also a skillful study of the nature of friendship. Every page reveals the impact that individuals have on others and how that legacy continues even after they’re gone.

The reader relies on Eisah as the narrator, and we learn at his pace. That offers the privilege of bonding with him and being privy to his innermost thoughts and fears. I loved how Michael Zummo portrayed the characters. It’s an enduringly hopeful novel, showing that help and trials come from the most unexpected places. The flawless descriptions pulled me into the world-building to the extent that I could feel the crystal of New Eden under my fingers. Weun Academy is a brilliantly written, coming-of-age, school academy novel that delves deep into the inner doubts and fears of teenagers, no matter their origins. One of my favorite quotes is the universal blessing that acknowledges how correctly channeled rage can have positive results for the soul. “Smash until peace is upon you.” The world-building was incredible. An excellent novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Growing up an Earther in a Martian colony, teenage Eisah and his fellow Earthers had learned to stick to the shadows to dodge the Redborns, Martian natives who picked on them and made their lives miserable. However, when the Redborn bullies corner the Earthers and attack with menace, a mysterious power is awakened in Eisah, leading to an explosion that claims the lives of the Redborns. The incident triggers civil unrest in the colony and draws extraterrestrial attention to the teenager. Eisah is taken to Weun Academy, a school for gifted outcasts housed on a space station deep in the galaxy. Eager to learn how to control his power, Eisah forms unexpected alliances to survive the grueling life at the Academy. But is he ready for the lethal enemies and secrets lurking at the Academy? Find out in Michael J. Zummo’s Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker.

You will only put down this page-turner after you have flipped through to the last page. If you are looking for a young adult sci-fi novel blended with space intrigue, adventure, suspense, fast-paced action, and high-stakes drama, you will love Michael J. Zummo’s Weun Academy. Weaving an intriguing plot featuring a fascinating, dynamic cast, Zummo whisked me away from reality, dropping me into a world of endless magnificent imagination. Paying great attention to detail but just enough not to bog down the plot’s pace, Zummo brings the scenes to life with evocative and cinematic depictions. It felt like watching a Marvel franchise movie. The conversations, filled with sarcasm, playful banter, wit, and introspection, gave depth to the cast’s conflicts and complex traits. The edge of sentiment harnessed to the storyline allowed me to experience the cast’s emotions. This stand-alone read is an incredible installment in the D’Mok Revival series.

Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker by Michael Zummo follows Eisah, a young man with newfound powers, thrust into a dangerous journey after escaping a Martian colony and a gang called the Redborn. His powers, called D’mok, are key to his survival and lead him to Weun Academy, where he learns to harness his abilities. Amid intense training, Eisah faces various enemies, including a fire beast and a red crystal beast. Tragedy strikes when the Weun Academy is attacked. Despite grief over losses, Eisah and his companions—Zayin, Tai’rol, and Kira—continue their training when the Academy reopens, with some changes and a somber ceremony for the fallen. As Eisah and his “Battle Brothers” grow stronger, so too do questions about the Academy's security. Between the Mujōna, a force linked to shadow-like abilities, the draining of energy from crystal beings, and a suggested military operation, another battle feels imminent.

The Shadow Maker is a supremely well-constructed and thought-out science fiction-fantasy hybrid adventure, and Michael Zummo leans into his skill of world-building and fast-paced action. That action punctuates day to day life at the Academy, even before the attack, with a series of in-field training at the camp that I would never, ever want to go to. This is where Eisah's evolution starts, and Zummo does an excellent job in character distinction before and after that happens. It's heartbreaking, particularly Eisah being wracked with guilt and self-doubt. Weun Academy itself provides a fresh backdrop, and the dynamics between students, who are all manner of alien races and from both ends of the political and socio-economic spectrum, is brilliant. None of this matters in mind-walk training, so the playing field is level. Overall, this is a tightly written, fully fleshed-out, and completely engrossing dive into the Weun Academy series, and I'm all in. Just no hoverboard racing for me, personally. Very highly recommended.