Fans of futuristic fiction will welcome this “somewhere in space” novel by Monica Hughes, award-winning author and acknowledged creator of contemporary Canadian science fiction for young people.

The Other Place is an intriguing story about the power of idealism and hope in a 22nd-century world of uniformity and control. Its plot revolves around a World Government plan to seed liveable planets with reformed dissidents and their families. However, unknown to the World Government and its police, another agenda is at work.

Sixteen-year-old Alison Fairweather tells this story about her family’s relocation to a penal colony, the insidious effect drug therapy has on her parents, the recurring dream that causes eight-year-old Gordie to leave his family, her frantic pursuit, and the new life she and Gordie discover in “the other place.” For the most part, Hughes works her plot capably. However, a story segment involving Ally’s discovery of a computer password begs readers’ indulgence, as does the use of verbatim meeting minutes as a technique to provide story background.

The strengths of this 10-chapter novel are its settings and main characters. There are three compelling settings – a high-tech, heavily policed Earth, a correctional facility at an undisclosed location, and a back-to-nature “other place.” The three key characters are Ally, who’s loyal and intuitive, her aggressive, skeptical foil and former Earth friend, Kristin, and the enigmatic Jay, who welcomes children to “the other place,” but could be enemy as easily as friend.

Riddled with questions and possibilities, The Other Place will hold the attention of early teen and preteen readers. It may also generate family and classroom discussions about human rights and the use and abuse of technology.