172 Hours on the Moon

Originally published in Harstad's native Norway, 172 Hours was the winner of the 2008 Brage Prize for children's literature. With an extensive media campaign planned for its international release, it's reasonable to assume that a successful franchise will roll out around the novel. Set in the year 2018, a Nasa-organised trip to the Moon requires the enlistment of three healthy teens to accompany a group of experienced astronauts. A global sweepstake results in said three being plucked from millions of hopefuls. They are Mia, a moody punk rocker from Norway, fashion-forward Japanese misfit Midori, and love-stricken Parisian Antoine. Of course, despite the hype surrounding their cosmic sojourn, not all is as it seems. No sooner than the party sets foot on their destination, an eerie presence begins to shadow their every move. Accidents happen, panic breaks loose, and only one of them will escape alive. Laced with enough tension to keep young readers hooked, the plot development is near flawless, if largely predictable.