The Earthborn

When the spaceship Colony is forces to abort its mission to colonize Tau Ceti III and instead crashlands on Earth, it's a homecoming for fourteen-year-old Welkin Roberts. Well...sort of. Welkin is a Skyborn. Having lived his entire life on board a spaceship, his only memories of his home planet is what he has studied from the Colony archives. Believing the Earthborn no better than animals, the Skyborn elders decide to exterminate them before recolonizing Earth. On a reconnaisance mission, however, Welkin is ambushed by a gang known as Jabbers. Rescued by a rival gang of teenage survivors, Welkin realizes he needs the help of these Earthborn to survive. The question is, dotheyneedhim?

Paul Collins is an award-winning writer and anthologist. The most published short story SF writer in Australia, Collins has written several well received novels, including Cyberskin. The Earthborn is his first novel to be published in the United States.

"[A] fast-paced story. The enjoyment quotient remains high enough to whet appetites for more of Welkin's adventures."--Booklist

"Welkin's gritty adventures challenge his faith in the vision of the Skyborn and land him in a battle to save civilization on Earth. The pace moves quickly enough to keep readers focused on the action-packed plot."--Publishers Weekly