Sci-Fu

Wax might only be thirteen, but he’s one of the best DJs 1980s Brooklyn has to offer. Between dodging bullies, working in his uncle’s ice cream truck, and writing the perfect rap for his crush, Wax raps, spins, and rhymes alongside his best pal, Cooky P. But when his DJ skills attract a UFO, he and his family find themselves on an alien world, battling robot rappers. You see, Wax might be this planet’s only hope–if he can master the lyrical martial art known as Sci-Fu.

This book is so much fun. There’s the rhyming dialogue, the immensely likable characters, and the absolutely madcap plot of a rapping martial artist battling the robotic minions of a bully who looks like a train. This book is jam-packed with enough creative material to fill a Tolkien-sized sci-fi trilogy with ease.

It is only enhanced by the vibrant art style that evokes Tron-style effects, graffiti art, and a day-glo neon color palette that was so quintessentially 80s. This book is beautiful and riotously colorful, perfectly matching the ridiculously enjoyable plot.

Sci-Fu is unlike any sci-fi book, rap war, or kung-fu story you’ve ever read, and it’s far more charming to boot.