The books take place “five years from now”, when there’s 6G, self-driving taxis and delivery drones. The story begins in Swarm Rising when Danny’s mum – a researcher in radio astronomy at the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank in the UK – rushes home from work to analyse some unusual fast radio bursts (FRBs). Plugging in her data-filled USB device, she unwittingly releases an “alien digital intelligence” called Adi that gets into Danny’s devices, and (rather creepily) befriends him by claiming she’s a friend’s cousin. Very atmospheric, thrilling and occasionally chilling which I really love - Toppsta reviewer, aged 13

With the help of bestselling children’s author Steve Cole, these books are Peake’s first forays into fiction. Aimed at ages 8–11, they are written from the point of view of 14-year-old Danny Munday as he and his best friend, Jamila al-Sufi, try to save the world from aliens intent on conquering the human race. While this is a common sci-fi trope, the books are replete with science facts and sincere moral messaging – albeit with both often featured in quite a heavy-handed way. The notion that children – the target readers in other words – will have to fix the mess of previous generations runs strong throughout the books, and, although I think the environmental foreboding is perhaps repeated too often, the plotline is a clever way of inspiring action. There are other, more subtle messages skilfully woven into the stories that are more delicately handled. These include the fight to be an individual in a society that expects you to be a certain way, the importance of empathy and understanding, and the realistic mental-health impacts of being thrown into a world of aliens. From astronaut Tim Peake and bestselling author Steve Cole: exciting action-adventure rooted in cutting-edge space-age science and technology. Education and outreach Learn about novel approaches to educating and inspiring the scientists of the future The first chapter of Swarm Rising is a prime example of this style. For instance, when Danny’s mum is talking about some previously detected signals, the conversation with Danny goes like this: “ ‘…the radio waves were being thrown out by a stellar remnant.’ ‘The last remains of a star, you mean?’ Yeah, you can call me a geek, but growing up with two astronomers means it’s hard to miss this stuff. ‘There are different types, aren’t there?’ ” It is however worth persevering through the information-heavy sections, and the authors are less prone to them in the second book .

Perfect for fans of Alex Rider, Young Bond and Cherub, this fast-paced action-adventure is the second thrilling story from astronaut Tim Peake and bestselling author Steve Cole. The alien Swarm is rising once more... The Nobel Prize for Physics Explore the work of recent Nobel laureates, find out what happens behind the scenes, and discover some who were overlooked for the prize Faraday Discussion – Challenges and prospects in organic photonics and electronics 6—8 November 2023 | Osaka, Japan

Artificial intelligence Explore the ways in which today’s world relies on AI, and ponder how this technology might shape the world of tomorrowTrying to save her, Danny himself needs help from Swarm (alien) agents. The story is full of twists and turns, cleverly orchestrated by Cole, and the action culminates in a trip to the International Space Station, where Peake is obviously very much at home. With the action and science both in the hands of experts, this is really good reading, but I like too the way that it reminds us throughout that the future of the planet and our species is in the hands of young readers, who the authors clearly see as smart, committed and ingenious as their protagonists.

Adi – Alien Digital Intelligence in the form of a girl – can bend the laws of physics and control digital data, but as a digital being she wants to know what it’s like to be human. Which is where Danny comes in. He launched to space on 15 December 2015. Tim took part in over 250 scientific experiments during his mission. His Principia mission also focused on educational outreach, engaging more than 2 million schoolchildren across Europe in over 30 projects during his time in space.Peake is far better when he draws on his own experience as an astronaut. In Swarm Enemy, when Danny and Adi leave the Earth in a bubble of air to reach the ISS, the description of Danny’s emotions, the physical process, and the view of space and Earth is mesmerizing. You can tell that Peake is feeding off his own journey to the ISS, especially when he writes “I felt myself smiling through my soul”. It’s a beautiful touch to the story and feeds the imagination. Tim Peake was the first British ESA astronaut to visit the International Space Station. He is also a best-selling author and an inspirational communicator of science to audiences of all ages.

Nanotechnology in action The challenges and opportunities of turning advances in nanotechnology into commercial products Steve Cole (Author) is a bestselling author who has written over 200 books for children, including Astrosaurs, Young Bond and Z. Rex.

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