Scourge: A Grim Doyle Adventure by David H. Burton

My name is Grim, and my fathers were forced to flee from Earth with my sister, me, and the other four children. We've returned to a world where our lives are in danger, so our dads have hidden us in an orphanage. The chores stink, especially cleaning the crappers, and the way we're treated by the privileged residents makes me angry. I'm not sure what to think of my new roommate, but I think there's more to Quinn than he wants to let on. I'd love to leave this place and have my family reunited,  but I know it's not safe. However, dangers have found a way inside these walls. My brother has been stricken by a mysterious plague that no one has seen before, and it's spreading its way through the orphanage. 

First off, the plot took awhile to get into the conflict. The family was attacked and fled from Earth, but things slowed down when the kids entered the orphanage. There was clearly danger for the kids, but it was put on the back burner. The second half of the book was better, as the bigger conflict came back to the forefront. The kids were heirs to royalty, and their parents' rivals wanted them dead. The identity of the attacker within the orphanage was unknown which created the mystery and suspense. The dynamics of Grim's family were uncommon and were confusing at times. The two dads were very minor characters, and Grim's attitude toward his siblings seemed to change. His blood-sister had a bit of darkness, as she liked to take the heads off dolls and complain there was no blood. This detail was dropped once the kids left Earth, so why even include something like that? Grim would sometimes point out the other kids were not his siblings and then turn around and become protective of them. He had a competitive relationship with Rudy, but they became close allies as the story moved along. Overall, the book was good, so I read a related book, Simian's Lair. It was one chapter in length, and I'm not sure of its purpose.