THE LORE OF WIND DRIVERS

Stadd’s debut novel—the first installment of a YA fantasy trilogy—chronicles the adventures of a teenager who, after discovering the existence of another realm, realizes that he may be the only person who can save the magical world and its inhabitants from annihilation.

Jordan, who lost his geologist father years ago in a tragic cave mishap, knows that forging his mother’s signature to go on a school field trip exploring a nearby cave system is a bad idea. When he arrives at the site late, gets stuck deep underground in an unstable tunnel, and has to be rescued, he knows he’s in big trouble. But his mother’s ire is worth it—as he was trapped deep beneath the earth, he found and pocketed a luminescent rock that looked like it contained an entire galaxy within it. The rock, Jordan quickly realizes, is a conduit that transports him to another world while he sleeps. The realm, Elatia, is a wondrous, seemingly idyllic place that has jaw-dropping, rejuvenating powers. But Jordan realizes that the world’s inhabitants—which include a beautiful teenage girl named Kaylaira—must suffer through a genocidal purge every eight years. The mysterious MonTu regularly arrive to steal the planet’s powers and callously kill its inhabitants. Jordan, however, has incredible abilities on Elatia. He’s a wind driver, a mythical warrior who can not only control the air, but also might be able to save Elatia’s people. Jordan’s authentic teen voice (“By no means an angel, I’m an average teen delving into my fair share of mischief. What teen hasn’t?”) and the author’s exceptional worldbuilding (“Lily pads the size of small cars stagger a footpath across water”) make this an undeniable page-turner. And although the latter half of the novel lags in places when it comes to momentum and overall intensity, the conclusion contains some impressive bombshell plot twists that will leave readers salivating for the sequel.

A solid, well-imagined beginning to what could be an outstanding YA fantasy saga.