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THE WINTER SOLDIER

COLD FRONT

From the Marvel Rebels & Renegades series , Vol. 3

Cinematic, CGI–ready action—but also a moving exploration of memory and identity.

Can an origin story for Bucky Barnes as he becomes the Winter Soldier be anything but painful?

In this volume, Lee continues exploring Marvel’s misunderstood antagonists. It’s 1954, smack in the middle of Bucky’s journey from hero to villain and back again. Instead of Bucky, there’s only the Winter Soldier, a brainwashed torturer and assassin for the (slightly Cold War–caricatured) Soviet Union. The Soldier—confused by his lack of memory, wishing he knew his own name—is nonetheless an obedient asset and a loyal partner to his handler. As the Winter Soldier performs his mission, in a storyline interspersed with movie-style action scenes, some chapters flash back to 1941: The U.S. hasn’t yet entered the war, and 16-year-old Bucky pesters his snarky, affectionate guardian to let him enlist (roughly following comics canon, not the movie). Teen Bucky’s an incorrigible flirt and smuggler (or entrepreneur!), but he wants to serve his country. Knowledgeable readers and new fans alike will see the forthcoming disaster in young Bucky’s eagerness to fight for people who he’s beginning to realize are morally compromised. He starts up a doomed but profound romance with a girl he meets on his first mission. Meanwhile, in 1954, the Soldier’s resurfacing memories of Captain America reveal an extremely close affection between the two. All characters appear to be White.

Cinematic, CGI–ready action—but also a moving exploration of memory and identity. (Science fiction. 13-18)

Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023

ISBN: 978-1-368-02227-9

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Marvel Press

Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022

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FORGING SILVER INTO STARS

From the Forging Silver Into Stars series , Vol. 1

A fiercely hopeful exploration of loyalty, perception, and agency in the face of fear, misinformation, and violence.

As Emberfall and Syhl Shallow prepare a Royal Challenge to promote unity between their countries, the vocally anti-magic Truthbringers conspire to turn public favor against King Grey.

Set four years after Kemmerer’s Cursebreaker trilogy, this timely, nuanced series opener introduces teen narrators Callyn, Jax, and Tycho, whose alternating perspectives navigate moral ambiguities and confront past and present traumas. Baker Callyn and blacksmith Jax have supported one another through many hardships: the accident that claimed one of Jax’s feet, the loss of Callyn’s parents, and the ongoing physical abuse Jax sustains from his father. Pushed to the point of desperation, Jax and Callyn accept a dangerous but well-paid job conveying potentially treasonous messages for the Truthbringers—but after a chance encounter with Tycho, the King’s Courier, the friends realize they’re in way over their heads. Notably, despite widespread distrust of magic, Tycho and others in Grey’s inner circle wear rings of Iishellasan steel that allow them to borrow his power, foreshadowing further revelations about how the magic functions. Tycho also faces scrutiny for his growing friendship with Jax and Callyn, and as the first Royal Challenge approaches, political and romantic intrigue abound. Both primary romances offer a masterclass in organic yet explicit depictions of consent, including a smoldering queer romance that’s profound in its treatment of intimacy with a sexual assault survivor. Major characters default to White.

A fiercely hopeful exploration of loyalty, perception, and agency in the face of fear, misinformation, and violence. (map, character list) (Fantasy. 14-18)

Pub Date: June 7, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-5476-0912-3

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022

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UNDER THE SURFACE

A nonstop thrill ride through an eerily claustrophobic setting.

A secret party in the Paris catacombs sounds like the experience of a lifetime—until you’re lost in the tunnels of the dead.

Ruby has been looking forward to her French class trip to Paris for ages; she’s especially excited to explore locations for her YouTube channel, “Ruby’s Hidden Gems.” When her adventurous bestie, Val, sneaks off to meet up with a handsome stranger, Ruby follows, accompanied by former BFF Selena and class valedictorian Olivia. The four girls trustingly follow the mysterious Julien into the Paris catacombs for an illegal cataphile party, but they all end up lost. Aboveground, Ruby’s other best friend (and crush) Sean and Selena’s girlfriend, Aliyah, help the police search for the missing teens. Underground, Ruby, Val, Selena, and Olivia confront the fractures in their friendships and struggle to find their way out. But wait—did some of the bones just come to life? From teen drama to suffocating nightmares, this book takes readers through twists and turns in the maze of tunnels beneath Paris. Urban’s prose is absorbing, leading readers through frightening scenes at a breakneck pace. Ruby’s narration of her harrowing journey is fast-paced and exciting. Sean’s chapters, which focus on his attempts to assist with the rescue, unfortunately distract from the far more compelling story playing out underground. The lead characters are white; Selena reads Latine, and Aliyah is cued Black.

A nonstop thrill ride through an eerily claustrophobic setting. (Thriller. 14-18)

Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024

ISBN: 9780593625088

Page Count: 368

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: May 4, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2024

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