KINGDOM OF WAVES

Two teenagers seek the floating land where the last of their people live free from subjugation.

Gineth Strong is a thief; it’s one of the few options open to her as an Ophir because her people are seen as worthless by the Laconians, who have been in power for 500 years. When a job goes wrong, Gin finds herself on the run in the company of another Ophir, Eban Sadreal, who’s after the same treasure. Their loot, it turns out, is important to both the Laconians and the Ophir. Gin wants to use it to help their people; Eban is hesitant to trust her. With their lives at risk, they turn to the ocean and the last, hidden stronghold of the Ophir—and in the process get caught between factions that are at odds with one another. Their world, influenced by its proximity to the sea, evokes the landscape of Southeast Asia, while also incorporating powerful ancestral magic and gritty, dystopian elements. The plot twists heighten the drama and hint at much more to come, but setting up the larger social conflict takes priority over in-depth character development in this duology opener. The novel nevertheless puts a new spin on the trope of teenagers leading a rebellion, and Gin and Eban will certainly win over readers. The Ophir, including Gin and Eban, are cued Filipino.

A sharp fantasy set in an original world that’s brimming with social conflict.