An unforgettable coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of mythical creatures and faraway lands.
In Strong’s YA fantasy novel, the first in a series, a teen with dreams of riding dragons defies a powerful ruling Council.
In the fantastical realm of Juro, 15-year-old Astria Sannfjaer wants nothing more than to be a Rider like her father, Jorie, who disappeared (along with his dragon) five years ago. But the people of her home valley of Invernell abide by the Council, and the Council insists that Astria can’t be a Rider until Jorie trains her. A Rider partners with a single dragon, and Astria has seemingly found one; Zephyr is smaller than other dragons, and he can’t fly, but he’s fixated on the teenager. At the Vederlofte, a ceremony in which youths go before the Council to declare their chosen craft, Astria chooses Rider, which the Council continues to disapprove. The real reason they deny her may be her uncanny ability to understand dragons, including their “honks”; the Council believes Astria’s the Speaker, recalling a Speaker/Rider who long ago turned dragons against humans and “used them to enslave the world.” Astria, who stays loyal to Zephyr, is effectively on her own—her mother, Skye, and Jorie’s friend Efrin can’t sway the Council, despite Skye being one of the 12 Council members. Outside of Invernell, Astria mingles with the Northmen, “foreign” neighbors whom her people are prone to dismiss. But the Army of the North would make a great ally against the Quarajii, a conquering barbarian horde that may be “the Darkness” that many fear is imminent.
Strong’s story shares some similarities with the How to Train Your Dragon book and movie series as it centers around the plucky Astria. She defies others’ expectations throughout the novel as the Council tries to mold her future (even suggesting she’ll win their favor if she gets engaged to a local boy). Her longing to be a Rider is about forging her own path, a desire for freedom that she doesn’t yet necessarily know she wants or needs. Astria is a strong person who consistently proves herself, from finding a way to help Zephyr fly to staving off hunger while out in the wild (Zephyr, like all dragons, hunts for himself and won’t share his catch). The supporting cast shines just as brightly: Various Council members stand out for their stubborn antagonism, while quite a few Invernell citizens (eventually) show that they’re on Astria’s side. The resilient young hero discovers a worthy romantic interest and interacts with several other dragons, namely the mostly reliable dragon Vandrare (who’s “wild” because he’s not partnered with a Rider). The author’s prose is both concise and colorful: “The nearby cornfields were bare, and the clans busied themselves with the wheat harvest. Along the valley rim, elm trees glowed yellow between live oaks, and scattered within the village, maple trees blazed red.” In this opening installment of Strong’s series, ample surprises and character developments unfold, leaving any number of directions for the next entry to take.
An unforgettable coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of mythical creatures and faraway lands.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9780986359934
Page Count: 359
Publisher: Impulse Fiction
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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