FAMILIARIST (THE WAR-C.O.G. CHRONICLES)

In Lantz’s YA series starter set in a steampunk-ish, magical world, a teenager gathers a band of unlikely heroes to save the world.

Ozwyn “Oz” Ashwood is the heir to the throne of the Dominion of Ashwood, but he’s hiding a dangerous secret. Although he’s Inclined—part of the magical elite—he’s also what people in his culture call a “mute,” as he doesn’t have full control over when or how his powers manifest. He would have ordinarily been put to death, but instead, his father kept his secret and sent him off to Ancona Academy for the Magically Inclined. The story begins when Oz is suddenly kidnapped as part of a sinister plot to start a war with the Dominion of Ashwood; just as quickly, Mal, a fellow student from the Academy, rescues him. She’s an advanced Hexer, with the power to inflict and cure physical ailments. Oz finds her “radiant,” with her “porcelain skin dotted with a tapestry of freckles, [and] silky raven hair highlighted the color of a ripe plum.” He strikes a deal with her in which she will agree to be his bodyguard if he rescues two missing girls. Together with Oz’s hulking cousin, Kyp, they embark on an investigation, finding links to a vast conspiracy as they progress. Eventually, Oz learns that he has a very unusual power: He’s a Familiarist, with “a rare type of magic that allows you to transfer your soul into the body of another creature.” Lantz’s novel is written from Oz’s first-person perspective, which provides readers with a useful point of entry into the fictional world, and it gives the work an engaging, self-deprecating tone that offers levity at just the right moments. The magical school feels a bit derivative, and it strongly brings Hogwarts to mind, but because the book doesn’t spend much time on it, it isn’t overly distracting. The plot gets a bit into the weeds when Oz discovers his new power, but it’s otherwise fast-paced and engaging. Steampunk elements, such as airships, add an intriguing thread that sets this book a bit apart from similar tales.

A creative and somewhat offbeat blend of fantasy and SF.