The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic, New York) $20
The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen (Scholastic, New York) $19
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen (Scholastic, New York) $19
The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson (Arthur A. Levine, New York) $20
IT feels just like Christmas to be able to open the first book in a fantasy series that you know is going to be wonderful.
The Raven Boys, book one of The Raven Cycle, certainly does not disappoint. Stiefvater is the established author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races which received very positive reviews. Raven Boys is a cleverly conceived mystery/romance in a fantasy setting.
Blue Sargent, a teenage girl living in a home of female psychics has always known that her true love will die at the touch of her lips - a horrible prediction to have to face. She must also deal with the Raven Boys, affluent young men from the ultra swank Aglionby Academy on the edge of town who regard the local girls as fodder to serve their needs.
Unfortunately for Blue, she soon finds herself part of a group of these students who are searching for the ley lines near the town which will reveal where the body of a vanished Welsh king is buried.
The boys see her as someone connected to the psychic world who is likely to facilitate such a search. Their efforts are hampered by an embittered teacher at their school who has himself been involved in the same search for many years.
As Blue becomes more involved with the Raven boys, Gansey in particular, she agonizes over the dire prediction regarding her true love. By the end of the book we are desperate to know not only how the secret of the ley lines will be revealed but also whether Blue can ever hope to have a happy future.
Stiefvater's beautifully written novel will have you on the edge of your seat. I can't wait for Book 2! Perfect for teen readers who want a touch of the supernatural mixed in with their romance.
The False Prince, Book 1 of the Ascendance trilogy, is another well-written fantasy set in a pseudo-medieval world. Adventure, murder, piracy and lots of fighting and edge-of-the-seat suspense make this a gripping tale.
A group of street orphans are chosen by a ruthless nobleman who wishes to place one of them on the throne to avert civil war in the kingdom. The king and queen are dead and the prince, the rightful heir to the throne, has been missing for several years.
The boys soon learn that only one of them, the one chosen to impersonate the prince, is likely to survive the training. The tension escalates and it appears that Sage, an orphan with a sharp wit and clever instincts is likely to emerge as the winner.
Intrigue abounds in a tale with lots of clever plot twists. Sage is a strong character and readers who love the writing of Suzanne Collins and Megan Whalen Turner will relate to his struggle to survive. This is great reading especially for boys age 10 and up.
The Runaway King, Book 2 of the Ascendance trilogy, continues the story of Jaron, prince of Carthya.
The suspense increases as he survives an assassination attempt and realizes that in order to save the kingdom he must leave it. Only by approaching his deadliest of enemies is there the slightest chance of his kingdom surviving and little chance that he himself will live.
The sequel has just as many plot twists as the first book and readers will be riveted by the dangerous escapades of Prince Jaron.
The Summer Prince, a stunning dystopian novel set in a futuristic Brazilian city, is author Alaya Dawn Johnson's first young adult novel.
In the lush setting of the fabulous city of Palmares Tres, a young artist tries to make a name for herself. Then her world is turned upside-down when she encounters Enki, the new Summer Prince who is destined to die at year end according to a 400-year-old tradition.
The writing is wonderful and takes the reader into the heart of a culture which worships the samba, art and spectacle above all. The characters glow with life and the setting is brilliantly realized. I held my breath in an agony of hope and anticipation while reading the final chapters. An amazing read and I can't wait to see what this talented author will write next.
Fran Ashdown worked at the Capilano Branch of the NV District Library. She loves retirement as it offers much more time to read fantasy and avoid vacuuming. For more information, check your local libraries.
