Heroes of Havensong

November 28, 2022
In Reyes’s ambitious fantasy debut, a series opener, four children must learn to trust one another after self-aware magic and gold threads of destiny bring them together to save the world. Blue, a dragon who was once a stable boy turned king, and his Rider, River, who never wanted to be bonded to a dragon, awaken from a decade-long hibernation to discover that the world is on the brink of war. Thirteen-year-old, tawny-skinned Shenli, in service to a cruel chancellor, balances his desire to protect his family with his yearning to rebel against corrupt royalty. According to her seer grandmother’s prophecy, brown-skinned 13-year-old Wren, hailing from a mysterious island of long-lived people, will bring all four tweens together; to do so, she must defy her people’s strictest laws while attempting to rein in her own erratic magic. In this complexly plotted adventure told in a nonlinear chronology, Reyes slowly weaves together seemingly disparate narrative threads—some of which take place over the course of several years—and often hints at long-hidden secrets tied to deeper worldbuilding, sowing excitement for the planned sequel. Character descriptions imply racial diversity throughout. Ages 8–12. Agent: Joanna Volpe, New Leaf Literary and Media.