THE GIANT'S GIANT

In the first entry of a YA fantasy series, outcast youth on a post-apocalyptic Earth uncover a scheme by shape-shifting cyborgs to foment war.

An apocalyptic conflict against rebellious robots and AIs resulted in “The Long Night,” during which human civilization made a grueling recovery from ruin and radiation. Now, after 374 years, four humanoid species survive in the former North America, which enforces Dune-like bans on computers and information technology. One faction is made up of unaltered humans; another, called Scavengers, are survivors who use recovered tech to keep their damaged bodies alive. They have an uneasy peace with elflike tree-dwellers called Dryads and with giant warriors who emerged from underground shelters much larger and stronger than most other humans. Brianna MineShaker is an adolescent girl giant who’s too independent-minded for her community’s tradition-bound social order. She’s forced to attend HarmonySchool, a last-chance remedial boarding school for problem children from all four groups. Although she disdains friendship, she connects with two kindred nonconformists: Rayel Juniperus, a colorful Dryad girl; and Davyd ShieldBreaker, a pacifist human boy. Cheverton, after writing multiple fantasy novels derived from Minecraft video gaming, such as Invasion of the Overworld (2014), forges a new path with this Giants of StoneHold series launch. Readers dreading a Hogwarts pastiche need not fear; almost instantly, the trio of characters are on the run due to a Scavenger conspiracy to infiltrate the school and trigger destructive war between the four groups. It’s not the first time this has happened according to chapter prologues from 150 years earlier that form a secondary running narrative; cleverly, there’s a flip-book illustration on each odd-numbered page that tells a third little tale. The story never stops moving, even if some moments on the young giant’s rocky path to self-realization seem a bit familiar. The lessons about being kind to animals also feel heavy-handed. Still, this imagined world is a robust one, and the nimble narrative will attract a YA audience craving action and role models.

A fine fantasy featuring giant-sized themes of empowerment and self-acceptance.