LIGHTNINGBORN

Two young people’s lives collide as they try to save one baby dragon—and an entire kingdom.

Life on the streets of Cutthroat Wedge, an island in the floating kingdom of Gallecia, is hard for orphaned Remy; he must steal to eat, and his only real company is an old man named Bart, who drinks in the tavern and is full of wild stories of adventure and dragons, a luxury that these days only the ultra-wealthy can afford. Meanwhile, Princess Gem is chafing against her school’s restrictions of her storm mage powers. She’s determined to save Gallecia, which she’s just discovered is rapidly sinking into the Maelstrom, the mysterious magic-giving storm holding the islands aloft. After a strange storm, Remy finds a baby dragon who’s being hunted by the ruthless pirate Jhaeros. Turning to Bart for help sets him on a collision course with Gem’s search for the missing Sir Bartello Axtell, who knows how to find the Ancients that can save their world. This first series entry evenly balances worldbuilding with action and suspense. The comfortably familiar dragons, pirates, and knights exist in an exciting and physically dangerous airborne environment. Both Gem and Remy are steadfast in their convictions and highly sympathetic despite their differences in background, education, and personality. The emotional hook is set with this volume: Readers will feel compelled to seek out the next installment. Characters are minimally described and racially ambiguous.

Swashbuckling abounds in this fun-filled series opener.