Gage fashions a kingdom on the verge of collapse, driven by power-hungry figures and rampant selfishness, where magic and superstition, advanced weaponry and medieval defenses, and futuristic technology exist side by side. Aidan, still coming into his own, spends much of his time suspicious of nearly everyone around him—understandable given his father’s murder—and second guessing their actions. He is truly a disoriented teenager, unsure of where he belongs in an increasingly chaotic world, with a terrible weight pressing down on his shoulders.

Gage masterfully captures the tension between Aidan's self-doubt and the inner willpower that drives him forward, illuminating his struggles to grasp the complexities demanded of him amid his very real attempts to mature in a world that seems out to get him. That world gets progressively more dangerous as the book advances, with a war that arrives swiftly and passes just as quickly—but leaves a deeply unsettling impact. In a nod to the story’s sci-fi motifs, Gage pits Aidan against a team of scientists—previously banished by his father for refusing to follow the kingdom’s laws—who meddle in disturbing experiments in an effort to take down Aidan’s kind, setting up the ending for a masterful showdown that accelerates his journey into adulthood. Readers who appreciate rapid-fire adventure and high stakes battles will be wowed.

Takeaway: Fleet debut fantasy of growing up, manmade beasts, and facing evil.

Comparable Titles: Jackary Salem’s Where the Lightning Goes, K.E. Miller’s Rebirth.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A-