Blood Scion

January 15, 2022
A 15-year-old conscripted into an army of child soldiers investigates her mother's disappearance. Being born a Scion, or human who inherits the powers of Yoruba deities, is a crime in Nagea. Sloane, the powerful descendant of Shango, the god of heat and fire, has �se: blood magic that ripples under her dark skin. Not yet controlled, it makes her a literal walking inferno when she is distressed. Drafted into the army ruled by the 13 Luci bloodlines who conquered and colonized Nagea under one rotating monarchy over three centuries ago, Sloane chooses not to run away even though her Baba warns her about the risks of going to the Lucis' island stronghold: "A Scion in Avalon is a sheep in a lion's den." Determined to find out what happened to her mother, Sloane will do whatever it takes, removing any obstacle--human or otherwise--in search of the answers she needs. Sloane's internal conflicts over her necessarily kill-or-be-killed attitude once on the base are grounded and relatable even as she endures immense physical and emotional violence. The well-paced closing action of the book is tidy, providing satisfactory resolutions for enough of the main mysteries while still leaving readers wanting more. With so much conflict to engage with, however, it's difficult to get a full sense of the worldbuilding in this intriguing duology opener set in a Nigerian mythology-inspired setting. A powerful commentary on colonization and the right to rebel. (Fantasy. 14-18)

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March 1, 2022
Grades 8-12 This epic fantasy debut, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, reminds readers that sometimes monsters are not born, they are made. Living in a land ruled by the ruthless Lucis, 15-year-old Sloane is a powerful Scion and descended from the ancient Orisha gods. She can destroy enemies by burning them at will, but it's an ability she must hide or risk being killed. One day, she is forced to join the Lucis army, which she uses as an opportunity to learn how to get rid of their overpowering rule from the inside. The story is fast-paced and engaging as it follows Sloane's quick rise through the army's ranks. As she grows more powerful, it becomes clear that she might be losing herself in the process. Full of lessons about the consequences of revenge and of losing one's purpose, the story also features compelling character development and shocking events that will keep the pages turning.

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March 28, 2022
In Falaye’s gripping debut, an epic tale of ancient magic based in Nigerian mythology, Sloane Folashadé has for two years searched for the truth behind her mother’s disappearance, believing that her mother was murdered by the royal Lucis, responsible for the genocide of Yoruba peoples and colonization of their land. Now 15, Sloane is at risk of being drafted into the Lucis’ war against Scions, the magic-wielding ancestors of Orisha gods. Secretly a Scion of the Orisha Shango, Sloane already struggles to keep her powerful blood magic of heat and fire hidden, a task that becomes even more dangerous once she is drafted into the Lucis’ military for training. If she is discovered, she and her remaining family will be executed. Enduring unspeakable horrors and forced to take the lives of her own people and fellow recruits, Sloane’s work to confirm her mother’s murder unravels a web of lies that threatens to burn away her remaining humanity. Though the ending borders on cliché, Falaye’s harrowing duology opener of survival, sacrifice, and vengeance illustrates the effects of trauma and the strength of love in driving acts potentially heinous and heroic. Ages 13–up. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary.

August 1, 2022

Gr 8 Up-Nigerian Canadian author Falaye's Yoruban mythology-inspired debut (introducing a planned duology) presents Nagea, a nation brutalized by the genocidal Lucis. Only her grandfather has managed to keep 15-year-old Sloane safe, until she's drafted into the army. Being a Scion-"a descendent of the ancient Orisha gods"-Sloane is imbued with �se, the power of fire; the Scion are the prey of the Lucis. Hiding in plain sight, Sloane survives the murderous training that turns her monstrous, but the (rushed) shocking ending revelations will question at what personal cost. Nigerian American actor Liz Femi's first solo narration is a 15-plus hour endurance feat of distinguishing voices from a vast cast, some more successfully: sharp Sloane, desperate Teo, sly Malachi, strengthening Izara, booming Theodus. Femi deftly slips in and out of various accents, making Lucis in power American, vicious Queen Olympia posh British. VERDICT Femi shrewdly enhances Falaye's underlying expos� of colonialism, genocide, and eternal war.

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