Publishers Weekly
04/15/2024
In this daring steampunk fantasy from Nayak (The Ghost’s Tale), set four hundred years in the future, the world’s energy exists in infinite wells of swirling magic. Teenage Adya Sachdev, who can communicate with machines using that magic, lives deep in the jungle of Southern India, which is in conflict with colonizing British forces. Recently orphaned, Adya will do anything to keep her siblings alive. Adya’s twin Priya, meanwhile, desires to use her own technomancy to help the maharaja defeat the British; she soon abandons the family for her cause. When Adya learns that Priya is in danger, she teams up with an enigmatic thief; the maharaja’s runaway princess daughter, a sorceress; and a warlord’s prized sentient motorcycle to save her sister, even if it means fighting to the death. Rushed emotional beats result in somewhat shallow character development. Nayak nevertheless weaves an intricately built setting via plentiful sensorial description and sprawling worldbuilding. Ragtag found-family dynamics, discerning dialogue, tightly constructed action sequences, and all the explosive excitement of a Mad Max film further escalate this expansive tale about the triumphant bond of sisterhood. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jennifer Azantian, Azantian Literary. (July)
Judy I. Lin
“A Magic Fierce and Bright is a wildly imaginative story that takes the reader from the lush jungle to a grand palace hiding many secrets. The action doesn’t let up from the explosive beginning to the triumphant end. The magical world contained within these pages is a pure delight. I’ve never experienced anything like it!”
George Jreije
"A Magic Fierce and Bright expertly blends science fiction and fantasy for an edge-of-your-seat adventure. I couldn't put down this debut, eager to follow Adya and her crew across India! Now that I have finished, all I can say is that I cannot wait for whatever Nayak gives us next, even if it means facing down colonialist vampires, terrifying mythic monsters, and a cat named Useless."
Melissa Caruso
“An adrenaline-fueled, action-packed, nonstop ride full of magic and danger, family and friendship, loss and triumph—and one sentient motorcycle that will steal your heart and race it to the finish line. With brilliant pacing, fantastic characters, and a wildly creative world, A Magic Fierce and Bright is a true winner!”
Kirkus Reviews
2024-04-20
In a future when magic dominates, a young woman’s search for her sister leads her to the frontlines of the war between England and India.
Centuries ago, meteors crashed into Earth, creating infinity wells of magical energy. Seizing the opportunity to expand England’s power and restore its imperial power, the queen first conquered France and then sent her forces to India, igniting a war. Four hundred years on, Adya Sachdev is a technomancer who possesses a rare ability to fix and awaken electrical machines. Her skills allow her to feed her family and pay off their debts to the cruel crime lord Huda, but they also make her a target of the British, who would use her to do their bidding. When Adya is captured by Huda’s men, she finds herself in the company of handsome thief Jagan Dsouza, whom she must work with to escape Huda’s clutches and continue searching for her twin sister, Priya. Priya left home to pursue their dead parents’ ambitions of awakening a machine powerful enough to expel the British from India. Accompanied by an unlikely team of allies, including Mohan (her optimistic brother), Dsouza, maharaja’s daughter Sonya, and a talking motorcycle, Adya navigates a complicated web of political intrigue, faces unimaginable dangers head-on, and discovers the truth of her power and who she could be. This breathless techno-fantasy adventure abounds in terrifying and electrifying thrills; the nonstop action hinders character development but will keep readers riveted.
An exhilarating ride. (Fantasy. 13-18)
