Publishers Weekly
04/01/2024
A young boy goes on a quirky quest through a postapocalyptic world in bestseller Sloan’s gentle yet thought-provoking adventure set 11,000 years after humanity lost a war to the genetically engineered “dragons” it had developed for space exploration. Now 12-year-old Ariel de la Sauvage is tasked by the Wizard Malory with pulling Excalibur from its stone. But Ariel angers the wizard when he returns with another sword, bucking his destiny. Fleeing Malory’s wrath, Ariel experiences life beyond his small village for the first time as he travels toward the city Rath Varia, helped along the way by talking beavers and amiable robots. Once there, he learns how wizards can reshape life and concocts a dangerous scheme to defeat Malory by activating humanity’s “Plan Z” in its fight against the dragons, a signal meant to summon a human army held in stasis in space. Unfortunately, the signal brings only Durga, a teen girl trained by humans in propaganda and kept in stasis for centuries. She agrees to help topple Malory if Ariel will help confront the dragons once and for all. Narrated by the fungal chronicler implant that attaches to Ariel, the story is full of wildly inventive and audacious worldbuilding delivered in a cozy tone reminiscent of Becky Chambers. With the flavor of a classic coming-of-age adventure or a complicated video game, this is a world readers will hope to come back to. Agent: Sarah Burnes, Gernert Co. (June)
From the Publisher
"An expansive adventure that blends fantasy and SF to address one of the most pressing issues of our time."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Gentle yet thought-provoking ... The story is full of wildly inventive and audacious worldbuilding delivered in a cozy tone"
—Publishers Weekly
Library Journal
04/01/2024
Sloan's (Sourdough) thought-provoking novel explores the limits of what it means to be human. The story begins in the distant future, when humanity takes its first halting steps into the void, only to find itself at the mercy of monsters. Humanity's foray into space is brief, bringing back terrible dragons that lock down Earth and devastate humanity. But all is not lost. The novel's main character is an artificial intelligence, a chronicler and counselor living in a small bit of cells that functions as a narrator for its host body. The chronicler sleeps for 11,000 years, then wakes to find a new host in the boy Ariel. The novel's plot is a predictable one, with Ariel's coming of age proving to be the twist of fate that allows humanity to return to the stars. However, Sloan's world is far from standard, being a captivating meld of fantasy and science fiction tropes that are both startling in scope and impressive in their concepts. VERDICT The depth of ideas in Sloan's excellent new book will entice readers who enjoyed James S.A. Corey's "Expanse" series.—Jeremiah Rood
SEPTEMBER 2024 - AudioFile
Gabra Zackman performs this ambitious novel, which attempts to turn the legend of King Arthur on its head. In an alternative future 11 thousand years from now, an orphan boy named Ariel chooses not to pull the sword from the stone. Instead, he finds a different sword, an ancient artifact that carries with it a sentient AI that tells him of times past. From there, Ariel starts on a quest across his world in search of answers about the sword's origins. While the story meanders, often becoming confusing and nonsensical, Zackman's narration helps guide listeners through it. Zackman is the best part of this listening experience as she perfectly delivers Ariel's dialogue, bringing his young, often naïve,voice to life. K.D.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine