Skyborn

Starred review from September 28, 2015
Fantasy takes to the skies in this high-flying, dynamic adventure, which takes place 500 years after a disaster nearly wiped out the human race and left the survivors to build a new civilization on a series of islands floating above an endless, raging sea. Twins Bree and Kael Skyborn were orphaned when their parents were killed in defense of their home. Ever since then, they have wanted nothing more than to join the Seraphim, winged warriors who wield elemental forces in battle. When they turn 16, they’re accepted to the Academy and begin intensive training. Bree, a natural in the air, struggles with her control over fire, while Kael works to keep up with his ambitious sister. Their subsequent experiences are set against an increasingly tense backdrop as war threatens to erupt between the islands. Dalglish (the Shadowdance series) creates a rich setting and populates it with amazing visuals; the aerial combat sequences are breathtaking and cinematic. The cast contains the usual school-themed archetypes, but Dalglish manages to shake up their story with some devastating twists. This trilogy tale soars confidently and will appeal to teen and adult audiences alike. Agent: Michael Carr, Veritas Literary.

October 1, 2015
Twins Breanna and Kael Skyborn live in a hierarchical, corrupt civilization, comprised of six holy islands, aloft above the Endless Ocean. Inhabited by a remnant of humankind, five islands are governed by an Archon, who answers to the sixth island, named Center, from which the Speaker for the Angels, his knights, and sinister theotechs rule. Since only theotechs can repair and dispense the technologies that keep the islands floating, they dictate a system of justice. Each island is protected by its own army of seraphim, warriors who don mechanical wings, use elemental weapons of fire, ice, and rock, and wage aerial battles to maintain social order. Orphaned in battle, the twins are chosen by Center to train as seraphs for their homeland but soon discover that the Speaker for the Angels is power-hungry, intent upon disabling local seraphim and becoming a dictator. As the twins learn to fly, they also learn to question authority, especially fire-throwing Bree; meanwhile, a reformed theotech sows dissent. Epic fantasist Dalglish (Dance of Chaos, 2015, etc.) begins his fast-paced Seraphim trilogy with a predictable plot that recycles a number of old standards: feisty, talented twins; a boarding school where loyalties are made and lost; religion and magic undercut by conflicted ethics. During the repetitive, video game-like battles the action is lively, but to quote Dalglish, although there appears to be a lot going on, "the actual meat is frustratingly thin." While Dalglish's prose is lean, it lacks style and is littered with slang such as "no can do" or "no worries," which not only ill-suits a society of knights and thanes, but also invites an unflattering comparison to the Samaria series. Assertive Bree and uncertain Kael are likable teenagers, but their trials and triumphs are so predictable that it's hard to care about them, the carnage they inflict, or the civilization they protect.

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September 15, 2015

In the future, the remaining humans on Earth live on islands floating in the sky, held aloft by technology and safeguarded by the Theocrats on the central island. The only way to travel between islands is by air, which has led to the development of prism-powered wings for travel, fishing, and warfare. Twins Breanna and Kael Skyborn were orphaned in a battle between islands, and Breanna has vowed to become a Seraphim and avenge her parents. This first entry in a new series follows the siblings as they gain entrance to the academy and begin their training. Plenty of battles make this a quick read, but the mysterious Theocrats and their strange interest in the twins add depth. VERDICT Acclaimed for his self-published "Shadow Dance" books, Dalglish launches a series that leans much more on the sf side than his previous sweeping fiction but still contains the movement and adventure his readers adore. A must-read for fans of Michael Sullivan and Brent Weeks, this title will be popular with both adult and teen readers. [See Eric Norton's sf/fantasy spotlight feature, "A Genre Takes Flight," LJ 8/15.]--JM

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