Fate of Flames

September 12, 2016
A 16-year-old becomes the latest in a long line of young women imbued with elemental powers and charged to defend the world from invading monsters. Maia Finley, who has long idolized the so-called Effigies, unexpectedly becomes the new Fire Effigy when the previous one dies. She is taken in by an organization known as the Sect for training, but all plans are disrupted by the emergence of Saul, an enigmatic man with the unprecedented ability to control the phantoms that have terrorized humanity for more than a century. To defeat Saul, Maia must reunite the Effigies, no easy task. In a thrilling adventure with echoes of Pacific Rim, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Raughley (Feather Bound) depicts the cost of power, the lure of fame, and the trauma of overwhelming stress in a compelling story with memorably flawed heroines. References to our world (Star Trek, Popsicles) in an alternate Earth that has seen monumental change (like the destruction of Seattle in the 1960s) are slightly jarring, but it’s a minor quibble in an engrossing kickoff to the Effigies series. Ages 14–up. Agent: Natalie Lakosil, Bradford Literary.

Girl power reigns in this debut fantasy series.Sixteen-year-old Maia believes in heroes and has always idolized the Effigies. No one is more surprised than she is when Natalya, the fire Effigy, dies and Maia is chosen to take her place. Known for their superhuman strength and the ability to control an element, the four, female Effigies are destined to fight phantoms, dark creatures that plague the world. When New York falls prey to a series of phantom attacks orchestrated by a man who can somehow control them, Maia finds herself in the middle of the action. Afraid and untrained, she must learn to work with the other Effigies--timid Lake, angry Chae Rin, and cold, powerful Belle--to save the world. What Maia lacks in skill, she makes up in spunk; however, she spends too long bumbling around, wondering what's going on--but that's intentional. In a world where Effigies are not just heroes, but also celebrities, the novel places an emphasis on humanizing the girls. As she gets to know her sisters-in-battle, it's not long before Maia realizes that Effigies are only human. The characters' races are somewhat ambiguous: Buffalo-born Maia's mother is from Jamaica, British Lake is brown-skinned, French Belle is blonde and white, and Chae Rin is a Canadian originally from South Korea. This series opener has it all: strong females, intrigue, a dash of romance, monsters, and a sequel in the wings. (Fantasy. 14 & up) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-In an indeterminate future city, large, energy-emitting needles protect cities from phantoms, mystical monsters bent on destruction. Because the needles work so well, phantom attacks are virtually nonexistent in the major cities. But when the needles fail and the creatures attack, the last line of defense is four Effigies, girls with elemental powers that can defeat the monsters. Seventeen-year-old Maia is an Effigy fangirl, and when an Effigy dies, Maia becomes her replacement. With phantom attacks only recently popping up everywhere and protection technology failing, the superpowered teens will need to figure out what's going on and who seems to be controlling the phantoms. But first they will have to learn to get along and work together. Romance does not overwhelm the action of this tale as it does in other paranormal series. Maia is realistically timid and self-conscious; intellectually she knows what to do, but acting on it isn't so easy. Unfortunately, the setting is ambiguous and rapidly changing, and weak world-building leaves unanswered questions about what the phantoms are, where they came from, and why they exist at all. VERDICT This thrilling novel is full of superhero girls with ninja-warrior powers, so despite its flaws, it may still be popular with fans of Cassandra Clare's "Mortal Instruments" books and Naoko Takeuchi's "Sailor Moon" graphic novel series.-Leigh Collazo, Dulwich College, Suzhou, China

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