Kingdom of Souls (Kingdom of Souls trilogy, Book 1)

July 15, 2019
Every year, Arrah, the unexceptional 16-year-old daughter of two potent witch doctors, travels with her father from the city of Tamar to the kingdom’s tribal lands for the ceremonial summoning of Heka, the orisha who gives magic to mortals. Nobody older than 16 has ever come into magical gifts, so after this year’s sacrament fails to trigger a change in Arrah, she loses hope. There is a rite that allows an ordinary individual to trade years of his or her life for enough magic to execute a single spell, but Arrah has never been sufficiently desperate to try it, until someone starts stealing Tamar’s children. After performing the ritual, she learns the terrible truth about the kidnapper’s identity and uncovers a plan to free the soul-devouring Demon King—one that she has no clue how to stop. First in a planned trilogy, Barron’s West Africa–inspired fantasy debut is a slow-burning, character-driven tale of vengeance, greed, sacrifice, and star-crossed romance. Organic worldbuilding and a rich central mythology featuring a vibrant pantheon of fallible gods ground Barron’s intricate, if occasionally convoluted, story, which thoughtfully examines issues of faith and free will. Ages 13–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary.

Robin Miles narrates this truly epic fantasy by debut author Rena Barron. Arrah lives in a world in which magic is power--a power that has passed her by. Born into a family of tribal witch doctors, Arrah's voice is infused with determination and strength as she struggles with the shameful decision to trade years of her life in exchange for the magic that she feels she is owed. As violence and betrayal threaten to take over her country and destroy tribal lands and cultures, Arrah must face the vicious and mercurial natures of demons, gods, monsters, and her own past. Miles weaves the voices of these varied characters with authentic-sounding accents and tonal changes that make the cast easily distinguishable and full of vivid personalities. H.C. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine