The Twelve

May 1, 2019
To save her friend and sister, a young girl embarks on a treacherous mission. Just five years ago, the island of Midaga was protected by the Twelve, warriors endowed with a magical treasure and animal power from the Asian zodiac. But then the villainous Dragonlord took control, eliminating the Twelve and their apprentices, or Heirs. Since then, all individuals with zodiac powers have been hunted or forced into hiding. When Usagi's sister, Uma, and friend Tora are kidnapped by the Dragonlord's men due to their powers, she joins forces with a group of bandits who turn out to be renegade Heirs trained by the last surviving Warrior, Horangi the Tigress. Usagi, endowed with powers of the wood rabbit, finds herself torn: Should she immediately rescue her friend and sister or prove her worth by climbing Mount Jade and training to become an Heir? Rumors that the Dragonlord plans to execute his weak captives accelerate everything, cutting short her training and sending Usagi and the Heirs to infiltrate the Dragonlord's lair. Although this fantasy is not based on a specific culture, the majority of characters' names have East Asian derivations. Unfortunately, other aspects of the worldbuilding are not so solid. Oddly for a book set on an island, for instance, there's no mention of the ocean or ports and very little consumption of seafood. Obstacles are frequent but resolve quickly, limiting suspense but keeping pages turning. A mostly promising debut. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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June 1, 2019
Grades 4-7 In this rip-roaring debut, Lin introduces a world straight out of a fantasy RPG, where the Chinese zodiac influences everyday life. Usagi was born in the year of the wood rabbit and has rabbit-related powers. Her sister, Uma, was born in the year of the fire horse, and has fire and horse powers. But their island nation was invaded, and their oppressors hunt down anyone they find with zodiac powers, now including Uma. So Usagi follows the Heirs of the Twelve Warriors of the zodiac to train so she can get her sister back. All of the main characters' names are descriptive of their animal sign in Japanese or Korean, and the world they inhabit is a combination of various East Asian cultures. It has all the characteristics of a heroic adventure, with a main character who hasn't been groomed to climb a mythical mountain and train as a warrior, but who makes it anyway. Ideal for fans of stories with lots of heart, great lore, and plenty of twists along the way.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)