A Magic Fierce and Bright

April 15, 2024
In this daring steampunk fantasy from Nayak (The Ghost’s Tale), set four hundred years in the future, the world’s energy exists in infinite wells of swirling magic. Teenage Adya Sachdev, who can communicate with machines using that magic, lives deep in the jungle of Southern India, which is in conflict with colonizing British forces. Recently orphaned, Adya will do anything to keep her siblings alive. Adya’s twin Priya, meanwhile, desires to use her own technomancy to help the maharaja defeat the British; she soon abandons the family for her cause. When Adya learns that Priya is in danger, she teams up with an enigmatic thief; the maharaja’s runaway princess daughter, a sorceress; and a warlord’s prized sentient motorcycle to save her sister, even if it means fighting to the death. Rushed emotional beats result in somewhat shallow character development. Nayak nevertheless weaves an intricately built setting via plentiful sensorial description and sprawling worldbuilding. Ragtag found-family dynamics, discerning dialogue, tightly constructed action sequences, and all the explosive excitement of a Mad Max film further escalate this expansive tale about the triumphant bond of sisterhood. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jennifer Azantian, Azantian Literary.

May 15, 2024
In a future when magic dominates, a young woman's search for her sister leads her to the frontlines of the war between England and India. Centuries ago, meteors crashed into Earth, creating infinity wells of magical energy. Seizing the opportunity to expand England's power and restore its imperial power, the queen first conquered France and then sent her forces to India, igniting a war. Four hundred years on, Adya Sachdev is a technomancer who possesses a rare ability to fix and awaken electrical machines. Her skills allow her to feed her family and pay off their debts to the cruel crime lord Huda, but they also make her a target of the British, who would use her to do their bidding. When Adya is captured by Huda's men, she finds herself in the company of handsome thief Jagan Dsouza, whom she must work with to escape Huda's clutches and continue searching for her twin sister, Priya. Priya left home to pursue their dead parents' ambitions of awakening a machine powerful enough to expel the British from India. Accompanied by an unlikely team of allies, including Mohan (her optimistic brother), Dsouza, maharaja's daughter Sonya, and a talking motorcycle, Adya navigates a complicated web of political intrigue, faces unimaginable dangers head-on, and discovers the truth of her power and who she could be. This breathless techno-fantasy adventure abounds in terrifying and electrifying thrills; the nonstop action hinders character development but will keep readers riveted. An exhilarating ride. (Fantasy. 13-18)

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Starred review from June 1, 2024
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* In the far away future, a meteor storm wipes out modern technology and converts the energy into magic, which is stored in the impact craters. The British queen masters this resource and sets out to reclaim the British Empire, including India, waging war across the subcontinent for 30 years. Adya lives there in the jungle and restores motors and other objects through technomancy--reaching with her magic into the souls of the objects and stirring them to life. Her late parents were technomancers, as are her twin, Priya, and her younger brother, Mohan. But Priya has run off to the lands outside the jungle to try to help fight the British. And soon circumstances lead Adya to join forces with Dsouza, a bandit, and Princess Imral, the maharaja's daughter, to try to find Priya and help the cause for freedom. The cultural and magical conflict among the different groups makes this an unwieldy goal, but Adya doesn't give up. Nayak's characters are realistic, intelligent, and lively, and the plot is exciting, complex, and fast-paced. The creative brilliance in the lush storytelling is outstanding, especially with the concept of technomancy--bringing dead technological devices to life and imbuing them with personality and purpose is a fascinating magic system unlike most in the genre. Nayak meshes his characters, his plot, and varied genres of sf, fantasy, and cyberpunk with skill and aplomb. Could there be a sequel in the offing? Let's hope so.

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