Ship of Smoke and Steel, by Django Wexler
In the lower wards of Kahnzoka, the
great port city of the Blessed Empire, eighteen-year-old ward boss Isoka
enforces the will of her criminal masters with the power of Melos, the Well of
Combat.
When Isoka's magic is discovered by
the government, she's arrested and brought to the Emperor's spymaster, who
sends her on an impossible mission: steal Soliton, a legendary ghost
ship―a ship from which no one has ever returned. If she fails, her sister’s
life is forfeit.
On board Soliton, nothing is
as simple as it seems. Isoka tries to get close to the ship's mysterious
captain, but to do it she must become part of the brutal crew and join their
endless battles against twisted creatures. She doesn't expect to have to
contend with feelings for a charismatic fighter who shares her combat magic, or
for a fearless princess who wields an even darker power.
“The first in a thrilling, action-packed fantasy series
that epitomizes the fight for survival…. Wexler's young adult debut is a
gripping, fast-paced fantasy enrapturing readers until the end…. This ever
changing world of magic is beautifully constructed with tantalizing details
that evoke a variety of cultural influences. The characters are well-developed,
and diversity―in ethnicity, ability, and sexuality―is abundant.” ―Kirkus
Reviews
"Wexler, most recently known for his adult fantasy series The Shadow Campaigns and children’s adventures The Forbidden Library series, has another engrossing winner on his hands. The title, cover, and content, which is often violent and sometimes racy, will evoke comparisons to Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series."―Booklist
"Wexler, most recently known for his adult fantasy series The Shadow Campaigns and children’s adventures The Forbidden Library series, has another engrossing winner on his hands. The title, cover, and content, which is often violent and sometimes racy, will evoke comparisons to Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series."―Booklist
