The Cadet of Tildor

by Alex Lidell

Overview

Tamora Pierce meets George R. R. Martin in this smart, political, medieval fantasy-thriller.

There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown's inexperience. At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers. But when her mentor, a notorious commander recalled from active duty to teach at the Academy, is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and her best friend Alec find themselves thrust into a world rife with crime, sorting through a maze of political intrigue, and struggling to resolve what they want, what is legal, and what is right.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101592359
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	01/10/2013
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	529 KB
Age Range:	12 Years

About the Author

Alex Lidell was a finalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novelist Award competition. She lives in New Jersey and this is her first novel.

What People are Saying About This

Sarah Dessen

"A wild, energetic novel that proves girls CAN be warriors while still being true to themselves."

Editorial Reviews

Gr 8 Up—Cadet Renee de Winter is determined to become a Servant of the Crown. A student at the Academy of Tildor, she has sacrificed her relationship with her father to become a soldier-a sacrifice that might turn out to be useless unless she can figure out a way to keep up with her male classmates. The kingdom of Tildor needs all the help it can get. With a young king, two rival crime organizations, and a significant increase in kidnappings, Renee wants to complete her training and start active duty. Esteemed Servant Commander Korish Savoy is reassigned to teach at the Academy and takes a special interest in Renee-one that brings difficult but important training. When his younger brother is kidnapped, Savoy is kidnapped himself during his brother's rescue, presumably to be forced to fight in illegal gladiator games, and Renee must get him back-no matter what it takes. Lidell's debut novel gives readers an imperfect but admirably courageous, principled, and evolving heroine. Surrounding Renee are a diverse group of multidimensional supporting characters. The world she struggles through is filled with war, crime, and politics, intertwining to create a complex but intriguing plot. Fans of Tamora Pierce and Kristin Cashore should pick up Cadet-as should anyone looking for a fantasy that is, though sounding like an oxymoron, grounded in reality.Emily Chornomaz, Camden County Library System, NJ

School Library Journal

Lidell quietly emerges on the high fantasy market with her debut, which was a finalist for the 2010 Amazon Break-through Novelist Award. With a new king and an ongoing turf war between two moblike crime families, unrest is sweeping through the kingdom of Tildor. At the nation’s elite academy, 16-year-old cadet Renee de Winter is determined to serve Tildor as a soldier. As the only girl in the Combat Arts track, Renee struggles to meet the demands of her new instructor and idol, Commander Korish Savoy, and prove that she’s as strong as the boys. When Savoy’s younger brother is kidnapped, Renee, her friend Alec, and Savoy set out to rescue him, uncovering secrets both personal and political. Lidell packs a great deal into her story: the romantic tension between Renee and Savoy (which, due to their teacher-student dynamic, wavers between uncomfortable and enticing) vies for space with the impending civil war, powerful magic-wielding mages, a black market drug trade, and more. Although at times slow moving, it’s an intriguing story with a capable heroine. Ages 12–up. Agent: Leigh Feldman, Writers House. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"Full of action and intrigue, kidnapping and heroism, spiced with a touch of fantasy and romance. This is a fully realized, highly detailed medieval world with a surprisingly nuanced and balanced cast of characters. . . . [Renee] is a strong female character determined to do what's right in a world where no one is completely black or white."

Booklist

"A wild, energetic novel that proves girls CAN be warriors while still being true to themselves."

Sarah Dessen

A gripping debut embraces the trend toward gritty grimdark fantasy. Lady Renee de Winter has rejected her aristocratic upbringing to train at the elite Academy of Tildor. But Cadet de Winter's schoolwork is slipping, and despite constant practice, she cannot match her male classmates. When rival crime factions entangle her in their schemes, Renee must choose between every claim on her loyalty--family, friends, teachers, crown, even her own life--and the greater needs of Tildor. Workmanlike prose effectively grounds an energetic plot and solid worldbuilding in earthy descriptions and precise details. Every character is complex and multilayered, each with a story beyond just propping up the protagonist. Renee herself is a flawed but sympathetic heroine who capitalizes upon her strengths, learns from her (serious) mistakes and slowly evolves from her rigid judgmental inclination to appreciate ambiguity and nuance while never compromising her essential integrity. Hints of romance, thankfully, take second place to friendship, trust and duty, not to mention looming war and imminent death. No fairy-tale resolution here; rather a warts-and-all portrayal of believable characters struggling with realistic conflicts affecting every level of society. (Fantasy. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews