Arcana: The Lost Heirs

by Sam Prentice-Jones

Overview

An Indies Introduce Selection

Debut author/illustrator Sam Prentice-Jones explores fighting against your destiny and reconciling the actions of your ancestors in Arcana: The Lost Heirs, a tarot-inspired fantasy graphic novel for young adults.

James, Daphne, Koko, and Sonny have all grown up surrounded by magic in the Arcana, an organization of witches that protects the magical world, run by the mysterious and secretive Majors. Eli Jones, however, hadn’t even known other witches existed . . . until he stumbled into James. As James introduces him to the world of the Arcana, Eli finds the family he never had and a blossoming romance with James.

The five new friends soon realize that sinister things are afoot, and everything may not be what it seems at the Arcana. When the group delves deeper into the mystery surrounding the deaths of their parents and the Majors’ rise to power, they discover that they’re at the center of a curse—one they’ve just unwittingly set into motion. As the friends search for answers, they’ll have to confront the cursed legacy that links them in hopes of freeing their futures.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250290229
Publisher:	Feiwel & Friends
Publication date:	06/24/2025
Series:	Arcana , #1
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Sam Prentice-Jones is an author-illustrator working in Brighton UK who graduated from Arts University Bournemouth in 2019 with a BA Hons in Illustration, specializing in digital, graphic, character-based work. Sam likes to create work that celebrates diversity and queer culture and began his career by curating a queer illustration magazine titled POOF Magazine which ran 2019-2021. Since then, Sam has gone on to create work for the worlds of book publishing, web design, advertising and product design as well as being featured in art fairs across the UK. He is the author of the graphic novel Arcana: The Lost Heirs.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Arcana: The Lost Heirs:

An Indies Introduce Selection

“Magical, mysterious, and queer — some of my favorite words all in one place! Arcana: The Lost Heirs, with its beautiful and fluid illustrations, is full of cryptic clues, secret histories, and found family.” —Heather Albinson, Wild Rumpus, Minneapolis, MN

“A queer meet-cute crossed with a sinister magical mystery based on the themes and structure of tarot. Riveting and beautiful to look at. I can’t wait for the next installment in the series.” —Lauren Pronger, Chapterhouse Books, Amarillo, TX

“I loved the sparse and real art style of Arcana; it drew me into the story in a way I don’t often experience with graphic novels. But what kept me hooked was the relationships, both romantic and platonic, that mirrored what my own late teens and early twenties felt like. Queer found families are some of the most important and beautiful family groups in the world and getting to experience that on the page was really joyous.” —Grace Lane, Linden Tree Books, Los Altos, CA

"An unapologetically queer story that effectively explores an intriguing mystery." —Kirkus

"Readers will enjoy the mysteries of the new magical universe, as well as the genuine and adorable queer relationships . . . This should fly off shelves." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2025-03-22
The appearance of a missing heir triggers a long-buried curse.

Flirting with a handsome photographer who walks into his coffeehouse leads to a big surprise for Eli Jones, when he learns that the powers he’s been hiding for years are actually witchcraft. After that attractive stranger, James Birdwhistle, catches Eli practicing his craft in an abandoned farmhouse in the British countryside, he’s quick to bring Eli for training by the Arcana, an ancient society of witches based in London that’s tasked with investigating and containing supernatural occurrences. But the Majors, the Arcana’s ruling body, are less than pleased with this development; Eli’s arrival coincides with strange happenings. Determined to get to the bottom of the Majors’ caginess and explain the dark energy stalking them, Eli and James band together with levelheaded trans woman Daphne, library-loving researcher Grayson, and tarot reader Koko to uncover the truth. Prentice-Jones’ illustrations employ a muted color palette of cool blues, olive browns, and burgundies that flow organically into one another, accentuating the clean, uncluttered panels and fluid lines. He also plays effectively with proportion and shape in his character drawings. The cast members, who largely seem to be adults rather than teens, are diverse across many dimensions, including race and body type. This first installment in a new series teases satisfying developments to come.

An unapologetically queer story that effectively explores an intriguing mystery. (character chart)(Graphic paranormal. 15-adult)

Kirkus Reviews