Bright Star

by Erin Swan

Overview

Erin Swan's YA fantasy debut, Bright Star, is an action-packed adventure tale of rebellion, romance, and finding one's voice in the heart of a storm.

Paerolia has been at peace for two centuries, and all is well in the land—or so it seems. Beneath the surface, a tyrant is rising to power.

A traumatic experience in Andra's childhood has left her mute and subdued, a servant in the Chief Judge’s manor. But when an assassination team, led by the secretive and alluring Kael, infiltrates the manor and makes a quick escape, she takes her chance and flees with them.

Andra is thrust into the ranks of a secret rebellion—a group of outcasts and believers seeking to overthrow the Chief Judge and replace the corrupt government with new members, ones who will restore and preserve the land they love. Now, the girl who was once an outcast must somehow become the leader Paerolia needs. But she is stronger than she believes—and with the help of a fiercely loyal dragon, she may just be the one to lead them all to victory.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780765393005
Publisher:	Tom Doherty Associates
Publication date:	08/13/2019
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	NOOK Book
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	103,528
Lexile:	840L (what's this?)
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

ERIN SWAN was born in a small farm town in Oregon, and spent her childhood on United States Air Force bases around the world. A graduate of Brigham Young University, Erin lives with her husband in Utah, where she works as a marketing copywriter and a novelist. Bright Star is her debut novel.
Erin Swan was born and bred San Antonio, Texas, but now lives in Utah. She works as a marketing copywriter, and started writing the Sky Rider series when she was 17.

Editorial Reviews

"The book’s fierce protagonist and vivid action will make it a solid read for young fans of the genre." —Booklist

"Swan depicts a society in transition with undercurrents of feminism, racism, and oppression in a dynamic world blended with the pragmatic and the magical. VERDICT Recommended for fans of Rachel Hartman’s “Seraphina” series and Leigh Bardugo’s “Shadow and Bone” trilogy." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

08/01/2019

Gr 9 Up—Elf, dragon, and human kingdoms have shared the land of Paerolia for centuries, but times are changing across the kingdoms. For centuries, females have been forbidden to participate in the Pairing Ceremony, where young dragons choose their Riders, and the human council of judges is in danger of being overthrown by a tyrant. When a young girl named Andra surreptitiously observes the annual Pairing ritual and inadvertently attracts the attention of an extraordinarily rare dragon, tragedy and warfare ensue. After being forcibly removed from her home, Andra joins the elves, wild dragons, and humans in open rebellion to the status quo. She must choose between the person she was and the person she might be, with all the corresponding consequences for either choice. The relationships are well drawn between the main characters and are particularly engaging between the Paired dragons and their Riders. Swan depicts a society in transition with undercurrents of feminism, racism, and oppression in a dynamic world blended with the pragmatic and the magical. VERDICT Recommended for fans of Rachel Hartman's "Seraphina" series and Leigh Bardugo's "Shadow and Bone" trilogy.—Susan Catlett, Green Run High School, Virginia Beach

School Library Journal

2019-04-22
A young girl's journey from servant to rebel leader.

In Paerolia, human, elven, and mixed-descent male children are chosen to bond with dragons to become Riders, although true political power is held by judges. Half-human, half-elf Andra is an indentured servant in the Hall of Riders—where she one day accidentally interrupts a Pairing ceremony, preventing a hatchling dragon from bonding with its match. Andra is sent away to the Chief Judge's manor, where she endures a year of torment before being kidnapped by a team of assassins led by their alluring leader, Kael. On her journey to the rebel camp, Andra meets Tiri, a young dragon whose mind speaks directly to hers, and she learns that she has magic of her own. Swan's debut has enough material for an entire trilogy packed into a stand-alone novel. Andra's off-page rape and on-page torture as well as her unfettered rise to become the most powerful magic yielder, fighter, and rebel leader, as well as a Rider, are all dealt with superficially. The potentially complex political background of the story is glossed over in exchange for two stereotypical villains. The main character is assumed white, and some secondary characters, including the romantic interest, Kael, are described as having golden-brown skin.

A formulaic and simplistic high-fantasy adventure that never truly lives up to its potential. (Fantasy. 14-adult)

Kirkus Reviews

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