"Thomas (Concrete Rose) brings her trademark voice to an action-packed series kickoff rooted in a mixture of African diasporic myth, biblical references, and U.S. history. Imbuing characters both brave and sweetly vulnerable with unflappable senses of humor amid harrowing circumstances, Thomas creates an elaborate supernatural mythology that boldly confronts fantasy tropes and questions of forgiveness." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"All the brilliance you’d expect from Angie Thomas: a page-turning plot, pitch-perfect characters, heart and substance, and real stakes that real kids will care about—plus magic! This is one of those rare books that will instantly become the best friend you didn’t know you needed. Nic Blake and the Remarkables is nothing short of a triumph. When’s the next installment, please?" — Rick Riordan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series
“Packed with humor and bursting with heart and imagination, Nic's story will enchant readers of all ages!” — B.B. Alston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Amari and the Night Brothers
"Thomas creates a new Afro-future world that feels steeped in history and lived in by generations of real flesh-and-blood families. The gravity of Thomas’s world never weighs down the story, which zips along with wit, humor, and sparkling dialogue. The Manifestor Prophecy is a tantalizing first installment in what is sure to be a blockbuster series, and a remarkable achievement for a master author in a thrilling new arena." — Soman Chainani, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil series
“Exploding with heart, humor, and all things Black Girl Magic, Nic Blake and the Remarkables is a triumph of friendship and Black Southern folklore and history." — Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Marvellers
“This book is no-holds-barred, fly by the seat of your pants (and other methods) trip to the corner of Thrill Street and Wonder Avenue. Nic Blake is amazing!” — Kwame Mbalia, author of the Tristan Strong series
2023-01-12
A girl discovers the truth behind her favorite book series—and her destiny.
On her 12th birthday, Nichole Blake’s disappointed that her father still won’t teach her how to use the Gift. They are Manifestors, the most powerful of the supernatural Remarkables, and they keep their powers secret from the Unremarkables they live among in Jackson, Mississippi. But TJ Retro, Nic’s favorite fantasy author, is in town for a book signing—where she learns that not only is he a Manifestor, too, but that he knows her father. Mr. Retro reveals that his books are a fictionalized version of their childhood war against an evil villain. Before Nic can get answers, her father’s secrets catch up to him. To prove his innocence, Nic—with the help of a long-lost twin brother and her Unremarkable best friend—must navigate the fantastical secret world of the Remarkables to find a powerful stolen artifact. The first act relies on the narrator’s humor and charm to carry the heavy amounts of exposition and to set up familiar fantasy tropes so that stock concepts (like the chosen one) can later be subverted and interrogated in entertaining, thoughtful ways. The Manifestor mythology combines African and African American folklore and Biblical stories, and the book explores Black Americans’ historical and present-day traumas alongside a fast-paced adventure and inventive worldbuilding. The ending teases more threats to come. All major characters are Black.
Readers will eagerly await the unearthing of more secrets in the next installment. (Fantasy. 8-12)
