Of Blood and Lightning

by Micki Janae

Overview

In a small, idyllic town in North Dakota, 17-year-old Ophelia Johnson and five other teens inherit the powers of the ancient gods—Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Artemis, Apollo, and Ares—and embark on a mission from the Vessel of Destiny to find the missing Fates, restore the Codex, and save the ancient world.

Still grieving the recent and mysterious death of her father, Ophelia begins to unravel the secrets woven into her family’s history as she and her friends plunge into the quest of a lifetime. Armed only with powers they don’t totally understand, Ophelia, Roman, Cassius, Olivia, Alessia, and Baxter are soon immersed in a mythical chess match upon which rests the fate of the universe. As they journey into a world of blood pacts and war, the diverse teens find more than they bargained for, and Ophelia discovers a family tie that might mean the ensuing chaos and destruction is her fault. Of Blood and Lightning is a contemporary YA fantasy (age 14-18) with a gripping and fresh twist on Greek mythology as the ancient pantheon of gods inhabit an ensemble of diverse teenaged characters.

Debut author Micki Janae is a writer on a mission. Tired of growing up with sparse representation of young Black women in fantasy, Janae has taken matters into her own hands to craft a compelling novel full of ­intricate world-building, electrifying storytelling, and compelling diverse characters. Of Blood and Lightning will appeal to lovers of Rick Riordan, Alexandria Bracken, and Tracy Deonn.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781953103451
Publisher:	Three Rooms Press
Publication date:	10/08/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Micki Janae is an author on a mission. Tired of growing up with scant representation of young Black women in fantasy, Janae took matters into her own hands to craft OF BLOOD AND LIGHTNING (the first book of The Godender Saga), a compelling novel full of ­intricate world-building, electrifying storytelling, and diverse characters. Currently, Janae is studying at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, where she continues her passion for literature and explores visual creativity as a budding filmmaker with an eye on expanding the voices of young Black women in both fields. Micki Janae lives in Birmingham, AL.

Read an Excerpt

An empty universe, and the tall, powerful man that waits at its edge. 

He’s wearing a royal blue toga, and there are lashings on his back. I approach him. There’s something invisible between us. Something tugging me closer.

As I walk, drums pound in the rhythm of my feet. The man must not hear it, or me, because he doesn’t turn around. Not until I’m close enough to see the ridges of his scars.

He towers over me by at least two feet. Each part of his body is powerful and massive, like he could crush my head between both of his giant hands. The stench of ozone and honey wafts around him, and something else too, something nearly intoxicating. He doesn’t say anything. His eyes speak for him: blue and piercing, filled with some glowing light. They cast over me like lighthouses, searching for something in a violent storm.

“What is this?” I ask him.

He doesn’t answer. Lightning wraps around his shoulders like thick straps of rope and starts spiraling down his arms. It gathers into his hands in boiling pools of blue electricity. With his right hand, he reaches into his waistband for the handle of a sword.

My feet are rooted in place. Heat boils beneath my skin, like I’m going to catch fire. I try to scream, but my mouth is wired shut. 

He pulls out his sword and aims it at the sky. Blue lightning wraps around the blade until a jet of electricity fires overhead. Gray clouds gather above us, swirling into a vortex of heat and blue light. The darkness is absolute, but it cowers in the presence of this man’s power. The earth, if it’s the earth, trembles beneath us. Then, it speaks. 

“He who splits the sky. He who calls lightning from blood.”

The man lowers his sword, but the storm remains. He aims it at my chest this time. At my heart.

“You will split the sky,” he says. “You will call lightning from blood.”

He drives the sword through my chest and the world goes black.

—Excerpt from Of Blood and Lightning, the debut novel of Micki Janae

Editorial Reviews

A fresh take on Greek mythology. This is a great book to introduce Greek mythology to teenagers and is a book that will keep them hooked once the action begins. Adults who love Greek mythology will also love seeing a different take on their favorites from the past.” —Unconventional Quirky Bibliophile

"Janae’s writing style is compelling ... A fast-paced debut.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Micki Janae’s novel Of Blood and Lightning sizzles with excitement as a diverse group of high schoolers are swept into a world of myths . . . An engrossing epic novel in which teenagers battle an older generation of deities and monsters.”—Foreword Reviews

“In her electrifying debut novel, Of Blood and Lightning, Micki Janae rebirths the gods of Olympus for a new generation. In prose that is thrilling, vivid, and full of palpable human emotion, Janae tells a story of grief, love, power, and the strength we all need to face our past to make a better future. From start to glimmering finish, this is a novel with unstoppable light, unflinching spirit, and remarkable skill. What a debut!” –Ashley M. Jones, Poet Laureate, State of Alabama

“Percy Jackson meets Legendborn and it's so much fun! Ophelia, who has lost a lot in her young life, meets new friends and later they learn they are descended from the greek gods. So much action and a deep dive into the mythology makes this a series to watch.” —Audrey Huang, Bookseller, Belmont Books

“Engagingly written with a charmingly heartbroken lead, Of Blood and Lightning feels like a modern twist on the classic YA era. It's filled with humor, heart, and a surprising amount of chills and bloodshed that's in no way sanitized. This is an absolute win for teen readers!” —Sami Ellis, author, Dead Girls Walking

From the Publisher

2024-08-03
A teenage girl and her friends must harness the powers of the Greek gods to save the world.

After Ophelia’s father dies unexpectedly, she leaves Austin and moves back to New River, North Dakota, to live with her aunt Cherice and uncle Janus; her mother’s identity has always been a mystery. Still grieving, high school senior Ophelia, who’s Black, meets new people and tries to settle in, though she starts to realize that her family may be harboring some secrets. When a series of unusual dreams plagues Ophelia and her racially diverse group of friends, they soon discover that they’ve each been given the power of a different Greek god. As they’re learning what this means, they learn from a mysterious messenger that not only are they in danger, but the future of humankind is as well—and they’re the only ones who can help. Armed with this information, they set off on a series of quests to stop a total apocalypse. Janae’s writing style is compelling but occasionally moves too rapidly, not allowing readers to fully digest the new information she’s introduced. Additionally, while fans of similar contemporary fantasies based on Greek mythology might enjoy this story and its many nods to classic tales, the lore, which contains many moving pieces, is difficult to follow at times.

A fast-paced debut.(Fantasy. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews