Skyborn

by David Dalglish

Overview

The first in an all new fantasy series from USA TODAY Bestseller, David Dalglish

Six islands float high above the Endless Ocean, where humanity's final remnants are locked in brutal civil war.

Their parents slain in battle, twins Kael and Brenna Skyborn are training to be Seraphim, elite soldiers of aerial combat who wield elements of ice, fire, stone and lightning.

When the invasion comes, they will take to the skies, and claim their vengeance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316302685
Publisher:	Orbit
Publication date:	11/17/2015
Series:	Seraphim Series , #1
Pages:	464
Sales rank:	361,935
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

David Dalglish currently lives in rural Missouri with his wife Samantha, and daughters Morgan, Katherine, and Alyssa. He graduated from Missouri Southern State University in 2006 with a degree in Mathematics and currently spends his free time dying for the umpteenth time in Dark Souls.

Editorial Reviews

★ 09/28/2015
Fantasy takes to the skies in this high-flying, dynamic adventure, which takes place 500 years after a disaster nearly wiped out the human race and left the survivors to build a new civilization on a series of islands floating above an endless, raging sea. Twins Bree and Kael Skyborn were orphaned when their parents were killed in defense of their home. Ever since then, they have wanted nothing more than to join the Seraphim, winged warriors who wield elemental forces in battle. When they turn 16, they’re accepted to the Academy and begin intensive training. Bree, a natural in the air, struggles with her control over fire, while Kael works to keep up with his ambitious sister. Their subsequent experiences are set against an increasingly tense backdrop as war threatens to erupt between the islands. Dalglish (the Shadowdance series) creates a rich setting and populates it with amazing visuals; the aerial combat sequences are breathtaking and cinematic. The cast contains the usual school-themed archetypes, but Dalglish manages to shake up their story with some devastating twists. This trilogy tale soars confidently and will appeal to teen and adult audiences alike. Agent: Michael Carr, Veritas Literary. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"A must-read for fans of Michael Sullivan and Brent Weeks."—Library Journal on Skyborn

"Once you pick up Skyborn you won't want to put it down...I expect this series to fly off the shelves."—Kelly McCullough

"A soaring tale that nails the high notes. Skyborn had me gazing heavenward, imagining what could be."—Jay Posey, author of Three, on Skyborn

"A high-flying, dynamic adventure [that] soars confidently and will appeal to teens and adult audiences alike."—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Skyborn

"Dalglish...begins a fresh epic fantasy series with a richly imagined world...Dalglish's high-flying action sequences are crisp and exciting, and he sets the stage for book two with a solid ending that will have readers eager for the next installment."—Booklist on Skyborn

"[A]n intriguing premise ... has lovely and sometimes harrowing imagery."—RT Book Reviews on Skyborn

"Dalglish concocts a heady cocktail of energy, breakneck pace, and excitement that a reader could get drunk on."—Sam Sykes, author of Tome of the Undergates on A Dance of Cloaks

"Fast, furious, and fabulous."—Michael Sullivan, author of Theft of Swords on A Dance of Cloaks

"[A] winning combination of A Game of Thrones, sword-and-sorcery RPGS, and vivid description...Dalglish puts familiar pieces together with a freshness and pleasure that are contagious."—Publishers Weekly on A Dance of Cloaks

"Strong characterization as well as detailed action...a believable tale of a young man's coming-of-age and the difficult decisions he must make. His saga should appeal to fans of R.A. Salvatore and Richard Lee Byers."—Library Journal on A Dance of Cloaks

From the Publisher

05/15/2016
Humanity survives on island cities floating high above an ocean world, each protected by a warrior class gifted with mechanical wings and elemental powers. As the civil war among the islands grows deadlier, hot-headed Breanna Skyborn and her thoughtful twin brother, Kael, must uncover the truth behind their parents' deaths and the history of their world if they are going to prevent their people's mass eradication. VERDICT Mercedes Lackey fans, steampunk aficionados, and even fantasy newcomers will find this combination of coming-of-age drama, a vivid magic/technology symbiosis, and high-stakes action hard to put down. (LJ 9/15/15)

Library Journal

2015-09-23
Twins Breanna and Kael Skyborn live in a hierarchical, corrupt civilization, comprised of six holy islands, aloft above the Endless Ocean. Inhabited by a remnant of humankind, five islands are governed by an Archon, who answers to the sixth island, named Center, from which the Speaker for the Angels, his knights, and sinister theotechs rule. Since only theotechs can repair and dispense the technologies that keep the islands floating, they dictate a system of justice. Each island is protected by its own army of seraphim, warriors who don mechanical wings, use elemental weapons of fire, ice, and rock, and wage aerial battles to maintain social order. Orphaned in battle, the twins are chosen by Center to train as seraphs for their homeland but soon discover that the Speaker for the Angels is power-hungry, intent upon disabling local seraphim and becoming a dictator. As the twins learn to fly, they also learn to question authority, especially fire-throwing Bree; meanwhile, a reformed theotech sows dissent. Epic fantasist Dalglish (Dance of Chaos, 2015, etc.) begins his fast-paced Seraphim trilogy with a predictable plot that recycles a number of old standards: feisty, talented twins; a boarding school where loyalties are made and lost; religion and magic undercut by conflicted ethics. During the repetitive, video game-like battles the action is lively, but to quote Dalglish, although there appears to be a lot going on, "the actual meat is frustratingly thin." While Dalglish's prose is lean, it lacks style and is littered with slang such as "no can do" or "no worries," which not only ill-suits a society of knights and thanes, but also invites an unflattering comparison to the Samaria series. Assertive Bree and uncertain Kael are likable teenagers, but their trials and triumphs are so predictable that it's hard to care about them, the carnage they inflict, or the civilization they protect.

Kirkus Reviews