Dawn of the Firebird

Rana’s jam-packed adult fantasy debut (after the YA novel Hope Ablaze) explores a rich mythology grounded in the complexities of conflict. It opens with raiders destroying the home of a nameless but magically gifted girl, in the aftermath of which, she and her mother find refuge with the girl’s father, the emperor of Azadniabad. After being put through trials to officially join his clan, Khamilla Nūr-e-Sǔ ltana gains her name and a new home—only to have it ripped away again when the Sajamistan army invades. Determined to fight back, Khamilla hatches a plan to infiltrate the enemy forces. Her magical abilities help her to fit in with Sajamistan’s gifted Eajiz battalian, but do little to allay the suspicions of her new compatriots, who work to thwart her rise through their ranks. Even so, she makes connections and finds a kind of family. When Khamilla discovers a devastating betrayal, she must decide whether to follow through with her revenge plot or abandon it to prevent a far greater evil. Rana does not shrink from the realities of war, with both physical violence and the mental toll it takes at the heart of the narrative. The result skillfully if brutally sets the stage for future installments. Military fantasy readers and fans of The Poppy War are sure to be pleased. (Dec.)