Don’t Call the Wolf

Ross’s uneven Polish folklore-inspired debut opens 17 years after a seemingly invincible Golden Dragon kills Kamien´a’s royals and slaughters its military, facilitating invasion by assorted monsters. Lynx/human shapeshifter Ren, 17, endeavors to protect the forest animals who made her their queen but believes the Golden Dragon is causing evil to spread. Enter Lukasz Smoków, 21, who hails from a legendary clan of dragon slayers called the Wolf-Lords. Having nearly died while battling an Apofys dragon, Lukasz wants to return home to the mountains, like his brothers before him, but doesn’t know the way, as he left when he was four. Ren distrusts humans, who have been cruel to her and her friends, but out of desperation, she strikes a deal: if Lukasz will slay her dragon, she will guide him home. Formulaic plotting slows the narrative, and though Lukasz and the beings who accompany them lack complexity, robbing the tale of emotional heft, Ross delivers a fierce, fully fleshed heroine and a richly textured fantasy with a kind heart. Includes a pronunciation guide. Ages 13–up. [em]Agent: Brent Taylor, TriadaUS. (Apr.) [/em]