Gabriel's City

Hunter (Resurrection Man) crafts a tidy coming-of-age fantasy on a small scale that still manages to explore issues of class, income, and the unclear border between magic and delusion. Wealthy Colin Harwood's experience with the non-monied areas of Casmile and its inhabitants is limited to feeding his gambling addiction, until his careless debt brings his family to the attention of enforcer Barron and his thugs. Colin's spur-of-the-moment decision to save an outnumbered young man in a fight at an inn leads swiftly to mayhem; soon he's taken on a new life as "Drake," bodyguard to the young man, who turns out to be near-mythical rogue Gabriel. Gabriel renames Colin because he believes he is a dragon in disguise, and will bring Gabriel good luck. At Gabriel's side, pursued by criminals and the law alike, Colin not only experiences a different city, but also makes choices that shape the man%E2%80%94or dragon%E2%80%94he becomes. A touch of romance leavens the story, which will satisfy both teen and adult readers. (July)