The Sign

Yun’s otherwise pleasant tale of a princess befriending a half-demon as they struggle to stop a monster onslaught is unfortunately damaged by poor editing. Princess Medani, fleeing a loveless arranged marriage, is saved from a monster attack by the young half-demon Siris and his magical companion, Nytrio, a magical being with a feline body and butterfly wings. When Medani joins them for protection, she becomes part of their quest to stop a horde of monsters killing everyone in their path; the beasts seem to be heading for a specific destination. Medani, Siris, and Nytrio are all charming in their particular fashions, and the story elements associated with an ignorant but good-hearted royal joining with outcasts, though predictable, will be as cozily familiar as an old cloak for fantasy readers. But much of the book, particularly the first half, is riddled with jarring grammatical mistakes (“wounded up”), badly misused words (a forest “clearance” rather than a clearing), and places where words are plainly missing. Distracting errors aside, this series opener will appeal to diehard fans of odd-couple stories. (May)