Renegade Flight

Picking up 15 years after the events of Rebelwing, this speculative standalone revisits the heroes of the first installment while focusing on a generation raised against the backdrop of sentient mechs and an intrigue-laden new world order. When 18-year-old Korean Canadian orphan Viola Park attempts to live up to her family’s legacy by enrolling in the prestigious Global Alliance of Nations Academy for Combat and Cybernetic Arts, a crisis of confidence results in a rejection for cheating on the entrance exam. However, she’s ultimately accepted, albeit as a much-derided probationary student, because Peacekeepers are vanishing at an alarming rate and GAN is desperate for fresh blood. Now, if Vi wants to achieve her childhood dream of becoming a GAN Peacekeeper and bond with a sentient mechanical dragon, she must survive both the rigorous academic schedule and a no-holds-barred tournament against the school’s best students, including the unbeatable Nicholas Lee, a beautiful boy with “bright, whiskey-colored... hair and moon-fair skin.” A leisurely buildup and slightly rushed climax underutilize the world’s potential, but Viola’s headstrong nature, drive to succeed, and complicated rivalry with Nicholas, paired with plentiful action sequences, are sure to satisfy. Ages 12–up. [em]Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (Mar.) [/em]