The Cadet of Tildor

Lidell quietly emerges on the high fantasy market with her debut, which was a finalist for the 2010 Amazon Break-through Novelist Award. With a new king and an ongoing turf war between two moblike crime families, unrest is sweeping through the kingdom of Tildor. At the nation’s elite academy, 16-year-old cadet Renee de Winter is determined to serve Tildor as a soldier. As the only girl in the Combat Arts track, Renee struggles to meet the demands of her new instructor and idol, Commander Korish Savoy, and prove that she’s as strong as the boys. When Savoy’s younger brother is kidnapped, Renee, her friend Alec, and Savoy set out to rescue him, uncovering secrets both personal and political. Lidell packs a great deal into her story: the romantic tension between Renee and Savoy (which, due to their teacher-student dynamic, wavers between uncomfortable and enticing) vies for space with the impending civil war, powerful magic-wielding mages, a black market drug trade, and more. Although at times slow moving, it’s an intriguing story with a capable heroine. Ages 12–up. Agent: Leigh Feldman, Writers House. (Jan.)