Even the Darkest Stars

When royal explorer River Shara arrives in Azmiri seeking a navigator to help him retrieve a talisman from the top of Raksha, the world’s highest mountain, 17-year-old Kamzin is elated: she and her older sister, Lusha, are the only ones who know the way to Raksha, and Kamzin is the stronger climber. To Kamzin’s dismay, River chooses Lusha to be his guide, but then Lusha and the expedition’s official chronicler disappear with half of River’s supplies. Certain that the duo seeks to beat him to the summit, River recruits Kamzin and her best friend, Tem, to join him and races north to catch them. Though the trek proves perilous, Kamzin refuses to turn back—partly due to sibling rivalry, and partly because she knows that Lusha won’t survive an attempted ascent. Deftly drawn characters and a richly imagined fictional universe distinguish Fawcett’s debut, first in a planned duology. Abundant adventure drives the pace, a love triangle fuels conflict while adding romance, and Kamzin’s familiar—a mischievous fox named Ragtooth—provides humor and heart. Ages 13–up. Agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House. (Sept.)