Firebrand

Seth MacGregor, a young noble-born Sithe, isn’t wanted at the queen’s court by his mother or at home by his father, but a life of angry loneliness is averted when his older half-brother, Conal, shows him kindness and warrior’s skills. The lessons come just in time to help Seth as he gets entangled in the manipulations of the Sithe queen, Kate NicNiven, who wants to destroy the Veil protecting their world. One misstep exiles Seth and Conal amid their most dangerous enemies: the superstitious humans of late 16th-century Europe. Like Seth, Philip’s YA-ish Rebel Angels series launch, already published in the U.K., doesn’t look like much at first but soon develops into a force to be reckoned with. When Seth and Conal challenge those who vastly outmatch them, it becomes a stirring tale of loyalty and love. The multilayered bonds between the characters make up for a by-the-numbers story. Agent: Allison Hellegers, Rights People, on behalf of Keith Charters, Strident Publishing. (Feb.)