Rebelwing

In this exciting debut set in an alternate North America, a handful of independent cities, the Barricade Coalition, maintain the last bastion of democracy against former war mech manufacturer United Continental Confederacy Inc. Teen prep school student Prudence Wu is skilled at running contraband literature to the culture-starved citizens of UCC Inc. territory, despite rumors of the corporation’s wyvern legions. When a drop goes sour, she’s rescued by Rebelwing, a cybernetic dragon capable of choosing its own pilot. After Rebelwing imprints on her, she is drafted into the top-secret weapons program that developed it, joining her best friend, master strategist Anabel; acerbic engineer Cat; and Alex, a charming mech pilot, as the Coalition’s first line of defense against the UCC’s newest generation of weapons technology. Keen action sequences and an intriguing premise fuel this story, and interstitial sections featuring media reports and message boards delve into the background and current events. Though the ambitious worldbuilding sometimes slows pacing, Tang’s prose is snappy, Pru’s voice strikes a likeable balance between sarcastic and sincere, and the inclusive cast is fleshed out, making this an enjoyable tale of political conspiracy. Ages 12–up. [em]Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (Feb.) [/em]