Even the Darkest Stars

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

The first in a sweeping and action-packed debut fantasy duology loosely inspired by the early climbers of Mt. Everestperfect for fans of Cindy Pon and Alison Goodman.

Kamzin has always dreamed of becoming one of the Emperors royal explorers, the elite climbers tasked with mapping the wintry, mountainous Empire and spying on its enemies. She knows she could be the best in the world, if only someone would give her a chance.

But everything changes when the mysterious and eccentric River Shara, the greatest explorer ever known, arrives in her village and demands to hire Kamzinnot her older sister Lusha, as everyone had expectedfor his next expedition.

This is Kamzins chance to prove herselfeven though Rivers mission to retrieve a rare talisman for the emperor means climbing Raksha, the tallest and deadliest mountain in the Aryas. Then Lusha sets off on her own mission to Raksha with a rival explorer who is determined to best River, and Kamzin must decide whats most important to her: protecting her sister from the countless perils of the climb or beating her to the summit.

The challenges of climbing Raksha are unlike anything Kamzin expectedor prepared forwith avalanches, ice chasms, ghosts, and even worse at every turn. And as dark secrets are revealed, Kamzin must unravel the truth of their mission and of her companionswhile surviving the deadliest climb she has ever faced.

Reviews

An utterly inventive and wholly original debut. Booklist (starred review) With a dash of romantic entanglement, a rich original mythology, and a sizzler of a twist at the end, this duology opener will appeal to fans of femalecentric fantasy by such authors as Leigh Bardugo and Sarah Maas. Kirkus Reviews Brilliantly rendering aspects of mountaineering, debut novelist fawcett makes readers feel the constant danger and bitter cold. Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) Fawcett brings snow-capped mountainsand their baleful secretsalive in this magical, atmospheric debut. Evelyn Skye, New York Times bestselling author of The Crown's Game Cinematically vividimmersive and absorbing. Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books A deeply satisfying feast for fantasy lovers...I fell in love with this book from the earliest pages and have left the gnawed-off pieces of my heart scattered across the Aryas. Catherine Egan, author of Julia Vanishes A lush adventure filled with magic, myth, and monsters. Even the Darkest Stars will sweep you off your feet, steal your heart somewhere between the mountains and sky, and leave you breathless. Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of Fear the Drowning Deep and Reign of the Fallen Its Into Thin Air drenched in fantasy with some bonus high-altitude make-outs. The Globe and Mail

Author Bio

Heather Fawcett has worked as an archaeologist, an aerospace technical writer, and a backstage assistant for a Shakespearean theater festival. In her spare time, she can be found reading, hiking, reading, eating ice cream, or reading. She is also the author of Even the Darkest Stars. Heather can be found online at www.heatherfawcettbooks.com.