The Raybearer Series - Book 1
Raybearer
Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
Finalist for the Hugo Award for Best YA Novel
Finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Middle Grade & YA Fiction
Finalist for the 2020 Voice Arts Award
Finalist for the Audie Award for Best Fantasy Narration
An NPR Best Book of the Year for Children
A Buzzfeed Best Books of the Year Pick in YA Speculative Fiction
An Audiofile Magazine “Best of the Year” pick
New York Times bestseller in Children's & YA Hardcover Fiction
A Minneapolis Star-Tribune Pick of Great Escapes
An io9 Pick of the Month
A Booklist Pick of Audiobooks of the Month
A BookRiot Pick for Spring
A Tor.com Reviewers' Choice of the Month
An Electric Literature Pick of Debut Fantasy Novels Featuring Black Women
A Kirkus Reviews Pick of Best Books of Summer
A Publishers Weekly Pick of the Week
The epic debut YA fantasy from an incredible new talent-soon to be a Netflix prestige series produced and directed by Gina Atwater (Westworld, Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
Nothing is more important than loyalty. But what if you've sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?
Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as the Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince's Council of Eleven. If she's picked, she'll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But the Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won't stand by and become someone's pawn-but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself?
With extraordinary world-building and breathtaking prose, Raybearer is the story of loyalty, fate, and the lengths we're willing to go for the ones we love.
Praise