"Evocative of Sanderson and Pullman, yet at the same time shockingly original." --Rosaria Munda, author of Fireborne, on Spin of Fate
Mayana is burning. Following the rupture of the barrier protecting the peaceful upper realm, soldiers from the lower realm of Malin invade and wage war. Born into scarcity, the soldiers crave the lives of abundance they've been deprived of since birth. Meanwhile, the authorities of the upper realms race to fend off their attacks--and the key to their success may rest in gaining control of the planetary beasts who created the realms.
For the Mayani princess Himalia, who prefers the company of animals and books to humans, learning about the soldiers' plight challenges everything she's been taught. So when the upper authorities recruit her to bond with a planetary beast, a dangerous task that would earn her control of its powers, she hesitates. After a life of disappointing her father, she should jump at the chance to help and bring honor to her family. But how can she stand by those who support a system built on the suffering of others?
As Himalia grapples with her choices, the former members of the Balancers, a disbanded rebel group bringing aid to the unfortunate, choose their sides in the conflict. A grief-stricken Aina seeks revenge against the leader of the Malini army, who killed her mother. A conflicted Aranel sides with the lowers, intent on fighting for equality even if it means going against his homeland. And Meizan, now returned to his Malini clan, navigates internal politics as he tries to keep his clansmen out of harm's way. When the three teens cross paths, as the attack on Mayana reaches a boiling point, they must reckon with their old, fractured friendships and their new reality as enemies at war.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy