03/28/2022
In Falaye’s gripping debut, an epic tale of ancient magic based in Nigerian mythology, Sloane Folashadé has for two years searched for the truth behind her mother’s disappearance, believing that her mother was murdered by the royal Lucis, responsible for the genocide of Yoruba peoples and colonization of their land. Now 15, Sloane is at risk of being drafted into the Lucis’ war against Scions, the magic-wielding ancestors of Orisha gods. Secretly a Scion of the Orisha Shango, Sloane already struggles to keep her powerful blood magic of heat and fire hidden, a task that becomes even more dangerous once she is drafted into the Lucis’ military for training. If she is discovered, she and her remaining family will be executed. Enduring unspeakable horrors and forced to take the lives of her own people and fellow recruits, Sloane’s work to confirm her mother’s murder unravels a web of lies that threatens to burn away her remaining humanity. Though the ending borders on cliché, Falaye’s harrowing duology opener of survival, sacrifice, and vengeance illustrates the effects of trauma and the strength of love in driving acts potentially heinous and heroic. Ages 13–up. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary. (Mar.)
"A compelling story of magic, survival and revenge, with a complex heroine at its center worth rooting for. An explosive, powerful debut.” — Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times & international bestselling author of the Caraval series and Once Upon A Broken Heart
“Falaye expertly walks the line between showing the ultra-violent reality child soldiers face while giving room for their humanity and innocence to shine. Equal parts soaring fantasy, heart-pounding action, and bloody social commentary, Blood Scion is a triumph of a book.” — Roseanne A. Brown, New York Times bestselling author of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin
“A thrilling debut fantasy! Falaye creates an intricately woven world that draws beautifully on Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, with a fast-paced, heart thumping plot that will have you rooting for Sloane and her friends to not only survive but get the justice they deserve! This story is full of heart, resilience, and magic that will pull you in from the very first page and have you thirsting for more by the end." — Kat Cho, international bestselling author of Wicked Fox and Vicious Spirits .
“Blood Scion is a dark, masterful indictment of the casualties of self in the brutal fight for the right to exist. This unflinching masterpiece is twisty, raw, and impossible to put down. Fans of An Ember In The Ashes and The Hunger Games have found their next obsession.” — J.Elle, New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Ebony .
“Brilliant and brutal, Blood Scion kept me up all night with its page turning action, complex characters, and shocking twists. Falaye is fearless, her prose addictive, and I’m dying for the sequel!” — Kristen Ciccarelli, internationally bestselling author of The Last Namsara
“This epic fantasy debut, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, reminds readers that sometimes monsters are not born, they are made… fast-paced and engaging.” — Booklist
"An epic tale of ancient magic based in Nigerian mythology... Falaye’s harrowing duology opener of survival, sacrifice, and vengeance illustrates the effects of trauma and the strength of love in driving acts potentially heinous and heroic." — Publishers Weekly
“An exciting fantasy infused with the magic of the Orisha pantheon… From its gritty social commentary on colonization and imperialism to its depiction of an unforgiving heroine, Blood Scion demands critical engagement from its readers.” — Quill & Quire
“Undoubtedly a 10/10. You’ll want to have this on your shelf.” — The Nerd Daily
This epic fantasy debut, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, reminds readers that sometimes monsters are not born, they are made… fast-paced and engaging.
"A compelling story of magic, survival and revenge, with a complex heroine at its center worth rooting for. An explosive, powerful debut.
A thrilling debut fantasy! Falaye creates an intricately woven world that draws beautifully on Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, with a fast-paced, heart thumping plot that will have you rooting for Sloane and her friends to not only survive but get the justice they deserve! This story is full of heart, resilience, and magic that will pull you in from the very first page and have you thirsting for more by the end."
Blood Scion is a dark, masterful indictment of the casualties of self in the brutal fight for the right to exist. This unflinching masterpiece is twisty, raw, and impossible to put down. Fans of An Ember In The Ashes and The Hunger Games have found their next obsession.
New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Ebon J.Elle
Brilliant and brutal, Blood Scion kept me up all night with its page turning action, complex characters, and shocking twists. Falaye is fearless, her prose addictive, and I’m dying for the sequel!
Falaye expertly walks the line between showing the ultra-violent reality child soldiers face while giving room for their humanity and innocence to shine. Equal parts soaring fantasy, heart-pounding action, and bloody social commentary, Blood Scion is a triumph of a book.
This epic fantasy debut, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, reminds readers that sometimes monsters are not born, they are made… fast-paced and engaging.
08/01/2022
Gr 8 Up— Nigerian Canadian author Falaye's Yoruban mythology—inspired debut (introducing a planned duology) presents Nagea, a nation brutalized by the genocidal Lucis. Only her grandfather has managed to keep 15-year-old Sloane safe, until she's drafted into the army. Being a Scion—"a descendent of the ancient Orisha gods"—Sloane is imbued with àse, the power of fire; the Scion are the prey of the Lucis. Hiding in plain sight, Sloane survives the murderous training that turns her monstrous, but the (rushed) shocking ending revelations will question at what personal cost. Nigerian American actor Liz Femi's first solo narration is a 15-plus hour endurance feat of distinguishing voices from a vast cast, some more successfully: sharp Sloane, desperate Teo, sly Malachi, strengthening Izara, booming Theodus. Femi deftly slips in and out of various accents, making Lucis in power American, vicious Queen Olympia posh British. VERDICT Femi shrewdly enhances Falaye's underlying exposé of colonialism, genocide, and eternal war.
School Library Journal - Audio
2021-12-24
Being born a Scion, or human who inherits the powers of Yoruba deities, is a crime in Nagea. Sloane, the powerful descendant of Shango, the god of heat and fire, has àse: blood magic that ripples under her dark skin. Not yet controlled, it makes her a literal walking inferno when she is distressed. Drafted into the army ruled by the 13 Luci bloodlines who conquered and colonized Nagea under one rotating monarchy over three centuries ago, Sloane chooses not to run away even though her Baba warns her about the risks of going to the Lucis’ island stronghold: “A Scion in Avalon is a sheep in a lion’s den.” Determined to find out what happened to her mother, Sloane will do whatever it takes, removing any obstacle—human or otherwise—in search of the answers she needs. Sloane’s internal conflicts over her necessarily kill-or-be-killed attitude once on the base are grounded and relatable even as she endures immense physical and emotional violence. The well-paced closing action of the book is tidy, providing satisfactory resolutions for enough of the main mysteries while still leaving readers wanting more. With so much conflict to engage with, however, it’s difficult to get a full sense of the worldbuilding in this intriguing duology opener set in a Nigerian mythology–inspired setting.
A powerful commentary on colonization and the right to rebel. (Fantasy. 14-18)
