Wardens of Eternity

November 11, 2019
In this action-packed fantasy set in 1939, an orphaned teenager discovers her heritage as part of a mysterious Egyptian tribe. Sworn to protect the world against evil, the Medjai are trying to resurrect their long-dead queen in order to prevent the outbreak of “a second Great War.” For Ziva, who lost her family early on and grew up poor in New York City, being taken in by the Medjai is an opportunity to explore her cultural identity. As she wholeheartedly embraces the Medjai’s mission to bring back the legendary Queen Nefertari, she trains in combat and hones her innate spell-casting abilities. The Medjai are opposed by certain gods, however, and even with the blessing of Anubis, lord of the dead, their task seems insurmountable. The worldbuilding occasionally feels unconvincing, and Ziva’s transformation from penniless factory worker to globetrotting, magic-slinging Chosen One borders on implausible in its swiftness. But Moulton (Wings of the Wicked) offers a fierce, powerful heroine, an engaging premise, and plenty of magic-tinged cinematic moments. Readers may particularly enjoy Ziva’s unbridled delight at finding people just like herself. Ages 13–up. Agent: Allison Remcheck, Stimola Literary Studio.

November 22, 2019

Gr 7 Up-It's 1939 in New York City, and Ziva remembers nothing of her parents except that they abandoned her. She grew up in an orphanage feeling like an outsider because of her darker skin tone, and learned to rely solely on herself and her mysterious protective powers. Everything changes when she is attacked by a kriosphinx, an Egyptian mythological creature, and siblings Sayer and Nasira Bahri intervene in the battle. They sweep her away from a world of poverty into one of ancient magic, globe-trotting, and delicious French toast. She learns that she is part of the North African Medjai tribe and descended from Queen Nefertari, which puts her on a quest to bring the Queen back to life. While the Egyptian gods have supposedly abandoned humanity, they often come to earth to tempt or help Ziva, with Anubis as her protector, and Set portrayed as a villain with a cryptic vendetta against Nefertari. Nasira becomes her magic/fighting instructor while Sayer teaches her hieroglyphics and opens her heart to romance. This historical fantasy novel is rapidly paced, with quick changes of settings and abrupt insights from Anubis. Ziva picks up fighting and magic with an ease that astonishes other characters, while offering no explanation why she can do all of this before training. Though the initial story line is intriguing, multiple plot holes keep this from being a tale that will fully captivate readers or leave them wondering what comes next. VERDICT An additional purchase where stories of mythology are in high demand.-Rebecca Greer, Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative, FL

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2019
Grades 9-12 Eighteen-year-old Ziva grew up an orphan in New York City following the Great War. Between working for pennies at the factory and scraping together any knowledge she can find about her Egyptian heritage at the library, Ziva's goal is simply to survive and keep her mysterious magical powers under the radar. However, when mythical Egyptian creatures begin attacking her and strangers arrive wielding spells and weapons against them, Ziva is forced to unleash her powers for the first time and begin her journey to finding out who she is and where she belongs. Though the character interactions sometimes feel forced, and the plot's pacing is inconsistent, action-packed fight scenes and a high-stakes objective will keep readers invested in what Ziva will do next. Forthright in its commentary on colonization and racism, the deeper themes woven throughout help Moulton's (the Angelfire trilogy) latest stand out from other historical fantasy adventures. Ziva's bold choices in the final pages suggest a sequel worth reading.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)