Gryphon’s Eye

Jessalyn Suntold may be the heir to the kingdom of Fyngree, but she’s also a Threadbare, someone who has not paired with a familiar and thus cannot perform magic. Her father loves her and worries that she will not be able to hold the throne against their northern neighbor, Rojenhold. When Jessalyn is attacked after hearing a message that warns of a conspiracy close to the crown, she sets off to discover more information by meeting with the sender. Along the way, she joins up with Traejon Frost, the guard of her father’s familiar, and together they trek across the kingdom as Rojenhold prepares to invade Fyngree. Weston’s worldbuilding is imaginative, with such details as dragon oaks—trees that burst into flame as part of their life cycle—and snowy, treacherous mountain landscapes where one false step means death, giving depth to the world. The characters are all crafted with subtlety. Jess realistically vacillates between determination to do her best, despite being a Threadbare, and fear that she won’t be strong enough to protect her people. Fans of fantasy will enjoy Weston’s first book in the Casting Shadows trilogy. Ages 12–up. [em](BookLife) [/em]