Devious Prey

A dirigible carrying dangerous cargo crashes, inciting a bid for survival in this swashbuckling fantasy from Reintgen (the Dragonships series). When armed soldiers board the Grand Gesture, young smuggler Pearl tries not to panic about the contraband dragon she and her aunt Hath snuck aboard. If they’re lucky, the men will be too focused on the prisoner they’re transporting—powerful teen wizard and accused murderer Marken—to pay Pearl and Hath any mind. Then the Grand Gesture is blown off course and shipwrecks on an uncharted desert island. Upon discovering that the dragon has escaped her enchanted crate, Hath tells Pearl to keep quiet and hope for a speedy rescue; warning people will just make the two women targets. After the creature starts hunting castaways, however, Pearl pleads with the soldiers to unbind Marken’s magic, reasoning that the wizard’s powers would give them a fighting chance, but the soldiers refuse, forcing Pearl to ponder mutiny. Worldbuilding takes a backseat to breathless pacing and high-stakes action. The lean plot features some seismic twists, and the shy attraction that sparks between Pearl and Marken injects a healthy dose of heart. Characters cue as racially diverse. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary. (Mar.)