The Splinter in the Sky

Ashing-Giwa’s breathtaking space opera debut takes readers to the occupied province of Koriko, where Enitan Ijebu lives with her sibling, Xiang, under the cruel thumb of the Holy Vaalbaran Empire. Vaalbara and its neighboring nation, the Ominirish Republic, have finally signed a peace treaty after years of war, but when Xiang goes missing—one in a long line of disappearances from Koriko—Enitan realizes the empire is still plotting and maneuvers her way into Vaalbara’s capital, the Splinter, to investigate. Her goal is to find her sibling and get out, but matters are immediately complicated when both the nation of Ominirish and the newly appointed God-Emperor of Vaalbaran realize she could be an asset and ask her to spy for them. Caught between saving Xiang and using her newfound influence to alter the fate of all Korikese, Enitan dives into the world of political intrigue—and finds love in an unexpected place. While readers will undoubtedly be invested in this headstrong young tea expert playing spy, it’s colonialism and the effects of war on a populace that form this narrative’s hard-hitting emotional core. Delving into serious sociopolitical matters without ever losing the shine of hope, this tense adventure packs a punch. Agent: Tricia Skinner, Fuse Literary. (July)