Ice Apprentices
A breathtaking new children's fantasy series
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Perfect for fans of Skandar and Wilderlore, this “chilling page-turner” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) follows a magical apprentice in a land of ice and snow who must uncover why strange monsters are attacking his fellow apprentices…or else suffer the tragic consequences.
Tundra is the last settlement in a world of ice. Oswin Fields is its only stray—a foundling rescued from the ice who many think is a drain on scarce resources meant for Tundrans. Then Oswin is summoned to Corridor by Grandmaster Yarrow to learn magic, finally giving him a chance to prove his worth.
But Oswin barely has time to embrace his new role before his fellow apprentices start being attacked by monsters. Perhaps even worse, he learns his deceased adopted uncle is considered the most infamous Tundran to ever have lived and might have left followers behind who want to destroy the settlement.
Now grappling with an unwanted legacy and mysterious foes, Oswin must look deep inside himself for the strength to prove he belongs in Tundra.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
As a stray, or outsider, living in Tundra—the last human community in a world of ice and snow— transgender 13-year-old Oswin Fields faces "resentment no one has dealt with since the Great Freeze" and is considered a drain on resources best left for native Tundrans. Nevertheless, he's invited to study magic in Corridor, an institution in which ice apprentices train to protect Tundra and ensure the community's survival. There, Oswin discovers that his uncle was an infamous traitor. Worse still, there's no mercy for strays at the already dangerous school, which is beset by bizarre monster attacks shortly after Oswin's arrival. Tentatively befriending gender-fluid gadgeteer Maury Craftwright and prickly, privileged Ennastasia Barkmoth, Oswin attempts to unravel the mysteries surrounding Corridor, the attacks, and his own shadowed heritage, including why a disembodied voice keeps commanding him to "steal the ghost." Gritty atmospheric prose by debut author North renders inventive elemental magic alongside Tundra's lore and challenging living conditions, for strays and natives alike. The easy and much-needed camaraderie Oswin finds among the memorable characters, who are described as having varying skin tones, adds heart to this chilling page-turner. Ages 8–12.
