Blazewrath Games - Hardcover

Ortiz, Amparo

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1645670791 ISBN 13: 9781645670797

Publisher: Page Street YA, 2020

Synopsis

Dragons and their riders compete in an international sports tournament in this alternate contemporary world fantasy

Lana Torres has always preferred dragons to people. In a few weeks, sixteen countries will compete in the Blazewrath World Cup, a tournament where dragons and their riders fight for glory in a dangerous relay. Lana longs to represent her native Puerto Rico in their first ever World Cup appearance, and when Puerto Rico’s Runner―the only player without a dragon steed―is kicked off the team, she’s given the chance.

But when she discovers that a former Blazewrath superstar has teamed up with the Sire―a legendary dragon who’s cursed into human form―the safety of the Cup is jeopardized. The pair are burning down dragon sanctuaries around the world and refuse to stop unless the Cup gets cancelled. All Lana wanted was to represent her country. Now, to do that, she’ll have to navigate an international conspiracy that’s deadlier than her beloved sport.

About this title

About the Author

Amparo Ortiz was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and currently lives on the island’s northeastern coast. Her short story comic, “What Remains in The Dark,” appears in the Eisner Award-winning anthology Puerto Rico Strong (Lion Forge, 2018), and SAVING CHUPIE, her middle grade graphic novel, comes out with HarperCollins in Winter 2022. She holds an M.A. in English and a B.A. in Psychology from the UPR’s Río Piedras campus. When she’s not teaching ESL to her college students, she’s teaching herself Korean, devouring as much young adult fiction as she can, and writing about Latinx characters in worlds both contemporary and fantastical.

Reviews

Gr 8 Up-Lana has finally realized her dream to become a member of the Puerto Rico Dragon Team in the Blazewrath Games. After fighting off a Fire Drake and a Dragon Knight trying to steal the dragon's wish-giving crystal heart, she becomes famous and is awarded the Runner position on the team. But now, not only does she have to prove herself to her team, Lana also has to solve the mystery of the Dragon Knights and why they are terrorizing the Games and the dragons before they destroy all that she loves. In a nonstop, dragon-roaring adventure, this mash-up of magical realism and coming-of-age story will keep readers enthralled until the last page. Lana is a well-developed character, whose struggles with her white mother's expectations, her Puerto Rican father's heritage, and her love for her native island home give her an inner strength and determination to succeed. The international teams realistically reflect both gender and racial diversity, and Spanish is liberally sprinkled throughout the book. VERDICT This fun read will appeal to fans of dragon tales like Rachel Hartman's Tess of the Road and adventures such as Daniel José Older's "Shadowshaper Cypher" series.-Gretchen Crowley, formerly at Alexandria City P.L., VAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Page Street YA
• Publication date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1645670791
• ISBN 13: 9781645670797
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 368