Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

A halfling child challenges a cruel king for the throne.Almah, an apprentice witch in Kabak, a city in the Yucatan Peninsula, receives from the elfin beings known as Aluxes a magic stone and a drum that "will announce the true king of Uxmal." As years go by, Kinich Kak Ek takes the throne in Uxmal, but the sorcerer Zaatan Ik prophesies a challenger: Not born of a woman, the usurper will take Kinich Kak Ek's throne once he bangs the kingmaker drum and conquers three challenges. Unbothered by the prophecy, the king annexes neighboring cities and imposes on them rules and punishments. Almah asks the gods for help for her people and receives a response in the shape of an Alux halfling boy, Sayam, who hatches from an egg. When Zaatan Ik releases on a defiant city a serpent from the underworld, he sets in motion a series of events that will change Sayam's fate along with the rest of Uxmal. In the first of 10 graphic novels to adapt his work Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky (2018), David Bowles pairs up with illustrator Charlene Bowles to bring Mesoamerican heroes to life. With seemingly simple yet vivid illustrations characterized by strong, dynamic lines, the illustrator develops cunning and endearing characters to populate this enticing tale. In an afterword, the author shares the historical significance of Maya storytelling and its connection to today's graphic novels.An unmissable adventure of mythical proportions. (Graphic fantasy. 8-14)

Horn Book (Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2020)

In this series starter, David Bowles, author of 2018's Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky: Myths of Mexico, adapts a tale from that anthology for the graphic novel form. This volume focuses on the classic legend of Sayam -- the Halfling (part-human, part-alux) king of Uxmal, the ancient city of Late Classic Mayan civilization. Raised and trained by the wise healer and medicine woman Almah, Sayam is destined to overthrow Kinich Kak Ek, Uxmal's despotic king, whose tyrannical rule has wrought disharmony across the realm, driving aluxes, witches, and the healing arts of magic underground. Throughout, Bowles highlights Mayan writing and storytelling systems, embedding references to Mayan philosophy and ethics in a thrilling, fast-moving plot that sees Sayam fulfill the prophecy of his reign. Charlene Bowles's illustrations match the pacing and cadence of the narrative with varying yet well-organized panels that build robust characters and convey emotions. In particular, Sayam's growing maturity, leadership, and sense of duty to his people are depicted through relatable simplicity of expression and peaceful equilibrium achieved by the cool teal-blue palette. A directory of characters precedes the story, and a concluding author's note about the aesthetics of graphic art in Mayan writing traditions articulates the importance of perpetuating Mayan epistemology and culture in modern-day storytelling. Lettycia Terrones

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A halfling child challenges a cruel king for the throne.Almah, an apprentice witch in Kabak, a city in the Yucatan Peninsula, receives from the elfin beings known as Aluxes a magic stone and a drum that "will announce the true king of Uxmal." As years go by, Kinich Kak Ek takes the throne in Uxmal, but the sorcerer Zaatan Ik prophesies a challenger: Not born of a woman, the usurper will take Kinich Kak Ek's throne once he bangs the kingmaker drum and conquers three challenges. Unbothered by the prophecy, the king annexes neighboring cities and imposes on them rules and punishments. Almah asks the gods for help for her people and receives a response in the shape of an Alux halfling boy, Sayam, who hatches from an egg. When Zaatan Ik releases on a defiant city a serpent from the underworld, he sets in motion a series of events that will change Sayam's fate along with the rest of Uxmal. In the first of 10 graphic novels to adapt his work Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky (2018), David Bowles pairs up with illustrator Charlene Bowles to bring Mesoamerican heroes to life. With seemingly simple yet vivid illustrations characterized by strong, dynamic lines, the illustrator develops cunning and endearing characters to populate this enticing tale. In an afterword, the author shares the historical significance of Maya storytelling and its connection to today's graphic novels.An unmissable adventure of mythical proportions. (Graphic fantasy. 8-14)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

This first in a series of full-color graphic novels draws from the author-s 2018 work for older readers, Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky. Apprentice witch Almah must complete her training by meeting the Aluxes, -mystic elfin beings who wield great magic to protect nature.- She is given two items: a magical stone and a drum that will -announce the rightful king of Uxmal,- which hasn-t had one in a century. Years later, under the rule of cruel King Kinich Kak Ek, who outlaws witches, lonely Almah finds an egg that hatches a boy, whom she adopts as her grandson. But half-human, half-Alux Sayam is different from other humans, and his first battle, against a giant snake attacking a nearby city, garners the king-s attention. When the kingmaker drum is struck, a prophecy is set in motion: whoever bests the king at three impossible tasks will succeed him. Armed with magical knowledge from Almah, a mind for reading ancient spells, and his spider monkey best friend, Sayam challenges the monarch. Expressive, boldly lined art complements simple storytelling, resulting in a respectful, engaging interpretation of ancient Mesoamerican folklore accessible for younger readers. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8-13. Agents: Taylor Martindale Kean and Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel, Full Circle Literary. (Oct.)

School Library Journal (Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2020)

Gr 4-8 In this tale drawn from Mesoamerican myth, Sayam, a stouthearted halfling, deposes a tyrant. Uxmal, a Yucatán city, thrived for a century before King Kinich Kak Ek brought it under his yoke. When the king's sorcerer, Zaatan Ik, warns him that a man not born of woman will seize his throne, the heedless Kinich begins expanding his empire and brutalizing subjugated peoples. Eventually, Zaatan Ik unleashes an underworld serpent on a city that won't surrender, precipitating the king's downfall. Years earlier, fairy-like aluxes presented Almah, a witch in nearby Kabah, with a drum that would proclaim Uxmal's rightful king and she's been raising Sayam, an alux-human hybrid, since he hatched from an egg. As the drum sounds, a worthy ruler rises. In an afterword, David Bowles likens graphic novels to the predominantly visual hieroglyphics Mesoamericans employed in their written records. The first installment in a 10-volume series converting his Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky to a graphic format, this book reads the way that a folk tale is traditionally heard: It's fast, vivid, and action-laden. Since archetypes require little elaboration, readers freed from the burden of intricate characterization can instead attend to the story's cultural context and perennial themes. Charlene Bowles melds the stylizations of historical codices and scrolls with livelier, rounded linework typical of modern comics to create an engaging accompaniment to the concise text. Characters are all Indigenous Mayans. VERDICT An obvious buy for those that already have plenty of titles featuring Greco-Roman and Norse deities. Steven Thompson, Bound Brook Memorial P.L., NJ