Isoka, a ward boss (read: enforcer and debt collector) in Kahnzoka, has come to terms with her life amongst the lower echelons. She'll be an agent of the sixteenth ward for the rest of her life. The higher wards are filled with people who have magical powers, which come from the nine Wells of Sorcery. During a routine debt-collection mission, Isoka finds she has access to the most dangerous well of all: the Well of Combat. She's arrested for lying to the Emperor, and sent to retrieve a deadly ghost ship in return for her life and her sister's. But the mission is deadly ll Isoka stand a chance with new powers she hasn't been trained to use? Veteran writer Wexler, most recently known for his adult fantasy series The Shadow Campaigns and children's adventures The Forbidden Library series, has another engrossing winner on his hands. The title, cover, and content, which is often violent and sometimes racy, will evoke comparisons to Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass series. A recommended purchase for older readers.

The first in a thrilling, action-packed fantasy series that epitomizes the fight for survival.In the slums of the great port city of Kahnzoka, teenage ward boss Isoka is a ruthless money collector. All the money she obtains goes to support the life she has built for her younger sister away from the poverty and violence. Ancient magic has given her the ability to access the power of Melos, the Well of Combat, one of the nine Wells of Sorcery, an ability she should have declared to the Immortals years ago. When her powers are discovered, she is arrested and sent on an impossible mission: steal the ghost ship Soliton and return it to the Empire in one year's time. Unfortunately, no one has ever returned from Soliton, but if she fails, her sister dies. Isoka must not only survive on the ship, but she must also find a way to reach the captain and take control. Wexler's (The Infernal Battalion, 2018 etc.) young adult debut is a gripping, fast-paced fantasy enrapturing readers until the end. Told from Isoka's point of view, readers get deep into the magic, people, and inner workings of the ship. This ever changing world of magic is beautifully constructed with tantalizing details that evoke a variety of cultural influences. The characters are well-developed, and diversity—in ethnicity, ability, and sexuality—is abundant. From gory fights to unexpected romance, this has something for every fantasy lover.An alluring fierceness and charm will leave readers craving more. (map) (Fantasy. 14-adult)

In this pulse-pounding epic fantasy, first in the Wells of Sorcery trilogy, a young woman with an uncanny affinity for combat magic is pushed to her limits when she-s sentenced to serve as crew aboard the mythical ghost ship Soliton. Eighteen-year-old Isoka, who can channel the Well of Combat to summon blades of energy, is given an ultimatum by the head of the empire-s magical enforcers: she must find a way to commandeer the ship and its power on behalf of the empire, or her sister will die. Soliton teems with hostile monsters and fellow exiles, all of whom also have mage-born talents, and Isoka must navigate the community-s precarious politics. As she repeatedly defies death in the ancient ship-s treacherous depths, she earns power and respect from the ship-s crew and officers while developing unexpected feelings for Meroe, a princess with her own dark secrets. When Soliton-s true nature is revealed, Isoka may be the only one who can save everyone aboard. In his YA debut, Wexler (Fall of the Readers) delivers an atmospheric adventure that expertly mixes visceral action sequences, a compelling mystery, a diverse cast, and vividly described settings. Ages 13-up. (Jan.)