Brain Games for Blocked Writers

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Yoon Ha Lee's second space opera inspired by Korean mythology, this time narrated by a nonbinary tiger spirit.<BR><BR>"With a delightful mix of Korean mythology and science fiction, Lee expands on the intriguing world of his previous novel to create another exhilarating adventure with a new precocious protagonist."--Booklist <BR><BR>Sebin, a young tiger spirit from the Juhwang Clan, wants nothing more than to join the Thousand World Space Forces and, like their Uncle Hwan, captain a battle cruiser someday. But when Sebin's acceptance letter finally arrives, it's accompanied by the shocking news that Hwan has been declared a traitor. Apparently the captain abandoned his duty to steal a magical artifact, the Dragon Pearl, and his whereabouts are still unknown. Sebin hopes to help clear their hero's name and restore honor to the clan. <BR><BR>Nothing goes according to plan, however. As soon as Sebin arrives for orientation, they are met by a special investigator named Yi and Yi's assistant, a girl named Min. Yi informs Sebin that they must immediately report to the ship Haetae and await further instructions. Sebin finds this highly unusual, but soon all protocol is forgotten when there's an explosion on the ship, the crew is knocked out, and the communication system goes down. It's up to Sebin, three other cadets, and Yi and Min to determine who is sabotaging the battle cruiser. When Sebin is suddenly accused of collaborating with the enemy, the cadet realizes that Min is the most dangerous foe of all...<BR><BR>Yoon Ha Lee brilliantly turns the tables on DRAGON PEARL in another unputdownable sci-fi adventure about what honor really means.<BR><BR>Endorsed by Rick Riordan, author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, soon to be a series on Disney+.<BR><BR>Complete your middle grade fantasy collection with:- Rick Riordan Presents: DRAGON PEARL by Yoon Ha Lee- Rick Riordan Presents: RACE TO THE SUN by Rebecca Roanhorse- Rick Riordan Presents: SAL AND GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE by Carlos Hernandez- Rick Riordan Presents: THE LAST FALLEN STAR by Graci Kim- Rick Riordan Presents: PAHUA AND THE SOUL STEALER by Lori M. Lee

FINALIST FOR THE NEBULA AND LODESTAR AWARDS • LOCUS AWARD WINNING AUTHOR • "MASTERFULLY CRAFTED."—Axie Oh, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea<BR> <BR> * "THRILLING." —Booklist, starred review <BR> <BR> EVEN GRAVITY COMES AT A PRICE. <BR> <BR>In a society where conformity is valued above all else, a teen girl training to become an Imperial pilot is forced to return to her rebel roots to save her world in this adrenaline-fueled sci-fi adventure—perfect for fans of Iron Widow and Skyward!<BR><BR>Hwa Young was just ten years old when Imperial forces destroyed her rebel moon home. Now, six years later, she is a citizen of the very empire that made her an orphan. <BR><BR>Desperate to shake off her past, Hwa Young dreams of becoming a lancer pilot, one of an elite group of warriors who fly into battle using the empire’s most advanced tech—giant martial robots. When an attack on their boarding school leaves Hwa Young and her classmates stranded on an Imperial space fleet in dire need of pilot candidates, she is quick to volunteer. <BR><BR>But training is nothing like she expected, and secrets—like the ominous fate of the fleet’s previous lancer squad—are stacking up. And when Hwa Young uncovers a conspiracy that puts their entire world at risk, she’s forced to make a choice between her rebel roots and an empire she’s no longer sure she can trust.

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Yoon Ha Lee's space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. <BR><BR>But you'd never know it by looking at her. To keep the family safe, Min's mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times. <BR><BR>Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, and impoverished planet. She's counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds. <BR><BR>When word arrives that Jun is suspected of leaving his post to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows that something is wrong. Jun would never desert his battle cruiser, even for a mystical object rumored to have tremendous power. She decides to run away to find him and clear his name.<BR><BR>Min's quest will have her meeting gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts. It will involve deception, lies, and sabotage. She will be forced to use more fox-magic than ever before, and to rely on all of her cleverness and bravery. The outcome may not be what she had hoped, but it has the potential to exceed her wildest dreams. <BR><BR>This sci-fi adventure with the underpinnings of Korean mythology will transport you to a world far beyond your imagination.<BR><BR>Endorsed by Rick Riordan, author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, soon to be a series on Disney+.

* WINNER OF THE 2026 LOCUS AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL *<BR>* NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR *<BR><BR>'There are elements of the worldbuilding I love' - LOCUS<BR>'Will resonate with readers who straddle cultures themselves' - BOOKLIST<BR>'Continues the high-tech intrigue' - KIRKUS REVIEWS<BR><BR>DO AS OTHERS DO. STAY WHERE OTHERS ARE. UNITY IS SURVIVAL.<BR><BR>It has been two months since Hwa Young and her lancer squad turned on the Empire and joined the clanner rebellion, at a terrible cost. Hwa Young is desperate to rescue her dearest friend, left in the Empire's clutches when the squad fled, but that goes against the orders of her commanding officer in the rebellion-who is also her long-lost heart-mother, Aera.<BR><BR>Loyalties are strained and battle-lines blur when an enemy lancer pilot reaches out to Hwa Young in secret, revealing deeper forces at work both in the Empire and among the clans. When a saboteur wrecks one of the lancers, Hwa Young wonders: is there anyone, Empire or clan, she can truly trust?